At certain points in all our lives, we're struck with a fancy that is likely nothing short of ludicrous. My life is no different and such a fancy struck not that long ago. Shortly before this fancy struck, I had given the rapidly approaching Christmas little thought. I knew I would likely be assigned the name of a family member, given suggestions as to what to do, and would take care of it before I flew out for the family Christmas. No big deal.
And so....it was just a few weeks before Christmas that "the fancy" struck. I had recently seen the cutest line of patterns. Most are stuffed animals and other "critters" that are adorable, however the one that stood out to me was the "that's so ridiculous and weird, it's cute" stuffed alien. Recognizing that I have siblings who enjoy fantasy and sci-fi, I'm sure that this fancy struck many memories and "the alien" was almost instantly endeared to my heart.
The Fancy began: it started with taking the pattern home, with the intention to make one for my younger brothers.....but wait, if I make one for them, my older brother will want one.....and if I make one for him, my oldest brother will want one....and if I make one for him, his wife will want one.....and if I make one for them, their kids will want one.... This thought process continued and it was as this point that maybe my thought should have been "Too bad. Life's not fair." Instead, I went through all members of the family (which is not small) and before I knew it, The Fancy (taking the form of 16 aliens) had been conceived. The birthing process took a little longer.
The first task was pulling together the fabrics for each individual alien. I knew that some assembly line processes would work later on, but when putting the colors together, I found myself working on just one at a time. This was one of the most enjoyable steps in the process. It didn't matter if the greens didn't match exactly, or if I put stripes with polka dots because they were aliens after all! With each fabric I chose, a little character was added and each developed a personality. And just like the little child who dumps the box of crayons in order to find exactly the right color, I quickly had quite a bit of my fabric stash on the office floor. For all of you (I know you're out there) who believe that my home is always clean and tidy, this picture is for you.:)
The next stage was cutting them out and fusing the applique. This was much easier to assembly line and went fairly quickly. Unfortunately, this was also the stage at which reading the directions IN FULL would have saved me quite a bit of time. I found later that instead of cutting out all the alien limbs (legs, arms, and antennae) the instructions said to trace them and then sew them. It was at this point that a few other creative minds stepped in and suggested that instead of following the directions, why not use embroidery software to digitize the limbs, which would allow me to use my embroidery module to sew them out. Oh so much easier!!!
So with all the limbs sewn and turned, I turned my attention to stitching down the applique and stitching in the details. This was a slightly more tedious process, but one color at a time, it got done. In the directions, details were hand stitched. I briefly considered this, but when reality set it, I realized that time was not on my side for such a plan. So instead, I dug up some heavier cotton thread and stitched the details with a triple straight stitch. Worked like a charm and was much more time efficient!
Next was putting all those bits and pieces together. It took some doing to get everything placed right, lest I have an alien whose leg was coming out its side, but it got easier the more I did. I would give each alien a button belt buckle, sew the pieces together, stuff him/her, and sew them shut. Viola! An alien was born! I did run out of ploy-fil at one point had to stop to pick up some more. It's been so long since I used poly-fil, I have to admit I didn't even know it came in a bag that large!
Thus, The Fancy was birthed and resulted in 16 adorable alien babies, each unique with a quirky personality. It was quite literally days before Christmas when the last ones were born, but it did get done. I added a tag, some ribbon, and some wrapping paper, and the alien invasion stealthily crept beneath the Christmas tree. While they greeted some rather perplexed persons when opened, they were a hit overall; indeed, it was hard to get anyone to share long enough for others to see what some of the other aliens looked like. There was a great deal of satisfaction in watching my youngest niece carry hers around for the rest of my visit and in finding out that several of the new alien parents had taken theirs to bed with them. And so, my harebrained fancy resulted in much joy and many smiles, which made all the (at times tedious) work entirely worth it.
"A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...
A woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...
A woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.
A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...
A woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone.
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
A woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.
A strong woman walks sure-footed...
A woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.
A strong woman wears the look of confidence...
A woman of strength wears the look of grace.
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong."
