Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The Finishing Touch

At this point in my life (middle age...GULP!) it seems less than likely to me that I would suddenly wake up one day and be organized, efficient and have become a "finisher". I've learned that I am a great starter--I have a vision and tend to jump in with both feet--but a finisher? Not so much...Yet lo and behold, lately (the last year or two) this does in fact seem to be changing. I firmly believe that this is largely due to the fact that I've become a bit more restrained about what I start (for those of you who know me well, please notice the use of the phrase a bit). Not taking on every little thing that catches my interest has been a huge help! And that feeling of success and accomplishment that I've discovered comes with finishing is a pretty big incentive, too.

Last year, at the gentle and necessary urging of my husband, I completed a major endeavor. I finished my master's degree and earned my certification as a School Counselor. This was no small task at the age of 44 with 3 kids and a busy household to manage, but at least I wasn't trying to balance it with a job, as so many others students were...Of course, the next logical step would have been employment in my field. Enter the economic woes of our nation and the slashing pen of Governor Chris Christie, and exit any chance I had of realizing that next step. So now what? I faced a choice: hold on to the sense of accomplishment or see only the failure to obtain employment. Well, what would you choose?

Here I am a little over a year later embracing my love of fabric, color, texture and creating, and finding my voice through this blog. Today I will finish something. It's a lovely little fall quilt crafted from some of my favorite fall colors of brown, rusty orange and gold. I've used some of my beloved batiks in its making and am preparing to head over the sewing machine and quilt it.


A sneak peek at my fall batik quilt

The thread's loaded, and the machine's making that quiet little hum that beckons me...But before I go I thought you might want a preview of my next project...It's another quilt (after all, fall is rapidly approaching) and I'm pretty excited about the fabrics I found:


Ooooooo!!! Ahhhhhh!!!

But now, back to what I was saying above: The Finishing.

Come back in the next day or two to check out the finished fall quilt, or visit my etsy shop where it will be for sale!

Don't be a stranger!

2 comments:

  1. May your sense of accomplishment never diminish!

    Projects are definitely hard to complete once that initial steam has gone away... The fact that you finished your degree is a major feat!
    Hurray for you!

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  2. Why do you think my blog is titled "Unfinished Work"?! Yes, but I too can relate to feeling like I finish more things these days. I still have my share of unfinished projects, but I like to think perhaps I'm learning to discern what's really important and spend my energy there. :)
    Dianne

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