Always have ... Hope

Here’s my project for the weekend. I have a Ladies Christmas Party Thursday night. All of the girls in the office are getting together for a meal and a $10.00 gift exchange. I went to the scrap box and found this drawn out on fabric. I just had to stitch. Scraps from the box made up the rest of the bag.

It is going to hold Chocolate mints and this dessert plate and cup I found for $3.00 each. With my thing for dishes, I really fell for the cup.

I’m making gift tags this year. Don has learned to never throw out the tea or coffee. I’m dying these manilla tags.

We had my office Christmas dinner in town this Friday night. I won a blue-ray dvd player. I was pretty surprised. Saturday night we had the church Christmas dinner. Lots of music and delicious food. It felt like a holiday.

I’ve been dreaming about work, so I guess I’m getting into the routine. I’m almost finished with my Christmas sewing. It’s nice not having to rush.

We’re still low on snow--- no complaints. We’ve had daily flurries for about a week, but still very little accumulations. It’ll happen anyday….I’m not worried.

Gratitudes:

Eggnog Quick Bread (Pretty much all of my holiday baking)
Phone calls with my Mom
Plaid ribbons for package wrapping

The End of November

One last photo of this project. It’s at its new home with Eric. Definitely the hardest piece I ever completed. Eric loved it so he’ll have it for years to come. I sent a care package back with him to bring the holidays to him and his two roommates.

 They are all pharmacy students living far away from families. He called and they bought a Christmas tree. He called it a Charlie Brown tree, but he said it had “a lot of potential”.


It was his first trip home in almost 6 months. Study loads and distance combine with jobs and no holiday time off kept him from coming home sooner. He must have commented on quilts and “pumpkin stuff” ten times. He said it felt like home. He said –“ You don’t realize what a difference it makes”. I guess I type this out because I wanted to remember it……..

Here are my stockings finished. We got our Christmas tree put up – all ten foot of it, a Frazier fir and it’s gorgeous. So much different than the chaos of last year. Contentment is the word of the season.

If you didn’t live where you do now--- where would you live?…I always pretend it would be on the east coast somewhere….definitely close to water. I wish over cottages like the ones Jane Coslick talks about.

I won a copy of Cottages in a drawing she had. I curled up on the couch the day it came and got lost in the pages. What a treat. Coupled with a pot of coffee, warm socks, and quilt--I'm good.

The kids will both be home in three weeks for the holiday.  We've had two days of rain so our snow is gone, but there's a chance for more the remainder of the week. Most of my christmas shopping is done.  I did it on-line this year.  I knew what I wanted to purchase and took advantage of the free shipping deals out there.  I've been making a couple of gifts, but if they don't get finished it will be alright. Some times the best gifts are gifts given "Just because...". I'm ready to kick back and enjoy the season-- the colors, the music, and all its meaning....

Gratitudes:
My laptop
Breakfast for supper tonight
An envelope of DMC Thread

In Every Thing Give Thanks....

Last Friday night we had 14 people over for a casual Thanksgiving dinner.  I found these paper plates and Chelsey stamped up the napkin rings.  The dinner just kept growing so I decided friendships meant more than China and "the more the Merrier".  We had so much fun. On top of it, I worked until after 4 pm.  with everyone coming over at 6.---- In other words--"I am woman, here me roar.." Truthfully Don and Chelsey rocked and we were a machine getting last minute details done. Completely fun.

I've been stitching away on my stockings.  I'm realistic enough to know I won't feel like much sewing during the week so on weekends I get projects ready.

I made this stitchery a couple of years ago.  I made a patchwork heart for the center piece.  I took the patchwork off, because I now can needlepunch so last night I finished the heart. You'll get one more look at it-- hopefully it will be framed tonight.

I wanted to document this pumpkin.  About 10 days ago I finally cleaned the garden signs out of the garden.  I noticed a pile of leaves with shadows of oranges.  Brushing things away this pumpkin sat there waiting for me... I don't believe in coincidences it was definitely a good sign.

