One Little Word 2013 edition

As 2012 was drawing to a close I began thinking about what word I wanted to focus on this year.  I was drawn to the following but none of them were feeling right...

* dream
* grow
* celebrate
* explore
* fierce - brave

On the main day of my word quest I ended up in the garage talking to Boyd and said I was thinking of using dream but didn't really want to since I've used it before. I was a little drawn to Grow but it didn't feel right.  He threw out a few and then he said....

PROSPER

After pondering it for a day it totally fits what I (we) want for the year! To become strong and flourish and to succeed/thrive!

 

Definition of PROSPER

intransitive verb

1

: to succeed in an enterprise or activity; especially : to achieve economic success

2

: to become strong and flourishing 

transitive verb

: to cause to succeed or thrive

Thesaurus of PROSPER

to grow vigorously prospering

on the new fertilizers>

Synonyms burgeon (also bourgeon), flourish, prosper

Related Words luxuriate, overgrow, proliferate, shoot up; germinate, root, sprout; bloom, flower, fruit, produce, propagate, regenerate, seed

2

to reach a desired level of accomplishment prosper

after years of crushing setbacks>

Synonyms arrive, flourish, prosper, thrive

Related Words prevail, triumph, win; excel

One Little Word 2012 year in review

As one year draws to a close and a new one is starting it's fun to look back at the One Little Word I chose for the year 2012 ...

Blossom
Change
Transform

To me they all basically mean the same thing. Change just seems to simple. Transform feels more like what's going to happen - definitely having more energy to transform the house into the image I have in my head. Blossom is also what I hope happens this year - blossoming into a better person.

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I primarily focused on the word Blossom but held the others close.  And blossom I did. 

At work I blossomed, speaking up and making sure the manager knew I was the one with the ideas.  Helping others especially those in other departments whenever possible.  As a result I've earned the respect and friendship of people in the company.  I even received a Christmas card from the manager of dealer services (she's one of the top 10 people in the company) and I'm the only person from my department to get one from her!

In life I blossomed, to me this picture sums it up


As a child born in the 70s, growing up in the 80s and 90s, I always wanted to be a funky dresser and this year I had the courage to become that girl!


Also at the work Halloween party I dressed up as a witch - for me if you're going to dress up you may as well go all the way. I had the long black dress, funky witchy socks, makeup and a witches hat. 



People didn't recognize me until I talked to them.  :)  The VP of the company called me a witch when I took her picture .... took me a sec to realize I couldn't be upset with her.  Later that week she pulled me aside and said as she and her husband (the pres and owner of the company) were driving home after the party she told him that she just can't believe that I work in the IS department.  I seem to be to creative to only be a developer.  :)  talk about making my day!  Then she asked if I would like to help stage our cabinets for photos sometime ..... talk about Blossoming!

Here at home I've also been blossoming.  After making many things for family and friends we decided to start selling some of what I make.  We are still in the process of setting up but in the months since we made this decision, I've been hired to make a few things.  A tree skirt for a Mickey tree and after gifting Mandy a simple scrapbook album she asked me to make her 2 albums for christmas gifts.  =)

That gave me the courage to ask Mandy if she wanted an album for baby's first christmas.  I was excited when she said yes!  She also asked me why I wasn't selling them at craft shows.  =)

Boyd has also blossomed, changed and transformed - as he's loosing weight and getting closer to his goal.  The other day I was giving him a hug and told him it felt like I wasn't hugging my husband - he's so skinny!   He is blossoming at home being a great stay at home doggie dad, if only for awhile.

This fall I found a quote that totally sums up my year ...

I was once afraid of people saying "Who does she think she is?" now I have the courage to stand and say "This is who I am." ~ Oprah Winfrery

Thankfulness

This year of being thankful has been filled with many thoughts and ideas of what I'm thankful for.  I say something new most everyday.  What hasn't been easy for me is to take the time to write up what I'm thinking.

and alas I ran out of energy to try and type up what I've been thankful for ...

November 11 - Veterans Day

Thank you to all of the veterans who have served our country and also to all those currently serving our country.

My heart goes out to all of the parents (family and friends) who are going through there first Veterans day with a child in the military.  Especially my great nephew D who is going through basic training.

November 9 & 10

November 9 I'm thankful for coworkers that make me laugh.

November 10

I am so thankful for the day 2.75 years ago when I saw a puppies for sale for Christmas sign.  I had puppy brain the rest of the day at work.  A few days later we adopted our Emma Blossom.

Today is her 3rd birthday! She makes us laugh every day and I know that's why she came into our life.

Thankful Day 6, 7, 8

Thankful Day 6 - thankful for the right to vote and the country I live in.

Thankful Day 7 - thankful for my drive to work.....

