And the stockings were hung...

After having a rough couple of days, I got up this morning feeling pretty good. My thoughts seemed to be in a better place and I was grateful for that. My pain was less, and so I actually felt more like my old self. At noon, I was able to teach another Demo class at the Quilt Shop. There were a lot of women who came today and my first demo was standing room only. It was so fun to teach a quick and easy way to do your Christmas stockings. Everyone liked how simple it was, and just in time for them to do their own stockings.
I actually could have used this quick pattern a couple of years ago, when I was redoing all of our Christmas stockings. Since our family was growing, it was time to make all new matching ones, I don't have a photo of them right now, but I will try and find it. They are applique, which does take a lot of time but I wanted to make them something that the grand-kids would love and that would last for a long time. But when I was designing them, I had trouble with the lining and the cuff. Oh how I wish I would have know this simple little trick, in making the perfect stocking!
We had such a good turn out, that the owner asked me to teach it again in 2 weeks. During that time, I will try to come up with some new and simple ideas to make for Christmas. Can you tell this is right up my alley? Being accused all my life...of being Mrs. Santa, this is the perfect job for me!  Plus, the energy I get from meeting all those wonderful talented ladies is great! I love making new friends, and that is exactly what I get to do when I am there, some of them I feel like I have known for a long time.

Gratitude was my profound feeling today, grateful that I was feeling better and in less pain, grateful that I liked what I saw in the mirror today ( that is no small thing ), grateful for friends who love and support me, on my tough days, grateful that I was healthy enough to go teach this class, grateful for the kindness of this sweet shop owner, and grateful for my talents and the opportunity to share them! Yes, it was a good day!

This is the quilted stocking I designed and made!

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me."   ~ Erma Bombeck  

"Every human has four endowments, self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom...The Power to choose, to respond, and to change."                         ~ Stephen R. Covey                                                        

"To find out what one is fitted to do, and to secure an opportunity to do it, is the key to happiness."                    ~ John Dewey