New glasses

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!! Reading your comments really helped rein in my thoughts & shut down my whining. I really need to change my way of thinking about my approach to sewing. I have a new feeling about it.

Everyone has their own style, and I really respect that, I just need to respect my own style too! lol.

I was really nervous about whining posting this, but I knew I would get a wise perspective, some support and some kewl ideas. Your comments were THE BEST. Total COMMON SENSE APPROACH. Super ENCOURAGING. Now I feel good about coming to my blog to sort out my issues & whine.

Sometimes I can't help but compare my sewing to others, and I know I really shouldn't. But I do. You know how it is, (maybe?) every time I make peace with one aspect of myself, I find something else to get all messed up about, lol.

Sometimes, I feel like what I do is so easy a caveman can do it. I think it's because I am a hobbyist and not a professional. But that's so not true AT ALL. What a bonehead thought!

I forget that I have been sewing for years, actually DECADES, and what little sewing I do is an acquired skill/talent/expertise. I need to own and fully appreciate that. I haven't even reached the tip of the iceberg of what is possible, & whether I go there or not is up to me. I get that now.

What I gathered from your wisdom is: I need balance.

I have managed to achieve maintain balance in so many aspects of my home and work life, that I thought I deserved to be a little reckless in my me time. Over time, I've realized that recklessness can become a mojo killer.

So last night I did some re-thinking. First let me tell you how Toy's prep work tips changed my sewing life. Seriously. I used to hate planning, but after translating some of her methods into my routine, I find I have more mojo when I'm not so impulsive. Here's what I started doing after she shared her tips.

• I always carry a mini composition book to jot down my thoughts/notes/lists, but now I put my patterns and notion list in too (duh me), so I'm always ready for a sale. I used to just write that info on the sales flier or a post-it note, but they ended up lost or thrown away by accident.
• On my Nook I started using an app called spring pad to make lists. I tried apps on my phone, but I need something bigger. I'm blind. Also right before I hit up a sale, I open up the web page  on the Nook browser to my BMV or Simplicity wish list, and leave it up so when I go in the store I can just grab and go. I never have to fight to look in the pattern catalogs.
• I now group pattern, supplies and fabric in a gallon size zip lock bag. I was getting to a point where I didn't know what I wanted to make and was losing mojo. The baggie method allows me to shop my stash and use the supplies I have on hand instead of making weekly trips to Joann's. Ummm okay, I'm still in there every week, but I don't purchase every time. 

My "baggies"

But anyway, the other night I looked at my "baggies" with fresh eyes and chose which patterns will be fly-by-night and which will be focus-time. Instantly my mojo revved up.

But I told myself - no pressure. That way my sewing self esteem won't plummet if I get impulsive.


...and while I'm on an Alana Davis kick.

OK, back to regular happy stuff.