JemJam

Thanksgiving 2012

We are hours away from catching up with aunts, uncles, cousins, and their children.  

We are ready to eat appetizers, main course today, and dessert tomorrow.  

We are ready to drink good wine and take a hayride through the park.  

We are ready to celebrate each others existence.  

I'm ready for my quilt retreat that starts tomorrow!

We just want to be happy today and we are.  

Maybe we don't talk about those who are without loved ones today, but, we are thinking of you, too!  

We will be happy today as we don't have a lot of time to do otherwise.

 

Thanksgiving at home, 2011

 

 

Lesson Learned

In a few days, it will be 9 years ago that my cousin, Kennedy, died from meningitis. For some reason, turning on this album sparked memories of us losing him. I was in a good mood, why did I want to listen to this somber album while in the shower? Then, it hit me.

A few years ago, I told Robin about Kennedy's story and I was still a little weepy about it, I may be inaccurately stating her reaction but she seemed a little taken aback by my emotions. She said, "Find the lesson in it" and move forward. (This may all come across as harsh, but it's hard to find better words to describe our conversation, it was really good.

I thought and thought and thought some more about the lesson, I didn't know what it was. I thought about my Aunt Nancy and how awful she must have felt, hell, still does! She's a good person, why was her son taken? I thought about my cousin, Rosheeda, why did her brother/only sibling die while she was 5 months pregnant? Why did my sister have to bury her best friend?

Oh!

They are showing us that we can live through this. So can you.

Bella

I finished my Bella quilt, a local woman, Wendy quilted it for me and I love it! 

mmm, crosshatch... 

I attached the binding by machine, it can be a bit fussy, it takes a lot of practice!  I have not clocked that many hours on the skill, but, I am will keep trying.  I still like hand stitching bindings, but, sometimes, a girl has to move on to new, possibly, unfinished projects.

I do not always want a quilt with visible stitches, but, sometimes, it's fine.

 

 

I am tickled pink to share this---

my first needle-turn applique project!

I am done with this Merry Merry Snowman quilt top!  I did needle-turn appliqué on all 9 blocks--it is easily over 100 hours of work, hell, at least 150 hours.  I still cannot believe that I'm done with this part!  I sent this away for quilting, Wendy will do some custom quilting, I'm excited to get it back.  I'll talk more about this when I finish it.

 

If you are interested in reading a little about me and quilting(I know you are), I did an interview with Amanda for our guild--OKC Modern Quilt Guild, you can read it on that blog.  I welcome your comments.

 

This week, I'm headed to a nearby city's quilt guild to do 2 presentations on modern quilting with a fellow guild member.  I'm anxious today as we finish preparing our material, I might be crazy.  

 

I went to International Quilt Market in Houston a week ago, look for some posts soon!

 

I am linking to OKCMQG's "Flaunt Your Finish" feature, which I plan to do often, maybe you will, too?