A Liebster Award

Hey everyone! Wendi from prsd4tim2 nominated my blog for a Leibster Award recently. Blogger awards are such a great way to learn more about your fellow bloggers so I knew I had to participate. 

The Liebster Award is given to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. So, what is a Liebster?  The meaning: Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome. Isn't that sweet? Blogging is about building a community and it's a great way to connect with other bloggers and help spread the word about newer bloggers/blogs.

I enjoyed getting to know more about Wendi, and I will answer these questions she has sent to me so you can get to know more about me too!

1. Why did you start blogging? Well, I didn't have any friends that enjoyed quilting and sewing so I started blogging as an outreach to other quilters. I also like sharing knowledge and the blog lets me do this. 

2. What is something this year that you are really looking forward to? Totally nothing to do with quilting - My son's graduation this coming May and the fact that he is going to continue his education and be the first in my family with a Masters Degree.

3. What is your favorite thing to do to unwind? Sewing, quilting and camping but also lounging on the couch surrounded by my three dogs - Guils, Ripley and Tessa.

4. Photo's say a thousand words so share a photo that means the most to you. Why is that picture important to you? It's a picture of my son when he was just 6 years old, it was taken on the roof of the Duomo in Milan. We lived in Northern Italy for 3 years, just minutes from Lake Garda. My husband was active duty in the USAF at the time and we were stationed at Ghedi Air Base (an Italian Air Base). In those three years we experienced life as an Italian. We lived on the economy and learned as much as we could about the area. We loved every moment!!

5. What quote inspires you the most? My grandfather once told me "Always do your best, even if your digging a ditch make sure to dig the best ditch you have ever dug".  So no matter how small or insignificant what you are doing might seem, do it with pride! He was a country boy and grew up in poverty in the south, but he was the most hardworking, forgiving, kindest, sweetest, loving man I have ever known!

6. Name a quilting tool you can’t live without & why? A 6" by 12" rotary cutting ruler, I use it all the time. Recently I misplaced it and had the hardest time cutting fabric with the other rulers I have. I ran right out and bought a new one.

7. Where is your favorite vacation spot? Anywhere camping! We love to camp and have a tiny little camper called Itty Bitty. Usually we camp quite a few times a year and love being outdoors in nature.

8. What is your favorite blog? This is a hard one! I can't possibly choose just one, I love all the blogs I subscribe to (through bloglovin) and don't believe one is better than the other, each blogger shares their insight and knowledge. Just like the individuals that write the blogs, each blog is wonderful in its own way!

9. What is your favorite way to work out? Oh, boy do I have to answer this - Really?!   I use to lift weights and run, but haven't been at it for a while. I do miss running, it was such an escape. I really need to get my bum in gear and get back at it!

10. Where do you like to shop? Well, that depends... Fabric? um.. Lots of places! Brick and  Mortar stores: A&E in Pensacola (divine selection) and Lynn's in FWB. Online: Westwood Acres, Fat Quarter Shop, Hawthorn Threads, Fabric Depot, the list goes on and on.

11. What's the best advice you've ever been given? My best friend once told me something her dad said "Words are like a tube of toothpaste." Which makes complete sense to me because once you say the words (hurtful and unkind) you can never take them back - so be kind with your words!!

Now to nominate some fellow bloggers :)

Yvonne at That's So Creative

Sarah at Thrift Store Crafter

Melissa at My Fabric Relish

Lisa at Modern Balabusta

Cindy at SeeLifeMarvels

Leslie at The Purple Bug

 Ok bloggers now its your turn to answer some questions
1. Why did you start blogging? 
2. What is something this year that you are really looking forward to?
3. What is your favorite thing to do to unwind?
4. Photo's say a thousand words so share a photo that means the most to you. Why is that picture important to you?
5. What quote inspires you the most?
6. Name a quilting tool you can’t live without & why?
7. Where is your favorite vacation spot?
9. What is your favorite way to work out?
10. Where do you like to shop?
11. What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Oh and don't forget to stop by Wendi's blog Prsd4tim2 and say 'Hi'! She is so talented and I love reading her blog!!

A Plan of Attack: 2014

With Christmas in just a few days and New Years around the corner, thoughts of a 'New' year for quilting and personal growth are percolating in my head. But you know what - I really hate New Years Resolutions. I am not a very focused person, I can't for the life of me stick to any one project before starting a new one. So the thought of making any resolution scares me because I know I will fail!

