My Top Routines for Optimal Health

27 degrees out and there is no where I'd rather be than on this mid morning trek.

Half way there and the incline is about to begin with one right turn.

As I hike my mind is cleansed and rejuvenated at the same time.

As I begin to enter the "senior age category" of life I find myself grateful that fitness and nutrition have always been a major habit in my lifestyle. I haven't done this hike in a while, and it was honestly a personal test of my level of fitness. LOL! Aside from the cold air making it a bit hard to breathe on the steep inclines, and a few new aches in my hips, I was truly pleased with my fitness level.

At the top I'm inspired and filled with energy as I look out over our City of Trees: Boise, Idaho.

I found myself reflective on my own healthy habits.

Here are my top routines of keeping in shape both mentally and physically:

1. Exercise Every Day: 

Mine takes the form of muscle strengthening exercises five days of week and moderate exercise every day. Moderate exercise is important at our age. I'm also finding you don't have to go all out, we just need to move. My favorite is a two mile walk after my workout giving me a healthy hour of pure exercise.  In the winter months, walks get traded out for 8 miles on the indoor exercise bike. (But it's in front of a window, so I can watch it snow as I workout) My FAVORITE is in the Spring and summer when walking can also mean nine holes of golf or a longer bike ride outside at our mountain summer home.  I'm COMMITTED to an hour of exercise at least five days a week no matter what form it takes. Truth be told, I'm LESS achy when I exercise. And I don't forgo the stretching!!! 

2. Mental Health: 

Exercise is BIG for my own mental health. I also ENJOY  keeping a travelers journal. It fills my need to goal set, helps me get things out of my head and minimizes my over thinking. It has five sections: monthly calendar, my budget book, daily morning affirmation doodles, my journal and a project book. I'm committed to living an authentic life that is CREATED with purpose on purpose and this helps me accomplish such.  

Socially, I find myself becoming more of an introvert as I age. I use to be energized by socialization and collaboration but now find myself  ENERGIZED  by my time alone and prefer social settings with much smaller groups. I'd like to think of this as WISDOM lol...but never the less, I truly find myself relishing this peaceful transition. My blog is really my only social media and lately that has been pretty minimal. I mean, okay, I love Pinterest....but I think of that as my "filing cabinet for the internet". It's a place that stores the ideas and INSPIRATION I find. Social media is overwhelming for me. I don't like the time it sucks up and  honestly my life just isn't that interesting. LOL I enjoy my blog because it documents my quilts and I enjoy our quilt community of bloggers but overall, my mental health is FUELED by the solitude in my life. 

As we enter this pre-retirement stage of life, I have also found list making to become a thing of the past as I'm finding that solitude in the SIMPLICITY of our day to day routines . I just told my husband the other day: "I feel like we are living a life we don't need a vacation from!"  I love that feeling!! And, emotionally, this is an EXCITING transformation. I live in GRATITUDE for all the memories of raising a family that fill my heart but find myself relishing  in the FREEDOM of this stage of life where obligations are minimal and life is full of new adventures for my husband and I.

3. Water: WHY oh WHY is this soooo hard? I've RECOMMITTED  to this, which for me means 10 8oz. glasses of water a day. Luckily my lemon and peppermint teas count! My MOTIVATION is I know this habit with flush my body of toxins, lubricates my joints, helps my skin be more toned (I hope!!!!) and it helps my digestive system.

4. Clean Eating: 

This one is easy for me as I've never been a foodie person. I do enjoy my wine in moderation. 

I hope if you too, find yourself on this pre-senior path of life, that this peace is finding it's way into your heart as well and you are finding the gifts meant for us in this stage of life. 

I'm curious about ways you are intentional about your emotional and physical health? 

Feel welcome to comment and share your inspiration with us. 

With Smiles, Val

The Beginning of a New Quilt...

Sometimes it all starts with a little doodling....

Our little grand-guy is going to be one next month which means, time for yet, another birthday quilt.

My daughter requested a "cow" theme to represent her successful year of nursing.

(I know, she's funny!) This is what I sketched and with a rainy weekend forecast ahead, I'm looking forward to spending a better part of my Sunday creating this fun quilt. I plan to incorporated many different textures along with an eye-spy body to boot! Won't that be fun! 

Your suggestions are welcome...as I won't be starting this till Sunday. Fall clean-up first. 

Unexpected Inspiration!

My friend texted me these pictures the other night of her boyfriend finishing his t-shirt quilt!

I guess it took him a few hours to get the "perfect" layout. (If he only knew I leave mine on the design way for a week...or more!) He has a genuine eye for quilting as his balance of colors and design turned out  "just right" if you ask me.

Like most of his, he found sewing the rows together a bit tedious, yet I couldn't help but be inspired by his creativity and desire to learn something new.  

I hope more young people take up the hobby we all love so much.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Quillows & A Change of Plans...

