You Can Quote Me: Grateful for…book recommends

Posted in books, grateful, You Can Quote ME by

book_smRecently I’ve been struggling with the actions of an extended family member – it’s amazing. You chose someone, they chose you, & everything is expected to go swimmingly. It doesn’t. Not even in fairytales.

But I’ve learnt a few things this week, and I now have a post-it front page of my planner. It’s there to remind me:

It’s none of my business to know what X thinks of me. It’s OK to ignore (the bad behaviour). It’s OK to walk away. It’s OK to limit time spent with X. It’s OK to ask X politely to leave my home.

I’m finding this simple but powerful. It reminds me it’s not OK to be rude or mirror what is done to me. To that end, I’ve removed or blocked X from my social media accounts, and interestingly (as he didn’t like what X tagged him in or implied what he was) B has chosen to do the same. I’ve chosen not to name X, as that would be equally wrong. But my little finding this week might be helpful to someone else, so I chose to share.

I came to this finding reading a couple of blogs and discovering a book (I know, what a shock). I’ve only read some excerpts but I’m heading to a Manna today to get the paperback & the study guide.

http://thebestyes.com/ The Best Yes is about coming to a biblical understanding of the commandment to love one another. If you click into the link, you can read chapter one for free & see some other material. I don’t think that the concept about loving one another is necessary only for Christians; having respect & empathy for our fellow man is a concept that rings true in most religions, even Wicca’s “and it harm none” is the same directive as Jesus’ commandment in John 13:34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV). Even if you profess to be an atheist, I’m sure you have a respect & empathy for others.

277263_Turner_CPWallpaper

The other book could be just as important. Ali Edwards (one little word) contributed to The Fringe Hours, by Jessica N Turner ( http://www.themomcreative.com/ ) which is about using time you already carve out for FaceTwitGram & using it effectively to renew your soul. Ali blogged about it here http://aliedwards.com/2015/02/the-fringe-hours?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+aliedwards+%28Ali+Edwards+2014%29 The image above is going on my phone to remind me. I also find this quote meaningful:

finding rest

 

WIP (ahem!) Thursday & Grateful

Posted in family, grateful, Mirabilia, stitching patterns by

Let’s start off on the high note – today is Simon’s birthday. He won’t thank me if I was to tell you how old he is but he withstood the birthday boy bounce from M! The boys gave him a card and gift before Z & I headed out the door. It’s a Zoku Ice-Cream maker – perfect for the man who has everything. I got it thru one of work’s stores:

http://www.livingandgiving.co.nz/kitchen-and-food/preparation/tools-and-utensils/zoku-ice-cream-maker-purple-5035057

Today my Grateful pic just has to be Simon. Not because it’s his birthday but because he has given me so many things to be grateful for. Three of them also on the bed!

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This could be the “before” pic too – I have brought an old (1920’s) solid timber door that I plan to scuff up and use for the headboard. The room looks bare without a headboard! Plus I’ve selected a few paint pots to try.

Low note. I am not at all happy with the Spirit piece. I don’t know if it’s the colours (the book might be different from the chart pack) but the fan background is purple for me, and mid/pale blue for others in the group. I’m talking Eeyore purple, the same skein that I used last stitching a piece that currently hangs in M’s room. The chart is also harder to read, as it is colour blocks and not symbols. I know why, it’s to help stop copyright thieves, but it means a few hours with a working copy & a marker and right now, I just don’t have that emotional investment in it.  So it went away on Monday & I pulled out Stargazer with the intent to finish her before the end of March.

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Stargazer makes me happy.

Ash Wednesday

Posted in grateful by

Ash Wednesday kind of crept up on me. Last year I quietly gave up chocolate and I’m sorry, but that’s not going to happen this year. As Grumpy Cat says…

grumpy cat lent

I made the mistake of asking my FB friends what I should give up (big mistake. One suggested chocolate again, another suggested cross stitch!) and so this year I think I’ll go in an anti-Lent test.

I’m going to give up coffee and tea, and replace these with water.  I’m also going to take a photo every day of something I’m grateful for & give thanks to God for lending me these things.

lent

#truth

 

Today’s is a bit shallow – the desktop iPod dock my boss gave me. I am grateful that I can hear good sounds during the day. And yes, I am hopelessly behind the times – that is one of the original 2005 30GB iPods that were the first to play video. It’s not broke, so I’m not replacing it & the collection on it is eclectic and all me.

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Your regular WIP Wednesday post will come later tonight; I forgot to take a photo. Doh.

 

EDIT 25/2 – I decided to go “all out” and give up caffeine totally. No Coke either! Wah!

