2 New Firsts

Today we attended the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival. It was our granddaughter Scout's 1st parade to see & our son Chase's 1st parade to march in with the high school band. It was a great time. We walked around the Festival afterwards. It sprinkled rain off & on. Scout was singing on my shoulder as we headed back to our cars. When we got home, I told her it was like she was "Singin' in the Rain!" and I sung that song to her. She loves music & she just grinned as I sung to her (I'm sure that will change as she gets older!) Scout & I are going to have to watch some musicals on our days together.

It's Finished!

I just finished one of the most challenging projects I've ever undertaken. Cool that I finished it on 9-9-09! It is called a Professional Tote by The Creative Thimble. It is the diaper bag for my daughter & granddaughter, Tiffany & Scout. I will try to post a picture soon. It turned out beautifully! I am so pleased with the outcome. Thank you mother & grandmother for passing on sewing genes to me. I love being creative.

Last "First Day" of School

Well.....that day finally came. Today was my last "First Day" of school. Our son is a Senior this year. He even let me take a picture of him in the house before he left. I was surprised he said yes when I jokingly asked him. I didn't hesitate to get my camera though when he said it was ok. Thank you for giving your Mom that last tender moment of history on my camera. I wish you all the best this year. I'm proud of the young man you are becoming. I look forward to watching you as you accomplish all you set your heart to this year. Today was a sad "happy" day. I am ready to be done with the high school scene. Lord, let me remember to enjoy these moments & not wish them away. Thank you for our children.

Comfort Clothes

I'm sadly realizing that today may be the day I finally have to say goodbye to some of my favorite clothes. You see, I've probably had these particular clothes longer than a lot of people have been married. First up, is my navy blue checkered pair of shorts. They are SO comfortable, are very decent in length, match so much and, best of all, they have wonderful, deep pockets. I love pockets! I knew they were getting worn around the waistband, but nobody sees that but me. Then today, I realized there is NO give to the elastic anymore. It has all give out! Such a sad day. I don't really remember the day I bought the shorts, but I know they came from a Liz Claiborne Outlet and at the time I thought they were expensive. My only justification was that they would go with everything. Man, have I gotten my money's worth out of them! I don't really remember the last time I was at a Liz Claiborne Outlet, but these are probably older than some of my kids.

The other garment is my navy blue cotton sweater. I wear it all the time when I get cold in my sewing room. It's just heavy enough to take off the chill until the next hot flash hits and I remove it and put it on my chair again. The sweater is NOT as old as the shorts, but I knew when I bought it that I really liked it. My only solace to this sweater is that I have a tan one just like it that is not in as bad shape yet.

I know I will be on the lookout for my next comfort clothes to replace these.

I'm actually sitting here wondering what I can make out of the scraps (good parts with no holes) of these two garments. I can at least save the buttons from the sweater for my button box.

Grandma's Baby Girl

Today is the 3rd day of watching my Granddaughter Scout. Her Mama went back to work part-time on Monday and we are becoming good buddies. We are settling into a routine. She does fine, but the last two days when she's heard her Mama's voice, she put that bottom lip out into the biggest pout (She has this move down to an art!) and she started to cry the biggest cry. I'm not sure if she was sad to realize Mama had been gone for a long time, she was happy to see her and just didn't know how to express herself, or what. She settled right in with her Mama as soon as she took her and started talking to her.

She must be growing because she is taking a good nap right now. Yesterday, we went to Jazzercise! She loves music. She is such a joy.

Got to teach her how to help Grandma make quilt kits.

Patterns for Sale

The official copies of the pattern arrived last Saturday as we were on our way to Mare's Bears Quilt Shop to buy fabric to start cutting kits for the Spirals (tm) for the Chase's Quilt Pattern. So exciting to receive them. Dalen added them to his website and one was sold almost immediately! That is so exciting for us. We spent the evening folding & stuffing patterns into bags for sale. I have lots of fabric to start cutting into kits. I have ordered ribbon to tie around the Spirals (tm). Hopefully, I will learn how to post pictures once I have a kit completely together. Stay tuned for updates....

