On Christmas Day

We are all quiet at home this Christmas day. It is now just myself, my grown daughter, and three napping cats. We had a lovely time opening our gifts and chatted with family and friends. Now it is time to settle into the peace of the day.

For the last few years I missed the bustle of the busy holiday season as our family has gotten smaller, but now I treasure it. There is time to slow down and relax and make thoughtful gifts and write heartfelt notes in Christmas cards. Gone is the chaos of having to purchase a bunch of mass produced things to fill every want and desire. Just a few thoughtful items and time spent together has become the thing we cherish most.

On of our favorite old traditions is decorating the tree and telling stories of each and every ornament. I look forward to seeing those cherished items and usually can't wait for the tree to be up, so very often it is up by mid-November. Which means when  friends find out about our tree being up so early it usually conjures a look that makes me feel as if  I have gone around the Christmas bend. That is, until I tell them of our tradition and how it gives us more time to enjoy the memories. I tell them of the tradition of unwrapping and repeating the stories and memories surrounding the treasures we have collected over life times. Then I share a story or two just to help them understand. Just about every year someone new becomes part of the story and we find ourselves with another ornament and memory that will be cherished for years to come. So our Christmas tree is really so much more than just a pretty symbol of the season. It is really the vessel of memories of those who have touched our lives past, present, and future. It is nice to have something that rich and full around for a few weeks a year, so what if it stretches into a month or two.

You know as we gaze at the tree and let the memories stir, we even forget to turn on the TV and that is a good thing in these turbulent times. So think about slowing down and taking a breath, just let the memories pool around you and you may find something you have forgotten or thought was lost.

So to you and yours, may you have a peaceful day and time to reflect on this Christmas Day. As for myself I am off to The Studio to work on another project.

Enjoy, Joanne

Good Morning, Good Morning!

It is not so early on Wednesday morning after a very long week. My work week stretches from Thursday to Monday, so Tuesday is the beginning of my weekend - sort of. This past stretch was made longer by a few scheduling snafus that kept me at work an extra hour or so three of the five days, so I am a bit slow recovering this week.

As you can see the house is in disarray, but never fear
it will be set to rights shortly.

I have been working busily in quilt land (ie. my studio) since it has been reset from the summer's weatherization and I am quite happy with the new layout! I turned the L - shaped desk into the corner so it wasn't cutting the studio in half and it made all the difference. I now have a work space for a friend or too if I need it as well as some display space for seasonal decor, very cozy.

The beginnings of Weaving the Rails from
the August 2011 APQ by Kathie Holland
of Inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com

The beginning of Charming Addition also by Kathie Holland
from the December 2012 issue of APQ. Check out Kathies
Blog at Inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com.

These are the piles of scraps waiting to be cut up for
the two quilts. I am determined to widdle down my boxes
of scraps.

I am working on a number of projects these days including a grandmother's flower garden, the Chaming Addition by Kathie Holland, as well as a Weaving the Rails also by Kathie Holland check out her blog: Inspiredbyantiquequilts.blogspot.com. Kathie's quilts just seem to be hitting a chord with me and are so straight forward that even with my insane schedule I can feel like I am getting something done in the studio.

Much of the past summer was spent preparing for the coming winter. As well as a bunch of weatherization, we finally bit the bullet and purchased a pellet stove and we are hoping for great things. One thing is for sure, my studio will be plenty warm since the stove is right outside the door!

This is the new pellet stove we had installed
late this summer. We are hoping for great heat
savings this winter.

These are the pellets, 3 tons of them. My daughter and I
brought them all in and are feeling pretty proud of ourselves.

We purchased 3 tons of pellets, but I think next year we will plan on 4 or 5, where they will go I am not sure, but we have already gone through a couple bags just taking the chill off at night. It is not hard to imagine that we might go through 4 +/- tons a year. * I think maybe I can fit in at least one more ton where the blue shelf is? We shall see.

* -  just pondering

This the new placement of the large desk in my studio.
I like it better now that it doesn't cut the room in half and
there is plenty of room for my Fall decorations.

This is one of my favorite Fall decorations, I group of friends
and I made these a few years ago. 

I have been working on decorating for Fall. I just love the way orange, red, green, purple, and brown cozy up a space it is the perfect start for the cold months. I start with lights and garlands in the windows and then I tuck lots of fall themed things in the garland. I collect little pumpkins and leaves and other neat things that I have made or discovered in my travels, it is fun to tuck them here and there. It gives me something to look at rather than the darkening days. 

I enjoy remembering the stories behind all the fun things like the Cat on the Pumpkin or that this piece or that was my Mom's and she got it from... and so on. It is a wonderful way to share the past with friends and family, although I am afraid I may be a bit of a bore as I get swept up in the memories and the quilts. I am sorry to those whom I may have trespassed, but oh well such is life.

On the mend and feeling fine! What's next?

Ahh, Good Morning to you all! Wow, I finally feel great again! My home is nearly back in order and I have energy to burn, let's go! It is also a lovely day, so what is next?

