Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Books. Show all posts

Friday, August 24, 2012

A book, a cat, and some coffee...

When your head is full of ideas, your hands are full of projects, your house needs cleaning, the garden needs watering, and the dishes are piled up, what do you do? Well, as much as I wish I could be one of those people who can get in a tub full of bubbles and make the world go away, I just can't. Honestly, sometimes, if my house isn't clean and all the dishes put away--I can't even think.

BUT--when I've done all the hard stuff first, I like to reward myself.
Sometimes it's as simple as a book, a cat, and some coffee.

Have a happy day!

I'm loving "Wicked" - I like to read right before I sleep!
Perfect bookmark, right?
At some point in the late evening, two cats end up on my bed! This is one of them, lounging on the deck.
Ahhh. Coffee.
Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch...but don't get overwhelmed!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Books, Tea, Plans, Life Class


Well I took my first Zumba Gold dance workout class last week, and just got out of my second class. All I can say is...wow! I felt like a teenager at a dance party. I love it that our teacher is a grandmother, and she gave us the high and low versions of the moves, and the music was absolutely exciting and motivational with a Latin vibe and some nostalgic tunes too! I never sweat that much, even on my treadmill, walking three fast miles! So...that's the high of it. The low is...I was hurting a little the next day! But I kept stretching about every half hour--I think I was a little too in touch with my inner teenager at the class! I forgot that I'm in my fifties and I already have a pinched nerve back problem--totally forgot! I tried to pace myself today, at first, but again I got so lost in the music, I danced full out. Maybe I won't be as stiff tomorrow as I was last week. I recover fast!

In the meantime, the other day while recovering from Zumba, I was resting and watched The King's Speech--so loved it! Of course, while watching it, I had to pull out my big book on the kings and queens and look things up--I'm endlessly fascinated with the stories of all the earth's kings and queens and princesses and so on. I can't ever get enough! Then, after fixing myself a tall refreshing glass of tea, I pulled out my cross-stitch books to make a few plans. I have some pieces that are going into a new cross-stitch quilt, and I am thinking of creating a couple of more little items that will patch into the quilt--this will be a summer project, and I love it already. And let's face it, I just get inspired with ideas when I pull my books out.

My favorite book of cross-stitch patterns has really become my go-to book. It has so many motifs and patterns in it that you can stitch up just about anything that your heart desires in any combination that you wish. I have a lot of post-it notes marking pages in this book!

I also found my kitty pattern to make some new stuffed kitties. I'm going to try some with patches of materials, some embroidery, and some little cross-stitches patched onto their bellies--this could be cute.

I really think of my big corner desk as my "cross-stitch corner" because I keep a lot of those supplies there, along with pieces of fabric, discarded jewelry, beads and ribbon for my mixed-media fabric projects. This also works into my scrapbooking nicely too. My daughter went to her senior prom last weekend, and I am definitely inspired to do a few scrapbook pages with her prom photos!


What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday!

It was so fun to have a photoshoot in the park with her and her group of friends all dressed for prom. They looked like they were in the pages of a storybook! All the parents took a ton of pictures in the Japanese garden area of the park--we all had a great time before we sent them off to their dinner and their prom.

Back at home, I made myself cozy with more tea, starting work on some stitching, and watching one of the Oprah lifeclasses--I love that show. I try to watch at least one a week, and I am happy that when I first signed up for Oprah Lifeclass, they sent me a leather journal! Pretty cool. So now that I can DVR the shows I want to see, I take lifeclass notes in my little journal. Of course, I can't just take notes, I have to doodle while I'm pondering these deep thoughts. But it makes it more fun to go back and read my notes later!

After I have watched a lifeclass, taken notes, and received some inspiration and enlightenment, I always come up with some new ideas of my own. I think that's my favorite part! I try to mark those pages so that I know those were my ideas--possibly for future use. I think I'll need to do some stretching out and lifeclassing tonight. That sounds like a good plan. That, and some ice tea!

More lifeclass notes and doodles.


My daughter and her charming prom date!

Eat happy, write and doodle, dream daily, stitch some love.


Monday, July 18, 2011

Every Inchie Monday--BOOKS

Happy Inchie Monday everyone!  

Today's theme "Books" could definitely go many directions. I chose to see how many favorite books would fit on an inch. I suppose my hand-written font could have been even smaller, for sure, but after listing a few, I went ahead and added a few stitches (all good, non-digital books have stitches), some color, a teeny button and little tacks.

I could spend all day dreaming up book Inchies, but thank goodness there are many creative ones to look at on www.everyinchiemonday.com.

My daughter and I had a lovely morning today at Barnes & Noble book store. Once in a while it's nice to go on a quiet weekday morning, get a table in the coffee corner, and take your time leafing through books and mags. And I love to see what she picks out--she's quite the avid reader and writer. Very proud of her! (a future English major) I grab all the latest issues of Somerset-everything (they have several varieties of publications) and choose which one I can't live without! And now, when I'm settled down for the night with my cup of tea, I'm going to attempt "Howard's End."

We have been enjoying our summer, in spite of the continuing heatwave. I try to get up as early as possible and do my gardening by 8:30 a.m. I have a lot of writing to do, reading to do, and plenty of stitching inbetween! Due to the lateness of my garden, the tomatoes have not quite turned yet. But the plants are loaded so when they do...I'll be chained to the waterbath canner, getting all the yummy fresh tomato love packed into jars of salsa and other goodies!
Eat, READ, Write, Dream, Stitch!