I know I failed the task I set for myself of writing for 30 minutes at least once a week until the foreseeable future … or now that I am thinking about it - maybe I only said the month of September and if that was the case I didn’t necessarily fail. Regardless it has been a bit and A WHOLE LOTTA OF LIFE has happened.  But I can’t live in the past or really in the future - all I have is this moment right here in the present. 

Right now I am listening to the wind blow gently through the tree tops at the cabin up in Blue Ridge.  The cutie cakes and I have been on a bit of a fall break. I truly think I get my best sleep up here in the dark room of the cabin and let me tell you for a girl who loves her sleep it is fantabulous. There are obviously other fantastic things about BR and I am not even a mountain girl so to speak. Actually if I really thought about it I probably am a beach girl in the Spring and Summer and a mountain girl in the late Fall and Winter.  I get the beach loving from my mama and I have been told my dad loved the mountains - I don’t have a ton of memories with my dad (he died when I was six) but I do have this picture of me and my sister with him up at my grandparents trailer in the north GA mountains and I think he might have taken me fishing up there.  All this to say I think there is this pull in me with the mountains. So maybe I’m 50/50 split with the beach loving from my mom and the mountain loving from my dad. 

It is usually so very peaceful up here ( at the moment I think the neighbor is vacuuming out her car and well that’s not to peaceful LOL) but what I am trying to say is there usually isn’t a lot of noise. One can do a lot of thinking up here and if you know me  I can be a pretty deep thinking girl - just ask husband, friends or Sunday School class.  Even right now all this wind blowing has been thinking about Pentecost in Acts when the Holy Spirit showed up hard core on the scene, I a digressing A LOT I know.  Really today was just about me getting out the laptop and typing words.  At one point this weekend cutie and I were at the local coffee shop which I LOVE and I dreamed of sitting in there one day writing a blog or maybe a book or a Bible study -because I hands down think the cabin would be a great place to write. The porch is screened in and there is this lovely bed swing. I am telling you its just delightful and I don’t think it was until this weekend that I really realized how delightful and refreshing to my soul it is.. again I think it’s because I proudly scream I LOVE the beach! And I do - but I also love it here too.  So I am so grateful for to have had the opportunity to spend a few days up here with my girl. Side note - the vacuuming has stopped and I am back to peaceful LOL. 

I have a few more minutes on my 30 minute timer so let me tell you some of my favorite local places up here in the Blue Ridge Mountains 

1. Merciers Orchard - this is a great time of year to pick apples but listens peeps I love this place year round.  Fun fact if you ever get a pie from the Varsity or any of the CFA Dwarf Houses/Truetts Grills those fried pies come from none other than Merciers. I like a lot of things there but a few faves are obvi the apples (I ask for what is the sweetest in the season) pies, peach salsa, strawberry and traffic jam, the cinnamon bread and I like to grab some cinnamon donuts and make a breakfast sammy with eggs, cheese, bacon or sausage.  
2. The Sweet Shoppe of the South - these ladies are cupcake war winners.  Need I say more? We have come to develop such a sweet friendship with these ladies and y’all know I love a good cupcake.  They also have great cinnamon rolls, as well as I have a friend who really likes their cookies.  My favorite cupcakes include French toast, anything pumpkin this time of year and the s’mores! 
3. Chesters - yummy food and beverages lunch and dinner! 
4. Cantaberrys - great lunch spot and get the Tomato Basil Soup - you won’t be sorry! 
5. Paradise Beauty Company - this used to be known as the Blue Ridge Beatuy Barn but she rebranded maybe a year or so ago.  This place is one of my favorite places to shop.  All her beauty supplies are a clean brand but she also sells a variety of other things like candles and she has a variety of Bible Studies by the Daily Grace Company.  I really just adore this store! 
6. Blue Ridge Cotton Company - this is the cutie cakes favorite store and I really like it too.  It’s just a great gift shop and a must visit for us when we are in town, 
7. Hucks General Store - another family favorite but also a fave of the cutie cakes! Think old school - you can get candy cigarettes LOL.  I think my favorite thing about this store is the owner remembers us.  He sees a plethora of people but to remember us just warms my heart.  This is a unique little store with toys in the back, the sell all kinds of things but definitely a fun one for the kids! 

