Time to stop, look, and listen. Summer vacation started for the kids. I'm trying to more or less take July off to be with the family and rest a little myself (it isn't working, I feel antsy). I do like this quarterly check-in though, keeps me on track. See my 1Q check-in here.
1. Start, and possibly complete, the next two quilts in my Alberta series.
I actually had the opportunity to test a concept for my first one planned. Working with a local shop, My Sewing Room, I designed the background for their Row by Row Experience. We went with a Prairie sky/landscape and this is exactly what I want to do for my next quilt in this series.
2. Record at least 1 new online class or set of classes.
Finished this last quarter! My CreativeLive classes are available and so much fun.
Improv Quilting Basics
Quilting With Low-Volume Fabrics
Translating Inspiration in Quilting
Playing With Pinwheels in Quilting
Oh, and how convenient. I see that they are on sale right now. Each class is only $20!
3. Launch 2 more print patterns.
The final design for the Sewing Machine Quilt is being finished. I'm so close with this one. And then my designer got married. I use a graphic designer for the layout and her wedding took precedence. Hopefully soon...
4. Attend 1-2 quilting retreats as a guest and not a teacher.
Had to put aside the one I really wanted to go to. At this point I would settle for a guild sew day.
5. Pick up 3 new freelance clients.
At the last check-in I mentioned that I would be evaluating this. Well, I did. And I've decided not to actively seek out new clients. Part of this was management of my time, especially when it comes to family. Part of it was that we decided to not keep our babysitter, changing the time I did have available. I am still freelancing - check me out in Modern Patchwork and American Quilt Retailer on a regular basis - just not activity pursuing new publications right now.
6. Celebrate the launch of You Inspire Me to Quilt, because I never did that for A Month of Sundays and I missed that.
And I didn't do this. Is it too late? I turned 40 right when the book came out and my husband threw me a big surprise party. It seemed cocky to turn around and have another party right away.
7. Explore print and pattern making through regular sketching, play, and learning design programs.
This is so much fun. I'm sketching and playing all the time. And I've started, just started, some Illustrator classes. Still so much more work to do. But exploring this even more is one of my summer goals.
8. Lose 20 pounds. Actually, closer to 25 if we count the holiday weight. I lost 20 pounds last year and want to continue on the road to health.
So I did an 8 week exercise program on Fitness Blender. Physically, I feel great. I noticed a difference in my flexibility, endurance, and strength. I could see changes in my body shape. But I did not lose a single pound. Muscle weighs more than fat, so there is that. But it also shows me that what I eat matters so much. I wasn't bad in what I eat, but clearly there needs to be bigger changes. The good thing about summer is that it is generally too hot to bake so cookies are out. But then there are s'mores. I also found out recently that I am anemic, it can impact weight, but not really. My exercise has lagged in the last 2 weeks, so I am trying to get back on that. Thank goodness for lazy mornings by the kids.
9. Find an agent/publisher for the children's books I wrote.
Working on this, actively. But nothing to report yet.
10, Spend at least 1-2 hours a week working on one, any one, of the outstanding Quilts Under Construction. Focused, steady progress should move some of those through the list, even when I'm starting new quilts all the time.
It doesn't happen every week, but it is happening. And I've really only started one quilt this quarter. That being said, I didn't finish many. But the list is shifting and quilts are moving around.
On top of all this I have also submitted the proposal for a new book. Fingers and toes crossed that I will have word so that I can be starting it by the time the girls go back to school. On top of teaching, both locally and booking some travel for the fall, things are not quiet at all. Not to mention the household organization I've undertaking via the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
With the babysitter gone I am back to my early mornings alone. I wake up ready to go, but often paralyzed by all the things I want to do before the kids wake up. I've realized that the exercising can be done when they are awake, so I try to get my writing and pure creative work done while they still sleep. That is, when we are home! There have already been camping trips and visits to help my mom move. But on those regular home days it becomes a flexible combination of creativity, mothering, friendship, and summer fun. Such is my life, and I'm certainly not complaining!