Attitude Adjustment

This autumn has been so dreary! Twenty-two days of rain in October gave me sinus headaches and now, with the time change, SAD (seasonal affective disorder) has kicked in. These waning hours of sunlight really influence my moods. How about you?

My husband has noticed my increased irritability and tells me that the only peace he gets is while I’m sleeping! As much as I hate to admit it, he’s probably right. An attitude adjustment is in order.

Several years ago, when Sarah Ban Breathnach's books were all the rage, I made a half hearted attempt to keep a gratitude journal. The timing was all wrong and I only lasted about a week. But the exercise has merit. The act of focusing on simple, everyday blessings is a healthy practice. I’ve recommended it to others who suffer from depression. Now, it’s time for a dose of my own medicine.

I've got my gratitude journal ready. It was made by Wanda Hanson of Exuberant Color. The last time Wanda visited me, I cleared out her stock of journals by buying one for myself and several for friends. They make great gifts. Wanda has written a tutorial for making journal covers, if you'd like to give it a try yourself. 

I promise not to gripe and grumble too much through the dreary months ahead. As far as blogging goes, “no news” from me is probably news you wouldn’t want to hear anyway. Wishing you sunshine!

Quilt Journals

Forgive me for borrowing a blog topic from Lazy Gal Quilting. A reader asked Tonya if she kept a record of all the quilts she’s made and what kind of information she saved. So, I thought I’d share my method of documenting quilts.


I keep albums for all the quilts I’ve made. There’s one for first quilts, large quilts, doll quilts, and challenges, exchanges and collaborations. I even keep one for family quilts and antiques, including appraisals.


My quilts have been exhibited in guild shows, so over the years I've accumulated a detailed record. Most shows require the name of the quilt, the pattern name, measurements, techniques used to construct the piece, and the date of completion. In addition, they often ask for a blurb telling the story of the quilt, what inspired it, who it was made for, etc. This information is usually compiled in a show program or printed on a card that is displayed with the quilt.


From my very first project, I’ve taken pictures of my work. When the piece is a gift, I also try to get a photo of the recipient. If I have a few fabric scraps left, I’ll save them too.

This may all seem a bit anal retentive, especially when it’s typed up and put in plastic sleeves. But it sure saves time when you have to retrieve the information for a quilt show or blog post.

It’s been fun sharing my albums with family and friends but it will also be of value to my kids someday when I’m not around to tell the story of each quilt.