Cushion Covers

 

My theme word in 2024 was 'create'. I'm afraid I didn't actually create too much due to various interruptions (read more here). 

I hope to try again in 2025 and have selected renew as my new theme word. I selected it to help remind me that I need to renew myself in body, mind and spirit. This word is very open ended and will also help remind me to renew my creativity. Creativity helps my mind and my spirit too.

I've started the first month with a project for a loved one whose birthday is coming up next month. She lives over 1200 km away but she is going to be visiting the province soon and will be staying about an hour away from where I live.  We've made tentative plans to get together for lunch; perhaps an overnight visit if she can manage the time.  I already know she loves the cushion and the colours I've used though she doesn't know I've made it for her.

Front

Back

I still have to block the cushion cover to make it look crisper and 'straighter'. I'm also hoping to make a cushion insert.

I like how it turned out and it has helped reduce my stash of crafting supplies so I've decided to make another cushion with coordinating colours.

Sunny at Last

It was a beautiful, sunny day but such a cold wind.

I wish you all a fabulous weekend. Let's all send warm thoughts and prayers for the people of Los Angeles and the people of the Pacific Palisades community in particular. The devastation there is unbelievable.

Joining in with Skywatch Friday.

The First Week of January

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope your first week of the New Year has gone well for you. I've had a steady week...not overly busy but getting a few things done.

The decluttering continues.

A few master bathroom items were tossed

and replaced as per the next 3 photos.

I also got rid of an area rug. I really like the print but the rug never did have a comfortable home here and I didn't like the quality so out it went. It was purchased on line so I wasn't able to check it out well before I bought it. I've had my eye on another area rug but after checking it out in the store, I decided it wouldn't do so I'll manage without a replacement for now.

A carpet that wouldn't cooperate

 

I didn't like this cushion cover so I'm remaking it.

I've started the re-do (sorry for the poor lighting).

The cushion cover finished. Now for the backing.

I waited weeks for a notice from the library about the books I put on hold. Earlier this week I picked them up.

The first books of 2025

I purchased a lot of fruit and vegetables which need to be used quickly because they aren't top quality.  I'm trying to use the vegetables in new ways.

A completely vegetarian meal (below) which is quite unusual for us.  I have been craving sweet potatoes with peanut sauce (a Ugandan dish) and it was yummy.

Green beans & almonds, sweet potato and peanut sauce, mixed beans & cabbage

The broccoli, potato, chicken coconut curry was especially delicious so I'll be making it again.

So that's it for now. I. hope to be making similar progress in the weeks ahead. Have a great week!

Hello January ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to the New Year friends to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. Toni liked to talk about each new month and it's meanings. 

January was named for Janus the two faced god who looked behind and ahead.  Its the warmest month in the southern hemisphere and the coldest in the north.

Garnet is it's gem stone.  Garnets come in all colors but the rarest is the Tzavorite.   

January 7 is Eastern Orthodox Christmas because some eastern churches use the original Julian calendar which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. 

  

January became the first month of the year in 450 BC for the Roman world.

Let's talk about two faced January.

1. Looking back, what do you hope continues or does not change in your life?

The love of my DH, family and friends and a good church group.  

 2. What good came to you from the previous year?  

I found a new church that I like and that fellowships at a time I can attend.

3.  Are there things you hope to accomplish in the new year?

I tend to have too many things I'd like to do. Experience and time has taught me my limitations.  For various reasons I cannot do as much as others or even as much as I used to do. This year I will focus on continuing to declutter and making a cosier home. I will also focus on more crafting.

4.  January's flowers are the carnation and the snow drop. Do you sometimes buy flowers for your home? What kinds of flowers to you like best? 

Yes, I sometimes do buy flowers for my home especially in the Spring and Summer.

I definitely don't buy as often as I used to due to the high cost. Once in a while someone else buys me flowers. 

My nephew delivered a bouquet to me on January 1st.  I was happy. If it wasn't too dark as I type this post, I would take some photos and share them with you.

The End of 2024 in the Sky

Hello dear friends and fellow bloggers,

Happy New Year to each and every one of you. I hope that 2025 is your best year yet.  May the year be everything you hope it will be.

Today on the first Friday of the New Year 2025, I'm sharing the last sky photos taken the day before Christmas 2024 and the day after Christmas, in that order.

The day before Christmas

and the day after.....

We've actually had a lot of rain but just before Christmas the sky gifted us with some pink pastels.

Thank you for stopping by and viewing my Skywatch post. I hope to hear from you and to visit your blog as well.

