Author: Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Posted in Crochet

Shelby’s Blanket

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

I no sooner finished Emilie’s blanket and got her married and all settled when Shelby asked me for a blanket for her bedroom. She wanted red/white/black colors. I went through a few Pinterest posts before settling on the one I chose which was a simple granny square blanket.

This was created using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in cherry red, black and white with a 5mm crochet hook. Each square is 18 rounds and I made 16 squares. I sewed them together and used a granny square stitch as a border. It’s huge! And she loves it! As always, I washed the blanket in Woolite in order to soften up the yarn a bit. Low heat, of course.

Posted in Moments and Musings

Time To Change

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

The time change is coming. Turning back the clocks, gaining that one precious hour of sleep if only for one night. We’ll pay for it come the Spring but for now, every one looks forward to that one glorious hour. It’s an important thing, this hour.

It’s that hour that pulls the darkness of the winter forward pushing back the light. In the darkness, the earth will reset itself. It’s a quiet, reflective time. Time to rest, stay indoors and just breathe. Time for hot chocolate, cinnamon tea, soft blankets and cozy fires.

For me, I both love and dread this time. I require light and a lot of it. For years, I’ve struggled with a bit of seasonal depression. It’s a slight feeling of gloominess. Fall beauty starts to fade, giving way to a colorless, monochromatic time. Evenings become a little harder to get through than in other seasons. I find, as I get older, that I’m more of a skylark than a night owl.

This year will be different than others that have gone by. The menopause blues like to have a swipe at me now and again. And with my younger daughter married and living three hours away and my other daughter working an overnight job, I’m alone…a lot! Add that plus a time change to the menopause blues and it’s a triple whammy ending in many tear filled evenings.

But I recognize all this so I decided to do somethings to try to head this all off at the pass.

  1. More movement – I really don’t like walking around my beautiful little lake because there’s bugs and there’s snakes. Not poisonous but they’re there and I’m good staying away. So I bought a hula dancing DVD. I needed something that would be good for me but also be fun. I may look for more dance DVDs. I’m sure I’ll look like a buffoon but I’ll be up, I’ll be moving and I’ll be having fun.
  2. Journaling – I’m back to it and it makes me happy to write down my thoughts and feelings. It also helps me to look back and see how far I’ve come.
  3. Bible Study – This is a no brainer. More God, more peace. I remember when my mom passed and I sat down on my bed, dejected and said, “Ok, God, I cry ‘uncle’.” God immediately spoke to my heart and said, “Stop crying ‘uncle’ and start crying Father.” He is the great encourager and I go to a church full of happy, imperfect people. I plan to be one of them.
  4. Celebrate the season – I mentioned earlier this is the time of the year when the earth resets itself. I’m determined to do the same. Reflect more. Go deeper. Let go. Seek to find. God is in every season.
  5. Create – I find I’m more contented when I’m creating something. Crochet isn’t just the means to another blanket in the house; it’s the process of allowing my hands to do something other than eat while my brain engages in a different way. I look at the world a little differently. I overcome the habit of perfection when I’m crafting.
  6. Call – As in pick up the phone and call people. More conversations mean less loneliness.
  7. Enjoy My Food – I don’t subscribe to a diet. I never have and never will. Food is to be enjoyed. Plain and simple. I’m going to experiment with new recipes and new techniques using my hands, like bread making.
  8. Light My Home – I love candles. All kinds of candles. And I love candle holders. Bright, crystal or glass holders that reflect the light from the candle. And while I use flameless candles, my preference is real candles. (Unscented, please)
  9. Selfcare – I really think all the above is selfcare in one form or another. But some things I’d like to be more intentional about. Giving myself a facial, or a manicure. Something that makes me feel pretty.
  10. Hallmark Christmas Movies – Too early? That’s ok. They’re full of cheese and ever so predictable but each one puts a smile on my face and makes me happy. It helps me to focus on all that’s ahead, like lights, color, family, food and giving.

The very last, and probably most important, thing I’ll do is remember that this is only a season. It’s not forever. Like every season, it will end and a new one will be welcomed. Also, like every season, it has a purpose and definition.

