AJ's Antics

So I have these friends ... and they like to throw out crafty challenges... a lot! I've been involved in a few of them over the years and they have often kept me motivated through projects... and sometimes... well sometimes life gets in the way and other than an initial post or idea nothing I get done or finished.  And I'm ok with that. For me crafting isn't about being the best or finishing the most projects, or even finishing them at all. And while I do like to finish things, it is about the process and the journey along the way. The connection with like minded people, sharing in their excitment and their journey, as we talk about ideas and make suggestions, motivate each other and complain about our husbands complaining about our new found enthusiasm, which usually results in new craft supplies. And so 2019 is upon us and the girls have come up with a new project....or 20! 20 crafty endeavors, where each item on the list, involves that number of actual things. L

I'm happy with the number of books I got through this year. Only a couple short of my goal. Here are my titles for 2018.

How cute are these blocks. I didn't think I'd like them but once they were together I can see how lovely a scrappy quilt would be. I'll show you my bee block next!

Sewing and book reading friends are the best! Despite the mommoth effort around organising things on the work and home front, heading away for the long weekend for our annual 'quilt camp' comes at exactly the right time each year. I loved having a road trip buddy this year. It gave us 4 hours of extra chatting time! I always leave feeling refreshed and not quite so overwhelmed with the long list of tasks that need finishing before the year is out. This year we added a book club element. We  posted books amongst ourselves before camp so that we could discuss them together. And boy was the discussion rich. It is nice to have your opinion heard in a valid and respectful way, dispite not always agreeing on what constitutes a 'good' book. We've picked our dates for next year... now to find the perfect book to swap! 

I'm testing out a blog post from my phone. It's where all my photos are stored so it makes sense to blog direct. I've been doing a little bit of sewing with some Bee Block swap with some friends. This swoon block was fairly epic and I see the appeal of the bigger block....less of them to make, but it wasn't my favourite thing to sew. I've spent more time on crochet this year, just for convenience. It's easy to pick it up for 10mins and put it down again when something or someone needs your attention.  We'll see how this blog post goes... it may become a regular thing. Drop me a comment if you've stop in to let me know your around!  Blog post number 1001 by the way! 

I don't think I've ever done 'One Little Word' before but I'm looking for something to hang on to this year. Something that grounds me but keeps me moving forward at the same time. As the new year ticked over I found myself adrift, a little lost about who I am and where I want to be. Life around me was moving on but I didn't feel connected to it. I was cranky at Christmas and disgruntled with New Year. I put on my semi-happy face and got on with it but you can't always fake it. You have to live life, love life....not just exist in it. And I think that is what I have been doing. Existing but not living and it has been going on for a little while now....most of 2017 at least. So this morning when I woke up, just as I opened my eyes, this word jumped out at me. I have never had that happen before and that's when I knew that this One Little Word was for me. I mulled over it during the day as I ran errands and got on with doing things. It hung there