Word of the Year

Last year my word was Inspire.  Both as a seeker of it and hopefully being an inspiration for others to find in things I have done or do through the year.  A past word has been Create.  This year I think I'm making the phrase Inspire Creativity to be my touchstone.

I came across this Instagram Post that someone I follow had shared and decided to play along.  What are the first four words you see?   I'll tell you later in the post what mine were.

January 1st I decided to start this cross stitch called Begin by Bent Creek.  Well it didn't quite go as planned.  I had to change the colour of the linen I chose as I didn't realize how long the piece was plus the recommended borders for finishing the piece.  I was lucky to find something else that a friend had found in a thrift shop that she gave me along with several other pieces of linen. Irene has my gratitude for gifting me with these pieces of linen and also a wonderful fish depression glass bowl her eagle eyes found for me last year.

I love things with words on them.  When I saw this key chain I knew it would make a great thread ring.  It also speaks to my love of travel and the connections you make along the road with friend, family and sometimes even strangers who become friends.

Here was my piece by day 2.  Of the 9 threads listed only 4 had symbols.  I have two friends in Oregon who are also going to do this piece so I reached out to them. Sadly Robin's copy was like mine lacking and Anna was moving and hadn't yet found her box with charts and linens when she first was looking.

I've also started a Wintersal with Stitchonomy. I chose to get the kit with Aida cloth and the threads which are very well organized.  I'm not sure exactly how many different colours we were sent.

After a series of Pacific Storms we had an unexpected change of some blue skies with wind blowing us around.

I love watching the cycle of the Witch Hazel during the Winter.  The orange variety blooms a week or more ahead of the yellow one.

They remind me of spider crabs a bit don't you think?

The Winter flowering Viburnum is also opening its lovely scented blossoms. Both of these plants have such strength in their beautiful colourful displays.  We have a lot of rain and occasional snow and they weather thru it all.

I took some pictures earlier in the week during the rain but they look so delicate against the blue skies.

This was my journal I used last year.  I started it in February so I still have one more month to use it.

Each of the dividing pages has some special thoughts for the month.

This is the 18 month one I got for this year.  It is a larger book and has some goal setting prompts in it.

The new one has a pocket in front to keep certain special papers.

It also has goal setting pages with various prompts on it.

A good goal for us all.

Part 4 stitched and part 5 arrived a short while ago.

I decided from the picture that the next tree was a solid colour and stitched it.  Later in the day I got an email from Anna her copy is a different edition its printed on brown not white paper and her version had the proper key to it.  I'm so grateful for this as Bent Creek has yet to respond to my query about the key.

If you have been reading this closely you will have found what the words I first found were.  

Gratitude, Connections, Change and Strength.  

My gratitude to good friends and family and the staff caring for my mom and other residents of the care home where she live. 

 Connections that have been made thru my blog with Anna and then meeting her friends in Sisters and Portland. Also thru workshops and quilting groups which have been a lifeline during this pandemic time. I cant wait to be able to travel and see them all again along with family in other provinces.

The ability to Change when you can't just drop everything and go to the store when you want to.  Having the Strength to hold onto the hope that things will improve if everyone takes the time to respect the science of what the Doctors and care givers are presenting to us.

Doing this  so we can continue to make new Connections and Changes in our lives and have the Strength to show and share Gratitude to all in this time.

 

Hello 2021 Good-Bye 2020

A lovely sunset ending the year that was and a promise of things to come.

It was there in a flash and then gone.

I decided to start a new cross stitch project on January  1st Begin.  But was delayed because my chosen fabric wasn't wide enough for it.  Also the thread legend only shared 4 of the 9 symbols.  I've written to the company for a correct sample.

Let's hope 2021 brings those of us with travel lust a chance to explore again.

I started a Wintersal with Stitchonomy just before Christmas.  Every 3 days you get another mystery row to add.

Here is day 2 of Begin.  Both those threads have symbols.

I luckily had a 20'"x20"  piece of mystery linen that I could get started with.

Looking back on December we had several snowy days on the mountains but not always down at sea level we got the rain.

 A long ago stitched project finally got quilted and hung for this year.

Along with an older round robin I had tucked way.

I found this needlecase I stitch for my bear making days.

I'm not sure who designed that moon but I'm glad I stitched it.

We did get some snow just before Christmas and I think a tiny bit was still there Christmas morning.

But it quickly melted away.

New dusting on the mountains.

My kit for the Wintersal.

Unexpected rainbows and prisms.

Two needle punch projects that need a bit of finishing.

I'm sure I added the moon to both and the star onto the pumpkin.

This is for an upcoming BOM that I'm starting at the end of the moth,

Ironically this is the book with the instructions as I print them off.

And these are the two scarves I probably wear the most.

Working on my Bee Sampler.

Lots of grey rainy days lately.

This courtyard fails to produce wonderful pictures.

November colours.

We had quite a show this year.

Wet Japanese maple leaves.

Mushrooms became a favourite thing to hunt this Autum.  Sometimes you had to look closely to see them between the leaves and plants.

Some wonderful colours in the sky.

Sunsets can be gorgeous here.

A Full Moon pumpkin growing in the front yard of a home.

Echinacea in many different colours this year.

This toadstool was amazing at one point I thought someone had pulled it out but it continued to bend back up straight eventually.

A few days later.

Beautyberry always a favourite.

Canada Geesr going for a training test flight.

Not quite in formation but straightening out. And the nose they made taking and yelling at each other as they took off was remarkable.

Always looking for the bees.

Sunset colours.

The City planted some mixed colours along the boardwalk this year.

I love this finish, of course the moon and star were my additions.

Here is the original I also changed some colours.

Love this one.

Clouds mimicking the mountains usually seen.

I finally got my Sisterhood together and have started quilting it.

This beauty was growing outside Rita's front door.

The vines actually grew all the way down to the sidewalk and gardens by summe'rs end.

A neigbour eigted me with with wonderful old pieced quilt.

Trying some different techniques with different threads.

Rubeckia.

Bee

1 of 2 bird blocks and I've made two basket blocks.

A breath of fresh air with a dear friend Rita and enjoying some lobster rolls.

Lots of exploring with hand stitching.  Bullion tendrils have 60-90 wraps.

Shasta daisy based on a photo.

Bullion drizzles some with beads on the end.

Shasta daisy which inspired the one in thread.

Summer photo in all its lush greenery.

Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show was cancelled but I still bought a bag.

Beautiful clouds.

Another bee project.

Part of a lovely display by the city gardeners.

Words to Inspire.

I never tire of the views and the sounds of the quay.

Beautiful form and colour.

The boardwalk was closed for several days due to the risk of flooding and more the huge amounts of debris being washed down fearing damage to the boardwalk.  Thankfully it reopened within the week.

You can't even see the measure stick at the end of the division marker.

Back of a project back I made several and need many more.

Front of another with a thread catcher inside.

Back of a third.

Another lovely walk.

Love this saying.

Two bags I mad in June.

Love this rice bag designed by KZ Stevens she also designed the side handle gusset tote above.

A peek inside.

Exploring the same stitch in different threads.

 One of my favourite project was the Bee Queen of the Needles case I made.  Tricky as it had 2 sides and 3 sections that needed to be centred.  Here it is completely opened from the outside.

Here is the inside.  I changed the size of the frame to allow more room for the needles.

Here it is partially opened.

And fully closed.

More to come than last year I hope.  I hope you all are healthy and safe as are your families and friends.

Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe.