This was the look of my stats counter a few weeks ago after someone on StumbledUpon and rated one of my posts. It’s quite incredible to go from a few hundred hits a day to a few thousand. Beyond that, though, every time I would see this spike — the visual representation of a sudden and dramatic increase in activity — it felt like a metaphor for my emotional life. Between visiting my parents’ house, relationship stuff, and work politics drama, you may remember that I was pretty maxed out.

Fortunately, I’ve come back down to earth. My psychic energy has been freed up and I am back to working on creative projects and relationship-building in my free time.

News

I was honored to be featured on WhipUp.net for my fabric folding tutorial. Hope people get mileage out of it! It definitely saved us at my mom’s house, and now I’ve folded all of the fabric that I “inherited” from her stash and put it into my own system. I guess it’s time for photos of my new studio work corner. Stay tuned.

I also had a photo highlighted over on the Sew, Mama, Sew! blog. Thanks, ladies! I’m a long-time fan of the Mamas.

Comments You Should Read

Its been a while since we featured comments, but there have certainly been some great ones!

Great reader contributions on my review of Mihaly Csziksentmihalyi’s book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience.

Mal, Interesting commentary. I find that for me, being in the “zone” makes me a more relaxed and happier person. And that the creativity seems to unintensionally spill over into other areas of my life. And I absolutely agree that while sometimes creativity is spilling over (I call it having itchy fingers that just want to sew), other times I have to sit down and make myself sew and the next thing I know I’m there, (or in a place that leads me “there”).

Shelly of Shelly’s Quilts

I’ve always found that the first step to “getting into the flow” is just DOING something. For me, it translates to a natural progression of ideas and work and then i DO forget all else. This also happens on the rare occasion that Greyman and i take off for a weekend—-when we are in the moment in the wild of the mountains, our separate ” lives” disappear except for the exact minutes we are there—we have even forgotten about our “babies” for awhile (the cats :}). I have done that at work also while arranging flowers!

There is a very refreshing feeling to this when it happens and it happens often enough that i am taking great joy in my/our life for the first time in years.

Arlee of Albedo Design Journal

On the entry about organizing things in rainbow order, lots of fellow color-organization ”freaks” came out to comment!

Mr. BIV lives at my house, too, esp. in Fabric Land. I have warm colors (ROY) each in their own containers but all next to one another. I have cool colors (G. BIV) same situation. Then a container each for White/Cream, Beige/Tan, Gray/Black. A zipper bag of fabrics which can represent soil (White Sand to Black Clay).

My “theme” fabrics are in their own containers: Food, Quilts of Valor (lots of donated fabric here; I don’t want to mingle it with my own), Reproduction (19th c. vs. 1930s), Holidays, Cats, Dogs, Bounty (harvest related), Tea/Coffee, Critters (mostly fish and birds, but some juvie lizard prints, too), Batiks, Hand Dyed, and Bright Multi-Colored What Color Is It Really? (one container). Probably missed a couple, but you get the idea….

I like the fruit color sorted, though I haven’t done it yet–it looks very cheerful!

Cynthia, no blog (but great reader/commenter!)

Interesting comments, too, when I shared about The Intervention —sorting through and purging my mom’s hoarded fabric stash.

That’s inspiring- seeing all the pretty organized colors, purging, admitting there is a problem, but I can also imagine the daunting feeling hanging over something like that to even get started.

I have the fabric I have because my aunt has brown boxes filling her garage. Luckily though, when I said I was taking a class and needed some- all my aunts opened their doors. I’m working really hard on making things with what I have before accumulating anything more. I only buy something if I cannot in any way substitute something I already have.

Thank you so much for the organization inspiration, congratulations on all the hard work you’ve accomplished so far and definitely sending positivity to you for the future goals.

Liz of Chunk of Cheddar

There were some fun declarations of independence on the giveaway contest a few weeks ago. I encourage you to read them all! Here’s a sample:

I declare my independence today from worrying about the future, it’s a waste of time.

Deborah (no blog)

I declare my independence from procrastination! I’m taking care of some pesky details instead of letting them cause me to fret.

Courtney of Woodland School

I am declaring my independence from thinking I have to do everything without asking for any help.

Patty (no blog)

Finally, some good thoughts arose from my post about video games and creativity (constructive vs. destructive freetime pursuits).

I absolutely believe there is something healing in using our creativity. About a year ago, I went through a bout of depression after losing my job (and the circumstances surrounding it). I did nothing but read, losing myself in imaginary worlds. I read 23 books in two weeks. I couldn’t focus, couldn’t sew, couldn’t make decisions. I finally realized that I had to make myself do something to break the cycle. I chose to design and sew a complicated quilt block. I wanted to do something that required focus and attention to detail, but had no consequences if I failed. I credit that quilt block with starting me back to health. I named it Anxiety. Shortly after that I designed an entire quilt, followed by a couple more. I found a new job, and while things could be better, I also know they could be a LOT worse. I feel my best when I’m working – being creative in some form, even if it’s just figure out a software program at work. It’s when I stop sewing at home that I feel myself sinking again. So… gotta get sewing!

