Monday, August 19, 2013

Musings On the Act of Being Busy

I Want To Lazy!

I Want To Lazy! by darkly-danie featuring a black sweater


Sometimes, the hardest thing in the world is to motivate. This morning I realized that it had been many days since TF had a post. I sat and I reflected on what the problem was and I realized I have just been too darn busy to even think about my sewing room! 

It is often hard to admit that life can get us. It can get in the way, it can wear us down, and sometimes we get a case of the blergs. The problem with being a blogger and the internet is we have constant pressure to be awesome coming at us 24/7. However, no one can handle the strain of being busy and productive all the time! That's nuts. Often times we need to take a step back and just let ourselves decompress. Granted often times, for me, that is in my sewing room- yet in this past week I just couldn't spare the brainpower to start a new project.

Vacation wore me out (let's face it they usually do) and the minute I got home it was back to the realities of life. I had a licensing test to study for and take, a new job (complete with interview) on the horizon, the husband and I bought me a new car (and that has had its ups and downs), we have immediate family members getting married which means lots of family social events, I have a new class for Phleb certification which starts next week, and after all this I am burned out. 

Yet, this is not a post to whine about being busy. Being busy is a glorious thing. It means we are living life to the fullest. This is a post about not letting yourself be overwhelmed or feel pressured to take on more than you can handle. I could not even think of my blog this week and to be honest at one point I got a little upset. Like how can something important to you fall by the wayside? Because I am a human being with a life! And that is ok! ]

The last two days I will be honest with you- I vegged! My husband and I had beta access to the new Final Fantasy XIV release (did I mention we are GIANT GEEKS!) and I spent the last two days sitting in bed leveling my character to 13. Sadly in the world of go go go we are often made to feel like if we sit in bed two days playing video games we are slackers or useless. Yet, I attest that sane humans beings need brain breaks and there is nothing wrong with that!

I do want to take a minute and share a photo of my gorgeous new car with you. Its a 2013 Mini Cooper and it is my dream car. I am giant anglophile and as many have pointed out this is the "most me" car I have ever owned down to the Union flag mirror covers. I am very proud and happy to own it. It really is my first grown up car with a grown up price tag and I love it.


Monday, August 5, 2013

Quilts of the MidWest: Missouri

Hello my loves! I have returned! After a week among the trees and waters of the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri the husband and I are home safe and sound in one piece. It has been quite the adventures and I have a feeling that I will be breaking up the trip into a series of posts instead of trying to do an image and info dump in one post.

Today's post will focus on the most important aspect of traveling: seeing new and beautiful quilts!!! I was actually shocked how many quilts crossed my path while staying in my husbands grandparents lake house. It was like they kept coming out of the woodwork sending me running for my camera to document the beauty of these beautiful and mostly hand quilted (!) quilts providing warmth to the rainy Missouri days (and there were many!).

The first quilt we ran into hid beneath the covers of the bed the husband and I were borrowing for the trip. In the bedroom of his grandparents close friends who generously lent us the use of their lake house, I shrieked with joy when I pulled back the covers to these adorable applique kitties and about gave my husband a heart attack. But, come on! Applique kitties! It was like this quilt was meant for me or something! It was pretty obvious this quilt was machine quilted but I coveted the hand embroidery around each kitty cat.

The next room over I stumbled across this amazing hexy quilt. I loved the color choices and the playful patterns

This postage stamp quilt was found in a closet while searching for towels. Let's face it though, it is much too pretty for a closet. 


As we were driving from the airport towards the lake house and I watched the shops, trees, and white lines out the window and I noticed a sign reading Love To Sew. I logged its position in my head in case I ever got the chance to explore the town on my own. That time came when the husband and I decided to while away an afternoon shopping and I forced my husband to pull over into the parking lot. Because, if you can't hit every quilt shop in the world you aren't trying hard enough!

The shop was adorable from the get go and I could tell the lovely woman at the counter was surprised to see young people enter through the door as it was pretty clear straight away that at the Lake of the Ozarks people our age were more interested in boating and beers than piecing and quilting. The shop only sold Janome machines like the MC 9900 in the picture below which was thrilling to me as I have been seriously considering a Janome but had yet to see one up close and personal and boy howdy get I get up close. However, my husband got more up close to the price tag! Yike! Now, it will be the uphill battle to convince him that this machine would be worth the price and make all my quilting dreams come true lol. Until then this ladies in the shop were kind enough to answer all our questions and allow us to check out the work all the customers had been doing on their Horizon's in the backroom. The shop offers free classes to all who buy machines in which to teach you how to use the bazillion features. That day they were working with the built in AcuFill quilting feature and boy was I green with envy.


The fabric selection in the shop was lovely, not the best selection for a modern quilter, but an absolute heyday for a traditional quilter. Their batik selection especially was mindblowing and I loved the mini quilts hung around the shop, I could have spent all day ogling!


Eventually though the husband managed to drag me out and on with our day. But I will tell you I will be saving every penny I find in hopes that someday in the not too future I will be splurging for a new machine. Until then my trusty Brother and I will continue happily quilting and I will continue to scream at my husband to stop the car every time I see the words sew and quilt- no matter how much we are enjoying our vacation!

For more pictures and information about Love to Sew Boutique please visit their website here.
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