Okay! So when I read about The Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy at Amy's Creative Side I knew immediately the quilt I wanted to highlight this year!
(Also welcome if if you are new to my blog). Here it is:
This is my Whimsical Flower Garden that I made as a donation for Happy Chemo earlier this year.
First off let me tell you, I LOVED MAKING THIS QUILT!!! (It was actually hard to give away!)As a cancer survier myself, when I joined this QAL I found my heart and brain going right...in other words...I wanted to create a realllll happpyyyy chemo hug! LOL! Something different and unique.
My husband and I were practically newlyweds ourselves, our girls just two and three years old when my own diagnosis of Stage 3 Hodgkin's Disease threw our sense of normalcy out the door and was replaced with a new routine of doctor appointments, IV's and chemo followed by days of sickness. (Not to mention with the domino effect cancer has on your poor family.) To this day, I will never forget, after 10 months of chemo, I then had to have daily "follow up" radiation for a month. My mom would pick me up from school at lunchtime, my two toddler daughters would be smiling at me from their car seats, excited by our "trip". My appointment was an hours drive away. They'd drop me off to get "zapped", go refill the car with gas, return and we'd go for a picnic lunch in a nearby park. (I seriously can not ever repay my mother for her unconditional love and support to my husband and I during these times!!)
So....with every flower sewn on this quilt,
I found myself willing happy thoughts of a healthy,
loving journey to the recipent of this quilt.
That they too are surrounded with the love of family and that they too have the courage and determination to LIVE life despite their obstacles of cancer!
I went through ten months of very advasive chemo and one month of daily radiation.
I found daily comfort in a blanket my mom knitted me, thus my genuine inspiration to create a quilty hug for someone else as our quilts make such a difference.
Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my story.
If you are new to my blog, Welcome and I hope you like what ya see and will return. I have a Tuesday Linky party that finds us digging through our archived blog posts and rejuvinating them according to a specific theme here every Tuesday!
My linky is called:
I hope you'll stop by and link up with us!!
Happy Quilt Festival to everyone!
I can't wait to start visiting everyone's elses entries this weekend.
Here are my quilt stats:
With smiles,
Val:)
(Also welcome if if you are new to my blog). Here it is:
This is my Whimsical Flower Garden that I made as a donation for Happy Chemo earlier this year.
First off let me tell you, I LOVED MAKING THIS QUILT!!! (It was actually hard to give away!)As a cancer survier myself, when I joined this QAL I found my heart and brain going right...in other words...I wanted to create a realllll happpyyyy chemo hug! LOL! Something different and unique.
My husband and I were practically newlyweds ourselves, our girls just two and three years old when my own diagnosis of Stage 3 Hodgkin's Disease threw our sense of normalcy out the door and was replaced with a new routine of doctor appointments, IV's and chemo followed by days of sickness. (Not to mention with the domino effect cancer has on your poor family.) To this day, I will never forget, after 10 months of chemo, I then had to have daily "follow up" radiation for a month. My mom would pick me up from school at lunchtime, my two toddler daughters would be smiling at me from their car seats, excited by our "trip". My appointment was an hours drive away. They'd drop me off to get "zapped", go refill the car with gas, return and we'd go for a picnic lunch in a nearby park. (I seriously can not ever repay my mother for her unconditional love and support to my husband and I during these times!!)
So....with every flower sewn on this quilt,
I found myself willing happy thoughts of a healthy,
loving journey to the recipent of this quilt.
That they too are surrounded with the love of family and that they too have the courage and determination to LIVE life despite their obstacles of cancer!
I went through ten months of very advasive chemo and one month of daily radiation.
I found daily comfort in a blanket my mom knitted me, thus my genuine inspiration to create a quilty hug for someone else as our quilts make such a difference.
Thanks so much for stopping by and reading my story.
If you are new to my blog, Welcome and I hope you like what ya see and will return. I have a Tuesday Linky party that finds us digging through our archived blog posts and rejuvinating them according to a specific theme here every Tuesday!
My linky is called:
I hope you'll stop by and link up with us!!
Happy Quilt Festival to everyone!