I am sure there are things I am missing on my list of places I love in BR and I could create a whole other list with things to do. In fact I am pretty sure DP has a document with all the things listed.  So if you ever need recommendations we’ve got plenty. 

If you have remotely read this far kudos to you and thanks for letting me ramble. The Lord kindly used this weekend to refresh my soul. Until next time 

~leighann

Special Olympics - Event 1

Hey hey hey!! Happy FriYAY afternoon!  I had originally really wanted to pop on in a coffee shop this morning and do my 30 minutes of writing there, but that was not in the cards as today was our first Special Olympics game of the season.  So this morning was a little busy with me getting my walk in and getting ready to see my girl do her thang!  Special Olympics always starts out with bowling and that is the cutie cakes favorite event.  

Y’all her school had THE MOST PRECIOUS send off for these kiddos this morning.  I thought I was video taping the whole send off but alas I never hit record …insert big sigh…. But just believe me when I tell you how spectacular and special it was. The ENTIRE school came out with cheering, posters, high-fives, the band playing - Y’ALL - it was simply over the top.  I know it was overwhelming for the kiddos, gracious I was overwhelmed albeit in a different way.  I was crying at the end!! This mama heart will forever remember what those teachers and students did for my girl and her classmates. I am so glad I had a front row seat to it this morning. 

Off to the bowling alley we went where my girl bowled til her heart was content. She was really excited about bowling at home and her daddy even commented that she was a pretty good bowler to which she responded “I SURE am!”  Not sure that excitement transferred to the bowling alley LOL. She maybe didn’t have her BEST bowling game ever -but she played and participated and we are so proud of her! We got to see old friends and teachers and even make some new ones today.  All in all it was a great day! 

I am the luckiest to be that girls mama and have a front row seat to all life has for her. 

~leighann

Hello Fall …..

 Today at approximately  2:19 pm Eastern standard time, “the earth from pole to pole received an equal distribution of light and dark, day and night. For one quiet moment on the days’ way to becoming shorter and the nights’ path to longer, they meet in the middle, gracefully passing through twelve hours each. (Thank you Emily P Freeman for those beautiful words about the Fall equinox - because you know I didn’t pen that eloquence) 

Guys I had never really thought about that - that for one day we get equal parts light and equal parts dark.  I am always very aware of the “change time” as the cutie cakes calls it because of course you know I am loving when the days get longer me being a summer loving girl and all. But that thought of the fall equinox and the equal distribution of light and dark was yet just another reminder of the Sovereignty of God, the order, the fine attention to detail - gosh I am just in awe even more. As one of the worship songs says “Great are YOU LORD!”

Well Fall has officially arrived regardless of those 80plus degree temperatures we are currently experiencing. And goodness next week our social media feeds will be filled with that famous Anne of Green Gables quote that says “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers” - and you know what I am too very glad for this! My most favorite human on the planet was born during that very month. We will blink and a new year will be here….poof!

I snapped this pic this morning …do you know the will power it has taken me not to buy those pumpkin delights until now? No you probably don’t and that’s okay with me - I know it.  And let’s not fool ourselves yes I know how ridiculously bad they likely are for me but I love those little things in part thanks to my Mimi.  And I did wonder when I saw those first hit the shelves would they even be around here when Fall officially began - because let me tell you folks if you haven’t noticed the gingerbread business is out now too.  But as part of my “savor the summer mantra” I purposely waited in purchasing said Little Debbie Pumpkin Delights until this weekend. So yes after my walk this morning I came home and powered up my espresso machine, pulled out my favorite somewhat fall mug, {“don’t you just love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address”  (side note here - that movie is good for anytime of the year day or night as it belongs in the number one spot for me as far as movies are concerned - but on a technicality other people feel its a fall movie - but I digress)} I whipped up a white pumpkin mocha, and indulged in a pumpkin delight. All in all not a bad way to spend the 8 am hour on this Monday. Later this week I will go and pull out the fall decor from the attic and pray the weather will turn cooler. Seasons - what a gift. 