Well as I have said I have trimmed my work schedule, I am so excited to feel my life come back! I have a huge list of projects and activities that I haven't been able to work on since I started working so much, but as usual I want to make something new! Argh, oh well I guess that wee thing in my nature will never change.

The first thing I want to do is go outside and go for a walk or a ride, my Doc would say "Walk" of course and she would be right. The next thing would be to reset and reorganize my studio. Thirdly, I will sew a bit. I have several projects on the go and many of those are nearly finished, so I should have no problem winding a couple of those up in the next couple few weeks.

As for the Studio, well that is another story all together! You see a couple of months ago I was offered a energy audit and I accepted. Then I was offered some weatherization and I accepted. Then I took apart my basement which includes my Studio to make way. Then no one showed up for weeks and weeks. Then I called, guess what? Yep, no weatherization....Probably! What, Argh! Now long story short my studio is and has been a total disaster of piled furniture and packed up crates and boxes for weeks. Of course I want to work on that project in the bottom box - under the pile of furniture, Right Now, wouldn't you? So I have decided "Probably" or not, the studio is getting reset, period - exclamation point! - THE END! So there.

Of course on the brighter side of things. I do have a clean space and a chance to reorganized everything! Maybe it will be better than it was and it will all work out to be a good thing. Well in any case, it is what it is and there is nothing to be done about it, so you may as well smile as cry. For now I will ..... read some of my favorite blogs. (Another one of those things in my nature that will never change, "You may as well look at the bright side of things" Sorry I just can't help it.)

Happy Day to you all, Joanne

New Days and New Hopes

It has been a very --- week for me. It would appear that my decision to pull back my work load was a little too late. Almost directly after sending the note to my employer I started to get sick and am still sick now. I got so sick that my diabetes went haywire and I missed three days work! Now if you knew me you would know that I don't miss three days work in three years! Let alone in one week!

I was beside myself horrified and completely dismayed, but at the same time I knew I had done this. I had pushed myself too far and I was paying for it now and in a very dangerous way. You see with diabetes when you get sick you can get very, very sick and I did just that.

Now if you have stayed with me so far, I thank you, because my reason for this post is not to let everyone know that I was sick. In fact I would rather you not know I was sick, but in this difficult economic environment it is easy to say "Well I will just put my head down and bull through it! I will work and work some more." Does this sound familiar? Well you know that is great if you can maintain it, but for me I found myself unable to enjoy anything! I had contemplated tossing all my quilting and was totally sick of all handwork! I kept starting new projects trying to relight my passion to no avail. I just kept feeling more and more hopeless.

Then, finally, I came to the conclusion that some of that "work and work some more" had to go if I was going to save my passion, save myself! I had to save myself before it was too late, before I quit myself and kept the jobs!

After all is all this work really worth what you are paying? Are those few dollar bills, numbers in your checking account really worth your time? I mean really what are you giving up to work that sixth and seventh day or the 10 or 12 hour day? I don't know about you, but for me it is too much.

What I want to say to you is just this - Protect yourself and your passions! Indeed make sure to make time to cultivate yourself and your craft and your interests. Stop and smell the roses or pet the fabric or dig in the dirt. It is absolutely imperative to do so! And if you need to talk it out with someone who will listen, then do it! It is amazing how just a little or a lot of talking can put things in perspective. Do what ever it takes to have a happy life and let the economy be damned! You only get a chance at TODAY once and TODAY is an important day in your life.  (She says stepping on her soap box)

I mean, I'm just saying....

                                            have a wonderful day and many more. Joanne

Well I have gone and done it!

Dresden Plate
I had nearly forgotten this one all
together!

 I have done it, yes I have! I downsized my work schedule, bad economy be damned! Just short of a year ago I extended my work week from 5 to 6 days and I have taken that lost day back! It is mine, all mine! (Punctuated with maniacal laughter!!!)

And now, perhaps I will get something done besides housework and errands on my one and only day off! (He, He, He!!!)

 Maybe, just maybe I will finish these projects????? These are just two projects that represent the lost time, energy, and passion. There are many, many more! What's worse is that I was on the verge of purging all these projects from my studio of all these projects when I realized how out of balance my life had become!

Focus, Focus became way out of
Focus with my inflated work week!

Just think I was going to dispose of all these items that I had spent so much time, energy, and money on. Just so I wouldn't feel the pressure of failing to have time in my life to pursue my passion! 


This project in particular was called Focus, Focus and it was a blog project that I was using to help myself focus on a large project from beginning to end! Ironically, it was the first project to be put away when I added the extra day at work!

       That is just warped and wrong! And, Unfair to boot!!!

I feel the power of possibility serge forward, I will have a life! No money, but a life! What is worth more? What do you think? As for myself I believe that if you feel overdrawn and out of sorts, out of balance - THEN it is most definitely worth the reduction in funds! 


We creative souls must protect and cultivate our passion. If we do not, then we do not truly live our lives. We live other peoples lives and that will not do! So economy be damned, make sometime for yourself! 

