Year End Round-Up

Most years I manage to write one post around my birthday.  I missed it by a couple of weeks.

This year has been a year full of changes.  I recovered nicely from knee replacement surgery before my last birthday.  I broke my shoulder and tore my rotator cuff in a fall in January.  All of that has been repaired and is working as well at it can be.  One more follow-up with the doc and we can mark the books closed on that one.  I left my marriage of 31 years.  I moved into an apartment with my newly graduated daughter.  I got divorced. I have closed on a townhouse which I will share with my daughter until she is launched.  Exciting stuff - and some of it a bit sad.

So here I stand at the ripe age of 58 with lots of determination to reach my goals.   My weight has fluctuated up and down - up right now - but I am hoping to get that under control.  My stitching life is full to overflowing with old friends and new.  And projects - lots of projects - not so many finishes.  I have been doing quite a bit of stash buying and will rein that in before the new year.  I have lots to stitch and lots to finish (meaning all of the stuff in the bin of shame.)  I have made some progress on that, too.

I have tried to come up with a stitching plan for the coming year and I think I have too many choices, sometimes overwhelming for me.  So, no plans per se, except to enjoy the journey and go where it takes me.  I've been gravitating toward patterns/charts with red.  Not sure if it's Christmas or my love of red.

Now, I did read/listen to 102 books in the past year.  I owe a lot of that to time spent recuperating from the shoulder thing and not being able to stitch very much.

My new home will have a designated stitching room.  I have purchased some Martha Stewart Craft Space furniture to go in there.  It arrived in these boxes.

My son, with a little help from me, spent the better part of a day assembling the stuff.  I must say that it is nice.  The only issue we have had is with the sliders for the drawers and Home Decorator's got some replacements out to me right away.  For now, that furniture is in my bedroom and now my bedroom looks kind of like a furniture store.  I do anticipate moving to my new space in January.  Then, I'll be able to organize and set things up.  For now, I'm working out of boxes.

Goals for the coming year -

1.  Read/listen to 100 books;
2.  Move an hour each day;
3.  Write Morning Pages (see Julia Cameron's writings about these) daily;
4.  Empty the 'bin of shame';
5.  Attend two stitching classes;
6.  Attend two stitching retreats;
7. Take a one week vacation with my children; and
8. Keep in touch with my siblings.

My word for 2017 is Transformation.

I am toying with the idea of a stitching rotation .  I have been reading this article to try and figure out which rotation I would like to do.  Stay tuned for a decision on that one.

Happy New Year!

Wednesday

Well,  I had great intentions.  I thought I would arrive home around 5:30, go for my walk, and settle in to do some stitching and finishing around 7:00.

Life had other plans today.  So I helped my daughter deal with her car troubles and got home about 7:30 instead.  And after eating some dinner and hitting my step goal I was finally able to sit down around 9:00.  So no finishing for me tonight.

I did get an hour or so in on Summer House Pinkeep - a little more of the border completed tonight

And that will have to do for today.  This girl is tired.  It seems that the later it gets in the workweek the earlier I want to go to bed.

I did want to share two other pictures with you tonight.

Today's view of Fun Every Day.  This now resides on top of my refrigerator.  Which is great because of the open plan in the apartment I can see it from the living room and the dining area.

And the glorious sunset from my walk tonight.

It's hard to capture the intensity of the colors with the camera on my phone, but it's what is usually handy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Keep on Stitching!

Wednesday

Well,  I had great intentions.  I thought I would arrive home around 5:30, go for my walk, and settle in to do some stitching and finishing around 7:00.

Life had other plans today.  So I helped my daughter deal with her car troubles and got home about 7:30 instead.  And after eating some dinner and hitting my step goal I was finally able to sit down around 9:00.  So no finishing for me tonight.

I did get an hour or so in on Summer House Pinkeep - a little more of the border completed tonight

And that will have to do for today.  This girl is tired.  It seems that the later it gets in the workweek the earlier I want to go to bed.

