Gifts of Depression

My therapist says I ought to "get out there" and meet people, put myself in the situation where contact with others  would be possible. Then, she says, I give myself a chance to meet the ones I might like, and then - who knows? - I just might find friends.
I thought about her suggestion long and hard, and instead locked myself inside. Contact with others, conversations - all this seems fairly pointless. I have come to the conclusion that I do not like most people, and contact is often painful. Not because they say mean things or intend to hurt me, mind you. It is just so painfully obvious that they don't care.
While inside, I did not waste time, though. I learned how to crochet afghan blankets - and made two for my daughters. I also made a basket of biscornu to go with it. So, here are my Gifts of Depression.
Enjoy!

I liked working on the patterns, crocheting - with its repetitive design - seems to be therapy in itself.

Have a good time, everyone, and don't let your depression and stress go to waste. As Christopher Titus said in his latest album "Neverlution", stressing and worrying is NORMAL. Worrying about rent getting paid is HOW RENT GETS PAID.
And after paying rent - get creative to commemorate the occasion. And these will be the gifts - of depression.

It's What I Do...

 

Needlework is the most consistent "hobby" I have ever acquired. It has always been there for me, and I have been working with the needle in one way or another for the past fifteen years.

I have made small items

and big projects.

I have used it to help my kids at school

and decorate my home for the holidays.

  It is here when I need to make presents for friends

and donations for causes.

Needlework has permeated my life through and through. It is no longer just a hobby. It's what I do.

Technorati Tags: Needlework,hobby,items,donations,life

First Card of My Own - to the First Friend

Now I feel brave enough to try my hand in card making. Working with cardstock is different than I imagined, there are some tricks, and I learn them as I go. Here is the first...

Design by Joan Elliott



As it is the first of the kind, and the first of a kind can never be sold or exchanged, - a personal belief of mine - I gave it to the first friend I made in the USA, my host mother Jo. Jo and I have known each other for 16 years, and through the years she has been supportive, kind, and true. She is my role model, and I only hope to be more like her as I get older.


A RAK Giveaway

Today I signed up for for a RAK giveaway... " RAK" stands for Random Act of Kindness, it is hosted by Chris (Always Smiling) on her blog. My first signup...Visit Chris on her page and read the details!

Out with the Old, In with the New Year's goals

Looking back,  I can honestly say that in the past year I have stitched more and finished more projects than in the previous five years. Let's see...
Celtic Summer
Heart Sampler
Breast Cancer Awareness project
Advent Calendar (finished - and used for the first time!)
Mother Goose pillows and toy (beak repaired, pillows stitched - finally)...

Plus, of course, there were many, many small projects... Stitching-wise, it was a good year.

 Quite a few of these achievements were possible because my sensitive and loving husband got me a sewing machine for Christmas. Having this tool has brought a new dimension to the whole stitching process. Now I can make things that are useful and practical, not just decorative.

In the new year, I plan to...
Make hand stitched post cards
Continue developing my Etsy shop
Make three presents for my online blogger friends - I made promises, so - gotta keep them...
Finish a Victorian House stitching project
Stitch Celtic Lady Autumn

In addition to that, I also hope to find a job, but, given the situation of our economy, I am starting to accept that for a while I may have to be content with the role of Susie-homemaker.

Finally, today we had some people from the electric company show up and replace all our light bulbs and lighting fixtures with the ones that are "more energy efficient." Now that I see them burning I understand how these save energy - they are incredibly dim. Our rooms are so dark that I can neither stitch nor read. I went to the closet and wanted to put the old bulbs in when Joe reminded me that the nice gentlemen from the company took all the bulbs with them... And all this time I was wondering what the catch was...



Autumn Biscornu



Summer Biscornu

Cackle, Cackle, Mother Goose...

Some time ago I purchased in the thrift store a soft toy - Mother Goose. When looking at her, I thought of my unfinished project - Mother Goose squares that were stitched some six years ago, intended to be but never turned into pillows. I brought her home and put her away until later - that is, until I could finish my pillows...
For Christmas, my loving and caring husband got me a sewing machine - a dream come true! Right after I figured out the basics, my first project was Mother Goose pillows. Stitching was surprisingly problem-free, and soon I, with the help of my Executive Pillow Stuffing Supervisor (daughter Rita), had a set of four pillows.
I washed Mother Goose and - oh, no! Her beak ripped and fell off... Rita looked at me and asked, "Doctor, will she make it? " That is how I made my first soft toy repair - I made a new beak for Mother Goose. Consdering that I had no idea what I was doing, I think it was not so bad. Except, maybe, the choice of material - but I did not have any yellow, and it matched the backing of the pillows.

Here is the pic of the final outcome of this experiment....

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! My holiday mood is running late this year, so instead of words let the pictures tell the story....

The Advent calendar - stitched some time ago and  - finally - framed in felt with the help of my daughter Rita.

A Star - Christmas decoration, one of several, on our tree. When on his first Christmas my son, then nine months old, dropped and broke his first glass ornament, I realized that glass decorations were not in our future for a while. Without unbreakable ornaments, the only other option was - hand-made decorations. The first year, my tree was decorated with pompoms made out of wool. Over time, I collected more hand-made items.  By the way, for anyone who asks about a strangely bent corner  - this star is not ripped or damaged, it's "vintage"... That's right, vintage.

Another decoration - Santa Claus begging for work... Funny and, given the current job situation, quite contemporary.

Vera made this doll from construction paper.

Merry Christmas!