Weekly Word: Thankfulness + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

It's been a wild week as we came home from San Diego, babysat for a few days and went right into Thanksgiving!  In the midst of all of our activity, thankfulness has been on my mind.  

I would be remiss if I didn't add you, my faithful readers and friends, to my gratitude list.  Your comments, support, friendship and prayers are a blessing to my life!  On that note, a big shout out to Quilter Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for showing me how to fix my spellcheck issue with blogger!  You can find the solution here, in my comments section.  

Well, please relax with your favorite beverage and enjoy reading this weekly post!  Pssst....if you're feeling under the weather I've added a link to Starbucks recipe for their famous Medicine Ball tea in my Gratitude Journal section!  

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!  

The Weekly Word - is a short devotional that sometimes becomes a Bible Study series.  

My Reading Life - is filled with current, completed and upcoming reads as well as an occasional short review.      

Stash Report and To Do Tuesday is where I'll share share stats regarding my fiber usage and acquisitions, Slow Sunday Stitching projects, goals met/lack thereof and photos of my projects. 

Gratitude Journal - Sometimes I get lost in my own stinky thinking.  This digital journal reminds me to count my blessings!    

The Weekly Word

Philippians 4:4-7 is another life changing verse for me.  Naturally, going to God in prayer, with thanksgiving is my focus today.  It's so easy for me to get lost in rumination!  I'm learning to recognize when it begins and quickly convert my thinking to finding something to be grateful regarding the angst-causing situation, and then pray.  

Oh, boy!  It's so difficult, but worth the effort!

How I love the fall, but especially our  Thanksgiving holiday.  I love how gratitude fills my heart...I do believe Thanksgiving will be my word for this year.  

My Reading Life

Currently Reading

Finished

**** A Curious Beginning (Veronica Speedwell #1 by Deanna Raybourn was a cute historical cozy mystery that I enjoyed as an audio book.  This was a Buddy Read that my Buddy chose.  That's what I enjoy so much about Buddy Reads:  I end up reading books that I wouldn't ordinarily read and usually enjoy.   

Stash Report

Fabric numbers are stable, and my yarn numbers increased by 7 ounces as I purchased some more green yarn for the Fall Granny square afghan.  

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching   

a.   Finish block two of the Bee Humble Sew Along. Not done, but progress made!  I am almost finished adding the details to the leaves. 

 I've even made progress on the Christmas tea towels!

On the subject of Slow Stitching, for years I've been pondering how to make a hand embroidery sampler book.  Which process does one use to make such a book?  Which stitches do I include?  What is the process? 

There are some tutorials on the internet, but this is what I have in mind.  I found the perfect project on Etsy, but have been unable to find it again.  After previewing this library book, I may go ahead and purchase it.  (Do you also preview library books to decide whether or not to purchase them?)

                       

I wonder if any of you fellow stitchers have made an Embroidery Sampler Book.  Please share your wisdom and experience in the comments if you like!

Perhaps 2023 will be the year I start.  

2. Machine Sewing:  

a.  Stitch up this month's blocks for the $15 Sampler Quilt from Bee Sew Creative.  Done!  This month's blocks were paper-pieced and I really struggled with them.  They came out a bit wavy, but I'm calling them done.  

b.  Continue joining the Pieces in the Garden rows. Not done.

c.  Prep Row 11 of the Pieces in the Garden QAL. Done and a few are stitched up and joined!  The scissors in the photo are the ones Mama used at work.  

This Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching   

a.   Make progress block two of the Bee Humble Sew Along. I'd like to finish the leaves and the detail on the sunflowers.  

2. Machine Sewing:  

a.  Continue joining the Pieces in the Garden rows. 

c.  Stitch and join Row 11 squares of the Pieces in the Garden QAL. 

On The Radar...

- Stitch up a baby quilt that I've prepped.

- Finish up my daughter's crocheted dishcloths.

- Prep kits for January 2023

Gratitude Journal

Do you remember this praise and worship song?  So appropriate for this season!

We discovered Starbuck's Medicine Ball Tea/Honey Citrus Tea

helps to alleviate our cold symptoms.