~leighann 

So long summer …..

Well I did it. I think I can safely say that I savored summer until the very end which is officially tomorrow. I haven’t put out one fall decoration and I have restrained from tasting all things pumpkin.  I know summer is my favorite season but I truly think this has been one of the best summers.  We’ve made a lot of memories, did a lot of dreaming and I dare say I might have even done some growing :-) 

So what did this summer hold - lots of pool time, crafting (painting, sewing, and stitching), memorizing Psalm 16 with my summer stitching club, reading of course, a trip to DC, spending time with old friends on the 4th, time at the Cape x 2, puzzles, baking all things sourdough, meeting my favorite podcaster Annie F. Downs, seeing LeAnne Morgans comedy show in person, and let us not forget learning to play Mahjong! 

As I looked through my pictures over the summer the majority of them came from time at the Cape.  It’s no secret I LOVE the beach but that place in particular well as I have said before it just feels like home. We did take a trip to Hilton Head in late May/Early June but that is not technically officially summer.  I really believe we need to change these official summer start and summer end dates but no one is really asking me.  Here are a few of my favorite summer moments with the indulgent SC trip photo! 

Not officially a summer pic - but a cute beach one with my prince of a human at the beach :-) 

Took this cutie to DC for a specialist appointment and she was just so happy to have her IPad with her. She thought she had forgotten it and let me tell you and you will just have to believe me when I say that that was a whole moment in itself….

This year at the Cape we had the amazing privilege of watching a mama sea turtle lay her eggs and then head back to sea! 

This poor dog - she puts up with so much.  We sure do love our Bailey boo! 

My girl doing her thang -collecting every seashell possible on the shore! 

Y’all it is soo rare that we are all riding in the same car together now that all these people (minus the cutie cakes) drive! This was such a super little fun outing complete with those boys making fun of me every chance they could get and I will forever treasure it in my heart. Hands down a favorite picture/memory of mine from the summer

THIS VIEW!! I am typically a sunrise girl because I love to get up and get going in the morning but those Cape sunsets…. Y’ALL!!! 

Yes I 1000% was a fangirl the night I got to meet Annie - she is my friend and funny enough she would say the same thing - I just love her to pieces and LOVE that she is always pointing me and countless others to Jesus! 

My Psalm 16 project.  I loved this so much. Two of my dear friends stitched this same pattern with me and we memorized Psalm 16 together.  It really was the sweetest. (Confession - I would often stitch on Sunday afternoons while watching reruns of Greys Anatomy .. just keeping it real over here lest you think I am all good) 

Yes this is my new favorite game. Yes I will play with you any day of the week, multiple times a day. 

And quite possibly my favorite photo to end the summer - this was the best of both worlds colliding - college football and the beach - need I say more … but yes, yes I did straight up watch the GA/UT game on the beach. And yes when they won in overtime during that gorgeous sunset no less I might have gotten slightly loud on the beach. 

WHAT A SUMMER! 

 

This summer season has been infinitely sweet to me. What a gift! God is soo soo good to me but HE is also kind and I felt every bit of HIS kindness this summer.  

~leighann

The last week of Summer 2025 - Saturday

One more day of the official season of Summer! My favorite season is coming to a close.  I started off the morning finishing up my study in the book of Proverbs as well as a short study on People in the New Testament with She Reads Truth. I love how the Lord orchestrates ALL things but I really love it when I get a front row seat to HIS timing on some things.  I was little sad to close the book on two great studies AND excited to kick off my Revelation study on Monday.

