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Thursday 29 January 2015

Bitter Sweet


About 22 years ago, my parents moved into a condo from their large family home. The idea was to get my mom situated in a lower maintenance place. You see, dad had lung cancer and he wanted to be sure she was in a new, secure place with no yard work to do and little likelihood of repairs needed. He passed almost 20 years ago, with at least knowing he had provided well for his family and done everything he could to make mom's life more comfortable without him. 

When they moved into that condo, mom had an interior designer come in to consult on how to use her furniture from their large house. There was some editing to do and frankly, their bedroom furniture had seen better days. So the designer came up with a plan for the master bedroom that would be feminine, comforting and lovely. Part of the plan was to have an armoire built to suit the room. 

When that armoire arrived, I swooned. Well in actual fact, I was out on my own and must have come home for a weekend and swooned then. I believe I laid claim on it then, not really meaning it but rather imparting my love for this piece. 

Sadly, that day has now come. Now that mom has joined dad after almost 20 years apart, they have re-united in heaven and are catching up on lost time. Or at least that's what I tell myself. And mom's armoire has come to a new home.... mine




And now my rug hooking wool has the most spectacular place to rest. The drawers house smaller snippets and upcycled wool pieces. 
 


I didn't really need it mom, I would have much rather have you use this for longer. But I hope you'll come to visit, especially when I'm sitting in this room with the early morning sunlight streaming in. Please let me know you're there and that everything's going to be okay. 

Thursday 22 January 2015

First Finish

For my first finish of 2015, never mind that the edge is not whipped, I present to you Nova. This is a design from Encompassing Designs, purchased over a decade ago. Looks like the designer was "Shelley Z". I can at least not feel guilty about this one because the pattern was purchased by a friend of mine, who ended up not getting into rug hooking (shocking, I know). 



My daughter discovered that I had two unhooked mermaid patterns and decided they would look fantastic in her bathroom which already has a fishy shower curtain. Can't argue with that! However, I can admit to not being too inspired by the other mermaid pattern, so it just might have to wait for a while. I need something that I'm burning to do......more on that when it happens!


Tuesday 20 January 2015

Am I Embracing?

Checking in on my one little word, now that we're 1/24th into 2015. I know, an awkward fraction, right? Okay, we're half a month into 2015. I feel like it's gone quickly, but at the same time feel like New Year's was a million years ago. 

What I'm trying to embrace:
  • the sun streaming in my window right now;
  • the relatively warm weather we've had this winter;
  • the opportunity for learning as i plunge into week three of my current Masters course; 
  • an 8tracks song medley that was sent to me by someone meant to be relaxing (and it is); 
  • new blogs to enjoy, learn from and soak up; 
  • new projects and the challenge they present; 
  • my 8 year-old who's going on 28; 
  • family in general who have been a big part of life in the last couple of weeks-the love shown has been incredible; 
  • memories....so many; 
  • Rocketman, because I can. 

What about you? Are you embracing 2015 with abandon? 

Wednesday 14 January 2015

Her Last Fight is Over

                          
My mom lost her battle with Alzheimer's on Sunday. We miss her dearly but know she is now at peace. Love you always, mama.
 
 
 
Last Fight
© Lorna Ferguson  

Wednesday 7 January 2015

#15in2015

As part of my goal to embrace life in 2015, I'm aiming to embrace one of my passions....rug hooking. So to ensure that I do, I'm pledging to hook 15 projects in 2015. I'm also hoping to incorporate #15in2015 in other aspects of my life as well, stay tuned for announcements of other #15in2015 projects!

I hope you'll follow along and watch my progress. Any chance you want to join in? 

Just think, your project could be one of these:
  • knitting 15 pairs of mittens or 15 hats
  • try out 15 new recipes that you've always wanted to try
  • learning 15 new words in a language you're trying to master (okay, this one isn't too difficult, maybe you could up it to 150?)
  • reach out to 15 old friends and re-kindle a friendship that's been lost
  • read 15 biographies about incredible people that have indirectly or directly influenced your life
  • quilt 15 preemie quilts for Project Linus
  • write 15 poems 
  • what does your #15in2015 look like? 




And in case you're thinking, that's not really too challenging. Consider the fact that I work full-time, have an eight-year-old with a busy activity schedule and am also studying for my Masters degree right now. So, all in all, I get about zero hooking time per day. :) 

Tuesday 6 January 2015

One Little Word: 2015

Have you joined the recent trend of assigning a single word as your life's theme for the year? If this is new to you, you might want to read about One Little Word® and its origin. It may seem silly or even limiting, but I kind of like the idea. So this year, I'm jumping on the bandwagon. I've decided on "Embrace" as my 2015 word. 

So to start, let's look at its many definitions. According to Google: 

em·brace
əmˈbrās/
verb
verb: embrace; 3rd person present: embraces; past tense: embraced; past participle: embraced; gerund or present participle: embracing
  1. hold (someone) closely in one's arms, especially as a sign of affection.
    "Aunt Sophie embraced her warmly"
    synonyms:hug, take/hold in one's arms, hold, cuddle, clasp to one's bosom, clasp, squeeze, clutch; More
    enfold, enclasp, encircle, envelop, entwine oneself around;
    informalcanoodle, clinch
    "he embraced her warmly"

  2. accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically.
    "besides traditional methods, artists are embracing new technology"
    synonyms:welcome, welcome with open arms, accept, take up, take to one's heart, adopt; More
    "most states have embraced the concept"

  3. include or contain (something) as a constituent part.
    "his career embraces a number of activities—composing, playing, and acting"
    synonyms:include, take in, comprise, contain, incorporate, encompass, cover, involve, embody, subsume, comprehend
    "the faculty embraces a wide range of departments"
noun
noun: embrace; plural noun: embraces
  1. an act of holding someone closely in one's arms.
    "they were locked in an embrace"
    synonyms:hug, cuddle, squeeze, clinch, caress, clasp;
    "a fond embrace"
    • used to refer to something that is regarded as surrounding, holding, or restricting someone.
      "the transformations brought about by the embrace of mass media"

  2. an act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically.
    "their eager embrace of foreign influences"

I'm excited about incorporating the idea of "embrace" into my life throughout 2015. My goals are to:
  • embrace the simple things
  • embrace family time
  • embrace new opportunities
  • embrace learning 
  • embrace new ideas 
  • embrace hubby and the Smidge as frequently as possible. 
So, how about you? Will you join me in embracing One Little Word in 2015?




Monday 5 January 2015

It's YOUR Life

As we pin a new calendar to the wall, open the pages of a new day-planner....or more likely, click to a new week in Outlook, we recognize there's a new start in the air. Some of us embrace this chance to wipe the slate clean, while others lament for the year that was. 

Regardless, I have one piece of advice for you and for myself, because goodness knows I need to be told this as well:

It's your life....
Be the Boss of it!