My Favorite New Toy

This left-handed, ergonomic rotary cutter by Martelli is my favorite new toy

...I used it on my dinosaur quilt



My cutting is steady and in control

 

The blade retracts safely inside the handle and opens at the flick of the wrist onto the mat. Good tools make a difference a matter of just working on a project and enjoying myself.

Musing about fabric.

Last week I mentioned that I ran short of fabric for the border of the dinosaur quilt project I have been working on bit by bit. I measured the remaining two colors and decided to purchase more of those too in order to circumvent yet another trip to the quilt shop. All three batik prints were available. Whew.

I cut and sewed the remaining gold print. I was getting ready to press the quilt top when I noticed three small holes evenly spaced along the top of the fabric. my heart sank. Another trip to the quilt shop. Don't get me wrong, I like to visit the quilt shop but it can be tricky to get out of there alive without spending even more money than I planned.  I just went. Friday morning I drove over there with a firm resolve to leave with my billfold secured to my purse.  The clerk was mortified when I showed her the holes.  She had just asked me if I had used a needle that was too large only to eat her words when she looked closer.  No fabric is immune from flaws whether it is utility cloth or fine woolen.  This I learned in a prior career with the retail fabric industry. The owner concurred and I received my 7" of goldenrod batik.

I like to buy fabric at this local quilt shop; the owner is so kind and creative. I think I could spend the day there.  But for every hour I spend the more I see and the more I want to spend. Her shop is cozy, she is honest and helpful and buying locally helps her with her livelihood. Fortunately I made it out the door without spending but I am still thinking of all the possible projects I could do next time. The dinosaurs await so I best get back to the project. I will show pictures too.

Tonkas and Thomas

Today I “drove” a big yellow Tonka truck. I read about Grover being frightened by the Monster at the End of This Book. I watched Thomas the Train, read about Thomas the Train and played with Thomas the Train. Our 19-month old grandson is spending the night with us. He loves Thomas the Train and all cars, trucks and anything that can be moved.


Spending time with my grandchildren gives me insight into parenting that would have been great when I was a young mother. Sometimes I remember times my patience could have been better. Time is a great teacher. Steven Curtis Chapman wrote a song called “One Little Heartbeat at a Time.” When I hear the words it reminds me how important being a mother is. We may be tired, we may wish we had other things to do but we make a difference in this world one little heartbeat at a time. Here is a link to this song; crank it up and let the words sink in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo0Buzfd770


Then play cars or dolls or read lots of books. Work is important but children are only little for a little while.

Are you a dreamer?

I received this wonderful quote from a friend a few days ago.

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."
- Harriet Tubman

I found this a very reflective quote. I am on a journey of career transition. I am a life long day dreamer.  When it comes to following my dream I can't begin to tell you what that is. I am not complaining for this lack of knowing what I want to do with my life.  I have had many things that I have achieved and done well. I married my high school sweetheart and we raised a wonderful family.  I have worked many jobs but now I am at a crossroad of finding new work that I love.

Where will this fork in the road lead me? I like the wisdom of Harriet Tubman's quote and it reminds me of promises within scripture. As I travel this journey I am learning a lot about what I like. I have learned that I have a voice; one that I wish I had developed as a very young girl.  Regrets?  No I don't have regrets. My journey has made me who I am today.  As I decide where the journey takes me tomorrow, I'll use my experiences to guide me while allowing myself the luxury of dreaming.

A Super Sunday!

Today is Super Bowl Sunday and the house was lively.  The laughter and chatter did my heart good on a drab Sunday.  Did I watch the big game?  NO....I was in the kitchen stuffing manicotti and deciding which pan to bake ziti in!  While I cooked I watched the Murder She Wrote Marathon.  The guys were up long enough to fill their plates befoe disappearing quickly. 

I had the best of both worlds today!  Good food and the joy of spending time with my family. 

Tomorrow  I am going to the quilt shop!  My current project is a dinosaur quilt top for my seven year old grandson.  It is nearly finished but I didn't quite have enough for the extra borders.  The original size of the quilt was that of a throw but I decided it would be more fun if  the quilt covered his double bed.  The gals at the quilt shop helped me convert it to the size I wanted.  I just need a bit more.  Wish me luck at the store.  It would be a nuisance if they were out of the fabric! 

Pastor's Business Card

I saw this today and thought I would share it because it gave me a chuckle!

A new pastor was visiting in the homes of his parishioners. At one house it seemed obvious that someone was at home, but no answer came to his repeated knocks at the door.

Therefore, he took out a business card and wrote 'Revelation 3:20' on the back of it and stuck it in the door.
When the offering was processed the following Sunday, he found that his card had been returned. Added to it was this cryptic message, 'Genesis 3:10.'

