A Year of Winter

So here I am, watching a heavy tropical rain fall on the palm trees in my yard on a nearly-70-degree day, drinking our traditional hot punch and really missing winter. Y'all know I am a fall and winter girl. If you've been here a while, you also know that the week between Christmas and New Year's Day is my Stitchy Planning Week, a week when I leisurely play in my stash and plan my projects for the coming year. A few weeks ago, I decided I would stitch winter all year next year. Shortly thereafter, this Winter Sampler (which I've been anticipating from the designer for several years) came out, and I was so thrilled with how beautiful it turned out. I took the timing as confirmation that next year is, indeed, a Year of Winter for me. I figure it will either be a source of comfort, or I'll get so sick of winter I'll be able to cope with its absence better. Either way, I win.

I collected half a dozen other winter designs I want to stitch and organized them into one of these presentation books that I use for everything, including my inventory. My Stitchy Planning Week has been somewhat abbreviated, what with travel and wee ones and such, but Mr. Wonderful is on baby duty so I do have some time to get things together. Hopefully I'll be able to have a brand new start for New Year's Day.

If winter is not your cup of tea, never fear. I'll still be sharing my stitchy finds, good recipes, and of course, kitten pics. And you never know when I'll get distracted and have to stitch a spring bunny or a fall pumpkin or something. I may even actually have some non-winter finishing and framing to share at some point. I've also kicked around the idea of just blathering about what I've learned in 35 years of stitching, why I do things the way I do them, why I break the stitching "rules" I break, why I'm still blogging, etc. (Topic suggestions for my blathering welcome!)

Speaking of blogging, this post closes out 10 years for me. I don't plan to go anywhere. It seems blogging is fading away, as people choose faster and shorter means of communication over slower and longer. That's how we lost letters. But as long as the platform cooperates with me, and I'm able, I intend to just muddle along, showing my stitching and my cats and whatever else takes my fancy. I appreciate those of you who appreciate what I do, who value slower and longer, and take the time to read, and look, and comment. I haven't been able to keep up with blogs other than my own this year, but hopefully the new year will be a better one. It feels like we're just off over here in a cozy little corner, doing our own thing, while everyone else races by. I intend to keep it cozy as long as I can.

Wishing you many blessings in the New Year, may it be better than the last, and may you have oodles of finishes!