As I’ve shared in previous posts, my husband died in January 2020. It has been a challenging 16 months but I’m back on my feet. As part of this 16 months of serious and dedicated grieving I now find myself coming out the other side accepting that life is going to be different in many ways. And, as myself and friends are vaccinated, we are finding a new normal and learning to enjoy being together, even inside! What a blessing!
This new normal is new due to COVID and new due to the absence of Jeff. It means finding new rhythms in daily life, new priorities, and new schedules. I’m finding I want a bit more freedom with how I spend my time, if I choose to be busy, if I choose to make art quilts, or if I want to enjoy some quiet alone or with friends. For these reasons, I won’t be accepting custom art quilt orders until further notice. I may find that custom orders are a good way to spend winter months but right now, I’m feeling more burdened by them so I know it is time to stop. Maybe temporarily and maybe permanently.
Creating art quilts is an important part of who I am. I am going to focus my creative juices on my own designs and colors and sizes, building up my inventory in my Etsy shop. There is a new artists’ shop opening soon in my town and I may place some quilts in that shop for sale. Any artist who accepts commissions (or custom orders) knows there is an added layer of challenge with custom orders whether in the size difference, the replicating of a previous design often with different fabrics, or simply in trying to meet the expectations of others. I’m ready to focus on just being creative and exploring my own designs.
A big thank you to everyone in the past 9 years who has ordered custom quilts. I learned a lot through those experiences and had a chance to create some beautiful quilts for you.
Sharon