Thursday, September 20, 2012

I'm not dead yet.....

as in the movie "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," 1

Yep, it's me!! I am still alive. I didn't think anyone would notice that I had been absent from my blog until this morning I got an email asking if I was okay. So, yep, I'm okay and yes, I am wearing an Avenger's t-shirt bought at WalMart in the little boys clothing section. Call it crazy if you want, but I like it and I am sure you will see me around town sometime wearing this getup. My favorite Avenger? Toss up between Thor and Captain America.... anyways....It's been a crazy month for me, we moved Clint into another office space, so now I officially have the goodbye kiss in the morning as he rides his bike to work. So grateful he's only 30 seconds away though so I can see him whenever I want. Also, Clint took me on a trip - he likes to travel and I love it when I get there - please tell me I am not the only one who hates to fly...

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These sunsets are always worth the worrying I put myself through while flying to get there.

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and a hand in hand walk down the beach is always wonderful....but the reality is, it's been kind of a crazy time for me. I had a situation that I dealt with before I went on this last trip with Clint that made me question myself. I love to quilt, I feel like I do a pretty good job, I take pride in every single quilt that I put on those frames and while I curse myself for my darn perfectionistically detailed craziness (yes, I just said that), it always works out in the end. But, occasionally there comes around the not so happy moments where I cannot please everyone.  I don't want to go into detail, but I just have to say that this experience has been a learning experience for me. It "knocked the wind right out of my sails" right out of me and I have had no desire to quilt for the past two weeks, but I have decided that I just need to let it go and realize that life happens and then we move on.

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What I have figured out about myself is that when I am a little down, fabric always seems to make me happy, but that's just the crazy talking right?  :-)

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But, I am completely happy with my projects ahead of me. Thanks for your patience with me, I will get back on the blogging and the quilting - sorry I was gone for too long.

43 comments:

karen @ badlandsquilts said...

Looks like a fab trip... Every quilt I have ever seen that you have quilted is just gorgeous!

Mary Grace McNamara said...

That shirt is just too cute on you Judi! My 9 year old son is jealous! ;)
Lovely beach pictures...where were you? Sorry to hear about your bad experience, but make it a learning experience and move on. Don't let it mess with your confidence. YOU know how good you are and so does everyone else! Just keep doing what you love!

MGM

Sharon said...

You are an amazingly talented young lady! We all have those times when we feel totally deflated by life's circumstances. Keep the faith and keep on quilting! Glad you and your hubby could spend some quality time together. God Bless.

Lucky Duck Dreams said...

and we all are crazy arent we?

quilter501 said...

My daughter has married a man of the Hindu faith. He has taught her that happiness is a decision and to not let anyone else's negativity, comments etc. enter her space. It is their problem. Good words to remember. You are soooo blessed with talent and if their are those who don't choose to see or appreciate it....it is their loss.

Leeanne said...

Well if fabric makes you feel happy & you think it is the 'crazy talking'.....then I'm crazy with with you chickie!!
We can't please everyone, only ourselves. Some folks just find being happy & content a foreign place. Your quilting is*****ALWAYS****** breath taking, I just can't for the life of me think how someone could NOT LIKE IT!! :-/

Fabric Warrior (aka Amie) said...

If you couldn't please a person with your quilting, then I doubt that person could be pleased with ANYthing. Your quilting is amazing and is so inspiring. Let haters be your motivators! hehe

Linda said...

I literally laughed out loud with the reference to Monty Python!!!! Love it!!! It's ok to give yourself a break!!! :-)

CathyK said...

In this life, one is never going to please everyone. You have to be happy from within and not let ANYONE else determine your happiness or your worth. You make BEAUTIFUL quilts and you also create GORGEOUS free motion quilting. You are an inspiration to many. I look forward to your new creations!

Keri F said...

Oh Judi. I am sorry to hear about your experience. "Every party needs a pooper", right? Seriously... I am truly amazed at how beautifully you quilt. It is like music dancing all over the fabric. Print out our positive words to you and read them over and over, when that person's negative "recording" goes off in your head. Life is short and not worth wasting another moment on that negativity. Your talent is a gift from God and I am grateful you blog and share with us. And most of all, HAVE FUN quilting & enjoy it, or else what is the point? Rest up, grab your THOR hammer and get to it. PS: I am sure that chocolate will help too...Hugs, Keri

Litamora's Quilt & Design said...

So glad you are doing fine , and that you found your sewing mojo again. I did lose my mojo for a couple of months earlier this year. Life happened, and it's hard to get back on track again sometimes.
Wish you a great weekend :-)

Colleen said...

