Recalculating

While driving home from the tax office late one afternoon, I happened to catch Krista Tippett’s American Public Media show Being (formerly Speaking of Faith).  Her guest was  Sylvia Boorstein, a teacher and psychotherapist.  The program was entitled What We Nurture.  Here’s a link to the 51-minute podcast (I hope):  http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2012/what-we-nurture.  The show was originally broadcast on March 29, 2012.

When the student is willing the teacher will appear.

As many of you know, my temp job as an administrative law judge ended on March 30, 2012.  I will be working more than full time at my seasonal job as a tax advisor through April 17, 2012.  But my “work” future beyond that point is uncertain.  I’m planning to focus on Etsy and family for a couple of months while I sort out options.

The week the job ended, I discovered (or was led two) two inspiring images, both relating to roads. (Hmm.  Metaphor.  Road of Life.)  One was posted on Facebook by my quilting buddy Linda, a strong and courageous cancer survivor.  That visual message was a photo with this caption: 

Someone once asked me, “Why do you always insist on taking the hard road?”

I replied, “Why do you assume I see two roads?”

The second, an audio message, came to me through the Sylvia Boorstein interview on NPR.  Boorstein suggested that as we travel down life’s road, we should have an inner GPS that tells us, in a calm and reassuring voice, “Recalculating.”   It may also tell us to take the first available left turn.  But no matter how many times we miss our turn, that calm, reassuring voice will continue to say “Recalculating” as we attempt to adapt and carry on.

The road of life has a several potholes, some blind intersections, some detours, some construction zones, and some dead ends.  Sometimes we miss our turn and head down the wrong path.  Sometimes we are at a fork in the road, but we may not see that in fact, there are two roads.

During these difficult times, may we summon the inner calm and courage to adapt and carry on as we calmly urge ourselves to “recalculate” with God’s help.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Photo:  Garmin GPS from http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-2555LMT-Portable-Navigator-Lifetime/dp/B005DIBHCE

Baby's First Easter

It's shameless commerce Tuesday, and today I'm featuring boutique baby bibs for baby's first Easter.  While older siblings or cousins hunt for eggs and eat jelly beans and chocolate bunnies, your little one can be wearing a cute Spring or Easter-themed bib to catch little drools and dribbles.

I've reduced prices on bibs with a definite Easter print.  Order by April 1 for on time delivery.

All bibs are made of 100% cotton fabric with a layer of cotton flannel between the layers for extra softness and absorbency.  I use capped metal snaps for the back neck closure--no Velcro to catch in baby's fine hair.
All bibs are reversible, so the flip side of the Easter bibs can be worn all Spring and Summer.

Do you know someone who is expecting?  A bib (or two) would be a pretty and practical baby gift.  To view more of my bibs, view the scrolling widget in the upper left hand corner of my blog, or visit the Bibs section of my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=8146356.

My favorite Easter treat is a Cadbury egg!  Yum!
Do you have a favorite Easter treat or tradition?

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

Creative Biz Boot Camp

"There are thousands and thousands of people out there leading lives of quiet, screaming desperation, where they work long, hard hours at jobs they hate to enable them to buy things they don't need to impress people they don't like" - Nigel Marsh

www.ted.com/talks/nigel_marsh_how_to_make_work_life_balance_work.html

My temp job as an administrative law judge will end on March 30, 2012.   The good news is, I will enter the second "peak" of tax season (my primary job and the one I love most of the time) without trying to juggle another day job and my Etsy shop along with other responsibilities.  The bad news is, I'll miss that other paycheck...(long pause)...a lot.

I've given myself permission to devote the two months from the end of tax season through the middle of June to putting maximum effort into my Etsy business to see if my creative biz can become my "other job."  I will, however, allow some time to reconnect with grandkids.  I really miss seeing them during tax season when I work seven long days a week for 3.5 months.

I've enrolled in a six-week webinar, Six Weeks to a More Passion-Filled and Profitable Business, hosted by April Bowles Olin aka Blacksburg Belle.  I subscribe to her newsletter and videos and believe her coaching will help me focus on my business and develop a plan to take it to the next level.  I'm thinking of it as a sort of boot camp for my creative biz.  The cost is $197 through March 26--then it goes up to $297.  That translates to about $4.69 per day for business coaching--and that seems like a reasonable amount to invest in my business.  And it will be tax deductible on next year's taxes.
http://www.blacksburgbelle.com/six-weeks-to-a-more-passion-filled-and-profitable-business/ 

I'll also spend more time restocking my Etsy shop cybershelves with new items geared to Mother's Day and beyond and exploring (and reassessing) local consignment or wholesale options.

