I know I am a little late to this New-Year's-Thoughts party but I had some thoughts I wanted to put out there. This year my husband decided he doesn't want me to go back to work. That's pretty big news since my children will all be in school in August. I have to find a way to occupy myself while still having enough flexibility to provide the benefits of stay-at-home-mom-dom. Quilting has been a huge part of those thoughts. Teach? Make quilts to sell? Try to get a book published? Write patterns? All of these things have run through my brain In the end, I think the best thing is to concentrate on making more patterns and finding out what it takes to get a distributor to pick those up and carry them on paper as well. Anybody that has advice, please please let me know!
Secondly I have thought about this blog. I started this blog because I wanted to show what I was making and I was tired of posting pictures on facebook when clearly not everyone wants to see that sort of thing. I also wanted to post some tutorials as a way of "paying back" to all those generous bloggers who made tutorials that helped me learn and love quilting. I think I have definitely accomplished those 2 goals. I have always been a little different than most people so having a megablog is not gonna happen. I was thrilled when I finally started making friends through comments and emails and everything else is gravy. Unfortunately, I also have a bit of a competitive streak and at times I think "man, that other person has sponsors...that other person gets free fabric all the time...that other person is selling things...that other person is writing books...Why can't I be that resourceful???" I don't feel I am doing a great job at keeping my house running in tip top shape so keeping a professional, monetized blog up is just way over my head. How do people do it? I think some people are blessed with that organizing gene and I think I might have to admit that I am not one of those people. I kinda still wish I were. I am a terrible juggler and I hate the feeling of being overwhelmed more than anything. I remember when I first became a stay at home mom I found myself considering volunteering for things and I thought "I just quit my job to focus on my child...and now I'm taking up extra work for free????- hold on." I see myself needing to once again refocus and remember priorities. I need to quit comparing myself to others- our gifts and talents are different but it doesn't mean mine are less useful. Maybe you're the same ??? With blogs and flickr and pinterest I think we can sometimes feed into that notion that everyone else has it together besides us. As my friend Lisa recently said (and she was quoting someone else whom I don't remember) "why do we compare our behind the scenes footage to someone else's highlight reel." Brilliant thought, huh?
So this year I will be a quilter who sometimes blogs...not a quilting blogger. I will make things that excite me and challenge me. I am going to try to soak up my last few months with the twins before kindergarten takes them away. Exciting things will still happen, though they may happen less frequently. Bad things will probably happen too...like stomach viruses, Mt. St. Laundry, mean kids at school, and all my pants all getting way too tight. I may not take the time to blog every bit of it, but it's happening just the same. Trust.
I hope that this year we can all chase our own priorities and learn to cherish our own gifts. Happy New Year to you all!!!
Secondly I have thought about this blog. I started this blog because I wanted to show what I was making and I was tired of posting pictures on facebook when clearly not everyone wants to see that sort of thing. I also wanted to post some tutorials as a way of "paying back" to all those generous bloggers who made tutorials that helped me learn and love quilting. I think I have definitely accomplished those 2 goals. I have always been a little different than most people so having a megablog is not gonna happen. I was thrilled when I finally started making friends through comments and emails and everything else is gravy. Unfortunately, I also have a bit of a competitive streak and at times I think "man, that other person has sponsors...that other person gets free fabric all the time...that other person is selling things...that other person is writing books...Why can't I be that resourceful???" I don't feel I am doing a great job at keeping my house running in tip top shape so keeping a professional, monetized blog up is just way over my head. How do people do it? I think some people are blessed with that organizing gene and I think I might have to admit that I am not one of those people. I kinda still wish I were. I am a terrible juggler and I hate the feeling of being overwhelmed more than anything. I remember when I first became a stay at home mom I found myself considering volunteering for things and I thought "I just quit my job to focus on my child...and now I'm taking up extra work for free????- hold on." I see myself needing to once again refocus and remember priorities. I need to quit comparing myself to others- our gifts and talents are different but it doesn't mean mine are less useful. Maybe you're the same ??? With blogs and flickr and pinterest I think we can sometimes feed into that notion that everyone else has it together besides us. As my friend Lisa recently said (and she was quoting someone else whom I don't remember) "why do we compare our behind the scenes footage to someone else's highlight reel." Brilliant thought, huh?
So this year I will be a quilter who sometimes blogs...not a quilting blogger. I will make things that excite me and challenge me. I am going to try to soak up my last few months with the twins before kindergarten takes them away. Exciting things will still happen, though they may happen less frequently. Bad things will probably happen too...like stomach viruses, Mt. St. Laundry, mean kids at school, and all my pants all getting way too tight. I may not take the time to blog every bit of it, but it's happening just the same. Trust.