So tell me – do you love or strongly dislike this time of year when the days grow shorter and darker? Or are you indifferent? Do you celebrate anything special, outside of the obvious? What does any change of season look like to you?

Photo by Emanuel Ekström on Unsplash

Posted in Crochet

Emilie’s Blanket

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

As soon as my daughter told me she was engaged and had a date to move out, I know I’d make her a blanket. The C2C stitch was chosen by her and she asked for a gentle, neutral color to match any decor in her new home.

I chose Red Heart Jumbo Saver yarn in soft white. I used a 4.5 mm hook and created her very first homemade keepsake item to start her life as a Mrs. I washed it in Woolite to soften it up and gave it to her on her wedding day.

Posted in Moments and Musings

Hello, 55!

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Today is my birthday and I’m turning 55 years old.

It looks different than I thought it would look. My mother isn’t here to celebrate with me and my younger daughter is married now and lives three hours away. However, I’m very excited about this particular birthday as I’m now in the pre-stages of senior citizen-hood and I’m looking forward it. I know most people don’t like getting older. However, I’m a firm believer in embracing each year. I run up to it, hug it tightly, welcome it in and offer it some tea. I like to make each year feel right at home.

In the spirit of my birthday, allow a moment of self-indulgence as I list 55 things I’ve learned and discovered over the last 55 years of my life:

  1. Jesus first. Always, Jesus first. Without Jesus, nothing works.
  2. Make your plans and dream your dreams but then give them over to God. He will add His love and perfection to each one and give it back to you more beautiful than you ever imagined.
  3. Life is better with dog.
  4. Sometimes, you need time to sit in silence and just breathe.
  5. Grief is lifelong. Although, its waves aren’t always as powerful as they are in the beginning.
  6. Call people. Stop using apps to stay in touch. (I’m still learning this one.)
  7. Tears are release and healing. Sometimes, I make time for them. When I don’t, they seem to make time for me.
  8. A good ghost story is always a good thing!
  9. There aren’t enough good ghost stories.
  10. Blue is the best color in the world, followed closely by green.
  11. Pray early for your kids spouses. And pray often.
  12. The world may tell you God needs to change with the times but God is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. He doesn’t have to.
  13. The best steak is filet mignon and the best way to eat it is medium well.
  14. You can eat anything you want. You just need to watch the portion.
  15. A good walk or a good bike ride is the best physical stress reliever.
  16. A good talk with The Father is the best emotional stress reliever.
  17. A home should have many many blankets.
  18. The British write the best mysteries.
  19. It’s ok to speak the Truth. But it’s not only to be unloving.
  20. I fully plan to be the woman known for cycling through the neighborhood on her bike with flowers in her basket and a straw hat on her head.
  21. Take heart, God is in the midst of it all and He knows the way out.
  22. Crochet is life. Also, I don’t know how to knit.
  23. Embroidery is secondary to crochet. Because I still don’t know how to knit.
  24. It’s better to excel at one or two things than to be mediocre at a lot of things.
  25. I always looked forward to life in a 55+ community.
  26. Moving in with my 2 older sisters means I’ll be living in my own 55+ community. LOL
  27. Fresca is the best soda.
  28. Tea should be a staple in every home.
  29. Coffee should be a staple in every home.
  30. Chocolate should be a staple in every home.
  31. I’ll never understand people who don’t like ice cream.
  32. Hot chocolate should always be topped with whipped cream and cinnamon.
  33. Christmas is the best holiday ever.
  34. We should always make friends with crows. They remember and will bring you stuff.
  35. There’s nothing wrong with counting down to special days.
  36. The next season will always be better than your current one.
  37. Never rush through your current season.
  38. Menopause will make your feel like you’re going crazy. Take heart, dear lady, you are!
  39. Being the youngest in the family doesn’t mean I’m privileged or spoiled; it means I have others to look up to and learn from.
  40. Always spend time with your family.
  41. It’s an honor and a privileged to hold a loved one’s hand while they go home to Jesus.
  42. Funerals and weddings either bring out the very best in people or the very worst.
  43. The world is unkind. Don’t be like the world.
  44. You don’t need to make a difference in the world as a whole; just start with your world right where you’re at.
  45. Prayer isn’t always a labored thing. Sometimes, it’s a moment by moment quiet conversation with God.
  46. The inner voice speaking encouragement and direction to you most likely is the Holy Spirit.
  47. I don’t believe in mean dogs; only mean people who make dogs mean.
  48. Cats are like teenagers.
  49. I believe there’s no perfection to be found in being creative. That’s why I create; to tame my perfectionist ways. Also, so I won’t eat too much ice cream.
  50. I will miss my mother for the rest of the my life. 49 years with her wasn’t long enough.
  51. I look forward to being a grandma someday.
  52. Laughter truly is contagious. One should laugh every day.
  53. You don’t need a big house to be happy. Comfort and contentment can be found in the smallest of spaces.
  54. In any loving home, there’s always room for one more.
  55. Everyone should have cake and ice cream on their birthday.