I am so pleased you are back after taking a break. I have been constantly checking your blog and was hoping all was ok. You are such an inspiration to all longarm quilters, don't ever think otherwise. Thanks for sharing your beautiful quilting.

Anonymous said...

Any time you feel like your quilting is not that great, take a long look at the Best in Show Quilting ribbon you won. Remember there were over 500 quilts there and YOU were the one that got the BEST in SHOW for QUILTING!

Marisa said...

Well, you can quilt any of my quilts and I will LOVE them. Sorry for such an experience. You are so talented. Don't let one person's negativity dampen your love for something you are clearly gifted in. (This coming from a self-admitted people pleaser :)).... and new fabric does fix a lot of things doesn't it?

Dorian said...

Glad you're back and had a nice trip to take care of yourself. That's important!

I would love to know what that last pile of fabric is?! Those top ones are calling to me :)

Malia said...

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience, but I just wanted to let you know it's my DREAM to have you quilt something for me. I just need to one make more time to actually piece something together and two piece it together so that it's worthy of having your beautiful quilting :)

cindi said...

don't let 'em get you down. you do absolutely gorgeous quilting. and i too have found that a little fabric shopping can brighten even the grayest of days. that's why i'm gonna have to live until i'm 150.
cindi

the gathering girls said...

I am a secret admirer of your quilting. I love looking at all the designs you make on your quilts. It's really hard not to take it personally when someone isn't so pleased with our work, but that just shows how much you love your work and should continue in it, not give up!

Rebecca Grace said...

Okay, first of all, I got that Monty Python reference IMMEDIATELY. I put that movie on for my two boys recently and they laughed their little heads off!

Second, I can't imagine anyone being less than ELATED by the transformation your quilting would make to their quilt top. Even if you were quilting in the dark, standing on one foot, with a raging fever, during an EARTHQUAKE, your quilting would still be better than what most of us will ever achieve. I agree with the others who have said that this disatisfaction probably had nothing to do with you or your quilting. Some people are just deeply unhappy and go through life projecting blame on others. Your work brings so much beauty and inspiration to others. Hugs!

Vickie said...

It sounds like "that person" had to scoot a long way over to get up on the wrong side of the bed just to be "cranky", Your quilting is wonderful, we all know that. Hang in there.

quilting/fitness said...

please dont say someone was not happy with your quilting ill take that quilt they did not like any day they should be flogged!!!
i agree with the pooper comment sometimes you cant please everyone but please not your!!! quilting

Judy said...

Sorry about your bad experience, Judi, but glad to hear you are better. Your quilting is amazing. Don't let one person get you down. Is your hubby still working in your business? I hope the reason he moved is that the business is growing!

Maureen said...

You go girl! Shoosh that negativity away....you're grand in every aspect of your life. As a wife, Mum, & business gal, you've got what it takes. Stay strong & never, ever begrudge yourself of fabric! LOL!!!!
Glad to see you're blogging.
Cheers from Canada

Rachel said...

Flying-well, the only thing that has gotten me on an airplane in the recent past is one of my kids, lol, the power of motherhood. I HATE flying. A lot.LOL.

...I could send you a couple of quilts to "practice" on...OK, just kidding, LOL, seriously now. We aren't going to please everyone. I know it is disappointing when someone is less than thrilled with what we have done, but keep in mind...1. opinions are just that, opinions. 2. If we all loved and appreciated the same thing, in the same way there would be one line of fabric in one colorway. 3.Learn from it. We have to learn from it. If you want to hear a really long quilt/learning experience I will be happy to share it privately :-).Your work rocks (in MY opinion, LOL). You have a gift, use it and enjoy it!

T Holzer said...

You are WAY too hard on yourself. You are fantastic!!

Rafael's Mum said...

