all i need

Looking at last friday's works in progress post, I realize that I still haven't finished any of those things I photographed and intended to complete. I suppose it's been that kind of a week. The kind of a hot summer week in Maine where: I'm psyched I bought a seasons pass to the state parks - which paid for itself in this week alone; the bathing suits, and favorite beach skirts are given a quick rinse at the end of the day and dry just barely in time to be worn again in the morning; dinner and 'big' meals fall by the wayside of all-day snacking and playing; and at the end of the day, we all crash in a big pile of sticky, sandy tuckered out and happy bodies. Good stuff. All I need, really.

I started this little embroidery piece at the beach yesterday morning - inspired by my favorite embroidery book (a perfect beach read, yes?) and some of the lovely beach around me, while my little ones covered my toes in the sand and water. In the good busyness of the beach, there was only the tiniest bit of embroidery actually done - but it was just enough. I finished it in a state of happy exhaustion (from the day, not the embroidery) at the end of the night - sinking into the couch with my sweet while we waited and watched our babes use up the last bits of energy they had left catching moths in the dark. The embroidery has no 'purpose' and I'm not even sure what I'm going to do with it - I just felt like making it, and that was enough. There are plenty of things on the crafty to-do list these days that are full of 'purpose' - quilts for my little ones' beds, Etsy shop updates, holiday craft planning, a gallery show to prepare for, and writing projects (book 2 is officially in the works, my friends). And while all of that is important, and very exciting and definitely fun, sometimes the most important thing to do is to toss the list aside (I'm a firm believer that the ability to toss a list is sometimes essential to the completion of said list), and head to the beach to play, sometimes again and again. A little gathering of inspiration, a little refueling, and a little bit of letting go.

I hope your weekend involves just a tiny bit of list-tossing, too. I'll see you here on Monday.

Comments

[heather]

here's to tossing lists!! i think perhaps capturing the beach memories with your little ones during one summery week could be the entire purpose of your lovely embroidery. what more does it need to be?

congratulations on book two! how long before we can learn what it is?

[Anna]

Dear Amanda, your beach days sound soo lovely. I would love to join you sometimes :-) I actually did quite a lot of list-tossing along the week already, meeting hours and hours with friends although I have quite some work for university to do. It was perfect.

[Heather]

Love your skirt Amanda. And the embroidery brings a smile to my face. I feel refreshed just by reading about your day and the way you tackled your priorities. Rejuvenation is such a good thing! Thank you for sharing. Book two will be hard work, but awesome.

[Madeline R]

That blue skirt with the beautiful bird on it...ahhhh. And the embroidery is fantastic. I tossed my list last week. It's a powerful thing, that list tossing! And now I am rejuvenated to take on the list now.

[amy]

Oh how absolutely amazing and adorable... I would love to come hang out by the beach with you all...

[Julia]

what a beautiful embroidery piece! i too have been throwing lists (and meals) aside. the heat/humidity here in mn is definitely contributing to that. very excited for you about the next book! have a wonderful, relaxing, and fulfilling weekend!

[Suzanne]

Amanda I just think that piece of embroidery is precious! It would look smashing on another of your smocks:-) Enjoy the lovely New England beach days--we are too! They are all too short.

[jean]

We hesitated in buying the pass too this year. We did and have already used it enough times to justify the purchase. If we don't actually get our calculated number of visits in I know the money is going to a good cause.

[Sara Shalom]

I'm so glad to know that I'm not the only one with holiday planning on the brain. I used to force myself to wait until at least late August, but then I would feel rushed, which took some of the joy out of it all. I finally decided that I can give myself permission to dream about, plan and even do actual "work" for the holidays all year. Why not make it Christmas (or Thanksgiving or Halloween) every day of the year, if I love it so much? Current project: a paper mache' pumpkin-headed man for Halloween. Fun stuff. :)

[Meredith]

That is absolutely lovely!! I wish it were hanging on my wall (tee hee hee send to etsy!! Just wishing!) I can't wait to hear about your next book...I had a hunch you were working on it. Can you divulge the topic yet or is that still a secret?

