Crazy for Quilting!

Yesterday I was talking about projects and I thought I would share another very special project I am soon starting.

I have always loved the look of Crazy Quilting, so when my cousin called one day last summer and asked if I would like a quilt that my Aunt's mother had started years ago, I said yes.

What I received was several pieces of Crazy Quilting, none large enough for an actual quilt, but perfect for smaller projects, such as a wall hanging, pillow, table topper etc.

The largest is made up of 4 Quilt squares done in velvets... and the original quilter has done quite a bit of the embroidery on it that makes Crazy Quilting so special.

I would like to further embellish this one with beads and lace and such and turn it into a wall hanging for our bedroom.

The second piece is smaller, and it looks like it is made from men's ties.  This one has a bit of embroidery done, but not much.  I love the fan in the corner.  This one I think I would complete as a table topper (not to be eaten on, of course)

The third piece is a small scrap of a piece that I think I could perhaps add to with more fancy fabric and turn into a doll quit, or a pillow..

And the fourth piece is pretty much a blank canvas...

I consider myself so blessed to have received these old patches from years gone by - I plan to treasure them for years to come...

Projects Galore!

Since winter doesn't seem to want to leave us alone, and spring and gardening seem so far away still, I decided I needed a project.

In true Dale fashion, somehow I have ended up with quite a few projects.

I haven't cross-stitched in years, and I have several unfinished pieces sitting in totes waiting for some "time" to complete them.  Do I dig those out?  Not on your life!  Instead I buy new canvas and bump up my floss stash and start a brand new piece;  Norman Rockwell's "The Doctor and the Doll".  I bought the pattern quite a few years ago, and sort of stumbled upon it before Christmas.

In the meantime, I decided I should perhaps get to some of those forgot places in my house... perhaps to clean?  

File cabinets, came first - and there are still papers lying about that I really don't know what I should do - if anything.

My craft room closet - now there's a project and a half... I was afraid if I climbed up there, I would never be seen again - but it wasn't overly bad - quite organized actually, and I escaped completely unharmed.

But that little escapade led to yet another project... I unearthed several large boxes of photos.  I have thousands of photos, from every one's lives, including my own - and there they sit in boxes.  So I decided to sort and separate and organize, and while I was doing that I decided it was time so start returning photos to the givers, or their families.  So now I have several large envelopes of photos to get ready to mail away.  I hope the recipient's will be happy to receive them, and not think I am shooing them out of my life - nothing could be further from my mind, but there comes a time when this needs to be done.

Now it's time for a break, I see the sun is shining on my chair - I think I'll grab the canvas and take advantage of the natural light and do some stitching - unless of course the sun lures me to sleep  - which is always quite possible...

Simple Pleasures.

My neighbour's husband passed away last May, and though her transition has been very difficult she has done remarkably well these past few months.  We have always been friends, but since her husband has been gone, we have formed an even closer bond, certainly as neighbours, but also now as close friends.

While I was working full time, I tried to get next door for a visit at least once a week, and I tried to email several times a week, just to remind her that she is not alone.

She has rewarded me by returning the favour ten-fold this past week, and I find my attitude brightening much faster, thanks to her loving care and friendship.

When I went over to tell her my plight last Monday, she asked if I had an hour.  When I said yes, she popped a DVD into her player, turned on the TV and introduced me to a fascinating series produced by the BBC on Tudor Farming.

We both love gardening, and there is much about gardening in this series, but really it is about farming in early England.  This series has captured my interest, entertained my spirit, and fed my mind with knowledge about many things farming that I did not know.

Imagine a morning such as this...

It is cold and the snow is swirling outside against the picture window.
Inside, two women casually dressed, sit in reclining chairs, each with a cat curled sleeping on their lap.  Cups of hot coffee or tea, and fresh baked scones out of the oven are on the table between them.   Add an hour-long (sometimes 2) program devoted to farming, gardening spinning etc ... Simple Pleasures indeed!

Brings to mind a sampler I stitched many years ago...

So very true.

What a Difference A Day Makes - 24 little hours!

