Absolutely Fabulous!

 

A show stopper amaryllis! Our friend, Sally, brought a bulb and a pot for us about 6 weeks ago. 

 

 

 She planted it with TLC and left it with us.....it was a slow start....but look at it now!!!

 

[the one now in the background was a Christmas gift and has just finished a show of it's own!]

 

Thank-you, Sally!

It's snowing today....

 

....but Sunday was beautiful!

 It was our 40th wedding anniversary.  We drove to the town where we had gone for our honeymoon and walked up and down the streets for several hours...more about that once the photos from Mr. P's iPhone are available....

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Meanwhile, out in Oklahoma, a ewe had twin lambs and rejected one.  Our niece, Natalie, who is about to have her own little lamb, had to start mothering a little early!
The lamb is doing well and thinks she is his mother now! We think she is going to be a wonderful mom!

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These I am posting because I love blue and white stripes at times!  If I could just get my photos organized and uploaded in a good way, then I might do a post about that!...

 

 

More stripes later and more anniversary photos, too!

 

 

 

This artwork is by Loretta Marvel of Pomegranates and Paper.  Loretta loves blue and blue stripes too!

 

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Now to curl up on this snowy day with a good book....I picked up The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, at our library just now, ran to the grocery store as the flakes started to fall and then stopped at the rehab center where Mom is to take her some treats! (black cherry yogurt is a favorite with her)

More about stitching....

“To sew is to pray. Men don't understand this. They see the whole but they don't see the stitches. They don't see the speech of the creator in the work of the needle. We mend. We women turn things inside out and set things right. We salvage what we can of human garments and piece the rest into blankets. Sometimes our stitches stutter and slow. Only a woman's eyes can tell. Other times, the tension in the stitches might be too tight because of tears, but only we know what emotion went into the making. Only women can hear the prayer.” ---Louise Erdrich

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Hand sewing or machine sewing, both are centering and sometimes meditative. When things are going well and you aren't having to rip out a lot, sewing can help lower blood pressure!
In spite of what Louise Erdrich says,  I think there are men who understand that too!

 

These photos are of my mother recently stitching.  She loves doing it, and finds it harder with advancing age.....yesterday she had a set back, a stroke brought on by not drinking enough water.....so, remember to "sip as you stitch".....and not on alcoholic beverages!

 

I often wonder why I keep dreaming up more "work" and sewing. 

Well, I think it centers me!  Seeing the projects coming out of my studio gives me some kind of satisfaction! So I agree, sometimes a girl's just gotta sew!*

 

I also know, that making things for my friends and family is one way I stay in touch and the empty nest is less empty....(actually it is  quite "stuffed" with projects in various stages! LOL!)

 

The little graphic above has a heart theme, and relates to making Valentines for friends.....( oh, and don't we love her green chair?...1930's -1950's in feel!)

 

 

After reading about mug rugs on the Internet, you head to the sewing studio...and pull out scraps f fabric and batting! When you cut and collage and quilt, time flies.....even if your back gets stiff.....

And finally, you have created 9 mug rugs...

 

Some have words, of encouragement, quotes, and many have hearts.....but not all...

 

 

Here is a favorite indigo mug on my (yes, I made one for me too!) Japanese inspired mug rug.....and yes, the dust has gotten ahead of me while I was off sewing...ah well!...

 

These little quilts make a great way to enjoy your beverage and snack!
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* While I was sewing these, I got a call from my 13 year old granddaughter as she was using the sewing machine I bought for her and trying to sew some curtains for her bedroom.  She had a struggle, but stuck with it and now they are hanging on her window seat! I am so proud of her!