I am so sorry you had this experience and have taken it so badly. I hope you take heart from all the comments above as I totally agree with all of them! You are a very gifted quilter and among my favourite quilters on the net. I recently made a perfectly valid comment on twitter, meaning to be helpful and friendly, and got a lot of abuse back from someone who was stuck in her own views and angry with the world. That did upset me to start with but I came to see that it was her problem having such a negative outlook and not mine for being friendly and helpful. It did upset me to start with though (even though I was in no way at fault) and I can so imagine how upset you must have been after doing all this beautiful work. As said before however, there will be always someone upset with you for some reason, whatever you do. And if they do not like your quilting, why ask you to do a quilt in the first place? They can know through your blog and net articles what your work is like. I for one would be honoured to have you quilt one of my tops as I know you will think about it and design and enhance with the quilting as best you can (and, I know, that's always sublime!). You accepted a top for quilting, you did your utmost best and delivered what is I am sure lovely work, true to your style. You can do no more. Searching through my Pinterest quotes;
"Life is too short to stress yourself with people who don't even deserve to be an issue in your life". "Some people come in your life as blessings, others come in your life as lessons", "Take pride in how far you have come and have faith in how far you can go", "worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble, it empties today of its strength". (knew my pinterest quotes board would come in handy:-) So don't let this person upset you. You did your best, you did what you promised. Zillions of people love your work. Positive to the future, people like that don't deserve space in your thoughts. God bless xxx (ps,this also happened to a long arm quilter friend of mine, I saw the quilt, it was perfect and I loved it. Another one of those people.. it happens!)

greelyrita said...

There are lots of reassuring comments in the list ahead of mine. You know your quilting is loved. I feel you're very talented too of course but I'm not really a fan of over-quilting. I feel quilts should be fluffier than is going to result with the tight quilting that's popular now. It's the only reason that I can imagine that someone would be unhappy if they got a quilt done by you. This shouldn't come as a surprise to your customer though. If it was a surprise to them, they really were not looking. That makes it their fault, not yours, so no worries. Try not to stress.

kutiequilter said...

Oh, honey. Your quilting is amazing! Just remember you can't please all the people all the time. You put so much into your work and it truly shows. If someone can't appreciate it that's their loss. Hope you are able to move on. Just seeing your work here blesses me!

Dawn Hendrix said...

Just know you were missed! I agree LIFE HAPPENS and we move on! O wait.. just keep swimming swimming swimming swimming........

Needle Down Quilting said...

Glad to see you are back, I check your blog every day to see what is new, It gives me inspiration to get into my sewing room. Your quilting is amazing, sorry to hear that you had a bad experience but don't let that dampen your creativity. Your awesome!

Tryon said...

I love your quilts and the beautiful work you do and the love you put into every quilt!! I have to say I was glad you posted the picture of your first quilt you quilted. It gave me hope that someday I can be half as good as you!! Keep smiling and doing such beautiful work!

Barbie Mills said...

I've only been quilting for other people for a few months, and I question myself every time. I keep wondering when that is going to go away, but it looks like everyone does it at least sometimes. You are my favorite longarm quilter, and I'm hoping that I can have as much skill as you do after many many more hours of quilting. You are amazing.

Teresa Silva said...

Judi...your work is amazing and I'm sorry you've had a bad experience. You need to move on because you have way too much talent to feel like that! Quilt on Sister! I loved your post and that t-shirt is adorable on you! Take care and remember you have a lot of fans out here that adore you and your wonderful work!

Deb said...

Looks like a beautiful trip, and no you can't please everyone, so don't even bother trying! The fabric is beautiful!

Tryon said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Andee said...

There will always be haters. I take them to heart too..ugh! We are glad you are back and moving on too. Most of us really think you rock!

New Salem Homestead said...

I have posted on my office wall the following quote...
"I don't know the key to sucess, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody" Bill Cosby.
I read it daily!

Marge said...

Somebody can knock the wind out of your sails ONLY if you let them. Think about it!
Marge

Sparky said...

welllll you look fabulous...great to see you back for sure..great stack of goodness there

Beth said...

When I called you a nerd by the ways, its cause I love you. I hate to hear about people not appreciating your hard work, but hopefully you know that you put everything into your work...and nobody can take that away...not even mean crazy people. Love ya Jude!

Shannon said...

Hi honey. I am assuming you are LDS. So am I. I have been through some very hard times myself. In 1999 I became very sick. My children were 7, 5, and 3. I could not take care of my children. It was so hard for me. Now after all this time I have found the lesson to be learned from this hard time. I am sure that you have heard all the LDS reasons for this hard time in your life, I heard them too. Take your time to grieve but then look up in body and spirit and try again. You are becoming a better person. Sometimes it is a painful metamorphoses. One day just like me you will look back and say "Dang that was hard, but I am so glad it happened!!" I love Sister and I have never met you!!Hang in there!!

Melia Mae Quilting said...

Don't let the "situation" affect your confidence. I hope some day that I can long arm quilt as good as you do and like you said, you can't please everyone. However, I am sure that person was nuts and it was still a very beautiful quilt.

Unknown said...

Oh PLEASE dont stop blogging or quilting!!! You are such an inspiration to so many of us. One lesson that should be taught early on in life is that you cant and wont please everyone. You are the person that you need to please.