Random Thoughts On a Saturday Afternoon...

I have thoughts that I often think of sharing, but somehow I never get around to it.  And, it seems I have gotten so that I don't post anything unless I have something to show you.  This blog was named 'doodles of my mind' and those doodles were intended to be whatever comes to mind regarding family, friends, brown dog, God, sewing, quilting...well, you get the point.  

So, today, in this post, I am going to share with you some random thoughts I've had lately...those that I think you might need to know.

Random thought #1:
I wait for the mailman.  Every.  Single.  Day.  Always have.  Course, back in the day before computers, letters and bills filled my mailbox six days a week.  Now, of course, I pay most of my bills online, and letters are a thing of the past...emails and instagram and facebook and blogs have taken their place.  Sometimes, I am expecting a package, but with tracking information, I always know when it is going to arrive.  Unless, of course, I receive a surprise package.  Which doesn't happen nearly enough, in my opinion.  All of this to say that (at least) 5 of the 6 mail delivery days will find me disappointed at the mailbox.  Yet, the next day finds me waiting.  

Random thought #2:
I think I've said this before.  I am so happy to be retired!  I love the freedom.  Each day could be a new adventure.  Course, I am almost always here sewing and chatting on the phone.  Partly because most of my friends are still not retired.   But.  The fact that I can do whatever I want whenever I want gives a great sense of freedom in and of itself.

Random thought #3:
I think I've also mentioned this before.  I love to sew.  However, I do not like to do alterations.  And, I don't necessarily like to make something because someone wants me to (like the last two sweatshirt jackets I made for my Aunt).  Those things tend to sit for a long time before I get at them.  Something about stifling my creativity, I suppose.  (Or, that could just be an excuse.)

Random thought #4:
I love music.  I have music on most of the time...unless, of course, I am watching tv.  For one thing, I love it (I know I just said that), and for another thing, it helps to distract me from my tinnitus.  Or, at least, helps to make it less noticeable.  Because, frankly, there are days that the constant ringing in my head about drives me crazy! 

Random thought #5:
I know my limitations.  My sister and I were talking about this one day.  She thinks I can do everything and that I can do everything perfectly.  I know that I cannot do everything...and that I cannot do everything perfectly.  When I am complimented on something I've done, I know that much of the time, it's because the person who is complimenting me would not be able to do it.  When I said that to Jill, she  thought I was downplaying my work.  That's not it.  I am well aware of the fact that there are those out there who do much better than I at specific things.  That's not downplaying my work...that's being realistic.  I do the best I can.  A lot of the time, it is more than adequate.  We all have our strengths and weaknesses and I do not pretend to be the best (or even adequate) at all things. As I said, I know my limitations.      

Random thought #6:
I love linen!  I want to sew with linen.  I intend to do something about that.  Perhaps someday.  Though, not to the exclusion of sewing doll clothes. 

Random thought #7:
I joined Mandisa's Word Warriors...we memorize a new scripture each month.  July was 2 Peter 3-9..."The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness.  Instead, He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance."  

Well, those are all the random thoughts I have for now.  We should do this again, hey?

I am keeping busy this weekend with much cutting and sewing and pressing and trimming.  

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Well, okay!  I guess I cannot leave without posting a photo.  Here is one that I shared the other day on Facebook.  Not sure what to call it?   It measures 6 inches square and is made of linen.  It took a very short amount of time to make...and is just the perfect thing for the two little tealight holders to sit on...

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

And So The Adventure Begins...

Not only is this the start of a new week, it is the official start of my new business.  (I've alluded to this before - here - but never actually spelled it out for you.)

What, you ask?

Isn't it exciting enough that I am retired?

Well, yes.

A big, emphatic, YES!

However, one must have goals and plans and things to do.

What, you ask?

I don't have enough to do?

Well, yes.

A (not quite so) big, emphatic, YES!  

But, one must follow the path that opens up before one.

Do you not agree?

(lots of questions in this post!)

One must use one's talents.

One must do fun and exciting things.  

One must do what one is led to do.  

Therefore.  I have - with God's help - decided that I am going to make a business of making doll clothes.  Let's call it, "The Chocolate Puppy".

YAY! 

Remember when I received Aubrey from Cathy?  (Her blog is here and her facebook page is here.) 

Since then (2010), I have been fascinated by the Waldorf-inspired dolls.  I have closely followed Cathy's business and stalked been fascinated by others who also make these wonderful dolls. 

It was when I was sorting woolens a few months ago, that I had that EUREKA moment!  That it hit me.  What lovely pieces of wool...ohmy...wouldn't these make lovely hooded capes for dolls?  ohmy.  YES!

And, I was off and running...so many ideas...so many plans.  I am inspired and motivated.

In my retirement, I am going to work at something I love!  Though, truth be known, I don't actually consider this work.    

One step at a time, though...I don't want to get too far ahead of myself.   

First up, then, is to make some carrycots and sleeping bags and pillows and blankets.

Are you with me?

Okay.

