Happy New Year's Eve

Whether you are home with family, sitting alone anywhere, curled up with a good book, or maybe just in a room with a lot of people.....I wish nothing but the best for you in this coming New Year.  As 2012 is coming to an end on the West Coast, in just about an hour I have chosen my word for 2013 or maybe it has chosen me.....this next year I will seek JOY.  I am sure it will meet me right where I am and teach me a thing or two.  Do you have a special word for the coming New Year?   

The last few weeks have been full of sewing, up until the last hours of Christmas Eve.  I made 4 quilts, altered newborn baby clothes for my Granddaughter's dolls which totaled over 2000 yards of thread and so many hours of sitting at my faithful machine that I am still sore.

 

My partner in crime, my youngest daughter Michaela, that blessed me by helping every minute that she could, so I could sew.  I think I will owe her coffee out for weeks.

These are the dolls that my Granddaughter's found under the tree after breakfast Christmas morning.  Their faces were priceless!  Each one came with their own diaper bag of clothes and I included a name tag with who they are.  Painting the faces and stitching on the hair was relaxing and fun. 

My heart was in a different place this Christmas and so much I can't still understand.  I am taking it one day at a time and the best thing is, I know I am okay.  It is a wonderful feeling to know that the not so great things that happen, don't take me to a horrible place anymore.  They make step back and see how far I have come.

PS.......Tracey, you need to contact me so I can get your book out to you

Good morning!  Tracey and Jess, please email me with your contact information so I get things out to you as soon as possible. 

Lately I have had to face a few things about myself and while it isn't easy somehow I muddle through.

I tend to get caught up in looking for something to the point of getting really angry at myself.  This has happened many times over my life.  I even pride myself in knowing where all my stuff is because it helps me to not get angry, most of the time.  All my not so used stuff is in one full row and one corner of my garage.  When we moved in 2008 I downsized quite a bit and put my stuff into large plastic covered bins.  As each year goes by I have been able to let go of more stuff, it does feel good as you lighten your load.  When I downsize, I KNOW I have whatever I am looking for, in this case it was a pattern for a doll and I can actually see the pattern that I am looking for in my mind.  I'm not sure if this is an anxiety issue or what but I will literally loose sleep over it until whatever I am looking for is found.  It is like my brain is going a hundred miles an hour, flipping like an old film real retracing every step I have taken while putting things away.   So how do I deal with it?  I have to make myself slow down and pray.  The answer doesn't always come right away but this time I felt a peace with in minutes.  Then with all the gentleness God whispered why don't you look in the storage box at the base of your bed?  Yep, looking for the pattern for four days and where is it all a long?  My old toy box that has been at the base of my bed for years with my needlework.  Just shook my head at myself.  Next time I will just go to God first when I need help finding something, then I can be easier on myself.   

In thinking about Christmas for my Grandchildren I didn't have problems picking out what I wanted to do for the young ones but my oldest Granddaughter, she is a whole new story.  She is a smart young girl with a mind of her own, who has yet to find exactly what she likes to do.  Barbies don't work so I am going to make her a doll in hopes that she will click with her.  Yes, I realize there is only a couple of weeks until Christmas but I haven't felt anything for Christmas this year so I am going with what excitement as it comes.  I have been shopping Goodwill, Value Village, thift stores for just the right little outfits for her doll.  Many hours have been put in on my sewing machine.  I'm so excited, it is nice!   

Giveaway announcement and 10 Things.....

I apologize for the delay in the give away.  The days just ran into each other as I was getting my dh ready to leave for a week, it got kinda crazy.  OH, and add having to take a late Saturday night trip to the mall before closing because his last pair of jeans blew out.  So here we are today!!  Thank you for being patient with me!!

Since I was delayed I gave everyone an extra chance to win AND am sending a second person a little care package from me.  Each of your stories touched my heart probably more than you will ever understand.  I think what is important is that we never forget to just be there for people.  You just never know when your smile or extended hand will help someone through a rough day.  Congradulations to Tracey, you will receive the special book from Brave Girls and Jess, you will receive the special package from me.  Both of you please email me your address!    

The last month of the year to celebrate the 10 Things I am Thankful for right now.......

1. My sewing machine, how many hours I have spent teaching myself to sew in the beginning of having you. 

2.  The gift of creativity that I have, it falls into everything I do.

3.  The non ending love that my cat Sneakers has for me, even on my bad days he knows exactly when I might need him to jump up in my lap for a bit of loving.(even right now he is making it hard to type while he sits in my lap)

4.  The oooo's and aaahhh's from my youngest Granddaughter who is 2, while she sees the pretty lights as we drive to the store.

5.  The snow because it sets my heart in the right place.  The reason?  To see each snowflake fall and realize there are NO two alike.  How awesome is that!?!

6.  Christmas movies, my youngest daughter and I are really the only ones who watch one almost everyday until the end of the year.  Thank you Netflix!  lol

7.  My new to me black leather couches......these make me so happy.  We have been needing to replace our current couches for sometime.  They were such a great deal on our local craigslist for $400 for a pair.  Yep totally happy!! 

8.  Coffee at my favorite Starbucks.

9.  Shopping especially with my children.  Ya, know when they were young I didn't like taking them with me much but as they got older it became pretty fun.    

10.  My lava lamp, without it I wouldn't be able to see where to go at night.   

Welcome December, I am not sure I am ready for you. We have had one snow fall the beginning of November and I hadn't even put my summer clothes away.  I'm hoping it does snow soon, I know a crazy thought but I am having a difficult time thinking that it is even the Christmas season.  Yes, there are Christmas lights in the neighborhood and people are shopping.  I am just not feeling it.

The one thing that has helped me this year has been finding my love of sketching.  Threw the classes The Art of Wild Abandonment 1 and 2, I have fought my inner critic telling me that I just can't do it.  Well, I don't believe her anymore, she is wrong.  Junelle Jacobson is such a wonderful teacher and leaves you feeling like you can do just about anything.  You can find out more about her two classes on her blog, once you pay you have a one year access to the classroom.  This helps you be able to go at your own pace which is wonderful.

 

I love fall it is one of my most favorite times of year.  So it only seemed natural to make sure that my art journal, received a little bit of my favorite time of year.  I collected a few beautiful leaves this year and each one of them just caught my heart.  With the leaves I tried to stay true to the pattern of colors that I was seeing in them.  These two sketches are a couple of my most favorites and fill me with great peace.  The little bird and his nest is just one that is in my house.  A proof that you can take something from inside your house and make it look as if you had seen in outside.

Be sure you enter my special giveway here and share your memory with me!