A Year of Gratitude – January 5, 2024

This morning’s gratitude is for busy hands and a creative day ahead. It might not seem like something worthy of gratitude, but I woke up today and just knew that what I needed was a day when my busy hands could give my mind a rest, give it something productive to concentrate on.

I spend the first days of each new year stitching together hearts for our Mercantile Shop. It’s a lovely way to usher in a new year, with a symbol of love and kindness.

I have made hundreds of these hearts over the years and each one of them begins with a length of handwrapped cording that is gently folded into a “v” shape to give the resulting heart shape. If you look closely, you’ll see that length of cording in the center of each heart’s base.

That simple length of cord transforms into a shape that looks like a smile. I see it in every heart shaped basket, trivet, and saucer we make. Stitching a handmade smile into a heart is about the loveliest way I can think of to start a fresh new year.

I’m settling in at the sewing machine and ready to watch hearts take shape. I hope that you have a splendid day ahead of you and that you’ll encounter a smile and a warm heart.

This post is part of our A Year of Gratitude Series. You can find the introduction, inspiration, and entire year’s gratitude’s posts here.