My stash of Innocent Crush seems to just keep getting bigger. I’m pretty excited about that. I’ve waited so long to buy fabric for personal use, and now I’m getting it at a great price from different shops. My latest additions are some of Anna Maria’s velveteens and home decor fabric. The velveteens are to die for. And the cotton sateen is just the perfect weight. I can’t wait to get finished with my Christmas projects so I can move onto this strictly selfish project of redoing our bedroom. I’m making AM’s Spinning Stars Quilt (my first ever quilt following someone else’s pattern), and hopefully I’ll add to that some curtains, a bed skirt, and a coordinating chair. The chair is something I don’t have yet, but hope to have sometime in the near future. It so happens that antiquing is one of my favorite pastimes, so my mom and I will go a few hours away and start hunting when we can each take a day off. Knowing me, it might take a few days, because it has to be the chair, or I’m not buying it.

Also, I’ve been having some very productive days as of late, and I’m really happy to be in that “getting stuff done” state. Yesterday, I whipped up my blocks for Bee Connected, which were a breeze to make. And I adore the Ruby from Bonnie and Camille. This is going to be a fantastic quilt, and I’m really excited to see the finished product! I also finished off two Mildred bags for a dear friend. She should be getting those Monday, and I’m excited to see what she thinks of them. Sorry, I packaged those up before I could even remember I wanted pictures of them!

Speaking of Mildred bags, I just heard from the manager of Boca Grande Outfitters, and they just sold their first one! That thrills me to death. I don’t often talk about my insecurities on here, but prefer to keep things sounding nice and tidy. But, you should know that I get a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach each and every time I package up a product that has just been sold for fear that the person receiving it will hate it. I don’t know why either, because I can be happy with the product right up until it get to the part of sending it off. Anyway, I received my check for the bags today, and with it was a note from the store owner saying how thrilled he was with the bags, with the color, style, and workmanship. Reading that made me tear up a little bit, because it just turned my crazy nerves right around and I felt such satisfaction. As an artist, I feel that knowing someone loves what you’ve put so much heart into really matters, and ultimately makes a difference in how much you will continue to really love what you do. That note really made me feel fulfillment and an eagerness to continue to create.

I hope you love what you do, whether or not it involves making something with your hands. If you are married, I hope you love your spouse more and more each time the thought of him enters your mind. If you are a parent, I hope your child makes your heart grow three sizes each time they smile. But regardless of what you do, I hope that you can look at your life and feel truly blessed in some way. There is always something to be thankful for.

-Meredith

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