light the fire.

Ever since I hurt my back in August I have felt a little off. Behind. Not 100%. Tired. Sure, my house is decent and laundry is folded (although stacked on the bed until later), I'm still canning and preserving, doing crafts and projects with the kids, going on field trips with them and working, and, and...whew. It just wears ya out! I have always had endless energy and this back business slowed.me.down. A lot. I think that can be a good thing, though.


So while I feel like I have so many recipes I haven't posted yet, or several craft projects that I haven't written about yet, or things I haven't been working on, I'm OK with that. Life is good. What is beginning to get me twitchy is the thought that Halloween is getting close and I haven't sewn the boys costumes yet. Cough, cough. Or that the holidays are coming (really) in a few months and I haven't even started making gifts yet, not to mention only having a rough idea of things and no lists or materials yet.

So this post is to light my fire. Kids costumes are sketched and I need to get my sewing machine working again (uh, yeah) and will have those out in no time.

And the holiday plans - I have an outline of ideas in my head and will be posting some gift making ideas and lists soon. For the last 3 years I have chosen a main theme for batch-work of gifts and then put it all together based on each recipient. We have made embroidered felt items (checkbooks, biz card holders, wallets, etc.), home made soap, hand poured candles, recipe boxes, scarves, sewn book bags, and this year will once again be a new direction, I think.


As the weather cools, the rain comes, and the garden beds down for the winter, I always feel rejuvenated to come inside and do more handwork and get ready for all of the holidays (and birthdays) to come. We are nearing the end of the biggest part of the canning/drying/gardening extravaganza of late summer and early fall, and things will be slowing down just in time. I'll be ready, really.