Productivity and sewing
Today was a fairly productive day - after being behind on the housework for a few days, I spent extra time cleaning and organizing today (with Kathrynne contentedly strapped on my back in the ERGO!) and somehow managed to cross everything off of my list but baking bread. Not sure how that happened, but it feels good to go to bed with a clean, organized home and things in order for this weekend.
I took a few minutes tonight to add a "Currently Reading" section to my sidebar. This is something I've been wanting to do for sometime and I finally sat down and did it. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep it updated! I have so many books on my shelves waiting to be read right now that I thought this might serve as a helpful motivation.
Tonight I cut out the pieces for a skirt I'm hoping to finish this next week and I also spent quite a long time working on a cross-stitch I'm trying to complete. Handwork is so relaxing to me, plus I can stimulate my mind through listening to things - CD or otherwise - and keep my hands busy as well. I'm considering posting a Saturday Sewing update every week with pictures to motivate me to finish a lot of projects I have been wanting to start and finish. Somehow, the thought of having to report here weekly with pictures can really serve as an extra motivation for me! (Hmm, maybe I should post how often I exercise, too?! That might help me to be more disciplined in that department as well!)
Speaking of handwork, I'm determined to learn how to knit this next year. As soon as I finish up my two cross-stitch projects, I'm planning to tackle that. I have the yarn waiting for me calling my name!
posted by Crystal Paine at 11:08 PM
19 Comments:
Crystal,
It sounds as if you have been so productive! Good for you, that must feel so good to be able to cross off goals you have been wanting to achieve - it is a good feeling when that happens.
I thought you might have recently mentioned changing your daily schedule? Care to share? I really like the way you mentioned before that you keep your evenings free. I find it very hard to keep such a detailed schedule all day long. Any advice?
Blessings, Lyn
I would LOVE to see your sewing projects. I've just started sewing again and finished a sleeveless dress for my daughter with some hand embroidery on the bodice. Right now I'm finishing up a small cross stitch project that will become my new pincushion. When that's finished I'll be tackling a more challenging dress pattern for my daughter.
You definitely had a productive day! I often feel that I just didn't do enough...but then I do struggle with being lazy. Ugh!! I would love to see your Saturday sewing update...maybe it would motivate me to do my sewing too;-)
I knit...I learned about 2-3 years ago. Tried to learn from a book, but ended up learning from a good friend that has been knitting since she was 5. I've knitted a few things now and I am really pleased to have this skill.
Have a great night!
Sommer
i have been sewing these cute little purses... take a look see...
www.homemakerang.blogspot.com I do this at night to relax
Hi Crystal,
Does it hurt your back at all to carry a toddler around while you clean? Just curious.
I would love to see your craft and sewing projets.
Melissa - it does become uncomfortable after a while if you are not used to it. If you start soon after your baby is born, you can build up your muscles and stamina so that when your baby is older/heavier it isn't so difficult. I'm still adjusting and working up to being able to have her on my back for longer periods of time. Right now I can only do close to 30 minutes. I'm hoping I'll eventually be able to easily do 1 hour or so.
Here's my basic schedule:
4:00 am Get up, shower, dress, makeup, hair
4:45 am Devotions
5:15 am Computer Time
6:15 am Make breakfast
6:30 am Start laundry/clean kitchen
6:45 am Daily cleaning jobs/make bed
7:00 am Kathrynne up, nurse, Family worship
7:30 am Cleaning/switch laundry
7:45 am K bath/dressed – clean bathroom
8:00 am Morning walk, Leave with K – errands/shopping/post office/field trips
11:30 am Home, make lunch
12:00 pm Lunch/Reading
12:30 pm Clean up kitchen
12:45 pm School with Kathrynne
1:00 pm Sing, rock, pray with K
1:15 pm Exercise
1:30 pm Email, business work, writing, blogging, work on website
2:30 pm Packages ready
3:15 pm Laundry, ironing
4:00 pm K up – Make Dinner
5:00 pm Get mail – Outside time
5:30 pm Quick pick up, set table, dinner ready
6:30 pm Dinner
7:00 pm Clean up kitchen – Scripture memory
7:30 pm Play with Kathrynne, jammies, nurse read to her, sing, pray
8:00 pm K to bed
I haven't done as good at getting up at 4 am this past week because of staying up late with Jesse while he studies. So, on the mornings I get up later, I usually spend less time on the computer and skip a few of the nonessential items and just follow the basic plan. This is my schedule for when Jesse is studying (especially leaving in the morning to give him a quiet home to study in - I usually wouldn't leave every morning for two hours.) So, I'll be putting together a new schedule when Jesse is finished - I guess that would be this next week! Yay!