Sandi of Piecemeal Quilts

Good Reads Around Blogland

I’m really behind on my blog rounds, but here are a few things I’ve been reading lately.

• Very cool Genome Quilts project by Beverly St. Clair (thanks for the link, Christine!)
• Beautiful artwork and thoughts on creativity from Gretchen Miller.
• Thoughts on being a “serious artist” from Robert Genn.
• SimpleMom’s timely and inspirational post on The Clutter You Can’t See. I’m getting better at decluttering things/stuff/objects, but could probably benefit from a deeper cleansing.
• I’m passionately following Gretchen Rubin’s The Happiness Project. More later.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

1. The a-ha moment

When I am working on a problem I never think about beauty. I only think about how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong.

Buckminster Fuller

This week

Most of my free emotional and mental space (where the blogging and crafting used to fit) is all filled up right now. That surplus of creative energy with which I usually write, sew, and paint is currently employed with trying to find creative solutions to some major, major problems that have arisen at work and in my family. I sense that we are working toward solutions, but it has certainly slowed down my blogging, hasn’t it?

Please note

My cartwheel quilting method was highlighted on Joan’s Quilting on a Budget blog. She said some very nice things. Thanks, Joan! It’s always nice to meet people who respond to what I’m trying to do with turning*turning.

Comment highlights

Still, t*t readers continue to contribute wonderful nuggets of thought and wisdom. Here are a few that came through this week.

We’ve gotten a few more thoughts about making time for creativity.

Making time is always a challenge- for me its about finding the balance. I am so “all-or-nothing” that I tend to dive in and get swallowed up in whatever I focus on, whether that is ‘making’ or attending to daily responsibilities. I do think of making time as ‘me-time’ and it often comes last.
this past year I have had some physical limitations that have ended up being a gret ebenfit to me in this area. Not being able to sustain activities for any length of time has forced me to figure out how to do a little bit about a lot of things. Surprisingly, this piecemeal approach has resulted in several unfinished projects getting done, and even a couple of bigger ones! Now I try to spend a little time instead of trying to do it all in one sitting, and so far, its working!

Catherine (no blog)

Delurking to post a quickie: Like some of the others who responded, I try to work a little time for projects into my crazy schedule. Sometimes that means cutting out stencils or hexagons (!) at lunch in my office, or doing web-based research during slow time at work. Recent research projects: search for outlines of sparrows, ravens, hummingbirds, late ‘60 R/T Chargers and VW Bugs to make into stencils or stamps; hexagon quilts – which is how I found your wonderful blog; American pioneer / prairie dresses vs English muslin dresses of the early 1800s – just looking for stuff to inspire or inform future projects. Like others, I know I’m spending more time admiring the work of others than actually working on my own stuff. Sometimes I only have the time (or the energy) to be be inspired, and I’ve learned to accept that.

When I was able to take public transportation to work, I would knit or crochet on my commute. Now I must drive, which takes away my commute-time crafting, and ooooooh was I bitter about that! Recently, though, I realized that my car, which I park all spring / summer in a warm location, makes a perfect bleach stencil making / stamp curing location. Here’s what I do: I make the stamp / stencil during breaks at work, and the next morning, when I park my car at work, I put together the project & let it cure. When I get back to my car at the end of my day, my project has BECOME something in my car. I cannot tell you how happy this makes me…

Anyway, thanks for the inspiration you’ve provided & that which is to come.

Muna Samira (no blog, but photostream over on flickr)

I like the way that quilting can always stand for ‘getting it together’ — that is, the way the actual piecing of disparate elements is in and of itself an integrative act. That means that when all else feels like it’s whirling in chaos or falling apart, I can look at whatever I’m making and say, “but THIS is coming together…. “

Dee of Dee Mallon & Cloth Company

Good reads around Blogland

• Michael Steger blogs at Psychology Today about how to make work more meaningful. This was an unbelievably fortuitous read for me this week as I try not only to make sense of my work, but also to motivate my staff under some very difficult conditions. Thanks, Michael.
• Of all places, a quick post over at a blog called Art of the Coupon asks some pertinent questions about the nature of work. I think I do work more than the average Joe, but it’s because I truly love what I do and I believe in it.
• Jen at Health Management Rx shares a basic way to measure the health of your pursuits and relationships. An interesting (and sometimes difficult) thing to explore!

And finally

Not only am I facing some work challenges and gearing up for a trip to my parents’ house in the next couple of weeks, but also I just submitted the application for my state psychotherapy licensure. (I’m nationally certified but am pursuing a state license to practice independently.) This means that I’ll have two major exams to study for over the next couple of months. It’s going to be a miracle if I can keep making things and/or blogging about them! Please send all positive, creative, calming vibes my way!

