Stitching it all together

I am going to be honest with you today and talk a bit about the person behind this blog. She has been feeling off spirit and has contemplated the option of spending the rest of the dark season under a blanket. I'm not sure if it was my fast approaching 35th birthday that made me feel uneasy or my crazy long to-do-list. Instead of hiding under a blanket I started stitching one together, a far better medicin!

I am definitely over the honey-moon with my little business and getting quite tired of making all the decisions and having all the responsibility myself. Although I love my job so much I have been feeling like a lousy jongleur lately, trying to get it all to work. I have been waking up feeling stressed by all have-to's and feeling bad about all the unfinished projects, the unanswered e-mails and so on. Now this is no good! I want to wake up with a smile feeling happy about things and take the time to be proud about things I have already achived, instead of stressing away and freaking out about the next note on the to-do-list. 

So, this won't do! I told myself. Things always tend to work out, so try to enjoy things, it's so much more fun than stressing out about things. Ok, I said and took a pic of the beautiful Aronia leaves outside the kid's school building. AND I got the best birthday gift ever! We are going for a vacation over Christmas! Our first real vacation since I started my business. We are  so looking forward to going away to see my sister and her family in Switzerland over Christmas and New Year!!!

I will soon be back to announce the winner of the Bigfish give away!

Comments

[Sara]

What a brave post. I turned 35 recently too and it was a bit painful so I sympathise! I hope you have a wonderful break and come back feeling refreshed. Your blog is such a pleasure to read and your work is so inspiring. Thank you for sharing it.

[Sally Dutton]

Hi Kajsa. Thanks for sharing that you are indeed a real person who gets down and overwhelmed sometimes. Love your blog..and you are inspiring. At least you get comments! Often leading up to my birthday introspection hits hard. Sometimes a rest is needed. WE are heading into summer here, and boy does the sun help!
Happy 35th. Salsy x

[Claire Griffin]

Kajsa - you are only so busy because you are doing such a great job! It would be worse to have a business and not be busy at all. I love reading your blog and seeing your unique ideas transformed into life. I am now off to make a lined zippy pouch - thank you.

[Claire Griffin]

Kajsa - how much worse would it be to have a business that was not working and consequently not taking so much time! You are only so busy because you are doing such a great job. Take a breath and remember that as well.

[Sazi]

Hola Kajsa!
I agree with Kay. You bring pleasure to a lot of people, including me. When my to do list becomes bigger than I can manage I take a break and go always to see your blog. A way for me to take a brain-breath.

[Mary]

Keep positive - you are not alone in such moments of despondency! I love that you got down to creativity rather than dwelling - advice i myself would be wise to heed!
Happy birthday for your approaching 35th :-)

[Alexandra]

Hang in there. At least here in New York City, the mood is similar. It's dark out when you wake and when you return from work; it's difficult to stay positive with so little sunshine time. So, if it helps, let me just say that I've been reading your blog for some time and your ideas really inspire me. I don't craft much (I am a musician and that sort of steals (in a good way) my craft mojo) but I love to read your blog. As an aside, as well, your English is amazingly good. I study German and only hope to one day write in that language as well as you do in mine. Have a great break, birthday and vacation and I look forward to seeing your next creations when you get time to post them.

[Lee]

Enjoy your break! I adore your designs. Thanks for the blog and pictures !

