A Pieceful Glimpse

The cards are addressed and sent, the gifts wrapped, the cookies baked. What's left to do? 

Hannes and I want to express our sincere wishes for a "Pieceful Day" to you and yours... today and every day! Yes, my daughter-in-law has created yet another wonderful quilter's T that I am more than happy to model and market for her. These well fitting, comfortable shirts are long-sleeved, 100% cotton, pre-washed, tagless and all around wonderful!  Thanks to everyone who contacted me and ordered a "bobbin" shirt already, they are still available too.  I hope she creates a website so that I can link to it in the upcoming New Year and quilter friends can order simply with the click of a button from my side bar; but, for now, you can e-mail me for details, she has a fast turn around.

This cute spool motif is on the back of each shirt, your friends will recognize you coming and going! I hope to be back blogging with much more frequent regularity soon, very soon. My husband and I have been operating in a fog, so to speak, for the last month. All of a sudden that fog is lifting and it is Christmas! I have some stories to relate of recent happenings and, of course, photos to share. I'll be back. In the meantime: Have a Pieceful Day!

Life is Good!

52%

These are the latest blocks completed from Rosemary Youngs' Quilt Block Bible. Quiltkeemosabe and I are more than halfway through writing directions and making each and every block in the book. At my last calculation I was 52% done; now I am moving onto applique- curves, that makes me smile... I love me some hand work! So, what does 52% look like and how am I keeping track of our work, piecing/cutting directions and the blocks themselves?

52% equals two loose leaf binders, full. Each completed block is filed in order, by number, and slipped into a page protector together with all of of its pertinent data. We're using every method we know: specialty rulers, templates, paper piecing... whatever it takes.

I'm including a few close-ups here of the fussy cutting I did. I had a length of fabric with quotes and these positively charming illustrations by Susan Branch; perfect for these little block centers. This one says: "Millions long for immortality but don't know what to do on a rainy afternoon" - Susan Ertz

 "All the way to Heaven is Heaven" - St. Catherine of Sienna

No quote, but a perfect resting place for this toile fussy cut. 

And, finally... this makes me want to brew a cup of tea right now... and read Little Women... again!

Life is Good!

Resurrection Spray?

I never gave a lot of thought to what a four year old might think the purpose of an exterminator would be; I just assumed that Gregory understood they kept one's home free of bugs by the obvious method. Apparently he thinks that the bug man, by use of his magic spray, is able to perform the complete opposite!

Gregory spent the night with us on Saturday; when he came out of the bedroom yesterday morning he tenderly cradled a dead lady bug in his softly closed fist. "Nana", he said "you need to call the bug man, I think this lady bug is dead and it needs the spray"!  He gave it to me and I placed it on the bathroom vanity, I didn't want to traumatize him by pitching it in the waste basket. I caught him examining it a short time later... "it's still dead" he said, "you need to call the bug man now".

The sweet innocence of his heart, one that believes in a world where life can be restored through a well-placed squirt, is enough to melt my own. 

Life is Good!

T.H.I.N.K.

My latest challenge... T.H.I.N.K about it~
Life is Good!

"It's Dark In There!"

This little guy spent the last few days (and nights) visiting Nana and PawPaw's house. He naps well, but is an early (well before dawn) riser. I went in to him on Monday morning, in the wee hours, and encouraged him to put his head back down on the pillow and close those little eyes; I told him it was much too early to get up.
"I don't want to close my eyes" he responded.
"Why not" I asked.
"It's dark in there!"

Life is Good!

Challenge?

I need help with this. So, this quote is posted outside a local church on their streetside sign. The quote puzzles me precisely because it's outside a church. This quote, to me, begs more questions.
1.  Who is the "we"?
2.  Who's doing the inviting?
Being that it's a church I don't find this an enticing call to worship but believe that something along the lines of: We are constantly CHALLENGED to be better than who we are (or who we perceive ourselves to be) would be an improvement.  But then, that's just me. I require challenge and inspiration for growth and who am I, after all, to mess around with the words of the esteemed Henry David Thoreau? I have no idea why this bothers me so much, but it does. The more I have pondered this I have concluded that, perhaps, the invitation being issued is just to come... as we are... sinful, flawed, human beings; nothing more than that... come as we are (but be prepared to grow and be more, to be our BEST?). I don't know. Come to think of it, I suppose I've been challenged all along; but, when it comes to inspiration and a call to worship, I'll be relying another source, not  the words written by a nineteenth century transcendentalist but, instead, words from THE book! What are your thoughts?

Life is Good!

 

Thank God For Mothers...

Thank God for mothers everywhere,
if it weren't for Moms this is the way the children would be raised:

This is the actual package photo from the indoor-outdoor trampoline toy available at a store near you. I find it hilarious, and understandable, that they would put Dad in the picture (what self-respecting Mom would allow this contraption in the house?); relaxing and reading e-mail from his tablet while his caged child jumps; hey Dad, don't look now but one of your bouncing baby boys has escaped!

Happy Mother's Day!

"A fat quarter has fewer calories than a hot fudge sundae."
Life is Good!

The Answer Is Crystal Clear

I went searching in the stash closet for a piece of fabric from which to make binding for "Strawberry Season". I found a terrific piece of dark, rich, mossy green; a hand dye. It coordinates perfectly with the top and the backing and I had enough... but would it bleed? I threw it in the washer with a few Color Catchers (inexpensive insurace!); that was a good move, as they did absorb quite a bit of  the green color. I dried the piece in the dryer and ironed it; then, just to be on the safe side, I clipped off a corner and immersed it in a cup of warm water and let it sit for 24 hrs., the water stayed clear, there was no color transfer at all. This is a simple, low tech, but effective way to check colorfastness.

I have a little notepad on my desk: 

Note Quotes™ for quilting friends, 

allow me to share a quote a day with you, they're cute:

"Fabricologist Resource Center... now doesn't that sound more impressive than fabric stash?"

Life is Good!  

Food For Thought...

"It's far more impressive when others discover

your good qualities without your help." ~Judith Martin

Life is Good!

You'll Get Your Quilt!

Sunday after church, a Mom asked her very young daughter what the lesson was
about. The daughter answered, "Don't be scared, you'll get your quilt." Needless
to say, the Mom was perplexed. Later in the day, the pastor stopped by for tea
and the Mom asked him what that morning's Sunday school lesson was about.
He said: "Be not afraid, thy comforter is coming."

Life is Good!

Step By Step

Dancing is wonderful training for girls.

It's the first way you learn to guess

what a man is going to do

before he does it. ~Christopher Morley

I enjoy ballroom dancing. Back a few years ago my husband and I took lessons in preparation for our daughter's wedding. I loved everything about it, my husband didn't share my enthusiasm and our lessons concluded when the wedding was said and done. (It's pointless to dance without a partner!) Since then I have looked forward, each season, to watching "Dancing With The Stars", I appreciate the hard work and the dedication necessary for non-dancers to look so smooth and polished. I've picked my favorite and rooted for them. I'm sure the show will be just as entertaining in the coming season as it has been in the past; but, in all seriousness, don't you think that the name should be changed from "Dancing With The Stars" to "Dancing With Those Who've Made Headlines"?

Life is Good!

Use It Or Lose It

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." -Erma Bombeck

I'm trying, as hard as I can...
Life is Good!

Wise Words

Wisdom is all around us, all we have to do is be aware. Some of the funniest, quotable, words might just show up on a cocktail napkin.

Cheers~

Life is Good!