We're off!!!!

I'll miss you Friends, but I'm off to the Happiest Place on Earth!  Be back in 2 weeks!  Take care of yourselves!

I made something for my sister.......

some HUMBLE PIE!!  Hee heehee (Love you, Sis!)

Ok Folks, I had myself one deee-lish-us Wednesday.  I had been looking forward to this day since last Friday, I believe it was, when one of my most favorite people suggested we get together for some crocheting- and it was all I had hoped it would be!  Now, the last time I got together with said stellar person with the express intent to craft....well.....let's just say there was less crafting and more talking! However, we were determined this time to be productive!

What?  I like to treat my favorite people right!  (It's only proper to have a pot of tea and a tummy yummy ready for company of such high calibre, isn't it?)

And then, just prior to the most excellent girlfriend arriving....my sister calls.  I tell her what I'm getting ready to do and, with what I believe was an air of jealousy, she said- and I quote- "So are you ACTUALLY going to crochet this time?????"

Love you, Bethy!

Quotidian

Main Entry: quo·tid·i·an

Pronunciation: \kwō-ˈti-dē-ən\

Function: adjective

1 : occurring every day

2 a : belonging to each day : everyday b : commonplace, ordinary

— quotidian noun

I have committed myself to attending a women's group that is called "Otium Sanctum" (Holy Leisure). It is the most amazing group of women, and I find myself challenged and inspired in ways I have never been before.  We pick a book to discuss chapter by chapter, this is our current selection.  The author is Kathleen Norris who has authored another book entitled "The Quotidian Mysteries: laundry, liturgy, and women's work". I haven't read but what is available here, but I believe it is going to have quite an impact on how I view the "menial" parts of my day.....like cleaning these dust bunnies and cobwebs off of the top of my kitchen cabinets!

Handmade Christmas Gifts

Since I had mentioned to you lovely folks that I attempted a handmade Christmas, I thought I should share some pics so that you could see what I made.  I could kick myself for not taking pictures of everything, such as the lavendar sachets and embroidered handkerchiefs, but here are my mother's and sister's gifts.....

This was Momma's pillow I embroidered and backed to match her livingroom.

This is the purse that I needle-felted for Beth.

Now to come up with some fantastic something for Momma's birthday......hmmmm.... hard for me, in my limited skills, to top Momma's pillow!

Craft du jour

Feeling a pang of shame for sending my fabulously wonderful Aunt G the supplies to crochet me this...

I have decided that perhaps I should exert the effort to teach myself this beautiful craft that I have longed to learn for so long.  Having said that, I am a visual learner and need someone to SHOW me how to do it!  Enter YouTube.  Did you know that you can find absolutely any craft that you want to learn how to do on this modern marvel?  Well truthfully, I have avoided YouTube- but I have seen the light!  And because sew many of you have mentioned to me that you'd like to learn how to crochet, here's a link to a woman's video series on how to crochet.  She teaches very clearly, though at times her videos are a tad bit fuzzy.  SO I'm off to purchase yarn and a crochet hook!  Wish me luck!  And if this inspires you to give crocheting a shot, let me know!  I'll try to post a few pics as I learn.....and I'll certainly post my lovely scarf when Aunt G finishes it!  Ooooo I love me some Aunt G!

Boy not-so-delighted

The boy asked me to make him a scarf.  I was thrilled because I never get to make HIM anything!  He loved it and said I was doing a great job- though merely blanket-stitching two pieces of fleece together.  Then I was finished, and he hates it.  He said it is too big.  Momma's heart is broken.  :o(

Guess what we're doing????!!!!!!

Ahhh, a new year....

Don't you find that there are just soooo many possibilities for a new year? I could lose weight. I could become a better cook. I could read the Bible entirely through in a year. I could say "yes" to my children more. I could actually run the Susan G Komen 5k instead of walking it. It's endless!

This year, I truly want to learn to sew better. I want to hone some skills that I can pass down to Abby, that she can pass down to hers, and that she can pass down to hers. Lots of things interupt life- but now I'm determined to start a life of domestic hand-me-downs.

On that topic, my sister, mother, and I decided to attempt a handmade Christmas. It was my best Christmas ever! Not just because of the beautiful gifts I received....which believe me, are well worth the title- but because the meaning of Christmas just seemed much more real to me this year. Christ, family, time, devotion......they all took on new meaning. Don't you worry, I'm gettin' to the photos in just a minute.....

Momma took some material I had bought and pain-stakingly made a LOVELY tab top valance for my diningroom windows.

Beth found some inspiring scrapbook paper (to go with my bedroom) and made some INCREDIBLE artwork for my walls to compliment a painted canvas she found in a shop.

(She even, extremely creatively, lended a hand-made touch to my husbands electronic gift! hahahahahahahaha)

Oh, and have you seen what Abby made us for Christmas???

Oh, and dear Friends and fellow bloggers....look at this little blog-support gift from the precious HUBBY!!!

So my hope for you? That you live YOUR 2010. From beginning to end. Who needs resolutions if you're determined to live the life you've dreamed of Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of January through December from now until _______? SO I'm off to make my boy a rubber ducky scarf.......and if it snows tonight and Birmingham shuts down tomorrow, I just may start on that quilt for Abby's doll......