Hello--
1. festive, 2. www.flickr.com/photos/annamariahorner/6533020081/in/faves..., 3. santas, 4. little pine, 5. {sparkling}, 6. Untitled, 7. Christmas Mug rug recieved!, 8. Molly's Sketchbook: Felt Baby Shoes, 9. Cup O' Cheer!, 10. Christmas Mug Rug Swap - front, 11. 553-556 sally jo, 12. Festive Felt Trees, 13. 6.365 (notes to myself), 14. IMG_3624, 15. AAAaaagh!, 16. Happy Holiday, 17. Peppermint Trees, 18. Brenda's Stars, 19. spring green recycled wool sweater wreath, 20. an ansel adams kind of morning, 21. unwavering, 22. the wrapping cloth, 23. Scrappy Mug Rug Swap - for Dawn, guiltyquilter, 24. snow!, 25. Three toadstools
"I have been serving them in bowls so that the syrup doesn't flood."
Nice---
*Hats knit for all kids in 3 days AND they are adored (hats by kids, kids by me) from here
Greetings--
Hey there-- I am busy sewing a Xmas quilt top that I started over a decade ago... yes, for some reason I got bogged down with making it PERFECT, instead of just MAKING IT! Thanksgiving was hard for me this year, so after the family trekked to Grandma and Grandpa's for the PRE-MEAL festivities I stayed in and pulled out something to work on. I got out all of the Christmas fabrics that I have been collecting and somehow the last time I worked on this quilt I packed up all the parts in a bag and set it on top. What I found on Thanksgiving, looked OK to me (not totally ugly, but I didn't have to think too much), I am adding some sashing and some borders and by the end of the week I should have a QUITE large finished top! I had already given up on this project a few times, it's a Christmas miracle!
That sweet little Elf Baby was hatched in my craft room earlier this year. The folks at STITCH did a beautiful job with the project pictures and also put him in the table of contents!! So exciting!
This little one has been going "rogue" lately... ripping clips out, running around like a feral pony. Yes, I can officially say that we have reached 2. Neither of her brothers had a large "attitude" change at two-- it was more noticeable at 3. This little lovely has decided that she has an opinion about EVERYTHING and that it is going to be KNOWN! OH DIOS MIO!
She did sit still enough for me to give her a little eye window. So now when she is screaming at me she won't have to pick ALL of her hair out of her mouth. Little things... little things.
There also has been sewing!! I am happy to report that I am almost done with my free-pieced study. I have the best partner. She was the first one finished and then has been so understanding about my tardiness. Little things... Little things. I am gearing up to start this group in January... it is full of REALLY talented people and I know that it is going to make me reach for next handhold in my creative life. I am so happy I was invited to participate. Also Hoop-up is getting going again in January...
1. Bridgewater, 2. in the sewing shed, 3. In progress..., 4. Baby Ingrid v. 2, 5. 318/365 (30 days of gratitude, day 14), 6. Untitled, 7. Taste tested!, 8. Candy Cane Love Paper Pieced Pattern, 9. Radiant Orb detail, 10. Strings Attached, 11. Strings Attached, 12. Beaded Birds, 13. "Fight or Flight", 14. Fence Line-Habitat Challenge, 15. one year ago today, 16. Fans of May, 17. Felt mushrooms (2), 18. Untitled, 19. Block for Vickie QJRR, 20. Cross and flowers quilt, 21. Scissors for Amisha ~ Patchwork 318 Bee ~, 22. even rock babies need cozy quil, 23. fabric 012, 24. elk, 25. Block for Bearpawandbearpaw
This is only the smallest sampling. My mom, Amira, created art seriously (the work was a serious endeavour, but the content was not always.) for over 4 decades. Her entire house was her studio-- stacks of painting, every surface was covered with sculpture, she was more prolific than I knew. My mom always wanted to show her work, but then she was always immersed in making more, so where was the time to do it all? Her wish was that her art not be thrown away-- I could never do that, but isn't that any Maker's greatest fear? Her dear friends organized this show and these pieces and more were released in to the world. People were so happy to take a piece home.
This post started just as a way to move myself forward. Forward to where, I am not quite sure, but forward. I looked for pictures to post for today on my laptop... and realized that I have been uploading the new ones to the new mac mini. That means the pictures on this computer are all pictures of before. Before, before before... 
Looking back, memory all seems fuzzy, but the feeling is sharp. Some days it is a sun shining in my face (there is a chill in the air) and my sister says to me "Jessi, doesn't feel like we are in Maui?!" Then we walk through the sunlight to the car and make our way to the church to set up our mom's memorial. Other days it is a labor to shower and dress and then all I want to do is climb in to the DVD world of Mango's 9/5/11 birthday. The boys talked my mom in to be the "singer" for a game of musical chairs. I missed the game because I was inside cooking, but in the movie, my mom is just outside the field of view singing the theme songs to "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and the "Emperor's March from Star Wars" as the boys laugh and skip around the chairs. I know you all are wondering... the game was a tie.
Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.There's nothing you can do that can't be done. Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game It's easy. There's nothing you can make that can't be made. No one you can save that can't be saved. Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time - It's easy. All you need is love, all you need is love, All you need is love, love, love is all you need.Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.All you need is love, all you need is love, All you need is love, love, love is all you need. There's nothing you can know that isn't known. Nothing you can see that isn't shown. Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be. It's easy. All you need is love, all you need is love, All you need is love, love, love is all you need. All you need is love (all together now) All you need is love (everybody) All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
--Lennon/McCartneyAmira Sue-Lin SimonsTruth teller, Giver of Love, Creator, Free SpiritMommy, Mother, GrandmanuHer passing leaves a vacuum in my life.I love her, she is free.June 4, 1951- October 12, 2011
I love pictures that evoke and idea or a memory for me. These inspire color combinations, quilt block ideas, and just funny juxtaposition of things. They make me smile and remember what a great time I had at the Coburg Antique Fair with 2 awesome sisters. That they are nice enough to hang out with me and shop and laugh and in the early morning hours is so great!. I did buy 2 quilt tops... I had too. Maybe we can have a future quilt show of all of the old tops that I simply had to rescue from the rag pile. I am a such sucker.
So glad I have a friend to share a bit of "ham" and Pee-wee with!
Some one is not very happy that their quilt was sent away... but he still kept knitting and knitting and knitting.
This little project (Doll Quilt Swap #11) is finally done, finally sent, and finally received. What a relief! It is very small, I think only about 14"x 11". I spent so much time agonizing over how to quilt it, and if I even had the skillz to make a tiny quilt, but by the end I really enjoyed the process of making it "just right". Now if I could just find the picture of the little beauty that I received... at least it is a 3 day weekend.
This little quilty has been making me work and work. It is leaving tomorrow for my DQS#11 partner-- are they stateside or are they cross the sea-- you won't know until they get it! I have to say that it is looking pretty sweet right now (after I finished the quilting and binding.) Man, if I put the energy in to one of my regular size quilts that I put in to this one--- maybe I need to do just that and hang up the swap hat for a while and make some human size quilts.
We are at the beach for a bit of fun. Big Daddy's cousins came out from the Midwest for their first taste of the Pacific. Thank you Oregon coast gods for giving us such a beautiful day yesterday! Man, kids sure do like sand. I also had forgotten the joy of flying a kite.
The children are all in their beds (Please let them be asleep!) Big Daddy will be returning from Israel in only 3 more sleeps (I can't wait!) and I have almost made it through THIS day.
My sisters and I all journeyed to the oncologist office today with our mom. Journeyed, because we knew what was going to be told to us and it was a long way to go.
Cake... this year we did it up right and got us a nice little cake.
The kids loved it and we did too (we are only twitching a tiny bit from the sugar onslaught.) But yes, we have made it through 14 years of marriage, not too shabby. This year I believe we dubbed the "Year of Survival", mostly due to the trials of work, cancer, and three crazy kids. That is OK, that is good-- better the year of survival than the "Year of going down in flames". I am so thankful that I have such a good man to go through this life with. That we can look at each other as child after child comes down with "the worst flu EVER" and laugh and pray that we don't get it too-- and then just be thankful that only one of us was sick at a time. That there is still enough in our partnership to get us through those emotionally bare times-- when one person yields, even if they don't want to. I know that every morning I will wake up and look at the morning hair of my kids' Daddy--- what a fabulous Daddy he is-- and that I will wake and look at the face of my very best friend.
My humble contribution to the EMQG Solids Challenge. I say humble, not because of the way I feel about MY quilt, but because there is SO much talent in this group of quilters, so much, and many of them don't even know it. (that is right guys, you are FANTASTIC!) I was sewing and sewing these eggy-ovals the week that I was in Bend, hand applique does take longer than I remembered-- BUT it gets faster the more that you do! Katie challenged me to finish it by our next meeting, I am thinking that is doable-- GO, GO GADGET!
The rain (YES, there is rain here in Oregon!) (come on sky! It is July... oh well, at least I don't have to water the garden and my lettuce is still tender and delicious.) this weekend is making me think of last week.... hmmmmmm
I am still thinking about this quilt... the swirl in the circle, all those autumn-y browns and oranges, the fussy cutting. This may not be a quilt I could make, but I think that I am in love.
What a fun day! Our real names maybe Kristin, Tonya, and Jessica.... but we like to go by Stitchin' Hands, Lazy Gal, and jmbmommy (this of course is me, so I am not going to link you, you are already here.) We started quilting together about 4 years ago online. I have been so inspired by each of these women and I have grown as a quilter because of these women. I am so happy that we all were in the same place at the same time, it is about time.
I went to a little Vintage Marketplace last weekend... and I couldn't resist the bright flowers on a lace tablecloth.
Then some words of wisdom... you can check out more of her here. I am enjoying the temperate weather and thinking of making things with lace.
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