November Challenge

 

Oh November, why do you go so quickly in my mind? Already we are on the fifth day. I cannot remember when I started to love November - well first of all it's my birthday month but I love the days leading up to Thanksgiving and witnessing the leaves dropping and the weather whispering winter temperatures. I love how Christmas creeps in before you've celebrated Thanksgiving too. November is usually a coat wearing month and a wool wearing month.

I've been receiving emails from all the stores giving me birthday presents for the month. Ikea sent me such an email and we made the trip yesterday to visit the store in Pittsburgh. He needed a new office chair and I picked up a few things for around the house. They were in the process of decorating for the holidays and my last photo of the gnomes on the counter was one of their rooms in progress.

Every month I give my self a little challenge. I've done daily haikus and daily sketching but this time around I am carving out one hour a day to do some cross stitching. I used to be an avid cross stitcher when I was newly married. I'd say the past 10-15 years or so I rarely stitch since knitting is my passion. 

I had an outing with my aunt and cousin a month or so ago to a cross stitch store in Ohio and I purchased a baby sampler for the grandbaby-to-be so I am priming myself to get into the daily stitching habit. After all my holiday gift knitting is finished, I'll start the sampler. I'm making progress on those mitts.

My other monthly challenges that are easy for me are to read daily, knit daily and to journal daily. 

Do you have any challenges for the month? Is there some new skill you are wishing to add to your arsenal? I'd love to know.

My daily walks are so beautiful - I tried to snap a photo on yesterday's walk just to show you part of it. I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by and  reading my blog!

Ikea display in progress

Comments

  1. BridgetNovember 5, 2021 at 8:15 AM

    This is a lovely post in so many ways! I don't necessarily have a monthly challenge, though for reasons that not even I'm sure about, I do try to join the practice of blogging every day in November. And it's not like I don't have other things going on ... I guess I just like seeing if I can do it, leading to the big buildup of holidays!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:36 AM

      I have never done that challenge but I admire the people, like you, who do it so well!

      Delete
  2. BonnyNovember 5, 2021 at 8:52 AM

    November is indeed a lovely month, and I agree it's flying by. I haven't set monthly challenges, but I guess my unofficial one is to finish the next sleeve for my sweater by next week, and then get going on the body. I wish I loved near an Ikea; I don't think I've ever been in one and it looks like a place I'd like to visit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:37 AM

      this is the first time I have an Ikea about 30 minutes away from me. I love it!

      Delete
  3. LeftycrafterNovember 5, 2021 at 10:40 AM

    Thise gnomes are so cute. I have never done personal challenges. Indo enjoy watching you with yours though. I have several cross stitch items that need to be competed. Maybe I should dedicate 1 hour a day to working on my cross stitch items. Thank you for that thoight.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:37 AM

      oh! I hope you show the projects on your blog :)

      Delete
  4. VeraNovember 5, 2021 at 4:18 PM

    I'm so glad you have picked up stitching again, and a sampler for the baby-to-be is a perfect idea. No challenges for me (other than to get through work without having a nervous breakdown!!). I, too, enjoy November...my husband? Not so much....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Deb J. in UtahNovember 5, 2021 at 6:29 PM

    A trip to Ikea is always fun. I love those cute gnomes! I have had reading 20 + minutes a day as my challenge this entire year and I also do the weekly gratitude challenge with other bloggers, but I don't have a specific November challenge. November is also one of my favorite months. I wish you a Happy November birthday whenever that is! Have a good weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:38 AM

      I admire how much you read and the diversity of what you read and that you share it on your blog!

      Delete
  6. JaneNovember 5, 2021 at 9:05 PM

    November is indeed a good month. Your stitching inspired me to pull out a small patchwork quilt that needs to be quilted. I marked the pattern and basted the layers together during the summer but it felt too warm to have a quilt on my lap. I am going to try and work on it a bit each day. My Mom and sister and niece have November birthdays too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:39 AM

      In my family all the birthdays are in January! I'm the odd ball out. Quilting is such a lovely hobby, I hope to see the project on your blog if you share.

      Delete
  7. azwoolgirlNovember 6, 2021 at 6:29 AM

    Lovely post Karen and I like the stitching project you are working on. I don’t really do monthly challenges, I just like to go with the flow. Next to October, November is another favorite month as it starts to really cool down in Phoenix and I’m able to wear many of my hand knits, The leaves with Frodo are so beautiful colors… fall is such a colorful time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:40 AM

      Whenever the weather cools off it's always wool wearing season!