 Well hello! This Friday I find myself with a fresh cup of lemon/honey tea at hand, my faithful companion by my side, comforted by the hum of the fire burning as I emerge from having the flu over the past two days. (Well I technically still have it...just today I'm among-st the land of the living)  And yah! This strand did not have me running frantically to the bathroom every hour...more the chills, severe body aches, then fever, cough kind of flu....all which have finally calmed down but leave me isolated and with a huge change of Spring Break plans ahead.

But, seriously, when our life gets forced into a halt, how do you handle the change?  Honestly, I initially sound something like this: "Darn it! I don't have time for this!" I mean I realize that catching the most recent "bug" that is going around IS an occupational hazard in my line of work. Truth be told, it's been four years since I've caught it. So I guess it was inevitable. Never-the-less, not fun.

Then, I start finding myself  going into one of my "life and learning" reflective modes with my new found time. Like right now. Here I sit realizing all my Spring Break plans of a 10K hike tomorrow, spending time off with my husband, visiting a local Vineyard on our way to see the grands, Grammy Camp....have all changed...cause I actually feel like this: (Though I really don't want them to go.)

 It's weird to suddenly find myself  "quarantined", completely exhausted, with no plans. Luckily the Easter Bunny has a "carrot" dangling, as next Friday I'm invited to go on a Easter trip with the kids....so my assignment:  REST! (Okay....but you all know me well enough to know, rest for me is a two mile walk. LOL!!!) But okay, okay I get it. REST. Hydrate. Luckily, my body knows what to do and my head has learned to listened.

Now, back to answer my original question. I choose to make lemonade from the lemons when my life gets forced into a halt. I know from reading your blogs, many of you do too. I mean, I'm way disappointed. But in reflection I'm also grateful for the energy, activities and people that were to fill my Spring Break. These opportunities will come again.Until then, I need to choose a new happy. A Plan B. Like right now, I'm seriously channeling Matthew McConaughey as I'm beginning to think:
All Right, All Right, All Right...

Time for this gal to get sewing, quilting and stitching don't ya think!

 I just don't know how people survive without a hobby of some sort. A hobby is defined as something that is done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. I think you'd agree, that our hobbies keep us healthy. I know we all find life to be frustrating, disappointing and challenging at one time or another. But I encourage you to continue to choose happy even in those hardest moments.  So to answer my own question, that's exactly what I plan to do with my forced halt and sudden change of plans: I choose to ENJOY my hobby. I choose a new happiness as I play among-st my array of fabrics and projects because really:

Ironically, I think sewing has always sustained me through life's ups and downs. Not one to sit idle, I'm reminded of the year I made everyone in our family a Quillow for Christmas.  My poor nephew's even had a few forgotten pins in his! (Ouch!!Sorry bud.) Our girls were toddlers and I was going through Chemotherapy. Sewing took my mind off my troubles, helped me feel productive during a time I felt helpless.  I've been sewing since I was in Middle School and it has continued to sustain me when I have felt sick, lonely, sad and yes, happy. I'm grateful for our hobby and that I learned it young. It's truly my therapy, as I learned it is for many of you as well.

The girls, Christmas of 1993.

Out of curiosity, I just went upstairs and found I still have these Quillows in our blanket closet!

 They were made from a simple panel.

These measure 40" x 68".

A 15"x15" pocket was added to the back and I used a thick ribbon as a handle.

Trying to think what to do with these? They are still in good condition, but I have no grand girls to pass them on to. Any ideas? Foster Care kids? I just hate to see them not getting used.

I know there's tutorials all over the internet for these but as I get ready to participate in the H2H Charity Challenge  I'm totally inspired to make a quilt into a Quillow for my Happy Chemo donation. Well look at that! Once again, lemonade from lemons, as while writing this post, I've not only found a new happy but inspiration from that which was hidden away in the closet all along!
All Right, All Right, All Right, time to get sewing don't ya think. Well after a cozy nap. Stay tuned!

Remember to:

I specialize in edge to edge  with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

The Need to CREATE in 2018!

Happy Happy New Year! WOW! 2018!

Boy this time of year finds many of us reflecting and taking inventory of many areas of our lives.

I have found myself doing the very same thing and came to realize that I have not kept an 

"idea/sketch" journal since 2015! I don't even know how that happened...but it did.

Yet, like many of you I'm sure, tons of  unmanifested ideas are always floating around in my little head. I have also found myself  more often than not, wanting to add more originality to my quilts and sewing. So I took some time this New Year's Day and set out to resolve this. I grabbed one of my 5"x 8" Moleskin books, some washi tape, pulled out my old scrapbooking supplies and walla:

YES! 2018 is going to be my year to:

I want to create more original quilts like THESE. 

I want to create more time IN my studio sewing. 

Thus, I'll be joining Kate's 15 Minutes a Day Challenge.

I want to create monthly goals that will help me empty my stash of kits/projects. 

Thus I'll be setting OMG and linking with everyone at: 

 I also want to continue to create opportunities for my Second Graders to explore sewing/knitting.

