endings and beginnings

In Aztec traditions the passing of the old year and the coming of the new were two very different sets of days, nemontemi and qahuitlehua. Nemontemi were considered very unlucky, dangerous days. Dark spirits were thought to wander the land. People largely stayed indoors, kept to themselves, and kept quiet to avoid attracting the attention of these spirits.

I decided to follow their tradition and mostly stayed indoors except when I was taking Frosty Girl for a walk.  Then I was safe because my guard dog would protect me from any danger. And I stitched, and stitched and I have a finish!

Tomorrow I'm starting the Super Duper Challenge so stay tuned for more stitchy stuff.

Have a happy New Year everyone!
Evalina

The Bathroom Monologues: Christmas Dinner Prayer 2014

Merry Christmas everyone!I hope you will enjoy this prayer as much as I do:

The Bathroom Monologues: Christmas Dinner Prayer 2014: In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, bless us for our good intentions, which always outstrip our good works. Tod...


So long my friends,

Evalina

Signs and symbols

Just three more posts and we are coming to the end of Reverb14 hosted by Kat McNally. Today's prompt is all about signs and symbols

Today, I invite you to consider: what sorts of signs and symbols have recurred for you in 2014? Think: repeating colours, shapes, people, sayings, music, images, ideas. Where could they possibly be leading you?

I CAN NOT think of any... I rarely dream due to sleepless nights, and really nothing unusual is repeating... Well, no there is something. At the end of July I was flying from Toronto to Whitehorse with a little layover in Victoria. Since I had couple of hours to kill I went with friends for lunch. They chose a lovely restaurant by the ocean and then it happened... It was a lovely sunny day, I took a deep breath and the smell of the ocean reminded me of home. The feeling was so strong and did not want to go away. Next day I tell Freddy about that feeling and then things start falling in place. Mom needed a warmer climate, the real estate prices were right and so on. In September we came to Vancouver Island just to have a look, three days later we made an offer and a month later we were on the road moving. As of today I'm still recovering from that move, keep unpacking and organizing not paying much attention to any signs. But (there is always a but) next year I'm starting a journal where I'll be recording all my dreams (if there will be any), hunches etc. But wait, I do not have to wait for January 1st to start this project. There is absolutely nothing stopping me from starting today.

Whatsoever thou resolvest to do, do it quickly. Defer not till the evening what the morning may accomplish. — Unto Thee I Grant.

I think this is a beautiful quote - maybe I should stitch it... Yeah, I think I will design a sampler.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Soul nourishement

Another great prompt that I would love to share with you

What nourishes your soul? How would you like to incorporate more of this into your life in 2015?

I do not have to think about the answer - Mozart and stitching! Both of them are very powerful force, I do not think I could survive without them. It doesn't matter if I'm up or down, sad or happy Mozart and stitching are giving me wings to expend my imagination, change the atmosphere and the mood. I think if I played Presto or Come, Sweet May every morning my day will always have a good start.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Wonder

Oh my, I have been quiet for almost a week! Kat got me going with her very curious prompt from Tracy. Tracy writes:

Like many folks, I picture myself as a modern day Wonder Woman, trying to use my superpowers, to do lists and pure force to get what I want. In 2014, I found that my effort wasn’t often tied to my desired outcomes -- except when it was.

In 2015, is there something you’d like to try harder at because you believe it would make all the difference? 

Conversely, what is something you could stop trying so hard at that might actually help you manifest what you’d like?

Yeah, definitely I want to try harder to find more time for me and love myself a little more. It just hit me that I have nobody to take care of me if I become ill. It's funny, my whole life I always was taking care of somebody and now I CAN NOT think of one person that I can depend on. And I'm not getting any younger - I better try harder to take care of my well being for a change.

And what I will stop trying? I will stop being harsh on myself, after all it is me that I 'm talking about.

As for my stitching - I have a finish!

And I am a winner of the Kelmscott Seventh Day of Christmas Giveaway. Seven must be my lucky number! Oh, they have the cutest little scissors and needle minders. I love them all.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Generosity

I absolutely love today's prompt in Reverb14 that came from writer and artist Kira Elliot. It's so perfect, just in time for holidays.

Kira writes:

(...) there is a difference between generosity and giving. Generosity is free of obligations; it opens the heart, and creates warmth and connection between the giver and receiver. (...) Look back at the last year and consider: how did generosity open your heart? How can you cultivate generosity in the coming year?

 I like to think of myself as generous, compassionate and loving person. Countless times I went out of my way to help someone without thinking of a reward or expecting one. Last year I'd open my door to my MIL who was diagnosed with Alzheimer. She lived on her own, coping with the disease,  depressed by the symptoms, lonely and abandoned in some way. Since Mom lived  over three thousand miles away we were not aware of the situation until things got more obvious. Some day I will write a book - her story is a very disturbing one where her younger son is responsible for her depression, frustration and loneliness. It seems like he cares only about preserving his inheritance (and get most of it) not Mom's well being. But that's a story for another time. Now Mom lives with us and, believe it or not, her health has improved! And do not get me wrong - I'm not an angel, I do have moments when I 'explode', when I get angry and discouraged, but those moments do not last long and I'm working on my 'moments of uncontrolled behavior'.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Shades of Gray, connections, show your self and biting back

As you enter into the new year, what would you like to do/make/have/be more often? How will you bear witness and celebrate the tiny milestones? How will you respond on the occasions when your intentions do not come to pass?

Today's prompt is very intriguing, shades of gray - I DO NOT like gray, I love black and white. I do not have time for gray, I do not like head games, I just want to know: right or left, good or bad, black or white. Now, as I'm typing these words, I see that I'm missing a whole rainbow of colours...