Special thanks

The photo above (and those that follow) shows a wonderful mini-quilt made for me by Victoria of Bumblebeans. She wanted to swap for the collage that I made last week and I’m only too happy to send it to her! The quilt she made says my name, MAL, and she used it to practice her machine quilting skills. Looks great to me, lady! Thanks for your generosity!

I can’t wait to hang it on the walls outside my bedroom, where I’m hanging other mini-quilts.

What I worked on this week

Welcome to my slowest blogging week yet! Situations at work and with my family have eaten up most of my brainpower this week, and I am behind not only on blog writing but also blog reading. I’ve canceled all of my plans for tonight, though, and will be catching up on both reading and writing. It’s good for my mental health, and after a week like I’ve had, I’m particularly interested in what we, in The Biz, call “self care.”

5 comments you should read

Of course, You All haven’t taken a break from contributing excellent and thought-provoking comments and I’m so glad to be able to highlight some of them. Be sure to always check and see what your fellow readers are saying!

Naturally, there were many great answers to the question, “How do you make time for making?” that I asked on my giveaway post. I will highlight those in the coming week when I announce the winner of the mini-quilt.  But, here’s a quickie that I liked because of the use of the word “touching” as a way to keep in contact with our projects.

Sometimes I get up earlier than the usual rising time and ‘touch fabric’ before work, do even 10 or 15 minutes of sewing or cutting for a quilt. That way I have a physical memory of the project during the day and it helps me want to get back to it. Or I might take the current project to work and put in a few stitches during morning break and/or lunch. It helps keep the connection with the project so it doesn’t fall to the side in the rush of days.

I like an uninterrupted hour or two to go in and sew, but how often does that happen?

Leslie (no blog)

In the meantime, here are a few comments on other entries — like last week’s entry about setting priorities.

yes! you have articulated all those thoughts in my head as i try to ask and challenge those around me who believe they HAVE to do the things they do no matter how stressful. i was always searching for the right word to use and you have done it, PRIORITIES, exactly. i stand by my priorities even in the face of friends, family, classmates and strangers…those who don’t quite grasp my ways and the whys of how my husband and i live. we like it simple but we’re far from it. the best thing to do is to be truthful and as actualized as we can be. PRIORITIES…i like that word. thank you!

jekinthebox (Jessica) from Scrumdillydilly

Some people really related to my post about the psychological and “art therapy” stuff going on behind my current hexagon quilt craze. I loved to read about other people’s phases and the kinds of metaphors and meanings that might develop in our subconscious and surface in our making.

My undergraduate studies were in photography. I was constantly drawn to doorways. I look back now (almost 20 years later) at photos taken during college and many many of them were of doorways. I used to have a recurring dream of walking through a house and in each room there was a door. I’d open the door and there would be another room with a door. It wasn’t a scary dream – just compelling. I was compelled to open the doors. In the photos I would often frame something I was looking at by viewing it through the doorway. Self portraits were taken in the door frame or from one side looking at the other. I’m still trying to understand these metaphors. I have some thoughts and I’m not sure I’ll ever be certain, but I know there’s something there…

Amy of A Commonplace Life

i think it’s very interesting to ponder and come to a realization about why we’re doing the things we’re doing. and even more interesting that we do them somehow automatically for quite awhile before that realization strikes. i’ve thought about it quite a bit with my late winter/early spring eyeball obsession, where i slowly came to the realization that it was about seeing and focusing on seeing and thereby being more present in my life right here and now. that it was related to growing as a photographer and the vision looking through the lens of the camera lends. that what seemed wacky and a little off was actually a personally profound thing for me.it sounds like you have had the same experience with your hexagons. isn’t it wonderful?

Julie from Julochka

This is very interesting. Very often I have a feeling at the back of my mind when I’m writing or making things that there is a very specific reason why I’m doing what I’m doing. Lately, I’ve started to listen to it, and certain family issues that I thought I’ve been unaffected by are starting to appear in my thinking. I can’t quite put it into words yet, but I hope to be able to someday.

B from Cuttings on a Blog

Good reads around Blogland

• Weeks from Craft Nectar wrote about an amazing journey of adoption, and shares with us a quilt that she made to represent the feelings and emotions behind it. I love this kind of essay — and Weeks was kind enough to give me a heads up that she’d be posting it. So lovely. (I also loved reading about her family sketching outing. Wish more families did this!)
• From Unclutterer, a well-timed piece called Recovering from a Productivity Plunge.
• Concha of Saidos da Concha shows us her swatch book. Great idea!
• Christopher Peterson, one of the bloggers at Psychology Today, reviewed a book by Daniel Coyle called The Talent Code. I’ve added it to my list of books for review, because in part it seems to talk about a phenomenon that I feel is being fostered here on the blog — groups of like-minded people who can challenge and push each other toward greatness.
• Leo of Zen Habits writes about something familiar to our recent discussions here — that the best way to change your life is to make small, consistent changes. Hmm. Sound familiar?

