Happy Mail!!!!

Nothing like a big box of fabric waiting for ya when ya get home from work!!

Yep! After about six months of searching for the "perfect" set of flannel fabric to make myself a winter evening quilt....I found this bundle at the Fat Quarter Shop:

The Fat Quarter bundle is Sew Purrfect Flannel by Bonnie Sullivan.
The background is Woolies Flannel Red Scattered Dots.

 I plan to sew them into this pattern during my upcoming June retreat!

Always fun to have new projects to look forward to huh.

Hope your week has been great!

Oh My! May already! The May themes are posted on the sidebar.

Tuesday Archives #112: Drunkard's Path

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: DRUNKARD'S PATH

I think I've only made one D.P. Block and I'm pretty sure it was in my underground railroad quilt. I'll search through my own archives and link it here today. But, I did find this easy peasy tutorial by  Jenny Doan from the Missouri Quilt Co. Click HERE to check it out.

Published on Sep 19, 2013 http://missouriquiltco.com -- 

Jenny Doan shows us how to make a fun Drunkard's Path Quilt using Layer Cakes. 

I have been resting....

I feel like a bear fresh out of hibernation. I find myself resting more often. My body seems to want time to adjust to the longer days of Spring. My walks are leisurely again. My blog a quiet reflection that my sewing is simple right now as I continue to create "made fabric" for my Rainbow Girl border and chain piece "eye spy" blocks for my H2H Happy Chemo quilt. My rests are, of course, filled with  daydreams of summer sewing, reading and gardening. I've even allowed myself to wander mindlessly through pinterest more often than not for inspiration. And I'm brainstorming details to host an "Eye Spy Summer Swap" here on my blog. (Wouldn't that be fun!)

I find myself different emotionally this Spring. I feel matured. Funny thing to say huh, but I bet many of you know what I mean. As our children grow, our parenting role changes. The changes I notice in myself this Spring were not accomplished over night....yet, are the lessons often learned through life's heartships and disappointments as we transition from one chapter of life to another. Over the past few years especially, I have learned the peace found in acceptance and the strength gained in faith.

My middle age life is, like many of you, surrounded by twenty somethings that my own journey towards accepting them as young adults has been pivotal to my own growth. My blessings certainly outweight my disappointments, but never the less, the obstacles sometimes heartbreaking. To let go of my own dreams for my children and our family with acceptance, while at the same time remaining open in faith to that which comes along in their place, has been my greatest challenge. 

I'm grateful that over the past years especially, that they have been patient with me as I've grown into a parent/mentor who has learned to listen quietly, realizing that listening is most often the ONLY thing they need to feel helped, as they really are capable young adults. LOL! Anyhoooo....

If we were at a quilting class, sitting side by side, this is my life and learning right now and most likely what I'd share with you, my quilty friends. as I unwrapped a Dove Dark Chocolate and got back to sewing along side you.

Tuesday Archives #111: Design Walls

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: DESIGN WALLS

I'm sure many of you saw Connie's (our Freemotion by the River Tuesday Linky Hostess) DIY Sliding Design Wall..it's definitely a post that deserves to be rejuvinated more than once! For under $100 her Builder Bob will show you all the details of this ingenous project when you click right HERE. I'm looking forward to you sharing how you made your design walls...

...But! I'd also like to invite you to either rejuvinate an old design wall post OR (let's break the rules) and snap a picture of your design wall right now and share your current WIP  in a new post with us!

The T.A. linky is always open through Friday...so ya have plenty of time. :) 

Amanda Jean who blogs at Crazy Mom Quilts claimed here design wall as an area of procrastination right...with plans to create what I'm sure will be an adorable orphan quilt.

Check our the Tuesday Archives Directory by clicking right HERE.

Bam! 13.2 Miles Accomplished!

My friend, who teaches third grade, and I really enjoyed the "Motown" theme as 

the 39th Annual Robie Creek 1/2 Marathon got underway!

Ya know that feeling of adrenaline ya feel as you first first walk into a quilt show? Well that's about what I was feeling right here on mile one! LOL! People lined the streets in support and

held crazy signs of encouragement! (I had no idea at this moment the reality of this poster!) I felt like I was part of a parade I didn't know I signed up for! The neighboorhood resistents lined the streets cheering, high fiving and ringing cow bells as we Robie Warriors gradually made our way through town towards to the foothills  mountain beyond.

The roads weaved upward and little did I know at this moment that the next 8 miles were only going to continue to incline. I started to receive texts of good luck from my family...

...unknowlingly, as we entered the gourge, that this would be my last 

communication with anyone for the rest of the day. 

The adredeline never seemed to wear off though, and I felt strong the whole journey.

As you can see, it was a beautiful 65degree day, and the miles went amazingly quick.

The Motown themed entertainment at each water stop kept me energized and smiling!

Though I will admit, reaching the Summit after NINE miles of uphill walking, 

made me one very happy camper! WHEW!

And since I couldn't feel my legs anymore, the last four miles downhill, 

where a numbing walk/jog through these wooded pathes below. LOL!

The race ends in the middle of a very rural area, thus it took two school bus rides to reach our cars.

As teachers, we never thought we'd look forward to sitting on a school bus for a half of  hour.

I woke this morning to all your comments/emails of good wishes and wanted to say THANK YOU for your genuine support! Today will find me admiring the "token" t-shirt (which we plan to wear to school tomorrow) and successful race time of 3:24:01. I'm looking forward to some slow stitching as I watch a movie or two. I'll manage to "wobble"  around to get some laundry done and enjoy a bit of sewing in my new happy sewing place. Can't think of a better recovery day than that!

