Amanda Daly

Amanda Daly
I've been passionately working with fabric for more than 25 years . . . relax with me as you read about my life and my quilts

Saturday 5 May 2007

Happiness is

I started thinking today about what makes me happy, content and at peace with the world. Here are just a couple of the thoughts I had. More to come later.
I'm a bit obsessed with the process of making lists. It brings order to my often hectic life and makes me feel more in control. I have a list of quilts I've made with different columns for the ones I have entered in challenges or shows, any successes I've had with these quilts along with lists of quilts I have as works in progress and ideas for future quilts, upcoming challenges etc. I also have a complete list of all the quilts I've made. I update it often.
I love Jacaranda, Wattle and Flame trees and play games with myself during the Jacaranda season. As I drive around Sydney I honestly believe that I won't have to travel for more than 10 seconds without being able to see another Jacaranda tree either beside me or off the side in the distance. I love to reflect on the story a friend told me. When she was a little girl her father used to tell her that fairies live in Jacaranda flowers and you can actually see their legs and feet sticking out from inside the flowers (take a look for yourself, it's true), I now tell my grandaughter the same story.
I have a very small Jacaranda tree growing in my garden. It was given to me by a very dear friend several years ago. Pat is now in a nursing home after suffering a very debilitating illness which has left her so mentally confused she doesn't recognise me anymore. Pat has also become quite agressive which isn't at all like the friend I once had. The tree is very precious, it has been very slow to grow and still hasn't flowered but I'm sure it will one day.
I love working with fabric. I could ramble on about this for ages but suffice to say that I'm never really happier than when I'm quilting or even just sorting my stash and planning new projects. My newly organised sewing room ... (it really is just soooo good, I probably should call it a studio), is an absolute delight. I'll tidy it up a bit tomorrow and take a photo to show you.
Being with my daughter and her beautiful girls Oliva and Tegan brings me a tremendous feeling of contentment. Seeing the bond they have and marvelling at what a great mother Sarah has turned out to be is a very emotional experience.
I really love being at home and if I didn't enjoy being with people so much I'd probably become a hermit.
I'm a bit of a chocaholic as well.