A very belated WIP Wednesday

Posted in Smalls SAL, stitching patterns by

So you know how I said I didn’t stitch all weekend? The three day weekend?

Well last night I got the guilts and stitched likea mad thing. Finished France and it doesn’t fit the chosen frame! By about 30mm. Gutted. Plan B for the birthday present. Hold on. There is no plan B! And it’s too late to submit to a framer, so it will go into my box for now. At least it qualifies as a Small.

I also got a couple of lines done on Orient, & tonight I finished the verse and started on a frame and the first fan (it is this week’s target). Getting there. I hate doing lettering on light fabric. You have to be very careful to not leave shadows on the back.

Right now I just want to get back into Stargazer. Hopefully when I finish a couple of panels I’ll return to being excited. Hoping.

Cover Reveal – ROCK HARD (Rock Kiss Series) Book Two

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ROCK HARD

PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE

Releasing: March 10th, 2015

In New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh’s newest contemporary romance, passion ignites between a gorgeous, sinfully sexy man who built himself up from nothing and a shy woman who has a terrible secret in her past…

Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on.

Series Reading Order

Rock Addiction (Book One)

Rock Courtship (Book 1.5)

Meet the Author

 

nalini

NEW YORK TIMES AND USA Today bestselling author of the Psy-Changeling and Guild Hunter series Nalini Singh usually writes about hot shapeshifters and dangerous angels. This time around, she decided to write about hot and wickedly tempting rock stars – and one sinfully sexy rugby god turned brilliant CEO. If you’re seeing a theme here, you’re not wrong.

Nalini lives and works in beautiful New Zealand, and is passionate about writing. If you’d like to explore her other books, you can find lots of excerpts on her website. Slave to Sensation is the first book in the Psy-Changeling series, whileAngels’ Blood is the first book in the Guild Hunter series. Also, don’t forget to swing by the site to check out the special behind-the-scenes page for the Rock Kiss series, complete with photos of many of the locations used in the books.

STALK HER:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY

Share Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MDk5NjRmMDM5ZDM4YTBjYWM0YzAyYzM0NGI2ODRhOjU5Mw==/?

 

Just a little extra, that you won’t see anywhere else: Nalini has one of my stitched pieces on her study wall. How cool is that?!

Splinters in my fingers & sawdust down my bra

Posted in DIY home, family, house - gardens by

I didn’t do any stitching this weekend. None. Which is a concern given that one WIP is for a birthday this weekend.

But as the post title says, we were busy.

I now have two raised garden beds and a screen around two sides of the water tanks. And it looks good, if I do say so myself. Si has made it so sturdy and practical. I love it.

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But I’m not totally enamored with the drop saw. Yes it’s fast but oh so messy! Next time I should borrow a burka or wrap up completely before I start. Or leave it up to the Screaming Teen. Now there’s a plan.

Splinters in my fingers & sawdust down my bra

Posted in DIY home, grateful, house - gardens by

I didn’t do any stitching this weekend. None. Which is a concern given that one WIP is for a birthday this weekend.

But as the post title says, we were busy.

I now have two raised garden beds and a screen around two sides of the water tanks. And it looks good, if I do say so myself. Si has made it so sturdy and practical. I love it.

image

But I’m not totally enamored with the drop saw. Yes it’s fast but oh so messy! Next time I should borrow a burka or wrap up completely before I start. Or leave it up to the Screaming Teen. Now there’s a plan.

Something to think on

Posted in grateful by

I read this in the NZ Herald’s supplement this morning. There’s a link to the full article in case you’re interested.

Instead of looking at what we are not getting, look at what we are in control of instead – and that is what we are giving.

Hmm. Note I’m not telling you to get out and give, but even the little things are good to give. Say how much you appreciate a co-workers help. Or how much your child has done for you/household. Sometimes the little bits have the most impact.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11398783

!!! a sad and urgent post

Posted in Uncategorized by

I see so much of the “copy” pins too. Please don’t pin charts or magazine pics – you are taking money directly from the designers with each pin. And if they can’t survive, they can’t design.

Cat's avatarThe Grey Tail

I’m really sorry to be back with such sad news, but I simply cannot rest until I let this out. it’s driving me mad since I found out about it, and since I had permission from Diane Williams (Little House Needlework) to say it – here it is.

my long time readers might remember I have started a project (SAL Sorpresa 2) by Sara Guermani who at that time designed as part of the collective trio Les Trois Brodeuses. well, I never went past the first part and meant to finish it off pretty much as it was as an ornament.

but tonight I found out to my astonishment that that chart (as well as at least a bunch of others) has been designed by Sara Guermani by making a collage of Little House Needleworks houses, barns, etc. – I am out of my mind as I type so I’ll…

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