Reaching for his Bible to check out the citation, he broke up in gales of laughter. Revelation 3:20 begins 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock.' Genesis 3:10 reads, 'I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid for I was naked.'

Keep smiling and have a wonderful day!

Friday Night Sew In!

I am trying something new this week.  I am joining "Handmade by Heidi" and a group of other ladies in a virtual sew-in Friday night.  It is an opportunity for me to work on some unfinished objects that are taking prime real estate in the sewing room.  Binding for a Christmas wall hanging I made last year and a quilt top for my grandson.  I will be posting my projects afterward so stay tuned.  This is a great idea.  She is also having a giveaway on top of all the fun!

If you want to link up, just click on the Friday Night Sew In button on the left.

Cookbooks!

I have a collection of cookbooks that is way too large for my bookshelf.  Last fall when my daughter helped me "organize" I found that I still had more cookbooks, that were kept in a box in the basement.  Or should I say two boxes!  We culled out some to donate and me being me, I kept some that I wasn't ready to toss yet.  They are still in a box waiting for me to look at. 

When I married, the cookbooks were fond of telling me to open a can of this or that.  I drew the line at canned potatoes and carrots for beef stew.  I longed to learn the basics so I joined a cookbook club.  So began my penchant for cookbooks.  Eventually my repertoire included microwave cooking to join my crockpot cookbooks and bread baking books. 

I began to work for Weight Watchers and my collection grew even larger with all the latest cookbooks with selections, points, core and freedom cookbooks that would help me maintain my weight loss.

Cooking has changed and still, some of those cookbooks are like acquaintances; you know the type, so nice to smile and share niceties but never quite actively hang out together.  I love the pictures; I buy ingredients to make a recpe only to forget which when it is time to clean out the cupboard!

So this year, I am striving to check each book in the box to see if there is one recipe I might want to photocopy and then donate or toss the rest.  The Flylady says you cannot organize clutter and this is true...I can't even decide where to stash clutter!  I am stuck and the only way to get ahead of it is to purge, then purge with supervision and purge more.

Next:
 I will commit to making a new recipe a week
I will not slow down on the cookbook aisle in any store

And....I will save money by not buying ingredients for mystery recipes
I will have more room in my house and that will free my creative mind for more fun endeavors like creating great sewing projects or crocheting neat sweaters.

Promise to self....keep your promise.

Winter! Memories of a long winter smile

Winter 2008-2009 was a record year for snow on the ground in our city.  A heavy snow was on the ground until March.  In this picture, our then 5-year old grandson Luke took pleasure in helping Grandpa shovel the driveway.  I worried that he would tire easily or get cold.  No, he stuck with it until the job was done.  He was proud that he could do a big boy's job.  We love to look at these pictures and remember the times we spend together with such pleasure.  Now that he is a years old, he is still the sweet natured boy in this picture, made more lovable by his ever growing wonder at the world and enthusiasm for learning and helping others.  He is truly one of our greatest blessings.  This winter as we move from blizzards to rain to lots of snow to lots of rain, it is with such a lively heart when I can look at this cold season through the eyes of this child.

Which Diet?!?!

Ah… you have to love this time of year brings because it brings out the latest in diet trends. Why I even saw I saw a Yoplait® 2-week tune up on their website and did it for one day...life got in the way though. Once last year I did a Special K 2®-week drop a jean size plan too and stuck to it very well, but my jeans still fit exactly the same. I can get discouraged choosing the best and easiest program; after all, what most of us really look for is a quick fix!


The reality is that what will really work for me is regular food in reasonable portions from all food groups. Do you want to know the best diet there is in the entire world? The one you can stick to. The one that is not temporary and has lifelong habits you can incorporate now. I know it isn't going to come off as it did even 10 years ago, and it was hard to come to that realization. So I challenge us to persevere and make lasting changes. For some of us this weight crept up gradually and it will go away in the same way for most of us. Keep the faith my friends...and by the way…..Happy Birthday Elvis!

Snow!

Ah the snow is back!  Last night it was pouring down rain when I went to bed.  I woke up to fur inches of snow.  It has been raining ever since!  Tomorrow will be a quiet sort of day, just the type to clean up my sewing room.  I have new ideas of how it should be organized.  I hope I muster the necessary hard nosed determination to de-clutter some "cute" things I have been hanging onto.  I have many things to look at that I can't seem to find a home for.  These things have me stuck in a cluttered mode that leads me to believe that perhaps if the object in question has no place to fit in I need to re-purpose it or let someone else re-purpose it!  Once I reorganize I can just pop into the room for a quick 10 minutes of sewing or a marathon of sewing a complete project.  That was the purpose of the room in the first place.  Wish me luck.