I started coming down with a cold, found this copy cat recipe, 

and after having several cups, 

started feeling much better!

The Tevana brand of tea is challenging to find in our area, 

so I simply use whichever peach and mint tea is available. 

My heart is filled with thanksgiving this week. 

I have a great family life - and even with the bumps in the road - 

there is much for which to be grateful.

My friends, both in person and online, 

are an immense blessing

as they teach me so much, they are silly with me,

and we can, with confidence, share our hearts with each other.

The LORD is growing and stretching me

working through 

trials to build faith,

conflict to build stronger relationships,

friends to increase my understanding of Him.

I pray as we enter the Christmas season,

we can keep our focus on Jesus Christ and

make time to enjoy the season!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and

Hugs to all!

Enjoyed this post? 

Never miss out on future posts by following this blog!

Your comments are so appreciated! 

I read each one and will respond by email.

You can also expect a visit from me as well!

Here are some blogs I sometimes link up to!

Sunday Salon @ Readerbuzz

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Sunday Stash @ Quilt, Paint, Create

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? @ Book Date

Sew and Tell @ Melva Loves Scraps (Mondays)

To Do Tuesday @ Texas Quilt Gal

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)

Weekly Word: Honoring Our Veterans + Books, Stitches and Gratitude!

 Hello There, 

Happy Veterans’ Day to all of our veterans who so faithfully and heroically served our country with courage and determination!  A special hug to my Dad, father-in-law, husband, friends and many family members who served.  

Here's is an index should you have a special interest you like to read first!  

The Weekly Word - is a short devotional that sometimes becomes a Bible Study series.  

My Reading Life - is filled with current, completed and upcoming reads as well as an occasional short review.      

Stash Report and To Do Tuesday is where I'll share share stats regarding my fiber usage and acquisitions, goals met/lack thereof and photos of my projects. 

Gratitude Journal - Sometimes I get lost in my own stinky thinking.  This digital journal reminds me to count my blessings!    

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer - - Here you will find updates on life after Triple Negative Breast Cancer.  I was diagnosed in November of 2014 and my last day of treatment was in November 2015. 

The Weekly Word

As we spent this weekend honoring our veterans, I would simply like to remind myself and, you, my precious readers, of these beautiful songs that surely fill our hearts with patriotic joy when we sing them.

Enjoy them and remember to thank a veteran every day, not just on Veterans' Day.  

My Reading Life

Currently Reading

Finished

★★★★Booked for Trouble and The Spook in the Stacks  by Eva Gates is the second and fourth titles in the Lighthouse Library Mystery Series.  I started this series in the middle and am backreading through Gate's fun cozy mystery.   

★★★★★The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave is one of those book I cannot recommend enough!  The twists and turns kept me involved and left me eager for a part two!  

★★★★ Ramón and Julieta by Alana Quintana Albertson was a delight read that addresses returning to our cultural  roots. Quintana Albertson’s description of Barrio Logan and Chicano Park’s murals led me to research the history of this beloved community!  I’m looking forward to visiting Chicano Park and Barrio Logan on my next trip to San Diego. 

Though there was some colorful language and sex scenes that, in my mind, did not add to the story line, the theme of returning to our cultural roots out-weighed this, so I'll try the next book in the series when it comes out. 

Did Not Finish

★★★★★

I love the Netflix series, Call the Midwife, which is amazingly accurate to the book.  However, the act of reading the book deeply affected me emotionally so much that I just could not finish it at this time.  The difficult times the ladies in the East End of London endured broke my heart.  Their attitudes inspire me to be a better person.  I hope to re-read and then finish this wonderful series at another time.  Highly recommend.

Stash Report

Yarny Numbers:  Last week you read about the projects I finished, as well as yarn that was donated.  This week I remembered to include the graphic!  😂I was grateful to find these yarns needed for my Fall Granny Square Afghan!  (Picture in next section)

  

Fabric numbers:  Ok, so my Granny Square Christmas quilt did not work out.  I'm not sure what I did wrong, but when I squared up the blocks, they became wavy and definitely not squared up.  