BUT... There are a few things that I need to work on and there are things I want to accomplish and without forcing myself to try and make these changes I won't be able to grow and possibly achieve some of the goals I would like to succeed at. (deep breath)

The first goal I want to work on is to take my blogging more serious. Blogging for me has been a big learning curve. Although I have had my ups and downs I don't think I have taken it seriously. I would like to try and post at lease once a week on the things I am working on. I also want to do a weekly themed post with a 'learn this' or 'tips and tricks to quilting' or other fabric related information.

I am guessing that organization is the key to developing a consistent blogging schedule, or at least I hope so!

Erica at Confessions of a Homeschooler has designed this clever blog planner and its free!! She designed it with everything in mind for the blogger. There is a monthly calendar on one side and plenty of space on the other side to list ideas, statistics and more. She included pages for giveaways, advertising and brainstorming. This just might be a big help in accomplishing my first goal! Erica also has lots of other printables on her site, go check it out here. 

This is just one of the goals I want to complete in 2014. I have many others that I'd like to share, but will focus on this one for now.

What tips can you share about blogging?

Always a Work in Progress

As you see I have been playing around with the blog colors and layout. I still haven't got it right just yet and I do need to create a new banner photo also. So much on the blog 'to do' list is still not checked off.

The last guild meeting was great, not only did I learn something new about personal growth but I finally grasp the whole modern quilt movement thanks to Kelly (from Sew Kelly Sews). She did a wonderful presentation explaining the concepts and ideas behind the modern quilt aesthetics. From the roots - Gees Bend quilts to what makes fabric have the modern feel.

A Light Bulb Moment

When she got to this part a light bulb went off! Now if I can just get the whole Modern vs Traditional fabric thing figured out.

 My beloved Rowena has bit the dust and my husband got me a present yesterday...

It has the whole retro vibe going on, and my husband knew I would think it was cute as a button. Yea, it's a cheap Black and Decker 'Classic' iron but it so cute. If it gets hot and stays hot while piecing that's all I need. All the fancy-schmancy stuff my Rowena had I don't think I'll miss (I never iron clothes anymore now that the hubby is retired).

I am working on a new design for a quilt along, which will be very relaxed but fun and educational. If I get everything ironed out  (shameless pun, sorry)  will be able to share around the first of August.

Happy sewing!!

Like Ripples in the Water...

Kindness - like waves on the surface of water after the effect of something other than itself.

A sweet lady named Faye in our local guild wanted to ask me a question at the meeting Saturday. I was hesitant but yet happy to see if I could be of help, thinking that she wanted advice on fabric choices or design layout being that is usually what we all chat about during these meetings. Instead she told me of the quilt she was making for a woman that is having medical complications, how she is always cold and Faye wants to send her this quilt out of kindness. 

She went on to tell me how her sewing machine was giving her problems and did I know about free-motion quilting on a her model machine. I wanted to have an answer, but did not know the first thing about her machine. The meeting began and we sat quiet listening to the presentation. All the while I kept thinking "how can I help her?". 

Faye's quilt on the frame

The thought of her selfless act, of the work she had put into the quilt top and how all she wanted to do was to make someone feel some comfort and love during a hard time in life. When the presentation was over, without even thinking I leaned over to her and said "Give me the quilt, I can quilt it tomorrow and that way it will be finished and you can send it to her".  

Faye's beautiful quilt for her friend

Well, Sunday morning I woke very early (I love to sleep in just ask my husband) eager to start. I put the quilt on the frame and set about quilting. There were a few set backs, but they didn't seem to get me down as this was a joy to do. With every moment I spent quilting I felt the love and compassion that had been put into this quilt top. When I finished the last few stitches, I realized just how much one small kind deed can enrich so many lives. You see what she did by piecing this quilt - this little thing, this thoughtful gesture, it's selfless.

Once the quilt was removed from the frame and folded ready to go back, I felt a sadness come over me. I am a selfish person, I thought. Why do I not do more for others. The whole time I was quilting I was happy, a different type for happy. I want that back!

closer look

Reaching out with kindness is a new type of growth that I had been missing out on. Now don't get me wrong, I am not selling off everything and getting fanatical about it. But just one little act of kindness even simple ones equal growth whether you want to call it spiritual or personal. 

So how does one cultivate a spirit of charity? How do we become more grateful, loving, compassionate, forgiving? As humans we are born - I believe with charitable hearts as children. As we grow and life fills us with so many emotions, our thoughts are usually towards ourselves and close family. I am a kind person, but I know I haven't been a very charitable person outside of my small circle of family and friends. I see now how much I have been missing.

I have met so many wonderful people in the quilting world and learned so much from them, but this was a lesson that was well past due!

To grow and become what ever it is I am to be ~ I need to cultivate a spirit of charity within me. 

Are you a charitable soul, and how do you cultivate that in yourself?

Lost Dreams and Goals, maybe?

I have a great number of quilting/textile art blogs that I enjoy reading and those bloggers inspire me when working with fabrics. I feel proud to even have good friends that have had great success in the quilting world. But today I was reflecting back on my life and the goals and dreams in my youth; thinking that most of those goals and dreams never came to fruition. I felt a little sad, like maybe I didn't try harder or wasn't dedicated enough or maybe I just don't really have 'talent'.

Then my cousin posted a quote on facebook  "Today, may there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be -unknown"

pics to help with my wordy post

It made me reflect on why and how I came to be where I am today. A mother, a wife and a friend; who loves to play in her sewing room without limits and deadlines and free to experiment to my hearts desire. And yes, maybe I have to work full time in a field that has nothing to do with quilting or fabrics, but it helps pay for them!

blocks for Grannies gone wild swap

And you know maybe I didn't become a well known textile artist in my younger days, and it's ok that I didn't get to run that fabric dying business I always planned on, and waiting until my late 40's to have a quilt in a quilt show isn't so bad after all!

blocks for Grannies gone wild swap

Aging doesn't normally bother me and the thought of getting older actually seems somewhat enjoyable - thinking of the future and new experiences. Dreams and goals change and evolve, even some are no-longer desirable just as I change and evolve into the person I will become.

You just never know, I might have different dreams now and maybe they just might come true!


PS: thanks coz, I love ya girl!!

I am in morning or is that mourning...

So I am weird, that's well known!  I am in that state of mourning - ' a period of time during which signs of grief are shown'. You know wearing black, depressed, dark under eye circles, and want to sleep all day - oh wait that's all the time...

I guess I am the only sad lonely person on this earth that has nothing better to do than watch a creepy, futuristic, weird, fantasy, what the heck TV show........... Fringe

I've put off and waited, cause I just wasn't ready. Always saying 'maybe tonight I'll watch it.'. No couldn't handle it, but now it's just been far to long, I have to face up to it. OK, you at least gotta say Joshua Jackson is not so hard on the eyes. And John Noble soooooo reminds me of a modern Vincent Price!

I have held on to the last two episodes of Fringe until tonight and I am soulful watching them now, oh my :(

Quick Hand Me a Paper Bag...

I came across Tracey at Itching 2 B Stitching post about her craft room make over and began to hyperventilate when I saw this...

and the link to the plans at Ann White

Now that I am breathing normal, I should be finishing up my blocks for the Sew.Quilt. Geek. QAL

My Blogger Love is Waning

I am very sorry, I seem to have lost my blogger love. Not sure why or what is up I hope others can understand or simpathize.

Gotta kick it in gear, and get motivated!!!

Anyone else feeling this way?

As a Quiet Little Seedling

As I sit here, I feel as if I am ready for 2010 to end, I find many moments to ponder. Oh, there are many happy times, but a few sad and painful too. I feel much like the seedling in Paul Laurence Dunbar's poem 'The Seedling' waiting for the new year.

AS a quiet little seedling
          Lay within its darksome bed,
To itself it fell a-talking,
      And this is what it said:

"I am not so very robust,
          But I'll do the best I can;"
And the seedling from that moment
          Its work of life began.

So it pushed a little leaflet
          Up into the light of day,
To examine the surroundings
          And show the rest the way.

The leaflet liked the prospect,
          So it called its brother, Stem;
Then two other leaflets heard it,
          And quickly followed them.

To be sure, the haste and hurry
          Made the seedling sweat and pant;
But almost before it knew it
          It found itself a plant.

The sunshine poured upon it,
          And the clouds they gave a shower;
And the little plant kept growing
          Till it found itself a flower.

Little folks, be like the seedling,
          Always do the best you can;
Every child must share life's labor
          Just as well as every man.

And the sun and showers will help you
          Through the lonesome, struggling hours,
Till you raise to light and beauty
          Virtue's fair, unfading flowers.

Birthday Goals - Why I ask?

