My Word for 2015

I know I am a little late to this party...and I'm certain that most of you are looking at your screens in a state of shock...yes it's been a really long time...a really long time!

I've been mulling my word for a month or so now...I've really struggled with it this year...I can't seem to come up with just one word, so I'm going to try to write, in my stream of consciousness kind of way how I got to my word...words...

It started back in November...well, truth be told it started a lot longer ago, but this is when it began to make a little sense to me.  I realized on November 24, my 63rd birthday, that I had been collecting my Social Security check for almost a year...how in the world did that ever happen.  I remembered back when my mom first started getting her checks and how I thought "Dang she is so old!".  Well here I was, already a year in...whew, but the good news is I don't feel SO old...I am probably in the best shape of my life...yes you read that right...of my LIFE!  I have had the most amazing opportunity to work with a trainer since the spring...she has truly changed my life.  I work out with her 2 days a week, ride my bike, try to eat right, drink tons of water and I've even started jumping rope for a bit more cardio.  I also plan on starting Yoga.  I have made a CHOICE...I want to be as strong, flexible, and balanced as I can possibly be.  Yes, choice is one of my words...I remember when I was a working wife and mom, doing all the mom things...baseball practice, basketball practice, games one evening a week, a game or two on Saturday, homework, Cub Scouts, church, youth group..nothing out of the ordinary, just what every mom does...on top of teaching Special Ed full time, keeping a house, cooking and being a wife...again, nothing special, just doing what we all did at that point in our lives...my mom said "This time will pass, enjoy it while you're in it, but always try to make good choices."  At the time I thought, "What in the world is she talking about, make choices...I have no choices...I have to do it all!"  I have to be a good mom, wife, teacher, cook, housekeeper, pet mom, church member, volunteer and on and on...again nothing out of the ordinary...nothing exclusive to me...we were all in the same boat, rowing as fast as we could.  Over the years the circumstances have changed but there were still tons of things that I thought I needed to be the best, the best mom, mother in law, grandma, friend, business owner...why do we all do this to ourselves?  Now in my 64th year of my life I have finally figured out what my mom was talking about...we have to make CHOICES for ourselves...we can't always do it all, we can't always do what others expect us to do...we have to be happy doing the things that we choose to do, the things that make us happy...now I am not saying that we should all become self-centered, entitled women...that would not make my heart happy...I'm saying we need to make better choices...just think about it.  The thing about a choice is that we try to make the best ones, and sometimes they turn out not to be as good as we thought so we try to make a better one just around the corner.  We are a work in progress...forever!

It's taken me a very long time to be able to let things go...I hang on to thoughts of "I should have tried harder"  "I should have done more"  "What if..."  "Maybe I could have..."...I'm taking a lesson from Elsa...I'm going to "Let it Go"...I am going to be satisfied with myself that I have made the best choice, that I have done the best I can, and if sometimes that just doesn't meet others expectations...there's nothing I can do about that...so I am going to RELEASE those thoughts...I will continue to try to make the best choices, and let the rest go!

Now all of this thinking and mulling has brought me to my word...ENOUGH...this has been a very long journey for me...in my 64th year I am ENOUGH just the way I am.  I can't be everything to everybody...I can't take care of the "world"...I can't feel guilty about the things I choose not to do...I am ENOUGH as long as I make the best CHOICES daily that I can make and RELEASE the rest.

I plan to make 2015 the best year of my life so far...Strong, Healthy, Very Happy and ENOUGH!

A Little More Wool

Spent some time this morning in the wool bins in my storage closet and came up with some goodies.

A--22" x 30" Hand dyed wool...a gorgeous army blanket green...would make a great background for some wool applique...$15 SOLD

B--1/2 yard jet black wool off the bolt...just needs to be washed and it will be ready to go.  I have 6 pieces of this...so if you are planning a big project...this would be perfect...$9

C--Wool Bundle a bit over 11 ounces of wool...$20SOLD

D--Wool Bundle a bit over 11 ounces of wool...$20  SOLD

All prices are with US only shipping included.  Just leave me a PayPal email address and I'll get an invoice right out to you.

Some Wool

I have lots of wool, so bit by bit I'm going to move it on to homes where it will get put to good use.
Here are 4 bundles this morning...just leave a comment with your PayPal e-mail and the letter of the bundle you would like.

All of the pieces are around 6-7" X 12-14"...all hand overdyed...have fun.  $15 per bundle postage included...US shipping only.

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

SOLD

I'll get your invoice right out to you and it will go out in the earliest mail.

I'll work on getting some more wool posted.

Some More Destashing

Happy Saturday!  Everything from my sale this past week has been sent on its way...

if you ordered something start watching your mailbox Monday or Tuesday...it went out yesterday and all went Priority.  After my bike ride and before I started sewing I did a bit more destashing...I had planned to also put some more wool up tonight but my camera is dead so there won't be anymore picture taking...I'll be back with wool tomorrow.

Tonight I have Journey of a Quilter...by Leanne's House...

