The Cup of Fortunes: Week 50 (December 7-13)

I know I keep saying this, but the Cup knows things. Now, I kept putting these last fortunes back earlier in the year because I didn't want to stitch them at the time I originally picked them. They didn't feel right, and obviously this entire stitch journal is very much about feelings and vibes. That's the best way I can describe it. 

As I shared last week, there are some things changing at work in the new year. My boss is retiring so we have a new leader taking over the team (who is going to be great), but it still means a lot of change and uncertainty for all of us. I'm a manager on the team and a leader within the larger group I belong to, so people look to me to signal things are going to be okay. Change is never easy, but I do think this will all be okay in the long run. I've told my team that and my bosses (new and old) that. I tell myself that every day. I share this because since I found out about her retirement the week before Thanksgiving, the fortunes have been very focused on change, relationships, being successful in my career, and random financial advice. I didn't know this was going to happen when I put these fortunes back earlier in the project. But the Cup of Fortunes knew. 

Here are this week's fortunes and lucky numbers:

December 7 - the first fortune feels a little ominous. 

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

Weeks 1-50

The 2026 Project

Usually by this time I have an idea in mind for my next stitch journal project. I have to say I'm at a bit of a loss this year. The only thing I really know is that I want to use thread that a friend of mine gave me. Most of it is thread brands I don't normally use, and I like the idea of using them for a single project. 

I also sort of want to use this stitch journal I bought back in 2021. I had the idea at that time to use it for my first stitch journal project, but that project took on a very different life and I didn't use it. I didn't even consider using it for any of the journals since then, but it's been sitting in my studio and staring at me for 4 years. I think it's time. 

Technically, it has 12 pages. The idea is that you open the rings, take the page out, and open it flat with the folded edge as the divider. It creates two pages and then you fold it back and put it on the rings. As you turn the pages, you have 12 pages of a fabric book. The back of the page is hidden since it's been folded to create the book.

My challenge with this, and probably why I haven't figured out what I want to focus on for next year, is that I can't make my brain get on board with the idea that it would take me a month to complete a page. The space is a little larger than the fabric pieces I used in 2024 and I did each of those in a week. Granted, I designed patterns that I knew I could do in a week, but it was still a week and many were very detailed and took a lot of time each day. So I'm struggling a little bit with conceptualizing what will go in the book. 

This year's journal was completely text driven, so next year's needs to be more focused on designs, whether they be abstract or figurative. I'm not saying I won't use any text, but I don't want it to necessarily be the focal point of the journal. A few ideas I've had:

• Word/Vibe per month and the page represents the word/vibe in whatever way I decide
• 12 Songs - use the lyrics or the mood of each song as inspiration for the page
• All abstract pieces - pick a color story for each month and see where the thread takes me

I would also like to use other materials like I did in previous years. I have a lot of fabric between regular fabric and the upholstery fabric books I have, and I have sequins, buttons, and other random stuff that could be fun to include. 

I'm hoping inspiration will smack me in the face sometime in the next two weeks. I have time off coming up and I'd love to start sketching and deciding on colors and themes for each month. I'm a planner at heart and I'm feeling a little unmoored by not knowing what I want to stitch next year. 

Any opinions on the ideas I shared? If you were stitching a stitch journal what would be your focus?

Other Small Joys

Last weekend I was focused on getting the majority of my holiday shopping done so I could get things mailed out to friends and not run around at the last minute trying to find things. I succeeded for the most part and found some very fun things that fit my shopping plan this year (small stores, local, thrift/vintage, unique, and fun). I still need to get something funny for my parents and brother, but otherwise, I'm done. I need to wrap stuff and get things mailed out on Monday. 

While I was running around last weekend, I stopped to have lunch at a Panda Express. As a true 90s suburban girl, sometimes I need Panda Express or Chili's. I can't explain it, but if you also grew up in that time period, you know what I mean. Anyway, I was behind two guys (maybe father and son) at Panda Express and I wasn't really paying attention to their conversation, mostly because it was in Spanish and my Spanish is not good. The older guy was speaking to a manager at one point. I figured there was something wrong with their order and she was helping to fix it. I got to the cashier to pay for my order and found out the "issue" was that he paid for my lunch. It was totally unexpected and kind. The cashier and manager were surprised too. No one does that at the Panda Express...apparently. 

I went over and thanked him and he told me he was trying to do small things to show people kindness and help in the way that he can. I thought that was such a nice thing to do and I've been trying to pay it forward all this week. It completely made my day. And I got a fortune:

I don't think I'm going to include this fortune in my stitch journal, but I'm going to stitch it on something. It's such a lovely fortune.

This week was also a week for work parties and social events. My boss was in town so we were able to celebrate her retirement in person. I've worked for her for almost 9 years so it was nice to be able to say goodbye in person. My friend Grace bought me the most amazing crystal dinosaur for Christmas, and I have to say, it looks very good on my little cat altar (I guess that's what it is).

One of the celebrations this week was the annual holiday team dinner. It's always at a nice restaurant and is one of the few work events I look forward to each year. I decided to listen to the little weird girl that lives in my head and wear my dinosaurs in holiday sweaters dress to the party. I wore it with pants because it's a little short, which is why I don't wear it. I think I want to wear it one more time in December. 

Bea had a very productive week that included being my studio assistant for two days, guarding the new coffeemaker when it arrived, and trying to climb the curtains. She has so much energy. I don't know where it comes from. 

This is one of my favorite pictures of her. 

If you know about the Vitamix cats you know that once she sat on the box I thought, "Oh no! She's going to become the Cuisinart Cat if I don't unpack this box in the morning." I unpacked the box in the morning and she's moved on. If you do know about the Vitamix cats, please keep them and their humans in your thoughts right now. One of the cats, Lando, passed away yesterday. Remember Lando loves you.