bodner067

I want to thank each of you for your kind words throughout 2014; all the comments, emails, gifts, and support have helped make a somewhat difficult year, much easier. There has been a change in the blogging world over the past year and I'm sure all of you have noticed it, too. So many long-time bloggers have left this format to share their works through Facebook and Instagram and it has definitely made a difference in our little community. There seem to be fewer visits to our blogs, fewer comments, and a general feeling like people are slowly drifting away from blogging. For me, that's sad... The truth is, blogging does take a lot of time, but I love the feeling of permanency that I feel is lacking in the other venues. I love being able to scroll down through my blog and see all of my finishes and read about the exact fabric and fibers that I used ever since I wrote my first post almost seven years ago. I love, most of all, the personal connections that have come my way throug...

Only two more days 'til Christmas--are you ready? I'm feeling quite relaxed-- finally. All the presents are wrapped, the baking done, and the cards sent. The tree is up and decorated and by tomorrow evening I'll have all three of my sons home and asleep in their childhood beds. As silly as that may sound, nothing gives me greater pleasure than having my family of five here under one roof for the holidays. Our Christmases are very relaxing--we just stay put and "nest." We light a cozy fire in the fireplace, play board games, watch favorite movies, eat way too many sugary sweets, and simply enjoy each other's company. This year, the guys are competing in a $10.00 challenge; they're each limited to buying a present for each other that costs $10 or less. I can't wait to see what they've come up with! I suggested that one year we should all do a "handmade gift" challenge. Do you think I might win that one?  My tree of stitched ornaments is t...

Good morning, my friends! How is everyone doing during these final two weeks before Christmas? Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed with things or is it just me? I'm way behind in everything now except for my decorating and baking. Not one card has been written or a single gift sent. I feel like I lost a couple of weeks in there with Thanksgiving preparations and, of course, saying goodbye to my dear father. Things have been a bit up and down for me, emotionally, since Thanksgiving ended and everyone went home. I think keeping busy during that time was good for me and then when the quiet returned, I had more time to think (and cry), but I'm getting there--one step at a time, right? This week, I did manage to finish my decorating and put up my garland of ornaments for 2014. I have to say I'm very proud of this year's finishes. They're an eclectic bunch as I really love all sorts of patterns--I think that is one thing that keeps me interested in stitching ornaments. I ...