Gearing up for the 2024 Library Love Challenge

 December 31st always has me signing up for a reading challenge or two.  I have done the Goodreads Reading Challenge since 2017 I have completed all but 1 year meaning I read the number of books I said I would read or surpassed the number. The year I didn't complete was in 2020  I read 22 of 25, which isn't too bad.  You would think with the lockdown of Covid 19 I would have read twice as many, unfortunately for me 2020 was the year of an illness that had me hospitalized several times and without a diagnosis for nearly 2 years.

At the time reading wasn't always possible because I was in so much physical pain I couldn't do much except sleep through the pain. I couldn't concentrate on reading or  recall what I read from page to page so I often just put the book aside.  It was a very long year.

The first reading challenge I plan to join is the Library Love Reading Challenge.  I love using the library its one of the first things I do when I move to a new town, register to vote and get a library card. Our local library is going to see more of me this year for several reasons:

1- I am clearing out many of my books from my bookshelves and donating them to the library. (This is part of my 2024 big purge of personal stuff).

2- I am buying less books this year mainly because I have quite a few new books (more than 20) I haven't read yet and I want to read them before I buy a new book.

3- Using the local library helps with funding for the library and if we want new books and programs we need to use the library.

Here is the link if you would like to join the 2024 Library Love Challenge

https://booksofmyheart.net/2023/12/02/2024-library-love-challenge-sign-up-giveaway/

I mentioned in my earlier post the first book I have planned to read in 2024 is The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl.

My plan is to read at least 25 books for the challenge, but if I go down my to read list on my library page it will be twice as many, but I remove and add books from the list all the time.  My TO READ list changes on my Goodreads page too.

 

The Last Day of December and Planning Projects for 2024

 It's New Year's Eve, the every last day of 2023 with a whole new year of possibility waiting in the wings.

I'm not sorry to see this year come to a close, it's been a year of ups and downs which I sure many of us have experienced.

My first stitching project for 2024 is taking part in Kathy Schmitz's Woven Wreath Stitch Along.  It begins on January 1st.  The project requires the purchase of the preprinted fabric from Spoonflower. There are 3 color choices: blue, red or green.  I chose the blue, though I had the green in my cart too but I work with green quite often so I decided on the blue.

My one change is I am using Valdani 6 stranded floss instead of perle cotton as a matter or personal choice. 

You can find info here on her instagram  https://www.instagram.com/kathyschmitzstitches/  or YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0goemkQd0S4

This is the link at Spoonflower, all you need is a fat quarter, I am not using the coordinating fabric 

https://www.spoonflower.com/en/shop?on=fabric&q=kathyschmitz&availability=ForSale&sort=bestSelling

I am also going to attempt the 2024 Slow Stitch with k3n clothtales

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_V7o7DpYeE&list=PLIvsY9XB9IaavqCrqeFaFvZBtQoJD-X4Q

So these are a few stitching projects to start off 2024, I haven't even decided what I plan to stitch this year.  I do need to finish my polar bears. Today I need to wash the stick and wash away product of the  polar bear and then trim around the edges.

Here is a look at both of the polar bears before I cut them out to finish them, I decided not to stuff them.

I actually completed the stitching on the bear on the left, I love these little polar bear ornaments, even though they didn't get finished yet. Today I will be working to get the other one done.  I had to stop stitching for a week because my fingers were so dried out from packing all the those out going orders from the web shops Christmas week my fingers were bleeding. 

 

I'm going to add my blog post over at Kathy's Quilts for the Slow Sunday Stitching, hop on over to see what other talented stitchers are working on. 

https://kathysquilts.blogspot.com/2023/12/slow-sunday-stitching-new-years-eve.html

I'm taking part in the American Cancer Society's Walk 31 Miles in January, I'm walking in memory of my brother in law and my aunt. It's a way for me not only to raise money but a good way for me to get back into my walking routine.  Since I had the spine and legs problems since late spring my daily walking was stopped for several weeks and then when I was finally comfortable walking my walks were shortened.  I miss my daily 2 mile walks so with this charity walk I'm planning 1 mile each day so that by February I can be back to at least 2 miles again. Here is a link to the Facebook page if this is something you want to do and also my page where I will post my daily walking.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6686097324772727

https://www.facebook.com/donate/811260747426352/6826339254082667/

This is the 1st book I will read in 2024 The Comfort of Crows by Margaret Renkl 

I just finished reading Wintering by Katharine May 

I'm off for a walk at Silver Springs state park and then home to do some slow Sunday stitching.

 I will leave you with my Wishes For a Very Happy and Safe New Year and I hope to see you all here in 2024.

Stitching Polar Bears

 It's been nearly a month since I posted here.  This time of the year is busy for most of us and when you have a retail business things get to be chaotic and exhausting.  I'm beginning to think it may be time for me to admit I am getting a bit too old to handle packing 300 items in a 2 day period.

This weekend I actually took a break from all the business and did some hand embroidery on the polar bear ornament, on Saturday I stitched the first bear 

and on Sunday early evening I stitched the second bear.  Now I have to wash off the stitch and wash away so I can finish.

I saw the polar bears in one of the Slow Stitch Facebook Groups I'm in, as soon as I saw them I knew I had to make them. I purchased the pattern from Etsy shop The Hoop in Hand.  While I was stitching the 2nd polar bear I was thinking to myself these would look great in pink, to my surprise another member in the group made them in pink.

I am still working on the Christmas hand embroidery piece. It is a pattern from BeCoProductions another Etsy shop.  

I am currently reading Wintering by Katharine May, quite a few people have mentioned this book to me and several of my friends are reading it so I thought I would give it a try. I found the first few pages a bit sad so I put it aside until the holidays are over.

I am still having trouble with my spine and legs so after the new year I hope to get another round of spinal injections to see if going out further will help.  I last month I began using the inserts in my shoes and they are making a difference.  As soon as I stood up with the insoles in my shoes I could feel my alignment was better.  I really want to avoid a back surgery so I am hoping the insoles and the spinal injections together will bring more relief.