Sunday, March 6, 2011

… a bit of a life changer. . .




About nine months ago, I felt a real desire to change the way I was spending my days. . . living my life really. . .


I was feeling like had been so caught up in my business & in what I had started to think I needed to do to be 'successful' . . . that I discovered that I was losing hold on the 'love' & the reason why I started designing. It was getting swallowed up by the pressure to promote & the fads that come & go. . . They weren't me & I the contentment that I have from designing & creating were getting swallowed up in them.


So, I purposefully took a step back. . . & I began to get in touch with what I wanted my business to be. . . my life to be.  I stopped looking at what others were doing so much. . . & I began to look at what really inspired me. That's  when I started working in a local quilt shop. It's the same quilt shop that I took my first quilting classes in . . . & it has been so wonderful to get out of my home studio & get to meet, assist & get to know what is important to other  quilters. 


It was the beginning of a 'coming home' for me.


Since then, I have been re-thinking a lot of the things I was doing in my business. . . & the way I was living my life.


I'll be honest. . . it hasn't always been so easy. There are times that I still feel like a need to play some game. . . to follow some unwritten code of what I should do to be successful. But day-by-day it has become increasingly easier. I'm hearing (& listening to) my own drummer again. . . & all around me I am finding reminders of what my heart knows. . . Just this morning, & heard again something I used to have on a bulletin board:


"God does not call us to be successful. . .
He calls us to be faithful."
- Mother Theresa


Which brings me to the photo of the book above. It is the current book on my bedside table, & it is such a 'gift' in it's own right. The timing of me discovering this book is nothing short of the impeccable perfection of God's timing in my life (. . . which I've experienced over & over. . .), & it is a part of filling my heart (& head) with the things that help me really see the blessings that surround me.


I've also discovered that so many others in the blogging world are also reading 'One Thousand Gifts', & that it is also having a profound affect on their lives as well. 


Here's a little preview of the book. . .




So. . . here's to slowing down & looking for & seeing the gifts. . . & when life feels all frazzled . . . here's to realizing that it doesn't change the fact that the gifts are still there. . .


. . . for me, it's life changing. 


Even though I knew it all along. . . it's been such a gift to be reminded. . . 


Bren



Wednesday, March 2, 2011

daybook ::38::



for today :: March 2, 2011

outside my window. . .   beautiful . . . blissful. . . warm sunny day. . .!

I am thinking. . . of how much I love the weather where I live. . . the beauty of snow covering everything on Sunday morning. . . & by today (Wednesday) . . . it might just reach 80°. . . (sweet!)

from the kitchen. . .  my favorite coffees (see photo above) - today it's the vanilla. . . (ahh. . . yum!)

I am wearing. . . t-shirt & capri pants. . . changing soon to shorts when I go out to the backyard.

I am creating. . .  lists. . . for my meeting tomorrow morning with my accountant.

I am remembering. . .  that getting ready for the annual 'taxes' meeting. . . isn't really as yucky as I make it out to be in my head. . .

I am reading. . .   'one thousand gifts' - by Ann Voskamp. 

I am hoping . . .  to make some time to work on the next fabric line (for fall)

I am hearing. . .  birdies. . . a sweet sound of spring!!

around the house. . .  took down the 'winter' quilts this morning. . . & hung 'spring' quilts. . . the weather was just too pretty not to!

I am going. . .  to take an afternoon break out in the sunshine. . . in the back yard. (I think Bailey can already sense it. . . he's getting a bit restless!)

one of my favorite things. . .  letting a single Ghirardelli 60% Cacao chocolate chip melt on my tongue.

a few plans for the rest of the week. . . taking photos of the two quilts, one wool penny rug, & one embroidery project. . . also working on the colors for the next Durham Anew line. . .

from my picture journal . . .


Bren