New Beachy Cross-Stitch Project

A lot of people started this project at last weekend’s beach stitching retreat, but I wanted to spend time setting it up. Doesn’t everyone organize a new project on a Saturday night? I plan on stitching during Svengoolie tonight and am excited to begin! What are you working on? 

Retreat-exclusive from Finally a Farm Girl

Sweet floss drops from Cottage Cat Designs

Fabric from Barefoot Needleart

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

A Death in Diamonds

I’m reading a really good series of books by SJ Bennett. This is Book 4, A Death in Diamonds. In this series Queen Elizabeth II solves mysteries, palace intrigues, murders, etc., by utilizing her most trusted staff member, her Assistant Personal Secretary, as her eyes and ears. They’re quite unique mysteries. Books 1-3 are based in the Queen’s later years; this one features her as a new monarch. I’m binging them like mad! Check these out at your local library, indie book retailer, or favorite online store.

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

Cryptid SAL - Enfield Horror progress

After a long time in a drawer, I pulled out the Cryptid piece (Witchy Stitcher/Cryptid SAL) at the retreat I went to this past weekend. After ripping out some mistakes, I made some progress in the next rectangle: The Enfield Horror. 

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

My First Stitching Retreat

I had an amazing weekend. It was exactly what the doctor ordered. I turned off notifications on pretty much everything, packed a suitcase and a project bag, and toddled down to a resort in Myrtle/Surfside area for the Barefoot Needleart Stitchy Retreat. It was my first stitching retreat and a ton of fun! What better than hanging out with +/- 150 other people engaging in a favorite hobby. 

It was held at the Ellie resort in Myrtle Beach near Surfside. It was a beautiful facility and very comfortable accommodations. We enjoyed the food at the pier and the hotel’s restaurant, too. 

I had a finish while there: Happy Harvest by Frosted Pumpkin, and got some work done on my Cryptid SAL (Witchy Stitcher) and Halloween Delivery (Plum Street Samplers). I also prepped some fabric and thread for upcoming projects. 

A wicked fog rolled in on Day 2 but I still went for a walk on the beach and had some delightful interactions with people. 

Thanks to Memory and Amy and their team for all their hard work and a wonderful event. Thanks to my table mates for making me cry laughing for hours, for the snacks and advice and overall good fun. Thanks to all the ladies who took me under their wings and showed me the stitchy retreat ropes. And thanks to everyone for sharing their beautiful work with us all, especially during the smalls exchange. I’ve already decided to do it again in October.

I couldn’t get the whole room in, but it was a huge event!

Liz brought tongs and …

…made bowls to put snacks in so we wouldn’t dirty our fingers

Sweetest little pincushion I bought while there

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

Guest Announcement: ConCarolinas 2025!

Exciting news to share, now that the paperwork is signed and sent. I’m pleased to say I’ve accepted an invitation to be a guest at the 2025 ConCarolinas convention in Charlotte, NC! This awesome event happens May 30-June 1 at the Hilton University Place. Get your tickets and come out and see us! Link in the comments. 

I’m so stinkin’ excited! Who’ll I see there?

Get your tickets to this fantastic convention HERE.

It’s a multi-genre convention featuring sci-fi/fantasy, paranormal, cosplay, book/author, and other tracks. It’s family-friendly, well-run, and safe. 

I’ll post more information about panels and schedule here once I know them.

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

Someday It'll Be Me. Someday It'll Be You.

[CW: end of life topic; deep thoughts ahead; crossposted from Facebook]

There's nothing like attending a deathbed to make you consider where your priorities really are. Today I walked into a room immediately after a woman had passed away. We sang for the family while the undertakers respectfully waited to take her. There was so much love in that room, so much care, that it touched my soul profoundly, especially as the family each reached out to hug us tight, and as they hugged me, to whisper their thanks, their love for their mother, everything we’d been holding space for. There was healing and closure for some people today.

And while there was closure for them, it opened up a whole  something else inside of me. I’ve been pondering for literal hours:  Do we (humans) have our priorities straight? Where are we putting our energy for however long we have left here in this existence? 

Someday it'll be me. 

Someday it'll be you.

How will you spend the rest of your life? Are you living for the now or living in the past? Are you living from love, forgiving hurts, saying sorry? Or are you spending energy fighting online about stupid crap, holding grudges, going to bed mad?

This isn't meant to sound preachy, by the way. I hope it doesn’t come across that way, and my sincere apologies if it does. It's just meant to stimulate whoever is reading this (and I believe that if you are reading this, then perhaps you are meant to see it) to focus on the good stuff too and perhaps to consider a priority reset if you’re feeling bogged down in negativity.

Themes that show themselves to me again and again these last several years: 

Heal old wounds. 

Nurture worthy relationships. 

Let go of what isn’t healthy for you (including people).

Breathe. 

Be Love.

I’ve been saying this since the first time I died: LOVE is the key to the absolutely everything. It’s what runs the universe.

Another thought that occurred to me on the drive home from hospice today: Who do I want to be when I move on from here? 

I want to be Love. And I hope to be remembered as someone who cared.

So who do you want to be?

I know it’s not always comfortable to read about topics like this. I was changed by today's experience—so deeply affected that I had to share. I appreciate you reading.  ❤️

Photo by Jamez Picard on Unsplash

Kicking Butt

(Following links on this blog may result in my earning a small fee. As an Amazon associate I may earn from qualifying purchases.)

Sure didn't have "get the worst cold I've had in 10 years" on my bingo card for Halloween, but here we are. Even when I had two cases of the corvids I did not feel this bad. Fred showed signs of it on Sunday and is mostly better so I guess it's a five day thing. I did the cooking and the caring while he was sick, and now it's his turn:

Fred: "Call me if you need anything"

Me, croaking: "No voice"

Fred: "Come kick my a#% if you need anything."

Me: (see gif) 

🤧😂

#blessed #marriedlife 

#SnippetsOfMyLifeWithFred

(crossposted from Facebook)