~Author Unknown
In this journey of life, we all have felt unappreciated. Whether it's in the home, in a relationship, in the workplace, or in other realms of life, we've all heard and uttered the words "They just don't appreciate me." While some might be tempted to brush this off as a self-centered view, it might be turned another way. What do we do on a day-to-day basis to show and express our appreciation for those around us? Never underestimate the value an expression of appreciation could have on someone who is down and/or hurting, and remember everyone gets down and feels pain.
I have a dear friend who I see only rarely, however one of the things I am continually impressed by is the way she handles people. My friend is someone who people love to serve and to serve with. She is someone who people respond to and love. Why? As I considered this question, I was struck with several observations of which I am going to share the biggest one I saw. My friend is someone who makes every person she comes across feel important and appreciated. I started paying close attention to some of the practices she employed with people. She always calls people by name, even if they're the waiter that she'll only be with for the next hour. She always thanks people for the things they do for her whether it's something preformed in the past or something that is yet to be preformed. And, she never fails to tell someone what she enjoyed and/or what she appreciated about the experience or her time with them. My friend is someone who genuinely appreciates others in her life and who openly expresses this.
We spend every day surrounded by people who feel unappreciated. Appreciation is motivation. Look for ways to express your appreciation to those around you. In doing so, not only will you lend a bright spot in their day, but the connectivity you will feel through appreciation of others will be a greater reward. My challenge today is to express appreciation to someone today, and tomorrow, and the day after that, etc. Even if it's in the little things, the effect it can have can be immeasurable.
I am someone who tends to be very goal-oriented and as such tend to have a hard time living in the moment and enjoying the things that are in the "now." Often times my mind moves on the the next phase, the next thing, the next challenge, even before the current one is over. While this is not always a bad thing and has served me well at certain times in my life, I come to a juncture where I've had to work on training myself to remember that "now" only happens once and that I'll only have one "today" no matter what tomorrow does or doesn't contain.
In light of that mindset, I try to be more aware of the little joys in life, the things that make me smile or laugh "just because." This afternoon I experienced one such unexpected little joy. I came home this afternoon after some errands with a friend to a box at my front door. Now let's face it, I like to receive any kind of mail that's not junk mail or bills, but I was especially looking forward to this one as I knew it contained some music I had requested from my brother. However, upon opening the box the first thing my eye fell on was this note written in very familiar handwriting.
Now in my family, anywhere where "warm," "fuzzy," and "food" appear together, there's some serious chocolate nearby.:) I was not disappointed.
Admittedly, I don't totally understand the mashed potatoes. I'm sure there's a story behind them; there usually is behind these kinds of things.:) Regardless, this was a warm and fuzzy moment for me without even tasting anything! Thanks guys - you're awesome!
Almost everyone is familiar with that icebreaking question that we often use to get to know someone “What do you do?” Upon hearing my response, I cannot even begin to count the number of people who have either asked “why” or have looked at me askance. College professors have encouraged me to further my education, business people have encouraged me to shoot for the top and climb the corporate ladder, customers and friends have asked me what I want to do with my life, and most, if not all, are more than slightly perplexed by my choice of careers when “the world is at my fingertips.” What is it I do? I’m in retail sales and education; basically, I sell sewing machines and then teach people how to use them. But wait, don’t stop reading, because I have shared five reasons for my career choice which will perhaps shed some light on “what I do.”
Reason #1: I have CHOSEN this because I am a lifelong student. While many view me in the role of the instructor, in the time I have been teaching, I have found that I learn as much from the individuals I teach as they do from me. Each and every day I am surrounded by people I can learn from and who will challenge me. My life, my career is a journey. May it always challenge me to move forward, push to new levels, and grow to new heights.
Reason #2: I have CHOSEN this because I daily have the chance to express my own creative voice. Mine is an industry of art, and any art is a form of self-expression. Often, these art forms are relegated to “off-the-clock hours” or weekends when not at one’s day job. They become recreational activities that receive only the energy that’s left over after the day is done to relax and release. My choice is one in which I am surrounded by creative vision all the time and one in which I enjoy the freedom to express that vision.