What a difference a day makes!  The song tells how 24 little hours can make a difference between grey skies and sunshine, the blues and happiness, no love, and love.... how true those lyrics are!  And for the record, I love Dinah Washington's rendition of this song best of all...

Last Monday was really a day that made a difference in my life.  I got up as usual at 5:30, got ready and walked into work at 7:00 AM,  to find my manager and a professionally dressed man waiting for me outside my office door.  They followed me into my office, closed the door and proceeded to inform me that I was being terminated immediately - my job was being outsourced to another company, and I was to vacate the premises immediately.  I was walked to the main floor entrance where I waited alone for my husband to come and pick me up and take me home.

Sixteen years - gone - in a blink of an eye!

I didn't get the chance to say goodbye to any of my long term co-workers, who have been my friends and family for 16 years; I did not get to collect my personal belongings... I ceased to exist.

Well that was a week ago, and in the week that has passed I have experienced emotions that are very foreign to me.

Anger comes to mind first.  I have never been an angry person - I loathe anger of any kind - there is no place for it in my life - or there wasn't until last week... now it seeps in to everything I do - and I hate it.

Shame.  What have I got to feel shamed about?  Absolutely nothing - but the mere act of being treated like someone who did wrong, has put the notion that perhaps I am not a good person firmly in my mind.

Fear.  Lots and lots of fear.  I am closer to 59 yrs than 58 - where am I going to be able to find another job at my age, that will help me sustain my mortgage, family... my life as it was last Monday?

Sorrow.  When will I be able to tell my friends face to face about my weekend, about my bad haircut experience, about my dog's latest silliness?

I know some of my co-workers will read this, so I am adding the last part for them.

My friends;

Thank you for all you have been to me.  You were the sisters I never had.  You laughed with me, you cried with me, you held my hand and my heart and walked with me when I had breast cancer and when my husband was going blind.  You were my cheering section, when I lost 70 lbs.  You have been my family, and I love you all.   God Bless You All...   Stay safe, be happy, and I hope we meet again...

That's the difference a day makes....

Take it Away, Dinah!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmBxVfQTuvI

It's a small World After All!

It was late Friday afternoon, about 20 minutes before it was time to finish work for the day.  I had spent the better part of the past two weeks balancing accounts in four companies for the 20 some specialists I work for.  There were three accounts that were giving me fits for about three days running, and finally I was able to balance them and so complete the year-end balancing portion of  the year end procedures.

I cleaned off my desk and organized the piles of papers on my desk so I could start again the following Monday morning.  My brain was mush - but there was still a few minutes left so I logged on to Kijji to see what, if anything was new in the doll section.

I hadn't been there in a couple of months - and there were a few new dolls, but none that called to me overmuch.  I was just about to log off and head home when I spotted this...

Wow! A co-worker and myself had just been talking about tin doll houses a couple of weeks ago.  I did not have one of these as a child, but she had, and she wanted to find one again.  I forwarded the add to my co-worker and went home.

The next day being Saturday I decided to check out the local thrift store (I had not been there since before Christmas and I was in need of some books to read).  My husband was anxious to head to Future shop to buy me a case for my new Samsung tablet, which he informed me would be my Valentine's Day gift - which was fine with me.  But since he mentioned Valentine's Day, I decided to show him the Kijji add  - well  - just because!

Off we went in -30's temps, I was dropped off at ValueVillage, and hubby and son went on to Future Shop.

I happily did the store in leisure, nick-knacks isle first, followed by books (I got one) and then the toy section.  I was not really looking for a doll but there was a fairly sizable pile of naked bodies, and one particularly large pair of feet could be seen smack dab in the middle.  I walked away!

Yeah right!

I pulled on the big feet and out came a large 1950's Dee & Cee Boy Doll!  He was filthy dirty and had a bit of a wonky left eye - but otherwise in perfect shape.  I tucked him under my arm and headed to the cash register!  Here he is all clean and fixed up, wearing a hand knit baseball suit and Jon's first ever sneakers and a "Little Slugger" cap Jon wore as a toddler.    This big guy know lives in the "Man Cave " downstairs where all the baseball stuff seems to be popping up!