SOLD

All 10 months of the patterns, fabric for the blocks and the floss.  This was kitted by Buggy Barn and they did an awesome job.  I did a search online and found just the patterns for $130-$150...I bought the patterns and then paid $17 a kit for the fabric...so $300+...I'm asking $225 shipping included.  US shipping only.

Just leave me a PayPal e-mail and I'll get an invoice out to you and it will go in the earliest mail.  It's a wonderful kit...I just won't ever get to it.

I've Been Busy Cleaning...Again

I have spent a lot of time cleaning and making some decisions about lots of things in my sewing room storage closet.  I have come to the conclusion that I will never use all of the wool I have...I'm posting one bundle today and then in the coming days I will have lots more...good prices I promise.
Here's today's bundle...

9 solid hand dyed wool pieces...all 6-7" X 15"...$24 for the bundle and shipping is included.SOLD

I'm also putting lots of fabric up on my other blog, BrownQuiltsandMore, where I normally sell stuff...so check it out in a bit.

If you're interested in the bundle leave me a PayPal e-mail address in the comment section and I'll send an invoice right out to you and I will immediately delete your comment.

A Wonderful BLUR...

Yes, that is the only way I can describe the entire month of July...a wonderful blur!

It all began the end of June, when after a very long travel day, delays, mechanical problems, weather issues, and an extra trip back to LAX for my luggage (my project suitcase was the important one) my vacation in California began...Sewapalooza 2013!  Now don't try to Google that, it wasn't an organized retreat or anything, it was a wonderful 11 day vacation with great friends...sewing, laughing, crying (just a little), eating, shopping, and sewing some more!  It was amazing!  We did a little bit of the Southern California Quilter's Run on Saturday...no jet lag for this girl...we were on the road right around 8 (with a stop at Sonic for a Diet Coke, I needed all the help I could get)...we were off to Fat Quarters, Grand Country, Temecula Quilt Company (my absolute favorite) and Stars and Scraps.  What a fun, fun day!

Sunday through Wednesday we sewed and sewed and sewed and on Wednesday we headed back to Temecula and spent the day sewing in the shop with Sheryl Johnson...she is the sweetest person, opened up her shop to us, had yummy bread and fruit and we got to meet her sweet, sweet daughter...if you get to the area, make sure to stop in...if you love reproduction fabrics, you will love Sheryl's shop...there is so much inspiration in that shop, I could stay there for days and take in all in.

Thursday through Monday we sewed and sewed and sewed...ate great Mexican food, grilled out and just absolutely had the BEST time!  Hope we can do it again some time!

Then I came home on Tuesday and left for my week at the beach on Saturday, just enough time to unpack, do laundry and repack.  Andy went with me for the weekend, we went to 2 of our favorite fish places in Sarasota for dinner Saturday and Sunday night and then he came home Monday.  I was alone reading on my porch with this view...

Walking on the beach as much as I could...

 

These fellas walked with me a lot...

visiting with old friends, watching sunsets

and sewing in the evening

until Wednesday when the kids arrived.  We had so much fun...even when it rained

...this is the first time the kids have joined me at the beach, Josh spent every summer there until he was probably 18 or so...he was thrilled to share it with his children and will probably make it an annual vacation...that makes me very happy.  We all came home together on Saturday and spent some great time together...the kids were thrilled to spend time in the pool

...Sunday they went out to Disney and really had a great time and then headed back home on Tuesday...they had a very hard time saying good-bye to Howie...

  We went into cleaning over drive...bathrooms, laundry, sheets and towels, and were done pretty quickly...quickly enough that I got to sew a few stitches that afternoon.

So you're all caught up, whether you wanted to be or not...LOL!  I'm here sewing and cleaning and yes doing a bit more destashing...I think I may be back this week with some goodies.  I have a bunch of wool that I would really like to get rid of.  Happy weekend everyone!

Earlier Than I Thought

Oh my goodness, the morning started out just a wee bit crazy...I woke up, looked at the clock and was certain that it said 5:10...but it was odd, Andy was still in bed...that NEVER happens...he's up and out of bed every morning not a minute later than 4:30, and usually earlier.  I didn't give it another thought, went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth and in the meantime he got up, started the coffee and didn't even realize I was out of bed.  I came out looking for my coffee and he looked at me like I was nuts...I couldn't figure out what in the world was wrong...then he said, "Up a little early?"  My response, "Well a few minutes"...he then pointed to the clock...by this time it was not quite 4:20...Lesson learned...no major decisions, like getting out of bed, will ever be made again without my glasses!

But getting up early I did get to meat a night visitor to our back deck/porch...

I think he wanted to come in and have coffee this morning.  Love the little suction things on the end of his toes!

I also got out early for a short ride on Miss Pink...it was a beautiful morning and I had a lot of think time...I feel another post coming along...life related...oh I love when I open my ears...such clarity comes...I'll be back to share my insight from this morning.

I'll close for now with a little top I finished from a Primitive Gatherings club...I'm really enjoying this...a sweet friend gifted this to me for Christmas last year...it's the gift that keeps on giving...very, very fun...thank you sweet friend...I think of you often but especially when I work on these little cuties...