Happy New Year!! 

“Don't wait until February to start living in January.”
― Anthony T. Hincks

Theme Words 2024-2025

Hello friends,

I hope the New Year has started off well for you.

On this first day of 2025, I took things slowly.  I give this gift to myself each and every year as a way to try and centre myself before having to get back into the usual flow of things.

The Christmas decorations were taken down but I won't retrieve the storage tubs to put them all away until tomorrow.  I know the 12 Days of Christmas is not over until January 5th this year but I've had the decorations up quite early this year.  In any case, I usually do try to take them down a day or two into the New Year.  What about you dear reader? Do you like to put the decorations away on January 1st, wait until the Day of Epiphany (January 5, 2024) or another day?

I'm planning to spend time this week doing some deep cleaning and set the house back in order. 

Today I washed the master bathroom shower curtain and liner.  I'm noticing that the rug in the master bathroom is beginning to look ragged and in need of replacing so I'll keep an eye out for one though it isn't a big rush.

The pillows also seem to need replacing.  I've had the current pillows for going on 6 or 7 years.  They don't seem to hold their shape anymore or feel as fresh even when washed.  I've order some new pillows and pillow protectors that are supposed to be good for those that suffer from dust or allergens. My DH is sensitive to dust so I'm hoping the new pillows will suit the need.

After taking down the decorations, the fireplace mantle looks so bare.  Usually there is a large framed African batik print hanging above the fireplace. But when I put up the Christmas decorations, I banged the picture and the glass shattered. So now I have to find a place that will replace the glass.  for now I have an old faux painting over the mantle.

I also have several bags in front of the fireplace to sort through.

These were the last books I read in 2024.

I had a modest goal of 30 books in 2024 and ended up reading 60 books.  The pages read total was 21, 898 pages.  I'm sorry I didn't exceed 22,000 but oh well.  For 2025 I've set another modest goal of 40 books. I may end up reading more but then again if I do more handcrafts, I might have less time for reading.

In 2024, I selected a theme word for the year.  My word was 'create'.  I intended to create things primarily through sewing, crochet and knitting and possibly other hand crafts. I didn't quite get to what I wanted due to other disruptions, mainly renovating the patio and the master bedroom. The patio project just seemed to go on and on and on.  They started the work in February 2024 and didn't finish until September 2024.  During that time, they started on my patio but only came back very sporadically until the last month.  They were working on other patios in the building.

By the time, they finished the work, it was too late to plant anything for the summer. In fact the summer was pretty well over for the year. I did manage to purchase a new patio umbrella and patio chair cushions as well as set up the furniture and planting pots but nothing else will be done until the Spring of 2025. 

As far as creating goes, I managed to knit 23 dishcloths.  I make them for myself and for gifts to friends.  I also made a crocheted cushion cover. I'm not happy with how it looks and plan to undo all the granny squares and create a border between each square instead. Last, but not least, I tried to learn how to bead. My first effort isn't that good but I learned a lot. I hope to finish this beaded pin in January then I'll be making a few other items.

If you're like me, I always underestimate the supplies I'm going to need.  Often it's because I'm making things up as I go, lol. So I've been purchasing some items to get started on some crocheted items and beadwork, possibly leather work.  It's been such a long time since I did any beadwork.  Back in the day I made jewellry which was quite popular with the women in the community. One needs so many supplies to do any kind of beading and it can get pricey. I think almost all crafts are quite pricey these days.

I bought a set of hooks so I should have the right sized hooks for most projects.

Granny squares without borders.

A multi-coloured skein of yarn I'm hoping to use for borders.

Most of these dishcloths were made with my cotton yarn stash.

I think I've slowed down on knitting dishcloths. I want to move on to other knitted projects. I'm not a proficient knitter so it will take me time.

Last, but not least, I started a beaded project. I haven't finished it yet so I'll wait another month or so before I take a photo of the finished project.

I no longer make goals or resolutions as such and haven't done for years. I find having one word that encompasses the majority of things I think I'd like to do over the year helps me a lot.

In 2025 my theme word is 'renew'. 

I'm hoping to renew my physical body. I need to get some energy back.

I'm hoping to renew my spirit.  I need to make sure I do more to keep my spirit strong and my spiritual life focussed on God and his promises during these challenging times.

I'm hoping to renew my mind and my creative spirit.  I've been preparing and I'm looking forward to getting a few things underway.

Are you planning any goals or resolutions.  If not, do you select a theme word for the year?

Happy New Year 2025