As far as how to stick with a schedule, I recommend you get a copy of Twenty-Four Hours is All You Get by Susan Bradrick and also check out Candy's site and ebooks: www.KeepingtheHome.com - She's be a real motivation to me in this area. Mrs. Wilt has some great and helpful printable here:
http://www.geocities.com/mrskwilt/
I used her basic schedule and printables and tailored them to our home.
Don't bite off more than you can chew - just try to make out a basic routine at first - maybe five things you want to make sure to do in a day in a certain order and try to stick with that for two-three weeks. Once you've done that, try adding in a few more things. If you can't handle that, go back to the five things. Keep it simple and slowly train yourself to be more disciplined. For me, having a detailed schedule helps keep me on track, for you, it might be better to have a basic routine. Do what works for you.
I just have a question!!! Why 4 in the morning? If I try to follow that kind of a schedule, I get really really sick after a bit.
Maybe now I should try again, now that I do not have to get up in the middle of the night all the time, but I found that for me because of the things that come up 7am works better for me.
Also, I deal with insomnia, which makes bedtime always interesting.
Crystal,
Thanks for sharing your schedule.
I think the most challenging thing is that I often get behind when the schedule is very detailed. Something always seems to take longer or an interruption comes up or I am not feeling well due to health.
That's my challenge so I guess I'll keep working on it to find out what helps more. You might be right though, in the end a routine and not a fixed schedule might end up working better. Thanks much, Lyn
I just received a new sewing machine for my birthday last week and am anxious to start some projects. Bring on the inspiration!
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DELETE.
You keep yourself busy to the point you will not have to think, day dream, or be curious about anything. You were not kidding when you said hobbies are a sin. I do not think a hobby was meant to take you away from responsibilities. They were meant to add creativity to your life. I am not asking you to change your faith I am just asking for apply more reason and common sense to your life.
The biggest sin I can see in this blog is the way these women who write in exalt you. Oh Crystal "you are soooo right, you hit the nail on the head, I am with you Crystal, you are so productive, ohh I am so glad I found your blog" and on and on. Be careful because Paul rebuked that old woman at the church that was also complimenting him that way. He had to rebuke that demon.
It seems that this blog is the only control you have in your life. You can delete and post whatever you want. Well more power to you.
Please if you are near a city look up some full gospel churches. It may be helpful. I will pray that God lift that Pharasee mentality off of you because I know you mean well. You are also a bright young lady.
PS I understand your lonliness away from your family because I also live away from my family. God used your husband to get you away from your mother. Ask Him to reveal to you why.
Knitting is so much fun! I taught myself how to do it last year and I'm steadily able to do more and more complicated projects and I'm totally not crafty.
Knitting relaxes me so.
My favorite yarn to knit with is called Angel Hair and it's sold exclusively at Joann's. I catch them when they have a sale with two dollars off and stock up in my favorite colors.
Hi, Anonymous (er, Georgia!),
Thanks for your comments, as usual. I thought I'd post this one for a change so you can see that I'm not worried about having people always say nice things about me. Plenty of people, like yourself, help to keep me humble and constantly realizing that I am no good apart from the Lord Jesus Christ and His grace and mercy for one so undeserving as me.
I'm not sure where you get the idea that I think hobbies are a sin. I never said that and I don't believe it so I thought I should correct that point. I think creativity was given to us by God to be used productively for His glory! We only have one life to live and I want to redeem the time that God has given me. I don't want to look back at the end of my life and see a life wasted on fluff. However, I certainly enjoy thinking, reflecting, praying, and reading. I am always studying new subjects and my husband and I are constantly planning and dreaming about our future plans and goals and visions for our life. I have many quiet moments throughout the day to do so. Jesus had times of quietness and refreshment and I certainly know that these are needful! Like I mentioned in this post, I've been enjoying sewing and cross-stitching recently and reading good books. I love to bake, play my violin, take walks, and enjoy my family. Cleaning, cooking, organizing, menu-planning, couponing, reading with my husband, playing games as a family, and blogging are also some things I really enjoy doing and view them as creative outlets (Yes, I really do enjoy cleaning and cooking - at least most of the time!).
