Hey Gal :: Meet Beth Colletti and Savor the Season

Y’all, I am excited to introduce you to my friend, Beth Colletti.  I met her on IG and have never met her in real life.  She was doing a give-away for a sweet friend of mine and I won the embroidery pattern! I started following her and it sparked a renewed zeal for embroideryI used to embroider lots of stuff growing up. We started when my mom would buy big swaths of burlap, and we would use big needles and fat worms of yarn to make flowers and vines at the cabin during our long summer days.I also remember a Texas Unit in grade school where we all got to stitch vignettes about Texas history on a big piece of cloth that hung on the wall in the room.  I remember we got to go stitch when we were done with our work, and I worked so fast so I could get over there.Later in junior high it was overalls; we all embellished the bibs of those denim overalls, making one of  a kind art pieces.  We would all wear our overalls each Friday, matching- but not exactly.  I think I cut the bib off my ancient overalls and saved it in my special box.  We also embroidered jeans jackets before that was cool.My good friend, Maureen’s mom would tell her that "every woman needs some handwork", and I heartily agree.  To have handwork is to be in the moment.Beth Colletti believes this, too.  In her words she describes this on her website so beautifully .

Craft-Time = Self-Care Time

This space exists to be a source of encouragement and inspiration for busy women seeking to be more intentional about self-care and creating! The embroidered decor and DIY embroidery patterns you'll find here are filled with reminders to slow down and savor life, to embrace beauty and simple joys, and to make time to refuel so you can do work that matters.

This woman speaks my language!

I recently asked her my Sursee Gal questions and I loved her warmth and honesty.

What are you cooking?

Tavern Style Pot Roast in my slow cooker with a little help from Campbell's Sauces. ;)How are you practicing hospitality?I'm hosting a crafting small group through my church where ladies can escape for a couple of hours and relax with a creative outlet in community.What are you learning?To take baby steps in hospitality, actually! As an introvert, hospitality has always seemed like a big, scary thing, but I'm learning it can be as simple as baking Christmas cookies and sharing them with a neighbor or my mail lady to start a conversation.How are you mentoring? or being mentored.Recently I took a friend who is hurting out to dinner to encourage her to dare to hope and place her dreams in God's loving and faithful hands.

Isn't she the best?  I want to go to her Craft Night in New Jersey!

I hope that you will go over and check out her website and blog.  She even has a fun Christmas Gift Guide.  She has helpful tips and tutorials that I have used many times when I was working on a project.You might have seen my little coffee mug on IG that I downloaded from her.  So fun.

This pattern below is a freebie you get when you sign up for her newsletter,  I embroidered this little

teacup on a tea towel; and it turned out super cute!

When I got stuck in my handwork, I went to Beth's website and watched a tutorial on how to do a stitch.  She has so many tips and ideas in this section. This is the  perfect place to learn from her gentle instructions.

You know those IG posts that mesmerize and you watch a billion times?  Well her IG posts on stitches are the same way.  My guilty pleasure.  Follow her at @bethcolletti

She is a gentle mentor and very talented!  Her shop is full of all kinds of patterns and kits. You will be sure to find one that matches you.  Might this be a great idea for a friend or sister or daughter?   Her shop is open until Monday, December 17th so you still have time!!

Hope you enjoyed meeting Beth.  Let me know if you pick up some handwork and tag me so I can see it!

A little side note.  I am going to take a little break and be present with the family.  I am working on my recipe notebook-a place where I keep all the recipes that I will be cooking over the days of celebration.  I might post on IG, but am not going to write here until after Christmas.

May the peace that Jesus brings infiltrate all the parts of your life- even the crazy, busy, fun days.  And may you spend some time pondering the baby in the manger.

xoxox

Leslie