I hope that this year we can all chase our own priorities and learn to cherish our own gifts. Happy New Year to you all!!!
I felt the same way a while ago and finally just said to myself, if it happens, it happens. I'm not going to make myself crazy trying to juggle things. Last year I didn't pressure myself to do anything, blog, quilt, sew, whatever. I did it when I had time and when it felt right. Best year of my life.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready and raring to get back into it this year because I truly enjoy quilting and sharing, and truthfully, I missed it, so now that things have settled down a little over on my end it's a great time to dig in again.
Good Luck, Mary!
You just have to be the best you! Period! I had a tough time adjusting when all my kids were in school and I was at home (I do now watch a friends kids) but I can to this same conclusion! I am doing this for me! Not for anyone else! If my house is not as clean as someone else likes tough poop! If I am not as skinny as those other wives...more of me to love! If my friends like me they like me for who I am not what I do!! I have to be here to make me happy first! If I am not happy noone around me will be either!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you will enjoy your last few months with the kids at home! And then... what ever YOU like!!!
I like that your blog is a little different. :) Have a blessed year!
ReplyDeleteParagraph 2 is pretty much what runs through my head at least once a day. I love making things and it would be awesome to have the cost of materials off set in some way. However, the business side of things isn't so fun. As my husbands says, why would I want to screw up a hobby I love by turning it into a business that makes me miserable. I'm still trying to negotiate a balance. I have one pattern selling at a local quilt store and I keep telling myself I should list some on etsy. I'm working on another pattern and I submitted an idea to Moda. Right now, I'm not going to stress about building a quilting empire, I'm just going to do what's fun.
ReplyDeleteYou're a smart lady, MLB. Might have to follow your lead...
ReplyDeleteI LOVE THIS POST! I feel the same way. How are people so awesome?? I think we are awesome too and that is great you are getting to stay home :) It is good to put your family first. I think that it is great. Did I say I feel the same way, I know I did. But I just can't help but thinking what wonderful thing am I going to do?? I think it is still a possibility for something wonderful to come but it can't be forced which is what I want to do is force it to come out but more than that I think it is important to be open and willing if somehting we aren't "planning" on to come. So great words and thank you :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great plan! I have, coincidentally, posted every day for a week for the first time in over 2 years of having a blog, but it's by sheer coincidence that I had something to say, I think I'll be back to 'normal' aka a couple of posts a week, soon!
ReplyDeleteAs for paragraph 2, I have dallied with the monetary idea a couple of times mentally, but I don't think my blog is the place to try and make money, so I'll get to booking some craft fair stalls in a few months after I've done some substantial tinkering around with patterns I've created and churned out some stock! I'm not going to stress about this though, it will get done when it gets done, my day job is not going anywhere...
Have fun with the kids and your quilting this year :o)
I remember when my last little one started school. I had all sorts of plans about what I would do with my new found free time. He will be a freshman in high school in August....i still haven't found the time I thought I was coming into.
ReplyDeleteI think we all take stock of our lives at this time of year. We consider our accomplishments and try to make goals that are attainable. In the end, we have only our integrity, so be true to you. Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteMary, I often wonder how these other bloggers do it, and I guess they treat it as a job. You know, 8 hours a day focusing on presenting a range of images and text for the world to see. I just don't have the energy or motivation to do that.
ReplyDeleteIt's been 9 years since my son started school and I've loved most of that time at home. I've become the type of wife that I thought I'd never be- a stay at home one, looking after my home, my husband and my son. But best of all- looking after myself!
My husband said to me yesterday, as he was leaving for work 'there's something in the letter box' and after I grabbed it out, told him it was more stitching stuff, he said 'I'm not saying a thing- it keeps you at home!'.
He loves that I stay home and he loves that I make things for our home.
Enjoy your time at home doing the things you enjoy! I love your tutorials, especially the FMQ ones.
While new doors may open some exciting opportunities, it doesn't mean you can't enjoy some of the benefits you enjoy now. I hope you find a perfect job that will provide you great flexibility while utilizing all your creativity and talents, and inspire the inner you! In the meantime, I hope you win a mega lotto or a good friend buys a ticket, wins, and shares it with you.
ReplyDeleteSewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
I used to read to the 2nd grade classes for several years. They loved it and so did I. Do what works for YOU and your family. You'll figure it out. Patterns sound like a great start. Blogging is also for YOU. We just get to enjoy reading what others do and get more ideas.
ReplyDelete