I'm in the process of creating a donorschoose.org project and will continue to share updates here on the ol' blog. And finally, I will continue to take good care of myself as I carry on the habits of  healthy meal plans with my hubby, my daily exercise schedule and walks with Jackson, sleeping well, drinking lots of water and green tea (and maybeeee less wine) and well, continue enjoying life.  

But most exciting to me, notice these aren't so much goals?  It's weird, with all that said, I've noticed over the past few years, my youthful "goal setting, go-getter" self has gradually morphed into this "self-accepting, content" middle aged woman. I have evolved through this transition finding myself wanting to have a more creative life. I have visions of my studio bursting with new projects. My roles of being defined as a mother and a teacher no longer feed my esteem. My children are grown. I can teach with my eyes shut. (It's been 29 years and though I still enjoy teaching, it just doesn't challenge me anymore.)I like to grow. I like to learn new things. I don't just want to sew quilts anymore, I want to create quilts. (Vivian..I DID order the Growing Gills book you recommended on your blog. Thanks!) But, I seriously have no idea what this is going to look like!  I just know I have this growing desire to be more creative and self-expressive in my sewing process. I know getting back to my sketch book will help. I know the fact that I work full time stands in the way of my creative process but with seven  more years still to go...I need to be more intentional in nourishing my creative heart now! I'm excited about the possibilities and kinda curious what changes will occur. It really is a "Happy Day" and seriously, thank you for joining me as I set out on this journey to evolve as a creative type in 2018. It think it's going to be fun! Well, Happy Happy New Year again and here's wishing you health, happiness and success with your 2018 intentions as well.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Happy Mail Winner!

Remember to find happiness in the little things along the way.

Remember to steal as many hugs and kisses as you can.

 As I think:

Thank you to everyone for visiting my blog during the Virtual Cookie Exchange and to all of you who are my loyal followers/bloggy friends. Our blogs are certainly a happy spot in my life.

I have a happy shout out to Deb who blogs at Frugal Little Bungalow. Yep! Random Number Generator chose your number as the winner of my Happy Mail Give-Away. Congrats Deb!

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Quilty Hugs

 Morning and...

...night...

...our grand-guy could be found cuddled up in not one, but ALL his quilts while he was here. That's just one of those ultimate moments we quilters love isn't it!? Oh and the fact he genuinely LOVES his quilts has me already planning his next birthday quilt...a race car track:

Note to self: Use flannel or minky on the back.

We had such a wonderful Spring Break together and though we're each back home now,  several hours apart, it comforts me to know he's kept warm in Meme's Quilty Hugs while we are apart.

A Tiny House Tour

I know many you would agree, it's hard to resist being outdoors on a beautiful Fall afternoon.

 Yesterday found my husband and I doing just that as we adventured into Boise to spend the afternoon strolling through it's historical North End neighborhood touring it's tiny houses. These homes date back to the early 1900's and are all under 1,000 square feet. We can never resist the opportunity to walk through other peoples homes especially as these homeowners so graciously opened up their living spaces for us to do just that! (*The proceeds go to the Boise High School Orchestra program.)

This garden cottage pictured above was built in 1935 and is ONLY 380 square feet! The pamphlet said that this structure was at one time a catalogue house from Sears and Roebuck. It was full of charm and detail! This is her bedroom. (Just she and her dog live here) I kept wishing she had a quilt.

Her "sewing" room...

Tiny right!!

A view of it from the outside:

I liked how cozy her windows were made to look:

 Okay, now is this not THE most creative chicken coop you've even seen!?
Her garden was just a wonderland.

As we continued our tour admiring many houses along the way...

...we discussed and were inspired by the simplicity of living and found ourselves planning our own de-clutter of things that are worn out, never used, and no longer have a purpose in our own home.

I liked that this homes owner's hobby is wine collecting. They even had a wine bible!

As I turned the corner in this tiny house and ventured through that white door you see below, it made me smile to see an old quilt adding warmth and charm to this tiny bedroom.

Straight from what we watch on TV, measuring only 240 square feet, 

sitting on top of a 20-foot trailer...a Mouse House. Uhhhhhh...

 ...no thank you! LOL! No can do. "Your long-arm wouldn't even fit in here Val."

(Don't ya love a husband who has your quilting on his mind!)

So much charm and inspiration was tucked into each home. This next homeowner was a potter. (Ugh...as many you read...a craft not exactly in my future) But never the less, she created those adorable kitchen tiles, and handmade cabinet knobs. Pottery filled her home is useful ways that inspired me to think of my own quilting in an entirely different way. 

For as we continued our tour of their home, her pottery was used everywhere, evident in the table tray on this little dresser picture below. I was inspired by the idea to expand my quilting from bed quilts to creating more projects...something I realize I've never really done. To see the simplicity of one's hobby displayed in a practical way throughout the home added charm and personality. Between my husband's stained-glass and my quilting, we could do this too.

Our tour ended with us enjoying an outdoor lunch and well, thank you for taking this little walking tour with me. I hope you too found a bit of inspiration, as I always enjoy sharing mine with you.  

Cheers!