Have a great weekend...

[Carolina Alvarado]

Amanda,
I have reading your blog silently for a while. I really love to see your projects everytime you update your blog. I tagged your blog, you won The Thinking Blogger Award. To see more, you can visit my blog (is in Spanish), there is a reference about you in it. to know more about this award you can visit this page http://www.thethinkingblog.com/2007/02/thinking-blogger-awards_11.html

Have a nice day,

[Stefani]

I am SO glad to hear that sometimes you make things for no particular purpose. It's kind nice, isn't it, to take cues from our little ones, and just create for creating's sake? Sounds like a perfect day. Hope your weekend is more of the same.

[bgirl]

I think you know just what to say to all of us out here, sometimes. Thanks for helping me remember to list-toss and enjoy summer's beauty.

[Karen à Toronto]

woha !! this is SO cute, and the best purpose is to decorate your room and remember your day at the beach, no ?

[hannah]

the new banner is PERFECT. and the embroidery is cute ;)

[laura agarwal]

that japanese embroidery book is very cute. i am envious that you manage to do embroidery while on the beach with 3 small kids. mine would be jumping into the pacific while i was happily doing my work!

[meg]

There's been a lot of list-tossing around here, too. How can I refuse when my boy asks me to dance? Down goes the sewing/book/iron/whatever, and dance we do. Flexibility has to be a cornerstone of parenting, if not life itself.

[Lori]

love your embroidery....what about a skirt for Lady A with that being the patch in front...or better yet a little kimono jacket with it being the patch on the back since skirts catch stains easier than the back of a jacket. ~smile~
the beach sounds glorious...this week has been work, work, work for me but next week we are out to have some fun!

[Lori]

forgot to add in my last comment there is only two days left for my blog birthday give-away.

I am having a drawing of names from who comments for a handmade handbag.

hope to see ya over there. :o)

[shari]

love your words today amanda. i suddenly feel ok about my huge list of things unfinished. ;) so excited about book 2. love your embroidery. so so wonderful. have a great weekend. xo

[Michelle]

List? What list? Can't find my list... :0)

[m]

Book Two?! Please tell us more!

[erin]

love your embroidery! and book two? go girl.

[susaninfrance]

oh thanks, i am heading out to buy a flower girl dress instead of spending too much of my little time making one--i can't believe i am going to BUY it--but you are absolutely right--better to spend my time with my kids and really BE with them! thanks!!

[Grace]

very lovely thoughts. book 2?! wow. you are a crazy woman!!

[Grace]

I mean in the best way.

[brandie]

i love the embroidery piece! so great! and i always find that i don't embroider as much as i would really like to because i never have a purpose for it...i totally love it as art :)

[Dawn]

I just love your blog. That skirt is amzing and how fun...a day at the beach. xo

[Shirley]

Hi Amanda, love your blog! Just wanted to add a little correction for those looking for the book: the isbn is 4834724212.

[kelly]

yep - sometimes you just gotta toss the list! especially in the summer . ..

[tracy]

perfect. all of it! xo

[Vicky]

Oh for the sun and a beach! The rain over here is never ending. We went to a maize maze today and were all determined to finish the quizz despite all the wetness.
I love the embroidery and I'm sure it will find a place.

[Jessie]

I love stitching on muslin! Its is almost as if the floss feels at home in the muslin fibers. Perfect blend.

[Ky]

I can do a lot of artsy craftsy things, but I really wish I could sew and embroider. You just might inspire me to learn yet!

[Heather Bailey]

Beautiful embroidery, Amanda.

[melissa]

this is my favorite blog to read. gives me rest with a few simple words. thanks...

