Getting Hygge while Slow Sunday Stitching

Yesterday it was one of those mornings when the world is the color and consistency of old wet flannel, I love to walk in the winter. Lately bundling up against the cold, putting on my gloves and off I go. I love the bare, stark trees, the sounds of the birds and watching the critters digging for and burying food away for the winter. I like to collect things along the way bits of greenery, pine cones, feathers, rocks etc. I have a big glass bowl that holds my treasures when I get back home. Coming back to a warm home, warm blankets, a warm drink…well it’s just a Hygge moment! Now you may be shaking your head wondering cold in Florida is she off her nut, and what the heck is hygge? Yes it gets cold here in Florida and after a night of heavy rain storms the wind kicked up and the temps dropped fast while I walked the track at the park the blowing wind made it feel like it should have been snowing.

Do you want to know what is Hygge? The Danish word 'hygge' (pronounced 'hooga') translates roughly to 'cosiness'. Hygge….a Danish concept of coziness, joy, family, food and a complete sense of comfort and well being. Hygge is more than a cozy room full of candles, company and good food. Hygge is a philosophy; a way of life that has helped Danes understand the importance of simplicity, time to unwind and slowing down the pace of life. So hygge may have started there, but you can definitely start practicing it at home! Create space and time to do nothing but enjoy the little things with family and friends and perhaps some hand stitching or quilting to chase the cold away.

Speaking of hand stitching this week I started on a small project of Goddesses done in the colors of the four elements.

Elemental Goddesses

I like this little goddess piece not to be confused with the Calamoondala piece I made a few weeks ago, very similar don't you think?

Calamoondala

I will be posting today at Kathy's Quilts where you can click over to see what lovely projects other talented bloggers are working on today. 

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.ca/2017/01/slow-sunday-stitching.html

I'm all but over the bronchitis, the lingering cough that hangs on for a few weeks is less and less frequent each day and the crazy weather doesn't help things, the day before yesterday I spent a few hours at the beach soaking up the sun and getting in a little hand embroidery, I was dressed in capri pants and a tee shirt, today I was wearing a hoodie over my shirt and gloves to keep my fingers warm. It will be cold for a few days, night temps dropped to 29 degrees last night, by Wednesday we will be back to the upper 70's. (77).

I mentioned in December that I would be taking part in the 1 Year of Stitches 2017 challenge where you make at least one stitch a day the link is here:

http://www.brwnpaperbag.com/1-year-of-stitches-2017

I also decided to take part in A Year in Stitches for 2017 and you try to embroider at least once a day the link to the Facebook Group is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ayearinstitches

There are no set rules or guidelines for either of the challenges mostly its to get you to embroider on a daily basis though you don't have to stitch every day its all up to you. You don't need experience or you can be an expert, you may post progress of your work on the Facebook groups, Instagram and your own blog but it's not a requirement. For me taking part in the challenges keeps me motivated to stitch which help improve my hand embroidery over all. I want this to be a stitch heavy year for me so I will be eager to see my own progress as well as everyone’s progress in the groups.