September 15, 2013
by BulgingButtons 5 Comments

Daily Passion Prompt 10: World’s Best

TODAY’S QUESTION

What do you think you could be amongst the BEST in the world at doing?

This is a horribly difficult question. I keep thinking of things that I think I’m good at, but then I start to extend that thinking into the realm of best, and I shut down. I mean come on, I make great brownies, but amongst the best in the world? That’s a stretch.

I’m a good mother, and probably the perfect mother for my own particular kid, but am I amongst the world’s best? Only on a Hallmark card, I’m afraid. There are times that I allow him to do things that maybe I shouldn’t. There are times when I should be giving him more guidance than I do. There are times when I lose my cool with him. But really, he’s fifteen. Nobody’s perfect, right? Even the world’s best mothers lose it sometimes.

In terms of my other close relationships, I doubt that I rank amongst the world’s best at any of them. As a daughter, fiancée, sister, and friend, I’m sure I have plenty to be desired. I’m the one that forgets to send the birthday card. I’m the one who didn’t remember that you were having that procedure done today. I’m the one who should have called you yesterday. It’s not that I don’t care. I do. It’s just that I haven’t quite mastered putting reminders into my phone.

How about teaching? Could I be amongst the world’s best at that? Not according to the current standards of evaluation that are in place, at least in most American public schools. Within the constricts that teachers have, and with the amount of national testing that is done, I don’t believe that the way I teach my students will ever rank at the top of the ladder, not even in my own state, let alone the entire world. Honestly, I’m okay with that. I believe in what I do with my students, but I always see areas for improvement too. I’m not in it for awards or recognition, I’m in it to educate.

Well then, how about my hobbies? Quilting and scrapbooking are both creative outlets that I enjoy, but amongst the best? Not my quilting, that’s for sure. My seams don’t always meet quite the way they’re supposed to and my attempts at machine quilting, while they are improving, have a long way to go. My scrapbooking, while it has a crisp clean style that I like, has been on the back burner for so long that I hardly consider myself a scrapbooker any more.

So that leaves the written word. Could I hone my craft to the point where I’m a serious writer? Could I practice and improve to the point where my material is not only high enough quality for publication, but of enough interest to actually make it into the hands of readers? There is a part of me that thinks I can. Again, that “world’s best” is causing me some problems, but if I tone that down a bit, I see some potential. I read. I have read many books that have left me cold and thought to myself that I could do better. The difference, however, between those authors and me is that they finished their books and got them not only published, but sold. If they could do it, certainly I can too.

September 14, 2013
by BulgingButtons 13 Comments

Daily Prompt: Bookworms

Grab the nearest book. Open it and go to the tenth word. Do a Google Image Search of the word. Write about what the image brings to mind.

Ok, I confess, I cheated. My tenth word was “of” so I took the eleventh. Fabric. Glorious, beautiful, delicious fabric. It’s not all that surprising since my computer shares space with my sewing room. A quick reach to the right, and I pulled my ancient Quilter’s Complete Guide by Fons and Porter off the shelf. How lucky to find fabric in the first sentence, after all, it’s one of my favorite things!

The trick was not to get too lost in the google images. There were bazillions of them. Stacks of fabric, piles of fabric, bolts of fabric. Of course the bright cottons drew me right away. I love the bold colors and eye catching designs. These are the fabrics favored by modern quilters, often in combination with neutrals. Their work also features solids of all shades. I still shy away from solids myself, but the work those quilters do is amazing.

The modern quilt movement has done wonderful things for the world of quilting, infusing it with new life and energy. I love that modern quilters aren’t afraid to make mistakes or do things their own way. The quilt police have long ago been drummed out of their world.

More traditional quilters are using those gorgeous new fabrics too, in innovative and stunning ways. I subscribe to several quilting publications, and I’m always inspired by the creativity of other quilters, regardless of their niche in the large and inclusive quilting world.

Currently I consider myself a lazy quilter, or at least an easy quilter. I don’t quilt often anymore, and when I do I usually choose simple designs that showcase the fabrics. I’ve cut back considerably on my fabric shopping for several reasons, none of which include not LOVING all the new fabric trends.

1. cost – quality quilting cottons are quite pricey

2. space – with my fiancé living with us, our house is pretty full

3. guilt – there is a lot of fabric in this house that has been here a long time

I need to get my current project wrapped up and sent on it’s way, then finish up some UFO’s (unfinished objects, for the uninitiated). Not only would I feel better about using what I have, but I would be ticking off some items on my 47 for 47 challenge. Maybe then I could add some luscious new fabrics to my collection.

September 8, 2013
by BulgingButtons 5 Comments

Daily Passion Prompt 4: Time Stands Still

TODAY’S QUESTION

When was the last time you were in such a state of flow, that you were lost in the bliss of what you were doing?

…Almost as if time came to a momentary halt while you immersed yourself in this special thing you love to do.

…What was it that you were doing?

It’s not unusual for me to feel like time is slipping away, but it’s not usually because I’m in a state of bliss. The easiest way for me to lose track of time is to get on the internet. Pinterest, alone, can suck up hours of time that could certainly be used more productively. I enjoy it, but it’s hardly a state of bliss.

It’s similar when I’m quilting. I could spend several hours working on a quilt, but it may feel as if just a short time has passed. Again, it’s not a state of bliss, but it is a state of total absorption. Reading a good book, watching a good movie, or working on a scrapbook page can do the same thing. Those activities draw me in and, when all goes well, don’t let go until a long while later.

What makes time stand still, though, is spending time with friends. It can be sitting out by the pool drinking wine and catching up, a crazy road trip, or an evening of sewing or scrapbooking. When I’m with my girlfriends time takes on another dimension. I don’t worry about it and allow myself to get lost in those moments. Those moments are so rare and precious to me, just like my girlfriends.