Jump straight to:

• Milestone
• What I worked on this week
• 5 comments you should read
• Good reads around Blogland
• And finally… (my Phat Quarter Swap from MrXStitch)

Milestone

It was good to have Dee of Dee Mallon & Cloth Company back this week from her short hiatus. You can imagine my delight to notice that she was also my 500th commenter! And such an insightful comment, too. I highly recommend you go read the whole thing, but here’s a taste.

I grew up in a house where my mother deemed her activities ‘creative’ and my father’s not (he was an engineer, she was an art teacher). I have striven not to be so linear and confining in what I consider ‘creative’ — surely building an organization, planning a birthday party, figuring out how to juggle various responsibilities, are all creative acts. One of my sons specializes in making wallets out of duct tape… what’s not to love? … I see artistic/craft endeavors having many categories — super challenging ones that push one’s technical capabilities, stuck ones (that need to go to sleep as another reader mentioned) and peaceful ones (perhaps like your hexagons?), where one can sit and relax and build something with enough time and effort. I think it’s important to have some of each.

Thanks, Dee! You’ll be getting a little prize package in the mail.

What I worked on this week

• Hexagons. Sorry. You’re tired of seeing hexagon progress pictures, aren’t you?
• I posted photos of my Phat Quarter Swap submission, a skeletal hand with a red vein of thread.
• I also started two small journal quilts, so that’ll give you something to look forward to.

5 comments you should read

I’m going to experiment with format on this feature — attempting to limit the list of most compelling comments from the week. Then it might be less of a dump of everything that was interesting this week whatsoever and a little bit more of a reward.

I reviewed the book A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life, giving it 2.5 out of 5 stars. Lainie responds with some advice about how we might better spend our time.

Hmmm . . . sounds like more “creativity porn,” and thank you for being thoughtful and critical in the very best sense of the word — i.e. discriminating. Seems like these books are a dime a dozen these days; there’s obviously a huge market for them, but it’s all the same mushy pop-spirituality. Not that I’m not guilty of buying a few or several, but I always end up with buyer’s remorse, feeling like the time would have been better spent working and the money better spent on art supplies . . .

Lainie of Red Thread Studio

I wrote a new What to do essay about not holding back that prompted the rest of my favorite comments from the week.

Honorable mention goes to Arlee of Albedo Design Space who actually responded to this entry with a complete (and wonderful) essay of her own. Please go read it! Here’s a quote from it:

Another way we hold back and cheat ourselves of the joy of creating is to “save” certain fabrics or beads for “something better” or “for good”–when does good happen? WHEN YOU USE IT! Gonna line your coffin with it, wear it as a shroud, will it to unappreciative friends and relatives? (Well, actually i could will it to an Appreciative Friend, but i figure we’ll blink out shortly after each other, so…) Yeah, we all have some chunk of fabric that is either expensive or one of a kind or both—yeah it’s irreplaceable, but are you the only one who sees it because it’s neatly stashed away in protective gear, an airlock and alarmed system surrounding it? What’s the point of being such a miser? You’re holding back a lot when you do this: your expression, your potential, your joy, not just the object.

I have really enjoyed my correspondence with Arlee, who was just awarded a very exciting summer residency. Congratulations!

And now, back to the comments that came through on this site.

What do I hold back? I might have a special food in the fridge and then not eat it all before it goes bad, because I’m holding back

Or I buy just a third of a yard of a really incredible quilt fabric, because money is scarce, then not use it and it sits in my stash for literally *years* because it’s too amazing to use; or if I use it, it will be *gone* or if I run out in the middle of using it there’s no way to get more. This is beginning to sound like hording, oh dear.

Or I daydream and dwell on beautiful, complex quilt patterns and collect their pictures together in my someday book. In the meantime I make simiple, bright, everyday quilts, waiting for the time in my life when my creative energies can go into a complex quilt pattern and not be drained away by the work-day minutae. ~~ Thanks for asking.

Leslie of Pieceful Moments

I continuously hold back… I keep my best paper materials for when I find the perfect journal, I keep my best fabric for when my sewing skills are better, I keep my best writing ideas for when I have time to sit down and write them properly… I need to remember that “the moment is now” and I’m going to make sure I do from now on.

PS. You may write to yourself, but it’s as if you are writing to me

B from Cuttings on a Blog

I  hold back ideas, and fabric, but you’re right about seizing the moment. I make my living as a writer, and ideas breed ideas. Go with what you have and more will come later. as for fabric, this is what my mother says, who is an experienced quilter and sewer: You never need it as much as you do now. which of course means, stop saving it and use it! thanks for this!

Brenda of Scraps and Strings

I can relate to many of the comments above about holding back and it reminds me of the need to be brave in our creativity. I think it takes a certain amount of courage to NOT hold back because it means you risk Failure (eek) or worse, Waste (gasp)! I relate it directly to my penchant for perfectionism. I hold back until the “perfect” moment when the stars are aligned, I’m in the right mood, the light is just so, the materials superior and the timing exquisite.

Of course, when I think about the times that I think all these things might have happened, you know what I think was the real cause of my success for that moment? It was nothing to do with external conditions, it was because I Didn’t Hold Back. I just did it.

