My Olympic Buddy.

I am a huge fan of the Olympics, the winter version is my favorite, but I do enjoy the summer as well.  I don't normally watch a ton of TV but during the Olympics I just can't seem to look away, especially when volleyball or gymnastics are on.  This time around they are extra special because London is one of my favorites of all the places I have traveled.  I was very fortunate to have gotten the chance to visit there twice and spend about a month there total and to see so many familiar neighborhoods in the background is really fun. 

I have been battling a little summer cold for the past several days so I was looking for a little project that  wouldn't take too much time or concentration and I stumbled on the cutest little patterns for magnets that fit perfectly with the British theme of my recent TV viewing.  I thought stitching up one of them would be perfect as they did make an appearance in the Opening Ceremony!

I found them in Cross Stitcher magazine and they also have a few other versions available for free at TheMakingSpot.com (http://crossstitcher.themakingspot.com/category/tags/corgi).  I changed mine up a bit because well, he's a huge fan of team USA!

Say hello to Biscuit!

He was a super fun project that only took the better part of an afternoon. I wanted to wrap the hoop in gold but I only had navy blue in my stash so he doesn't get the gold medal treatment :( but he does have a touch of the red, white and blue wrapped around his neck! I am super happy with the way he turned out and he now hangs next to my sewing machine. 

Happy Monday indeed!

Leah :)

Fa La La La La...woah what?!?

So while having lunch with a friend this weekend she sits down, stares me right in the face and says, can you believe that there are only 150 some odd days until Christmas?!? I almost passed out! First of all what on earth is she doing thinking about Christmas in the middle of July as we sit on a patio soaking up sun and sangria?!? Second, why is she saying it out loud!

Of course, now its all I can think of!

I will admit that over the last few years I have become a bit of a humbug when it comes to Christmas.  I love the cookie baking and family gatherings but I hate how greedy the world around me looks at Christmas time.  It just makes me sad to see so many of my coworkers stressing over how to afford some outrageously priced toy that their kid really doesn't need.  I decided about 4 years ago that I wouldn't let Chri$tma$ get in the way of my enjoying Christmas.

I have always liked making things for other people; to me a handmade gift is more meaningful. After all it was made just for that person.  I learned the hard way that handmade isn't everyone's cup of tea.  A lesson that changed the way I look at gift giving and also completely destroyed a friendship.  Christmas is now a delightful hodgepodge of handmade, store bought and home cooked and it has worked really well over the last few years.

I actually started a gift on Sunday night, which capped off a wonderful weekend in just the right way! See Sundays really do make all the difference!  I wanted to start it early just in case it's a disaster and I need to act on plan B with the quickness! :) The planning and supply gathering might not always be the most fun but the research is always a blast, Pinterest here I come!!!

Anyone else working on Christmas yet? Please tell me it's not just me!

Thanks for stopping in!

~ Leah

The Truth of The Matter

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start,

anyone can start from now

and make a brand new ending.”

– Carl Bard

One thing that the crazy month of June gave me was the opportunity to really step back and decide what was most important in my life.  While I was away on my business trips I had quite a bit of downtime.  Meetings were only scheduled during the day to coincide with our normal working hours so it left me with most of my nights free.  Being away from home meant that my normal routine was turned all upside-down, impacting so many things!

I had been kind of circling a little bit these last few months, stuck in a rut with very little motivation, really just going through the motions.  It took me a great deal of time and hard work to be where I am today and I know I don’t ever want to go back to where I started but now that I am here what now?  That’s what I kept asking myself, what now? What’s next?

What’s next for me is my brand new ending…or at least the start of the journey to that ending because who knows, I might need to do this all over again in 6 months! Someday my brand new ending may change; I guess it all depends on which branch of the path I decide to take. For now I think I will focus more on me, less on all of the commotion around me that I can’t control.  I have enrolled in a few online art/craft classes, changed up my training schedule to focus more on strength, I joined my local farmstand’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program to get some fresh new produce delivered weekly and I have planned a few weekend and day trips just for me.  I spend so much of my life making lists or being given lists.  I think its time to start checking things off. 

Thanks for stopping by!

~Leah  :)



Where on Earth did June go?!?!

One minute its there and the next 4th of July is come and gone! It's incredible how fast time flies sometimes. June was an uncharacteristically busy month for me. In that short 30 day span I had two business trips, two vacations and my brother's wedding.  I was only home for 9 of the 30 days and that's a first for me! Boring business trips aside, the month was full of wonderful things, lots of family time and some much needed relaxation time. 

I visited 5 states in the month of June, a new record for me I think! New Hampshire, Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New York plus Martha's Vineyard (ok so that's not really a state but it requires a ferry so it makes the list!) All in all it was a great month. 

I don't have pictures of everything but here are some highlights...

Connecticut

Worlds smallest Uno deck... 

Some of my favorite houses on the Vineyard

Double rainbow on the ferry home!

Yummiest, cutest wedding cake ever!  

First dance as Mr and Mrs!!

Stupid power lines blocking my rainbow!

Hopefully now that things have calmed down I can get back on schedule.

I hope your June was as good as mine!

~Leah 

Yankee Doodle Day!

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration of Independence, 1776

While Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday the 4th is a very close second.  I used to rush around trying to fight my way into Boston to listen to the Pops and watch the fireworks on the Esplanade, which I love, but I now find that listening to the Pops on the radio while relaxing in my backyard is just as much fun. 

I don't know, maybe I am getting old!

This year I will be spending it with family and friends, eating lots of hot dogs and potato salad, trying to stay cool (if the weather report is to be believed) with popsicles!

For those of you in the US, I hope your 4th is a safe and happy one.  For everyone else, Happy Wednesday!!!

~Leah