Counting Bits of Joy

The year 2009 is coming to an end, not to mention a decade. With the passing years, change is ever present...employment, friends, health, technology and so much more. As individuals, it is up to us to embrace those changes...although it may not always be an easy task...reflect on that which gives you pleasure. Family Favorite wine and "treat" Garden surprise Celebration Sunrise on the beach The years may come and go...but memories can add up to a lifetime of happiness.

May you be blessed with the true meaning of Christmas.

I am fortunate to say there are many things that bring me pleasure. Here are a few... Stitching from a friend who doesn't mind it's in a bowl. A great niece enjoying her stickers. A new ornament to remind me of a "Wicked" afternoon. A cozy porch with a book or stitching. And the warm feeling of giving the money to some one in need rather than spending it on "one more gift". What pleasures can you count today?

Having a son it was time to welcome a daughter into our home. No one could predict, in fact, if there was to be girl...but I knew. She was due December 21st and since my dad's birthday was the 23rd, we all thought that would be a good arrival date. Preparing for Christmas and having an energetic "little boy" in the house, excitement was certainly in the air. By the second week of December, we were ready. So much so, the "little boy" and the bus driver knew if our front door was closed, he was to go straight to the neighbor's house. Interesting how we remember different events in our lives...at 10a.m. I knew my body was telling me to call the doctor. Having been there the day before, the doctor says "you have a couple more days but come in anyway". Arriving at the office in record time, he sends me directly to the hospital...thank goodness there was not a lot of traveling time...at 11:59a.m. there was indeed a baby girl in our lives. What's wron...

As I keep saying to my friends, "I'm going to have the movers come and take the sofa". For some reason, too much time is spent in the evenings laying on the sofa. So many samplers and so little time...they won't get stitched while on that sofa will they? Since Thanksgiving, the resident kitty has taken her share of the sofa. For me...I'm stitching again. Mind you this isn't a large piece, but it's stitched and given as a present. This little sampler is just another example of "fitting" your stitching into an already made 5"x7" frame. For a number of years, a stitching friend and I would get together and start a sampler on New Year's Eve. And until the wine took over, there was actually stitching! The pleasures of stitching are returning...hopefully old traditions will return. What pleasures can you count today?

The shopping has begun...will it get finished in time? The tree has been trimmed, yet another box of ornaments awaits...will they hang this year? The garden has bits of the Season here and there...will the skeleton remain among them? And where is the Christmas pillow for the porch? Does it matter if we say God, Spirit, Karma or Love? For me, it's Peace...Peace is what matters. May Peace be in all of our hearts today and always.

While preparing for Christmas, I've come across gifts made and given to me by "kindred spirits". There must be hours of love in each one. Yes hours of labor too...but certainly to give away such treasures has to come from one's heart. The little pillow was the first gift of cross stitch from someone who now designs (I still think of the day she brought it to me...my icy front steps gave her quite a spill.) and the box was painted by a creative gal who also designs yet continues to find time to make boxes of all sorts. Believe it or not, I found this frame in the trash...yes, trash...and my "little pillow" friend stitched the piece to fit the frame. What a surprise! And Leona, I will always treasure the pillow cases...the hours of stitching are still much appreciated and yes, they are "used" every year. This "soul sister" shares not only her love of music but her creativeness which includes presentation. When my photography becomes bette...

The decorating begins, earlier than ever before. Still there is no time to be a "scrooge" about it. However, no one mentioned there was so much required dusting and cleaning. Does one cut back on the decorating or cleaning? Or just ignore a room? Since every Santa, sampler and loved memento, deserves to stand out, I opt for whole house clean. And what could be considered drudgery is turning into fond memories of Christmas's past. The first cup of morning coffee is a "joy" looking out the kitchen window. Turn around and look into the living room where Santa stand. A small herd of sheep in the dining room. Guess what room? Would you like to see more? This Christmas brings change, but there are countless memories keeping smiles in our hearts.

Now is the time to begin thinking of Christmas. Let's start by packing away the Fall and Halloween. Sad, these things aren't out a little longer. That being said...here is an example of a "quick" finish for a Halloween stitching project. The pillow was made in such a way that the pillow form can be removed from the "sham" and used for another season. When unsure of a final finish, try pressing under raw edges and using glass headed pins to hold the stitching on top of the pillow. This small Christmas sampler is in a frame which is also used for Spring and Summer stitching. Perhaps it also could be used for a Fall project. With a little thought and math, one only has to change the count of the linen or "tweak" the pattern to reuse a lovely frame throughout the year. Let the Christmas decorating begin and count every blessing!

