Mistletoe

With Christmas approaching at the speed of a racing freight-train, it’s easy to become distracted, easy to set aside projects that are frustrating (OK, that may just be me), and easy to by-pass moments of inspiration.

This entire year I’ve purposefully LOOKED for inspiration each day.  Sometimes it’s easy, especially when you’re watching the spring flowers just tentatively poking their heads through the cold, or the summer fade to glorious fall shades.  Sometimes inspiration is more difficult to describe, elusive, like trying to capture the fragrance of Easter lilies.  But as my Grandma Broyles always said, “If you want something, you just have to keep after it.”

I have found inspiration every day.

This time of year also becomes rather retrospective for a lot of us, especially as we look at what we’ve accomplished, how we’ve grown, who we’ve gained in our lives, and who we’ve lost.  What projects do I want to pursue?  What techniques would help me express what I’m feeling?  How proud would my Dad have been in August when I won a 1^st Place at AQS-Grand Rapids?

Who inspires you?  What inspires you?

I’ve started looking back to January 1^st when my resolution was to find inspiration EVERY day.  I’ve taken thousands of photos.  I’ve read poems from authors I had never met before.  I’ve taken walks in parks that I didn’t even know were here in our little hamlet.  I’ve listened to music that I thought would not move me – and been moved to tears at its beauty.  I’ve discovered colors that I thought I would never use in a quilt, and turned some drawings into textiles that I just love.

Today my inspiration was a beautiful spring of mistletoe my daughter tucked into her Christmas card.  It’s the most beautiful shade of evergreen/gray that I’ve ever seen, and I’ll be hanging it in my kitchen (busiest room in the house), but what inspires me is that she picked it just for us.  How do you capture thoughtfulness in fabric and thread?

Be inspired every day – find your voice.

Happy sewing,

Beth

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