Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! It’s finally here – the new year. To me, it always feels like a blank slate to be written on in ink….or a very colorful marker. I’m too old to use pencil anymore. I want to write on this new year with boldness, with confidence, with passion.


Our dog, Abby, wearing her party hat on Christmas.

Out of the entire past year, the only thing that stands out as memorable to me is blogging. I started last March. You, yes you, have filled my year with inspiration, kindness, and friendship. I'm so grateful to be a part of this community.

I’m back to blogging from my self-imposed hiatus of healing. I’m not healed, so I’m going to learn how to live with it. I live with pain anyway, it shouldn’t be too hard. I’ll take breaks when I need to, and try not to feel guilty for not replying to all posts or comments. I love your blogs, and I love to let you know that I love them.

I didn't make many gifts this year, I simply couldn't find the desire! Here's a few I did make - a couple of rice bags, for the microwave, one for my brother [the fishing fabric] and one for my aunt.



I also finished the pillow for my mom, from Vikki's pattern, Mother's Love. She LOVED it.



I finished her quilt too, but neglected to get a picture of it. She loved that too. I didn't take many pictures this year, I need to change that! I'm finally learning my camera - just discovered the other day that I can change the exposure on it, can you imagine? We've only had it for about 12 years.

Jenny and I did a little swap for Christmas. We made aprons for each other. I opened mine and started to cry - look what she did -





She made a design just for me. I don't wear it for cooking, I wear it in my sewing room! My phone has a headset, but I need something to carry the phone part in, and the pocket is perfect! I take it off to cook - heaven forbid I should get food on it. She spoiled me rotten, look what else she did....



The peace stitchery is now a pillow on my bed.



And the gorgeous placemat could NEVER be used to put food on, what if I spilled? No, it's hanging on the wall, safe from harm.

And speaking of Jenny, she's got a new BOM coming out and it's another winner! I don't know how she does it but I hope she never stops. I can't wait to start this one! What a great year this will be.

Tomorrow I'm going to find some time to sew. I have another quilt started, the one Bell sent me from this post. The four-patches are made, the daisies are traced, and I really want it done. I want to stop making real quilts [gasp] and focus on art quilts this year....but I MUST get this quilt out of my system, I love it so! What will you focus on this year? I can't wait to find out!

I wish you all happiness and prosperity in this coming year - may it hold all the joy you hope for!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I'm sneaking online to wish all my readers and followers the merriest of Christmases! May the wonder of the shepherds as they beheld the star, and the overwhelming love and peace of Christ fill your hearts and homes during this most holy season.



For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

It Can't Be Helped

This last week, I've really limited my time on my computer - after the assessment, I was in a lot of pain, and the weather didn't help. We've had front after front move through, and I've had some bad days. My shoulder isn't coming back like it should - I can barely use my right hand, and that just won't do. The least bit of mousing or keyboarding does me in.

So I'm going to take a break. I'm going off-line for a couple of weeks. I don't have health insurance, so seeing a dr. isn't an option - but I do have physical therapy exercises that I can do, along with some deep heat. I'm hoping a complete vacation from the computer along with that will do the trick. My big fear is permanent damage, and I need my right hand to sew! And of course, lift the ever-present coffee or tea cup.

I have no idea how I'm going to stand it - I wake up with email and coffee every morning! And check my mail last thing before bed. But I think I need to focus on treating my body kindly. I'm going to miss you all terribly - you feel like family, I spend so much time with you.

I'll be back right after New Year's Day. My thoughts and my prayers go with each one of you, to have a joyful and blessed Christmas with your families.

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
Love, Allie

I've Missed You!

Well, it's been a boring week - a lot of recuperating and not much else. Today I finally felt good enough [and bored enough] to start this....




I had cut all these squares back when my machine was at the spa. Last year, I made my mother a lap quilt. Lap quilts, as the name suggests, are not full size, they’re meant to keep your legs warm. Well, she tries to sleep under hers. She’s short but not that short. So I’m making a simple patchwork out of the repro 30’s fabrics for her, for Christmas. Yes, I started today, yes, I’m nuts. But you knew that, right?

I’m also working on Vikki’s stitchery pattern, Mother’s Love. I promised to show you last post, and here it is.




Sorry about the awful pictures - it was so dark in here! I colored in with crayon, but not dark enough, so I’ll be going over it again after I’m done stitching. This is for my mum’s birthday, which is December 20. I really love this pattern, and will probably make a small pillow for her from it.

The assessment is over, for now. Or should I say on hold. Clerical work is not an option. When I’m typing from home, I’m half-laying in my recliner, with my keyboard on my lap, my neck is well supported. And I really don’t type that much. Sitting upright for long periods is painful.

It’s not looking like Christmas around here yet – I’ve been admiring all your trees and décor in blogland, and feeling like a slug! My mum and friend will be coming over for a cookie baking marathon, we’ll scour the thrift store for pretty tins, and everyone will get cookies for Christmas. Unless we eat them all……mmmmmmmmmmm.



I'm finally all caught up on my blog reading, and back to commenting, thank goodness! I missed you all so much!

Hurting.

I thought this week I'd wait to post til I went for my assessment for REAL. I started this morning. The assessment is to see how my stamina is, how much typing I can do, etc. Let me say that blogging is NOTHING like working. I am so sore this evening....I have a pinched nerve in my neck, that runs down my arms, which is why I had to stop working at data entry so many years ago. Now my neck is filled up with arthritis, along with the rest of me, and I have fibromyalgia. That's why I'm doing the assessment, to see what kind of work I'm best suited to. I was hoping it would be clerical, which is what I'm used to, but I don't think it's meant to be.

Last week I didn't do much - other than working on the stitchery I bought from Vikki at Sew Useful Designs, called Mother's Love. I LOVE this stitchery! I'd show you a picture but my batteries are dead - I'm about 3/4 done. I'll show you soon!

I got a package in the mail the other day - I wasn't expecting anything, so it was quite a surprise. It was from Carrie, and oh my did she make my day!!!



Some beautiful Christmas fabric, a punchneedle snowman ornament, and CHOCOLATE all wrapped up with the sweetest Christmas ribbon!



I told Carrie she's got me hooked on punchneedle now. I want to learn it. I really love the feel of it - as much as I love fabric. It's so neat looking! Oh no, I just had a thought - I suppose now I'll have to search for punchneedle blogs, lol! Isn't he just the sweetest thing?



Thank you Carrie, you are such a dear - he's staying in my sewing room where I can see him all the time. *G*

I'm really behind in reading blogs, I hope you'll all forgive me if I don't comment too much for the next couple of weeks. I feel AWFUL reading your blogs and not commenting like I usually do....but I'm having such a hard time typing and scrolling. They're going to have me on the computer every day, doing data entry type work, and I know it's going to hurt and keep me away from my own computer. I'll be glad when I'm done! I'm looking forward to it already, lol. It's only 2 weeks - it's not forever! Y'all be good - I'll be watching! *wink*