In this issue: “Beauty is Everywhere” - “Little Changes Add Up” - “Pink Moon” - “Back in the Studio” - “Final Thoughts” - 2 quote graphics to share
By the time you read this, the spring equinox will have passed us by, I will have traveled to visit my family, and April showers will soon be bringing May flowers. I am cautiously optimistic that the worst of the pandemic is behind us, yet alarmed that the world seems poised to fall into a time of war and oppression. My normal state of being is to find the beauty and joy in the world around me — and the people around me. My fervent hope is that leaders and politicians around the globe could see to do the same. No benefit exists in demonizing people who choose to live or believe differently than we do. I am reminded of this Jimi Hendrix quote: “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.”
Beauty is Everywhere
all you have to do is look
I have never understood how some people develop such a sour outlook on life. When I look around I see a world full of wonderful, amazing sights. People are incredibly talented and resourceful no matter what their life circumstances. Here are three items I have run across in the last couple of months.
Embroidered Birds
Paulina Bartnik (aka Embirdery on Etsy) in the UK makes these brooches that look like real birds. What an eye she has for detail, and her embroidery skills are unmatched. You can read more about her in this My Modern Met article.
Quilting for Healing
Renata Merrill of New Jersey developed a brain tumor that impacted her vision. She had surgery to remove the tumor and turned to quilting to help herself heal. You can read more about her in this article on The Philadelphia Inquirer. And I highly recommend this YouTube video interview of Renata.
Need Wool? Raise Sheep
Debbie Trantham of North Carolina raises Valais Black Nose sheep in addition to other heirloom sheep breeds. She uses the wool in her fiber arts projects. The most amazing of those projects are her Fiber Dream Santas. You can read more about Debbie and watch a video on ABC 13 News.
Little Changes Add Up
I bookmarked this article twice so I guess it was meant to be shared: 100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying. The tips on this list range from the practical to the tongue-in-cheek. Here are a few of my favorites:
Consider going down to four days a week. It’s likely a disproportionate amount of your fifth day’s work is taxed anyway, so you’ll lose way less than a fifth of your take-home pay. (I’ve already done this and highly recommend it!)
If possible, take the stairs.
Join your local library – and use it.
Send postcards from your holidays. Send them even if you’re not on holiday. (I love this idea and plan on implementing it.)
Drop your shoulders. (I have to remind myself to do this every day.)
Learn a TikTok dance (but don’t post it on TikTok).
If in doubt, add cheese.
Give compliments widely and freely.
Respect your youngers. (I love young people! Let their energy energize you!)
The next New Moon is on April 1st. Instead of making it a fool’s day, let it be a day to implement a few simple changes to create a better and more beautiful life for yourself and others.
Pink Moon
The full moon on April 16 is the Pink Moon, but it is also the Paschal Moon — the first full moon after the spring equinox. This full moon plays a part in the establishment of the date of Easter, which is observed the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. The spring equinox was on March 20, the next full moon will be April 16, putting Easter on April 17.
Back in the Studio
and back to work
Some of you may know that in January I ended up with Covid and pneumonia. I was off work for four weeks, and am still getting my stamina back. I feel like I have been playing catch up ever since I got back to the office and back in my studio. I had a lot of plans for the first of the year and beyond in 2022; all of which have had to be forgotten, rescheduled, or reimagined. Some things are back on track, like my monthly lives on Twitter. Check my Twitter for dates and times. You can now also check my Instagram. I somewhat reluctantly rejoined IG because so many times customers and other artists were asking for my IG name. And Instagram didn’t make it easy! The first new account I made got flagged as a bot for some reason. It wouldn’t let me follow anyone! So I deleted that account after a few days and started over. So far so good. If you want to connect, my IG handle is @amyjogartandsewing.
At this point I am hesitant to commit myself to any firm dates for projects or products. It seems that my body has a mind of its own and insists I go slowly and not try to do too much. At this point, I’m sticking to small, quick projects that can give me a sense of accomplishment without being overwhelming. Here is one I finished before I went to visit my family.
Below is the piece I was stitching on my last Twitter live. This little video is on my TikTok, where I am also @amyjogartandsewing. I added it to YouTube to post in this newsletter, and YouTube tells me there might be ads on it. So if you get a weird ad when watching, just know I’m not making any money from it and have no control over the content.
Final Thoughts
hello revel
I can’t remember if I have mentioned Revel in this newsletter but wanted to give them a shoutout. Revel is for women 40 and over, only, and it was created to bring women together through both online and in-person events. There are dozens of events happening every day and more being added all the time. If you don't have time for events, there are also online discussion groups you can join and engage in more passively (I started a regional group for Oklahoma and Texas Revelers!). You can check out the site at www.hellorevel.com. I very much enjoy the many virtual classes and discussions I participate in and thought some of you might also be looking for a welcoming place to meet and interact with other women.
As always, thank you for your continued support.