In an effort to lighten things up after my last post, I thought I’d share a few things about me that you might not know. If you are close to me in real life, or are an avid blog-reader that pays attention, these things might not come as a surprise to you. But I dug deep for a couple, so let me know if anything really jumps out at you as a wow! I didn’t know that about Anya!

I have the most old-lady sewing box you’ve ever seen.

Okay, confession. This is where the idea for this post was born. I had a hole in my leggings that I wanted to mend, that I did mend, last night while Archer asked me questions about what is in my very beautiful sewing kit.

Fun story, I got this bad boy as a present from my mom, one of the first years that I was out living on my own. She stocked it with everything you would need to sew anything and everything. So I have all the things … and a secret.

I am not a good seamstress.

But, I know enough to get the job done.

Old Lady Sewing Box
Old Lady Sewing Box - Open

I was honestly thinking about taking some sewing lessons, but I don’t want to learn on a machine because I don’t have one of those. Maybe one day I’ll learn how to properly mend my clothes by hand. I love my ugly little box every time I look at it. Even though I hate why I have to use it at the same time.

I love all the crafts.

Quick, name a craft. Something common, I don’t really do decoupage or anything random like that. I love them all … I have been a scrapbooker for years and have several albums of curated pictures. I even made Brad Archer each an album of their stuff … and you can guess how much I’ve been scrapbooking lately given that Maverick doesn’t have an album at all just yet and he's almost three. There’s a small album I started of pictures from our wedding that’s so close to being finished. All I need is an afternoon to myself, where I promise not to write—which is hard these days while I knock my writing challenge out of the park—and I’m sure I’d get it done.

Other crafty things I enjoy include: painting, mostly acrylics and I’m new to water colours; anything with the kids; making Christmas ornaments; colouring, wax or pencil crayons, felts or pens, I’m really not picky; card-making for every occasion I can; decorating; writing; dreaming up interior design for the house we hope to get one day. Everything!

I currently have my eye on a cutting machine called the Cricut. It’s expensive, but I am planning to dedicate my Christmas money toward purchasing one, along with a few goodies. The thing is, I want to get it early so that I can make some special Christmas cards to send out. I’m torn!

What would you do? Buy it now, knowing the Christmas money is coming? Or wait? I think I’m taking the road of impatient Patsy on this one …

Red wine is my favourite adult beverage … but I went nearly four months without it earlier this year.

I can’t remember when it is that I became so enamored with red wine. I just love everything about it. My friend Ariana and I did a package with a local beer and wine shop where we bottled our own wine. I came home with thirty bottles of red wine just before we were on lockdown for Covid the first time!

Then, during the summer, I started trying to work out some inflammatory reactions that my body was having, and giving up beer and wine was one of the things I tried to see if it would help.

I don’t think it did and I am happily back to drinking wine.

 

I am a runner, converted from someone that used to loathe running.

Ohhhh this one is hard for me to admit. I do not consider myself a runner, but I’ve been using the Nike Run Club app since July, and it has reminded me so many times that it doesn’t take much, other than putting one foot in front of the other at a quicker pace than walking, to be able to call yourself a runner.

I used to hate running … or I said I did, at the very least. But I find that I look forward to putting my headphones in and listening to some upbeat music, lacing up my shoes and going for a run.

I may be slow, but running makes me feel good!

Smiling Brunette Woman Wearing Hat - Post-Run Flushed Cheeks

Yesterday, Post-Run

My middle name is Natasha. And I would’ve been called Steven James, had I been a boy.

When my mom was pregnant with me, so many years ago, her and my dad were watching competitive sports on tv. I want to say it was the Olympics, but frankly I don’t want to fact-check myself. So we’ll just go with the general umbrella of competitive sports. There was an athlete named Anya, and my mom fell in love with that name, pledging to name me Anya, if I ended up being a girl. My dad figured that a Russian first name needed a Russian middle name, and, so, I am Anya Natasha. And there were far too many letters in my maiden name to go with that one.

There you have it! Did any of those things surprise you? I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m a pretty average gal.

Now that I've told you a few new things about me, it’s your turn to tell me something about yourself that might surprise me! Leave me a note below, or back on my Instagram or Facebook pages.

Happy Friday!

Anya

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