Stitching and More

A mostly stitching post... 

I am still mostly prioritizing my Advent calendar for my son's family. I plan to do it basically the same as I did for my daughter's calendar. My head is spinning with all the upcoming stitching I GET to do. I am honestly giddy thinking about it all even though some of it will be things I have stitched before. 

With the arrival of a new grandbaby in January, I will be stitching their name like I have done for the 3 boys. I will need a new first Christmas ornament for 2025 and a new stocking for my growing family. For now though, the Advent calendar is first priority.

I am on number 20 of the 24. I am hoping to complete them all by the end of July. That will give me adequate time to put it all together into the hanging pocket form. I have enjoyed stitching each of the numbered motifs. They are just so cute and with each finish I get a feeling of accomplishment. My linen is sized so that I can do 3 across and when they are complete I cut them off and cut to size and add them to my stack of finished stitches.

*The linen I use for these is the best. It is called opalescent linen and I order it from 123Stitch. I love it for all things Christmas.   

I am also dreaming of my Florida wall. I have several really great ideas for it. So many ideas...need more time. All of it does give one something to look forward to though.

I thought I would share my drawers of small stitching. I use my daughter's dresser which is mostly empty to store all the seasonal small stitches. 

First up is a portion of my summery stitches including patriotic and late summer ones. There are many more that will go in this drawer because some of these were still on display as I was swapping out the patriotic ones. I always put most of the patriotic ones away after the Blue Angels home show the second week of July. (Some stay out until Labor Day). That show is a big deal in our parts. I have missed it for the second year in a row. I hope not to make that the new routine. Lindsay and her family did go and they boys are all heavily into planes this week.

Then some of the Christmas stitches. Some of the ornaments are in the Christmas decorations bins.

Next is the January through spring drawer.  Opening these drawers are always so much fun. You see all your work and a new season to come.

The fall drawer and my one winter piece. I need some more Thanksgiving pieces. I love Thanksgiving and feel it doesn't always get its due.

I have some really cool patterns for the Florida wall and just summer in general, so I am not lacking ideas...just time. 

I am at a stage of life where I just don't want to rush though.

Gardening note...

I mentioned my lack of blooms on my roses and honestly my daylilies this year. I also said I had figured out the cause... a poor choice of fertilizer. I have corrected that, moved some of the pine straw from around all of those plants and added new fertilizer. I popped out on the deck this morning and saw 2 new summer rose blooms. I didn't kill them, but so glad I caught the error. Even the daylilies are looking so happy and hopefully will pop out some more blooms too. Lesson for me is to go with the tried and true...and to look at the percentages on the bag.

Fashion...

I don't think I shared this, but if I did just remember age and being too busy makes you do crazy things.

The quote below is from a book by Fannie Flagg. I remember reading it years ago and chuckling because it was right on the money for me. Not the numbers but the sentiment. At just over 5'2", my numbers are small but still I feel the sentiment.

I have always been one who wears more than one size in bottoms either due to the style of pants, my need for nothing tight and the occasional bloating or up and down about 4 pounds. That 4 pounds often lands me in 2 sizes. Tops- I have been the same forever, but pants not so much. I like to have 2 sizes in my favorites due to that 4 pounds. I detest tight...always have so due to my being right in between 2 sizes sometimes I end up buying a size up or down depending on the times. I am sure some of you are shaking your head at me.

I can assure you my mother did when I was growing up. She spoiled me in that I grew up when mamas sewed everything for us. I just saw a picture, showed it to mama and voila...she recreated it and it fit perfectly.

I have bought more new pants in the past 18 months or so due to the style change than in ages. I love the wider legs. I am all about it and will not go back so I have let myself purchase new pants to last me thought the next style change and YES, some of them have been in 2 sizes. HA!

One I loved was below...

I normally stick with navy, khaki and olive in chinos, but this fun blue color caught my eye so I got it and navy and I have loved them. I have worn them over and over and the only photo I have is one where I was getting dressed and sent a photo to Lindsay to ask her what she thought about the tucking in and the belt and was my stomach to poochy. I mean how do you not have pooch at our age?

BTW, the belt is at least 20 years if not much older. Pays to be a pack rat.

Three cheers for something besides skinny jeans! I am sticking with straight and flared legs.

A final thought...

I saw a post the other day in which the young man was missing his deceased grandmother. He said something in his post that made me stop. He said his grandmother had lived life for the people in the first two rows of your funeral. Something along those lines...I am butchering it. 

I taught for 31 years and put so much time in on that job that when I retired I had time to realize that while my intentions were good I had put a lot of emphasis on people who won't think of me again. There are some, yes, but I had guilt feelings about working to hard to the exclusion of my health and my family. They won't agree with my assessment, but I had those feelings nonetheless. I am getting an opportunity in life to pour into my family and I am so grateful. That line really made me think about how important this time in my life is to me. I am enjoying this stage of life even though it is not always easy. 

We take the road in front of us and walk it. We do the best we can.

Three cheers for...

summertime, 

stitching, 

reading good books, 

doing long put off tasks, 

eating watermelon and peaches,  

straight and flare leg pants, 

playing with grandsons, 

spending time with the ones we love, 

walking the cutest most energetic 7 year old Springer Spaniel

and mostly for my Heavenly Father who walks with me.