... I must be reading. I finished three books this month. Above is the first book I finished. It turned out to be a lot better than I thought it was going to be and I have found myself using some of the tips from it. It suggests getting into a routine of roughly 15 minutes of process time (creative free time with no guilt), 15 minutes of product time (time dedicated to writing. This will hopefully grow) and 15-30 minutes of self-care (exercise, yoga, etc...) everyday. It has helped with the guilt I sometimes feel when I am knitting but often while knitting I am thinking about writing. It's just a matter of finding the time to take those thoughts and using them. I've been trying to fit 15 minutes of product time in everyday this week. I spent several days brainstorming a new name for the town in my novel. I didn't like the name I had but hadn't really tried to change it. I played around with words and different brainstorming methods but it was my husband's suggestion that eventually won. The town name went from being one word to two and added 32 words to the novel, so that was a nice bonus. Yesterday I got in process and product time and it felt great. One of the other things the book suggests is giving yourself rewards, especially for tasks you find difficult. I enjoy writing and don't feel I really need a reward for that (at least not right now) but a reward for editing is a great idea. My reward yesterday was that I had pop at lunch instead of my usual glass of water. The bigger the accomplishment the bigger the reward. I'll be working on creating a list for rewards for doing my 15 minutes everyday, rewards for finishing a chapter and a reward for when I am done editing the first draft.
Last weekend when we were at the library, I was looking on the new young adult bookshelf trying to find a book for my older son when I came across this book. I loved the feel of it and would carry it around for fun. When I looked inside I was delighted to find it was all poetry. A novel told in poems! I checked it out and I was able to read it in just over an hour one afternoon this week while the baby was napping. My daughter read it and she enjoyed it as well. It's about a young girl (age 12) moving from Poland to England with her mother, looking for her father who left them. She falls in love for the first time and has to deal with bullying from girls because she's different from them. Even the teachers don't treat her very nicely - they change her name to something that is easier to pronounce instead of trying to say it properly. It was a great book with a great message.
And this might not count as a book but it's a great way to spend an afternoon. My husband and I are currently rewatching Buffy and we both read the graphic novels that have continued the series. I usually want to rewatch the series a couple months after finishing it so I've seen them all the episodes several times. It's definitely one of my favourite shows. We just finished the second season where Angel dies and Willow's becoming a witch. Now the series starts getting really good. I'm looking forward to my daughter being old enough to watch. We've only let her watch 2 episodes so far.
I did painting as my process time earlier this week. I did this while the baby had lunch. Still need to finish the little season paintings on the left, but I need to buy some more paint first. And I'm not sure about the one on the right. It might be done.
Yesterday I printed off the first draft of "Lucy". I didn't want to but decided for this first edit I am changing and adding so much that I really need to start from scratch, as in I'm going to rewrite the whole thing. Having the first draft beside me will be easier to refer to than having two documents open on the computer and going back and forth between them. I saved paper and ink by changing the font and putting two pages on each side of the paper. I was pretty thrilled about holding my book in my hands. The little guy was pretty thrilled too.
And I did something yesterday that I haven't done in over a year. I quilted. This little quilt has been waiting for me to quilt it for a long time - I don't want to know how long. I quilted around every rectangle and called it done.
This was my view from the sewing machine. He went back and forth on the couch trying to get my attention. Sometimes he'd look at a book or outside but he was often talking to me.
I pieced some blocks for another wallhanging. My own design which I'm hoping works out.
And got some work done on a secret project.
Got binding on the quilt too! I was pretty impressed with myself. I think it needs a good ironing before it goes up on the wall.
I almost had enough binding of the little polka dots but I had to add some big polka dots at the end.
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