Urban Fiber Studio

I always think I’m not ‘big’ on reflection, but I am. Albeit, I prefer looking forward.

2011 has just been, MORE. It’s involved taking risks, personally and professionally. It’s also included working on defining balance in all aspects of my life. All things considered I did OK. Work kicked into a higher gear in 2011. It was good. The growth, personally and professionally was worth it.

That said, 2012 is dedicated to a balanced life. On my terms. I’ll be rolling into 2012 making some hard decisions and taking action on health, work, and relationships. To make it (them) even healthier and continue to pursue what I love.

Health wise, I’m finally getting to a place of strength and endurance. This year I’m setting my outlook to focus on my relationship with food, rediscover my Yoga practice and getting back into Triathlon competition with an Olympic in July and Sprint in October.

Relationship wise, T and I are doing well. Relationships are ever evolving so we’ll continue to work on ours to make it even better in 2012. We’re planning a big trip for sometime this summer. Should be fun.

Work continues to evolve. That’s a good thing. I have it and hope to have more. There is a strategy in place. I have some great people working for me. Wish us luck! I’ll be finishing up a Women’s Executive Series in several months. It’s been fabulous. Both affirming and changing. It’s helped me slowly move back into the local business community, in a fashion that is working for me. 2012 is dedicated to getting to know my local business community through teaching, speaking, attending events and volunteering. I’ll continue to have an outlook that is global in exploration, reach and feel.

My love of making, craft + business is also moving forward. I lost a bit of this in 2011. However, I continue to be inspired by the local and global communities in the textiles world. This is a section of business that I’ve made the conscious decision to dedicate several afternoons a week to being in The Studio where I’ll be committed to teaching, design and creation in yarn, fabric and words. On a personal level I’ll be looking to reconnect with my love of sewing (machine and hand) via exploration of Art Quilts and some summer garments.

I’ll be sharing much of my journey here on the blog, but not all.

Here’s wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous 2012!

I’m not sure about anyone else, but I find that when I get busy I stick with the same thing. My early New Years resolution (which as a rule, I don’t make! Resolutions that is) has been to actively try new things. Even if it’s only a slight deviation of something I do now.

Take my Yoga practice.

Which has been touch and go since surgery in Feb of ‘08. I had a  Mysore practice going on eight years before surgery. I’m just now getting back to it. It’s a difficult practice. Which is probably why I like it. It requires strength (lots of it), thoughtful movement from one pose to the next and the ability to be mindful and respectful of silence.

On a whim yesterday I thought, well I’m working on trying new things why not try another form of Yoga? I mean how hard could it be to do 90 minutes of another practice?

It was painful. Not physically, emotionally.

All I could think – as I mindfully tried to not walk out of class – was, when did Yoga become a gym workout? The practice had no flow unless one counts 45 minutes of constantly being in downward dog, hopping up and down upside down, with a few yoga poses thrown in. Did I mention this was all done to a bad sound track and a hard to hear instructor who was completely out of sync with the classes’ capabilities? The upside? I did manage to get a great sweat going.

Don’t get me wrong; it looked like at least half the class loved the form of Yoga and the Instructor. I’ve also been to classes where it goes so far in the other direction I’ve had to bite my tongue and be mindful to get through that too!

The beauty of Yoga? Thankfully there are so many forms of practice now days, there seems to be one for everyone.

As I drove home, I decided in this instance that I’d stick with my Mysore practice. I like the solitude, even with others practicing, and the quiet of the practice is exactly what I need to stay sane find a bit of peace in the week.

You?