Overwhelmed and Undermotivated

I'm here to come out of the stash, as it were, to admit that for an entire month now, the month that I saw in my mind as the beginning of my new life as my older daughters went off to Kindergarten and freed me up to quilt and design, I have been seriously undermotivated. There. I said it. I have officially validated the current UFO pile at least.

The problem begins and ends with what I like to refer to as The (insert minor expletive here) List. Having seen the closest thing to freedom that I had experienced in 5.5 years looming on the horizon, during the summer I set about creating a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish now that I would have more time to do so, including long neglected household chores like repainting the kitchen to finally finishing the new quilt for my bed as well as starting in on writing a second trunk show to add to my repetoire and getting pattern #13 out the door. The problem continues as I look at that list, freak out about how there are so few "little" jobs on it that I can easily check off, and decide to go read a book or update my Facebook page instead. Oh, the confessions are tumbling out now! I must stop myself before I share too much about the antics of Spring Break 1992...But today is a new day, and I promised myself that I would blog a very overdue blog before allowing myself lunch. If withholding food is what I need to do, maybe my list will start having more checkmarks! Worth a shot, anyway.

Last night while I was at my own guild meeting I got a call from a woman at Tewksbury Piecemakers Quilt Guild, where I will be vending for NEQDC October 18-19. The message she left indicated that they would like me to be a judge for their challenge quilts, and in turn they will buy a gift certificate from our booth for the winner of the challenge to use. Fantastic idea. I am thrilled to do it, but very concerned about insulting someone or somehow picking the wrong quilt...oh the pressure! Thankfully I do believe they know what they are getting into by asking for my judging (lack of) expertise; I did my Perfection is Overrated trunk show for their guild in the spring and if they didn't figure out that I stand for all that is imperfect and still fabulous regardless, then they just weren't listening and I will not be held responsible for their choice of me as a judge.

Hmmm....I think I hear a roast beef sandwich calling my name. CHECK!

Beth Helfter
EvaPaige Quilt Designs