Thankful Day 8 - Today I am thankful for the company where I work.  I talked to the co owner and she told me how creative and artistic I am.  Especially since I work in the IS department.  She thinks I'm in the wrong area.  On top of the complements she asked me if I'd be interested in being the artistic person for display photos because she's getting tapped out.  ----- I held my breathe and said YES without screaming!!!!!!  I am so excited.  I have so much respect for her and I am blossoming under her complements!


Also, I am thankful that I joined the local quilt guild.  I'm starting to met more women and I'm having fun with them.  Tonight we had the christmas party and even with the very late dinner, me getting the wrong meal and getting it LAST, and not having my plate picked up even though my napkin was over it.  We had so much laughter, that's what I like about this group.


It has been quite the week.  I'm thankful there's only one more day till the weekend....

Thankful Day 5

Today I am ever so thankful for my understanding husband. 

When I got home from work and getting my hair done last night I felt off.  At 7 pm he looked at me as said honey why don't you go lay down.  That's the last thing I remember before my alarm went off at 5 this morning.  :)

Then I got in some cuddle time with Miss Emma, seems she wouldn't go out when Daddy called her.  As soon as my alarm went off she was on the bed with me.  sigh!

Thankful Day 4

Today we are thankful for our family cuddle time....



Even when it means momma or daddy aren't totally on the bed or have covers.

This afternoon I spent some time adding borders to a quilt top I finished a few weeks back.  This quilt is for a great nephew, I hope that he will enjoy it.



 I still need to decide what kind of finish I want to do, traditional quilting, flannel back, or fleece back.  No matter what I chose it will definitely be a project to finish.

Note to self ... I don't like putting on the third border....I kept begging Boyd to finish and telling him it was a straight seem.  He didn't take me up on it.....

This is the fall table mat that I was working on over the weekend.  One is done and waiting to be wrapped as a birthday gift.

Thankful Day 3

Today we are thankful for our friends, both in real life and those we know online.

This afternoon we had the opportunity to meet up with one of Boyd's high school classmates and his wife at their wedding lunch.  It was nice for me to meet them both and for Boyd to reconnect with an old friend. 
 


Additionally I am thankful for the nice and helpful quilting ladies that work at one of the local shops.  It seems every time I have a question they are open and helpful - some are even good at telling me I don't need a tool because I have X at home that I can use.

This afternoon while watching a train wreck of a football game (my team lost) I finished up two fallish table mats.  I did an opps and with 2 extra fat quarters I was able to finish the first and make the second.  :)  All I have left to do is quilt and bind.

The mat is so simple I'm thinking of all the other holiday fabric I have in my stash and wondering what other holidays I should make one for.  =)  Can anyone say Christmas gifts?

As for pics I'll share when I have one done. 

Thankful Day 2

Today Buddie and Emma said they wanted to do the Thankful post.  They are so thankful that we have a big yard where they can run and play.

I am also thankful for the yard where they can play and the nature it draws to us.  This fall while doing yard work I found 3 birds nests in our front yard.  The picture shows one of the nests, another is in the birch tree behind the first and the third is in the burning bush on the other side of the front door.


I am also thankful for the fact that Boyd likes to mow the yard.  Even though I've done it a time or two, it's not something I truly enjoy and he does.  :)


This afternoon I finally finished my framed stars quilt top.  I love how it turned out, I collected all the star prints on a quilt shop hop with a friend.  The colored strips I picked up at a local quilt store because I thought they would set off the stars.  The black and white prints I had in my stash and like how they pulled it all together.

Thankful Day 1

A friend kindly reminded me that it's that time of year.  The time of year to be grateful or thankful for one thing a day until Thanksgiving.

Today I am copying her and saying I am thankful for Traditions.  For the new and the old. The familiar things we do and the new things we want to become traditions.

Already this year I've attended two ornament parties.  I hope that they become traditions, each year finding new ornaments to make and add to our collections.  Spending time with cousins and watching the little ones grow up, adding more complex ornaments to the list.


I'm also looking for a traditional meal to have on Halloween.  In the past we've had pizza, and last night we had an overnight egg casserole.  The casserole is easy to put together the night before and easy to finish up and put in the oven.

This year I also hope to get my family involved in picking what we are thankful for.  :)

Projects update

I'm using my blog to keep track of when I do things so here's my latest update.

Here's the Tom Turkey I finished awhile back


This is a table mat that I finally finished


Here's the finished snow couple I finished over the weekend.


Last week I helped out with the company Halloween party.  It was fun seeing all of the kids and some of the adults.  I had to stop at the store so my friends double dog dared me to get my picture taken with the clerk.  =)


I'm also working on a super cute spool tree, I need to add the finishing touches before I show it off.  :)


Happy Halloween from vampire emma...

The cocoon of home

How do we teach people to leave the cocoon of home?  How do we teach them to take that with them and go out on their own?

