Third-party validation of my frivolous purchase

At a booksale recently, I picked up a used book for a quarter, "To Be A Woman: The Experience of Womanhood in Selected Writings". I haven't read the whole book yet, but the very first essay really spoke to me. Here's an excerpt, written by Dorothy Goldberg, author of "The Creative Woman" and wife of former United States Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg:

"What I am saying is that, as we rush about, we must reserve a little energy for that other life within us, that urge to make, to do, to try to create.

If we have one child, then our inner life becomes our second child. If we already have two children, then the life within us must be our third child. Even four, five, six. Even if there are six children to be helped toward their own lauchings, the inner life must be her seventh child. If that inner life is built around art, then that is the child, and it must be given all the attention, concern and money we would somehow find if it were a child in the flesh."

OK, are there any other quilters out there who read this as "take time, energy and money to pursue your quilting passion"? I sure do! So on a recent trip to the thrift store with my sister, I bought this dress, not because I need it (I don't), and not because it fits (it doesn't), but because it speaks to the quilter in me. I'm thinking I'll wear it as a nightgown, particularly if I have any Pajama Quilting Days.

I'm back at work this morning, in body anyway. It is so hard to switch gears and be a productive worker bee again. Particularly because, when I got to my office, it had been completely rearranged because others had been using my office during my absence, so I first had to spend time moving furniture. However, I have a new setup for the new year.

Oh, and I should probably put a new avatar photo up at some point, too. Many of you have asked if I cut my hair, and I did, sometime around Labor Day, I think. I do a home bathroom job with my husband's clippers and just shave my whole head to a pretty short length, short enough that it looks exactly the same when I wake up in the morning as when I lay down at night. I'm saving time and money, baby, more time and more money for my quilting passion!

Two outta three ain't bad

Remember my New Year's Eve Challenge to finish off three of my flannel quilts in progress? I didn't quite make it. I finished the binding on #2 today. Here it is, the least square quilt I have ever made.

Oh well. I learned a lesson from this one - never, EVER, use such high loft batting in a quilt. I wrestled with this thing all the way from pinning it, through hand quilting it, and on every inch of the binding. Ugh! But it is done. The flannel buzzsaw quilt was the third project, but I've been helping others sew on my machine lately, and haven't had time to do for myself. First my twin, then Jason, and today, after Jason worked on his quilt some more, Donald made his first quilt top. We choose BIG (12") squares, and went with something super simple, but I'm proud of the little guy (he's four).

He chose the tractor fabric himself, and we were both so tickled when, as we he was sewing on the last border, Jason Aldeen's BIG GREEN TRACTOR song came on the radio, one of Donald's favorites!

Here's the tractor he has chosen to put on the back.

Piecing the back will have to wait for another day. My one and only resolution this year, is to work on becoming more patient. Well, my patience has worn out for today. I need to reboot with some sewing for myself. Of course, it will have to be at the gym, as my husband has a basketball game this afternoon. Gotta love hand quilting - you can do it almost anywhere!