pressing on...

i want to

share

a new tip...

. 

a while back

a friend made this flat ironing surface

for us to press fat quarters

in the store

it lays perfectly on top of

the cutting counter

one day i discovered

if i use the edge as a guide

when i press open a seam

i have just stitched

it is likely to be pressed

  more square

which will help

when i go to line up

 the next block

the tattered roof...

i've been asked

often

over the years...

.

...to repair things

broken zippers

skirts needing shortened

waistbands that are too tight

pants that are torn

when this call first came in

i declined

time is not on my side

these days

the new friend

 arrived with it in a large bag

just the same

a queen size quilt

entirely pieced with houses

my mind rushed back in time

to my first days

of quilting

a teenager with keen new interest

yet hands of mature experience

i was once told

as i looked

 at the disintegrating fabric

and i listened to eileen

tell the story of how

she had been asked

to make this repair

for a nice gentleman

yet her aging arthritic hands

could just not hold the needle

or make the tiny stitches

anymore

i somehow realized this

was coming to me

for a reason

as i carefully removed the

salmon colored tattered roof

i recalled the night

so many years before

when i sat inside a tiny office

at the domestic violence shelter

holding the hands

of a woman

who just fled a dangerous man

with her children

sleeping on a couch

 in the next room

i shared a quilt block

 i had been stitching

it was the same pattern

 as the one i am now fixing

i remember telling her

not to be afraid for

she had a roof over her head

and a place where her kids

would now be safe

a few days later

she joined a quilt circle

i was teaching

 i had them make a house block

as a symbol of a

new beginning

all week as i worked on this quilt

customers were amazed

they oohed

and they ahhed

marveling that i would take on

such an endeavor

i shared with a few that

i'm just a social worker

at heart

paying it forward

with hands that were blessed

for needle and thread

the owner of the quilt

phoned yesterday

i could tell by his voice

he was pleased it was done

when a grandfatherly man

 walked into the shop today

i knew it was him

his physical physique matched

the tender voice on the phone

as i opened the quilt

his eyes filled with tears

the old tattered roof

was once again whole

he asked what he owed me

i had instantly determined

his smile was enough

to which he replied

how about if i make a donation

to that place eileen

volunteers

where is that i asked

the battered women's shelter

he replied

the tears had now

transferred

 from his eyes to mine

as i was just reminded

how beautifully life circles

miracles indeed

the good news...

just keeps coming

i am overjoyed

and humbled...

.

...to arrive at the store today

and see the signs

installed

it has been a lengthy

process

yet in the end to see

JEllen's

larger than I've ever seen it

in print

a name i've used

 in my creative world

since i was nine or so

followed

by my daughter's name

a miracle of a child

truly brought tears to my eyes

and how fitting to

be supported

on the bottom

by my husband

sarah's father

our human rock and anchor

it's publicly now

a family affair

here's looking at you...

who me

yes you

no really...

.

i knew the camera

was coming

to interview sarah

and then

i found myself

looking directly into the

big round lense

with a microphone on my lapel

ugh

i'm not one to stand

in front of the camera

i prefer to be on the other side

yet the story is so

important

i feel like i've prepared

 for a lifetime

to be able to share it

of course i did not know that

was the direction

 it was headed

as i sewed night and day
for several decades

it just fell into place

so very grateful it did
and so happy to share in the
friendships we've made
a huge thank you
 to anchor woman kristi capel
camera man darsi ayres
and the editing team at fox 8 cleveland
click here to watch the segment

houseboat...

the next

hand stitched

project...

.

...has begun

this one named

houseboat

by carrie nelson

of

miss rosie's quilt co

i am in love with these

schnibbles

i've chosen reunion

by sweetwater

as the fabric collection

x-rated fini...

i've been showing

snippets

here and there...

.

of the x-rated schnibble

by carrie nelson

of the miss rosie's quilt company

that i've been

stitching by hand

it's finished

just in time for

the front window display

of hello luscious

by basicgrey for moda

i'm pretty pleased

with how it turn out

gave me the impetus to

start the next one...

thursday thoughts

a happy mom...

there comes a

time in life

when the kiddos...

.

...are no longer making

mother's day gifts

with construction paper

and markers

lead by a thoughtful teacher

instead

 they bring you

 lavendar roses neatly arranged in

a glass vase

thank you tj and julie...

 a large chocolate chip cookie

with purple writing

and a "credit card" to panera

for coffee

so well articulated

by a sweet daughter

 who at one time we were

not sure would ever talk

thank you sarah...

...and a pot of flowers

adorned with a

purple butterfly

with an

 i love mom

picture frame

thank you matt & jessica...

i feel like the luckiest

mom in the world

a new role as mother...

today as we

celebrate

mother's day...

.

...i am so very blessed

to be given the opportunity

to begin a new journey

i will soon be

 a mother-in-law

i do not take this role

lightly

i am aware that my actions

 as such

can strengthen

or destroy

the relationship i have

with my son

i hope to be

positive and encouraging

kind and supportive

helpful and fair

i hope i can be

available

when they need me

putting their

needs above my own

i hope my actions

will speak louder

than my words

and my heart will shine

with pride for both of them

at all times

yet

 if in my

 humanly ways

i fail at these requests

i hope

 to have the ability

to admit my own faults

and apologize

for the mistakes i make

for my greatest gift

as a mother

is watching the love

i have shared with my boy

now be shared

with the love of his life

as they begin

their new journey together

i pray as a mother

for all those around

both near and far

to put aside

whatever differences

 might exist

to come to a place

of forgiveness

for these two

need your support

and they deserve your

unconditional love

all photos taken on 3.31.12

the day of tj + julie's engagement

by brittany schenk of red kite photography

fact or fiction

from the time

i was

a little girl...

. 

i've always found

enjoyment in reading

during the summer

my mother and i

would drive to the local library

twice a week

once home

i'd search for unique spots

to open the newest book

it could be on the roof

in a tree

on top of a large culvert pipe

by the pool

hiding in a corn field

it didn't matter

i just loved to pretend

 i was whatever

character i most enjoyed

the fantasy, the dreaming

most intrigued me

today

 i had the privelege of dining

with a new york times best selling author

marie bostwick

she writes fiction

yet as we chatted

 throughout our meal

i learned that

fiction is not always make believe

in fact

it is often just that

facts

 intertwined with dreams

as she described her newest book

i was mesmerized

it so follows segments

of my life

it is almost scary

 the funny thing about fiction

to you

 it will be

more like make believe

and maybe i

can pretend

the happy outcome

is my ever after

from the back...

i had a teacher

who once told

me the sign...

.

...of a good quilter

was the look from

the back

straight rows

 even stitches

snipped tails

i better get to work on

the snipping part

the rows and stitches

i'm rather pleased

thursday thoughts