Lovely post.

Emma of Furrybees

How ’bout that?! I managed to whittle down this week’s comments to 5 (plus 2 extras thrown in for good measure). Okay, so I cheated a little. If y’all would stop being so brilliant…!

Good reads around Blogland

• Yvette of White Threads is writing a book of illustrated embroidery stitches for left-handed people. This week, she muses quite wonderfully about learning from old masters.
• An inspirational series of art installations on the theme of You Are Beautiful. Just fun to look at, and good for a quick pick-me-up.
• Gretchen Miller attended a leadership workshop taught by art therapy maven Cathy Malchiodi. I wish I could have attended! Fortunately, she posted her art responses to the concepts taught in the class.
• Elsie Marley made a fabric sketchbook for embroidering on the run. I love this idea and hope she posts some of the “pages” from it.
• Kayte Terry of This is Love Forever posted this frame made from credit card snips a while ago. Since one of the goals I’m actively working toward is paying off my debt, it rang especially true for me. Plus, bonus points for upcycling.
• Allison Aller of Allie’s in Stitches gives us a tutorial on curved foundation piecing.

And finally…

I waited with anticipation for my Phat Quarter Swap piece to arrive. I knew it was traveling from the UK where the inspiring and utterly male MrXStitch lives. Let’s just say that his piece did not disappoint! If you’ve followed his work, you know to expect something a little twisted, a little crass, and extra awesome. That being said, here are photos of the piece which arrived yesterday. Yay!

If you’re anything like me, you need to google to find out exactly what Dick Broom means, although you might have some vague idea about it being crass. (It is.) Click over to DickBroom.com if you want to read more. I think it’s pretty obvious that this link is Not Safe for Work, but is pretty amusing anyway.

Check out that fine craftsmanship! Especially on the long-and-short-stitch moustache. I laugh every time I look at this. Thanks, MrX!

What happened this week

• Worked on finishing up my submission for the Phat Quarter swap. The theme was anatomy. (I’m super excited because MrXStitch was assigned to send his to me!)
• Made more progress on the sorting and organizing in my apartment. Hopefully after tomorrow I will have good pictures to post.
• Finally finished up the stash project and got the giveaway prizes ready to mail.
• Worked on the method for joining my mini quilts into a journal format. Really excited to show you this one.
• Commiserated with many people have already discovered the magical, curative powers of showering in the dark. Here’s a list of fellow weirdos who’ve come forward so far: Emma of Furrybees, Montse from Kismet-M, Stacey from disco underworld, Deb of Emma Tree. If reading their comments doesn’t convert you, then nothing will!

Blog Highlight

Gorgeous photos and generous tutorials moved Rachel Griffith’s P.S. I Quilt out of my “Auditions” folder this week. (Warning, site plays music.)

Comments you should read

Lots of good responses on my post, What to do: Make do, encouraging us to use what we have and explore the concept of enough.

Thank you for the reminder. I’d like to think that working with less could increase my creative output but I just get so mired down in lack of. Lack of space, time, energy, whatever. I’m going to keep the words MAKE DO in the forefront of my mind and see if it helps. (Amy of A Commonplace Life)

Although I still haven’t completely conquered the desire to purchase fabric, when DH and I hit a rough financial patch three or so years ago, I developed a mantra w/regard to both quilting fabric and quilting books:

“I don’t have everything, but I have enough.”

What I found was that, if I turn the “I don’t have enough XYZ” complaint on its head–and who on Earth would ever have “everything”?–I do have enough. Enough to get started, enough to do *this* quilt top, oooooh enough to do *these* borders, etc.

And, when I made a concerted effort to use up some thread, I was astounded at how long it took to use up a large spool (like the Star brand cotton thread). So…I *definitely* have enough thread to do *these* quilt projects I’ve already cut out or pulled fabric for! (Cynthia, no blog but wonderful contributor to the discussion over here!)

Love your post. Most of the time I have more than enough. If by chance I think I need something, than comes the question what will also add something special? Use this technique not only when I’m busy with my embroidery but also when I’m cooking or any other creative work. (Elizabeth from Landanna)

Goes back to the WWII chant — use it up, wear it out, make do or do without! One more step to becoming self sufficient! (Melissa from Brinkley’s Place)

On What to do: Push boundaries, I talk about trying new things. Great comments there, too.

Experimenting is a very good thing. However, it requires discipline as well, or you may find yourself *just* experimenting :} I gave myself a year to play with new materials, processes and end results, and finally realized all the “new” things i was trying were still possible with my old favourites of needle (whether by hand or machine) and fabric and thread. It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else and trying to keep up can be exhausting. I also found that because there was a new material didn’t mean i couldn’t do the same thing with the old standbys—new media and tools can get quite expensive, and i am very budget conscious :}That being said, if we didn’t let go once in awhile, with no expectations, things can get rather stultifying! (Arlee from Albedo)

I’m self-taught in all of my favorite media (fabric and stitching, collage, 3D soft sculpture)…and frankly, the processes in which I’ve had actual training (drawing and oil painting) are my weakest art skills. Being self-taught has meant, for me, that I fall in love with a material, bring home a little of it, and play. I might glance through a book about it or look for info on the Internet, but mostly I just experiment. It’s not about doing it correctly, but about having fun doing it. And limitations are a fabulous form of structure for me, because with too many choices, I freeze up and do nothing! (Tracy from Unfolding Moment)

On Some Days, I talk about feeling frustrated and the power of doing one small creative thing every day.