In the 2015 I would love to be more calm, talk less and listen more, stitch more and spend more time on my spiritual study. I would love to finish more projects, improve my writing skills and start to write a memoir (Why not? It would be awesome to read it when I'm very old and my memory starts fading). I think I should have all my goals and point by point a 'road map' how to accomplish them written down, then I will know when I achieve a little milestone. And if something doesn't go the way I intended - so be it, I will find another way...

connections

The hectic pace of our lives can make it difficult to remain connected to the things and the people that matter the most to us. We get wrapped up in our work or our busyness and connection falls by the wayside. 

How have you created and/or sustained connections in your life this year?

 Connections are very important part of my life and I'm trying to be active. You know, if I do not write to somebody - nobody will write to me, if I do not call anyone - no one will call me, if I do not visit blogs - other bloggers will not visit mine.

 


show your self(ie)

There was a time when I loved to be photographed, now I'm the one who hides behind the camera...




biting back

if the gloves were off, how you really would have liked to have dealt with them?

Wow, have you watched 'Kill Bill' with Uma Thurman? Well, I wish I could bite back the way The Bride did. Unfortunately I do not bite back and I do not 'get even' either. I stitch. With each new unpleasantness I have a new project going. I'm starting new projects not only when I'm in trouble or unhappy. Each time I have something to think about it, something to resolve or plan - my hands are getting busy with stitching. Here is progress on my newest piece:

 

So long my friends,

Evalina

What is the sound of your own voice?

This prompt is easy - I love my voice (most of the time) even though I can't sing. I love reading aloud, telling stories and just plainly talking. I like hiring my voice, it always clams me. Sometimes, when I'm angry and frustrated I scream and even then has same soothing effect. Most people like my voice - in my whole life just two of them have complained (but on the other hand they are the ones who drove me crazy). I am a very independent and strong woman, my voice reflects that.

All that reflecting makes me thinking and of course I had to have a new stitchy start...

I'm stitching this piece on the lovely fabric from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe with their floss of course.

So long my friends,
Evalina

...

All right, today's prompt is giving me a little trouble..

We are all lightning rods, conduits for that which the Universe wants born into this world. What energies did you channel this year?

I do not get it. Even if I agree that I'm some kind of a wire that transmits energies - where do I suppose to look for them? Inside or outside? Sometimes I'm around a person that burst with happiness and enthusiasm and it is contagious - makes me feel good. Sometimes is opposite - the persons burst with happiness and enthusiasm and it irritates me.   So what I'm channeling? Come on guys, help me with this subject. Until then I will put on some 'Thinking of Love' perfume from Mary Kay and play 'Good Vibrations'.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Loving now

 It’s all too easy to put off loving where we are until everything is perfect. What can you love about where you are now?
I've try that - it doesn't work. Life isn't perfect and never will be (that's my own opinion). My dreams are far, far away from today's reality. What happen if they never come true? Should I be miserable in the meantime? Some time ago I decided that no mater what I'll be a positive person loving the moment I'm in right now. Yesterday is a history and tomorrow may never happen so I love today and I love now. What do I love? You all know that I love stitching but I also love rainbows, my DH and my family, my dog and my mother in law, neighbours - when I think about it actually I love everything except root-beer, liquorice and bok choy.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Release

What unfinished projects from 2014 are you willing to release now? (Regret not required.)


I'm not a quitter! If I started a project I will finish it sooner or later. Sometimes much later...  I wanted to loose thirty pounds or so, I lost three - I can let it go for now and start all over next year. There, that's a release. I was very angry and disappointed back in June -  now I can let these feelings go away forever. If we are talking about my stitching projects - that's a different story - I'm not willing to let them go but I will finish them and release them as 'finishes'. You know, just like an author releases his new book or a musician his new album. Let's see what I can release this year...

A while ago (well, a long while ago in January 2011) I started a 'Love' ornament. This is where I left if off

and this how it looks now. I stitched like there will be no tomorrow and I'm almost done! Just one more evening (or maybe two)

 Same goes for Jingle, I'm almost done. So after all, it looks like I can have both pieces finished for Christmas.

Do you have anything to release this year? Please share with me.

So long my friends,
Evalina

Welcome December

Finally it is here - last month of the year... Like usual this time of the year,  it is time to reflect (hopefully learn from our mistakes) and plan for the future. My big goal is to improve my English and writing skills. I use to be a pretty good writer in Polish - now I have a trouble to put a few sentences together. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely do not have a problem with business communication but I would love to write with more creativity. And since practice makes everything perfect I will write more. Have you read 'On writing' by Stephen King? He said that you must write about 2000 words every day if you seriously want to be better in writing. I'm not crazy about his books but I admire his style. Now, let's go back to reflections. This morning I was browsing Blogland and Deborah posted an invitation to reflective writing challenge hosted by Kat - a writer whose mission it is to 'soothe weary souls' (this sounds so lovely). She is in Australia, I'm in the Pacific time zone, so she is like a day ahead of me. Regardless my posts being a day behind, I've decided to play along. Before I get to today's topic I want to share with you the most beautiful sunset captured on the last day of November right from my deck:

With that beautiful sky in mind I'm back to today's consideration: what can you say right now with certainty?


Ha! That's easy - I love to stitch! I am so certain about it. I have been doing this for over twenty years and love every minute of it. Many other things seamed real and certain in the past but after time went by it turned out somewhat different... You know what I mean...

So long my friends,
Evalina