Welcome back! Thank you so much for dropping in. This week was a bit unusual because I actually spent way more time at my cutting table and at the sewing machine than doing handwork. Normally, my hands are happy to give me a couple of hours of slow stitching every day. Lately, though? There’s been a full-blown rebellion!
My hands have officially informed me that three factors are causing pain:
Thank you so much for popping in! I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on today's post.
Yay! I'm celebrating my husband's first full week home after his two weeks awayThis experience was similar when he would have Temporary Duty Assignments in the military. Back then I had my children to keep me company. This time, I had Chloe, Chico, frequent calls from my husband as well as a few "Ama Days" with my grandchildren. When my oldest grandson was a toddler, he named me "Ama". When they visit me, those are Ama Days. Ama means love in English. 💖
Last week I shared about taking a break from hand-stitching due to finger pain. So, this week you'll see plenty of what I've been crocheting and machine sewing.
I sure hope you enjoy your visit!
Take good care and, as Daddy used to say,
"Make memories; it's later than you think."
HERE'S A WORD
As I prepped for this study, I simply highlight all the words that describe what God does for us in my Bible and make a list of them in my journal. I'll follow the same format here.
I so enjoyed studying and learning about verse 5, especially knowing that God alone is our portion and cup. But what is a portion? According to Webster it's an individual's part or share of something and/or an indiviual's fate or fortune, one's share of good and evil. Interesting, God alone decides our part of something, as well as our fate and our share of good and evil. Like many of you, I have experienced good and evil in my life. For many years, depending on the circumstances, I would either praise Him or cry out to Him, "Why, God, why?"
Many times He would, in His grace and mercy, show me the "why" and how He was there, either celebrating or weeping with me. As I've aged, He shows me how my joyful/painful events have been a blessing to myself and, sometimes others. Perhaps He does the same for you? I have to believe He will do the same for you as well.
Portion can also be seen as an inheiritance. My heart raced with joy as I read this same verse in the Amplified Version: The LORD is the portion of my inheritance, my cup [He is all I need]; You support my lot. Then I learned the "theological interpretation" of portion is that God Himself is our inheiritance when we accept Jesus' dying on the cross for our sins and asking Him to be the Lord of our lives! It is then that we become fellow-heirs with Him! (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7) Imagine such a gift! God longs for us to accept the priceless, precious gift of His Son's sacrifice that we may share in the blessings of the Kingdom of God!
Can we accept the share God has for us? Can we accept God as our portion? Oh my dear reader, He longs to give us so much if we only but believe on Jesus Christ! Take that step and trust Him - in good and hard times. Choose to recieve your portion, both physical and spiritual, as you navigate life. It is one of the most vital decisions you will make.
You are loved. You are not alone. You are being lovingly prayed for.
FIBER FUN
I broke down my "To Dos" into three categories: Finish, Focus, Prep/make a kit, and Be Kind = Soft Deadlines. FoF represents the Fields of Fancy BOM, which I'm doing with Liberty of London Tana Lawn fabrics.
Last Week's List
1. Finish nothing for now
2. Focus
a. Jalapeño Placemats Done! I stitched two different designs, a braided one and a patchwork/Trip Around The Worldish one. After choosing the later, the strips were sewn together and pressed.
b. Grandchild #3's ornament I did not pick up Grandchild #3's cross stitch ornament at all, but I did finish a few more Christmas cowls.
The first cowl is definitely more fallish in tone than the picture.
A friend gave me some yarn she wasn't using,
so I decided to turn it into a cowl.
This project is a great example of
making up a pattern on the fly—I simply make a foundation chain
until I'm happy with the length,
and then I just start playing with different crochet stitches.
When I ran out of yarn, I joined the ends.
Another finished cowl.
The yarn for this cowl is I Love This Yarn by Hobby Lobby.
I had so much fun learninga new stitch with this yarn, The Drunken Granny.
The cowl below is also crocheted with yarn from Hobby Lobby,
I Love This Yarn in Metallic Black.
c. appliqué FOF hexagonsCaring for a sweet, aging parent is a true act of love—and as many of you know, the elderly often feel cold even on warm days. I started this granny square shawl to bring a little extra warmth to a friend's mama. It's a simple project based on a pattern from my favorite prayer shawl book.
This shawl is made from my new obbssion that I hinted at earlier: Malabrigo Rio yarn in Archangel. I think I bought out Apricot Yarn and Supply's stock, my go to yarn shop when we're in San Diego. I was also wanting to get to know my local yarn shop, so I special ordered from them. What I love about this yarn is that, yes, the dye lots are different, but they work together. I do believe I've found my special yarn!