So, this a.m., I was cutting fabric for a carrycot and was all set to start sewing when I realized that I didn't have enough fabric for the binding.  oops!  What now?  (ohplease...lol...I didn't really say/think that.)  What I did was this...I went to my jar of leftover bindings.

And, lo and behold!, there was a nice little roll of binding in the fabric I needed...ready to rock and roll!

I knew I was saving those leftovers for something!

Besides the fact that they look darn cute in the jar on my shelf. 



Hope your Monday is as fun as mine is!!!


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Monday, Monday!

I hesitate to mention this, as I fear you are tired of hearing the 'r' word.

But.  Today, I actually feel like I am retired!  Odd.  Well, perhaps not so odd.  I had oral surgery on Friday, and with that looming over my head since my last day of work, I guess I still kinda felt like I couldn't completely relax and get into the entire retirement thing.  Ya know?  But, anyway.  Today is a good day.  I feel fine, it's cool-ish outside and I am getting something done!

I mentioned before that I felt it was important to have some kind of a routine...a schedule of sorts.  Else, I fear my days would just float by and end up in a jumble somewhere.  I don't want that.  I want my days to count for something.  Perhaps not every day...but certainly, most of them.  

I started that routine this a.m.  Thus far, it feels good.  A good fit.  Like I'll be able to stick with it.  I've had time to sit and do nothing and I've had time to get some good sewing in.

I trimmed a bazillion hst's.

Okay, maybe only 150...but it sure felt like a bazillion!  These are the corners that I cut off when making the blocks that I've been working on for the past week or so.  I am going to make a doll quilt with them.  

Speaking of the blocks that I've been making...I finished the last 2 today.  

Now to decide on sashing and borders.

I finished another face cloth, so now I have two clementine colored ones for myself...

and, enough yarn to make another small one.  I really like this color!


For you cat lovers, here is a new photo of Kisa. 

 

And, for the brown dog followers, I have nothing.  Sorry.

 

Must get back to sewing.  Hope you are having a good Monday!






"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Sewing...What's That?

Gosh, it's been 15 days

since I last sewed.

Hard to believe, isn't it?

~grin~ 

These blocks have been waiting

to be put together,

so I got them done today.

It doesn't take long to sew each block...

and the blocks are 18" finished,

so it won't take long

to finish this quilt top.

I started this quilt back here.

I have nothing else today.  

Except, to say...

I am thoroughly

enjoying my retirement!

(sorry, couldn't resist.)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Retirement Is...

Wonderful!

Because when I awaken,

I smile...

I don't have to go to work.

Freedom!

I am who I am.

No schedule!

I can do what I want, when I want.

Stress-free!

No pressure of

being where I don't want to be,

doing what I don't want to be doing.

Peaceful!

As quiet as I want...or not.

Relaxing!

I am my own boss.

A question mark for Tag.

He is waiting for me to leave so he

can get his treat-filled kong

(that he used to get in his crate when I left for work).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All that came from just one

complete day of retirement.

And, just so ya know...

I can't wipe the smile off my face!

This beautiful bouquet is from Mandy!

 One of these days,

I will quit talking about my retirement...

and will have a few things to show you.

 
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Day...

 Today is the Last Day!

The last day I will ever go to work.

I will go in with a smile on my face.

I will delight in this day.

 Six hours.

That is all that is left to working.

And, half of that time

I won't be working.

 There will be a party today.

Friends and coworkers.

To celebrate.

To say good-bye.

Retirement...here I come!!

(this is the final post in the 'last' day series...tomorrow begins the 'first' day series.  ~grin~)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Monday...

This is the last Monday.

The last Monday that I will ever work.

The last Monday that I

will awaken with a groan...

with the thought that the weekend is over.

That the work week has begun.

That it is time to get my sorry self up

and get ready for work.

Speaking of which,

I had best get out the door.

But.

I will go to work with a smile.

Cuz...

this is the 

LAST MONDAY!

(and second to last day!)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Sunday...

This is the last Sunday - ever! - that I will get up in the morning and say to myself, "I had best get something done today, cuz the work week starts tomorrow."

Cuz, you know, after the next two days, I will no longer have 'work weeks'.  

Do you do that?  Not get much accomplished on Saturday but have a to-do list a mile long, so rush around like a crazy woman on Sunday, working on that list, crossing off as you finish each one?  No, me either.  ~grin~  

Though I do have days when I really want to get something done, I generally take things more easily than that.  What doesn't get done just doesn't get done.  There is always another day.

However.  One thing I've been thinking about with my impending retirement (gosh, how I am loving that word!)  is that I need to have some sort of structure.  Not only to my days, but to my weeks.  Not that I think I need to adhere to a rigid schedule, but some type of routine is needed, here.  Else, the days will just come and go.  Nothing will get done.  I'll be one of those people who don't know what day it is cuz they will have all faded into each other.  Nope.  I surely do not want that!  Some goals need to be set, so that I have something to work toward.  Whether it is the laundry or grocery shopping or cleaning or a specific sewing or knitting or stitching project...I need to have timelines of a sort.  So, I will.  Set goals and have a routine.  

