Goals – Page 4 – Joni Beach

November 20, 2011December 3, 2011

In the Studio…Reorganization

It’s a wonder how reorganizing a studio space can give a different perspective and encourage creativity. I guess it gives a sense of newness, of new possibilities, or a realization that there is more than one way to do things. I have been out of my studio for a while and as things are moved back in, I am rethinking the use of each area and what it is used for.

For example, the design area now has a table that is handy to spread out fabrics, books, and sketching supplies or it is great to use as a temporary office with the laptop and a lamp.

Across the room, by the design wall is a good place for the cutting table with patterns, rulers, scissors, and the pressing station is nearby. On the other side of the design wall is the construction area with machines, reference books, threads, and notions.

Perhaps, most important to reorganizing is de-cluttering the space and rearranging books, fabrics, and tools. I’m trying to decide how to store my quilting fabrics…folded on the shelves by color?… loose in wire mesh baskets? Katie Pasquini Masopust in her book, Design Explorations for the Creative Quilter, suggests sorting fabrics by color–yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, and green–then sorting each into 7 values, in a range from lightest to darkest. This will take some more thought and experimentation to discover what works best for me…

Of course no one says a studio has to stay neat and organized! But sometimes it feels good to begin with a blank slate of sorts…In returning to the studio, I have a new commitment to the goals made earlier in the year.

I have a new perspective and am ready to work!

*Happy Thanksgiving this week to everyone!*

Katie Pasquini Masopust‘s Website (katiepm.com)
Studio re-arrange! (monsoonsandmangoes.wordpress.com)
Thursday In the Studio…”Simple Gifts” (jonibeach.com)
All Studios Great and Small (dirtysinkcollective.wordpress.com)
Creativity Zones: Sanctuary of the Studio (collectingyourself.wordpress.com)

October 7, 2011October 11, 2011

Family Fridays–“Goals–Disappointment or Motivation?”

This week there was a theme on my blog-–goals. Earlier this week, I observed that as an artist failing to reach a goal can be disappointing and discouraging. In our families, especially as parents, we may experience a similar thing. Having goals and expectations, along with perhaps being perfectionistic with ourselves and our family members, may lead us to feel stressed if the end results are not always what we want. Can’t this actually present additional stress and add to problems rather than lessen them?

Instead of viewing goals as end results that must be achieved, perhaps goals can be set to use as a guide to help us move in the direction that we would like to go…an aid in seeing a vision of our families that we would like to encourage and strive toward. For example, instead of saying my child must make all A’s on their report card, a parent’s goal might be that their child will learn, develop, and gain confidence in their abilities as they grow as a person. Then, our goals become motivation with positive encouragement, regardless of the specific end results. In the end, this may lessen our disappointment and raise our confidence in meeting life’s challenges along the way.

I have not met all of my goals for the week, but I am working in the direction I’d like to go…How about you?

As the fall colors and warm days are here, enjoy the weekend!

Goals…Discouragement or Motivation? (jonibeach.com)
Playing @…In the Studio! (jonibeach.com)

October 6, 2011October 7, 2011

Playing @…In the Studio!

After posting about goals, discouragement, and motivation, I want to keep you posted of my time in the studio–playing @ with new ideas, experimenting with different methods, and a push to create, create, create.…

Here is a finished wall-hanging that is a gift for someone special:

I liked the style and colors of these squares that were found at a favorite quilt shop…The three were joined together with sashing and gold corner squares. After layering with a backing and batting, I quilted in-the-ditch around and with-in each block, and then used free-motion quilting to add motifs in the gold squares and sign my name & the date. Then, threadpainting was used to highlight the steam, whipped cream, and a few other details…

I’m centering and attaching this small art quilt by the top corners to an stretched canvas. It is Sea Images #1, which usually hangs in my husband’s office. This will give it a stage of sorts and more presence in the room as visual art.

Also, Lifeweaving #3 is coming along!–Layering the backing and batting and then basting the strips in place…more to come soon on that.

*FYI!! A great book for creative motivation is Make Your Creative Dreams Real: A Plan for Procrastinators, Perfectionists, Busy People, and People Who Would Really Rather Sleep All Day, by SARK… For Fun & Inspiration visit her at www.planetsark.com.

~Hope you are enjoying your time this week as you strive towards your goals–don’t forget to have fun with the process!~