I'm sitting on the couch with my laptop -- listening to sounds around the house.  Don and Eric are laughing downstairs, the pups are playing toys, the football team I picked just scored.  I couldn't wipe the smile off my face if I tried.  All four of us have jobs we love, a warm house, all the contentment in the world. Contentment - that's the word in our house.  We've really been working at recognizing our blessings and being grateful.  It's always fun reaching for the stars.  But sometimes it's fun not feeling the pressure to have to.  Oh sure-- I could make a list of everything  I don't have that I'd like to...but I can always hold a matching list of all the things I do have.

A prayer request-- my daughter's best friend is stationed with her husband in South Korea.  Communication is tough, and her safety is a concern.  Remember them and our service people away in foreign places today.

Tomorrow - I'm off too-- a paid holiday- go figure - The pumpkins will be replaced with holly, maybe a little shopping, and the Christmas music will be dusted off.  The last three months are positively my favorite times of the year.

Gratitudes:
Quilting Friends throughout the world
Cornbread Dressing
Louisiana Phone Calls

For Lillian Hope....

I got a layer cake of Lily and Will by Bunny Hill Designs and used half to make a baby gift for a friend.  I had plans for a really detailed, complicated pattern, but Chelsey showed me this Patchwork Pottery Design and we each made one.  It was easy and fun--- and sometimes easy and fun is good.  It's even great.

We had our first official snow on Sunday evening. We took the pups running in the woods.  The flakes were the size of quarters.  It was way too pretty to stay inside. This snapshot was taken as I pulled out of the driveway on Money morning about 7am. I wanted to remember that sight.

That photo reminds me why I work....and what I have to come home to.....

Gratitudes:

Eric coming home this weekend
Chelsey feeling better from the flu
Our icemaker---remember those old metal ice trays?!?!?

The Stockings were....

Well, the stockings aren’t hung, but they are cut out anyway. These are little Primitive Gatherings Patterns. I end up shipping most family gifts south, so this year I’m tying these to packages with the gift tags inside the stockings. Words like Joy, Believe, All Hearts Come Home At Christmas, and Love will be embroidered on each.

I knew I’d be tired at the end of the day this week. When I sew on my machine like that, the mistakes seem to snowball. But this will be relaxing at night. I won’t be using Valdani threads, I have a plastic tote of DMC floss. Sunday evening I piled my wool pieces around me—I keep them in a wicker basket instead of my sewing cabinet—and cut away. In the Wool class I took from Lisa Bongean, she taught us to save all scraps because you never know when you’ll need a toe for a stocking or a flower center or a heart for a crow to hold onto.

We have a chance of snow Thursday and Friday. It’s that time of Year. I need to get my Pilgrim stuff out and tuck away the black cats.

Gratitudes:

My Pellet Stove purring in the background.

Chelsey forgetting her laptop this weekend(It gave her a chance to pop in for an unexpected visit)

Leftovers for supper(less cooking)

Almost a Finish...

The days tick by faster than I would like…My Google Reader has 900 entries to catch up on. I’m afraid it may not happen. I’m working hard during the day, but I really love it. I’ve decided I’ve got the same 24 hours that everyone else has. It’s my choice how I carve it up and use the time. I pieces just vary day to day.

I finally got that quilt of Eric’s machine quilted. Oh, it was tough. The layers with all of the half square triangles had thread breaking right and left. If the quilt had been for anyone but Eric, I would have drop-kicked it in the yard. I made the binding this afternoon. I feel the need for an evening of “chick flicks” and needle and thread to get the binding finished.

I came home exhausted Wednesday, but rallied early Thursday morning and played in my sewing room an hour before I went to work.

I completed my BOM projects out of wool. I love the pink on the bunny block. Again, I’m a season behind as this is not gardening season. But with life really being a perspective, I keep telling myself I’m ahead of the game and will love this piece come spring.

If I can get this binding done, I’m starting on Christmas projects. I kicked around a shopping trip, but decided I could either shop for quilting or ACTUALLY do some quilting. I’ve really enjoyed my Saturday.

No snow yet, but the leaves are down and the trees are bare. The temps are steady in the forties. Hunting season is almost upon us so the pups and I have to stay out of the woods for safety reasons. The porch has the hammock packed away along with the porch stools.