Back to last Saturday:
The guys picked me up from the thrift store and announced we were going for lunch.  I asked to see the case for the Samsung, and hubby told me he had changed his mind.  He thought perhaps I would rather have a doll house for Valentine's Day than a tablet case.  

Off to lunch we went and then we headed to Brian's Antique shop to look at the doll house.  By now you might have guessed that doll house is mine... but there is more.  Jonathan was in a mood to shop.  He loves anything Batman and already has a nice collection of stuff (wonder where he gets that from).  He found a couple of things at Brian's and then suggested we go to Thrifty's Flea market just down the road for more.

Thrifty's is a car collector's dream.  Sad to say no dolls, but I wandered around anyway and saw more than a few things that I already have in my house.  When I finally found my guys again hubby was smiling from ear to ear.  In his hand was a brand new still in the box case for a Samsung tablet -  $40 cheaper than he would have paid at Future Shop.  My Valentine's Day gift after all... or not!

Any way you look at it - It was my day.  A Doll, A doll house and a tablet case... 

Of course I could have held out for diamonds, flowers or chocolates, but then again, Valentine's day is still a couple of weeks away!

Have a great weekend everyone!

SUPER HERO'S

I was going to continue with my Kijji story today, but something much more important happened yesterday, and I really need to write about it today.

Yesterday we learned that our niece's child has been diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma.  This is rare and dangerous form of cancer and the news that young Sean has it has made everyone who knows him and his family heart-sick.

It is bad enough when cancer strikes us as adults, but it seems so cruel and wrong when it happens to a child.  Human nature is to ask why.  Of course we ask that question, everyone does, but truthfully there is no answer for that question, so we have to leave it behind forever, and instead ask... What can I do?

At this moment in time, there is very little for us to do.  The physicians, surgeons, oncologists are the only ones who can physically do something right now - the rest of us can think positive thoughts, give hugs, give encouragement, give love, and best of all ... pray.  Perhaps down the road there will be more we can do - but right now, we can only assist in the unseen part of Sean's treatment.  This we can do, for Sean, and his parents and family.

And we can be happy - because happiness promotes positive outcomes.  Doom and gloom have no place in cancer  treatment - I know this for a fact, but if you don't believe me go and visit a chemo floor in a cancer center.  You won't see tears there.   What you will see is smiles, and love, and more smiles and love. Sean will need our smiles, our happy thoughts, our goofy moments much more than he will need our tears.

Please keep Sean and his family in your thoughts as you go about your day today, and tomorrow, and the days after that...

And Sean - You are my new HERO!

We'll try this again!

Good thing I didn't specify which Monday I would be back - and here it is Tuesday!  Seems to be how my life goes, these days... full of great intentions that never get off the ground!

So happy Tuesday everyone - we are almost at the end of another month - but sadly winter just keeps on howling around these parts.  We have been the unhappy recipients of almost two solid months of extreme cold weather.  We have a day warm up every couple of weeks and then right back down into the frigid temps we go again.  For instance yesterday morning it was -31 with the windchill -45.  Today not much different -32 and -43 with the windchill.  Very hard to get motivated to get out of bed in the morning and get off to work... but we do.  Nothing closes here for the cold weather - kids trudge off to school, parents trudge off to work, retirees trudge off to Tim Horton's for their morning coffee and visit... You have to be sick in bed with the flu to escape it...

And that's where I have been for part of my time away since the New Year started.  I've been fighting the same virus for about 3 weeks now.  No matter what I do, or what I take I just can't seem to shake it.  I missed some time off work, which was not great because it is our yea-end, which is always a panic and a stressful time at work, but we are getting through it slowly and hope to be done soon.

January has been an odd month for me.  I have been feeling somewhat blah about so many things - maybe because I have been sick, maybe because work has been stressful - but the blahs have hit hard and lasted much longer than what is normal for me.  I seemed to loose interest in everything I have been doing.  Didn't care about the dolls, or quilting, or crocheting, or house cleaning, or cooking or baking or even music.  A pretty complete BLAH - if you ask me.

And then I was happened to go on Kijji for just a moment last Friday....


To be continued...