I can't wait to start visiting everyone's elses entries this weekend.
Here are my quilt stats:
Title: Whimsical Flower Garden
Created by and Quilted by Me: Val Reynolds
Size: 42"x64"
Category: Original Design
A BIG Thank you to Amy for creating such a very
cool festival of quilting inspiration!!!
Val:)
Love it! So bright and cheerful and colorful.
ReplyDeleteThat should cheer someone, for sure! So glad you made it through your ordeal.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Your quilt is so special and so happy, it will be a fabulous quilt for someone who can use a hug. Yay you!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very bright, lovely and original quilt!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. Very colorful and original.
ReplyDeleteHi Val!
ReplyDeleteAlways great to see this cheery colorful quilt on your blog!
Loved it the first time I saw it!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Take care,
Joanne
Such a gorgeous cheerful quilt Val. Your love in creating this will surely come through to whoever wraps themselves in it.
ReplyDeleteVery fun! It would brighten any room
ReplyDeleteHi Val! Your quilt is so happy and beautiful! I'm sorry to hear about the most difficult times in your life and family. Fortunately your mother was able to help and to be with you. x Teje
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story, Val. Your quilt is totally amazing! I just love everything. single. thing. about. it.
ReplyDeletewiping away a tear, but smiling because you have become one of my favorite blogging companions this year. Love to you, hope your quilt wins! Arf to Jackson from Cole.
ReplyDeleteLeeAnna at not afraid of color
A bright quilt to help someone through dark times. I hope the recipient was able to know your story and the deeper meaning behind it. Enjoy your time in the festival, I hope you win a prize :)
ReplyDeleteOh my. I hope you are well enough now for your children. My mum is suffering the bad effects of Cancer. There is nothing they can do to save her but are just keeping her comfortable. She is having another round of radiation this week. This is just to keep her here a little longer and hopefully in a little less pain. It is a horrible disease. Hope you are on the road to recovery
ReplyDeleteWow that is really fabulous and I'm so sorry that you had to go through that. I'm hoping that you have decades of years ahead of you of more beautiful quilting and those awful months will become a faint memory.
ReplyDeleteLove your bright happy quilt. Thank you for sharing your experience.
ReplyDeleteHi Val - I had no idea about your cancer and can't begin to imagine how difficult it was especially with two small children. Knowing this makes your quilts so much more special. They are always so happy and bright and now I know why. You are such an inspiration! Good luck with your entry!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story; it really highlights how special your quilt is. I'm sure it will bring great pleasure and comfort to the lucky recipient.
ReplyDeleteA new side of you shines through. Thank you for sharing a difficult part of your history with such passion and optimism. I commend you for "giving back" to those suffering the same trial as yourself. It is wonderful that you could recognize the blessings in your own life in spite of your struggle. This quilt should win just for the story behind it!
ReplyDeleteI see extra love and hugs sewn into every inch of this gorgeous quilt. Those colours are just beautiful . I think its very special that the recipient can cuddle up in a garden of flowers when they're having treatment. Fantastic!
ReplyDeleteIt's beautifully done. It would be hard to donate, but it went to such a good cause. Quilt hugs are the best.
ReplyDeleteSuper cute!
ReplyDeleteYour story made me tear up. Wishing you lots of happiness and good health. And what a cheerful quilt this is!
ReplyDeleteWow Val if missed this post somehow, so glad you referred back to it! I'm glad you beat cancer to create the beautiful quilts that you make, raise awesome children, care for terrific dogs, and teach the next generation. I found out today that a friend was diagnosed with breast cancer this week, I needed a refreshing reminder that there can be bright futures, thanks��xox
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story. The quilt is beautiful and I know will bring great joy to someone who needs it. what a wonderful thing. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteNice. Just my kinda quilt. Bright, cheery and ric rac!
ReplyDeleteYour love is singing throught this cheery quilt! Thank you for sharing your inspirational story, I am sure it is bringing strength, comfort & hope to it's recipient & their family. I usually donate to Linus, but you have me thinking now of Happy Chemo.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your story Val and I just love everything about that sweet little quilt :)
ReplyDelete