Stop Planning and Start Living!

One day, not long ago, it hit me that I had lived in this house for almost a year and my life was "on hold". I found myself in a "holding" pattern that I am sure is not unique to me, but to many people in recovery. It's that state when you live your life waiting for the other shoe to drop...

 and it's mentally exhausting.

The last couple of years have been challenging, to say the least. It seemed like I had the worst case of growing pains in history, but somehow I managed to hang on and come out on the other side. I can only explain it as a a white water rapids kind of ride... you hang on while the water beats the crap out of your vessel, you might even fall out, but you climb back in and ride it to the end where the pool is usually calm and you just stay in the raft pondering, in amazement,... did that all really happen? Am I OK?  My ride was so long and hard that its taken me a year to realize it's time to get out of the raft. But how scary is that? Will my legs hold me or will my knees buckle?

I have a long tale to tell but I will have to share it a little bit at a time. For now I just wanted to say Thank You to those who have helped me along the way. For those who believed that I would eventually get out of the raft and step on dry land. You know who you are... thanks for believing in me.

Now it's time to stop planning and start living in this "no longer new" house.

7/23/2013

Feeling Blessed

Today a young man died of Osteosarcoma. I did not know him, I did not know of him either. I just found out about him today and his story touched me.

When a young life is taken so early it brings things into perspective. It reminds us of our healthy children and how lucky we are to tuck them in knowing that they don't hurt and that when we wake them in the morning they'll spring to life (or slowly come alive) and you'll face nothing but the challenges of being a Mom and helping him navigate life. No matter how hard his life is, how challenging it is... he is alive, and for that I am grateful. Hug your kids tight tonight and know that not every Mom is as lucky as we are .

This is Zach Sobiech, he was just a few months older than GP when he died.

Kind of puts things into perspective. He wrote a song and leaves a legacy of love. What a kid; I am sure his mom is hurting tonight, but she must be proud of the  young man he became. RIP Zach. His You tube video is below. Just follow the link. It's worth it. 

Clouds by Zach Sobiech

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Robin who was chosen by Random.org as the winner of the Catchall Kit. 

Thanks to everyone for joining in the fun! Brenda

Follow My Heart Fabrics Have Arrived!!!

Seems like a lifetime ago when I ordered these wonderful fabrics and they have finally arrived. 

I love them so much I have even decided to cut some fat quarters because it's one of those lines where you just need to sample all the prints.  They're whimsical without being cutesy... 

ou can order your yardage or a Fat Quarter Bundle (while supplies last) here:

Follow My Heart

Playing with the Big Girls

Just a few weekends ago I went on my second retreat. Yes, that would be my second QUILTING retreat. I went to the Boston Modern Quilt Guild Retreat in Kennebunkport, ME with my niece and the new pumpkin in our patch, Jessy. 

I had such a great time just hanging out without a care in the world,  just stitching the day away while the machines hummed my nerves into a craftiness coma that I only managed to wake from on Sunday, when it was time to come home.

I managed to complete (well, almost complete), ONE project. This one.

Now I know you feel joy for me and my accomplishment. I mean, you're all so supportive and you know how hard I work at my craftiness perfection (or lack thereof) so I'd like to share with you, what I like to call my I spy pictures. 

I spy my quilt on the FAMILY wall (these are my niece's blocks, made at the retreat for a quilt she is working on. She worked on other projects too, but these are her "completed" blocks. And there under my "project" are Jessy's blocks, which she cut and stitched at the retreat. She cut TONS of these, but these are the ones that were "completed" and made into strips. This will be her first BIG project, and she was on a roll. She also made a knitting needle case for her mom while I worked on my one project... did you find it in the picture? 

Oh, I did finish the stitching around my Wool & Needle January mat too. 

I was so productive!

Oh, but there were other projects that were pretty impressive and as all girls do, I had to compare mine to theirs and see how I measured up in the productivity department. Soooo, I went on a little mission after hours... seeing how my guy "measured up" to the "Big Girls" quilts. Here's what I found.

Here I spy my project next to a hexagon masterpiece that had me wishing I had a love for piecing...

check out those block! Holy smokes! Yeah, she fussy cut the center blocks too. Sigh. 

Mine was "almost" as nice as hers...

 But not feeling as accomplished as I hoped I continued my quest for my equal, and although I thought this wouldn't be a fair comparison, I did try to measure up to this one....

but the scale was all wrong. Can you even see my project in this picture? 

Yeah, the little spot on the big quilt, that would be mine, LOL...

Quilt after quilt I saw that each one was unique and ever so beautiful but none was quite like mine. Which made me think of how lucky I was to be welcomed into such a talented group... 

 and to have my little guy playing with the Big Girls!
Can't wait to do it again next year. =)

My Favorite Snowmen Are Made Of Wool

As you may or may not know, I am not snow's biggest fan. I appreciate the need for snow and understand that my garden has a crush on it but I personally, well... not  a fan. 

I prefer warm days and crisp nights as opposed to cold days and freezing nights.  I hear snow is coming and I feel a chill up my spine. I get so stressed, "What if the power goes out? Do I have enough wood? Do I have enough groceries? Are my flashlights where I can find them?"  UGH, There's so much drama in my head, you'd think it was a Tsunami alert. Yeah, I'm bad, LOL

Having confirmed that the pantry is full, that I have a stash of batteries that rivals Home Depot's inventory stock, I can now move on to how I spent the last few nights. I spent them making this cute little snowman pocket.

It's made of wool, lined in flannel, embellished with hand dyed buttons and even has a little painter's blush to complement his embroidery smile. A fast, fun and easy weekend project... or snowstorm nerve calmer.
Hope you're staying warm and crafting up a storm while you wait for Spring. Be well! B=)

Winter Doesn't Last Forever

As another snowstorm threatens the peace and quiet of our Winter landscape I have to ponder the age old question, why the heck do I live in NH if snowstorms send shivers up my spine? Why, oh why, don't I just move to the hot and spicy southwest like the rest of the women in my family?

Oh, it's the crisp Fall days and the sunny Summer afternoons that go on forever. It's the fresh apples picked straight off the trees and the blueberry picking, I love blueberries! NH has a lot to offer; and if I loved the cold I would be in heaven. Instead, I will whine about the weather and dream about the clear blue water that lies beneath that white chunk of ice in my backyard and remember that the best part of Winter is that it doesn't last forever....

Cannonball!