Something to think about… I read this week that fear –worrying over things you can’t help or control---is a lack of faith. You never need to lose faith…. You may miss out on things because you worry over situations that may or may not happen-- those things you have no control over.  You have to trust that when the time comes you can handle it and dread will not make it any easier. And you just might miss out on something incredible if you sit around contemplating scenarios that probably won't happen.  I think as women and mothers we always just seem to always exercise so much caution....
I'm working on letting go....


Gratitudes:
Phone calls from my kids
Pumpkin Candles
Saturday Afternoons….

October Sewing...

I guess for a little while my sewing will be measured by the moments versus the minutes. It’s Friday night and Chelsey came home from school for the weekend. The sewing machine is humming because she’s making a baby quilt for a donation project… Funny, huh?!?!

I told her to be careful, she could be turning into her mom....Home on a friday night quilting... I'm pretty smug about it....

Work is going so well. I’m learning so much.  A totally different environment than I'm used to.  I know I'm still honeymooning at the office and sooner or later it will turn into "work" but I am really liking ti so far.

I have been sewing. I don’t have a lot of time for writing in my journal. I just seem to have so many things I want to do in a day. I DVR shows but TV is really off the list except for Sunday football (does that count???) . I’ve been reading, running the pups in the woods, because the Fall has been gorgeous. I’ve been staying on top of the housework and working through a couple of devotions-Simple Abundance and Mothers of the Bible.

I made postcards to send Chelsey. To fit her college apartment, I made the colors match. I completely forgot to photograph them so the photo is from her.

Again I completely forgot to photograph the journal I made for a bridal shower gift. I grab a quick snapshot right before putting it on the gift table.

Lastly Chelsey went to an A-B-C party last weekend….Anything but cloth. People made clothes out of garbage bags, wrapping paper, duct tape.

Chelsey found play money at the dollar store and I made a
paper sheath and we attached the dollar bills to it. She made jewelry from play coins. It turned out real cute.

I've been keeping up with my block of the month project. I'll photograph it maybe tomorrow.

Gratitudes:
Chick Flicks with Chelsey
Flying Geese-- the real ones heading South for the winter
Vanilla Creme for my coffee

Nine Patches

It’s Sunday evening. It’s been one of those weekends where you think Monday has got to get here where you can rest. It’s fun every once and a while.


I pulled four fat quarters and began cutting them up.

Next weekend I have a wedding shower. It’s another gift card shower. The third one I have been to recently. I’ll be the first to admit that the idea of gift cards is practical for these young couples. They are leaving the area… not many of these young adults stay in our hometown--- there’s nothing to keep them there. They can get to their new homes, no unpacking, and purchase needed items--- all perfectly matching to their own personal tastes. But there is that sentimental side of that still has the rolling pin my mother in law gave me..( It’s marble and we passed it around a wedding shower laughing about how good it would be for keeping Don in line!!!). I have the pewter bread plate from Nina O’Quin with all the memories attached.

So I have this young girl a gift card and I’m making a quilted journal for a keepsake for recipes, bible verses, lists, and memories.

Those fat quarters have turned into nine patches on the way to this project found in the December Issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.

I’ve been slicing and drying the apples from yesterday’s post. The house smells so good.

It was 28 degrees this morning.

Last night we went to a party with 8 other couples. We had an adult “Scavenger Hunt”. We dvided up into teams of four and scoured the town for two hours with our lists of tasks. Examples were getting a photograph of a team member pumping a stranger’s gasoline. Get a doctor’s signature. Find a coaster with a beer logo on it. There were 41 items. My team lost despite getting a photo of a policeman in uniform, and someone in a concert tee shirt. Don’s team won and received this bottle of holiday wine from Door County. The bottle will probably never be opened but it looks like Halloween.

Gratitudes:

My Sunday School Class

York Peppermint Patties

My favorite Pair of Levis

Fall Blessings...

Hey—I’m still here. Thanks for emails, thanks for caring. I hope everyone guessed it--- I got a job. We could spend paragraph after paragraph bad mouthing old jobs but it would be a waste of time and typing. Business Models change. The economy changes. It’s as simple as that. My old job gave me the gift of a paid summer off and the tenacity to look for a new job. Now my family has paid medical & dental insurance, a 401K with a match, a raise, and a bright future. I’m living proof that life goes on. It turns on a dime…. Never take it for granted.


