Hugs Straighten Everything Out!

Looks better in a photo than in real life!

Months ago, I found a pattern on Pinterest for a Valentine’s Bear. It’s so cute, I decided to try to make one for each of my grandkids. I felt like I was doing a good job of getting the stitches right, but when I sewed the pieces together, they looked crooked. Plus, the heads were floppy. After completing the two bears, I looked up the reviews on the pattern, and many people commented on how the bear’s head was too big for its body, and that they were having a hard time getting the head to sit up straight. (Note to self: Read reviews before attempting any patterns.)

Projects likes these are an investment in time. It’s difficult when it doesn’t turn out the way you like. I sorta felt like tossing the little bears in the trash, because they weren’t perfect, like the picture on the pattern. Then I thought how everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and that maybe they would love them because their grandma made it. I wrapped the bears in gift bags and gave them to the grandkids yesterday.

My little granddaughter hugged the bear tight, close to her neck, which warmed my heart. She called it bunny, and pointed to her brother’s bear and said her brother’s name. She wanted to let us know he got one too. “Heart,” she said, when she pointed to the chest.

My grandson liked his bear too. “It’s so soft,” he said, when he hugged it. “How did you make it, Grandma?” he asked.

”I crocheted it.” The bear got a good looking over and another hug. Funny how the bear’s head doesn’t flop around when it’s being hugged! Hugs straighten everything out, right?

Most of the time, I work on simple blankets, so I can stitch away, without counting or keeping track of stitches. Once you learn the pattern, it sticks in your mind and becomes automatic. Whatever! Now I think I’m going to try to crochet a bunny, because Easter is on its way. I found a pattern that has good reviews! Besides, practice makes perfect.

Have a Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️

It is not the gift, but the thought that counts. ~Henry van Dyke, Jr.

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A Book Review: “The Magnolia Story”

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The Magnolia Story is written by Joanna Gaines in one font, with Chip Gaines chiming-in in another font and co-authored with Mark Dagostino. Chip and Joanna tell the story of how they met and take the reader along on their journey together through dating, their engagement story, wedding day, and family life. It was interesting to learn the ups and downs of their businesses and how they work together.

In the beginning of the book, Joanna describes herself as being introverted, and she talks about how she thinks she could have been happy with the way things were going in her life, before she met Chip. She didn’t mind being on her own and enjoyed working at her father’s tire company. Right before she met Chip, she was trying to decide if she should go back to New York City to pursue her career in communications.

One day at work, the guys Joanna worked with, egged her on to go talk to one of the customers. Her co-workers thought this guy would be a good match for Joanna. Joanna refused but after a while gave in and embarrassed herself by trying to talk to this cute guy. She leaves the building to go outside where she finds Chip sitting on a bench. She sits beside him, and they talk for a while. She doesn’t really think much about the conversation after it’s over. She just thought about how Chip was blessed with the gift of gab and how she didn’t really get a good look at him because he was wearing a baseball cap. Chip calls Joanna soon after they met, and Joanna often wonders why she was so agreeable to being with Chip. She usually had doubts before dating someone and didn’t really have much experience with dating.

Chip is always on the go and working to advance his businesses. When they’re first married, they move into one of Chip’s rental properties, and Joanna comes up with some designs, and they fix it up together. Joanna ends up loving what they’ve done to the place. Just when Joanna is ready to settle in, Chip buys a new property for them to flip. The house flipping is a common theme throughout the book, of course! I personally felt bad for Joanna when they had to move out of their beautiful Victorian home, with four kids, because Chip bought a new place for them to flip. It turned out to be a good decision in the long run, even though Joanna had a hard time accepting it at first.

The story also tells readers how they got discovered for their series Fixer Upper. Chip and Joanna didn’t even know about reality TV, because they didn’t own a TV. They asked friends what it was all about. Things that happened in their lives seemed to have worked out for the best. Joanna shares some of the obstacles she’s had to face and how she overcame them, with regard to her experiences with balancing work and raising a family. They both share their trust and faith in God, which they talk about in snippets throughout the book, in a down-to-earth way. Their goal of bringing attention to and supporting their community in Waco, Texas has definitely blossomed.

I rarely watch shows on HGTV, but I liked learning about Chip and Joanna’s lives. If you like inspirational, humorous, and uplifting stories, give The Magnolia Story a try. 🙂

“Love is… Sharing”

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Finding ripe raspberries growing on our raspberry bushes in the fall is a rare occasion. When my husband knocked on the door and stood in front of me with two plump raspberries in his hand, I was very surprised.

“Wow,” I said. “How many did you find?”

”Four.”

”Thank you! That’s love,” I said, as I savored each delicious one slowly.

The gesture reminded me of the little “Love is…” cartoons that used to appear in the newspaper back in the 70s. I used to clip them out and even have some tucked away with some of my other memorabilia.

Thanks for the love! ❤️ Next time I find fall raspberries, I will share them too. I hope. 😘

Love is… Sharing. ~ Kim Casali