I love the fact that we both love our home and like to be there.  I'm noticing as we grow older we both just want to be at home.  Today I didn't even want to come to work, I just wanted to stay in the cocoon of home.

It's not the four walls of home, it's the family that's there that's hard to leave.  Even when the family brings me to work it's hard to get out of the car. 

I know it's the love and support that we have for each other that's hard to let go.  We need to figure out how to take that with us even when we are apart.  I'm really thinking of getting lockets or that new charm company necklace to have little bits of us, so we can always carry it with us.  Think I can get Boyd to wear one?

Rainy weekend....

The weekend seems to have flown by.  I was off work early on Friday so we could attend a nephews football game.  I love watching 'my boys' play, and make an effort to get to one of each of the three nephews playing football games.  Three different schedules and two different school districts.  It's tricky but I did it this year! 


Saturday I have no idea what happened.  I was up a few times and got a few things done, including supper in the crock pot.  The rest of the time I was trying to catch up on shows and woke up at 5 pm. Boyd said it was fine but I felt bad.  I ended up going to bed early to.  I guess I must have needed the sleep cause I didn't wake up till 8 this morning.

After catching up on all of my shows this morning, I got so much done!  Laundry all 4 loads, loading the dishwasher and getting it run.  And some fun sewing.

I saw an idea on the P board and knew it would be perfect for some fabric I had stashed.  I ended up putting on my own spin and came up with this....



The original had one snowman and I liked the idea of two.  Plus I added the hat and bow.  :)

I just finished the top today, I want to figure out how to make the snowmen a little poofy.  :)

UFO finished today... Tom Turkey, feels like he needs something else but for now he's done.

A weekend full of unfinished projects...

that got FINISHED!

On Friday I made a plan on what I wanted to accomplish, Boyd had plans all weekend and I knew it would be TOOO easy to fall into watching TV and doing nothing.

My grand plan was to clean off the table and pull out some projects that have been half way done, including some belated Christmas gifts.  And work on them as much or as little as I wanted between movies and football games.

First off I decided to work on a quilt I have in progress.  I had the base of the blocks done and just had to add two more strips then sew them into rows.  With my sewing machine upstairs and my ironing in the kitchen (gotta get some exercise) I was able to do a row in the time it took to wash one load of laundry (more exercise going down 2 more sets of steps).  I was able to finish two and a half rows before my favorite sewing machine started to complain.  :)

My next project was to clean off the table, putting all my crafting supplies on a temporary shelf I setup under my peninsula ledge. With that done, I pulled out two table runners I've had in progress.

After much debate on my part on what I should use as a backing I finally decided and got this finished....



I made this from a picture I saw, so I'm very happy with how things turned out.

Then from the scraps I made a quilted pin for my quilt guild on Thursday.  Still need to get a picture of this.

My next project was to quilt and bind this pumpkin table runner I made a few weeks ago.


This afternoon I decided to work on a wreath I saw on Pinterest, here's the sneak peak...

It will be changing.  :)

Then tonight I pulled out the Christmas placemats I made for my mom last year and still need to finish.  I was able to get all of the bindings cut - I finally decided that having different binding fabrics was OK.  I still need to do the final join of the bindings and then finish them up.  The next big decision will be do I finish the bindings by machine or by hand.  My fingers tell me it should be by machine. 

Surprisingly the Sunday night blahs didn't get me tonight.  I'm just staying up late typing this and procrastinating going to bed.  LOL

I felt like I've had a great weekend getting things done and my creative mojo got a good boost.

UFO list that I will admit to wanting to work on. ;)
* Mom's quilt - finish quilting and bind.
* Turkey wall hanging - quilt and bind
* Christmas table mat - quilt and bind
* Halloween quilt - quilt and bind .. This was my very first quilt
* yellow and blue quilt - working on blocks
* dresden plates - applique the plates, make the blocks, quilt and bind.
* purple quilt - quilt and bind

flip turned upside down

it's been one of those weeks where I thought Tuesday was Thursday and Friday was Monday.  So I've just been going with the flow.  Lots of weird stuff going on and it's really starting to affect me.  I'm hoping for some regrouping time this weekend.

Ever had those weeks where it feels like tons of ideas are soaring in your face and you can't focus enough to grab one?  that's kind of where I'm at.  For some reason I'm stuck on art journals and making my own planner.  we'll see how that one works out - since my project bag contains a glue stick and colored pencils it will be interesting.  ;)

I worked on a new sewing project last weekend.  It did not turn out like I was expecting/hoping.  I need to do some more work on it and I have no desire.  Plus since it's a sewing project I'm not setup for my quilting anymore.....so no fun quilting work.  :(

As for my cleaning and organizing projects, I really need to figure something else out for organization.  My dining room table is a cluttered mess because it's full of my ornament project, quilting project,  cricut stuff, plus the crafty purchases I've made in the last week.  Maybe I should just empty out my china closet and store everything in there.. ?

Someday everything will just fall into place, right?

Cherish what you have

Cherish what you have, because you never know how long we have.

A friend from work had her mom in a local hospital for 2 or 3 weeks.  The Tuesday after Labor Day they had an appointment in IC for additional testing.  The additional testing found cancer.  Her mom passed away on Thursday morning.

Today was the visitation, tomorrow is the funeral.

For some reason the visitation really hit me hard.  I didn't know her mom, only Jay.  When I left the funeral home I could barely hold the tears in.

I realize that part of it is the hurt I feel for Jay, she had her mom and in the blink of an eye she was gone.  She and her mom had a difficult relationship as mom always complained that she was in pain.  Looking back I'm guessing that the pain was caused by the cancer - WTF were the doctors doing around here that no one found it.

That's another thing that's pissing me off.  In one week I've heard of three patients who were in local hospitals who had DNR paper work on file and the doctors didn't take the time to figure out what was wrong.  Two of the three ended up finding out they had terminal cancer when they went out of town to a bigger hospital.

Since when does DNR mean we aren't going to figure out what's wrong with you? Especially when you're going in because your in pain - not a life threatening condition.  I'm tempted to have my mom pull her paper work, if she has it on file anywhere.

Events like this always make me sit back and realize what I have.  How I need to take more time to let the people I care about know that I care about them.  They remind me of the times I was to tired to go see my Grandma and today I would give anything to go see her.

Remember to hug the loved ones you have close and call the ones far away.

Weekend update and pictures

So I ended up with crafting time this weekend ..... it did me good even if I ended up with another UFO in my pile.  :)

Saturday I made the pumpkin table runner I've been wanting to make for a few years ... most of it was done while I was listening to a football game, that really puts time into perspective for me.


It's just the top so I still need to bat, quilt and bind.  Quilting is not my favorite thing so I tend to delay that part.  My goal is to get it totally done so I can have it out this year....that means I have until Thanksgiving right.

Today I made a little mug rug using the leftover strips from the pumpkin table runner


This one is totally done .... yeah me!

These are the Mickey and Minnie ornaments I made


This is the quilt top that's been on my design wall for awhile


Now to figure out a project I can work on during the week.

On another note, my cousin who I've been doing a lot of crafting with sent me a text last night.  "My husband loves the Halloween tree we made.  He wants to know if we can make sports trees for our favorite college teams."  =)  Now to collect ideas for a sports tree.

Edited to add another mug rug I whipped up.  I was looking for a project and came across another table runner and the extra block.  I quickly made the extra block into a mug rug .... seriously 30 mins.

projects

so after my bored post I decided I needed to work on some of my projects that have been lingering.

As of tonight I've....
* make a candy garland project that I saw online.  I now have orange and black 'candy' hanging in the kitchen window.  And a short white string on the halloween tree my cousin and I made a few weeks back.
* made time to sew every few days and finished a quilt top that's been on my design wall since June or July.  Now that it's done and I've showed it to folks everyone loves it.  My cousin even said "are you sure you made it? It looks amazing!!".
* made some more mickey ornaments
* worked on some minnie ornaments - I still need to add the ears.
* made up 6 hours of work time ... only two more to go.
* printed project images or work sheets that have been in my "To Print" folder for too long.
* joined the local quilt guild



This weekend I need to do some things for family.  I really don't want to, I'd rather be home crafting!

I have a lot of quilt ideas/projects/lined up to start.  I'm thinking it's time to do the pumpkin table runner I've had hanging out for a few years.  There's also the quilt I want to do for a nephew, I saw an idea last night and I think I'm going to copy it.  A nice quilt top backed with fleece or minkie and then hand tied.  I have such trouble getting quilts quilted.

I'd also like to get some scrapping in.

Happy Weekend everyone!

.... I'm bored

Over the last few weeks I've been feeling, well bored. Especially in the evenings when my hubby is working or hanging out in his man cave.

 I feel the need to move, then I look at the clock and know if I exercise I won't sleep. When I go to sleep late it's so hard to get up in the mornings and I struggle through the day.

The feelings of boredom, tired of watching tv, not knowing what to do with myself.

 I have so many hobbies, there's not one I want to start and none seem to hold my interest.

 Life is crazy, I'm super busy at work and since there's no benefit to working overtime, I'm not putting in the extra effort.

Surprisingly, more often than not I find myself closing the computer, putting away the phone and not even picking up a book. I'm tired of losing myself online or in the fantasy of a book.

 I want to be here in real life, in the real world that we have created. I want to have that comfortable home and when it's picked up I'm bored.

What is up with that????

There's no one I feel comfortable talking to. How do I complain about being bored when most of my friends have kids and they are pulled in so many different directions everyday that they have very little time for them?

 Off to the bulletin board to see if there's something I can make tonight....