Out with the old

(Image found on facebook)

It's that time again.

We all say how quickly the year(s) go by. 

I'm of that age. Time is flying!! It seems like just yesterday that I was graduating high school. No job prospect. No money to go to college. No direction. No future plans. 

I was scared to death !!!!

Here I am - - - almost 40 years later !! YES, 40 years !!! I can hardly believe it. But the calendar and mirror don't lie.

I'm not depressed about it. Maybe a little sad thinking of all the woulda-shoulda-coulda's. But that really won't change anything. I don't want to live a life of regrets. I've had a pretty good life, so no complaints. Could it have been better, honestly, yes. But it could have been a whold lot worse too. 

It's not a bad life - I'm keeping it.

To that end, I found this on Facebook this morning:

I'm adopting these. In fact, I'm going to print this out and put it in the cover of my calendar. 

This is something else I found while reading Wendy's blog.

It's a free downloadable you can find here.

Even if you don't blog, it's still something to get you thinking and planning. 

Something else I want to do and was reminded when I read Mdm. Samm's blog, was that I need to slow down. I've gone over my finishes for this year. I'm not at all disappointed. But I really want to enjoy the things I make for myself and for my gifts to others. They shouldn't be rushed and last minute thoughts. 

So I've reviewed and updated my UFO list and have decided 2015 is going to be a year that I focus on finishing projects that are started and in various stages of completion. That doesn't mean I won't be starting new projects. I have several I'm interested in, these are just two of them:

Jenny is sponsoring a free BOM. 

Michelle has a new BOM.

Both are beginning January 1st. 

Honey Do and I were discussing how relaxing the past week has been. He's on year-end vacation and won't go back until January 5th. I told him I thought this is what retirement would be like. The only issue would be finances, but I've had to learn to adjust to that already, since I haven't worked in more than five years and our finances have changed considerably over the last two years especially. The biggest thing is deciding how much you really need, can live without and what truly makes you happy.

It's been a journey, that road of self-awareness. It's had very difficult moments. Hard, life-changing decisions. Commitments to what is truly important like faith and family. The decisions to live more simply and less encumbered by "stuff". Being more particular about "stuff" and being able to let it go - or at least taking those steps.

I'm going to spend the next couple of days thinking about and filling out that worksheet to give myself some direction. 

In the meantime, I'm keeping busy. . . 

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a day filled with creativity and a very happy new year.

Mom #2

This sweet couple has been in my life since I wa 13 years old.

Their eldest daughter needed a friend.

They prayed.

I was the answer to that prayer.

I'm not telling you all this to brag. Although, I do feel and am very proud of the fact that I was an anwer to someone's prayer.

I'm telling you all this because I'm going to ask you all for prayers and good thoughts. Mom had an aneurysm burst in her brain. She was life flighted to a nationally acclaimed hospital and emergency surgery performed. 

She has an excellant prognosis and is responding to touch. 

She has a long road ahead her.

So thank you. She is a very important person to her family, extended family and those of us that have been adopted into her family through love and through Christ.

Thank you for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Happy Anniversary

My parents married 57 years ago today. 

Unfortunately, Dad passed 12 years ago, so he's not here to celebrate.

He's greatly missed.

(found on Internet)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

Relaxing . . .

(RoseHill Designs)

Amazing what a few days will do for your mood and outlook :)

It's Saturday and I am relaxing with a cup of coffee and my stitchery. 

Basic household chores are done and I have an entire day to watch Netflix and stitch on Block 12 of Bethlehem. 

I'm on track to finish this project on time !!! 

Woo Hoo !!!!

Unfortunately, I spent the evening getting pretty sick. Some kind of bug is running it's course through my family. Mom was sick on Christmas Eve, my sister on Friday and me Saturday night. I really dislike being sick :(

.

(Image from internet)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

The day after Christmas

It's warm, sunny day, this Friday, the day after Christmas. There is not a snowflake in sight.