I think I’ve got the “groove thing” worked out. I have different hours than before, plus I’ve cut wayyyy back on television so my attitude feels good.

I friend brought over apples for my Sunday school class. I love the bright colors. You can see it’s raining leaves here today. While everyone in the U.P. loves the colors --- it’s a healthy reminder for the winter ahead. The old people look at the squirrels, deer, and mice and predict a rough winter ahead. Me….they’re all kind of rough. Quilting weather I say.

I get a break daily at work and have decided to take it. I never did before. Wandering through a second- hand shop I found an old wooden box and some scraps of wool. Looks like perfect Christmas stockings. What is it about wooden boxes? Chelsey and I both gravitate to them.

I’ve made a lot of changes. My old job was a chore. This job is a challenge and a gift. Sunday evenings I spend getting my clothes ready for the week. I round up sewing for the week. I get my kids Sunday school letters made. The coffee pot is made the night before. It sounds like I’m overcompensating for something. But truth be told--- the less I have to think about first thing in the morning the better. And walking away from the television (I still DVR shows in case I need them!) all the things I thought I missed sitting behind a desk seem to be getting done.

Yeah, I know. I’m still “honeymooning” on this adventure. Sooner or later it will turn into work. But sometimes you have to lose something to appreciate it when you get it back.

Gratitudes:

A Pot of soup on the stove

Yankee Harvest Candles

Crunching leaves in the Woods

Summer's End

A quick post to start the week. My folks came up for a few days last week. It was a nice visit. Families aren’t always easy. I guess the best part is that you love each other regardless--- because you’re family...enough said.

I completed another wool block and have another prepped for applique hand sewing at night.

I had a few friends--- yes, I actually made friends this summer---for lunch as a summer finale. It was fun and unexpectedly we ended up in my sewing area---the one room I hadn’t cleaned. But we were so focused on the quilting, I wasn’t even embarrassed….And it was truly a disaster.

I have a super busy week ahead… a lot of changes for me, but I have the support of my team at home. We’ll discuss more later.

I played in my sewing room a little this evening, finishing up these post cards to pop in the mail.

The scrabble pieces are part of a 35 cent purchase at a second hand store in town.

Hey folks--- good things are just around the corner.

Gratitudes-

Fall leaves sprinkling down.

Chelsey’s visit

My Sunday School Class’ new season…

If the Hat Fits

If the Hat Fits, A Buggy Barn Quilt is finished.

 I still have to quilt it, but I need to piece backing fabric and complete the wool applique. I am going to machine quilt it myself. I have a good friend that whipped this same quilt up and carted it to the long arm quilter. I’ve seen it—the quilter did a beautiful job. Honestly, I’m completely envious, but I’m battling. There were pumpkins, acorns, leaves, bats…. The free hand motion work was just perfect. I’m not whining—please don’t think that. I think the real reason I’m posting about it is to show others out there I have “those” moments just like everyone else. I want THAT quilting--- my machine quilting is pretty much the meandering stitch. I do one heck of a meandering stitch, but that’s about it. I’m kicking around stars and a little meandering and maybe some Moons stitched with echoes. The witches are going to have their dresses with details stitched either scallops or stars or even just squiggly lines. The brooms will have zigzags on them. I’m going to give it a shot. I can tell you all the song and dances about “Making it my own”, still truthfully I can’t justify the bucks for such a short seasonal quilt. It’s not even about the funds---the designs are worth every dollar But hey- I’m not throwing in the towel--- I’ll let you know how it comes out.


The days are getting shorter.

 I saw this butterfly---has to be a movie star butterfly because he loved getting his picture taken.

Gratitudes:
Gospel Group last night
Coffee with friends
The Ironing board is empty---All caught up.

Five Witches on a Swing

Five witches sewn together....I really like how the project is turning out.  I wasn't a fan on the fabrics in the kit, But sewn together they really mesh well together.  I need three more for the quilt, and I think I'm going to create three additional ones for a table runner. The colors really fit my home.  I have a friend that put the same project together and the greens were brighter---but these fit my home perfectly.