During my study time this cutie cakes came in saying “Look what I found taking Bailey outside! A baby sea turtle!” I guess all turtles are sea turtle in her book.  One of her sweet big brothers helped her relocate this baby to the creek outside our house. She was so excited and I was just so excited for her- also impressed she just picked it up and brought it in the house. Never a dull moment!

And then this precious baby boy of mine was off to a Homecoming dance this evening. Isn’t he so handsome! Being a mom is such a gift but being a mama to boys .. it’s whipped cream, hot fudge, and sprinkles with cherries on top. Basically I am saying it’s the BEST.  And this boy loves his mama well. Grateful! 

Happy Saturday peeps. See you tomorrow for Summers end! 

~leighann 

The last week of Summer 2025 - Friday

It’s FriYAY!  Today was a pretty lowkey day - minus my early morning appointment.  So here’s your PSA  in the picture a day for the last Friday of summer.

That pink gown can only mean one thing! I had my yearly mammogram today bright and early at 8 am! 

October is coming and along with it comes Breast Cancer Awareness month. I know so many who have been affected by the awful C word - so friends get your screenings - it matters. 

More on summers end over the weekend.

~leighann 

The last week of Summer 2025 - Thursday

 As I was driving to work at the salon this morning - I was having a whole conversation with myself - if you know me at all you know this is not unusual whatsoever and there is no need to worry about me lol.  Anyway I was just pondering/maybe lamenting the state of the world and these days that can be kind of heavy and I was just wishing there was a little more kindness happening over here on the humanity side of things.  Y’ALL if I did not walk into work and find this unexpected SURPRISE!

One of the stylists left me two little jars of pumpkin honey butter which I thoroughly raved over once.  I told her she made my day but she had no idea of the conversation that I had had with myself in the car this morning - but you know who did - yep - God did.  What a sweet kindness to me this morning. I just cannot get over how wildly HE cares for me. 

Then to top off the day as I was leaving work I ran into this sweet friend. She used to work in the classroom at the cutie cakes school. She retired last year and we sure do miss her! 

What a great day! Summer really is coming to a close here soon .. man has it been a great one! More tomorrow! 

~leighann 

The last week of summer 2025 - Wednesday

 I know technically this was supposed to be a picture a day - but its my blog and I took more than one picture today so I’m posting all of them - this was my day - my last Wednesday in the season of summer 2025

I walked this morning .. then went to go and get my car serviced .. clearly I need some new walking shoes - I took care of that today. 

This little gem of a place is quickly becoming a FAVORITE!! Walking, eating, shopping, getting books spiral bound, AND playing mahjong…ALL THE THINGS! I was able to knock out a few errands in this spot after the car stuff. 

This little fellow wanted to swim today I guess… never fear I am pretty sure he is harmless but I sure did leave him there and he can either find his way out or well you know the alternative isn’t good for him 

My sweet man gave these beautiful roses to me on Sunday and they are still going strong.  They remind me of my Pop Pop and the rose bushes he used to tend to.

I had some ripe bananas and well that can mean only one thing - whip up some banana bread.  One of my boys in particular loves it when it’s nice and gooey so that’s what he got. 

This was a very productive Wednesday! 

~leighann 

The last week of summer 2025 - Tuesday

I took this picture early this morning the time stamp is 8:09 am - while that’s really not early - it’s early for some. And in reality I almost forgot I wanted to post a pic everyday this week. I only remembered very late and I was so grateful I had snapped this photo today. In light of so much going on in the world I took this pic with the highlighted quote to share with some friends. It was timely and one I hope I myself will remember and chew on for years to come.

The last week of summer 2025 - Monday

 I thought I’d do a picture a day for this last week of summer. Just a way to keep savoring this favorite season of mine. A little Monday Mahjong with my friend Rebecca!

