What to say?

People often surprise me. Unfortunately, however, I am usually surprised in a bad way, and find myself asking, "How can someone be that selfish/cruel/ignorant/insensitive?" But every once in a while, someone surprises me in a positive way. Yesterday, I got just that kind of surprise.

There was a package from Em at Em Celebrates waiting for me when I got home. If you read yesterday's post, you know that she also sent a package to my boys. She's obviously a very generous soul. I figure everyone knows I go crazy for scraps, so I assumed that I had a bunch of new scraps to play with in this box.

Nope.

A quilt!




I was so stunned. No one has ever given me a quilt before. Well, little placemat sized quilts, which I adore, but my very own quilt to snuggle under? Never. I couldn't speak for a moment, and then I started to cry. I guess only a quilter knows how much work and inspiration goes into making a quilt, how much of yourself. And to have someone give that much of herself to me, well, I really don't know what to say. Thank you just doesn't seem like enough. Em, you are a gem.

(The fella under the quilt, that is my father-in-law, Fella. Yup, that's the name he goes by. Anyway, I was amazed at how well the colors of the quilt coordinate with my living room decor - if you can call my mishmash of furniture decor - so I draped it over the couch for a photo. He was napping, and never even woke up! And I left the quilt on him until I went to bed, and which point the quilt went to bed with me. I felt a little silly, carrying it around like a toddler with a security blanket, but I couldn't help myself. I very nearly brought it to work with me today. Not only is it beautiful, but it smells heavenly. Does your whole house smell like that, Em? What is that smell, and how can I make my house smell like that, too?)

Giving Thanks

I was so frustrated at work on Tuesday, that the word "quit" actually escaped my lips. No, I didn't quit, but I was seriously considering it and weighing my options. But, as usual, when I awoke on Wednesday morning, it was with a smile on my face and a whole new attitude. I am so thankful that I never stay down for long. So the theme of this post is giving thanks and being thankful.

First of all, big thanks to Emily at Em Celebrates. I won a giveaway, and she sent a package to my boys - even addressed it to them, much to their elation. Jason pulled out his 11-in-1 Cub Scout tool to cut open the package.

In that, another package.


In that, a bag (very clever, Emily, you kept them going for a while!).

And in that, some fun fabric and a book. Both perfect gifts for my little quilter/readers. Thanks, Emily.

(Do you think I could snip off a couple edges of this cute fabric without them noticing?)

Part of my attitude adjustment yesterday was to actually leave my desk for lunch. I've been working straight through lately, even though I know that isn't healthy, either physically or mentally. I got in the car, and ended up at the Habitat Resale store. I was half-heartedly looking for a bed frame when I came across this chair.

It may not look like much, but it was PERFECT! You see, I snipped this photo out of a magazine recently, hoping to customize a chair or two for my sewing studio.

This sturdy $5 chair already has the previous seat covering removed, so putting a new seat cover on should be a snap. I like the wood, so I don't think I'll paint the chair, but who knows. Oh, and to give credit where credit is due, I was also inspired by a photo from Victoria's BumbleBeans blog. I can't wait to get started. Of course, I have to work all weekend, so I probably won't get a chance to get to this right away. Grrrr! (Be thankful you have a job, Erin, be thankful you have a job...) Perhaps if I just keep repeating that to myself...

And finally, I am thankful that my husband's team won their game last night. They didn't play well, and ended up going into overtime, but a win is a win. Go Generals!

(Who IS that handsome coach!?!)

Silver linings

I try to look for the good in everything. Usually, I am successful.

I learned this week that one of my quilter buddies, Judi AKA Karate Quilter, got engaged (YAY!) and is moving to China (BOO!). That makes 3 quilting buddies moving away in just 2 years. As someone who is used to being the one who moves away, not the one left behind, I am finding this difficult to deal with. So what is the silver lining, you ask? I am the beneficiary of stash reduction measures as she packs up to move - woo hoo!

I'd rather have her stay, but I'll settle for her stash scraps.

I played around a bit more with the Nickelmania blocks from this weekend's workshop. I still haven't chosen a layout, but I'm having a great time exploring my options.

Of course, I'm not sure when I'll get to play with it again. I'm off to work shortly, and I am working 12 days straight. Ugh! Sew a little extra for me, won't you?

