Joyful Stitching

Turns out painting is not where I will find my JOY, and that's okay as I have plenty of other hobbies that bring me joy and more than fill my available time.

One such hobby is hand embroidery, in particular freeform "Stitch Meditations" like the medallion above. Another hobby I love is weaving in its many forms. The cord for my pendant is a tubular Inkle band I made specifically to use this way. 

Another hobby that I really enjoy is sewing. Yes, this is yet another of the York Pinafores. I think I have six now. I am a woman who not too long ago said I would never wear a dress again. The pinafores are just that easy to make and comfortable to wear and honestly, I don't think of them as a dress, but more of a butt cover when wearing leggings. 

The painting? No, you won't be seeing any more of that. It's a wonderful course, especially for free, but I had a bit of an epiphany yesterday. I don't like painting! I don't like getting dirty. I don't like having to clean up the mess afterwards (and whoooo boy do I make a mess!). All in all, with only one life to live, I'd rather spend my time doing any one of my other numerous hobbies.

Winner's Confession

In light of my recent win of two different blog contests I have a confession. I'm Very Lucky. Sometimes my frequent good luck is actually embarrassing. I do seem to win a lot of door prizes, give-aways and such. I've been known to win twice at the same event, or twice in a row at monthly meetings. This phenomena has been going on for years. I often have people tell me I should be buying lottery tickets, but the funny thing is I have no faith in those. My wins always come in free-to-enter draws.

The biggest thing I have ever won (so far) was a contest sponsored by a Prince George radio station. It was an entire catered backyard barbecue for 20 people. All 20 people got a free t-shirt with the summer barbecue logo and all the booze they could guzzle and food they could eat. The food was prepared in my backyard by chefs from the Keg. They brought in big barbecues just for the occasion. I didn't get to keep those, nor the portable hot tub also brought in for the event, but I did get a lot. I got to keep a cedar picnic table, a set of barbecue tools, and numerous smaller prizes from local sponsors. It's been about 20 years but I still remember there was an Hawaiian themed gift basket with suntan lotions, sunglasses a Frisbee and a lei. The entry fee? Nothing. I just had to phone in at the right time (first win) and then at the end of the week be chosen from the daily winners (second win).

The oddest thing I have ever won was a "green pack" from the same radio station. It was a Saint Patrick's Day give away. Everything in the gift basket was green. I remember there was 7-UP, pea soup and spearmint gum among other, now forgotten items.

Other things I have won? A turkey given away at a butcher shop. Door prizes at spin-ins (more than once). A significant number of door prizes at Christmas parties, both work related and hobby related. A water bottle, CD, t-shirt, mug, tickets and such from radio stations. I'm sure there are other things that are just not coming to mind right now.

I don't feel guilty about all this winning. I'm an honest person. I don't lie and I don't cheat. I also don't believe that my good fortune causes anyone else's lack. I won't get into my beliefs in detail here, but I believe we each create our own reality --- that which we perceive to be "bad" and that which we perceive to be "good". Sometimes we can't see the blessing in our trials, but trust me, the blessings are there.

I feel the key to creating all that you desire in life is JOY. Not the kind of joy the comes purely from circumstances (like winning a lottery?), but the kind of joy that wells up inside despite outward circumstances. When I go to a place inside where trust and allowing dwell, JOY is always there waiting. It is from this peaceful place of Joy that I create my reality.