Stephanie Ackerman Designs

Kicking off a new year with a new project in preparation for Galveston with .
There was a LOT of resistance and tension putting this project together, in fact, this is the second attempt of the same idea.

While we can create exactly the way we want to create, there were parameters set for this project, a sort of “style” that she is teaching (I am the student making an example) so my first attempt was same colors, same pictures but different embellishments that were completely me again which, is OK.
As I put together, the second attempt I paid attention to my own resistance and realized I was trying too hard. It completely clogged up my creative flow but I continued on and paid attention to how I was feeling as I was putting this together.

I guess the moral of the story is push through the tension and the resistance of whatever it is that you’re working at. Stay the course. Remain DILIGENT (that’s my 2026 word) and remember, nothing changes if nothing changes so lean into being uncomfortable and be curious about what the outcome will bring.

The foundation is laid and now I get to sit and add stitches to it. Yay!!!

When you read something that you want to remember, write it down.
The act of writing things down will cause you to slow down.

Reflection requires stillness.
By

“One cost of rushing from thing to thing is that you lose the space to think. Hard work matters, but nonstop motion often hides a quiet truth: you could have used your time better.

If you never pause, you confuse activity with effectiveness.

Make time to think.
Walk outside.
Sit quietly.
Create space.
Then move again, but this time on purpose”

EXCITING NEWS!
There is now a Mixed & Stitched Monthly Fabric Subscription Kit and the first one ships 12/15/2025!

In between this, that and the other, I have been “mixing & stitching” a project for the past month that incorporates fabric scraps on fusible fleece, painted paper tags with words as well as smaller stitched pieces that all hang together on a ring. The more chunky it gets, the more I love it.

Each month, I will be making and sharing my examples via social media as inspiration for each kit.

Each monthly kit is $25.00 and will include enough fabric to create 4-5 tags (with front and back)

•    8-10 pieces of fabric cut into hanging tags (4-5 fabric designs x 2 ea.) 🏷️
    
•    5 fusible fleece tags 🏷️
    
•    1 - 2 strips of fabric with multiple words to use on tags🤍
    
•    4 hand cut fabric hearts to stitch on your tags 🤍

PLEASE NOTE: There are a limited amount of kits being offered for the first few months and kit #1 offer will close on Sunday, Nov. 30th.

First kit will ship 12/15

The link to subscribe is in my linktree above ⬆️

Never have I shown the project I am going to teach at my retreats but i have officially decided that this is the project I am going to teach at the March 2026 Creative Soul Retreat at The Whatever Craft house with Ballerini.
There are four spots available and i would love to have you join us.

It is the perfect Christmas gift for you to ask Santa for and there are no skills necessary. I’ll teach you step by step in how to make this pillow and I’m pretty sure you are going to love it.

To register, you can DM ME AND I’ll get you all set up or head to www.Stephanieackerman.com, click on retreats and grab your spot.

Cut up the fabric
Fuse it together
Add some stitches
Cut that up
Monday Night Football double header
Add more stitches
Flip it over
Trace a pattern
Cut them out
Flip the over
Smile.

We are practicing how to hold and process joy and grief at the same time. I use creativity to share my faith, share how to make one thing out of another, and have the most recently learned how to use it to process my emotions. Use what you have (which are your gifts, talents, and abilities) to Love God, love others, lift up, encourage, inspire and remind.

When’s the last time you just doodled to doodle
or stitched to stitch
or made something for the sake of making something
or just made cookies
or just read a book
or just sat in the sun
or just watered the flowers
or just rode your bike
or just took a walk?
If you won’t give yourself permission to do something, I will.

I give you permission to take 30 minutes today to do something.

come back at the end of the day and comment on this post and tell me what you did!

If you watched the last post where I was talking about “the shark” and the joy it brings, then you will understand this post when I tell you that JOHN, on his very first trip was the shark and it became a waterfall of joy for the kids, for me watching him and him experiencing it!
Thank you and Jim Holden for hearing the call and loving and serving these families ( as well as our family) so well.
Go check out www.fishforlife.org and see how you can become a volunteer or sponsor.

Shhhh..
Morning birds& Coffee
Flip flops on the ground
Lawn mower & gardener sounds
Airplane flying high above
Sun breaking through
Slight breeze through the avocado tree
Jammie pants and a hoodie on
Pool water

and stitching.

I have been talking & sharing a lot more again about documenting & journaling.
So often we disqualify ourselves from writing things down or documenting or journaling because of the thoughts we have about it.
All it takes is a pen, something to write on and your thoughts.

I’ve been doing it for most of my life, in the form of scrapbooks, taking photos and writing in and creating journals.
It’s more about the little things than just the big events, or maybe the little things that happen at big events.
I’ve also talked about how entitlement and gratitude cannot exist at the same time.

So much of our culture, social media, TV ads etc, tell us and remind us of what we think we “should” have, what we think we need, must have, don’t have, what might make our lives better and what we’re entitled to.

It causes us to forget what we already have .

Today, take a gratitude walk around your home and look with intention at what you already have and what thoughts are spurred from the things you see.

Thank God for all that He has provided & will continue to give us.
We don’t need more stuff, we need more of Him.

Here are a few of the things I saw in my home this morning:

1. Roses from all of the trimming I did yesterday and the vintage Mason jar that an old neighbor gave me 20 years ago.

2. “The Goats” Salt & Pepper shakers I bought (and love)from my first trip to in Waco (miss you and

3. All of the “8’s” I have found along the way (it is our address)

4. The photo I got of Holden when I put his little cowboy boots on him and right before he literally kicked them off!

5. Found treasures from beaches, rivers, lakes and canyons. Things that did not cost a penny and are a reminder of how incredibly and intricately God created them to be.

6. The sound and color of bubbling water and the peace of mind it brings me.

7. The morning sun and the sound of morning birds. Again, free and given to me.

8. The neighbors tree BURSTING with growing avocado’s (that will also be free and given to me 😂)