Distractions

I should be further along hand quilting my Bright Idea quilt, but I've been distracted. First, I stumbled upon a blog of a wonderful wonky quilter, Emily at Em Celebrates, and have lost myself in enjoying her quilts and her adventures. It's funny, I've seen several of her quilts before on Judi's blog, Green Fairy Quilts, but I didn't come upon her blog through Judi. Anyway, upon going back through her entries, I found a quilt that really spoke to me, and immediately thought I could do something like that to use up some of the yo-yos I inherited a while ago (envision yo-yo flowers in urns or vases). I started putting some blocks together trying to stay within a certain color scheme - green, purple and tan/gold (don't ask me why).
I like the blocks, but I don't really like the colors. Do I continue?

Luckily, I didn't have to decide because our Guild had a Nickelmania workshop today with Ann Littleton, using up 5" charm squares that we've been trading in our Guild. Ann brought lots of samples of layouts using the 4-patches and HST that we were making:




Of course, I challenged myself to come up with a layout different from all those presented. Perhaps something on the diagonal. Here are the layouts I played with:

I'm itching to go down to the studio and whip up some more blocks so I can flesh these ideas out a bit. But first, I leave you with some photos of Jason, who sat on the bench with the team today and kept track of the score and timeouts and other basketball-y stuff. For those of you who know my husband, doesn't he look JUST LIKE HIM? Gorgeous! You'd think I had nothing to do with his creation...well, except for the poor kid's height. Mea culpa.

Mommy, can I come sleep with you?

I made a quilt for my mom a few years ago. I'm not sure if I ever took a photo of the completed top, but when my younger sister was visiting her over Thanksgiving, she took photos of it and posted them on her Facebook page. How sweet! And looking at them, I want to go climb into Mommy's bed for a nap. That's it - enough quilting for others; I need to make a quilt for MY bed!

Is it naptime yet?

Pick-me-up and Patience

Wow. The amount of work waiting for me after two weeks off was staggering! I got in bed at 7:30 PM last night - no joke. I'm trying to stay up until 9:30 or 10 tonight, just so I can feel like a grown-up. I am BEAT!


But there was a pick-me-up waiting for me when I got home yesterday - SQUISHY MAIL! Remember the giveaway I won from True Creations? Not only did she send the book, but also four fat quarters.


Aren't they YUMMY?


I should go put a load of laundry in so they will be ready to use when inspiration strikes. (Well, that and the hamper is overflowing AGAIN! How can two small children soil so many clothes?)


I'm not going to linger on here tonight. Gotta make some progress on my hand quilting. Now that I missed my self-imposed deadline, it is hard to stay motivated, but I'm trying.


Oh, and on the PATIENCE front, I didn't raise my voice at either kid all day. I'm not sure if that's because they were really good of if I am making progress, but either way, I'll take it!

Third-party validation of my frivolous purchase

At a booksale recently, I picked up a used book for a quarter, "To Be A Woman: The Experience of Womanhood in Selected Writings". I haven't read the whole book yet, but the very first essay really spoke to me. Here's an excerpt, written by Dorothy Goldberg, author of "The Creative Woman" and wife of former United States Supreme Court Justice Arthur Goldberg:

"What I am saying is that, as we rush about, we must reserve a little energy for that other life within us, that urge to make, to do, to try to create.

If we have one child, then our inner life becomes our second child. If we already have two children, then the life within us must be our third child. Even four, five, six. Even if there are six children to be helped toward their own lauchings, the inner life must be her seventh child. If that inner life is built around art, then that is the child, and it must be given all the attention, concern and money we would somehow find if it were a child in the flesh."

OK, are there any other quilters out there who read this as "take time, energy and money to pursue your quilting passion"? I sure do! So on a recent trip to the thrift store with my sister, I bought this dress, not because I need it (I don't), and not because it fits (it doesn't), but because it speaks to the quilter in me. I'm thinking I'll wear it as a nightgown, particularly if I have any Pajama Quilting Days.

I'm back at work this morning, in body anyway. It is so hard to switch gears and be a productive worker bee again. Particularly because, when I got to my office, it had been completely rearranged because others had been using my office during my absence, so I first had to spend time moving furniture. However, I have a new setup for the new year.

Oh, and I should probably put a new avatar photo up at some point, too. Many of you have asked if I cut my hair, and I did, sometime around Labor Day, I think. I do a home bathroom job with my husband's clippers and just shave my whole head to a pretty short length, short enough that it looks exactly the same when I wake up in the morning as when I lay down at night. I'm saving time and money, baby, more time and more money for my quilting passion!