You know what, I don't need reason and common sense, though - I need more of Christ. That is the full Gospel. That "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Reason and common sense will not get me anywhere.
I appreciate the encouragement from other people and I don't think that it is wrong to encourage others. If God uses my life to be a blessing to someone else, I praise the Lord because it is Jesus in me that other people are seeing. Anything good in my life is from the Lord. You are exactly right, though, that if people are exalting me, they shouldn't be. I want to point people to the Lord, not myself. That is my constant prayer and what I desire to do through this blog. I think that as Christians we should be seeking to encourage and build others up, not tear one another down. If you are truly a Christian, your life will be characterized by love for the Lord and love for others.
I wish that I had more time to post comments from people like you, who I am sure are well-meaning, but just seem to completely misunderstand me. I have tried many times to respond to you and it seems like it goes nowhere. I only have a very limited time to spend blogging so I've opted to freely use the delete button to keep me from constantly having to defend myself and be able to spend more time writing and seeking to encourage others. I could easily spend hours just responding to the naysayers, but it isn't very productive and it isn't where God has me right now. I also know that if I were to post the many multiple comments like yours that I get every week, it would keep this from being a peaceful place of refreshment for other women. And, it would keep me from being able to have time in my day to enjoy other more important things than blogging - things that you are always encouraging me to do.
By the way, we do go to a church that preaches the full Gospel, the whole Counsel of God which is the Scriptures. We are so thankful to be in a church where the Word of God is not only preached but practiced out of love for the Lord. And, please do not talk disrespectfully of my mother. She is a wonderful lady and I'm sure you'd think so yourself if you met her.
God bless you!
Crystal, when you get around to it, I think that you will find knitting to be one of the most therapeutic things you will ever do...it's absolutely addicticve!
My girl friends in grad school were alwyas bringing their knitting to class and asking their friends to take notes for them :)
Dear "Anonymous",
It's unfortunate that you took people's comments and made them out to be something they are not.
Personally, I just wanted to encourage Crystal for her accomplishments. Don't we all feel good when we accomplish much in life - whatever those goals may be? I am sure you do as well.
To me, I think Crystal is a woman trying to do her best for God. I don't think anyone here is trying to exalt her or thinks she is "perfect". None of us in life are.
Isn't there something better to do than to leave negative comments on someone's personal blog? I don't quite understand this negative comment blogging thing. In the end what does it truly accomplish? Does one think it might change the owner's mind of their beliefs/thoughts? I am doubtful that would occur.
It's also cowardly to not leave your name. I think people should have the courage to say who they are if they are going to post something (whether negative or positive). When you don't leave your name it certainly lessens any power in one's voice.
Wishing you peace, Lyn
My daughters knit beautifully now.. I never learned and think I'm too old and stubborn to pick it up and try it now! :-)
I do love to sew and scrapbook and stamp though and agree that these are great times to listen to teaching CDs or great music or just the word of God on tape.
Like everyone else said, you'll love knitting. It takes time but is very neat and orderly and is fulfilling to finish a project. I would encouage you to start small and work your way up. My first project was a dish cloth, not only was it small but also usefull.
Posting your sewing projects is a great idea for motivation. Maybe I should do that too.=)I can't wait to see what you make!
Blessing in Christ!
I've just started a quilting project (2 panels to be sewn onto cushion covers for a friend moving overseas after her wedding). My mother has been overseeing my work and it has certainly been an enjoyable experience to share with her.
My mother is a great knitter and that will probably be the next thing on my list to have her teach me.
Maybe we could all post our sewing projects on a Saturday to encourage and inspire each other?
Diana (in Australia)
I also would love to see your sewing projects. Who knows? You might inspire me to give it a try again. I have made exactly one garment since the time my daughters were toddlers.
Now that they are older teens, I look back in awe at the time I had when they were little to do "productive" stuff. These days, it's all I can do to keep up with the massive amount of deep and meaningful conversation that happens around here.
Oh, and spend quality and quantity time with my beloved. :)
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