I wish happy holidays to all of you, my faithful    blog readers. In these troubled times may God’s light shine on you and inspire you in the coming year.

When the newspaper’s tragic headlines “get to me,” I retreat to my studio and create. When life gets too busy, I retreat to my studio and sort fabric for a creation. When the weather is dark and stormy, I retreat to my studio and create with my brightest colored fabrics. When the old year is ebbing, I retreat to my studio and start to create a new piece to welcome in the new year.

The two things I want to share with you are: retreat and create. If you don’t have a studio (I feel very lucky), find a place where you can retreat – a seldom-used guest room, the corner of a dining room, a closet that you can turn into your space. And if you want to try something new – or a different format of something you already do – or a change your color palate – or anything different, do it now so that you are creating something “new.” I find it a wonderful way to get through the winter slump.

I’ll be back in 2013, hopefully more frequently. Happy Holidays, Melisse