just do it

as someone who literally got dragged out of a niketown store while protesting their use of sweatshops, i am cringing at the nike reference in the title of this post, but i'm at a loss for what else to call it. because this is what i want to say.

i can procrastinate like a pro. seriously. it's something i've been fighting pretty much since i was old enough to realize that i was a procrastinator.

i've been thinking a lot lately (as i often do) about making time in my life for the things i love. and also, being satisfied with the time that i do have. don't get me wrong, i definitely have the opportunity to lots of great stuff that i love. i get to cook dinner every night. (unless i don't want to, and then we eat popcorn). i can make time for sewing and gardening and knitting. but of course there are always more projects i want to do. i want to have the time to experiment with new techniques and consistently make pieces for my shop. i feel like i constantly have ideas for projects but never enough time to fully explore these ideas. never full days to spend in my studio and just experiment and be creative. part of this problem of course is that i do actually have a demanding full time job. and i do actually need to do boring things like wash the dishes and do laundry and go grocery shopping. and of course, i have way too many interests.

but...what i also need to do is just do it. stop talking about it and just do it. get started on a project. the other night, i'd been fighting off the sewing bug for a few days because of lack of time and finally, after dinner, i just popped into my studio and started sewing this pillow. two nights later, it was finished. and now we have a matching pillow set for our bedroom and i'm so happy. i just did it.

a couple of months ago, i started doing yoga in the mornings. i have practiced yoga on and off for about ten years, since i was in college and found an incredible class whose equal i have yet to find. over the past year, i haven't been able to make the time to go to a class, even though i've found one that i really like. it was just too much effort to drive or bike over there, do the 90 minute class and come home. and i've never been able to get into the practice of doing yoga at home. somehow, after we got home from our big trip this summer, i just started doing it in the mornings before work for about 20 minutes. i absolutely love it. if i can get out of bed in time, i'm there. in our big living room with east facing windows and only the trees of the park to block the rising sun. it's wonderful. a couple of weeks ago, on a lazy saturday morning, i said to jared "i can't decide if i should do yoga or not." he told me that in the time i had been debating whether to do it or not, i could have been finished already. of course he was right, and i headed downstairs. i keep thinking about that.

i just need to stop thinking about all the projects that i want to do and just get started. i will always have more ideas for more projects, but even if i just have ten minutes after dinner or a whole afternoon, i just need to do it. get started on something.

these amish diamond pillows were made using the tutorial on the purl bee that was posted as part of their 2011 mini-quilt series. i quilted the front and back pieces, making for two incredibly comfy pillows. i fell in love with many of the patterns they chose and hope to will make some more of them soon. they clearly make great pillows and i think it would be great to make four of one of them for a small lap quilt too. hmmm, now there's an idea...