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Sunday, December 31, 2017
Saturday, December 30, 2017
17 in 2017 - December Report
This month I finished my Smalls Stitch A Long.
I also worked on my Kogin Bag project.
I completed four and worked on 13 of the 17. To see all of my 17 in 2017 projects, check out this page. To see the progress other participants have made, check it out here.
Next year I plan to participate in the 6 & 6 in 2018. Stay tuned!
Friday, December 29, 2017
2017 Smalls Stitch A Long - December
This year I planned to stitch the calendar cats for the Smalls Stitch A Long (free charts at Happiness is Cross Stitching). This month is December and the project finish. Originally I planned to make individual ornaments, but as the months went by, I decided I like how they looked together. The backing, sleeve, and binding are all the same cat fabric. I had three Mill Hill black cat buttons, so I added those and a few hexagon cats. I like it.
I'm linking up with Heather, at Stitching Lotus, the hostess of this stitch a long.
Thursday, December 28, 2017
O-souji and Swedish Death Cleaning
There is a Japanese tradition to clean everything in your home and workplace at the end of the year. There is even a name for this cleaning - O-souji (大掃除). It symbolizes a new beginning and fresh start.
I saw this photo on Japan Today, showing people, including Ground Self-Defense Force rangers, engaging in the annual end-of-year cleaning at Himeji Castle.
As I begin to do my end of the year cleaning, I have been reading/hearing a lot about a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.
It has been featured on a number of sites I read, like Unclutterer and Treehugger. If you google it, you can find many references to this book, written by an elderly woman named Margaretta Magnusson. Queenie might be able to explain it better, but I think the basic premise is to start thinning out your possessions when you get to be about 50-ish, so that your family or whoever doesn't have a big job to get rid of things when you die.
When we moved to Japan, we had to get rid of most of what we owned. I did a lot of this in preparation for the move, but being in my 50's, I can see it served the same purpose as Swedish Death Cleaning. As I do my O-souji this year, I'm thinking about how much stuff I have and what I have that no longer brings me joy.
Do you do end of the year cleaning or spring cleaning? What do you think about Swedish Death Cleaning? Are you concerned about what another person will have to do with your stuff after your gone?
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
Best of 2017 Linky Party
Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs is hosting the Best of Linky Party again this year.
Here are the rules:
To take part in the link party, simply write a new blog post highlighting your "best" 5 posts from 2017 and linkup. There is no set way or rules to pick your best, you can pick and highlight your posts anyway you would like. Some examples include:
- Posts with the most views
- Posts with the most comments
- Posts that provoked the best discussions
- Posts showing your favorite 2017 finishes
- Posts of your best tutorials
- Posts that are simply your favorites
My favorites on my blog: (click on the title and the link will take you to the post)
Crazy Quilt Bag Finish
Color Crazy Wall Hanging Finish
Plum Panache Shawl Finish
Pandas at the Ueno Zoo
Karigane Festival
How about you? Join in with the five favorites on your blog!
I also participated in 2015 and 2016.
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
The English Teacher's Bag Finish
English teachers have to carry text books and notebooks and many other things, like pens and markers and cards and other items. This bag with a drawstring top is a gift for an English teacher.
Monday, December 25, 2017
Monday Morning Star Count - Christmas Edition
Merry Christmas! Here are a couple of Santas in my town:
It's been a long time since I last worked on this one, but I plan to work on it again in the new year.
The temperature quilt through Week 33
Week 34 of the temperature quilt
December 17 - 23
December 17 - 23
46, 46, 54, 48, 50, 52, 57