Top 5 of 2013
TOP 5 MISSES OF 2013
I’ve decided to start with my Top 5 Misses. Rationale? Well after this post… the only way is up and I like to think positive!
I really enjoy these blogger posts – it’s such a great snapshot across the sewing blogsphere of what everyone has been doing. It as started last year by Gillian from Crafting a Rainbow and so it continues in 2013!
I’ve struggled to find much in my last 12 months of making that I would regard as a ‘miss’ (despite the nasty drunk monkey’s best efforts).
I’m taking a slightly different approach… bear with me & ignore the drunk monkey shrieking … I fear the festive season and its indulgences is making him worse than usual.
I’m also not going to do five… I think three is enough…
GIVING MYSELF A BREAK
I’m notoriously tough on myself – great at encouraging and inspiring confidence in others but specialise in giving myself a hard time. I’m so glad I started my blog, all the blog comments, twitter people and stitchers I have met IRL, have all helped me develop a more balanced view of myself. It sounds like such a simple thing but it never is.
TOO LITTLE REST TIME
I do like to be busy but this year has been OTT. Between travelling, work, family, blogging, helping out at the school and other things along the way, I have been really bad at taking some time out for myself – and by that I mean doing NOTHING. I desperately need a rest for a few weeks. I am T.I.R.E.D.
OVER-COMMITTING
This goes hand-in-hand with the above. I am great with deadlines, in fact I love them. Juggling multiple demands, schedules and more is OK. However this year I have had just too many and ended up pushed and pulled between them all. There are so many people I need to get back to, things to sew and stuff to write I feel dizzy – and that’s just the blog!
A perfect example of this is agreeing the make the recently released Lolita Patterns Gunmetal. First the print shop stuffed up the print, I failed to notice, I made a top – misshapen due to bad print job. I printed it again… and this time was too tired to remember that I had to sew 3/8in seam allowances instead of the usual 5/8in seam allowances (entirely my fault) so ended up with another too-tight top (there are about eight seams in the bodice so that’s a total of 2 inches smaller than it should have been…). I’m totally gutted as it was looking so lovely and completely different to the other Gunmetals. What an idiot Lizzy…. fortunately it’s going to fit Miss 10.
It was just an unfortunate collision of deadlines, I was in the midst of my busiest time at work, sewing Gunmetal, sewing the Thread Theory Goldstream Peacoat test pattern (that’s why I was so quiet for a while – it was a big job), sewing my Minerva Crafts Christmas Skirt, the By Hand London Georgia Dress and more. The Peacoat pattern was a little late coming to me, so everything collided – just swamped me and things fell apart a little. Sorry everyone! I’m getting back on my feet – just a little more sleep required.
CONCLUSION
I’m stopping at Three Misses for 2013. I could go on and on… because I’m great at giving myself a hard time, doing too much… and what I really need to do is eat dinner and have a good sleep…
IN THE MEANTIME… some koala lovin’ (or not)
ELH spotted two koalas in the tree across from our house. Koalas are quite common around our home, it’s less common to spot two up a tree together unless it’s Mum & a Bubba. Unless it’s mating season… which it is…
Excuse the poor quality photos – they were very high up in the branches and the sun was going down…
Koala slumber party… that’s Bruce (the big male down low, showing us his best side) and Shazza (the alluring demure female curled up in the higher branches)
As the sun goes down…
BRUCE: Hi, the name’s Bruce… like to share a juicy gum tip or two?
BRUCE: Alright, not into gum tips? Howsabout a kiss love?
SHAZZA: Not on your sweet Nellie – go try your luck with some other sheila…
I said NO *thump* – rack off! Go shave your back or something… you can’t even call yourself a bear. Poser! *thump*
BRUCE: Yeah, she doesn’t know what she’s missing out on… *hastily retreats down the tree*
Needless to say Bruce didn’t lucky this evening… think he’s going to try his luck elsewhere tonight.
Sew Busy Lizzy 
Ha! Loving the koala story! Great way to think about your misses for the year, you definitely need to stop being so hard on yourself! Your sewing productivity is pretty incredible and everything you make looks amazing, seriously.
Awww. Thank you sweetie xo
Saying no is always tough, but sometimes we just have to be strong and do it! Easier said than done though. : ) Looking forward to your other Top 5 posts. Hope you’re enjoying the holidays!
First day of holidays was horribly busy with things to do. Today I’m resting – and fighting off a flu I fear… I’m hoping I’m just tired!
it’s super hard to say no to things, but sometimes you just have to! it’s better to do fewer things well than a lot of things in a rush. hope you get some rest and enjoy the holidays!
That’s so true. I’m working hard at the resting chores today!
This post aside – I’ve been so impressed by your blogs and makes since I started following a few months ago. no wonder so many people are approaching you to make their patterns! Well done on an awesome 2013. My biggest fail was not working out how to comment on all of these posts until now, I’ve been reading them all (and I’m so jealous of your walk home and garden)
Thank you so much, your comment made me smile 🙂 My 2013 makes have been vastly better than 2012 and I’m really looking forward to 2014… I think it’s all about finding a niche and developing skills and confidence.
Hey, girl, Merry Christmas and Happy 2014! Hope you’ve got your feet up and a glass of something lovely in hand! I so, so hear you on over-committing and not resting enough– that’s pretty much the story of my life. I always laugh and tell my husband that I’ll sleep when I’m dead, but when I’m frantically sewing at 3:00AM to meet an unrealistic, self-imposed deadline, I know in my heart of hearts that I need to calm down and learn how to say no. Someone told me a few years ago that most decisions aren’t about saying no to bad things, but rather about deciding which good things to say yes to, and that’s just so true. I want to say yes to every good thing, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day! That said, may you have the best year yet, and find time to just relax and have down time, even if you don’t think you need it!