Happy Birthday to me!

Photo by Robert Anderson on Unsplash

Posted in Moments and Musings

Apartment Life vs House Life

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

This time next year, I will be happily moved out of my apartment and into my forever house – or what I hope will be my forever home. At almost 55 years old, I sincerely hope the next move will be the last one.

The last time I lived in a single family home, it was 2006. Since then, I spent 12 years in a townhome and the last 4 years in an apartment. So I’m looking forward to single family home life.

I admit, there are things I love about apartment life. Things I’ll always love. Like the low maintenance. Should something, like the AC unit or the dishwasher break, I call someone. There’s no stressing about how to pay for it all. There’s also a sense of community. At least there is where I live. Everyone looks out for each other, greets other and helps each other. We meet up in common places like the front foyer to collect our mail, the laundry room and the elevator. We talk about our lives, our kids and our pets. (I live in a very dog friendly building.)

However, there is a down side. Such as lack of privacy. Even though my complex is quiet, not many are. I still hear thumping from above. One step in the hallway and I could tell you what my neighbors are cooking for dinner – an odor that every once in a while invades my home. The building across the way makes me feel like I’m a character in Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. And just last week, someone decided to sneak their laundry in with mine. (EW!)

Will I miss it? Perhaps. I love the grounds, the lake and the compactness of it all.

As always, there’s pros and cons of house life. I know there may be times when I may fret a bit over a broken appliance or a roof shingle that’s been dislodged. I know the grass will need to be cut and the snow shoveled which are all things I do not concern myself with now. I’ll still have to park outside (although, it won’t take 2 walks down long hallways and an elevator ride to get to my car). I know a house is a huge expense and when you buy a house, you essentially buy a neighborhood.

Would I choose it over apartment life? Absolutely.

I can’t wait to cut my own grass. And my Pinterest is full of decorating ideas for my bedroom with walls I can actually paint. If I don’t like the floor, I can change it. I can’t wait to decorate for all the holidays. I pray our neighbors are kind, gentle people with whom I can share a cup of sugar or some cookies. I plan on sitting outside on Halloween night, dressed as something fun and passing out candy. I dream of a backyard with a patio/deck that I can sit out in with a hot mug of tea on a crisp autumn morning wrapped up in bathrobe and wearing my birth control glasses. I look forward to long walks throughout my neighborhood.

Most importantly, I cannot wait to share my life with not just my daughter but my two sisters. God help whatever house we get! Four grown women, all very independent, strong-willed and with our own personalities under one roof. I suspect much hilarity, fun, tears, comfort and lots of food.

One last thing you can’t always have in an apartment is a garage. I can’t wait for a garage. My first big purchase will be a bike with a basket on it. I plan on riding throughout the neighborhood with flowers in my basket and straw hat on my head. You know, over my safety helmet.

Less than 300 days to go. Nine more rent payments to go before they morph into mortgage payments. These are the days I look forward to, among so many others. These days will be blessed.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash