Step 1 - Admitting you have a problem...

(Warning - long post...)

I'm beginning to think I might have a small case of OCD.  I don't know why it hasn't occurred to me before 'cause I can see that's it's not just a recent thing.  When I have an idea, I can't seem to work on a small scale.  I jump in with both feet and come up with some grand plans.

For example, when I decided to make dog (pet) bandannas, I didn't start off making a couple.  No, I had to make a huge production of it.  (And my quilt bee was generous enough to help me finish them up.)  Last year I donated 654 of them to be used as a fundraiser for animal rescue.

 David modeling a pet bandana

When I decided to make stuffed animals and kimonos for Care Wear, again I had to go big.  I made 120 kimonos for preemie babies and finished them up to the last step - adding velcro.  And I made around 250 small bears and bunnies - each one with a hand-embroidered face.  Although I completed a large number of them, I ran out of steam when it came down to the end.  Thank you SO much to all the ladies from the HGTV Quilting Forum who stepped up to finish the ones I didn't and donate them to their local hospitals! 

Care Wear bear

And then there were the pillowcases I made for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge this year.  My quilt bee got together at my house back in February and we made 63 pillowcases to donate.  And over the next month or so, I made another 40+ to donate as well.

Pillowcases for charity

And these aren't the only examples.  Several years ago, I volunteered to make ~65 angel gowns in a couple of months for my church's theater department.  My mom ended up helping me there at the end when I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed.  (And I still have 10 more sitting in my to-do pile that they didn't need at the time.)

Angel gowns

So why didn't I notice this compulsion before?  I don't know.  It seems so obvious now.  I get an idea, take it too far and generally need some kind of help in the end to finish everything.  But there must be a reason God is convicting me of this now.

Oh, and I never mentioned what caused my light bulb moment.  I found another 192 completed or almost completed dog bandannas in a box.  I have now finished these up by myself and will donate them to Janet's daughter to use to raise money for animal rescue.

83 xsmall bandannas

93 small bandannas

11 medium and 5 large bandannas

Although all of the examples I gave were sewing related, I can see how it reaches further into my every day life.  However, they say admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery.  So today, I'm admitting I have a problem.  Now on to step 2... 

Until later...

I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me.  I'm ready for anything and I'm equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me.  That is, I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. 

Philippians 4:13 (Amp)

More 4 legged news...

Well, it looks like the hot weather is back.  It's supposed to be 99 degrees on Wednesday.  I'm so grateful for air conditioning!

I haven't been doing a lot of sewing or quilting lately.  It's been kind of hit or miss, but I did finish a couple of small things.  First, I have 60 of these bunnies that are done and ready to mail to a couple of local hospitals.

Care Wear bunnies

I got the pattern and information through Care Wear.

Our newest family member, Rocky, had to have emergency appendectomy surgery.  Or at least that's what Gabriel tried to tell me after she performed it...

Rocky's appendicitis

And she never did explain what happened to his tail either...

Mystery tail ailment

He had only been with us 6 days! before he was in the ICU.  He spent the last couple of days there, but I'm glad to say he's doing well.  He's lost some weight, particularly on the right side.

In recovery

With so many injuries in such a short life span, I'm a little concerned about his longevity.  But we'll see...

As for actual quilting, I was working on finishing up a mystery quilt my bee started last year.  As usual, David tried to help me in his own special way...

My little helper

Somehow he knew exactly which pieces I needed and kept them nice and warm (and out of reach) for me.

David in box

Despite his help, I did manage to get the top together.  It's about 40" square.

Purple Mountains quilt top

And looking at the picture, I see a couple of mistakes I made.  So I'll have to go back and fix them - perhaps while David is taking a nap...

Until later...

“If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are really a nobody” 

Galatians 6:3 (NLT)