Being that time is short as we are soon heading to San Diego, I decided to ask my daughter to look at them and we'll decide if they are worth the effort to fix them.  Life is too short to work on frustrating projects, so, for now, they are declared "Did Not Finish" objects!  😎

To Do Tuesday

Last Week's List

1.  Slow Stitching - There are two projects I'm working on, a Bee Humble sew along from Be Sew Creative and a set of tea towels for my "Golden Girls" group.  

a.  Make progress on my 2/4 tea towels! DONE!  It was a wee bit of progress due to my work on the Bee Humble project.  

b.  Finish block one for the Bee Humble Sew Along. 95% DONE! I've even almost finished prepping Block Two!  

  2. Machine Sewing:

a. Continue progress on the granny square Christmas quilt. DONE!  Though it was a bust, it's still done!  :)

b.  Join the blocks for the Pieces in the Garden SAL as a leader/ender project.   DONE!  I have a pretty stack of rows to join!  

3.  Crochet:   

a.  Continue working on my Fall Granny Square Afghan.  I'm borrowing an idea from quilting and using a 16-patch block pattern.  DONE! 

This Week's List  is pretty much the same as last week's list.   

1.  Slow Stitching   

a.  Make progress on the 2/4 tea towels! 

b.  Finish prepping block two of the Bee Humble Sew Along. 

2. Machine Sewing: 

a.  Stitch up this month's blocks for the $15 Sampler Quilt from Bee Sew Creative.

3.  Crochet:   

a.  Continue working on my Fall Granny Square Afghan.  

On The Radar...

1.  Stitch up a baby quilt that I've prepped.

2.  Finish up my daughter's crocheted dishcloths.

3.  Prepping kits for January 2023

4.  Join the Pieces in the Garden rows.  

5.  Stitch the Row 11 of the Pieces in the Garden  QAL.    

Gratitude Journal

There are times when we are broken, utterly and completely broken.  Those are the times when, if we turn to God, we give Him the opportunity to achieve His greatest healing and work in our lives.  Sometimes we are so shattered, all we can pray is, “Help me!”  That’s all it takes for our loving Abba Father to come to our aid! 

Here is the story behind Zach Williams’ song, Heaven Help Me.  

This coming week's prompt from Leeanna's Thursday's I Like link up party is to share our favorite Thanksgiving dish.  

Mine is following the Stove Top stuffing recipe and adding tons of sautéed celery, carrots and a bit of onion.  I use olive oil to sauté the veggies and, if I have it on hand, homemade chicken broth.    

Our menu is pretty traditional albeit we have now added carne de puerco con chili colorado (pork and red chili).  This tradition was introduced to us by my much-loved son-in-law.  

I really liked this post by Toby Mac.  

We saw the previews of this true story about two Korean War pilots.  I was able to score the book at our locally own used bookstore for my Dad.  The moving releases November 23rd I believe.  

Our local library now has hoopla and I'm in love, totally and completely in love!  Their selection is fabulous, and features are top notch!   

Faith, Trust and Breast Cancer

Thankfully, it’s a quiet life on the health front.  I’m staying the course with my knee exercises.  According to my surgeon, this will be a new life-long habit. 

I’m also working on strengthening my core by sitting on the sofa, leaning back, but not quite touching the back, raising my legs and pedaling.  Yup, it’s challenging, but effective.

I believe I’ve had a handicap parking placard shortly after treatment for Triple Negative Cancer.  The other day, we were lucky to find a parking at an extremely crowded venue.  I said, “Thank you, Cancer, for this parking.” 

Perhaps it’s time to look for the gifts cancer gave me, instead of the negative effects chemotherapy had on my health!  😊

I hope you have a great week!  

Enjoyed this post? 

Never miss out on future posts by following this blog!

Your comments are so appreciated! 

I read each one and will respond by email.

You can also expect a visit from me as well!

Here are some blogs I sometimes link up to!

Sunday Salon @ Readerbuzz

Slow Sunday Stitching @ Kathy's Quilts

Sunday Stash @ Quilt, Paint, Create

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? @ Book Date

To Do Tuesday @ Texas Quilt Gal

Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication (Wednesdays)

I Like @ Not Afraid of Color (Thursday)