Missed

I have missed a few days posting as my son-in-law unexpectedly passed away. Such a young man with hopes and dreams. My daughter and her two lovely daughters will surely miss him. I am awed at the many kind acts of service that have been rendered in her behalf and thank everyone for their kind expressions of love to her. It is at times like this that we have a blessed opportunity to serve one another and give of ourselves in a way not usually available to us. We will miss him and watch over his family with love.

We often hear of someone passing and want to help and just do not know what to do. I now know what we found to be good in our situtation. A neighbor just showed up with 5 cases of soda pop, water and ice in an ice chest. She then went home and baked two pans of brownies, with and without nuts. She came every day to bring ice and check on my daughter. Lovely sisters from her church came 3 times to clean the home and do bathrooms, fold laundry. Then the miracle showed up. One man who had know them for many years came with his truck and tools and spent all afternoon cleaning, pruning and trimming everything in the yard both front and back and the side yards of neighbors the ajoined hers. Breakfast showed up the first day as did lunch. Then lunch and dinners for a week. All selfless acts of love for her. We are truly blessed in times of sorrow.
Nancy

Thankful

Things I am thankful for:
My Mother who is no longer here but dwells in my heart daily.
My Father who has been gone these many years, whose example I try to follow.
My faith in God, my knowledge that I am a Child of God and my privilege to try to live my life so that I can return to him one day.

I am thankful for the first teapot my husband gave me. He just wanted me to have something pretty to add to my collection.

I am thankful for our wedding teapot he gave me to remember our wedding by, another treasure.

I am thankful for my precious husband who absolutely loves me.

I am thankful for the beautiful cards, with sweet sentiments in them that make me cry.

My children, all five of them and my six grandchildren. What a blessing they all are to me and I hope I am to them. I am also thankful for my sisters and brother that all put up with me and encourage me.

I am thankful for See's Chocolate, I thankful it is almost gone.

This is only a tiny list of things that make my life special. I try to dwell on where I am so blessed. The list is endless

Be thankful, it will make you smile.
Nancy

Cutest Mother's Day

We are busy getting new things ready for Quilt Festival in Long Beach, CA, the end of July. It will be busy and a great adventure. We have been to them in the past but not for a few years and we will be new for this one. I can't wait to get there.

I am doing some embroidery to get ready for Xmas. We have ten children between us and I am making a cute house and tree (from Country Loft) for each of them. It will say their last name and date established. I hope they will enjoy them. Any attempt to be ahead of the game will be great!

I am busy in the sewing room, checking out the rick rack that cries for a project so it can be stitched down. My tired brain in thinking, thinking.

It is lame to write about Mother's Day when it was two days ago but life has a way of getting in the way. My sweet husband gave me a card that sings and I just laughed and laughed. Then I promptly ate the hand packed box of nuts only from
See's Candy. Five pounds, here I come . . .

I have been blessed to send another quilt top and table runner off to the quilter's and have received back my cute Field of Flowers the is going to hang in the Hillcreek Designs Button Booth. I am excited about it all! She took patterns and is making up button kits to put with them for sample spree. I will let you know what goes on when she comes back.

Field of Flowers

Sometimes we wonder if we will ever get something finished. Well . . . Field of Flowers is finished. It is ready to be shipped to Hillcreek Designs, a Button Company for those of you who do not know, for display in their booth in Pittsburg, PA, Quilt Market. Check out her website www.hillcreekdesigns.com She has great buttons. She makes custom packages for me.

This is just a wonderfully happy quilt that can be completed in a weekend or so . . . I just makes me smile!

Keep Quilting,
Nancy

Shovels of inspiration

The alyssum is doing great! I see the beautiful flowers out my sewing room window and smile. Such beauty there for me to enjoy each day.

. . . kinda reminds me of my sewing room. I need to chop the scraps up and make piles of the rest. I am trying to keep the projects in separate containers or bags so all the parts and patterns are together. It started out wonderfully well. I just have to go back and shovel some more into their proper places.

I love these old shovels. They dig, look great and have lots of time to make me feel good about gardening. They are always willing to pitch in and did a hole or just cover up one that the dog dug. Shovels chop weeds and make piles . . .

I have a quilt on the way back from the quilter. Pictures of that soon. It is going to Market in PA with Hillcreek Designs a wonderful button company. It will be fun to have the feedback from the show.

For those that live in the Santa Clarita area, I know a great long arm quilter that does my quilts for me. Let me know if you would like more information. She is quick and affordable.

Keep quilting,
Nancy

Jars full of buttons

Watch for these. They work wonderfully without taking away from your project.


It is time to put some buttons on the latest project. Wouldn't you know it, I have everyone but the right one. It figures . . . and I was so close to finishing. Off to the store to find just the right Hillcreek Buttons, check her website: www.hillcreekbuttons.com Have you seen them. They are flat without a glossy finish. She makes most every color that DMC floss comes in and they are fantastic! I find them to be just the right accent. Do you think this one is too small?


Aren't these just the prettest pink carnations you've ever seen?? What luck when I found them at Home Desperate. I have three plants that are just covered. I am not sure how long they bloom but I hope all summer.


Buttons and ribbons galore, waiting to adorn a quilt or wall hanging. Just patiently waiting for their turn to be stitched. They remind me to keep piecing and creating. Not one trim left behind is my motto.

Little Bird

This little guy sure loves it in the flower bed. A little bird told me to get up at 3:30am today and make a purse . . . so like a good girl, I arose and finished this in about an hour . . . what do you think? The pockets go on the inside not the outside but it was 3:30am so I can fix that next time. I can't be the only one stuff like this happens to, am I???



More as the day progresses
Nancy

Fine China and Roses

I aquired this stunning Cream and Sugar set a bit ago. They are my reminders of my Grandma Taylor. She had wonderful china and teacups. I have a collection of those as well. I enjoy pondering the delicate roses that have been lovingly placed on the china for us to enjoy. To more fully create this, I have purchased 2 pink Queen Elizabeth Rose bushes. I hope they bloom again very soon. Their fagrance is divine. Do you find yourself looking for things that trigger a memory of someone? It is something I do a lot. Perhaps that is why I quilt . . . memories of Mom . . . for Mother's Day.

Nancy

Quilter's Muslin

Here is a quick peak at what I am working on. It is far from done but should turn out nice. Let me know what you think.


Hurrah!!! The Quilter's Muslin has finally arrived. I just love the quality and best of all it rip every 3/8". It is perfect for tons of great things. Go to our website and check it out. One you try it you can never, ever, ever go back. This is not a good photo but how do you make plain muslin look good?

How are you doing on Paying it Forward. It sure feels good. I think I will do it again just for fun. . . care to join me? I was stingy and only gave away 5 patterns I was not really crazy about. That was probaly cheating . . . sorry . . . I will now give away a pattern I really like . . . and some fabric to go with it. . . no more hanging on to stuff . . . I want to be free from too much stuff . . . (ok that is an outright lie!). More tomorrow . . . keep piecing . . .

Nancy