Reason #3: I have CHOSEN this because it is filled with life and passion. Now, with the understanding that you do not have to do what I do in order to be filled with life and passion, it is still one of the top reasons for my choice. My industry is one that is filled with life and color. Dreams and inspirations dance like fairies in creative minds, waiting to come to life. Those of you who have gotten glimpses into my mind, know that it is very type A and very active; usually thinking much faster than my embroidery machine can even stitch. A creative space, a creative mind: neither should ever be sterile, but filled with life.
Reason #4: I have CHOSEN this because it allows me to share life and passion with others. Perhaps one of the two most profound reasons behind my choice, I am daily humbled by the privilege I have to share my passion with others. With each teaching experience, I have the opportunity to share laughter, creativity, energy, and joy. Are these not some of the most precious things in life we can share? If this were my only reason, it would be enough. Each day I have the opportunity to invite someone to come in, sit down, let go, and say “yes.” No, my invitation is not always accepted, but knowing that those who did accept have left happier than when they came is enough.
Reason #5: I have CHOSEN this because I LOVE it. No, this is not an “I’m in transition” thing. No, I’m not in this because it’s what I started in high school and haven’t moved on to a “real career” yet. No, I’m not doing this because it’s “what was available” or because it fell in my lap. I have CHOSEN (yes, chosen) this because I love what I do. The previous four reasons all combine (with many others as well) to lead me to this: I LOVE WHAT I DO! I love the challenge, the growth, the passion, the opportunity to share, and the creativity. With as much energy as a full-time job takes in one’s life, why not do something you love? “I’d rather be doing nothing at all, than do something I don’t love. (What happens in Vegas)” While most everyone who is taking the time to read this knows me well enough to know that I could never do nothing without going stark-raving mad, it is interesting to note that Hollywood gets this. We don’t all have the opportunity to make a career out of something we love, but we would be fools to pass up those opportunities when they present themselves.
What do I do? I daily try to touch the lives of others, however briefly, by presenting the opportunity for healthy self-expression, providing a safe creative space, and encouraging and allowing them to say “yes” to a creative vision. And, my life is equally touched by the shared creativity, growth, and passion. How could I resist a choice like that?
Please bear with me as my blog continues to be "under construction." My template doesn't seem to allow comments at this time, but we'll have it up and running to its full capacity as soon as possible.;-)
When one grows up in one country and then has to move to another country, they often experience culture shock. This is defined by the dictionary as: "a state of bewilderment and distress experienced by an individual who is suddenly exposed to a new, strange, or foreign social and cultural environment." However, I have found that one doesn't have to leave the country to have this experience.
So, what was the big culture shock when I came here to Iowa? College football. I remember once asking Dad "Who watches college football, anyway?" Now I know - Everybody in Iowa. After watching the fans, I finally asked someone about it. She said that it was such a big thing because they don't have a pro team. I asked a couple of other people and they all said the same thing. Hmmm.......we do have pro teams in CO and I never met any fans like the ones out here. Craziness.
I was telling this story briefly at a presentation I was doing at work, when my coworker and co-presenter pipes up and says "Now I know what to get you for Christmas - A foam finger!!!!" Yay, I'm so excited........but for which team..........?????
For those of you out there who have worked at quilt shows, you know that it is usually a good idea to wear comfortable shoes. Convention centers and fairground buildings typically have flooring that is just not that friendly on the feet. However, those of you who know me well also know that I'm not usually caught at work anytime not wearing dress shoes. Those of you who know me really well know that I have a pair of black heels that I wear constantly with slacks, skirts, or dresses. And, those of you who know me really, really well have seen me in tennis shoes a few times when I'm running. All that goes to say, I do alternate shoes sometimes if one pair starts to bother me, but I've been known to wear that one pair of black heels several days in a row, even at a show.
So true to form, the two days that I spent working out at a show this weekend, I wore my black shoes. I've lost count of how many comments I've gotten in the last few days about the shoes I wear. In fact, one of these days someone is going to go and buy me a pair of tennis shoes and bring them to work. It's not that I don't own tennis shoes, I just don't wear them often. I suppose most of that is because I don't dress for tennis shoes. However, more than that, those black shoes are more comfortable than most of my other shoes! Hmm....I might just have to think about giving the black shoes a rest.....just for everyone else's feet that start hurting when they look at them.:)