So much to be thankful for...family, friends, health and home...so much more. A favorite little sampler by Blackbird Designs. An added thank you to Alma for her critique of this blog and photo editing...all while preparing for a house full of "loved ones". Look around today and every day and count your many blessings. Ask for no great things, only small things with great love.

In the "Era of Woodstock", some of us named our unborn children even though we were not aware of there gender. Personally, "Baby Moonglow" felt right. Knowing "she" could not walk thru life as such, Angela Christine sounded nice. Arriving at the hospital at 1 a.m. and giving birth at 4 a.m. was frightening. Never having been in a hospital, who could think what was to come. But when the nurse handed me my child, reality set in. "Congratulations, you have a son". What? Son? No, I'm having a girl! The doctor jumps in and says, "No, you definitely have a boy". Angela Christine quickly changed to Chris Alan and tears were flowing with the realization I had never even held a baby and knew nothing about little boys! The first month was shaky but by Christmas we both were doing well. There is a reason to save everything...this ornament is hung on my tree every Christmas. Some day it will hang on the "little boy's" tree. My dad...

While pouring coffee early Saturday morning, there was a very strange noise at my front window. So strange, the coffee had to wait...and anyone who knows me knows COFFEE comes before speaking! Going to investigate, who should be setting at the window but Annie. And she says "Let me help". Robins? Wow, we thought for sure some one was trying to get in! The pyracantha bush (which looks like a tree) is full of lovely orange berries in the fall. Cool weather must be here...that's when the robins pick the bush clean. Just how can those robins be so loud? There's word of the "snow", surely it's too early. For me it's off for a cup of tea...let the weather be what it is.

"Lucy Redd Sampler" is a reproduction sampler by Homespun Elegance which was stitched many years ago. Back in the day when I thought it necessary to keep track of the time spent in stitching. Finally, giving up counting the many stitches, it was completed! It was in the late 80's or early 90's and one of my first samplers stitched on linen...why isn't there a date on it some where?! Many samplers later, it is a good idea to "hide" your initials and date some where with in the piece. Even though it's not my design, it will always be a favorite and gives me "joy". How does one take a photo of a framed piece with glass? Photography eludes me...back to stitching!

Of course, she wanted tacos for her birthday dinner So gracious opening presents "Birthdays are wonderful!" Ice cream birthday cakes are the best! Happy Birthday...hope to share many more...love you to the moon!

F irst F riday F un...where is the camera? F orgotten? No where in sight. F rantic! What to do? Continue to enjoy a F all day with a jewel of a f riend. F ound treasurers at Red Cedar Gardens, and f unky planter from The Summer's Garden and Steve Hess. A little good JuJu and sight seeing in the Historic West Bottoms of Kansas City. F ood from favorite Mexican restaurant...Manny's! More shopping and back to the car. Oh yea... FOUND ...the camera in the car, just where she said it would be! Thank goodness one of us had it together so you could see a little bit of a F antastic day... F lamingos...should have brought them home for a gift later. F abulous F airy Garden "F" Sixth letter of the English Alphabet...I like the letter "F".

I have been frantically tearing thru the house looking for my copy of "Thank You Sarah Tobias" by BlackBird Designs. And in doing so, I found so many sampler patterns and/or kits that I plan to stitch. I keep thinking I should weed out a few but how can I when I still love every one of them?! Plus, where will I hang more samplers? I counted that I have at least 75 framed samplers...most of which, I have stitched myself. Yes, there are several that were gifts. Not too many people truly appreciate a hand made gift, let alone a stitched sampler...thank you to those "special stitchers...you know who you are and I think of you and appreciate you even more when I see your hours of stitching. I'm not going to worry about more wall space but please, let there be more time!

I really hope to get back into my stitching and this is a little progress... I should mention along with being new to blogging, I also have a new camera. My "jewel" of a friend is giving me little tips, but I may be hopeless...she's the photographer! I believe tonight is a full moon...too bad it's cloudy. Now I'm glad I was up at 5am this morning...the moon was beautiful!!

Never would I have imagined creating a blog would take days. Not for lack of thoughts...oh no, deciding on a name! Who would have thought there are so many "Joys" in the world. But with perseverance and encouragement from my friend...thanks Sharyn, here I am. I wanted to share the many joys that i truly enjoy such as counted cross stitch samplers...thus the "counting". There is a little bit of joy in every one's day...one only has to open a greeting card to verify that. And with a fondness, I remember my dad calling me "little bit". Oh my gosh, did I some how hit on a name?! My hope is to pass on my delights of stitching, gardening, family and friends. I know I have a lot to learn in this new world of blogging and hope to learn quickly. There appears to be so many wonderful people in this world of blogging so I'm jumping in!