[Toni]

I have to tell you..hehe..that as I was sitting here reading your post with Noah in my lap, he asked if the little bird flying was a slug! Apparently the tiny 'flying' stitches behind it looked like snail tracks to him. I know you can appreciate this kind of 6 yr. old logic :)

[Veronica TM]

a gallery show? book no. 2? those are super-exciting things!! but sometimes being at the beach with the little ones is all we need, you are so right!

[brit]

I love these little posts of stitch-paration....

[mithrilsea]

What a beautiful embroidery.

[Amy]

Letting go... Thanks for reminding me that I to, have that philosophy. I feel as if you are writing just to me in so many of your posts...or maybe putting into your words, what I feel in my world. We are heading to the Beach this evening..as we do every friday night when Daddy gets home. Just doing it on the West Coast instead !! Love your embroidery. We are taking a two week trip back to Michigan ( I am from there) to visit, and vacation in the Northern area. I plan to only take embroidery and see where it takes me. Have to get your favorite book... Thanks for the inspiration Amanda...

[Kelli]

Amanda, I know it must feel a little strange that some of us read your blog silently and then suddenly decide to post a comment. I enjoy your writing and unique outlook on life. I work full-time and have a three year old. We seem to spend a lot of time trying to keep up with our lives and hectic times. I really like the serenity you present. I try to remember your example and slow down to enjoy time with my daughter. Thank you for sharing and being so real.

[Margo]

I absolutely love that you have a list and are able to throw it aside to spend time with the kiddos. My list goes on and on and I yearn to accomplish things but seem to continuously toss things around to make time for the kids. I swear, one of these days it will all get done. And one of these days I'll complain about how quiet it is around the house, while I remember days like today when it is completely chaotic around here!

[Fiona]

Thank you for sharing this lovely embroidery with us. What a week, beach and sewing, my ideal holiday.

[mathea]

List tossing is great. I had a list as long as my arm of things I meant to do on my first day off work. Then my sister called just as I was leaving and told me she was picking me up. No explanation, she hung up before I could ask. Slightly irritated because this interfered with my plans, I went along with it, and got to spend a lovely afternoon and evening with her and her boy eating fried rice, chatting, playing games. Great stuff! And my list? I have forgotten all about it - after all it is vacation time! I needed that lesson! Big sisters can be wonderful ;-)

[Les in NE]

I'm a firm believer in letting go, refueling, and tossing the To Do list aside--particularly during the lazy days of summer. I had great intentions of reading a stack of books while on vacation in the Pacific Northwest (island-hopping the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands on my folks' live-aboard boat), but the scenery was too enticing and I spent almost 2 weeks gazing at the water, islands, wildlife, etc. Now to sort through the hundreds of pics I shot (some of which I've posted on my book blog). Enjoy your beach time. I lived in San Diego for 20 years and most of my summers were spent at the beach from 8 am to 6 pm!

[Lynne]

wow, you are just SO good at what you do. I am in total awe.

[lara]

Perhaps the embroidery could be part of a cushion for Ezra's bed. I think it would go nicely with his new quilt!

[Shukr]

I have been pondering over what makes your blog so readable and inspiring. I started blogging, but find it very difficult to weave into my day. I think what I feel from you is a really strong rhythm and predictability from where spontaneity can flourish.
I'm kind of assessing where I'm at, ( don't we always.lol!?) and what I want to oooze into our family life.

I imagine you could wrote a book on so many things!
Holisitc Home Inspiration, ( I love to look at corners of my home to think how I'd *like* mine to look)!
Meditative Mamma Moments - my heart speaks like how your blog reads, but my home isn't reflecting it yet.(

I'm sorry this is abstract.

I want to say thank you, but something more than that too, and I'm not sure what. Writing this hasn't brought it to me as I thought it might, (I tend to write out my thoughts iykwim, but not this time)....

[Steph]

What a beautiful creation! I have that book waiting for me to learn a little more embroidery before I attempt something from it. After seeing your work I can't wait to start!