I found this quote some time ago and posted it above my desk, on a mirror that I often see my reflection in -

"Every time you don't follow your inner guidance, you feel a loss of

Energy, a loss of Power, a sense of Spiritual Deadness." Shakti Gawain

With that said, I will follow my inner guidance and take sometime from the world around me and live MY LIFE! Won't you!

Have a wonderful and fulfilling day!

Joanne

It is long past time for a new post!

Good Morning World!

It has been a long, long time since I have posted to this blog. I never really know what happens when a chunk of time slips away. Oh, of course, I have been busy. But what was I so busy with that I couldn't write a few words here and show a few pictures. Hummm, let us ponder....well I did join a new/old sewing group on Wednesday nights....I repainted my bedroom....I did pick up a lot of hours at work....It is Summer....I did reset my studio due to some work that was/is going to be done...? This list could go on and on, but the good thing is that I have enough stuff to share for three or four new posts! This is a good thing!

So let's start with the project that has take most of my time and energy...

In process and more process, my newest long term project:
Grandmother's Flower Garden.

At last count I had one row completed and 23 other flower
blocks done.

I have been working night and day on this beauty. To date I have 33 blocks completed and 10 of those are sewn together in the first row.

Every where I go I take my little pouch with all I need to make these pastel charmers and they never fail to start a conversation. People watch as I sit, open my little pouch and proceed to fill my lap with it's contents. First I take out the little scissors, then my glasses, and then either a block that has been started or the parts and pieces of a new bloom. They gazed in wonder as I put on my glasses thread a needle and start the tiny stitches that will hold my new garden together. The remarks like "how do you make those stitches so tiny?" or "Isn't that going to be beautiful?" or my favorite "I have a quilt like that made by my ???." . Oh and you know I say "Really, I would really love to see it! What is it made of? Is it complete?" and the conversation is off and running.

Now, I have no illusions that this quilt will take me years, so slow and steady is the rule. When I am done I am hope to hand quilt this fully hand pieced wonder, as machine quilting feels like cheating and could never do it justice. As for the finish I am on the fence. Shall I applique the edge to a thirties blue, pink, or green border? Shall I turn every edge under and painstakingly whip stitch the backing to the top (My personal favorite) to preserve the wandering edge? Or should I just whack the edge off. making it straight and easy to bind in the usual style?

What do you think? I think there is a lot of thinking pondering to be done and that is half the fun isn't it?

Happy Quilting, Joanne

New Year and all is well here!

Finally, I can publish this post! I started this post way back in January, back in January -  can you believe it is February already? I had to keep this to myself because my friend's, my daughter, and I just had our Christmas get together yesterday. That was February 7th!

Oh well, we all had a great time! We had good food and good conversation all while catching up on everyone's news and me with my hand work. We were even joined by curious on lookers, don't you love it when that happens! Everyone was ooing and ahhing over the various home made items, all very good for the creative ego.

These are two table runners I have just finished as Christmas
gifts for my friends.

These two small table runners are the special gifts I gave. They like so many things came from Kathleen Tracy's blog, she has the best little ideas. They were so much fun to make and give and can you imagine the girls didn't even mind the obligatory cat hair that came with them. Thanks Tess!

Tess the Pest! Contributor of many errant Cat Hairs!

Tess is a wonderfully active 14 years old, long haired terror, or at least she is when she wants attention. Tess will persistently knock thread off my table or scratch on quilts and fabric in order to get her required me time. All the while and ever increasingly telling me "You have more important things to attend to! You know, ME"  She really is charming in an terrible twos sort of way and all in all is really much quieter than she was. So I continue to enjoy her daily antics and converse with her as she goes about her business, knocking over all my stuff.

This is one of the gorgeous things people were
looking at! 

This is one of the wonderful things that was catching everyone's attention. My friend Molly made this for me, I am a lucky girl!
Now for some of the multitudes of projects I have been working on...

This is the Twelve Days of Christmas mystery
by Temecula Quilt Company. 

The January Mystery that Cheri Payne Hosted! Quilted and
bound - Oh My!

I have been working on lots and lots of little projects lately,
like this one patch by Kathleen Tracy.

I am well on my way to finishing the quilt a month challenge
presented by Sentimental Quilter. 

I have 2 blocks completed and all the other blocks are
in process. I hope to have them done today or tomorrow.

It was so long waiting for a date to be set for our Christmas get together, that I finished piecing the Mourning Crosses top. So you get to see that too!

Here is my finished Mourning Crosses top! Now to quilt it!

It was even long enough to get the new selection for February from Kathleen Tracy. I even got the center block embroidered.

Kathleen Tracy's February Quilt along, I am doing the
valentines version.

The baskets from the cover quilt in Primitive Quilts!

Can you tell I had a small vacation? Now that that is over reality is setting in and my production is slowing down. Oh but, it is fun to play with new projects! I have another long term project in the works that I will share next time! It is industrious! It is a quilt! It may take years! It is done by hand...so far completely by hand! Can you guess what it is?

I heard somewhere if you start the New Year sewing, you will sew all year long. I think I am off to a good start, don't you? I hope everyone is merrily pursuing there heart's desires this new year! Have a wonderful time, until next time, Take care and Be Happy - Joanne