And, for your viewing pleasure...here is Kisa resting on her pad (that clashes wildly with the sofa cover).

Have a great Sunday!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The Last Friday...

This is the last Friday I will work.  Ever.  

(Course, yesterday was the last

Thursday I would work.

And I didn't write a post about that.

The day before...

the last Wednesday I would work

had no special significance, either.) 

(And, I still have my last

Monday and Tuesday to work.)

But.

Fridays are special days.

I always waited (couldn't wait!)

for Fridays because that meant I had

finally made it through the week.

That the weekend was finally almost here.

I will no longer have that feeling...

that TGIF feeling.

Cuz.

Every day...

every single day will be

like the weekend to me.

I am so excited!  

I am almost there.

To retirement.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

What I Did...

Yesterday, I cut fabric and pieced one block.  I took Tag for a short walk, and spent a few hours with a friend.  But, that's all I did.  I took a nap, too.  It was a very lazy day.  

 Here is the block I pieced...

I am using a fat quarter bundle I won a few years ago, with a pattern by Camille Roskelley, found in her new book, "Simply Retro".  Each block finishes at 18", so I don't need many to make a nice lap-sized quilt.  In the midst of all that is going on, I need to have something to lose myself in...something that I don't need to think about.  Ya know?  

I work today, all of next week, and then only two days of the following week.  My last day...retirement...is coming up quickly.  I am ready for it.

Have a good Friday...and a great weekend!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Counting the Days...and Some Finishes!

 I am definitely counting the days until I no longer need to go to work in the morning.  I don't necessarily want these last 11 (yes, only eleven more days to work!) days to go by fast...ohwell, who am I kidding?  Of course, I do want them to go by quickly.  I am rarin' to go and excited to start and just plain giddy about the entire thought of not working!  

I am training someone to do my job.  Not an easy task.  What is so routine and mundane to me requires much thought for someone new.  I try to be a good teacher and be patient.  I am of the belief that one can always take that extra step to help...whether it be a coworker, a student, a doctor, another staff member or, and especially, a client.  Now I get questioned as to why I 'had' to do something.  I keep repeating that 'it's all in the details'.  

All I can say is this;  once I am gone, there is nothing I can do about how things are done there.  So, I'll do what I can now to train and get things organized and written down and then forget about it when I leave. 

Anyway. 

Not much has been accomplished this past week.  BUT, I did manage to get all the woolens mailed out and I do want to thank those of you who helped me out.  I still have some bundles and pieces available over at The Chocolate Puppy...take a look-see if you're interested.  Once I retire, I need to get all my fat quarters ready to go out the door.  I'll let you know how that's going.

Remember this quilt? 

It was to be for the baby of a coworker...the greens are left from the quilt I made for their first baby.  See it here.  I thought it would be really fun for the two sisters to have quilts made with the same fabrics but with a totally different pattern.  Good idea hey?  But, when I started quilting it, I didn't like what I was doing.  So.  I made this one, instead. 

Gotta love that polka-dot backing!  I haven't washed/dried it, so it's not got all that crinkly softness, yet.  I am very happy with it and am excited to give it to Baby Emily.


What do you do when you just don't like something you're working on?  Do you plow through it?  Do you ditch it and start something else?  Do you set it aside and hope that a fresh look will change your feeling for it?  I think I've done all of the above.

With the zigzag baby quilt, I decided to gift it to someone else.  So, I cut it down so there was just the zigzag center and the first solid border and am sending it to Ellie.  Julie's dog.  Poor thing doesn't have anything made by me.  ~sigh~  It is ~24", I think.

This is the first time that I finished the backside of the binding with machine stitching...I thought it turned out okay for a first attempt.  

Today, I finished the second sweatshirt jacket for Aunt Bev.  Finally.  I've been working on it here and there for at least a month.  Not like it was taking that much time.  I just wasn't getting to it.  I hope she likes it...

It's cool today, and it's been raining on and off.  Not complaining, just saying.  

I think that's all I have for now.  

Have a great weekend!  



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

The End is The Beginning...

I gave my retirement notice at work today.  

 Yes, I am retiring!

I am very excited about it! 

I've been praying so much about this...

about retirement...

and about everything that is to follow.

Everything is falling into place...

just how it should.     

The end of one part of my life

leading directly to the 

beginning of the next part.  

Life is good.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Indecision...

I've known for a month that

Sally's last day was today.

Sally is my coworker.

She's retiring.

She turned 55 today and

has 32 years in with the state.

It's time to go.

I will miss her.

I thought about making something for her.

And, thought about it some more.

I was quite undecided.

As a group, we were giving her a gift card.

So, really, that would have sufficed.

But, I kept thinking of all the nice things

she's done for me over the past 7 years.

Should I make something?

Or not?

Indecision...

let's just wait until the last possible moment.

Ya know?

So, I decided to make a tote.

Last night.
This one measures 12.5 x 12.5 x 3 inches.

Took 4 hours...finished sewing

the binding around the top at 9:20 p.m.  

Sally was very surprised...

almost cried, even.

Let's just say that she LOVED it...YAY!  

Happy Retirement to her!

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10