Lighten Up For Spring

The anticipation of spring brings thoughts of fresh air, blooming flowers, and new beginnings. It's one of my favorite times of the year. I want to clean house, toss clutter, and reset my sluggish winter habits. Even though my to do list gets longer, the activities on it are positively invigorating. 

• It's time to put away dark colors, in clothing and decor. Take cues from nature: use light, airy pastels or clear bright hues.
  
• Find ways to get outdoors to soak up sunshine or splash in rain puddles. Forget the treadmill, walk your own back yard or neighborhood.
  
• Open your mind to new experiences. Try looking at life from a fresh perspective. Release negative people and thoughts to lighten your load.
  
• Replace heavy meals with lighter choices. Bring on the chicken salad, fresh veggies, lemonade, salads, and sweet iced tea!

Spring adds new life and 

new beauty to all that is.

~Jessica Harrelson

Light And Shadow

Obey River in Celina, Tennessee

Nature is my favorite source of inspiration for quilts and home décor. The palette of earth's colors range from muted to brilliant. Contrast of light and dark, sun and shadow, occurs everywhere around us if we take the time to look. 

Something as simple as sunlight on leaves shading a cool green river bank triggers a design idea for a forty shades of green quilt. And makes me want to stop there for a while to enjoy the view.

Even when I'm not working on a specific project, I find interesting themes in unexpected places. That's why I keep my camera handy and snap lots of photos of things like rocks, fog, flowers, sky and water. Tiles, fences, angles, shadows, texture...there's so much to take in.

Though I haven't made time to sew in the past couple of weeks, I have plenty of projects lined up on my to do list, in my photo file, and in my brain. I'll get around to them sooner or later, there's no rush. I want to smell those flowers and relax in the outdoors to renew and refresh my spirit. 

"Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher." 

 William Wordsworth  

"Nature always wears the colors of the spirit." 

 Ralph Waldo Emerson