My birthday weekend

So.  I turned 37 on Monday.

And the last week has been full of reflective thoughts, perhaps more so than other years.
I was very careful to plan out how to spend my time this weekend-- I have always been one to want/crave/and ask for alone time on my birthday.  I just need it.  It's my treat to myself-- that time to really reconnect, to sift through my thoughts, take stock of where I'm at, and ground myself in my reality.

With two years of midlife crisis behind me, I think I'm doing ok.

I spent most of the weekend with the guy I've been seeing (who needs to make an appearance here on the blog soon.. he's tall.  I need him to hold up some quilts for me) but I did take a jaunt into Manhattan on Saturday to get to the NYC Metro Mod Guild meeting.  It was my first time going in .. maybe 18 months?  Felt so good to be around quilty friends and beautiful making.

 I stitched on the train ride in, of course.  This blue and yellow block has fabrics from the quilt I made with George this year.  This hex-diamond is almost done.

I am grateful that the internet lets me make and keep friends, even when we only see each other sporadically.  I think that's one of the things I missed most about blogging.  Facebook is great for quick daily updates, feeling connected but not really being connected.  Instagram is better because you are seeing through your friends' eyes.  But blogging.. photos, words, feelings, all the thoughts and dreams put behind the post.  Some of my friends are simply amazing writers and I love getting to know them *that* way, through their writing. 

Bernadette has been working on her blue hexies quilt for a long time.. I'm so happy to see her determined to finish it.  I promised to help with the binding when she's ready

Nellie somehow managed to have a baby, finish this quilt, and get to the meeting to show it off.  I love the light colored crosses in the border.

This one is Lisa's and.. she's giving it away.  Who knows why we do the things we do?  But that kid sure is lucky..

Following Margaret on Instagram is such a treat, but seeing this quilt in real life and hearing her thoughts on making it (especially how she embroidered, rather than hand quilted) was really awesome.  Guild meetings, man.  Always something to learn.  

And Maureen from my library group was there too!  Working on impossibly small EPP, of course.  THAT is not my fault.

After the meeting, I went for coffee with my new friend, Kyle, then wandered across town to one of my favorite places in the city, Kinokuniya.  I could spend hours there, wandering like I used to do in Daimaru or Tokyu Hands, when I lived in Japan (at the turn of the century!).  So much to look at, take in, ponder and enjoy.  I did have a train to catch, so I made a beeline for stationary downstairs..

I was hoping to find a rooster stamp to add to my Zodiac rubber stamp collection, which I started in 2000.  Unfortunately I was told they were on order and I should check back in a few weeks.  I guess that's another excuse to make the trip then, huh?  I was able to replenish my collection of awesome pens, and now that I think if it, I should really write a post on pens because I do have strong feelings about them.. and oddly enough, my tastes have changed over the years.   (mental note: blog post about pens).

Monday I baked a cake and had Christa and her son over to help us celebrate.  The kids and I planned ahead this year and while at Party City before Halloween, we picked up these Dory candies for my cake.  Yup, 37 with a Finding Dory themed birthday cake.  I love being a mom, because you get to be a kid and make the rules at the same time.  Cake was tasty.  I plan on eating leftovers while writing Christmas cards later tonight.. 

Many thanks for the birthday wishes that came via FB and instagram (and for the dear friends who actually got me presents!!  I feel so loved).  If you want to comment below with what you were doing on your 37th birthday, or what you think your life might be like then, if you aren't as old as me.  I can honestly say, 5 years ago I had no idea that this is where I'd be.. but I'm happy I made it and I like where (and who) I am at 37.   Hope I will always be able to say that. 

Traveling Pic-Stitch Bloghop

It's my turn~~
Time to show off what I've come up with for the Traveling Pic-Stitch Blog hop!

Since Laura contacted me about the blog hop, I've been taking photos that could work as palette inspiration.  Sure, I travel a whole bunch and could use any of the ones from our spring in Greece, but who needs to see another beautiful coastline?  Maybe it's precisely because I DO travel so often that I really really enjoy being at home, in my own  neighborhood, and in my own routine.  So a lot of the photos I took were of flowers I passed by every day.
See, I work at two private universities.  Both have beautifully landscaped campuses which are full of seasonal colors at every turn.  I feel blessed that I get to work in such pretty environments.  (Though they've got nothing on this campus.. that's heaven on earth) So my first palette photo was this one:

It's nice, but I don't have that cool ipad app that let's you tweak colors, and I wasn't really happy with the generated ones.  Maybe I don't want to do a flower block afterall..

 

Then I was lucky enough to get to go into Manhattan last weekend for the NYC Mod guild meeting, and I got this shot:

Again, love the photo, but completely disappointed with the palette it generated.  So I decided to take some creative license, and this is what I came up with..

It's got yellow for the taxi, blue for the neon sign, and plenty of grey for the heart of New York City.
Sorry it's not all stitched together yet-- this is exam week at work and I've been a little busy (today I've got to grade 35 poorly creatively written essays).  I promise to post a pic of the final block once it's done though.

Have you stitched up your photo inspiration block yet?

If you need more ideas, be sure to check out who's bloghopping this week:
 

October 7    Sarah Fielke @ The Last Piece

October 8    Jo @ My Bearpaw

October 9    Kirsty @ YouHadMeAtBonjour

October 10   Ramona @RamonaRose

Me!

October 12   Fiona @ Celtic Thistle Stitches

October 13   Catherine @KnottedCotton

October 14   Amanda @ AmandaMillar

Wait, you have no idea what the blog hop is about?  Here are the details:
 

This post is part of the Travellin' Pic Stitch Blog Hop.  From 1st October - 30th November we are hopping all over the world EPP-ing in some fantastic locations.  Check out the full list here and be sure to check out the other participants. On 30th November it's over to you to link up for a chance to win these fabulous prizes! Sponsored by Paperpieces.com, FabricwormPink Castle Fabrics ,  Marmalade Fabrics, the Fat Quarter Shop, WantItNeedItQuilt, and Aurifil.

Full details for competition entry can be found here.