Very nice post. Just what i needed to hear. Not a Lot going on creatively although my brain works all the time at it. Sometimes creativity comes out in, how I can creatively get my daughter to sit for a shot at the dr’s office, or how I can creatively spruce up the same meal I get in a rut making over and over… How to creatively talk to myself into making my bed each day,( which I usually prefer to skip altogether) but in the scheme of being creative with my daughter and teaching her to make her bed each day, I make my bed… creatively. and so on and so on…. (V of Bumblebeans)

Mal, thank you for such an honest and thought-provoking post. To be equally honest in reply, I’d have to say that I am having an unwelcome run of these sorts of days… it feels like nothing in my life is going well and creativity is struggling to emerge at all. Like you though I do see small things, a general facing-in-the-right-direction-ness, and hope above hope that warmer, happier, more expansive days will come. (Sue of Mousenotebook)

It is this precise struggle to keep all the eggs up in the air all day, every day which makes me characterize the phrase “shadow artist” as mean-spirited. Our creativity in our *own* service must, much of the time, be used in the service of others. But does that make it less genuine? If we are engaging with the world in a constructive way and *not* creating our own artistic ivory tower (the perfect atelier, the perfect studio, the perfect 100% artistic life, etc., ad nauseam), who has the moral right to say that we have made the wrong choice, a “shadow” choice?

The non-negotiable human need for food, clothing, and shelter must be satisfied, either by us personally or by others on our behalf. Then we fulfill our obligations to others in our circle, however small/large it may be, and *then* we might have–what?–2 seconds to think about creativity before crashing into bed.

And what if one has a chronic illness? chronic pain? small children who need tending 24 hours a day, each and every day? sick pet(s)? an ill spouse?

If one’s “bigger vision” is to improve the future world, the cultivation of the minds of the young has got to be ranked right up there on the list…teaching, helping, parenting, healing, feeding, and so on.

It takes a very strong person to persevere with everything Life can throw at us *and* keep the desire to create anew, alive. Developing and nurturing this strength is, itself, an exercise in renewal and (dare I say it?) creativity. (Cynthia again, no blog)

Interesting stuff from around the world

• Allison from Allie’s in Stitches has a great post about stepping away from a project for a while. She calls it letting a project “go to sleep.”
• Arlee from Albedo and I have been having a comment/email discussion about letting your stitches show (or not). She’s also exploring the line between craft and art (art quilts vs. textile art, etc.) and “neatness” in her work. She also has a great post about finishing things and what motivates her to (or not to) participate in internet swaps.
• Lainie from Red Thread Studio posts another essay about slow cloth and sustainability.
• Jude from Spirit Cloth uses a small project to improve her mood.
• Ashley of Film in the Fridge gives a great tutorial about string quilts made with paper piecing.
• Aneela of Comfort Stitching is generously giving away a whole quilt to celebrate her 100th blog post. Way to raise the bar, Aneela! (I say nervously, from my 90th post…) It’s gorgeous.

What happened this week

• I’m so pleased that turning*turning.com was honored as a “Website to Watch” in the latest issue of Disco Underworld. I’m doubly honored that Stacey, DU’s editor and creative force, has offered to write a guest post for this site! Disco Underworld is a beautifully written and visually captivating magazine honoring the life and work of everyday people around the world.
• I finished re-reading one of my favorite books again, The Time Traveler’s Wife.
• I’m still stuck in the organizing/purging phase of my apartment overhaul, but I have carved out more space and time to be making things.

Comments you should be sure to read

On the DVD Review: PBS Craft in America, I gave 4 stars. Lois said:

I think we all love to ‘listen in’ on what others are doing and absorb little bits here and there. Sometimes it is with complete awe when the process or result is so different than any I have ever seen. Other times it is with a warm sense of the familiar and it is good to know someone else sees, thinks, or creates in a similar way.

On Seams Behind the Scenes, I showed progress on the mini hexagon project (finally!) and talked a little about the psychology of hiding my stitches. Wendymoon is in a different place than I am right now:

Haven’t started joining them together yet, so not sure about stitches showing or not. I think I don’t mind in this case. After doing a bunch of machine sewing, I’m glad for the change and wouldn’t mind the hand stitches showing.

On What to do: Embrace Mistakes, lots of people responded. Here are some of my favorites:

It’s sad to think about all the art that’s been thrown out in the name of “wrong.” I’m starting to think of it as more of “not right at the moment.” We’ll see if that helps… (Laura Smith)

I don’t think I’d ever throw something “mis-quilted” out… so far I’ve been able to fix everything into something I like, and if I ever have a block that can’t be saved, I’ll just start a pile of misfits for a really funky quilt.