      Delete
  8. Judy S.November 6, 2021 at 11:16 AM

    You are right, November seems to be flying by! (with lots of projects that need completion before you know when....) Love that burgundy-colored yarn. What pattern are you using for those mitts? You certainly are multi-talented. It will be fun to see your progress on the baby sampler! Here November so far has been mostly chilly and rainy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:40 AM

      the pattern is called Peekaboo mitts and it is free on Ravelry

      Delete
  9. JuliannNovember 7, 2021 at 9:37 AM

    I love monthly challenges, even if I often drop the ball along the way. I am having so much fun doing the Wovember prompts and writing about all things yarn this month. I have too many things on the needles but a new pair of mitts is a project on my list too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:40 AM

      I have been enjoying your November blogging theme so very much! I can feel your enthusiasm in your writings.

      Delete
  10. GraceNovember 7, 2021 at 10:39 AM

    Karen, are you doing Michelle GD's November Gratitudes Week? I always look forward to her offerings. I am working on some embroidery projects for my girls. I used to be an avid counted cross stitcher but haven't done one in years! I need to look into maybe starting a project!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:41 AM

      YES I am doing the gratitude week! I'd love to see your embroidery projects, maybe on Instagram? You are so talented.

      Delete
  11. AdrieneJNovember 7, 2021 at 7:28 PM

    It’s my birthday month, too! Happy birthday, November folk! I don’t have a monthly challenge, but I recently got myself a nice embroidery kit to challenge myself. It’s fancy and fine and complicated for a beginner like me, but I figured I might as well go big or go home!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:42 AM

      Happy birthday month to you as well! I haven't done much embroidery but it's on the list for me to explore, maybe after all the holiday gift knitting is done.

      Delete
  12. karenNovember 8, 2021 at 7:38 AM

    Red is his power color :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment


Your comments are welcome as long as they are relevant to the post and spread joy, thank you for visiting and sharing your ideas.

Popular posts from this blog

Weekends

Image
My weekend happily contained: -wearing the above woolens all at the same time without being hot -so many walks and taking in the changing leaves. -a leaf shower on Saturday-the wind swirled the leaves off the trees up in the air to float down -changing screen savers to autumn themes! -a craft fair where my husband and I say "we could make that", but we don't. -french fries at the craft fair -scrambled eggs and toast for dinner because we were lazy. -football season has descended in my house. he was in the front room watching whatever is on today -I sat in the family room and watched A Tree Grows in Brooklyn .   Now I want to read it again. -Oh! I finished the socks!! So I wound up about six skeins of yarn and have three projects ready -started a cowl for me in fall colors (I hope to finish before fall ends) -enjoying Spirits of Joy .  Hannah graciously had a one day free sign up for her birthday at the end of September which I luckily saw on Twitter.  Than
Read more

Happy List

Image
  - neighborhood pumpkins - my oak trees showing off - new friends at 'school' - Tai Chi hour - lunch out with my husband - cold morning walks - an unexpected warm up - all the fall knitting (imagined and real) - wearing wool - browsing knitting patterns - sister outings - dark chocolate - blue skies - neighborhood dogs - the kids coming to visit next weekend - the to-do lists that I am creating - afternoon reading (possible snooze) - apples! - soups! - hearing the breeze whisper through the trees - setting intentions - giving myself grace when I need it the most - solitude - grandchildren laughing - Holly being Holly - Blue skies - phone calls from family and friends - the kindness of others - assuming everyone is doing their best - drinking water and staying hydrated - hot decaf green tea in a BIG mug - first sip of coffee - geese flying in V formation and honking all the way (delightful!!) - Focusing on gratitude - focusing on joy  What would make your happy list?
Read more

Knitting News

Image
  Good morning to you! How are you? I'm excited about my hat that I've been knitting enjoying the sea of stockinette stitches. When I first started the hat I thought it would be too small, now I wonder if it will be too big. Gah. I will find out soon I guess. I wish the photo about showed how beautiful the colors are in real life, you'll have to trust me on this! Below is my next knitting project, the habitation throw . I will definitely use the pink and gray, I'm still not sure about that purple, I might have a look-see in my stash and do another ponder about that color. I chose this pattern because I can use up some of my stash and I adore Helen Stewart's patterns. What are you working on this week? Also: I will probably not be posting this Friday and the following Monday because of my family visiting. I hope to be back next Wednesday (unless I change my mind).
Read more