my heart is content and inspired

I just got my January 2009 Just Cross Stitch magazine in the mail on Friday afternoon. I’ve been meaning to mention a couple things.

First, I love the design by The Sampler Girl entitled Persuasion! It’s absolutely adorable. I so much love and appreciate how Tanya has brought a timeless novel to us and especially to the people (like me) that aren’t familiar with the writings of Jane Austen, so that I may get a glimpse of treasured writings and authors. My favorite part, however, is the verse: “she tried to be calm and leave things to take their course”. There are times I have an immense amount of anxiety bottled up and, lack for a better word, I tend to “freak” out from time-to-time. I don't like this about myself. I have a tendency to over react and it’s just because I worry so about everything. I think the root of the problem is a lack of control or not being able to control all things around me. The verse from Persuasion reminds me of the Serenity Prayer. It goes...

God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change…
Courage to change the things I can…
And Wisdom to know the difference…

In the early Fall, my mother gave me a silver cuff bracelet with the Serenity Prayer inscribed within it. I think it goes without saying that the verse in the Persuasion piece really speaks volumes to me. This is something I still need to learn for myself and for my own well-being. It’s a constant reminder that I need “to be calm and leave things to take their course.” I am so glad this design was chosen for the JCS. I think this may be my favorite design of Tanya's yet…and there are so many that I love, but this one speaks to me personally. I feel it “belongs” to me.

Thank you, Tanya, for a wonderful reproduction of Jane Austen!

Secondly, in this same JCS issue there is an article about designer Tracy Riffle from Hands To Work Designs, which I also love. The article is entitled 'Designing in Faded Glory'. This article was fascinating to me because it really dove into the designer herself. I love getting to know the designer. It's interesting to learn where they find their inspiration and where those ideas derive. I can identify with Tracy's way of designing. She stumbles on her designs not by way of brainstorming and planning, but by images, sounds and connection to the world around her. I am this same way. When it comes to my daily-dealings I need schedule and planning, but when it dwells on the side of creativity I do much better flying by the seat of my pants. I admire this same principle in Tracy, and I look forward to seeing many new creations from her.