Hello from the Cape!! What a treat to be writing from this view!! This particular lodging not really being my home but this place being my home away from home.  I’m not quite sure I can pinpoint in words what this place means to me or how it even makes me feel - but it’s special, life giving, peaceful.  Believe it or not I have actually never been down here before in the off season and while it is for sure quieter - the feelings are the same busy season or not. I actually have a friend who when she comes down as soon as she passes this one particular place on the Cape that we Cape lovers affectionately call “stump hole” or the “rocks” - she cries. I confess I used to get teary myself full of nostalgia and memories and don’t get me wrong all that stuff is still treasured up right in my heart, and I’m sure a BIG smile is plastered all over my face as we pass those rocks and I am filled with immense gratitude for what I like to call this little piece of heaven on earth that God so kindly lets me be a part of.  My family actually calls it home even though we own nothing down here. EVERY TIME we come it just feels like coming home. So it’s our home away from home. 

I have sat here for a few minutes (and actually I am sitting here again the following morning) wondering what to write about - and one day later I still don’t know - I just know I made that goal to write one day a week on this blog for 30 minutes and here I am. This moment of writers block tells me I am definitely not sure I should ever write a book no matter how often my husband tells me I should.  

So very much has happened in the world just this week and the reality is things happen all the time that I don’t even know about. My dear friend will often say “make it make sense” and we both know we can’t BUT what we do know -what I know to be absolutely true is that God is good AND HE is kind. And just to remind us all that HE is sovereign and still on HIS throne I will close this post out with this picture form the Cape last night 

That my friends is a picture of the Milky Way galaxy taken courtesy of my iPhone. That night sky is on full display for me to SEE while I HEAR the ocean waves roaring in the background. 

“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display HIS craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make HIM known. They speak without a sound or a word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world.”                    ~Psalm 19: 1-4 NLT 

Now that I have knocked out these 30 minutes I am pretty sure that the Lord used these moments of uncertainty on what to write to remind me to SEE - in fact I think that might be what HE’s reminding me of this whole trip.  And just so I remember when I come back and read this one day - my beach read so far has been Sophie Hudsons A Fine Sight to See 

Thanks for listening to me ramble….

~leighann 

 Happy FriYAY!! When I was in my teaching era - specifically for first grade I had these super cute earrings that said FRIYAY! I should pull those out again and wear them - because who doesn’t love a good FriYAY - I mean it’s the weekend after all! 

When thinking about what to write for my designated Friday 30 minutes this week (mondays post was a bonus lol) I remembered that I had recently seen an instagrammer do a “few things I’m liking - purse edition” - I was fascinated LOL - for several reasons - she had purse salt - who knew! Hilarious!! 

Anyway, if you are a female you know the purse/bag struggle is real. I think women go through many bag seasons.  I do think it needs to be stated there are actually women who have no bag struggles and care nothing about having a bag or a purse - let’s be clear that is not me whatsoever.  I LOVE a good bag and my season of purses/bags can definitely be defined. And I might have a purse and a bag - the possibilities are endless with me and its not one or the other its usually both and 😉 but most always I have a purse/clutch.  I have had a lot of bag eras complete in size and color and can probably be based on occasion.  If I sat long enough I could probably just dedicate this whole post to types of bags/purses based on what season of life I was in.  But that doesn’t really sound fun to me.  What sounds fun to me is telling you what I am liking/loving in my purse (also read -some of these things stay/are a staple for the most part no matter which one I am currently using) Even now as I am even thinking about this - what I do find interesting is that I could create another whole post of things I like/love - travel bag edition… ooh I might do that next week so stay tuned for that my fun inquiring mind friends. 

On to what’s in my purse currently 

1. Finger nail clippers - and not just any finger nail clippers - these are baby finger nail clippers and yes I have had them since my oldest was born.  I have several pair from when the kids were babies.  I think these are the best ones on the market.  You would not believe how many times I have been asked if I by chance have any nail clippers in my purse - the answer is always yes! 

2. Finger nail file - I might could have combined 1 and 2 but they are technically different products. I have only started carrying this around in the last few years but sometimes I find you need the file and not the clippers.  My favorite one is from Olive and June because it’s not too big but also not too small and bonus its pink.