I did want to share two other pictures with you tonight.

Today's view of Fun Every Day.  This now resides on top of my refrigerator.  Which is great because of the open plan in the apartment I can see it from the living room and the dining area.

And the glorious sunset from my walk tonight.

It's hard to capture the intensity of the colors with the camera on my phone, but it's what is usually handy.

Thanks for stopping by.

Keep on Stitching!

Tuesday Ta-Da

So, a busy day today.  Work, then home and out for my manicure.  Then a quick trip into the grocery store - and my walk.  I try to walk 10,000 steps a day now.  I wear a Garmin Vivofit 3 which gives me this little reward when I hit my step goal

Sorry for the glare.  And then when I changed the screen so that I can see the clock again  this little beauty came up - a medal for hitting my step goal 5 days in a row.  How cool is that?

As you can probably tell, it doesn't take much to thrill me.

So, after my walk it was time to sit and stitch - a reward for having hit my step goal.  I put the last stitches in Coverlet Berry Scissor Tray by The Scarlett House.

I am pleased with the way this came out.  Tomorrow night I hope to do the finishing on this one.

I started this one - you know the one that I wrote about yesterday - Country Sampler Girl's Club, Summer House Pinkeep by Stacy Nash.  Just a little start, but a start.

Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment.  I really love the comments.

Keep on Stitching!

Monday Mail

Hi, again,

This little gem arrived in the mail.

Complete with fibers and backing fabric

This is part of the Girls Club at Country Sampler.

I just love stitchy mail!  I can't wait to start this one.

Keep on Stitching!

Hello? Hello? Is Anybody There?

Oh, my poor neglected blog.

Since going back to work in April I've been in a bit of whirlwind.  Not much stitching.

Going back to work was a bit of a challenge, lots to catch up on, and getting used to some things that had changed while I was out.  But four months later I think I have the hang of it.

Then in early July I moved to an apartment with my daughter.  And the past month and then some has been spent unpacking and settling in.  I unpacked the last boxes last night.  I also straightened up my stitching closet - a daunting task that I had been putting off.  I still have some pictures to hang and will do those soon. I am still trying to get a feel for where I want to put them.

So, on the stitching front, I finished stitching this piece

Peter  & Peep by  With Thy Needle and Thread

I stitched it over on a 25 count fabric I had in my stash.  I am glad he's finished.  I have moved on to a piece that I was working on in April.

Coverlet Berry Scissor Tray by The Scarlett House

I had done some major frogging on this.  I am happy to report that I am well on my way to finishing the stitching on this one.

I am finding it hard to believe that summer is almost over.  I think school starts here week after next. It's amazing how unimportant that date becomes when you no longer have your own childen heading back to school.

Other news,  I am enjoying walks in my neighborhood.  I did a little exploring on foot today and found a wonderful path I had not taken before.  Here are a few pictures of what I saw

I call those hot bugs because they sing when it's hot.

This pond is hidden from the street.  There is a heron in the background - hard to see.   I watched a long time to see if he was real or a decoy.  He did finally move.

There are several spots where I was able to spot these flower patches.  So pretty.  

I hope to return to blog reading and writing now that life is becoming more normal. 

Keep on stitching!

Let It Go UFO's

I found this video which I had meant to post ages ago.  It's a youtube vidoe by BlimeyCatStitches.  I had shared a previous video of hers here.

Let It Go UFO

I love the Box of UNshame she shows at the end.

Have a wonderful Monday.

Keep on Stitching!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work I Go

As the song goes.  And I go back tomorrow.

The doctor feels that my shoulder is sufficiently healed that I can return to work tomorrow with a few limitations.  I am fairly confident that I can work within his guidelines.

I am so blessed to have friends that have offered to take me on multiple road trips, meet for coffee or lunch, or sometimes breakfast.  And to have friends that check in just because.  These outings have truly been sanity savers.