I went to Green Bay yesterday with Chelsey.  She had a doctor's appointment.   We did the mother -daughter thing as a last hoorah before school starts.  I don't think I've laughed so much in a long time. Good memories to hold onto for a while. We picked up Chinese takeout to go and ate the eggrolls on the drive home.

Zinnas planted from seeds in my garden.  They always remind me of my Mom.  She always planted them when I was a kid--- and still does.....During the summer we always had cut flowers for the kitchen table.

Gratitudes:
Friends---I actually have time to make some....
Pups for comfort in a thunderstorm
Vanilla Ice Cream--- With Chocolate swirls-Swirls are the best.

Witch Legs.....

Eight Pair of Stocking feet paired with ankle boots have been created. I've got the blocks all cut out.  Now we start piecing them back together.  The quilt is from the book in the picture--- Frightfully Crazy by Buggy Barn Quilts.

It was 53 degrees when I got up this morning on it's way to 73 degrees...It's not Fall yet, but reality is setting in that it's on its way. You'll find spots of leaves in the trees starting to turn.

We can't blame it on lack of rain, or frost, lack of warm temps....it's just that time....

Here's Pumpkin Progress:

I feel just like the Farmer in the Dell.....

A cup of coffee and a good book are calling my name....

We'll chat later....

Learning About Myself…..

Here’s the project I’ve been studying. After this post, I’m heading down to my sewing corner and dive into it. I want to make something fun. The temps have dropped twenty degrees. It kind of feels like fall.

Friday I went to the grocery store at about 4:30 pm. Probably not a good idea. Checking out my purchases, every line had 3 or 4 buggys ahead of me. As my turn approached, the lady in front of me would put one item at a time on the moving belt until the cashier scanned it. She would pause for a coupon and move to the next item. She had no less than thirty items. Normally I would have huffed, mumbled under my breath and been angry. This time I just told myself, “ It’s OK--- you have tomorrow.”.

Saturday morning I called the vet. Ransom has been getting stiff at night and in the mornings, I wanted to get him in. They were booked, but said I could come in as a walk in. Chelsey was home and I wasn’t sure I could cope if something was REALLY wrong with the dog on my own, so I went in. I wait 2 hours, saw the vet, received arthritis medication and went home. Here’s what I didn’t do…. Throw a fit because of the wait. Yell, because no one explained “walk in” meant an hour and a half wait for a 15 minute appointment. There was no slamming of magazines, or eyeball rolling either. I was grateful for getting Ransom fixed, I had tomorrow for other things.

My daughter borrowed my Jeep--- fluky coincidence but the window doesn’t work now--- tomorrow, I’m getting it repaired. But I didn’t yell at her, I didn’t throw my purse down. So what if it takes the morning away….I have the afternoon….. and tomorrow.

I miss my paycheck incredibly, but I’m realizing, along with that paycheck came several major character flaws. I’m looking for another job. But not having one is not life threatening either. The neat thing about “tomorrows” and second chances is that you get to do it better the second time around.

I know I will…..

Perspectives.....

OK--- it’s not as bad as it looks…. Or maybe it’s as awesome as it seems… I always say life is a perspective. Yesterday’s doctor’s appointment and Primitive Gatherings Experience were outstanding. Needless to say the Coke bottle money has vanished (along with egg money, lottery money, laundry money and any other kind of stash money I squeak out). But it was worth it. They only thing I paid full price for was the frame. I purchased it so that Don would have a pattern for other frames in the future….a very worthy investment.


The backing for Eric’s quilt was 20% off. I toyed with some REALLY cheap pieces, but I’m telling Eric it’s his heirloom and I didn’t think 10 bucks one way or the other was going to make a difference. This quilt really means a lot to me. Now, if I haven’t found a job in six months, I might regret my decision, but right now it stands.

The 3 strand floss balls are Valdani--- I purchased at fifty cents each. The fat quarters, I think were a buck. The quilt book is the only Lisa Bongean’s one I didn’t have and while I’ll probably never make the quilt it has some great appliqué patterns for all sorts of things---$5 bucks. I want to collect all of her books because she’s probably the closest thing to a quilt celebrity I’ll ever meet. The ruler was clearance at $4.50---Flying geese are one of my favorite quilt blocks and I’m taking steps to make them perfect. The pattern was a $4.00 fate purchase because I’ve ached over Libby’s quilt ever since she made it.

