in my line of sight

Thanks for all your well wishes on my eye wear!  I'm making progress, slowly but surely.  I had to laugh on Sunday when our Pastor's message was about vision...don't you know I'm apparently enrolled a series about life lessons for those needing vision correction!

Speaking of sight, I finally changed the scenery around here and we are in full Autumnal mode.  In other words, I decorated for fall.  Here's a peek:

entry way wreath from TJ Maxx - last year.  I left the kids in the car while I ran in to get it, and when I came out, the car wouldn't start...dead battery!  They'd played the radio and drained the battery...I swear I was in and out in under 15 minutes! honest.

hand stitched pillow- made by me several years ago

my new acorn cookie jar...it was just too perfect to pass up! (another TJ Maxx find)

this little guy, made by a friend is peeking out of a willow basket in our main bathroom

the living room mantle...still tweaking this one...but that's how I work..it evolves over time!

I love scarecrows for autumn...this guy is on a shelf in our kitchen.  The candle is from Tonya, I can't bring myself to burn it, it's so pretty!

the dining room hutch...this changes too...depending on my mood.  I like it. for now.

Here's my new lamp that I bought to cozy up the kitchen. My sister in law had one on her counter when we stayed in her beach house and I adored the look that it cast around the room.  But I'd like for you to weigh in -which shade do you like better?  It came with the drum shade (#1) and I had the burlap shade (#2)....I think I need a softer bulb for sure. 

Well, that's my view around here.....how are things looking at your house?  No matter the view, I hope your focusing on the blessings in your life!  Happy Fall!

focus

I've been wearing reading glasses since I was in college.  It's been no big deal...I put them on when I'm reading or stitching...or when my eyes would feel tired.  But lately, I noticed that I was putting them on more often and leaving them on longer.  So when Mckenzie needed her eyes checked, I thought it would be a good time for me to go in as well.  (it'd been 5 years since I'd seen my eye doctor).  Well, he nicely informed me that I'd hit that stage of life when lenses dry out and eyes become less elastic and he went on about my prescription needs having changed...really it was all downhill from there.  So I got these new glasses.

 They are progressives.  They have a section for distance vision, a section for reading and a middle section for the in between stuff (like computer work and dashboards).  They are not like my reading glasses.  I am getting adjusted to how they work and where I need to look to see whatever it is I'm trying to see.  I'm learning where to focus and it's been tricky.  I've been feeling a bit off balance.

  It's all gotten me thinking though that this adjustment process with my progressive lenses is a lot like life. I'm in a season of my life (aside from my eye glasses) where I'm adjusting my focus.  Life is full of opportunities for me to readjust my focus.  (new roles, changing seasons, kids growing, forgiving wrongs, trusting more, worrying less, letting go of wrong assumptions....I'd better stop while I'm ahead) But no matter what the area, I need to be patient with the process.  Just as it's going to take time to get adjusted to these new lenses, when I'm in a refocusing season of my life, I need to be patient with the process.  It takes time to readjust your focus.  When you're used to looking at something a certain way, it requires purposefulness to redirect your gaze.  It takes time to know where to look for what.  I might feel off balance from time to time, but I know Who my anchor is.  As long as I keep my eyes on Him, I can sharpen my focus.  "I have set the LORD always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."  Psalm 15:8. 

have you any wool? or notebooks? or framed prints?

I love checking things off of a list.  Sometimes I'll even make a list, just so I can check things off of it.  Over the weekend,  I finished up some projects.  -and I checked them off of my list!   I finally framed my wool stitchery.  This is from Wee Wonderfuls and it is just the perfect little piece of needle work.  It stitched up quickly and for right now I'm enjoying it in my craft room.  I bought the frame from Joann's when they were having a 40% off sale.   And I matted it just like Kristyn's.  I loved the figgy pudding fabric that she used, so I shamelessly copied it! 