I haven't been able to stitch much.  I am finding that the more I heal the longer I am able to stitch.  So, here's hoping that I can get back to 'normal' in the next few months.  I'm trying to be patient.

So here's what I am working on - my progress as of today.   I had more done but realized that I had made a mistake so with a bit of frogging I am back on track.

And a picture of the finished project

This is actually a picture of the threadkeep provided in the kit by Tonya of the The Scarlett House.  The piece is called Coverlet Berry Scissor Tray.  This was a class piece from Summer School at The Attic this past August.  We did make the berries in class.  I am finally getting around to starting the stitching.

I hope to revisit my favorite blogs now that my keyboard skills are getting back to normal.  Navigating with only one hand was a bit frustrating.

Keep on Stitching!

Sofa Sunday - Not!

I had planned to spend lots of time stitching today.  But it didn't work out that way.

I had an idea in the shower this morning and decided to follow through on that instead.  All of my children are home or in the area right now. And my boys have their birthdays this week.  I decided that we should have a little get together tonight for their birthdays.  Nothing fancy, just pizza and cake.  Not a lot for me to do except buy their cards and the cake.  We had a very nice impromptu family dinner tonight.  Lots of leftover pizza - but that's always good for lunch. 

I also decided that today was the day to put Christmas away.  I started by gathering up some of the things and piling them on a chair in the living room.  After my walk we finished putting everything away.  It goes away a lot faster than it came out.  And we had much more help putting things into the attic.  Always good.  And I brought out some of my snowmen.  Plus, I put out my January decorations.  

Then it became time to go for my walk - strategically timed so that I can walk about 2 hours - not fast - and be back at my car before dark.  I drove to a different part of the trail and walked back to where I had been yesterday.  Now I have covered that part of the trail.  Next time I'll continue on north and see how far I can get.  It was a little cool for a walk.  I did see the sun a few times.

I had hoped to watch Downton tonight but have decided that it will be early to bed.  I'll catch up on Downton another night this week.

I did make a little progress on Crazy Socks - I got the outer border finished and it met.  So here's how it looks now.

And a little more progress on Sewing Bird Pocket.  

I'm off to get ready for and get into bed.  I may stitch a little before I nod off.

Have a great evening!

Keep on Stitching!

Saturday

I didn't stitch as much as I had hoped today.  Other things got in the way.  Like cleaning and laundry - necessary.  And I did go for another walk, only four miles today.  It was getting late and I didn't want to be walking on the path after dark.

I did finish all of the red on the bird for the Sewing Bird Pocket.

And I kitted up Crazy Socks by Rosewood Manor and made a little start on that today.  I'm stitching this on 28 ct. Vintage (because I had it in my stash) and using two strands.  I think that will give me the coverage I need.

I opted to start with border as I usually do.  I haven't gotten very far and hope to do a bit more before I go to bed.

Keep on Stitching!

Happy New Year!

Did you have a wonderful first day of the new year?  Did you work on your resolutions?  I did a little. I went for my first five mile walk since my knee replacement.  It was a little slow, but I got 'er done.  I hope to do the same again tomorrow.  We have so many wonderful walking paths in our area I am hoping to become familiar with more of them this year.

I had meant to post a picture of my ort jar.  Here it is ready to be emptied and set up for another year.

And I also meant to post my stitching stats for 2015:

I put the first stitch in 60 projects;

I put the last stitch in 65 projects (which theoretically means I finished five of my older WIPs); and

I finish-finished 58 projects (48 of those were the Fun Every Day pieces.)

Not a bad year stitching wise.

I worked on Sewing Bird Pocket at bit more last night.

I still have more the red to fill in.  Then I'll stitch the other motifs. Maybe I can do a little on this before I go to bed tonight.

Here is my Fun Every Day set for the first of day of this new year.

Have a great evening.

Keep on Stitching!