My 1st Pattern

Take a deep breath......okay......I'm starting to feel the pressure lift from my shoulders. Dalen's book Just A Quilt? was supposed to be his baby and I was just to cheer him on from the sidelines. I was happy with that arrangement. But.....I have been brought right into the middle of this "baby" big time. Whenever Dalen has been invited to speak or do a book signing, the question always comes up, "Is there a pattern for Chase's quilt in the book? Have you thought of doing a pattern & a kit to go along with the book?" My answer was always, "No." It's kind of like how many times do you have to be asked to do something before you realize people are serious? (Somehow I keep seeing these visions of hearing myself asking my kids to do something for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th....umpteenth time. It's kind of funny to think that here I am having the same response I have received from them over the years.) There is a genuine interest here and you might want to think about developing these ideas.

So....I took the hint and bought fabrics at Mare's Bears in Lewes, DE, when Dalen was there for a book signing and decided to give it a try. I started sketching designs on the way home. FYI, I don't usually read or write in the car while traveling. The 2 hour trip went very fast because I was trying to get down the ideas flying through my head.

When I got home & into my sewing room, I started working on the quilt top and sat with my computer by my side & tried to write down each step as I did it. I wanted to be sure I covered all the steps and that someone choosing my pattern for their first quilt would be able to follow the instructions, not get discouraged & would emerge from the experience with a quilt they would be proud of & that they would want to immerse themselves in the wonderful world of quilting. I want to leave new quilters wherever I go. It has always been my firm belief that if you are frustrated with the sewing, the instructions, the process of the project or your equipment then this will probably only be a one-shot deal & you may not even finish the project. I want to turn people on to quilting - not off.

I gave Dalen my instructions & told him that it was a beginning, but there were several aspects of the pattern that I was not happy with because I felt they were confusing. He took my attempt & he did some great editing & I loved what he came up with. All of a sudden, I caught the excitement & I realized that I was happy to have "given birth" to this pattern. I printed off a couple of copies to show to friends & see what they thought. Dalen took the file today & brought home 10 copies. It looks so official! I can't believe it. I showed it to Tif & she gave me good critique of how to improve a few areas. I value all input here because I feel I am in such unchartered territory for me.

Today the ladies I had breakfast with from the Bible Study I attend were excited, encouraging, wanted to purchase it, want me to teach them how to make the quilt in a class, want to purchase kits to make the quilt, want to know where to buy Dalen's book, etc. I am humbled by the response I received! Thank you to all of you wonderful ladies for being such an encouragement to me. You are wonderful friends to me. Help me to be a better person.

Now I have to start on the next pattern. It will be printed panels of the artwork in the book incorporated into a different pattern. I already have it sketched out.

Even if the pattern is only embraced by a small number of quilters, I'm thankful for the experience of being encouraged to step out of my comfort zone and try my hand at writing a quilting pattern. It's out there now. May God use this to His glory!

So Many Books, Sew Much Work To Do!

Today has been an eventful day! The 2nd printing of Dalen's book Just a Quilt? arrived. It's thrilling to see them, but a daunting task of where to store them. Our new interior design theme will be cardboard boxes full of books. It's a great dilemma though!

With our travels recently for Dalen's speaking engagements and book signings, it has been brought to our attention over and over......Is there a quilt pattern to go along with the book? Do you have a quilt kit to sell too? Whoa.....I never even thought of this happening. But I'm starting to get the message. Yes, I've got a stubborn streak, and like my teenagers were, I seldom listen the first time. I thought....that's a nice idea, but no one would be interested in that. So I forgot about it. I was touched that someone would even think that, but I never thought of it as a possibility. This was Dalen's baby. I was thinking my only job would be as his cheerleader for a project he totally believed in and I was thrilled to see him make this dream come true.

Anyway, this past weekend I started to get the picture.....Maybe this really is something people would be interested in and I should think about it. So, while he was signing books, I was running around Mare's Bears picking out fabrics that looked like the quilt on the postcards he hands out with his books and then taking the Just A Quilt? book and seeing if I really liked the fabrics together and if they adequately portrayed the feel of the quilt in the book. Slowly, I started to get excited about this project. So we left there and I started sketching how I invisioned the quilt. I don't get real carsick, but I don't try to read, write or work on projects while riding. This was different. I had to get down my thoughts before they left my mind, possibly to never return.

