Take Time Off

Every year I ask myself what I want for my birthday.  Often it is a book or a piece of fabric or some new quilt pattern.  But this year when I asked myself that question, the answer that popped in my head was Time. 

My summer started with teaching a new class at the college where I worked.  There was so much preparation involved that I hadn’t had time to do much needlework.  I missed that.  So I have planned my birthday celebration to spend the day sewing and stitching; doing everything that involved a needle and thread.

And it is all going to be fun stitching.  Nothing for my etsy shop, just things for me and fun things for me so also no clothes.   Sometimes you have to make special plans to set aside time to do stitching.  We are all so busy these days; it is hard to work it in to our schedule. 

If you don’t make time for the things you enjoy then as the old saying goes life is all work and no play.  And you need play.   As I write this, I am planning on giving my last lecture for this summer session and it is on health psychology.  Much of that deals with managing stress.  One of the suggestions is to take a break from your normal routine. 

Taking a break actually improves your health, especially if that break is from work.  It gives your brain a chance to rest.  And studies show your performance and thinking is better when you have taken a break   If you are working all the time, your adrenaline goes up which takes a toll on your cardiovascular system.  So taking a break allows your whole body to relax.  And when you are doing something you enjoy, well that just makes you happy and there is nothing wrong with being happy.

So I have planned my birthday around stitching for fun.  I also added a little summer theme of flamingos.  I love flamingos.  So I have various projects with flamingos on them and I think I will work on those.  I bought myself some flamingo fabric at the last quilt show to make a little summer quilt. To me that is a quilt with no batting. It gets hot here in Texas but sometimes when the air conditioning starts up and I am sitting under the ceiling fan I get a little chilled so this little quilt can keep me from shivering.  

I also bought a little flamingo cookie cutter to use with needle felting but haven’t used it yet.  So I am going to make myself a felted flamingo ornament to hang near my computer.   I want to try to stitch a little flamingo necklace in a heart shaped mini hoop I bought for myself.  And maybe try my hand at doing some cross stitch (I haven’t done that in years) to finish a small flamingo picture I bought on my birthday last year.

I am hoping by the end of the day, I will have some new flamingos to enjoy (and share with you) and be a little more relaxed when the second summer semester starts the next week.  Think about giving yourself the gift of time for your birthday.  And spend the day indulging in something you enjoy.

©2019 Cheryl Fillion