a little pep talk

This year has been so full of wonderful activities.  My kids are happily engaged with the world around them, and headed out to participate in something most nights of the week.  I finally feel like I am managing the household better, both in prep work for school and meals, and in the cleaning department.  Most of my evenings are spent immersed in pre-reading for my older students and making notes; I have found that this simple step has really smoothed out all of he bumps in our week.  In working through their material, I have noticed all of the extra little things I need to do to facilitate their learning.  These are all really good things.  

But!  My time to work on little personal projects has been greatly diminished, and I get a bit discouraged at the lack of progress!  I am very much a results-oriented person. (My Myers-Briggs "J" is as "J" as it can possibly be.) That must be why I enjoy participating in little craft-alongs in the blogosphere.  When I post pictures, I can see that yes, I actually have made progress on projects.  It’s like a little pep talk, especially in this season of life.

The top picture is of a pillowcase, part of a pair, that I finished embroidering for the master bedroom quite recently.  I used the inimitable and excellent Alicia Paulson’s book, which I purchased, used, on Amazon several years ago.(I changed the thread colors a bit..)  I want to stitch up every pattern in it! 

I have been working on this crewel kit for the past few years, finishing a bird here and a bird there.  I so enjoy working on it, and it uses my full concentration--not a project to work on while watching TV! I’m hoping to get those last four birds finished before too much more time passes.  I’m not allowing myself to start on these until I do!

Joining Nicole...