Today I finished the quilt top. It's really neat and I think it stays true to the book. Now I have to consolidate all the information I wrote down as I worked to make sure it's a pattern that will really work, easy to follow for anyone. I don't want anyone frustrated by the pattern. I want them to love it as much as I loved doing it. I already have a friend who is willing to test my pattern and I will get input from my quilting group. Thanks for the encouragement I've received from everyone so far. Even if it goes no further than a keepsake for Dalen to honor his first book, it has been worth the journey. I'll try to post a picture of it soon.

SHE'S HERE!!!!......I'M A GRANDMA.

On March 19th, I became a Grandma for the first time. Wow, how my world has changed. Scout Emerson Ace has arrived into this world. She was very alert right after birth, looking around as if to say, "Who are all these people?" or maybe she was thinking, "So.....these are the faces of the voices I've been hearing for the last 9 months. I had no idea what they looked like, but their voices and touch are very familiar. Nice to meet you." She is adorable beyond words. She arrived bigger than we expected and I had to exchange the last outfit I bought her because of that, but she is perfect in every way. Not only is it neat to see and hold her, but I delight in watching my daughter become a mom. She immediately knew Scout's smell, she soothes her, talks to her, cuddles her, kisses her like she just can't get enough of her and checks her out from head to toe. The tenderness she shows Scout does my heart good. As a parent, I often wondered if I had done a decent job of raising my children. It's like God reaffirming to me......see....you taught her how to love unconditionally like this. She has learned from her own Mom & Dad and now she is responsible to bring this child up to love God first and to be there for Scout like you were for her. May she love and cherish the joys of parenting.

When Tif & James had the reality of being totally responsible for Scout, I told them -- she didn't arrive with a pen and notebook checking off whether Mom & Dad are doing their job right. To Scout, they are the only parents she has known. To her, everything they do is the way it is supposed to be done. She came with no manual and no expectations. She loves you just as you are the same way you love her just as she is. She thinks you are the best! Just love her!

I've been busy enjoying Scout's arrival and posting on my blog hasn't been a priority. She is adorable and we are so glad she is a part of our family. Welcome to earth Scout! May you always know how much we love you. Already you are changing and growing. I am honored to be your Grandma!

Could Tomorrow Be THE Day?

Here I sit in my sewing room wondering if tomorrow is the day I get promoted to the rank of Grandmother. I still don't know what I want to be called. I'm sure she'll come up with something. I should go to bed early tonight so that I'll be rested to wait for her arrival. Realistically, I wonder if I'll sleep at all! I just pray the labor & delivery goes smoothly, everyone is safe and she's a healthly baby. Hard to even fathom how much our world is going to change with her arrival. So..........I'll wait for the phone call from my daughter tomorrow morning to see if there is "room at the inn" for her to be induced. Pray for our entire family as we await the miracle of the birth of our first grandchild. Till then...........

Make New Friends....

Today was a very inspiring day for me. I feel like I've made new quilting friends without even trying. See...today I got to go to a quilt show with my husband and I didn't even ask him to take me! We were going because he had a commitment to be there. Remember me talking about his new book? Just a Quilt? Today he was a guest of the quilt shop The Village Quilter at the Love Apples Quilt Guild Show in NJ, for a book signing. We met some wonderful people, felt very welcomed and had a wonderful time. Of course, I got to shop, view lots of beautiful quilts and came home so inspired I want to go to my sewing room to create something wonderful and never come out. I love fabric! I love seeing how others put fabrics together....color choices, patterns chosen, using a simple block in a new way to make it all seem new again, seeing new gadgets demonstrated, etc. At the entrance to the show, was the most beautiful tribute to a member of their guild who had passed away. I only read a few of the notes, but I would love to have known this woman. She truly had the heart of a quilter.....shared her knowledge freely; wore many hats in life, such as mother, nurse, quilter among many others; seemed so in tune with those in need and ALWAYS willing to give of her time, talents, skills, words of encouragement. She definitely left a legacy and imprint on those she came in contact with. Many thanks to this guild for honoring this woman's memory in such a beautiful way. That display touched me in a very deep, moving way. It inspires me to always be to others what I would like them to be to me. We never know how much we have helped someone just by speaking a word of encouragement to them. As I've always tried to teach my children, be a friend to the new student in class. EVERYONE could use a friend! Ask them to be your partner in gym class or any other class where you need a partner. They don't want the rejection of asking you and wondering if you will turn them down. Ask them and let them have the opportunity to accept your offer or decline. They will appreciate that more than you know. So next time you have the opportunity to make new friends, take the chance.

