Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Flags of the American Revolution

We are losing people who were sewing along, but hopefully with the new year you'll pick up steam again. 

  Cathy S blocks.
 Cathy S star fillers.
 I wasn't sure I'd get all my crescent and star filler blocks complete but I did. Yay!
I gave my mom a job of marking around the freezer paper templates for next month. For her career she was a cook and it is hard for her to sit and watch me fix dinner. This was Christmas day and she isn't very handy in the kitchen anymore. She really liked "doing" something. I'll make sure to have more ready the next time she comes over.

So, if you've looked in your book at all, block 7,  with 13 six pointed stars is next. If you've fallen behind, keep plugging away on the blocks. If you are ahead we will do block 7 this month and if you finish that and want to work ahead we will do block 10, Liberty of Death next. Then we only have one more!! Almost done!!

If you haven't been trimming your blocks to size as you go, now would be a good time to start that.

I'm looking forward to seeing your blocks. Send them to me, or link up if you have a blog.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

That Spirit of Christmas- My Miracle


I sent this photo to a wonderful Christian young man that works at the hotel we stayed at in Xela, Guatemala.  I only knew his name, Jaime, and that he was 11 years old. He stole my heart on a street in Xela and I couldn't get him out of my mind.
I didn't know if shoe shine boys worked in the same areas but I met Jaime a few blocks from our hotel and asked Francisco to please keep an eye out for him. I had a list of questions for him to ask him if he was found.  Francisco  went above and beyond,  printing out this photo and bringing it to businesses in the area with his phone number to be called if Jaime was seen. The following week Jaime showed up at the hotel!

He is looking a bit bewildered in this photo.


Much better with a little food in his stomach. (note his pitch black hands from shoe shining)

After a few emails back and forth with Francisco I found out he is one of nine children! He doesn't live in the city but travels in (probably by bus, but not sure about that) to add a few $Q to the family's income. Can you imagine? Sending your 11 year old boy into the city to work and make money?

The magic of Western Union and  a special young man named Francisco they had a very memorable Christmas.

I received a slideshow today set to music that was made for me by the angel Francisco. The top two red word slides at the beginning of this post were the opening of the slide show. The following is how the day unfolded.


Fortifications before Christmas shopping. It is possible he has never eaten fast food. Amazing what we take for granted.

On the way to his home in a village outside of the city. 
 Jaime's home.
 The siblings come running!
 Jaime is presented with a pair of shoes.

And a bicycle! ( Francisco and I had a conversation about to get or not to get such an extravagant gift, Francisco thought if we could make a little boys dream come true that we should do it.)
 Seven of the kids, with gifts too!

Dad and mom receiving the gift of money to purchase food for the family. (or other necessities)

Family photo with the Angel Francisco.

And that is my Christmas miracle!

PS, I plan on sending them $ regularly to help feed the family and hopefully take some of the burden off the kids to earn money to survive. If you'd like to help in any way, please shoot me off an email. 

from the slideshow


XOXO





Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas!

My greeting to you today is for peace in your heart, joy in your soul, and generosity to those in need.

 An unexpected surprise in my mail from a fellow blogger. Thank you!
This wonderful marionette Pinocchio came from a fellow blogger too. He fits in nicely with my Pinocchio collection and looks extra swell in front of this quilt.
 A few of you may remember this bag from a couple of Christmases ago. It was a special gift from my son.
I found this cool bag at the Scandinavian festival this year.I love everything about it.

 These short nights I'm burning lots of candles. I'll need to keep this up once the holidays are over. Maybe that will help make the short and grey days of winter more bearable.


Many of you said you wanted to see the tree once it was in the house. It's the biggest tree we have ever had.  I am enjoying it immensely!





Love to you all!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Looking ahead

 Monday I will be adding the linky to show me your Cascadia quilt. I have had a few photos sent and I will post those unless I know you have a blog, then you can make up a blog post and add your link. I'm looking forward to seeing them. If yours is just the unquilted top, that's okay! I'll draw a name from one of the links/photos and someone will win something. (yet to be determined)
How are you coming on your flag blocks?  We will plan on posting them on the 31st of December. If you haven't got to this month's block, that's okay. Show me the blocks you have been working on. We want to see them. If you are on schedule we should finish up the blocks in March, assemble the top in April. 

I hope you are enjoying the holidays and not stressing. It seems Christmas always comes too fast, and poof! it's over. Then it is just cold and gloomy for a few months..... I've been lighting lots of candles and want to keep that up through the short days of winter. 

Happy Saturday (despite the gray rain!)


Friday, December 19, 2014

Sally Post Ta-Da!

Binding attached and sewn down! Quilt washed! ta-da! This was another one of my long term projects,  couple of years, at least. It is a terrific quilt to end 2014. 
Thank you Gay for the pattern! I love it!

 You may be wondering why the 3 rows are facing outwards rather than the traditional "all one direction so you can see them layout". That is how the original antique was and I liked that, so I copied it. I know many of you were working on this quilt, did you do it the way Sally did? Or the more traditional way? I'm curious.



I tried several times to get this section to turn and it won't under my power. 



    This block may be my favorite. 
The quilting on this one was done by my friend Kathy McCarty in Ohio. 
After I dragged it around outside to get decent photographs I washed it. Thankfully I put in color catchers.

If you are interested in this pattern Gay from Sentimental Stitches has reproduced her antique into patterns. She does a very good job of it too. Happy weekend!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Quiltworks First Friday

I wasn't able to make it to First Friday because of icy roads, but got a chance to see the quilt exhibit this past weekend. As usual, it didn't disappoint.
The quilt group Blockin' Robins did a row by row which was so fun to see. They were very creative!








 How darn cute are these VW vans?!
Loved this one too.

 We stayed in Cody, WY on our road trip a year ago, so I liked this one a lot too.

This was a cool collaboration of quilters that I thought was really great. 

If you are in Bend the month of December, be sure to stop by and see these up close and personal.