It feels like a Saturday. Newton and Honey Do home. I ran a couple of errands this morning and am  spendt the afternoon working on Bethlehem Block 11.

And Block 11 is DONE !!!!

On to block 12.

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.

And the results are in

Christmas 2014

 

My son and my youngest great-nephew - he'll be one in January :)

And ALL the kids tearing it up at Oma's on Christmas Eve. 

There were 26 of us all together - It's the first time in probably 10 years that we've all been together under one roof :)

 

There were gifts a plenty - the table runner, dish rag and pot holders were from my mom. She did the crocheting and each of us got a set.

My oldest niece had a great time shopping and getting gifts. She said she "stalked" my pinterest pages and came up with these adorable pin cushions for me. They were kits, so I was able to spend Christmas day "playing".

The "bird cage" candle holder was something I saw on her facebook page and told her how much I liked it. She surprised me by getting it for me.

 

 

I also worked on decorating and framing some cards I purchased and one I made. I added the beads to dress them up a bit and made decorating easy, cute and fun.

(image from internet)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a blessed, creative day. 

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyong a 

VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.

(Image found on Internet)

Break Time

It's been an extremely busy few weeks. Sewing, illness, appointments, home.

Because I procrastinated on my Christmas sewing, it has taken every spare minute I can pull out. 

I'm very happy to report it is all done :)

All the appointments are done until after the New Year begins. Honey Do is on the mend. So today and tomorrow will allow me to take care of my own and play a little catch up with neglected household chores.

To that end, Newton and I spent the majority of Tuesday cleaning and rearranging some furnishings. We are very happy with the end results.

This little vignette was a 55-gallong fish tank and dog crate. I made the pillow over a year ago. It is Winter by Crabapple Hill.

This vinette was a sleeper sofa that had seen better days. The lazyboy chair has also, but I'm not ready to part with it and am contemplating even reapholstering it. The three drawer chest was in my childhood bedroom. Mom found a pair of them at a yard sale and refinished them. They were gifted to my sister and myself when we moved to our own homes. It holds odds and ends of stitchery supplies - must keep them at the ready :)

Next year will see carpets cleaned and walls and ceilings painted, but this will get us through the holiday.

Princess Nina - relaxing on her clean pallet.

Yeah, she worked that hard right along side us. She's one tired pup.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

My wish and prayer is that you all have a blessed and merry Christmas 

and a safe and healthy new year.

Merry Christmas

Busy, busy season

As I spend the few last days before Christmas finishing up my gifts and wrappings, I'm finding there's more to do than just that. I made these little ornaments out of supplies leftover from my Sunday School class. Those children really enjoyed making these and I thought they would be adorable on my packages to my great nephews and niece. 

These packages were all delivered to Mom's as Newton and I went to spend the day with her to help finish readying her home for the masses to decend on Christmas Eve. Mom hosts and makes dinner for all of us. I have tried convincing her for years that it should be her gift to us, but so far she doesn't believe that it is enough. But it is plenty. She puts on quite the spread :) And there are SO many of us these days: 24 with possibly a few more :) I can't wait to see all the kids and one I haven't seen since he was 18 months old (except in pictures) because he lives with his dad and doesn't usually get to spend the holiday with us.

Mom lives in a rural area and has a neighbor who has chickens and turkeys that are taking over the neighborhood. They came for a visit and Newton spent some time with them between helping me clean.

There's not much new crafting going on this week, just finishing up what's already started.

This however, is for a new project. Jenny of Elefantz is beginning a new series in January. My fabric arrived on Monday. It's beautiful and I can't wait to get started. You can get the details here.

The best part - it's free :)

Honey Do begins vacation Christmas Eve. So I'm going to be spending the next little while with my family. I'll check in when I can. It's the holidays, so we'll all be busy, hopefully, with our loved ones.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, happy holidays and a blessed New Year.

(Image - from internet)

Thanks for stopping by,

Wishing you a creative day.