[sharon]

Hi Kajsa,
you are not alone having these feelings. I've started up my own little business working from home and it's hard work doing it all by yourself and having so much to do. Taking some time out is good and having a holiday to look forward to will refresh you. Hang in there, there are always ups and downs and I have learnt to really treasure the up moments and just go with the flow when things go down. All the best. Sharon xx

[Nova]

Voimia sulle Kajsa! Hienoa kuitenkin, että oot päättänyt piristyä ja olla ylpeä tähän astisista aikaansaannoksistasi! On syytäkin olla ylpeä. Toiselle on vähän huono sanoa, että yritä olla stressaamatta ja nauti siitä hyvästä mitä ympärilläsi on. Sitä ilman muuta tarkoitan, mutta ei sitä stressiä kukaan voi toiselta sanomalla poistaa. Kaikille meistä tulee hankalia vaiheita vastaan (mullakin on nyt), mutta niin kauan kun jaksaa uskoa että parempaa on tiedossa, on kaikki ihan hyvin. Onneksi meillä on taito tehdä käsillä. Mulle se on ainakin ollut korvaamatonta terapiaa synkemmässä elämäntilanteessa, oikeastaan ainoa tapa nollata murheet päästä pois ja olla vaan.

Mutta se siitä synkistelystä! Onneksi olkoon synttäreistä! Yksi vuosi elämänkokemusta lisää, sehän on vaan hyvä! Ja sitäpaitsi sä oot nuori. Mä tajuan sen parhaiten ajattelemalla niin, että joskus olen 70. Ei tämä ikä tunnu silloin enää yhtään pahalta. :)
Varmasti ihana reissu teillä tiedossa. Tsemppiä joulukiireisiin ja iloa loppuvuoteen! :)

[Päivi]

varmasti itse kullakin ajoittain noita aikoja ja tuntemuksia. ihanan vapauttavaa aina kun sen suon oivaltaa ja tekee päätöksen nähdä asiat paremmin. voimia syksyysi!

[Diane]

I find that it is thru the toughest times the greatest growth and joy comes. My 35th was the toughest birthday. I had no children. My birthday is a week before Christmas and I spent it head under the covers. I was totally out of whack. A month later I realized that I had been looking in the wrong place. Six months later we adopted my wonderful daughter...the joy of my life. Hang in there and enjoy vacation and the meaning that will come from this gloom you are in. Just because you are so talented doesn't mean that you always have to perform.

[Claire Smith]

Hey Kajsa, I can understand exactly how you feel as my 'to do' list hangs over my head and is always there in the back of my mind, when I'm doing 'other' things.
Sometimes the 'to do' list reminds me of homework when I was in school......I never enjoyed doing it and often left it till the last minute, causing extra, unnecessary stress.

The right balance can be tricky to achieve, but as you sort through all the feelings regarding this, I'm sure you'll figure out how to balance the workload and keep on enjoying what you do.

Love the photo of the Aronia leaves, such vibrant, uplifting colours.
Your upcoming holiday sounds wonderful and best wishes for your 35th birthday, hope you enjoy/enjoyed the day.

Claire :}

[Kajsa Wikman]

Thank you for your kind comment Kay, your words of encouragement are so important! I feel much better now when I have the trip to look forward too, I think I have had so much fun working during the last years that I have forgotten to take some time off everything! 

[Kay Hammock]

I may not have told you this before. I bought your book at the local JoAnn's store and from there I found your blog. The vibrant colors and joyfulness in your projects are an expression of your gentle soul. You bring pleasure to a lot of people, but it shouldn't come to cause you an overwhelming feel of dread. Dread at the to do list, etc. I imagine it's difficult to find the right balance and I pray that you do. I would miss you.

I hope you have a great vacation with your family. There is nothing so uplifting as having a relaxed time away from the everyday thing we call life.

[Penny G]

Hopefully the vacation will be enough to bring some joy into you life. Sometimes it is just hard to find.

[Julia]

Hi Kajsa! I sympathize with how you're feeling. It's hard to enjoy the process sometimes when there are so many 'to dos' which only you can do! But just remember how much pleasure you are giving other people, who see your work, whether it's through your book, on flickr, your blog, or they might even be lucky enough to own something you have made - I still cherish the cute pouch I got from your etsy shop.
The quilt is gorgeous! Enjoy your Christmas break with your family, and hopefully you'll come home feeling refreshed and ready for the New Year and new creative projects. All the best, Julia x