there's beauty...

...all around us

although sometimes

we simply need...

...to pause

 for a moment

to take a breath

close our eyes

inhale

then slowly

 exhale

open our eyes

and look around

to see the beauty

the richness in our

lives

the friendships

the happiness

the joy

i've been in this church

so many times

i lead two groups of

girl scouts who met

in this church

every single monday

for nearly a decade

i can look across the street

from our quilt shop

and see this

wall of windows

yet i have

never

taken the time

to see just how

 beautiful

the stained glass

truly is

and isn't that an

irony of life

we have

so much

to be thankful for

so much

to be grateful for

so much

to cherish

and instead

we fail to see the beauty

we simply see

a wall of windows

today i shall look closer

deeper perhaps

in all i do

for the beauty

all around me

i'd like to

 express my

most sincere appreciation

to jessica love of

jessica love photography

for capturing that

which shines so brightly

and to the

amazing bride

stacy broerman

and her prince charming

adam keck

for allowing me

and our precious sarah

to be a part of their

magnificent day

friends first

we are just days

away

from the official...

.

opening of

sarah's sewcial lounge

a room upstairs

that has evolved

over the years

it has had

a few different occupants

until we decided to take

over the lease

more to prevent anyone else

from moving in

or perhaps it was

divine intervention

all those years back

knowing that one day

we would use the space

for something greater

teaching the next generation

to sew

and including sarah

in the effort

it was only fitting that

today

the first brunch

a private party

my united way friends

we've been together now

for almost three decades

i am so thankful for their

friendship and

nod of approval

a sugar valley beauty...

do you ever

stumble

upon a photo...

.

...that just brings a smile

to your face

i had that experience

today

over on facebook

saw this beauty

posted on the gammill page

and i grinned

from ear to ear

love, love, love

 the fabric and design

the colors are divine

so i clicked a few more

times to see just

where the picture

came from

sugar valley stitches

turns out it's not too far away

in bellbrook ohio

even found more pics

of the purple beauty

maybe one day soon

i can connect up with

amy bouchard

it's truly becoming a small

world thanks to that

other redhead

you know the guy

famous for starting this

facebook thing

you've gotta have friends...

the feelings oh so strong

you've gotta have friends...

...to make that day last long...

how blessed and lucky are we

to look up

and see polly kirton

waiting for us

 at the airport in salt lake city

we were shocked

yet so thrilled

touched beyond words

truthfully

two moms

two girls

two pillowcases

lives changed

friends forever

your madness counts...

have you heard

about the madness

as in march...

.

kate and me  8.14.10

...madness

not the basketball kind

the fabric kind

it seems we have been voting forever

it's the finals

finally

and guess what

my friend kate spain

is in the final round

not surprising of course

but we all know how elections go

if you don't vote

the wrong guy could win

now i don't have anything against

this other designer

but come on

central park

is the most amazing collection

ever

well the next one

terrain

is pretty spectacular too

but that will be in next year's

march madness

please click this link and

vote now

pretty please

a purple star...

i am so

 grateful

 for friends...

.

the one's

who have been with me

for the long haul

who have supported

me through the many years

of medical fragility with sarah

my ups and downs

and i'm especially

blessed with new one's

who come along

who join

in supporting our mission

our new journey

and my love of purple

it reminds me of this song

make new friends

but keep the old

some are silver

and some are gold

thank you aimee

i love the balloons

and will forever cherish

the purple star

do you roly poly?...

i personally crave # 47

the nut & honey wrap...

.

full of cream cheese,

raisins, sunflower seeds,

 cashews, baby spinach, plum tomatoes,

carrots, alfalfa sprouts,

with spicy honey mustard

my husband likes the smoked turkey

sarah prefers the roasted turkey and swiss

the boys stick with the

 roasted beef & provolone

suffice it to say the ely family

 loves roly poly

when it came time for our grand opening

of the quilt store

we didn't even have to debate the menu

roly poly was a must

so what does this have to do

with creativity you ask

jenny watson

a stampin'up manager

name a 2010 rising star

she's in my same downline

and she and her husband

 just happen to own

the very roly poly

i am addicted to

i just learned that this week

small world indeed

congratulations jenny!!!

if you are in northeast ohio

head on over to golden gate on mayfield

try the frozen yogurt too

it's soooo good

we delight in the beauty...

of the butterfly,

but

rarely admit

.

the changes

it has gone through

to achieve that beauty

maya angelo

for so many years the butterfly

has been the symbol

of my sweet sarah's life

purple especially

as it is my favorite color

i had a blessed and touching

experience in the store this week

a sweet loving woman

arrived

wearing this pin

i told her how much i liked it

we went about talking

she shared she too had a child

born with down syndrome
some years before the

arrival of our sarah

he spent only a short time on this earth

before he earned his angel wings

as i offered a comforting word or two

she reached up and

unclasped the pin

presenting it to me

two moms

meeting for the first time

yet sharing a bond

deeply rooted

in love and support

thank you from the depths of my heart

kristen's light...

is shinning

bright

upon us all...

.

i've been trying to write this post

all evening

between the joy

between the tears

between trying to understand

how a mom goes on

without her girl

i had my family

at the dinner table tonight

all five of them

and we talked

about the power

of reaching out

to help others

how it will make your life

so much more enjoyable

and how the blessings

will come back

tenfold

the feelings in my heart tonight

are bittersweet

i know my friend polly

has a broken heart

yet such a kind and thoughtful one

to be reaching out to help others

in her own time of need

i am so grateful i

have been able to be involved

in a tiny way

simply by sharing fabric

for a project

in memory of kristen

so her light will always shine

best wishes to beth & aaron...

...the purple writing

on the envelope

was a tiny preview...

.

of what i found inside

amazing detail

by a talented graphic artist

a friend of the bride
the small letters caught my attention
along with the colors

.

they raised my expectation

for the flowers

and they did not disappoint
oh the purple beauty

it was grand

.

the minute cathy walked

through the doors

her beauty

her smile, her warm personality

her lovely lavendar dress

illuminated the room

a gorgeous mother-of-the-bride

her dignity and strength

did not go unnoticed

a shining example

for the rest of us

.

debbie, kim and cathy

we are so blessed to have

on our team

john and i are so grateful

for their hard work

dedication

and friendship

.

best wishes to the adorable couple

may their lives be blessed

with happiness and

love

hot, hot, hot...

'twas a lazy

hazy day

in Cleveland

.

the kind of day

to just lay by the pool

drink lemonade

while reading a good book

instead

i was running around

meeting city building inspectors

insurance agents

painters

bankers and such

then came dinner with my

friend lisa

always love spending time with her

she's so full of life

kind hearted

thoughtful and caring

perfect ending to a busy hot day

good food,great friends

...it was fall of 1983

a group of women met

at 3100 euclid ave...

....still sharing today

good food...

laughter, hugs and tears

...joy and sorrow

.

friends for life

.

l to r: rose koustis, theo wolf, kathy vorobel, anne stover, joyce ely, elaine yeip.