"I started photographing my domestic world and writing not just about what I had made,
but why I made it, examining the thoughts that accompany creativity and the act of making."
Jane Brocket from The Gentle Art of Domesticity p. 189 UK edition

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Crafting Journal Pages

          Ahoy there! Thanks for stopping by to visit. This fine fellow smiling at you welcomes me rubbing his ears when we meet while walking in our neighborhood and I am certain if you were to meet him he would welcome you rubbing his ears as well.


One of our neighbors has these sunny flowers growing in front of their unit. Aren't they cheery?


The sun cheered me as well as its light caused the trees' autumn leaves glow one afternoon when I walked toward the green space on the east side of our neighborhood.


Heading home from a walk one day I spotted this scarlet wonder near my unit and had to stop to document my discovery with this photo.


After several cloudy rainy days, I was rewarded one afternoon when I crossed the street by my unit and turned to look back at my unit.  Just above my rooftop, I got a peek of the peak of Mt. Hood covered with a fresh cap of snow. It is a thrill to me every time Mt. Hood comes into my line of sight!


After the seeds I planted in the planters on my patio grew, I learned that Morning Glory vines blossom at the end of the growing season. Once the vines began to bloom we had two windy rainstorms.  The trellises blew down twice, but the vines were still able to produce these blooms.  The blooms don't last for many hours, but in my opinion, they are glorious!


Helen Philipp's new book I bought arrived in the mail not many days ago, and I was so excited! For years I have enjoyed reading her blog and admired and been enriched by viewing her amazing use of color in her stitching projects. Her clear directions for following her patterns encourage me to stitch a project soon!


In this cute and practical tin is a magnetic button to hold needles to keep them handy while working on a hand stitching project. My friend Taci from her Etsy shop TACIStudio sells beautiful handcrafted items. This busy bee magnet is headed as a gift to a family member who enjoys stitching.


Last Wednesday morning one of the ladies from our church preemie blanket making group contributed this pretty crocheted blanket.  The teacup is a gift from a dear friend in our group who recently did not survive open-heart surgery.  We miss her and are so grateful for her friendship and our shared faith in Christ and the hope we have of life forever with Him.


As the temperatures get closer to freezing I have been using my little electric fireplace more.  I filled a bowl in front of it with the knit pumpkins and gourd I made years ago for the harvest Thanksgiving season, and there is a cute green grasshopper my friend Betsy sent me perched on top.


The preemie blanket I am knitting with acrylic Lyon brand yarn is almost complete and I have loved the colors in this skein in all four seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer, and Autumn...a slow but satisfying knit.


While my blog is a type of online journal about my crafting days, I have various paper journals as well.  Recently I joined a small group, eight Christian women committed to praying for our country, the church, and our families, communicating with each other mainly by texting and online Zoom meetings. Two women live in South Carolina; one lives in Florida; two live in Delaware; one lives in Illinois; one lives in Georgia; and one lives in Oregon. I started collecting papers, a card, and information from the group that I wanted to keep in one place, so I started another journal.  I am using a lined composition notebook.  On these two pages, I attached items with glue/clear tape and then used washi tape around the items to frame them...so much fun!

Do you journal? 

Have a good day!

Gracie🤗
 

12 comments:

  1. Lovely Gracie so good to see you here and all the colourful pics. Getting warmer here and enjoying keeping safe in our house. Lovely having special items from dear departed friends. Mt Hood always looks so neat lucky you. Wendy xo

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  2. Always good to hear from you Gracie :-). I have just realised on seeing in these photo above of your house that you are living now in another house. Are you still in the same area? What a friendly face that doggy has and he looks quite big! I have popped into Taci's Etsy shop and she has some gorgeous handcrafted items for sale. Very tempting :-) like yourself I have followed Helen Philip's blog her makes are so beautiful and I have her first book on sewing gifts too. I am not surprising she has brought out another book too. Love the gorgeous colours of the preemie blanket you are knitting. Stay safe and keep well Gracie . I am still posting on Crafty in the Med. Amanda x

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  3. I love the colours of your blanket!
    x

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  4. Hi Gracie, it's always a joy to read your blog. I love the photos you've shared of the fall colors. And, your journal looks like a fun, creative project. Enjoy your day. Pat (from Lilly my cat) 🧡🍁🧡

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  5. Hello Sweet Gracie! How nice to open up my computer and see a blog from you. Dennis and I just finished watching online church and taking communion. It's a different world we're living in right now but we're grateful for computers and Zoom meetings with our Bible study groups.
    I loved the peek at Mt. Hood in your photo. Do you know, one of the biggest things I miss about our house is the view of Mt. Spokane. I lived much closer to the mountain now but I don't have a view of it!
    What a sweet little doggy face. He looks very happy to see you. I would be "wagging my tail" if I saw you walking down the street toward me too. I miss you my dear friend.
    I also love the little teacup, both for its beautiful flowers and the memories it holds for you. It's so hard to lose dear ones, family and friends, but to know they are fellow believers and that we'll see them again someday is such a gift. We're all struggling with losing our sister Karen, but no one more than her dear husband. He is wandering lost but is relying on his faith to see him through.
    Your prayer group sounds wonderful. There is nothing more powerful than the prayers of the Saints going up to our Father.
    Have a wonderful Sunday Gracie.
    Blessings and hugs,
    Betsy

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  6. Oh Gracie, thank you, and your group, for praying for our country. We so need it, now more than ever.

    What a sweet doggie face; he reminds me a bit of Mere's dogs. And what a lovely cup and saucer to remember your friend by. Those morning glories are indeed glorious! And that blanket is turning out beautifully.

    Wishing you a good week with many glimpses of mountain majesty.

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  7. I sure would love to pat that sweet pup's head and scratch his ears. So sorry to hear about your friend not surviving heart surgery. My aunt died during heart surgery in the 80's and it was a shock to the family because unfortunately, she didn't tell anyone she was doing it because she didn't want to worry anyone. Her own children didn't even know and they never had a chance to support her or say goodbye. The little crocheted blanket donation is really lovely. I was journaling like crazy in September because I was following some prompts from Instagram but it's kinda slowed down since. But I do have lots of books to fill with art, pictures, words and thoughts. Hoping for positive news and a way forward soon. Take care.

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  8. I enjoyed reading your blog, my friend. I'm late to comment as we were busy coming home from the beach and then I blogged, showered and just made to my eye doctor for a followup on my 2nd cataract surgery and today was an online doctor's meeting to get set up for a colonoscopy. Egads. Sorry to hear of the loss of a friend. :-( I'm glad to hear that you've made new friends that you can Zoom with. I hope we are able to visit again soon. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  9. Lovely to catch up, dear Gracie. I like your fireplace corner, what a brilliant way to use the wooden crates, so pretty and practical.
    Amalia
    xo

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  10. Hope you are well Gracie. I always love to see your lovely home and all of your creative projects. The little blanket is wonderful. Jo x

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  11. You have a pretty area to walk, and I would be thrilled too each time I would glimpse Mount Hood. I like the blanket project you are working on.

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  12. Hello Gracie I'm not sure how I missed your post as I usually look out for you. So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I don't journal. I did try to join in with a Challenge one year that meant keeping a journal. However events that year meant I could not keep up with the challenge. I recently found the partly completed journal and enjoyed reading through it. Take care and stay safe. Anne x

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Thank you for visiting me today! I welcome your comments!