Hi folks! Welcome back! I had high intentions at the start of November to blog every day. But, I soon realized, that I’m not comfortable with that. It’s more than I want to share with the world, and it’s quite a bit of work to create content every day. My life is a quiet one, how many pictures can I post of feeding chickens or playing with the cats? The garden is in slow mode with just a few plants in the greenhouse, and yet as year end approaches the days become shorter and busier with work.
So, that fell to the wayside very quickly. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have anything to share. It has been a productive month. I need to figure out how to get pictures from my I-phone to my desktop easily to share a lot of them. I may place this in draft mode and insert pictures later.
I did finally finish Fall On the Farm by Little House Needleworks. I had hoped to stay on track with a block a month and finish in September, but that garden this year kept me hopping for several months. When I finally sat down to finish it, it felt right, it was fall and that made it feel season appropriate for me.
I wish I was one of those stitchers who stitch the upcoming season so it’s ready to display when the season arrives, but I’m more of a stitch it in the season and display it the next year stitcher.
Thanksgiving was also my first 5K walk, which benefited the Iredell Christian Mission in Mooresville that provides one of our local food banks as well as counseling and many other services. Surprisingly it went great. There were a few times I got pretty winded (dratted asthma) but overall I had fun walking with a friend. My next one is this Sunday, the Jingle Run 5k (but I’m walking!) that benefits My Sister’s House, our local battered women’s shelter. A cause near and dear to my heart from another lifetime.
Also on Thanksgiving, I cracked a tooth in two places! Let’s talk about sheer hell!!!!!! That hurt! Thankfully Monday morning right away my dentist was able to get me in. One root canal and temporary crown later (permanent crown appointment in January) and I’m able to eat again (and quit taking so much Tylenol on top of my normal pain meds!).
The irony of cracking that tooth was it happened as I bit down into the flakiest pie crust I have made in my entire life! It was just a weak tooth and horrible timing of an extra long weekend. But all is good now.
I purchased a lightweight sewing machine for next year to be able to continue to participate in our guild sewing days and workshops. It’s similar to one I had before that I gifted to a niece to learn to sew on. And it’s perfect for my plans. It weighs only 10-1/2# and I can lift it on my own. No more needing help to get my car packed up or unpack and repack once it get to the workday!
I’m also planning a cross stitch SAL (stich a long) for 2023. I’ve picked the pattern out and am investigating how to host it. Here on the blog? On Instagram (likely)? In a Facebook group set up for SALs through the studio? I want it easy for access to a majority of people and fun. I may add a page here for this and upcoming othere SALs (cross stich and quilting) and add tags to use on Instagram. I know with my Instagram account, I can link it to post on Facebook and that seems the easiest way to go with the most options for people to participate. If you have any ideas on how to organize this, let me know in the comments.
Oh, the pattern? it’s an oldie but a goodie (so to speak) It’s one I’ve admired for a long time and finally purchased the pattern for:
Christmas Village by The Prairie Schooler (1999). The pattern is still available, I purchased my copy just two weeks ago at Fat Quarter Shop www.fatquartershop.com The plan is to start January 1st as a New Year’s Start, so if you want to stitch along, grab your pattern and supplies while you can.
I’ll get back to you soon with details on the SAL and other upcoming happenings at the studio for 2023! In the meantime, enjoy the holiday season, between Thanksgiving and New Years, it’s six weeks of reasons to celebrate. And if you, for any reason, don’t celebrate the holidays, know that you can celebrate every day as the miracle it is. No matter the circumstances, we woke up to a new day and a new chance at happiness. Is that Pollyanna-ish, maybe, but I truly believe that each day is a gift we are meant to make the most of……..even if we only have the spoons to make the most of a moment.
Hugs and happy stitching and sewing until the next time!
I’m right with you – every day that I wake up I consider it a gift. I love your finished cross stitch piece!! I’m still ironing the kinks out of floss, here 😀 I have a small piece started – my first with silk – for the Jingle Ball online event that I registered for. :It’s this weekend. I need to finish this small piece for one of the classes I was lucky enough to get registered for! Congratulations on your 5k’s!!