Now the warehouse sale was a little aggressive. There were some pretty passionate quilters. We got there fifteen minutes after the sale started. But the staff and the other customers were really friendly. There were no fist fights over wool, but there were plenty of “Excuse me”s in the aisle as quilters were staking their claims on the great values. As my friend and I contemplated our purchases--- at any point I could ask the opinion of the total stranger next to me and with confidence that quilter would assure me of my purchase and tell me why.

I’d love a “do over” just to people watch. Oh we had fun.

P.S. Clean bill of health, I’m out to ride my bicycle for the first time all summer…..

Drum Roll Please......

I grabbed the camera and the quilt the minute there was plenty of day light to take a photo.We’re supposed to get rain all day. Full of thread pieces and in need of a good ironing, I still couldn’t be more pleased. It’s Scrappy Stars, a Miss Rosie’s quilt pattern.

I used up about 15 years of Thimbleberries red and black fabrics. At one time we had a small quilt shop in town that specialized in those fabrics. Back in the early 90’s there wasn’t a lot of quality colors to pick from. We’re covered in gray and white outside so much of the year that I was a real fan. I still needed more fabric so there are some Kansas Trouble pieces as well.

This wasn’t a tough quilt, it’s just real labor intensive. I pressed the seams open, at the advice of a couple of friends. Hopefully it will make it easier to quilt. I’m heading to Appleton tomorrow to get backing material. By the time I got to the outer red border I forgot about the pattern instructions, just sewed the scraps together and went with it.

Confession----- My grandmother did it…. My Mom did it…. Now add me to the list…. I sewed my pinkie finger. Yep--- we’ll spare you the gaudy pictures, but the needle went right through. Thank goodness my machine has the auto-up feature on the needle, so I wasn’t just suspended in pain. In true quilter form, I immediately protected the fabric from any dripping blood--- a bad omen for the quilt----then in true “Melanie-fashion” the tears poured. But the bone wasn’t hurt, the fingernail wasn’t touched. It just went clean through to the other side in the fatty part of my finger. I’ll live and the tetanus vaccine is up to date. I feel pretty stupid, so I guess I’m glad I was alone when it happened.

Chelsey came home over the weekend. We raided the garden for vegetables for her to take back. We loaded all leftovers in the fridge too. She cut flowers from the garden and I lost a vase in the process. No big deal.

On the docket for the day--- a sewing room cleaning session and letters to my Sunday School kids.

Gratitudes:

The sound of crickets in the evening

Popcorn

Emails of Encouragement

120 Blocks

Lazy days of summer… I have more free time than I’m use to. But I’m staying busy. Being a list maker, I have to account for my day. I never want a day wasted. My Garden Shoes:

Yesterday I pulled a project out of my quilt cabinet. Resurrecting it from last year, I’m completing it for Eric. I have 120 blocks completely finished. While the blocks separately don’t give a picture, placed together you get an idea where the Miss Rosie’s Scrappy Stars Quilt is growing to. It has not one but two pieced borders after the blocks are placed together.

I think about why it got placed in the back of the cabinet. I got it cut out and the half square triangles made. But there’s many steps and things needed to be kept in order at a time when my life seemed to really be in disarray.

Hope fully next post you’ll see the progress. I have a chance to go to a quilt shop next week, but on a tight budget now---- I can really justify backings on sale.



Post over…. The remaining lines are reminders to myself that I’m not Wasting my time even though there is not a dollar figure associated with the minutes of my day. Sounds stupid, but when you’ve worked outside the home for years your mind can play tricks on you.

1. I’m studying on autism. There a child at church that We don’t want to fall through the cracks. I’ve never had the time to do the research to reach out a special needs kid and now I do.

2. Friends with surgery recovery….I’ve had a chance to visit weekly and have never really invested in relationships until now.

3. When you have the time to economize you really can.

4. With all the fresh produce coming in----I have the time and energy to cook and enjoy it like never before.

5. Focus on my bible---Reminds me of the good things.

6. Next week I can get back to exercising.