Small Things

"Its all in the details" they say, whomever that wise "They" are. I remember the time in my life when I had no time for details and rushed through everything I did. Funny how luck was with me and things turned out.

Now that I am taking my time with various projects I acknowledge that there is value in placing energy and time into the details.

The "Thanks For You" teacher gifts are finished. As I practice with the template, what I did here was to alternate light and dark squares and then gave it a lighter fabric that reads solid. The mug rug squares are the leftovers in cutting the twisters from the table topper.
This one is really more structured than others I've made and has a more traditional feel to it. Again, I used 5" charms from my personally cut stash rather than to buy a charm pack. I bought the fabric for the binding, which is a softer brown that I think frames it perfectly.

And I decided to get some lavender dryer sheets from Trader Joe's the next time I go to Palmdale to include with the fleece throw. I'll open the package and toss them around it and hope they absorb whatever chemical that is (yuk). I actually like how this one turned out and know that the young man will love it. I have yet to make the scarf and think its also just a matter of cutting fringe. Small detail.

And now I am ready to run my Sister's quilt on the machine. I need to figure out what I am actually going to quilt so will lay it out over my bed and sit with it awhile.

Its hard for some folks to get into the holiday gift making or even thinking about holidays. In order to take care of myself and reduce the stress that builds up for me, I keep a "weather eye" out as Captain Jack says on Pirates of the Caribbean. My details, in this instance, include having a shopping or creating list, knowing how long it takes me to do a thing, and then getting on with it. I know that things have to ship out the week before Thanksgiving or to arrive in time. That means gift wrapped & tagged, and money earned and saved for expenses.

My list always changes because folks pass, are born or step into the family through loving relationships. Like me, many of the elders don't want things any more. Oh they like cards and letters, but not things have to be dusted, stored, cared for and which take too much energy. On the other hand young people, in their first apartments, don't want things they have to pack and move, store or cram into small spaces. Those family members in between have specific colors or household themes and don't always appreciate what they receive. So its a dance of observing, listening, considering other people.

The little details.