* Handmade Bags and Lessons Learned *

I have been spending a lot of my time teaching myself patience through sewing. The patience thing is difficult, but the sewing is fun, and the final product always makes me happy.

I have been developing prototypes of different bags. This most recent bag came out pretty well for a prototype. It is certainly not perfect, but at least I know how to make the next one even better.

In our society, instant gratification is the norm. Spending the many hours to learn how to make a bag, rather than just running over to Target to pick up a brand new one, is hard for me.

Although I understand the benefit of handmade, I am struggling with the time involved and am constantly making mistakes. If nothing else, this has been a great lesson to learn in patience and problem-solving.

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* Butterfly *

A few weeks ago I was visited by a beautiful butterfly who landed on my dress while I was eating ice cream. At first, I thought "well, that's pretty cool". But, then the butterfly just stayed there, opening and closing its wings, for almost ten minutes straight. It even let me put it on my finger for a while. That's when I thought it might be more than just a visit. It might be a sign.

Since then there have been at least 5 different times when I've seen and/or interacted with a butterfly. I know it is trying to tell me something. I've been going through some pretty big changes and trying to make some big decisions about my career, and I truly believe that this butterfly is a sign that I'm heading in the right direction, and that I should be doing something new and creative.

I have been playing with some new materials, looking for a fun new way to create besides the computer. I have been sewing a lot from the fabric I bought. My plan is to set up a shop on etsy once I make enough stuff to sell. And, just in case I needed any more support from the universe on this one, the featured pieces on the etsy homepage today was all butterfly related crafts.

So, I am acknowledging the support, and giving my thanks for the beautiful signs, and hope that they continue. I am certainly more aware of it now, and I'll be keeping my eyes open for sure.

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