Sunday Sundry 1-19-14

How ironic that I seem to have procrastinated long enough to miss the linky for the first quarter 2014 Finish Along at The Littlest Thistle.  I had scrawled out a list of 2014 goals (and I use that word as loosely as can be imagined, having a tendency to resist things I "have to do," even if it is my idea to do it).  The list sat beside my keyboard long enough to get a little wrinkled and stained by coffee cups and snacks set upon it, which shows how irreverent I can be about goals, I guess.

In the "Old" category of the list is my intention to quilt all my 2013 and earlier UFOs, or get them quilted.  These include, in no particular order:

• Ironwork (done!)
• Ship Shape (sent out for quilting in early January and just got word that it's done; will need binding)
• Fan-Tastic
• Hubcap Diamond Star Halo (the oldest of the bunch)
• Baby Girl Quilt a/k/a Little Monkeys or Drunken Monkeys
• Hemispheres I
• Hemispheres II
• Key to My Heart

Another thing I've thought about is the choice of one word to summarize one's creative intention in the new year.  You can see a lot of these on the 15 Minutes Play site and elsewhere.  I'm not sure I'll get around to making my word into a mini quilt, but I did give it a good pondering and decided that, if I were to select a word for the year, it might be flow.  I even drew up a scribble of an idea, the F like a faucet and the rest of the letters, well, flowing out from there.

You never know, though; I might feel motivated to turn that idea into fabric after all, given my propensity to procrastinate and distract myself when I should be doing other things.

The point of flow actually ties into what I said earlier about resistance.  Keeping things moving, whether a drip at a time or with more natural fluidity, is the idea.  For me, that sometimes means baby steps (which manage to sneak past my resistance).  Anything to keep the momentum and forward motion going.

* * * * *
Yesterday I employed some forward motion in the form of vacuuming and mopping my kitchen (and bath and hallway) floors.  I've had a couple bad shoulder days lately, but with adhesive capsulitis, you have to keep the joint moving as much as possible.

Afterwards, I basted a quilt on the clean kitchen floor, which entailed more reaching and stretching.  You can bet I absolutely counted all of that movement as shoulder exercise yesterday.  So far today, the shoulder feels a little better—and I have a quilt basted!

* * * * *
This little mug rug (from the leftovers of the above quilt) has now been quilted and is ready for action.  I guess that means I can retire the scribbled goals list from its duty of supporting my coffee and snacks.

These gluten-free chocolate cookies, by the way, are divine.  I used the recipe on the back of the Honeyville Farms blanched almond flour as a rough guide, but modified it as follows:

2-1/2 c. blanched almond flour
1-2 T. tapioca starch flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. sea salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. vanilla
1/4 c. melted ghee (or use melted butter)
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
1 egg
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine all ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.  Drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.  Press tops down to flatten slightly (I used waxed paper over the cookie so my hand wouldn't stick to the batter).  Bake for 10-12 minutes until set.  Let cool for 20 minutes on sheet before removing.