Still Waiting......

My calendar is clear and I, like the rest of my family, am waiting for the birth of our first grandchild. It's like she's playing Hide & Seek with us. We are all so anxious to meet her. She knows our touch (We've all had our hands on Mommy's tummy!) and our voices (yes, we talk to her too), but we are ready for a personal introduction. I know God is watching over her and growing her daily and He knows her actual "birthday". It's the anticipation of knowing it's going to happen....we just don't know when.

The waiting has been filled with some wonderful times though. I called Tif before I went on quilt guild retreat because I suddenly realized she might not be pregnant the next time I saw her. I had to see her pregnant one more time. She is so cute! My other daughter Hannah is home for Spring Break from college and we have had some wonderful times together at Jazzercise, Bible Study, lunches out just to spend time together and talk and she even joined me for my quilt group meeting and helped us stretch quilts. I am so thankful for these times together. Both my girls have grown into amazing, Christ-centered women. Thank you Lord for my girls!

Lest he fill left out, I have a wonderful son too. He is quiet, yet very caring. I can't wait to see him holding his niece. Thank you Lord for him too!

We are all trying not to become impatient with each other. We are all anticipating how this little girl is going to change our lives. She is going to be so loved. Actually, she already is very loved. Thank you Lord for the miracle of birth. Until that day......we will try to patiently wait!

Home From A Wonderful Quilt Retreat

What a blessed weekend I've had. Got to go away to a quilt guild retreat for a few days. It's only my second time I ever remember being away from my family to just spend time for me. It's a time where we sit and sew, snack on delicious treats other members have brought, ask for new recipes for these wonderful treats, swap ideas of where to shop, discover new projects we want to make, work on a mystery quilt and know that at the end of the weekend we will have another project to finish, but it will always remind me of a great weekend getting to know friends and acquaintances from the guild that we only see once a month and realize we really don't take the time to get to know them. By the end of the weekend, we are so inspired, missing our family (at least a little bit) and know without a doubt that we want to sign up again for next year just so we can do it all again.....

New Beginnings

Tonight I enter the world of blogging. Something I've wanted to do for a while, but unsure how to go about it. I hope you find my postings interesting and enjoy the journey with me. I feel very blessed to be where I am in life. This is not the only "new beginning" in my life. We are currently on "baby countdown watch" for our first grandchild - a girl we are told - that will be entering the world within a couple of weeks. We've seen the ultrasound picture and I try to imagine what she will look like once she enters the world, but I can't wait to meet her face to face. I'm already in love with her! Right now, I think (from the picture) that she will look like her Mom, but have feet like her Dad. Will I be right or will I be wrong? You know -- it doesn't really matter. I just want to hold her, cuddle her, kiss her, sing to her, cry over the miracle of her birth and then watch her Mom and Dad become first-time parents. Just like babies don't come with an instruction manual, I don't think blogging does either. Sure the information is out there somewhere on how to do things, but you have to know where to look, how much of it to follow and when to just strike out on your own to see what works for you.

Our other "new beginning" is my husband's first self-published children's book. It's called Just a Quilt? He has worked hard on it, is proud of it and it has been well received by family and friends. He is working on introducing it to the public through quilt guilds, shops and shows. He has scheduled some book signings too. I tell him that I never thought I'd have to share my quilting life with him, but it is a joy to welcome him to that part of my world too. Maybe I can someday get him to "really quilt". For now, I'll just continue to enjoy his wonderful imagination and how he can put that into story and book form. Life with him has always been an adventure. Let's see where these "new beginnings" take us!