Checking off another item on my 50 by 50 bucket list feels pretty great — especially when it’s something that seems simple but definitely wasn’t easy.

For starters, I have terrible eyesight. We’re talking contacts and readers layered on top, which is a very glamorous crafting setup, let me tell you. Add in arthritis in my hands, and tiny, repetitive stitches become a full-on adventure. But cross-stitching has been on my “try it someday” list for a long time. In fact, I bought this little kit two years ago and only just cracked it open.

The design was cute enough to catch my eye back then and still sweet enough to inspire me now. I even have a few people in mind who might end up receiving it as a gift.

Of course, I didn’t realize until I opened the kit that the pattern wasn’t printed on the fabric. So I found myself counting squares like a preschooler doing math drills, trying to figure out which color belonged where. It wasn’t impossible, but it definitely kept me humble. Basic cross-stitch here, a little backstitching for the outline, and a couple of honest mistakes sprinkled throughout. Not bad at all for my first try — just… don’t look at the back. Seriously. Don’t look.

What surprised me most was how relaxing it all felt. Slow, quiet, methodical — a nice little mental break during a busy season. I already have another design waiting for me, and I’m planning to start it once the house is decorated for Christmas.

One more thing checked off the list… and plenty more fun ahead.