Grains of sand

Time seems to slip through my fingers like grains of sand. I try so very hard not to waste the day or precious hours but even so I feel like I am a hamster in a wheel at the moment. Even sat here now writing this, which I feel is important, my mind is filled with what I else I could, should and must do.
Work is very hard going at the moment, which is a shame because all the things that are happening are ones I enjoy and want to do my best at but I am finding it hard to do each of them properly.
And once I have finished that and trying to keep a work like balance, I am so tired I find it hard to get off the sofa. Luckily my BF helps to motivate me into the shower, into the kitchen to help sort out for the next day and general be nice.
I have things I must do, like handbag orders and custom work and so many otherthings I want to do, make bunting for my step-daughter's soon to be bedroom, plan and make xmas presents, start a scrap book for my step-daughter whilst she is still young enough that we remember each moment, finish making a dress for her, finish the birthday cards I am making, do some more fabric designs, make a cushion for my class for whoever is star of the week, make random act of kindness presents, post my PIF thing, make cakes, make baby food puree and freeze it, build lego. Oh the list goes on and on. I will find a way, and I shall tell you how I am doing. For now I am going to go and shuffle some paper and take care of BF who has man flu and maybe if I can muster the energy make some lego.
Hope you are all not so below you mountains of things. I know I am not alone. I think it is one of the curses of being creative, having a family, being an adult, all of which I enjoy, really.

Thank you and what an inspiration

One of the fab people I met at my Folksy picnic was Pomona, since then I have regularly read her blog. One of her previous ones spoke deeply to me about something I believe in, the act of kindness and random kindness. Since then I have been thinking about it alot and how I could do more. Today I read her most recent blog entry and this was even more inspiring. I would urge you to read it. I also want to say thank you to her for the fab comments she has left on my little blog.
I am going to plan how I shall carry out my acts of kindness only the rest of my long journeys to work this week.
On another very random subject my lego death star is over half done now, I never stop being amazed at the quality and thought that goes into lego designs. As I am building this one I love how I keep building parts that I recognise from the films. Well done Lego. I have loved you since I was a kid and don't think I will ever stop.

Up above the clouds..

Decided to use a Turin Brakes song title today. Very pleased this week, sold several things on etsy and my first sale on Folksy. Got 2 custom orders to do. Off to bed in a minute and it will be my second full week. Last week went well and I managed to get through without being totally zombiefied. Very pleased with the fabric I ordered from Spoonflower and also how the bags turned out that I made with my Gocco printed fabric. Going to treat myself to some more Spoonflower fabric with my new designs.

Oh yeah and why is simple DIY so frustrating, I read a page in a book on what to do and followed the instructions but still the wall plugs would not fit in, how do people know which size to use. I am a reasonably intelligent person why can't I do this.

Oh dear, it's over

Well that's it, school starts offically again tomorrow. I would like to say a big thank you to NiftyKnits who I met at the Folksy picnic for her fab comments on my blog and her support with thinking about things in my shop.
Today I have been mostly thinking about finishing a commission I have been working on, here is a little picture of the fabric I created for part of it. I love making my own fabric, they usually start life as a plain piece of felt, which I embellish on my sewing machine, oh i love the different stitches it has, which threads, stamped images, netting and other things I just can't think of right now.

I have just realised how tired I am, thinking it comes from spending too long staring at excel tonight. Being a sensible grown up, again!!

Right definately off to bed, must read some more of Breaking Dawn, the final book in the Twilight series, a good easy read, I can see why it is so popular with the Teenage market. A fun read, like going to a chick flick film.

Trying something new and taking a breath

Today I was a good girl and I did planing and paperwork for school, even though my new gorgeous fabric from Moutain of the dragon arrived, there was Amy Butler, My Folklore and Kaffe Kassett. It sat and stared at me all morning, whilst I worked away on the laptop. I was very pleased several times, when I thought I had a whole piece of work to do, to find that I had already started it back in July, I think 'Get in' could be heard several times this morning. Just need some paper now to be able to print things out, don't want to risk hoping I can do that at work tomorrow as I get the feeling the server will be down. Having a tantrum for being ignored for 6 weeks. Then when I felt I had done enough and would treat myself to a bit of making I was asked to read an email, that we were a) expecting and b) knew wouldn't be great.
Trouble is it can still be easy to get irritated and wound up. But I am learning to become more Zen as time goes by. I have to accept that we can not rationalise with everyone and that some people form opinions from a situation that we can never change, whatever we do, or however we behave. It can be hard to not want to put this how they are and nit pick.
On the other hand I then decided to treat myself to a little play with the new fabric. I hate the table mats we have, they are old and stained, and it is not possible to get the stains out, I have tried. So a google searching I went, 'How to make a fabric placemat' only to realise I could probably work it out myself.
I am very pleased with how they have turned out except for one thing. As I was machining lines horizontally the fabric would seem to have spare at the end (with the batting) and create a bit of a lump. I have never done quilting, and I think I kind of made a mini quilt. What did I do wrong? would appreciate some tips. Here is the result: