Working a lot, traveling, finding myself with more deadlines (most of them self placed pattern writing deadlines), etc has started to wear on me. So, I've found ways to create small challenges for myself to keep me motivated and staying positive. :o) Here are a few of the challenges that I have recently started.
We can start with the pretty challenge! At this year's Madrona Fiber Fest, I purchased this roving. It's super soft and so cool with the alpaca staying it's super dark color and silk becoming ultra intense in color! :oD I decided to drop spindle this fiber so I can really enjoy it. Because of the fiber content, I decided to spin from the fold (a technique I haven't tried in probably... 8 years!). I haven't gotten past that yellow tail you see there, but I'm enjoying it so far!
Next is the StitchJones Neon Design Challenge that I've blogged about in the past! I've figured out what I want to do, and I'm already 1/3 the way done! Can't show the design just yet, so you'll just have to trust that I'm really liking the results.
Oh and speaking of challenges... capturing that neon green is definitely a challenge!! That color above is not quite right... but I couldn't get the camera to get it just right. :op
The last challenge for the day is one that's actually really hard for me. It's downsizing my stuff. I have given myself an attainable feeling challenge of removing five items from my life each day I have off. That can be something like a book that I haven't tried to reread in years, a piece of clothing I am not excited to wear anymore, a tote bag I got for free but never use b/c I have better quality ones, or even a piece of junk mail that I should have recycled when it came in, but instead it went into a pile of "to be sorted." I am even counting a wrapper that I left on the coffee table instead of throwing out day of because it's still getting something that is cluttering my life, and getting it out.
This last challenge is hard for me because I will always find a reason that something is useful, sentimental, or "needed." However, with each move, I find myself in a smaller apartment, smaller closet, less storage space, etc. I need to be able to free myself of the things that I am not using so that I can actually get to the things I do want to use! I'm actually remarkably pleased with my results so far, and plan on continuing. One day, then it'll turn into having just what I need and then only removing things that are wasteful that have come in, like recycling ads. :o)