I was reading up on my blog list and Allie at My Wardrobe Today post about a '40 before 40' list. And this made me think - Would I?
Uhmm, nope! Not this 45 year old - nope no '50 before 50' list for me.

I am not so crazy about making list to fulfill before a certain age. It’s more apt to lead to disappointments when you hit your birthday deadline. I remember all to well my 30th and what an emotional journey it was when I realized that I was no were near to what the person I wanted to be or had envisioned to be. It was horriable!! Crying and a pity party, not at all a pretty sight.

But after the realization that my life is an ever growing and changing experience I made peace with myself. The idea that where I am at this moment and time and all that I DID accomplish to this point is more meaningful than what I didn’t accomplish.

I am not saying that goals are a bad thing, but as long as they are not so out of reach or to concrete, goals should be achievable. Goals are good to have in your horizon to help you move along, but life can seriously change at a moments notice and you don't have much control over how affects you.

Plus all the negativity of placing a certain age within a 'To Do' list can seem depressing. I never want to limit myself, and at any age I want to do, see and achieve what ever makes me happy!! Life is way to short, live it with your heart not by a list of what to do next...

Famous Words Of Lincoln

"You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time."

It's an age old saying that still holds true today!!!

This blog is about me and the things that bring me happiness. The posts may or may not be something everyone likes to reads, and that's fine. I try not to post politics, religion, or negativity - cause I figure if I have nothing good to say then I will try not to say it. I talk about sewing, fashion, crafts, quilting, cooking and life in general - which by no means is because I am an authority on these subjects, heck no! I post because I am a shy person and this is a way of sharing what I like with the world but still staying within my comfort zone. I am glad that those few who read do enjoy what they read. I hope that what I have to share is fun, entertaining and maybe helpful in some way. I have met some fantastic 'blogger' friends that I would have never met without this blog and hope to continue to grow my new found friendships. I did have someone disagree and they did not like what I posted and to that I say 'sorry, but it's just my blog - a simple little blog'.

I guess what I am saying with this post is - I hope you enjoy what you read here, and if not that's perfectly ok.

It it looks funny...

then maybe it is. I am just changing up a few things on the blog, so if it looks funny then it is and I am trying to tweak a few things and change over to a gmail account and basically some house cleaning if you will - of said blog.

see ya in a bit and hopefully I haven't deleted the wrong things!

It keeps staring at me....

Yea I know what's up?? Well, the watermelon quilt is sitting there staring at me like an evil little child taunting me knowing I am at a loss as to how I should quilt it. I am at a loss, a total loss! I could just quilt it like they did in the pattern, that would be ok. But I just don't know, what would make the watermelon slices stand out?

Have you ever thought you had it going great and then at the last minute you feel as you haven't got a clue??

And it continues...

I love Ann Taylor clothing but

COME ON,  AGAIN?

Really? You didn't learn from the first mistake,

and all the public out cry that was a result of it?!?!

Learn more here

No Excuses

That's it, I can't make any more excuses!!

The month of July has flown by and absolutely nothing has been accomplished.

Sad !!!

So that's it, I am going post as much as I can for the month of August starting today!

(so don't ask me I ain't got no excuses)

Tying up loose ends...

Sorry for the quiet, I am not one to be known to be so quiet.
Thanks for sticking with me and please know that soon I will post some fun tutorials!

Pretty...

Angie posted this in her blog, and I just have to pass this on!!!

Back from the Big Easy....

We are back from our trip to New Orleans and the quilt show in Slidel. It was so much fun and so relaxing. I will post pictures soon!!

But in the meantime here is a very talented man we had the pleasure to see!

Gotta Be....

Sociable Guerilla Bagging

How do we stop using these?

PLASTIC BAG CONSUMPTION FACTS

• Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

• According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.

• According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion)

• According to the industry publication Modern Plastics, Taiwan consumes 20 billion bags a year—900 per person.

• An estimated .7% or 49,600,000 end up as litter each year.

• Four out of every five bags handed out at grocery stores are plastic.

• They are rarely recycled and don’t degrade in the natural environment, much less in a landfill.

Morsbags

It can be hard to make a difference in the world, but even something as small as a reusable fabric tote can make a big impact on the world. They have a free pattern for an easy to make tote, a forum and even printable lables to spread the word. Check out the flicker group too!!

And whats better than making a fashion statement and saving our ecosystem at the same time?!!!

all photos courtesy of www.morsbags.com