Do You Ever Sleep? Podcast 102

Hello my quilting friends! This week I’m covering a topic that concerns all of us: sleep!

What’s Going on around the House

I continue plugging away on the Ms. Bunny doll spoonflower panel. This will be a print you can purchase from spoonflower with instructions and the full pattern to make your own Ms. Bunny doll. Ms Bunny is a character from my children’s novel Mally the Maker.

Leah Day with Ms. Bunny doll

Speaking of bunnies, I’ve finished my rabbit hutch! We’re going to start raising Champagne D’Argent rabbits. I built the hutch close to the Crafty Cottage, so I know I’ll always be smiling when I pass our clutch of bunnies!

Hutch for champagne d’argent rabbits

A few weeks ago I entered a local art exhibit, putting in two quilts: Dream Goddess and Eternal Love. Dream Goddess got second place! In the past, these sorts of art show receptions always made me nervous and awkward, but this time I was able to step outside my comfort zone and have fun. It was also cool to get second place as I also got second place in the same show when I entered in 2011.

Balacing Sleep, Work, and Creativity

First, a quick apology on the blurred background, and then the blurry me! I’m working with a new camera setup and still pounding out the kinks.

The importance of rest and solid sleep.

I’ve struggled with insomnia for years now. I’ve learned to force myself to stop working a few hours before going to sleep because I just can’t turn off my brain. This means I’ve adapted a ritual of starting to get ready for bed around 9 pm which helps my mind settle down.

I wake up early when the house is silent and this is when I get in my writing time. This gives me the perfect time window for exercise as no one is awake and the house is still dark. I utilize this “alone time” the same way I do my nightly rituals that help me go to sleep. This powers me up and gets me ready for the day.

Over the years quilters have often asked me, “Do you ever sleep?” This question has resonated with me as I go through old blog posts and comments for my new book featuring all of my Goddess quilts. I recalled the numerous periods throughout my life where I’ve gone with limited sleep. All of these times had one thing in common: I was working hard on a Goddess quilt.

The Importance of Balance in All Things

Going back in time and reading these old posts have showed me I only do my best work when I get a good night’s sleep!

Just like last week’s episode on video gaming addiction, scheduling your day and night before going to bed can really help make you a more creative and efficient person. As Luann said, “You can waste your time, you can spend your time, or you can invest your time.”

So that’s it for this week’s podcast! I hope you’re able to get a good night’s sleep and that my experience may help you too if you’re struggling with consistent sleep each night.

Let’s go quilt,

Leah Day