Sifting, Sewing and Knitting

I have been spending this pre holiday season sewing and knitting. It has been delightful! I feel as though another circle is turning. My love of things sewing and quilts seems to have returned to me in spades, and it feels darn good! I'm never quite sure why my attentions turns one way, or another, but I do know that I seem to follow in circles. Pendulums always swing, I just never know when they will

This is a FO (finished object). I had been [lanning to make this for about a year, and I am thrilled that it is done, looks divine and that I learned something from the pattern. The pattern is called Autumn Blush and it is designed by Joji Locatelli. AS I think I mentioned in an earlier post the yarn is from Sundara and is 50%silk and 50% merino. Lush and soft!

I have been sewing a lot. These are a few of the pouches that I've made for gifts. Simple, easy and, I think, they look good too. I had so much fun making such a simple thing! Plus, I did not have to buy anything! I've made a lot of other things too and will post some images before they are shipped off. 

 I've been working on the quilt that I began in September, and have made a couple of small felted bags too. Two lager quilt projects are in the mental works and I feel all set to sew, and then sew more. Hooray for cycles!

My friend, Karen Musgrave, recently wrote a post about the 'weeding' that she has been doing. Of course, it got me to thinking. I did such a vast amount of sifting, sorting and divesting this summer that I had not given it too much thought, but I too have been doing another sort of 'divesting' (or as Karen calls it 'weeding'). I find that my time is too precious to waste and so I have had really had to think long and hard about where I want to expend my energy. My answer to self is:  sewing, reading and knitting. Mixed media is a part of me and is something that I will never give up thoroughly, but it will take a back seat to sewing and knitting. With huge binders filled to over-flowing with ATC's and Post Cards I do not plan to do many exchanges any more. They were taking up a lot of time. I still plan to do a few small art exchanges, but not to the extent that I was. 

For the upcoming year I hope to spend more time doing things that I enjoy with friends. Now that I am not working I really do find that I need at least SOME contact with people. I always feel much better after an afternoon spent with gal pals.

Another place that I will be not be spending as much time as I had been is on the computer. I simply cannot believe how much time I end up being online. You know how one things always leads to another - and another from there. Hours can literally fly by without one realizing that the time has slipped by. I can never say "no!", but I am going to try to limit the amount of time I spend on my "magic boxes". I truly do believe in the "everything in moderation" philosophy, and that's the balance that I hope to find in the coming comes.

What about you? Have you done any of your sifting, sorting or weeding this year? Do you find that your interests run in cycles? Do you have plans to divest anything in the coming year? How to manage to "do it all" and still have enough time? Tell me ! I need all of the hints I can get!