Small Success (or is it?)

In my younger days, I was extremely goal oriented. I suppose I still am, personal success is very important to me. However, all the things we want to do can overwhelm us in their hugeness. After all, that is something we are very good at as humans. We think huge! Not all of us even realize what we are dreaming is huge, but what is not huge about trying to manage an entire life. Whoa, just thinking about it makes my head spin. What am I going to do with my average of 70 or so years to make it worth it? How do I live up to the awesome hugeness of the Universe? There are so many things I want to do, places I want to see. Then I have to worry about my health and safety and the health and safety of my daughter, whether or not I’m ever going to pay off my massive student loan debt, if I’m ever going to own my own property, what I’m going to wear at work tonight, and the list goes on and on.

So we have to consider how we are going to manage all this without losing our minds, or feeling completely defeated. What I have discovered in my relatively short time on Earth, is to take things one task at a time (even if it means have several projects going at once and dividing each project into small achievable talks) and then allowing myself to feel accomplished with completing small stages.

Today I’m feeling great! I’ve been off of work for the majority of the day and I’ve been completing projects I’ve had started for a long time.

Like this dress for example

It’s not the greatest picture, but if you’ve ever tried to get a three year old to hold still for a photo, you will sympathize. The dress began it’s life as an unwanted wool sweater. I washed it (on purpose), cut and sewed it into the shape of a dress for a small girl, and needle felted some flowers onto it. Since it’s felted wool, it’s very soft and thick so it keeps her warm. I just love finding new purposes for things that otherwise would have been tossed. Since it was slightly tight at the bottom of the sweater where the pattern goes around, I ended up with a ruffle. The neckline had a bit of  turtleneck thing going on, knowing Elly wouldn’t like that, I cut it so the sleeves would fall slightly off the shoulders.

This is a view from the back.

I have big plans for the sleeves of the sweater as well. Be on the lookout!

So I accomplished something! It is one thing out of a million other things I have on my mind, but for now I am estatic I finished this dress! It paves the way for more exciting crafting (and gardening, and web design, among other things) projects to work on and I just thought I would share my breakthrough and most recent upcycling project with you all!