Creativity can get stale, stagnant and cause a mental ‘writer’s block’ of sorts at times. In my REFLECTIONS post for the 2017 A to Z Challenge, I’m going to share some things that I’ve accomplised in the week since the end of April.

But first, I’m going to wish my husband a Happy 30th Wedding Anniversay as this is today. We’ll be celebrating later on in the week but I had to throw that in there. He has been my biggest advocate in The Challenge each year. Just when I think I am not going to go forward with it, he’s right there cheering me on. He even helps me catch up on the household chores in the evening just when I think I’ll never make the necessary adjustments to one of the letter posts in time. Everyone has a letter that stumps them and causes us to put it off until the very last moment. Thanks to my hubby for being there to give my mind time to work it out.

Back to the accomplishments. I haven’t written a line since April 30th. I have taken the needed break that many find rewarding after such an intense writing event. It’s not my usual practice to blog every day. The combination of blogging and quilting made it even more intense, even though I worked ahead most of the time. Working full time and blogging daily is indeed an Olympic-style event for me.

To return to my regular routine, there was the crochet,

This is a crochet round made with a new ‘scrubby’ yarn. I’ve been giving a few out to try out as both dish washing and showering/bathing use. The results have been good for both. It’s just a matter of personal preference. The yarn comes in many colors so I look for these to be a hot item this coming year as a gift item.

And then there was more quilting. This is my latest project that is waiting for a ‘name sash’. I will be embroidering it and inserting it in the quilt. This is a special request and I’m trying very hard not to rush this one. Some things need careful planning.

In the middle of The Challenge, there was a custom order. I’m very thankful for #1, the patience of the customer, and #2, the volunteer model who helped me out in a pinch. The timing worked out in the end and I think everyone was happy. Thank Heaven!

As for the Challenge itself and the changes in posting technique, I found it worked out very well. I didn’t run across but maybe 1 or 2 blogs that weren’t legitimately participating. There weren’t near as many participants this year, true. But I found it pretty nice to see the conformists running the show and being fine with the changes. In the end, I am happy for the Team Leaders who run the show and were able to have a much less stressful event. Kudos to you all and many thanks for a great year!