3. AirPods - always in the purse - if you know me you know I love to talk on the phone and sometimes I have a nosy passenger riding along LOL.  Also great for listening to podcasts or audiobooks 

4. Mah Jongg playing card 2025 -this is a new edition to the purse but it has found its home.  Never know when the Maj will strike and I have not memorized all those plays yet LOL - in fact I am not even sure if people memorize them or not. Never know when you might need this. 

5. Kindle - no surprise here - I am reader and the kindle follows me where ever I go! I just finished Kate Strickler’s book I Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen - highly recommend. I am currently reading Leaving by Roxana Robinson recommended by the Annie B. Jones from The Bookshelf. 

6. Portable fan - this is just one of those if you know you know… my friend Kelly B (I have a few friends with this name hence the specifics) gave this to me it’s a fan, a flashlight, and phone charger all in one.  If you are a female in your late 30’s and up you need this in your life. 

7. Lotion - this is one of those staple items that I have in every purse.  I don’t know if it’s just me or what but I have to have lotion for my hands.  Sometimes they just get weird feeling and in my mind the lotion makes it all better. I really do love this one from Eminence -Mangosteeen Replenishing Cream.  It smells delightful and feels great! 

8. Summer Fridays lip gloss - I recently discovered this lip gloss and now want to buy it in all the colors and flavors.  The one pictured is guava but I also really like the cherry which I will problaby switch over to come fall because of the richness in color … oooh that sounded so fancy of me …lol

9. Sharpie - who isn’t always looking for a sharpie??!! Well look no further! I always have one on hand.  That is also an item I get asked if I have a lot - so it’s a keeper for me.

You have to know how badly I wanted to end with the number 10 but it just wasn’t working out so there you have it.  Funny story about that purse in particular - a client came in the salon with that exact purse and I drooled all over it - it was in my color palette, it matched up with my style analysis - I mean it just hit all the things and I asked the client if I could try it on she was so kind and obliged.  I fell in like with that purse and promptly went home and ordered it online.  Thanks to the sweet client at the salon for catering to my whim of needing to try on a purse! 

That’s all for today folks! See ya when I see ya! And as my favorite podcaster Annie says go out and do something fun! 

~leighann 

Labor Day Thoughts

 Today is not the last day of summer - period - and there is nothing more to say about this - except that there is.  You must know I have more things to say about this - SHOCKER! 

Traditionally Labor Day marks the end of the summer era especially for those in the Northern part of the United States where normal school systems don't start back to school until this holdiay has passed.  (For us here in the south you know we start back as soon as the calendar hits August.  This could be a whole post in itself but not the point of todays)  Most people are marking the Labor Day holiday as summers last hurrah etc etc.  BUT summer does not acutally officially end until September 22 when the Fall seaons legitimately commences on the calendar thats like 3 more weeks to have all the summer hurrahs you want to! 

I recently shared with my closest friends that this year I really wanted to live out the summer until the summer officially ended.  I told them because I wanted them to keep me accountable.  And of course we have had several run ins with fake fall over here in the south making me second guess my savoring of summer days! I confess it is usally my MO to pull out all the Fall things in late August and enjoy all the pumpkin goodies as soon as they are available because lets face it they don't last that long because society is over here trying to rush us in and out of all the seasons before we are even in the said season or for that matter before its over! BUT NOT THIS YEAR - at least not for me anyway.  I want to enjoy every minute of this season that we are living in and be present for it - savor it and right now the calendar says we are in the summer until September 22. After all the summer season is my very favorite and also my wardrobe color pallete according House of Colour. 

Now can these last few weeks of summer also be a transition into the fall season of course they can (said in my best Steel Magnolias voices) Remember life is full of the both ands. I actually recently listened to a very good podcast episode about this very thing - you can listen to it right here - its one of my very favorites That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs.  

So, as for me, for now  I am going to be over here sitting out by my pool, leaving that fall decor in the attic until the season officially changes AND maybe sipping/eating a pumpking goodie now and then while they are still available ... you know savoring summer AND slowly moving into fall .. 

