Saturday 16 July 2016

Mid Year Reveiw

    


      Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl is hosting a mid year link up where we can share our progress with our 2016 goals.  I've been thinking about about writing a post about my 2016 goals so the timing was perfect.

     Any of you who have been following my blog for a while will know that my Aunt had a fall back in February and that her ongoing care has taken up quite a bit of my time and my mental and emotional energy. Things have settled down into a somewhat manageable rhythm for the mean time but I had made quite a lengthy and ambitious goal list and I've had to let go of major expectations around it.  ( see goal 4 under self care)

 So on to the goals  section one quilting.
1. Complete at least one quilt a month. Well I knew this was a stretch and I haven't been able to do it.  I've managed to complete three quilts totally on my own which is one every 2nd month. 
My finishes are: Pick Up Sticks, Shoo Fly and Can't Cut With Scissors.

2.  Design and make my own quilts, and quilt blocks.To help me with this goal I'll be reading Cheryl's Pattern Writing Blog Series starting in January, and I'll be mining the back posts on Yvonne's blog to re read her posts on block design.   I'll be starting my own process by turning my contribution to the Fabri Quilt block challenge, the  Graduated Cross Block into a quilt.  I've bought the fabric to make a quilt using this block and I'm excited to get  started on it.

     I did read Cheryl's pattern writing series and I have managed to make the graduated cross into a quilt top. I've also played around a little bit with Quiltography, I joined the Facebook Group Quilt Design a Day (this was before the fall)
So I haven't let go of this but it's been slowed down.

3.  Enter a quilt in to a show. One of the groups I am in has entered a group quilt into the show at the international ploughing match and I did contribute "Can't Cut With Scissors" into the Toronto Modern Guild display at the CQA show.

4.  I'm really excited to be in Hive 8 of the Stash Bee.  I enjoy the social aspects of blogging and hope this continues in the bee.  My goal is to complete all my blocks on time.   Totally rocking this goal.  Yay!

5.  Improve my quilting.  Making Progress here as well.

6.  Continue to explore Modern quilting techniques such as improv, negative grid and minimalism.  Yep, this one is going along nicely.

7.  Use my stash and come up with my own Stash Manifesto.  I did come up with the manifesto and I think I'm doing a reasonable job with this goal.  Thankfully I didn't promise not to buy fabric!


Section 2 blogging:

1.  Post at least twice a week.  I've done a pretty good job here.
2. Post a tutorial or two.  Not yet.
3. Host a linky party.   I hosted TGIFF and I believe I hosted this the week my aunt landed in the hospital so I should get a triple gold star for meeting this goal.  I would have hosted a couple more but you have to pay a monthly fee to have further link ups and I wasn't sure I'd use the service enough this year to warrant that.

4.  Learn how to get a working button into the body of a post.   The years not over yet !

Section 3 self care.

1.  Meditate daily.  Nope.  I'm not doing it.
2.  Get some exercise.  I haven't figured out what this one is going to look like yet..possibly aquafit, possibly hand held weights....at the very least I will do my knee strengthening exercises on a regular basis.   It's a good thing I have to walk to and from work...but this goal was intended to be in addition to that and it's not happening.
3.  Go back to keeping a gratitude journal.  I have done this very sporadically but I did do a Five Things Friday post this week so that's something!  Five Things Friday is hosted by Amanda of Gypsy Moon Quilts.
4.  Retain my flexibility and don't get too anal about meeting all the goals.  All I can say here is I'm glad I put this one in!

     I'm linking my post  to the 2016 Mid Year Review linkup
hosted by Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl.  I'm really glad I took the time to review my goals.  I'm making better progress in many areas than I would have thought.  I know that quilting and blogging are part of my self care but if I want to continue with these activities into a long future  I'm going to have to spend more time in the other areas of self care.


16 comments:

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Sometimes our priorities have to shift due to changing conditions. I think you have done a super job keeping your priority on your aunt while still keeping up with your goals.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I'm so glad you put in flexibility as a goal, too, Lisa. I think you have done an amazing job of doing everything and taking care of your Aunt; life definitely asked a lot from you recently. I'm glad to hear that things have balanced out a bit, and I am excited to continue to watch you work on these goals and grow as a quilter. :)

Sew Much For Free Time said...

If you figure out how to put a working button in the body of a blog post...PLEASE do a tutorial on it. I'm stumped, too.

I'm glad you're giving yourself some grace on your goals. You do what you can, and you're doing a great job of it!

Sharon said...

Flexibility and love for what you accomplish are great self care. Take care and enjoy the rest of this year!

Deb@newcreativestate.wordpress.com said...

I think you should give yourself a pat on the back Lisa! You are doing a wonderful job. Writing down your quilting, blogging and self care goals like this is a great idea and something that I should do myself.

Little Black Cat Quilting said...

It is always hard to stick to goals set before we know what all is going to happen. I need to check back on my goals, but I know I haven't stuck with them very well. Good thing we still have time to work towards them! 😊

Paige said...

Good to see you included self care and flexibility! Glad to know things are calming down with your aunt and I hope she is improving! Looking forward to seeing your progress the 2nd half of the year!

Kaja said...

It looks to me like you have done a good job of balancing your commitments and your quilting, even if some other bits have slid by for now. Maybe this review will push you to meditate/exercise!

Diana @ Red Delicious Life said...

Unexpected life changes always have a way of reshaping our priorities. I think you're doing a marvelous job in working on what goals you can and not worrying about the ones that you can't complete right now. That's what I love about list making - you can always modify the list!

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

great goals Lisa, not that unlike my own, if I had written mine down, except for the finish one quilt a month! Way too ambitious for me. You have done well meeting your goals, it is important to remember though that's what they are, goals and aspirations. No one will come after us if we don't quite meet them . I must write mine down and link up with Yvonne too.

Cheryl said...

I think that you have made great progress in your goals and like how you have given yourself the flexibility to alter the goals and their timelines as you had a major life change.

Jennifer Fulton Inquiring Quilter said...

When life throws you a curve, sometimes all you can do is keep pushing, and you've done a marvelous job at that! Great year so far for you.

Mary said...

Lisa, you are inspiring me to write my own mid-year review post. I love that you include self-care. I can sometimes focus WAY too much on quilting and not enough time on the other ways to take care of myself. Take care, Mary.

Kate @ Smiles From Kate said...

My favourite of your goals is section 3 no 4, I'm up for that one. Go Lisa!
Smiles
Kate

Lorna McMahon said...

You get a triple gold star in my book, Lisa. I am glad to hear that things are working out for your aunt and that you are getting more time for yourself. You are so willing to help others and deserve some self care. Exciting to hear about your group quilt and "Can't Cut With Scissors" entries! Whoop! Whoop!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Never promise not to buy fabric! This is a complete unreachable goal... Great job, and as you said, the year is not over yet!