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Sunday, April 15, 2018

Slow Sunday Resting

Welcome to the weekly hand stitching party! 

It has been a weekend of freezing rain and ice in my neck of the woods. That means staying at home since driving is unsafe. I realized how rare it is that I stay home for a whole day! Which made me think of when Sunday used to be a whole day of rest for everyone. Except for going to church, everyone stayed home to rest. Does anyone remember those days?!? You weren't allowed to do any work (well, except the women who still cooked and served food, and then cleaned up and washed the dishes) and mostly you spent time visiting with family and friends, resting, and enjoying good conversation.
Fast forward to 2018, where we feel guilty if we sit down to rest for a few minutes! 



Yesterday I rested much of the day and did a lot of hand embroidery. I know that if the weather was not terrible, it would have been "business as usual" and I would have been out and about, running errands, getting groceries, etc.
But instead I felt relaxed and finished 2 more blocks of the "I Stitch" club by Gail Pan.... a heart and a butterfly. Today I will be tracing out the next block, putting in a few more stitches, and continuing to rest.



From Simplicity Relished
Resting is NOT clicking around on a computer/iPad, or scrolling  through Facebook messages, or watching TV. It means to really disconnect yourself from any devices and screens (after you finish reading this of course!) and just... R E S T.  Try doing nothing and give your brain some time to power down. Stare out the window, go for a walk (if it's not icy!), breathe deeply, pick up your hand stitching project, put in a few stitches, and repeat. 

I love this line from Daisy at Simpicity Relished:


"Resting takes courage. Resting says, “I am okay with what I’m missing. I’m okay with what I can’t do. I recognize my limits. I submit to my own needs.”
WOW! Can you do that? How about for 15 minutes? 
And to fill up your spirit, hop over to Rosie's Arty Stuff to see her beautiful "Rest, Restore and Renew" inspiration. Make it as big as you can on your screen as there is so much to see in her work.

What are you hand stitching today? We love to see the slow progress you are making with your projects. Your stitches inspire all of us!



   

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17 comments:

  1. Yes. It is important to rest. It's so important to take time to smell the roses. WOW on Rosie's Arty Stuff. But I love the heart that you did this week. It's so cute. Have a great week, Kathy!

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  2. Thank you for the reminder to rest and relax :-) Enjoy your day re-charging! Love your stitcheries.

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  3. I always enjoy seeing your pretty embroidery :)

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  4. So true about disconnecting to rest!! I love sitting on our veranda for just that purpose. I do more when it is warmer, but it is raining today and I'll spend a bit of the day out there just listening to the birds sing and the rain fall.

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  5. I don't know if I can truly disconnect for a whole day isn't that sad! the only time I do that is when we travel and we are so far out in the mountains and away from civilization that my phone won't come in so I can check email - I really find it sad that I have gotten like that - I need to really try some day

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  6. I just love this little post about resting and its importance. Interesting that it takes determination these days to actually rest. Love your embroidery...so tempted...

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  7. What a Post Kathy! Inspirational. I usually have the TV on while in the Studio, but now there are times I just turn it off. I remember the days that you are speaking of and they are so missed in this fast pace world. This is why the hand quilting, embroidery, knitting, etc relaxes me. Have a wonderful peaceful day. We all need more!

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  8. It is so nice to have an excuse to be restful, it's too bad that it takes an ice storm to force us to do so. I think I'll take the opportunity to quilt for a couple of more hours than is usual....it may result in a quilt finish!

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  9. Everybody needs to stop and relax, it is not about what we are missing is about what we are winning

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  10. What a great post! I never feel like I can just sit and do nothing. If I'm watching TV, I'm usually on the computer/IPad. I'm home a lot, but rarely stay home a full day. Thanks for the reminder to rest!

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  11. I cross stitched for years, then switched to quilting for more immediate results. Aging has brought introspection, satisfaction, and an appreciation for the process, not just the end product. A few years ago I embraced Mark Lipinski's Slow Stitching Movement and have been rewarded with the ability to now thoroughly enjoy not only hand work but a new interest in the step by step process of making quilts. Rosie's art is an amazing reminder of the need to rest, but I believe we must each define that for ourselves. Thanks for another fun trip down memory lane 🙂.

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  12. Love the hand embroideries, and the quote for resting, I have taken many a rest day over the years and all the more content for it. Slow stitching is another way to rest so when I am engaged stitching I let loose and find the deepest calm when I loose myself to stitching.

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  13. Hope you are getting a restful day by choice and not because the power is out!

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  14. There’s freezing rain falling here too, along with branches from the trees when the wind blows the least little bit. Hopefully nothing too big will come down and our power will stay on. It’s a great day to stay put and stitch.

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  15. Oh, I'm a sucker for hearts and butterflies so I love this week's embroidery.

    I remember when department stores, grocery stores and even gas stations were closed on Sundays. Then the big box stores came along and things changed.

    As for resting...I'm retired now and a hermit so I'm always laying around the house now. Life is grand and I'm always well rested!!!

    It was 60 degrees the other day so I went out and cleaned up some flower beds (only to find deer and rabbits have sure eaten a lot of bulbs and shrubs, darn it.) Today it is snowing. Last year around this time, according to my diary, I was barefoot and drinking margaritas on my deck!

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  16. I love your little embroidered heart. Very cute.

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  17. Just popping in to say Hi!! Rest I did. Spent the day watching sap boil and trying to keep warm beside the stove putting off the heat to boil that sap. Even took time for a nap while at the hunt camp.It was a slow drive home afterwards in this crazy weather we are having. Enjoy your day!

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