My Walking Challenge!

Many of you know I'm an avid walker and wellll, crazy enough to challenge myself every now and then.  TODAY is definitely one of those days as I find myself joining 1,999 others for:

It's exciting, a little nerve racking, but most of all exciting as I find myself venturing out the door this morning to tackle an unknown course. I'm looking forward to this 13 mile journey and hope to have some beautiful photos to share tomorrow. 

Now, I have to admit the carb loading has been nothing short of wonderful this week as I enjoyed homemade, full course meals of spagetti and manicotti. (THANKS To my husband....who it btw the best cook! I on the other-hand burn toast!) Oh...and there's cold beer waiting in the frig for when I get home.  Nice right! Once this is all said in done though, walking is always part of my mental health but I'm admittably looking forward to getting caught up on some quilting challenges I've fallen behind on now that the long training days are behind me. My training has been rejuvinating to my creative process and uplifting to my soul...but, I found,  not as much a quilting is and that's good to know!

Tuesday Archives #110: Dyed Fabric

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: DYED FABRIC

I've been following Kathy who blogs at Kathyinozarkspages ever since I started blogging a few years ago. We've enjoyed exchanged happy mail over the years. Me sending her some of my homemade glass hexagon templates and she sending me some of her hand dyed fabrics (2010)  and amazing smelling soaps. Kathy's blog is a potpourri of recipes, fiber art inspiration, spiced with her daily adventures (and visitors) in the Ozarks of  Northern Illinois.

For a peek at a creative day of fabric dye fun, click HERE (2009) for a slideshow demonstrating how their fabrics are dyed and later ready for a variety of creative projects.

Spring Fever!

Sometimes a change of scenery makes all the difference.

 This time of year, my basement studio is cold, especially in contrast to the beautiful Spring days we are starting to have. I find myself antsy and wanting a change of scenery.

 Have ya ever temporarily moved your sewing "spot"? 

 It has made all the difference for me as I collapsed the vintage sewing machine I display upstairs  and put to use the sewing cabinet my dad refurbished for me almost two summers ago. I can now sit in this sunny spot in front of our large window, listen to the birds flutter from treehouse to treehouse and watch the neighborhood spring activities as I sew....and it's warm enough I can be barefoot!

It's the perfect spot to create the scrappy "made fabric" border I'm creating for my rainbow girls because I don't need a lot of supplies. I can sit down and sew for a therapetic thirty minutes and once my pile gets high (Notice it at the right of my machine)  I stop for the day, go downstairs to iron them, ready for the next day. I so very grateful to have a designated sewing studio, but sometimes a change a scenery is rejuvinating.  I can now just sit and sew.  I find myself anticipating coming home from work today for a little free flow sewing without feeling like I need to go downstairs to "get everything started". I'm curious to see if this will improve my "sewing time" during the week. For now, it's refreshing to have a new sunny spot to look forward to "winding down in" at the end of the day.

It's my new happy place.

Hoping your week is off to a great start as well.

April Springtime Wool Banner

As so many of us have stated, this year just seems to be zooming by.

This morning was my first Sunday morning in weeks, that I found myself starting the day slowly with a movie and some slow stitiching in hand. I almost forgot how relaxing our stitching can be.

I'm off to get my final distance day of walking in before my big race next weekend.

It'a a beautiful 65 degree day and I'm kinda anxious to get outside to enjoy the sunshine.

Happy Slow Stitching Sunday to everyone.

Rainbow Girl Progress

I can't wait to show you guys how I'm going to finish this one!

I haven't been in the sewing room since my stay-cation and am looking forward to getting back in there this weekend to get these girls bordered. Think scrappy "made fabric" 

I was thinking of joining everyone at Red Letter Quilts April OMG linky...but have about three more creative stages planned for this WIP. First, like I said, get those scrappy  borders done this weekend. Next, I want to add some perle cotton stitching. (I've admired this technique in so many of your quilts and want to give it a try.) Then, I've begun to sketch some fun, whimsical FMQ...which I want to save to do this summer when I'm not working. Once that's done, embellish the dolls with some adorable buttons I've been collecting. I geuss you can say this is one of those project that makes me want to:

I also want to be able to focus the rest of my sewing this month on creating that quilty hug for H2H , getting caught up on this year's RSC (My purples are still laying on the floor where I left them two weeks ago),  Andddd....finally, I want to finish my April, May wool banners. (That will conclude my year of wooly banners. YEAH!!) Whew, it's kinda motivating to get that all out of my head and down on "paper". Ya ever feel like that? Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm always grateful for your  support.

Stay tuned...

This week's DENIM themed linky is still open. Cute stuff this week!

Tuesday Archives #109: Denim

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: DENIM

I first met Kim who blogs at Sarah Lizzies back in 2013 during the Grow Your Blog Event.

I have never read a more inspiring "teaching kids to quilt" post than her Once Upon a Time post, I hope you have time today you stop by Kim's and visit this lady who lives in the country and taught two clever little girls the creative fun to be had playing with fabric, lace, buttons and denim! 

Seriously, the self-esteem and pride Kim has instilled in these girls melts my heart.

I adore this picture of one of the girls bedroom, with all her porjects proudly displayed and used!!

You can read more about the girls progress in Kim's And the Fun Continues...post.

Be sure to give the girls an extra big quilty hug from me today Kim.

Their creative ideas are an inspiration today to many who live on the other side of the world!