And one more thing on my mind - I learned how to play Mahjong this weekend! If you know me you know I LOVE a good game and friends - I LOVE this game.  I also want to note I loved the idea of it before it ever hit the trend station. One of my very favorite things when people watching in China was seeing the mahjong games happening on the street, in the park, etc - and the first time I went to China was a long time ago. 

Return to blogging ???

 I wasn’t even sure this blog would pull up, much less that I might be able to actually type a post!! I was wondering if I would have to go to substack and somewhat reinvent the wheel - but what a treat - no reinventing or starting over here at least not on the blog.  It’s kind of funny starting over or restarting something is actually what led me here today and I promise to get to that in this post. If you have ever read my blog or anything I have ever posted you must know I am full of run on sentences, random thoughts in the middle and messy writing - so welcome (to my mind ha ha) or welcome back and buckle up and I’m sorry - you don’t have to keep reading.  LOL I really am doing this just for me - but if you want to read along the invitation is open.  I have been wanting to write for some time, maybe get in a habit of writing on a somewhat routine basis.  I even considered bringing Friday Faves back to the gram - but for who and really for what purpose- I am only speaking to myself here and the inner struggle I feel over social media.   I even had the thought - I think it was last week to just write up my Friday faves in my notes app on my phone and just have it for myself.  I like being able to go back and look at what I was loving.  Yesterday I remembered I have a blog - albeit one that I have not written on since December of 2019 now that I am on here and see… and I don’t know if people even read these things anymore - but here it is a platform that still exists maybe just waiting for me to show back up to restart….

I haven’t the slightest idea what to title this post but if you are reading this far I will have either come up with something while I am writing or it will remain unnamed.  So besides Friday faves being a reason I wanted to pop back in, I also wanted to write about a sewing machine and my grandmothers - but in particular my Mimi.  And then when I thought about wanting to journal all those thoughts - I thought hey .. what if  you just tried to write for 30 minutes on whatever day that works best on that blog you once had  - who knows maybe it will take that long to write up some Friday faves - but I LOVE a good goal and even more than a goal I LOVE to check the box when that goal has been met.  So starting today I want to write one day a week at least through the month of September.  I am chuckling inside because I have recently been on a kick telling myself - just concentrate on today - the present - what can you do today - stop worrying about doing it for the week, the month, etc.  And here’s the thing, I do think that is totally valid - biblical even - but I also think its a both and - I can concentrate on some things just being in the today and I can set other goals for the week or the month etc.  I do love a good BOTH AND. I feel like my epitaph should say she loved a good both and except when it came to Jesus - she just loved Jesus. I digress.. see random thoughts.

Okay - back to the sewing machine and grandmothers.  At this moment it’s taking some full on restraint not to pause this at least 30 minute writing session and scroll this blog because I am feeling pretty confident that there are pictures on here of my OG sewing machine and probably my little crafty creations! Once I am done writing I will investigate and if I find I will possibly attach photos. My original sewing machine came from my Nana (my maternal grandmother).  It was a beast in all the ways good and bad lol. I only say bad because it was insanely heavy and housed in a desk so to speak. So it was not portable at all. The brand was Kenmore and boy did love that thing after my friend Angie taught me how to use it - I was a lean mean sewing machine of a human - I made all kinds of things including my kids Christmas pajamas - which could be another whole post in itself with an ode to my old neighbors. I have so much to say not that that is a surprise to anyone! But back to the story at hand - it was a fabulous machine.  I mean in reality they just don’t even make them like that anymore - she was pure metal none of that plastic business going on that we have today.  That machine along with my grandmothers probably gave me the love I have for crafting which is still going strong today as I LOVE a good craft. So fast forward a bit to where I decide I not only do I want to sew but I want to learn embroidery - enter my Mimi (my paternal grandmother) she helped me buy my first very own brand new embroidery/sewing machine - a Singer Futura. I mainly used it to machine embroider until my sturdy Kenmore bit the dust and then it became my two for one. And boy did I embroider and sew - I mean after all I am a southern girl - you know everything had to have a monogram LOL.  I did birthday shirts for the kids, gifts for friends, beach towels - I embroidered and sewed my little heart out until one day I didn’t.  For whatever reason I hit a very long season where I didn’t embroider much less sew a thing unless it was a button and even then I was doing it by hand. Looking back I can’t say there was one thing that just threw me off the sewing wagon - because it was probably just life in general. 