Lastly, part of the reason I took up quilting is that I wanted to get over my perfectionism. I now have just enough of that flaw/virtue to get nicely lined up corners/points, but I don’t open seams up unless the corner is off by more than 3mm and really quite obvious. Maybe I’ll even get more lax there over time! (Christine of Cutting Edge Quilt)

Mistakes? Or happy accidents? I admit that I make both. As opposed to someone I one met who told me (with a sparkle in his eyes), “That’s the first mistake I’ve ever made!” But I think that whether you choose to use the mistakes to improve, or simply enjoy them, they are there for a purpose, right? (Mollie of Wild Olive)

Ah, when we stop making mistakes we stop learning. (V of Bumblebeans)

I hardly ever start an art project with a goal in mind (beyond just one day completing it)…does this mean that I’ve protected myself from making mistakes by having no or little expectation? (probably!) That being said, there’s lots of stuff I’m involved with that are riddled with mistakes; Sewing stitches, brush strokes, ex-boyfriends, fashion choices from 10 years ago…what can you do except laugh and try your best to make lemonade?

I suppose its hardest to let things flow when you find yourself so emotionally invested in the project you’re working on that trusting your process seems impossible. Also, I think that fearing the judgment of others (”I could never show that in public! What would someone think?”) is a big hindrance to allowing oneself to make mistakes. I guess that’s why its so special when people are willing to show/talk about pieces or aspects of their life they’re not particularly proud of.  (Liz Beck)

What I worked on this week

• Reorganizing my workspace
• Mini hexagon quilt project
• Designed next strip of the band sampler.
• Art journaling

Out there in Blogland

• The brilliant Jude of Spirit Cloth talks about why she doodles.
• Judy of Judy’s Journal asks those big questions about passion and practicality.
• Geninne of Gennine’s Art Blog (whom I’ve mentioned before) generously provides a video to demonstrate her process of hand-carving stamps.

Some Challenges/Swaps to consider joining

• BurdaStyle is hosting an Unfinished Project Sew-Along.
• AmandaJean of Crazy Mom Quilts is hosting a nine-patch one-a-day quilt-along thing.
• m_soto is hosting Macro May — a collaborative photography project on flickr.
• V at Bumblebeans posted an awesome challenge to stretch our comfort zones.
• Penny Nickels is hosting an embroidery swap over on the Flickr Phat Quarter group. The theme is Anatomy, which I wrote about last week.
• Simplemom is running a 2-week Spring Cleaning party. This is timely for me. Don’t know about you.

 Recent comments you should read

On What to do: Kill your darlings, there was some good feedback about editing your work. 

Lainie takes me to task and gives me my favorite phrase of the week:

I’m ambivalent – not because ruthless and unsentimental editing isn’t necessary, but because we’re not always our own best editors or judges. I’ve thrown paintings (and ideas) away only to have someone else rescue them, and later these became some of my favorites. Maybe we should put our darlings in the rest home for a little while, so to speak, and check back for signs of life before pulling the plug.

Arlee wisely suggests:

I regularly go through my UFO languishers and CANNABALISE them—if *i* worked on it, there has to be parts i like, or i wouldn’t have done them to begin with, so why not just use them elsewhere?

On Life in the Shadows, many responded about what makes a “real” artist.

Cynthia (no blog) says some of the things I wish I would have said:

From the quote you’ve given in Julia Cameron’s book, it looks to me as if Ms. Cameron is a purist. There’s nothing wrong with being a purist in your own life, so long as you don’t put other people down when they don’t (or can’t) abide by your precepts.

I particularly keyed in on her sentence, “Remember, it takes nurturing to make an artist.” It also takes instruction, whether one on one or in a class (which takes $), time–to develop one’s skills to the professional/mastery level (living expenses during those years), and supplies (which take $). Many “artists” (vs. “shadow artists”) also feel that, unless one has a dedicated studio (more $), whatever one creates cannot be art, but is craft. And, of course, in the “pure” art world, craft is just…craft.

Yes, it would be wonderful if we could each follow our path of artistry in our dedicated studio and earn a living doing it. In reality, very few people can do this relative to the number who would deserve to do it based on their level of skill. Was William Carlos Williams a “shadow” doctor or a “shadow” poet? Given Ms. Cameron’s requirements, he wasn’t a full doctor OR a full poet. Hmmm…

And, lest we forget, those composers of yesteryear, like Mozart and Beethoven, died in abject poverty. Music was the only way they had of earning a living. If they didn’t have a patron to cover their living expenses, then that period of their life was very difficult, since even Mozart didn’t earn a decent living, much less a comfortable one, strictly from his composing, performing, and conducting activities. Even when he added tutoring and his wife gave private vocal instruction, Herr und Frau Mozart lived in very straitened circumstances.