And, I'll continue to SIMPLIFY.  I'll earn less but live more fully  (I hope).  And if I fall flat on my face, I'll pick myself up, dust myself off, and look for another part-time gig to tide me over until next tax season.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

White and Black

It is Shameless Commerce Tuesday again.  Today I'm featuring a new listing from the Kitschy Kitchen Stuff section of my Etsy shop. http://www.etsy.com/listing/95687844/pair-of-oven-mitts-minimalist-black-on?ref=pr_shop

These quilted oven mitts have elements of minimalism and a retro vibe, but the black and white color combination would also work in a modern kitchen.  The fabric is from the Metro Cafe line designed by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman Fabrics. I love every fabric in that line.

The lining is a white on black polka dot.  All fabrics are high quality 100% cotton.  The mitts are lined with heat resistant InsulBright fleece batting with an added layer of preshrunk cotton flannel.   Machine washable cold. Gentle cycle.  Tumble dry low.

To see more of my boutique oven mitts visit:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=10144150   or view the scrolling widget on the upper left hand corner of this blog.  My yellow art deco oven mitts have been featured in over six Treasuries :-).

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Bob Bob Bobbin' Along

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lvpqPqvOvo

Today I'm celebrating Spring!  I know it's not officially Spring according to the calendar, but there were three robins on my lawn today, and the temperatures will be above 70 this weekend, and that's close enough for me.  I opened the windows last night to let in the balmy fresh air. Sunshine and green grass lift my spirits.

So today, I've attached a link to Doris Day's version of a great old sing-along-in-the-car song I loved as a kid:  When the Red Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along.  Enjoy!

Live, love, laugh and be happy!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

Easy peasy. Lemon squeezy.   My coworker Terri loves that phrase, although she’s not using it too often during this phase of tax season.  The returns tend to be more complex and challenging in March and April!

But I thought of this phrase when this fun lemon fabric arrived in the mail.  The 100% cotton screen print is called Fresh Lemons.  It was designed by Jane Shasky for Robert Kaufman.  I’ll pair it with a pretty yellow blender fabric from the Marbelous line, also by Robert Kaufman.  This special order fabric is for a custom walker bag which will be a Mother’s Day gift for a woman who loves lemons.  I even found some super cute lemon buttons at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Saph1re

My customer would like a fully enclosed bag with a top zipper closure – so that will be a bit of a design challenge.  Lucky for me, my favorite Etsy zipper supplier, Zipit, came through with the length and color I needed:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/zipit.   I love, love, love her shop!  Fantastic selection, reasonable prices, and over the top customer service.  Thank you, Kung Foo Cowgirl!

This is shameless commerce Tuesday, so I am promoting custom walker bags.  They are almost always a surprise gift and a day brightener for an elderly parent, friend, or shut-in.   http://www.etsy.com/listing/73698420/walker-bag-custom-made-choose-your-theme  I’ll also be listing some pretty ready to ship walker bags as we approach Mother’s Day – a thoughtful and useful gift for a grandma or great aunt or an elderly parent who depends on a walker for mobility. 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Easy peasy. Lemon squeezy.   My coworker Terri loves that phrase, although she’s not using it too often during this phase of tax season.  The returns tend to be more complex and challenging in March and April!

But I thought of this phrase when this fun lemon fabric arrived in the mail.  The 100% cotton screen print is called Fresh Lemons.  It was designed by Jane Shasky for Robert Kaufman.  I’ll pair it with a pretty yellow blender fabric from the Marbelous line, also by Robert Kaufman.  This special order fabric is for a custom walker bag which will be a Mother’s Day gift for a woman who loves lemons.  I even found some super cute lemon buttons at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Saph1re

My customer would like a fully enclosed bag with a top zipper closure – so that will be a bit of a design challenge.  Lucky for me, my favorite Etsy zipper supplier, Zipit, came through with the length and color I needed:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/zipit.   I love, love, love her shop!  Fantastic selection, reasonable prices, and over the top customer service.  Thank you, Kung Foo Cowgirl!

This is shameless commerce Tuesday, so I am promoting custom walker bags.  They are almost always a surprise gift and a day brightener for an elderly parent, friend, or shut-in.   http://www.etsy.com/listing/73698420/walker-bag-custom-made-choose-your-theme  I’ll also be listing some pretty ready to ship walker bags as we approach Mother’s Day – a thoughtful and useful gift for a grandma or great aunt or an elderly parent who depends on a walker for mobility. 

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

Carpe Diem

This little gem of a wall hanging is something I purchased at the Sidewalk Arts Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota several years ago.  I wish I knew the identity of the maker.  I still love it.  It hangs on the door to my Girl Cave.  The little bells make a cheerful tinkle whenever I open the door.

I like the colors, of course.  Purple is my favorite color and teal is a close second.  But I especially love the inspiring message.

I will always remember Robin Williams in the 1989 film, Dead Poets Society, saying to his students, "Seize the day, boys!  Make your lives extraordinary!"  The film was directed by Peter Weir.  Tom Schulman won an Oscar for best original screenplay.  It was also nominated for Best Picture. (If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend you add it to your Netflix queue.)

