Ohmigoodness, guys, it’s been a super busy few weeks! I’m not sure how many updates I have to share, but I’ve been happy and engaged! Over the weekend, Jeff and I caught up with taking photos of my Spring Wardrobe Capsule, which means I’m about 800 posts behind. But it’s super fun to have the pictures! Check out my Sugar Slip, Perfect Pantaloons and Cashmerette’s Concord T.
The farm is slowly melting, creating a giant mess in the driveway. I’m not sure we’ll ever get rid of the ruts, although apparently folks in the past have managed it! The other day we saw a coyote trot by a few times in the course of a morning and later in the day Jeff found out why… they had taken down a deer right in our backyard. I’ve been a little nervous going outside at night since then, although I’m pretty sure I could take on a coyote! We’ve also been keeping a close on on Peppermint and trying to not leave her alone.
Canadian Grey Jays showed up in the bird feeder, which made Jeff and Biscuit the cat very happy.
This weekend we’re having a private quilt retreat at the farm. I’m looking forward to the ladies descending on the farm. We know some of them, but quite a few are new! How fun!
I’ve been so busy sewing and writing about sewing, my actual writing has fallen by the wayside. My work with my clients in changing, too, which means I’ve spent a lot of time on the internet and listening to podcasts cramming my head full of passive income strategies.
Finally, I’m an admin on a new Facebook group, Sewing Romantic Style that I’m looking forward to being part of! I’m a member of another group that’s specific to one designer, and I feel a little constrained by that! This is a new group to share more general design interests!
Plans for Next Week
Writing
This is likely the result of all the research on online programs, but I’ve been thinking more and more of non-fiction. I’m never sure if it’s my gut giving me a direction, or me just being… me. What’s the word… Multipotentiate?
The B&B
We’ll be clearing up the outside as much as we can for the quilting group this weekend. This warmer weather is lovely, but it really makes a mess of walking outside!
Making
I have one million photos (ok, like, 20) to show off recent makes, so the ‘making’ this week may be heavily focused on posting finished projects. I also have some ideas to finally convert a few yards of lovely pink/orange chiffon into something I’ll wear a lot. I’ve learned that I need to get some sewing/making time in by Wednesday, or I get really scattered in my focus!
Cool Finds and Finished Books
Finds
I’m testing a new social media scheduling tool this week, Recurpost. I’m pleasantly surprised so far, it’s a cheap/free alternative to Edgar, allowing users to build content libraries for reuse of social. It only supports Facebook, Twitter and Linked In, so I don’t love it… AND I’m not 100% sure that I think evergreen content is that effective, so I don’t know what I think so far. I’ll probably stick with my trusty Buffer, but this is a good alternative for folks who don’t want to pay one million dollars for the new Edgar.
Books
I finished the 3rd book in the Reapers, Inc. series. I’ve talked about the first two already, but will just say that the 3rd book was good enough that I checked out the next books in the series. I haven’t downloaded yet, but probably will give the series another book’s worth of chance.
I also have two clients with books coming out in the next few weeks, Alan Bell (Poisoned) has written a memoir of his experience in fighting a near-fatal illness caused by environmental toxins. His book is a nice read — super engaging to read about his struggle, moving to the middle of the Arizona desert and eventually finding an experimental treatment that allowed him to recover and get back into the world. He currently works to help other victims of environmental illnesses.
U Thrive is a great book for first year college students and their parents. Our client Dan Lerner is a great guy and he and his co-teaching partner, Alan Schlechter, teach the most popular undergrad program at NYU, The Science of Happiness. I read his book when we were preparing to launch and found a TON of stuff of interest and use to me, 25 years from graduating high school. I definitely recommend this read if you have someone starting college in your life in the near future.