And what about writers like Jane Austen and Emily Dickinson, who lived as single women with their families but never earned a living with their writing? In Dickinson’s case, she wasn’t even known to have been a writer until after her death! I suppose this is OK with Ms. Cameron: so long as the artist lives in abject poverty but is pure, that’s OK. Or, in the case of Austen, so long as the artist is denied a full life (dying, ill and single, at the age of 42, never able to lie on the family couch because it was her mother’s “place”), she is a pure writer.

There’s something wrong with this kind of mean-hearted analysis. I leave it to others to determine exactly what.

Judy is going through a struggle that is close to many of our hearts:

Personally, I am wrestling about whether to give up something that I’m good at and that people want to buy (painting) and go with something that I love to do (sit and stitch). When I see ancient and folk textiles covered in hand stitch in museums I am overwhelmed by their power – this emotion is what makes me want to go with the hand stitch and leave the painting to others who are more passionate about it. The fact that I am a music teacher – well as well – I don’t even consider. I just do that like I make dinner for the family. My heart is in my hand stitch.

On Getting back to it, I asked what people do to motivate themselves out of creative slumps.

Lots of you came out with great advice about how to get the creative wheels turning again. My favorites are from Elizabeth (here), Emma (here), Stacey (here), Rebekah (here), and Leslie (here).

One great way to facilitate a good mind-body connection is to make artwork about your body — its ailments or its triumphs. Today I’m thinking more about ailments.

I made a lot of art about my own body last year before, during, and after surgery. I even wrote about it here and here. As an art therapist who works in a hospital, I’m always interested in representations of physical, mental, and emotional pain.

Frida Kahlo famously lived with pain caused by childhood polio and then a traumatic bus accident. Her art is generally labeled as Surreal, though I see it as a therapeutic reflection of reality. Frankly, with varying degrees of technical skill, this is the kind of art that shows up a lot in a hospital setting. The problems of pain and the foibles of the human body are, as we all know, very very real.

 My painting carries with it the message of pain. (Frida Kahlo)

Obviously, the human anatomy is a common theme in artwork of all kinds. Click the image above to find out more about the artists and their work.

Other very excellent examples include:

• Becky Stern’s anatomically-correct plush knee, based on her surgery.
• Becky also made an embroidered slice of her knee MRI.
• Dee Mallon made a journal quilt from a mammogram.
• Dee also points us to the artwork of Ann Merrell, who died of breast cancer in 1999. I think the connection to her illness is quite undeniable.
• The needlework blog Stabbed! has a whole category about representational body stuff. It’s really awesome. (Mostly brain images.)
• Dan Beckemeyer’s breathtaking needlefelt/drawn anatomy project.

Of course, actual physical representation is not necessary. One of my favorite flickr images is by karmapolis and is called “Mi enfermedad” (My Illness). It depicts a dragon, not a body or a brain. Other people may just use color, shapes, and lines to abstractly depict what they go through.

What about you? Have you ever made something about your body, an illness, or a physical ailment or triumph? Please share!

I recently ordered some hand-dyed threads from SharonB, who was de-stashing. They arrived all the way from Australia with a hand-written note.

Sharon is so thoughtful and appropriate. I thought it was so sweet of her to remember (and mention) my band-sampler project. I hope I grow up to be like Sharon someday.

The vibrancy of the thread’s colors nearly took my breath away and I can’t wait to find just the right project for them. In the meantime, here are some links about hand-dyed threads.

• Monique of My Mark Designs gives a primer about stitching with hand-dyed threads that I think I will find very helpful.
• Breathtaking hand-dyed threads made specifically for tatting by Marilee of YarnPlayerTats. These look to be largely inspired by nature, which of course I love. I think I’ve got tatting on the brain since writing about my Grandma M. the other day.
• Some (very) basic instructions on dying at Pioneer Primitives.
• A collection of valuable links about dyeing compiled by SharonB herself.

Do you stitch with hand-dyed threads? Are you intimidated by them? (I am, a little.) Do you dye your own? Did you even know such a thing existed?!

Many thanks to Sue at mousenotebook who posted about a very inviting giveaway a few weeks ago. I didn’t win the first prize (300+ hexagons already basted to paper backing!) but Sue very generously expanded the giveaway and I won the privilege of choosing something from her shop. 

Well, it was easy enough for me to choose the green market bag, as I’ve been trying to stock up on cloth shopping bags yet find them a bit unwieldy in practice. The little matching case for this works out perfectly! It arrived yesterday. Thanks, Sue!

There’s other good news in our little community this week, too. Be sure to swing by and congratulate:

• Malka, from A Stitch in Dye, who was featured on an upcoming TV show. I’ve been a bit consumed with her hand-dyed patchwork creations and so I can’t wait to see what she comes up with for her TV spot.
• Lucy, from Lucy Quilting, who had seven of her quilts chosen to be published in Quiltmania.
• Ashley, from Film in the Fridge, who just got married! Congratulations! More gorgeous pictures posted here, too.

What about you? Did you have good news this week or do you know of someone who did?