 But here we are today and I am back in my crafting era (and not just with sewing)! As for the sewing part I got here in part thanks to my friend Calla’s daughter Virginia - she was offering a class on hand stitching and well my interest was piqued. So of course I took it and of course I loved it and well I am climbing back up on the sewing wagon.  I have hand stitched a plethora of things and just recently my sweet friend Pam sent me a needlepoint kit so I can try my hand at that type of stitching. I think I should note that I have tried the cross stitching route - this was actually one of my mom’s favorite past times but I just could not get into it - sorry mom.  Well all this hand stitching got me itching to pull out my singer sewing/embroidery machine.  My embroidery days are over for now but I was wanting to sew a few projects so up to the attic I went.  I dusted off the Singer Futura to see if maybe I could get her going again (she had previously had to have some repair work many moons ago - but I was hopeful). Unfortunately hopeful wasn’t cutting it this time.  I found myself wanting to pick up the phone to call my Mimi and ask if I could borrow her machine and what kind was it because I don’t want an embroidery machine anymore - just something to do some basic sewing projects. What brand should I get? I just wanted her to tell me all the things. I think deep down I probably just really wanted to talk to her.  I will say for any inquiring minds the kind store associate at Micheals told me I should get a Brother sewing machine. Apparently Singer just isn’t what it used to be - too much plastic.  It just so happens that on a recent trip to Walmart I had been looking at sewing machines and they happened to have a very affordable basic Brother sewing machine.  So yesterday I marched myself right to that Walmart and bought a new basic brother sewing machine complete with a cute little heart on it.  I added a pack of Yoo-Hoo to my cart remembered my Mimi fondly and called it a day. Yoo-Hoo is one of those things that makes me think of my Mimi along with the sewing and a good game of Yahtzee or Uno ☺️. Who knows maybe now I will go back to that attic and get all those Holly Hobby quilting squares she had given me from my Gramma (my Mimi’s mother) and finish that quilt. My kids will really think I have hit the olden age phase - they can’t get over that I hand stitch and they are horrified I bought a sewing machine LOL never mind that I actually used to sew them clothes!! Anyway that quilt project honestly sounds like a next year project goal - but hey at least all of this reminiscing reminded me that I have them! 

thank you Mimi!

I don’t really know how to neatly tie this post up - or that I even need to - or do I have to?? I just wanted to write all this down just because it was all in my head. I love thinking that each of my grandmothers and my great grandmother passed something down to me that has stood the test of time. Hand curated gifts can’t be beat in my opinion that is. I hope my friends will  look at a tea towel I stitched for them and think of how much I love them or prayed over them as I worked on it. In a lot of ways I think stitching (by hand or machine) is a gift  - first it’s a gift from the Lord - because all things just are! Second it’s a gift my grandmothers passed down to me whether they knew it or not. It requires time, thought, focus, and slowing down and in the world we live in today those are definitely gifts! And lets face it I LOVE a good gift 😉

Speaking of loving things I feel like its entirely appropriate with it being Friday and all that I share a few things I am loving right now! 

• Diet Coke - i know this bad sugar is not good for me but it tastes so good right now 
• Proverbs: Wisdom That Works by Raymond Ortlund - put this book on your TBR! The chapters are short and you could read one a day and be finished in no time.  
• KIND Frozen Bars: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate - y’all just take my word for it these are delicious.

Well I totally spent 30 minutes plus writing so mission for this week accomplished! I’ll see ya when I see ya! Happy Weekending! 

~leighann