Just a Brag Post.

 Hello my blogger friends,

I had made for myself a goal. I thought I would try to finish some things and post them at the end of the month. Sort of like closing out a month so I  could start a new month with new ideas. With that goal in mind, I really worked hard. These were very fun goals to accomplish. The above picture is from last week when we visited Cal State Bakersfield. Emilie is working on their gardening area, she works with Edible School Yard and she grows food to donate to food banks. Its a lovely area and she has built the beds and grown some of the things you see here. She is doing raised beds, and has a area for Permaculture and its just so cool that she can do this for a job. 

I loved the sky and the clouds out there and its so quiet. It gives you the idea you are way out in the country. Since the lockdown, the Botanical Gardens have been closed. I took this picture through the fence. It looks like no one has been here in almost a year. I hope it opens soon. I loved this place. 

Now for the brag part. 

I finished my giant Cape Ann. I thought hooking took a long time, but steaming and binding was a big chore too. I do love everything about hooking though and I love this rug. 

The pattern is by Edith O'Neal. I bought the pattern from Wooley Fox

I finally finished my Ann Womack 1838 by Shakespeare Peddler.

I know I worked on it a few years, and it was the only thing I could sit down and work on in the midst of moving and when my life was so chaotic. Its kind of been my friend and I was sorry to finally finish it. It really calmed me. I do love working with my hands and I feel so much more at peace with projects everywhere. 

I got a Maggie Book for Christmas. Pure and Simple. I love every single pattern in that book. The first one I did was the bird. 

After almost two years of not doing any kind of handwork, in a way its like starting over from scratch.

This was a good project for getting my feet wet. I told myself I want to make everything in that book this year. 

I have decided I am going to get back into needle punch too. I am not the most graceful person in the world so needle punch is a challenge for me. I only made myself bleed just a couple of times so I do think I am improving. But having in a kitten in the house makes it a challenge. Max, who is a kleptomaniac as well as a kitten makes it a bit harder.  He wants the needle threader so bad and even came up to take the punch needle out of my hand. Its like having a toddler in the house. I have to hide and pick everything up because he will come in after I leave and find something that I will find later in a different room. I am so glad he can't open drawers. 

I bought this pattern from Three Sheep Studio. I love all of Rose's patterns. She has the best service too. I think this was more of a reacquainting project for me. I am going to start a new pattern from Rose really quick. Mr. Baggins. 

The great thing about moving and down sizing, was I got rid of so much clutter. The bad thing about moving and down sizing is I cannot find things I thought I packed. I do not have any batting or stuffing or even very much fabric. I have no idea in my mind where it is now but I know where it was in the old house. So I have to buy things again. It is a very pleasant thing to do, get out my sewing machine, and just have a hook in my hand or a needle or a needle punch. When I get tired of that I can always rearrange my mantel. Which I do about twice a week. This is such a blessing of a house to me. Never would I have dreamt I would love this place so much. So I am still enchanted by the unexpected. 

I hope you have a wonderful day. Tomorrow is February. I have a lovely project on my dining room table and a new rug on my frame and a new needle punch all ready to go. Lots of very nice things to think about. Trying to not read or look at news. Trying to keep my mind on nice things. Focusing on those things I can change and not looking at the things I can't. Above all not being afraid. We have blue skies and crisp cool air. 

When I look at the things I could be afraid of, I think of the miracle that God gave to us. 

William our son holding his baby, at home. When I get afraid, I can go back to the things that happened that were so good, and ignore the things that didn't. 

Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope your days are filled to the brim with good things. 

~Kim~

Lots of people go mad in January. Not as many as in May, of course. Nor June. But January is your third most common month for madness.”

― Karen Joy Fowler, Sarah Canary