3. Prepare/make a kit - nothing for now
4. Be kind = Soft Deadlines - which are good for my mental health!
This Week's Goals I'm gently easing my hands back into hand sewing, by only stitching on Grandchild #3's ornament. Maybe I can even finish it!
1. Finish - Grandchild #3's ornament
2. Focus
a. sandwich the Jalapeño Placemats and experiement with Kimberbell's Blue Tiles for machine quilting.
b. appliqué FOF hexagons
3. Prepare/make a kit - two baby quilts
4. Be kind = Soft Deadlines - which are good for my mental health!
15 MINUTES TO STICH
I’m joining the Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch' challenge at Life in Pieces helps us to develop the habit of daily creativity. I did crochet every day this week...perhaps a bit too much. It's time to find a happy balance between hand stitching, crochet and machine sewing. Thus far, this month has been 100%. Between all these fiber arts, it seems I'm making progress of some sort every day.
LITERARY LIFE
MAILBOX MONDAY- is a gathering place for readers to share books that they added to their shelves or eBook readers the previous week. Some of these books were recommended by you! Do you see your reads below? Thank all of you for sharing!
Here's the free eBooks I picked up this week from ereaderiq.com
And from Libby:
This Week's Reviews
Highly Recommend
*****
In this wise and warm debut novel, an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter all named after the Roman myth of the Three Graces find their lives—and their secrets—colliding when, after years apart, they come to live under the same roof. Graziella, a ninety-six-year-old former nun, spends her days running the parish’s food kitchen, convinced it is her responsibility to keep everyone fed in their working-class New York neighborhood. Her daughter, Grace, a respected psychology professor, appears accomplished and composed, yet finds herself unmoored as her personal life falters. Ella—Graziella’s granddaughter and Grace’s daughter—is weary of defending her vegan diet and anti-capitalistic lifestyle; blind to her own brilliance, she longs, above all, for a place to belong. Living together again, the three Graces reckon with the distances that have shaped them, and with what it means, at last, to be fully known. Populated by unforgettable characters, The Three Graces of Pearl Street explores the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, and the quiet courage it takes to move through the world with true grace. - Goodreads
At first I thought The Three Graces of Pearl Street by Elizabeth Wellington Rollins was about three graces as in blessings or kindness. But it was about three generations of Graziellas - three women. I so enjoy books in which women are the protagonists - and now to have three! I was already sold. It was captivating to have a window into these lady's minds and experience the various trials and joys through each generation's eyes. The flow, the conversations and the character devlopment were right on target.
Rollin's writing style was such that this reader was pulled into her fictional world so much so that I could see the settings and experience the aroma of delicious Italian dishes. Highly Recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and author Elizabeth Wellington Rollins, for the gift of this ebook ARC. All opinions are my own.
FINDING JOY
LeeAnna's I Like on Thursdays at Not Afraid of Colorhelps me consistently find the joy in every life. This week's prompt is: What is the highlight of our week? That's easy - my husband came home! I cooked him a roast dinner and we talked - a lot. :) While he was gone, I talked to the dogs. Now I'm adjusting to having someone actually answer me!
While giving my hands a sewing break this week,
I lived vicariously via these Instagram accounts
and their posts featuring EPP.
They are so inspiring!
In keeping with the EPP theme, I throughly enjoyed Peggy in Washington's Quilts and Adventures. She is recreating her EPP wedding quilt made by her grandmother. I was wowed by her thoughtful idea.
During a visit to San Diego, I decided to try a brand-new crochet hook brand: Tulip. I started with just a single hook, but after spending an evening using it, I was completely hooked (pun intended)! The very next day, I returned to Apricot Yarn & Supply to buy the full set pictured below. I couldn't be happier with them! They allow me to crochet for longer stretches with minimal hand fatigue, especially when stitching with premium yarn shop purchases like the one pictured below.
I missed posting last week, but I’m so happy to be back! I’m late writing this post, but am so happy I am still posting it. Thank you for stopping in today. May this week’s mix of devotionals, stitching progress, book notes, and quiet moments of gratitude bring a little extra joy to your day.
Thank you for stopping in today! It has been a week - thank God it's a new week on Sunday! I was able to spend an afternoon with my oldest grandchildren. The following day my granddaughter came over for the afternoon. We made Jalapeño Poppers. She actually taught me now to make them! They were delicious!
Thank you for stopping in! This week you'll find a continuation of our study on the Psalms and I'll share progress on some fun projects I'm working on.
I'm loving the progress I'm making on my 3/4" hexie project, which is featured below. It's amazing what we can accomplish by setting a goal of sewing for 15 minutes a night on one single project.
