Yawwwwwwwwwwwn.,......

I was up reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllllly late last night. In a Monday of proportions only formerly matched by MONDAY----- it was, well it was a day and a half. You know, there are just some days when the pile on your desk doesn't seem to get any smaller, every problem looms large, and the phone rings off the wall.

By the time I decided that if I didn't just stop, I'd work round the clock (the nightmare of sometimes working from home) there was only one thing to do. Maybe two things to do.

Knit a couple of rows on "Twilight" while having a restorative cup of tea. And then restored as much as was going to happen, head to the sewing room. Definitely my safe space, my creative zone. Even when I am not being particularly creative I stop in that room and sit down for a minute to soak it in.

At long last, the quilt that has been languishing on the table has been finished!!! Simple machine quilting and some machine buttonhole stitching around the quilt elements------ ahhhhhhh. The photo is a tiddle fuzzy, I apologize and blame it on the late hour. Nothing fancy or intricate, but happy and fulfilling and FINISHED! It hangs on the ever changing wall by the front door as the official greeter. The quilting is some playful echo quilting around the 'leaves' and stippling in the center surrounded by simple channel quilting on the border.

In the middle of my workday, Mister Mailman (who is a complete dope, an under used word if ever there was one) rang the bell and handed me a package. Yay--- nothing like a package to highlight a day!
Inside was the completely adorable necklace I bought from fellow blogger Jen Duncan's Etsy shop! I enjoy Jen's blog very much and peeking in her Etsy shop is always lots of fun. "Journey", how cute is this piece? I had been stalking it for a few days when I decided that it just spoke to me. "Journey" not only documents my own personal path, but it celebrates a new adventure I'm working on. The necklace will be worn absolutely, but when not on me, it will hang in a hallway vignette so I can enjoy it daily. She arrived tucked in sweet pink tissue paper in a pretty kraft box with Jen's label--- I'm a sucker for lovely packaging. It also arrived with a wee little surprise......

Such a happy little pink magnet! Too cute! Right now it is residing on my fridge which to that point had been magnetless or undadorned. The little flower seems to add a bit of sparkle to not only the refrigerator but the kitchen itself. Thanks Jen!

"Creating in the Midst" arrived on Saturday on my way out the door to the wedding. This is the small self-published volume from the creative mind of Melba McMullin. "Creating in the Midst"
is "a 40 page color paperback guide organized into 12 weeks. Each week offers a focus, a list of practices, and sharing suggestions. There are colorful blank journal pages peppered through out the guide for you to expand on the practices as well as a place for you to document your journey." Along with the book comes the group that explores the process of creating 'things of your passion' when you are in the middle of life. (That defines us all!) The group will go through 12 weeks of "sustaining conscious joy". With small chapters including little exercises all work together. With chapters such as "collect your joy" and "count your blessings" I'm looking forward to working intentionally through the 12 week group and feel as if it will be a really positive experience. The first group will begin on Sunday, July 12th. Melba writes the blog "Just be Connected, a Home for Creative Bloggers" that is always really enjoyable. Melba is having a little contest to give away a copy of "Creating in the Midst" on her blog right now. The fun little perk that came with my book was the cutest little beaded wire daisy bookmark---- it just makes me smile!

I'm yawning today but there is nothing like a finished project to make you smile! I can only imagine the celebration when the socks come off my needles!