Too often I fritter away what precious little free time I have without actually seizing the opportunities each day presents.  I get caught up in business and busy-ness.  I need to remind myself to seize time to be outdoors enjoying Nature.  I need to seize time that would otherwise be wasted on trivialities to rest and reflect and create.  I need to allow myself to be more spontaneous.  I need to give myself permission to abandon my To Do List on occasion to play with the grandkids ot spend time with family and friends.

So, carpe diem, my friends.  Seize the day!  Make your lives extraordinary!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show

One of the items on my Bucket List is:  Attend Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

I won't make it this year, but some year, God willing, I will make the pilgrimage to the world's largest outdoor quilt show, held the second Saturday of July each year since 1975 in the town of Sisters, Oregon.  Over 1300 quilts will be on display. http://www.sistersoutdoorquiltshow.org/

The show is spearheaded by Jean Wells Keenan and her talented daughter and fabric designer, Valori Wells Kennedy of www.valoriwells.com.  This mother-daughter team also manages The Stitchin Post quilt shop in Sisters.  www.stitchinpost.com

I purchased this year's 18" x 24" poster, "Go To Town," designed by artist Kathy Deggendorfer.  I will hang it in my Girl Cave to help me keep the dream alive.

Someday I will go to Sisters.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower

Too Hot To Handle?

It’s shameless commerce Tuesday.  Your pots and pans won’t be too hot to handle with these fully lined oven mitts made with high quality 100% cotton designer fabrics.  The oven mitts have a layer of cotton flannel and heat resistant InsulBright batting sandwiched between the quilted outer mitt and the soft and smooth lining.

These boutique oven mitts would be a perfect Mother’s Day, housewarming, hostess or kitchen shower gift –or treat yourself! 

To see more of my boutique oven mitts, visit the Kitschy Kitchen Stuff section of my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower?section_id=10144150 or check out the scrolling widget in the upper left hand column of this blog.  Thanks for stopping by! Stop back often.  More fun and functional oven mitts will be listed before Mother's Day.

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

Thoroughly Modern Quilters

This past Friday evening I had a most enjoyable outing.  My hubby and I attended the Lincoln Quilters Guild’s 39^th Birthday Party at the International Quilt Study Center & Museum. www.quiltstudy.org.  And, yes, there were cupcakes.  Yummy work of art cupcakes!

There were three very diverse exhibitions in the gallery.  My favorite by far was the late great Jean Ray Laury’s exhibition entitled Getting It All Together.  This talented author, illustrator and quilter chronicled the lives of women who came of age in the 60s and 70s and struggled to balance work and family.  Her quilt Barefoot and Pregnant, voted one of the 100 Best Quilts of the 20^th Century, was on display.  Jean’s wit and social conscience are evident in most of her work.  Here is a link to Barbara Brackman’s tribute http://barbarabrackman.blogspot.com/2011/03/jean-ray-laury-1928-2011.html

Another exhibit was a tribute to Ardis James, a Nebraska native, avid quilt collector, and benefactor to the International Quilt Study Center & Museum.  Several art quilters donated quilts to IQSC in her memory after her death, and those incredible art quilts were on display.

The final display, What’s In a Name, displayed signature quilts from the IQSC collection spanning many decades and quilting styles – from homey hand-lettered blocks to fundraising quilts with celebrity autographs, to a beautiful album quilt. 

A display of quilts from the little guild comprised of UNL faculty and staff adorned the stairwells, and an impressive trunk show of modern quilts from Modern Quilt Relish in Des Moines, IA provided the backdrop for the featured speaker, Ellen Rushman. http://modernquiltrelish.blogspot.com/p/pattern-shop.html

Ellen is a graduate student in UNL’s quilt study program.  She shared a preview of her thesis, Modern Quilting: DIY Discourse, which chronicles the Modern Quilt Guild from its birth in Los Angeles in 2009 to the current online and “real world” community of over 100 modern quilt guilds.  http://themodernquiltguild.com. Ellen personally interviewed several Modern Quilt Guild members and compiled a profile and demographic of the self-proclaimed “modern quilter.” 

Modern quilters share an attitude – no rules, anything goes, improvise and enjoy the process. They also share an aesthetic -- minimalism, large scale, asymmetry and white space.  They tend to value functionality. They are inspired by the love of fabric and design.  And they aren’t all thirtysomething, although two of my very favorite modern quilters, Maureen Cracknell and Samelia's Mum, fit that demographic.

It was an interesting talk with images of inspiring quilts, and a refreshing perspective. 

I have a “taxing” weekend ahead….hoping to carve out a few hours to sew.  Enjoy your weekend!

TTFN

LeAnn aka pasqueflower

http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower

http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com