2023 Q2 Check In

There are only a few days left in the first half of 2023. Due to COVID, my goals for the second quarter didn’t quite pan out exactly as I had hoped, but overall I think I am doing really well toward my 2023 quilting goals. Here are my second quarter highlights:

2023 Q2 Finishes: Night Garden, Space Arcade, & Congruence

I was able to finish 3 quilts from April through June:

1. Night Garden
2. Space Arcade
3. Congruence

2023 Q2 Current Works in Progress (WIPs)

I currently have 2 WIPs:

1. Diatom QAL
2. Sunrise Sherbet Improv

2023 Q2 Tutorials, Webinar, & Releases

I also released a new tip/tutorial, launched an online workshop, and 3 patterns this quarter:

1. Quick Binding Tip
2. Quilt Pattern Technical Editing 101
3. Night Garden, Space Arcade, & Congruence digital quilt patterns

So how does all this compare to my 2023 Goal Setting that I established back in December?

Business Goals

1. Host the Diatom Quilt Along. – The quilt along is almost over and the final linkup is open! It’s a treat to get to see everyone’s quilts coming together. As you can see above, I have my quilt top pieced and I hope to have it quilted and finished by the end of the linkup on July 31st.
   
2. Continue to blog 1-2 times a week as content arises. – So far, I’ve published 67 posts (including this one) which is actually an average of more than 2 a week. I do think I may take a week or two off of blogging in early July just to recharge a bit.
   
3. Release new Quilting Jetgirl patterns and continue designing. I don’t want to put a number on my goal for next year, but I certainly have a few patterns at the top of my list that I know I will want to work on. – At the end of Q1 I said, “I am hoping to release Night Garden, Space Arcade, and Congruence in Q2.” And I was able to do just that! I am also still really motivated to work on Cloudy Night Sky; I hope to have it be my QuiltCon submission quilt for this year.
   1. Garden Peony – Released
   2. Night Garden – Released
      
      1. Space Arcade Bonus Quilt – Released
         
      2. Congruence Bonus Quilt – Released
         
   3. Cloudy Night Sky
   4. Dripping Stars – Coming Soon!
   5. Candy Heart Love
   6. Frost Filigree
   7. Next Quilt Along
4. Maintain technical editing clients and grow new opportunities as time allows. – At the end of Q1 I said, “I am planning to brainstorm with Sarah Ruiz about how to create a technical editing online network.” We put together a live discussion that is now an on demand workshop: Technical Editing 101
5. Continue to explore the balance of time in the studio and my need to take time off and creatively recharge. At the very least, I’d like to join my local library and start reading books again. – I was able to get my library card and just in time to get COVID. I read a LOT of books while I recovered.
   
6. Remember to seek rejection, have fun, and try new things! – I started participating in Project Quilting and I had such a great time! So much so, that I added a new goal in Q1 (see #7 below).
7. Create at least 1 “fun” or just because quilt each quarter. Participating in the Project Quilting prompts at the beginning of this year infused me with a creative spark. I especially enjoyed the 1 week timeline of each challenge. – Due to COVID, I did not make as much progress on this goal for Q2 as I had hoped, but as you can see in the photo of my WIPs above, this past weekend I started to make some improv blocks using the Sunrise Sherbet fabric pull!

Life Goals

1. Get back into a regular rhythm with doctor’s appointments. The past few years I have been good about my mammograms (I’m on a 6-month schedule) and COVID shots and boosters, but this year I want to get back to taking care of everything else. Specifically, I need to schedule a visit with an optometrist and dentist. Due to an injury as a teenager, it will also be good to find and maintain a regular appointment schedule with a chiropractor to keep me as pain free as possible. – I am now seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis. I had my annual women’s health visit in early April. I still need to schedule optometrist, dental, and skin/mole checkups.
   
2. Maintain a regular exercise schedule. I’ll be participating in a 30 day yoga practice in January. I also like to incorporate strength training via Sydney Houdyshell, take daily walks with my husband, and go on weekly walks with my good friend Traci. – COVID completely disrupted my routine. I had pretty bad vertigo for a while afterwards, but I’m not doing a lot better and walking almost every day again. I hope to increase my activity and get back to a near daily routine in July.
   
3. Give myself grace and lean into patience. – COVID certainly required that I give myself a lot of time and grace. I’m grateful that my husband and I both seem to have fully recovered.
   
   1. While running my business is important, my husband is starting his own venture into self-employment which has an interesting yin-yang relationship with my time. We will need to travel to support his work, and I look forward to seeing him continue to grow and flourish. – COVID cancelled our May trip, so we are regrouping and planning now.
      

Linking up with the #2023QuiltingQ2CheckIn.