I also finished a couple more notebook slipcovers.  The blue and yellow one was meant to be for a mini binder, but I measured wrong and so it ended up being a spiral cover.  I used a hair band as an elastic closure.

 I covered the mini binder with an alternate fabric combination.  It holds my church notes.  Every week we get a handout that is hole punched and ready for a notebook and now, I've got one! 

The last little project that I completed this weekend was to print off one of Becky Higgins' comfort prints. (thanks Becky!)  I simply printed off a 5X7 size and popped it into a frame.  I love this quote.  Don't you agree that home is just the best comfort?

So, I don't know about you, but I'll keep on marching through this week and see what else I can check off the to-do list.  I hope that you're enjoying the comforts of home this week as we enter into autumn! (and I hope your list is getting shorter along the way!)  Happy days to you all! 

seashore shawl

I finished my Seashore Shawl about a week before summer ended. My timing is impeccable!   I saw a shawl similar to this when we went to North Myrtle Beach in July.  (thus the name "Seashore Shawl"  pretty original, huh?!) The owner had it draped over a chair and I kept going back to paw at it and try it on.   I bought the yarn at the local yarn shop and the shop owner was kind enough to give me the 'pattern".  I love this yarn so much.  It is so soft!  And it's machine washable due to the fact that it's a cotton/acrylic blend. 

 I think I could wrap up in this and take a nap. (if I were a napper that is....I'm not a napper- it's a shame.)   The color is pale enough that it works almost like a neutral. The color is called Matcha.  (?)  I'll be enjoying this for a few more weeks until it gets cold enough to bring out the wool....it's perfect for throwing over my shoulders in church or warding off the morning chill when I do my quiet time on the deck. 

The cast on edge starts off with ten stitches so you don't end up with a triangular point...it's gentle and it has a nice drape.  I used two skeins of Berrocco Weekend and it ended up the perfect size.  It's so easy....Cast on 10 stitches using a size 13 needle.  Increase at the beginning and end of each row until you have 8 inches - from then on, increase at the beginning only until you have 140-145 stitches.  Bind off loosely and enjoy!

Now, you can make your own Seashore Shawl....just in time for autumn! 

slipcovered

Gingercake has some great patterns in her shop.  I made some Lola the Owls back in the spring and  I've been eyeing her notebook slipcover for a while.  When Kristyn came into town for a visit, it was the perfect time to try it out.  

We headed to the fabric store for our supplies and after a couple of days of following two little boys around and playing, we got started.  I have to say that I am so glad to have had Kristyn here for this project. In addition to being so much fun.... She is meticulous.  She is careful.  She measures accurately.  She is so neat and careful.  I am not all of this....(at least not all at the same time).  I'm more of a "wing it and hope it works out" kinda girl. 

We talked through everything, because there were many numbers and measurements to figure out.  (I'm not saying it was hard, but you did have to be aware of each step as you measured and cut and went along.)  We helped each other think through the process as we went.

  We had so much fun making these slipcovers.  I even learned that my sewing machine has a thread clipper built into it! (who knew!?!)   When we got to the step where we were sewing the entire thing together, we had our fingers crossed.  And it worked out!!! (I love it when that happens)

 The notebooks were transformed from ordinary to extraordinary.  I'm using mine as my everything binder.  It holds my grocery lists, address book, gift idea lists, daily dockets and calendar.

A couple of days ago, I  made another cover.  This one was for my holiday planner.  The snowflakes and Christmas material were so fun and festive.

 I've got a bunch of other noteboks that could sure use some sprucing up and I really think these slipcovered notebooks would make great gifts for friends or even teachers.  After making the first slipcover, the second one was so much less taxing on my mind....it was easier and went together much faster.  (although it was 10 times less fun without Kristyn here!)  

Maybe this weekend will find me some more time for sewing and recovering... I hope everyone has a great Labor Day weekend and that you spend some time doing something you enjoy!  Oh, and I want to shout out a special thanks to Virginia of Gingercake for a great pattern! Check out her blog for tons of great inspiration.