When I first started quilting I began making for the babies that came along. My niece followed by the first of the second round of babies in mums group. My cousins son. My best friends two daughters. By the time the 4th bubba arrived at mums group in 2011 – I was up to 8 quilts in the space of 2.5 years. I was exhausted. The final quilt took me nearly a year to finish and it was the most basic of quilts, using a printed panel. As the kids grew up and went to different Schools, or as us as parents grew apart, I never regretted that crazy time of quilt making but I did burn out.

By the time my nephew arrived I crocheted him a quilt and called it done on making for babies. Even with the arrival of SIX great nieces / nephews could not sway me back to quilting. And it made me sad. I just no longer had the time to construct a handmade gift.

So when Rach suggested this topic I felt a little lost on the direction I would take because sometimes it’s not that you don’t want to make. Its more change happens. What used to bring me so much JOY in my younger years, does not hold the same. If I don’t feel JOY in the making, it shows in the outcome.

As I contemplated my perceived short comings, I realised that more recently I evolved into the making of journals. As I said on the podcast, if you receive a journal from me it means I like you BIG TIME.

The mini blue journal above was one we mentioned during our chat. I had some scrap leather from another journal and attempted to make a mini Travellers Notebook for Rach as part of last years 12 days. Inside has a cute junk journal and a second notebook with special tomoe river paper.

Recently I had an impromptu coffee with my Bestie and while gifts are not expected I had a last minute idea for a small watercolour journal. I kind of want to make a series of these as part of the 12 journals of Christmas (but I can’t start that until I finish the 12 days… Christmas almost needs its very own 365 planner to track all the things!)

And for our other mate, one of the two I constantly mention when recording and poor Rach needs to redact her name from the audio is a junk journal I made for our last in person camp. This one was so much fun to make and gave me so much JOY.

I love that our conversations actually bring me a new awareness and appreciation for all the things that evolve in our life and move us forward in different directions, even when we can’t see that new path!

~ Car