loving fall...and the moments in fall...

I posted a couple of weeks ago about realizing that I love fall, and most of winter, actually...that it's just February and March that really start to get to me.  I resolved at that moment to start embracing each day and I'll just muddle through those other months when I get to them! That has worked pretty well for me so far! Of course, having great weather hasn't hurt either.

In the spirit of embracing fall, and due to the fact that I owned no fall decorations that were more recent than 1995, I worked with a friend on a couple of fall decor' projects. Here is one that took awhile, but will last many years.
I am pleased with how it turned out:

I have also been knitting quite a bit and doing a little bit of sewing, now that I have a borrowed vintage Montgomery Wards Signature sewing machine in my home! My parents bought me a Kenmore sewing machine when I first got married in 1984...it sewed my clothes and all sorts of little girl sundresses and fancy dresses, then faithfully sewed all sorts of costumes for various dramatic productions that my girls were involved in over the years from middle school through high school. During Stephani and Adrianne's junior (?) year, Stephani was chosen to be Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and Adrianne was the Scarecrow. Of course, the beginning of the movie was in black & white, so that necessitated making 2 Dorothy costumes...one in tan and white gingham (to replicate a "sepia" look) and the traditional in blue and white gingham. Well, late one evening, during the blue & white jumper phase, my faithful Kenmore died. Just died. It was a sad moment, 20+ years we had been together. Of course, the costumes were needed soon for dress rehearsal, and my life was crazy, as usual. I ran to our local Meijer store and purchased a sewing machine for $100. It finished the costume, and the ones for the subsequent senior year productions ( mean stepsisters in Cinderella comes to mind as just one that year...), but has done little since.

I mentioned to a friend my issue a few weeks ago (remember the canning tomatoes photo? One of those friends...and she let me know that there was an old sewing machine at church that I could borrow. I tried it for the first time yesterday, and it was a beautiful thing! There is a sticker on it that says that it was last serviced in 1988...I can tell you that when it stitches just a straight stitch, it is like cutting butter with a warm knife...so solid, even, and, well, secure...My only issue is that I cannot figure out how to wind a bobbin. Looking on the internet has not helped....so, that is my challenge for this week.

Anyways, I am loving doing these more domestic activities, and am looking forward to sewing more once I figure out the bobbin thingie! I want to make some cloth napkins this fall, so hopefully I will figure it out soon....

And, in other other news, I am so excited about the upcoming book discussion that I am hosting!  I was so moved by this book over the summer, but really wasn't sure if I was supposed to widen the group of women that were exposed to it...I spoke a couple of weeks ago to a lovely group of women at a local church, and the day that I was praying about that speaking, I just kept hearing a voice that said to my spirit, "You need to invite them to the book discussion." It was so clear, and repetitive. So, that night, I told them that I would be offering my home as a book discussion group for this particular book...the response was good. Since then, the response has been awesome! I am so excited! Women that I don't know have heard about it, called or emailed me, and are coming in 2 weeks! Wow! When God tells you to do something, He clearly provides the way, doesn't He? I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE HAS IN STORE!

O.m.goodness.

If you are interested, here is the link to order the book:

The details for the meetings are:
Starting Monday, October 25th, 7 pm at my home. Comment, or email me for the address.
Bring the book, a pen/pencil/highlighter and a notebook
Let me know that you are planning to attend.
Invite a friend if so inclined.

I'm not stressed about the number of people that show up...God knows who needs to be here and He will make it happen.

Blessings on your fall-ish week! I pray that you are embracing this season!

kimberly