Emma and the Sad Willow Tree

Before you play this video you need to turn off the music at the bottom of the page. I hope you enjoy it. I did.

Springtime

Growing up in Utah I loved a song that went something like this...
"When it's springtime in the Rockies..."
That’s all I remember of it. My dad used to sing it when I was very young. It is a love song. It had something about I'll be coming home to you, in it.

Well...

When it’s springtime in Oklahoma...
We get tornadoes and severe Thunder storms.
Luckily we have never been hit by one and the closest one, to do major damage close to us, was May 3rd 1999. It came about 3 miles from us. And it was scary.

Well we had severe Thunder Storms last night and it was the second time this week. I was outside when the Dry line was passing over and took these pictures.
We have had close to a month of rain. It seems like every time we get a bright sunny day it turns into a night of twisters. The hot humid air does not like the cool night air.
That’s what we get for living in “Oklahoma where the wind comes whipping down the plains.”.

But if we didn't have all that rain, we wouldn't have these beautiful flowers.

Purple salvia

Mock Orange. My favorite.

I got cuttings from my Mother's bush in Missouri a few years ago and I haven't killed it yet. I think it is going to live. It has the most incredible smell. I can't wait for it to be big enough to bring cuttings into the house. I just love the fragrance.

Monochromatic Color Challenge Swap

I actually got this wonderful little quilt-let about a month ago but have been very busy, (my life is about to get even busier) But I must say how wonderful it is. It came all the way from Trisha in Seattle Washington at http://www.tlcstitches.blogspot.com/. She said it represents her spring time which is rainy. I love yellow and red so it is perfect. A big Thank You.

Cowboy Ike

Creative

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Sassy Flirty Apron Swap

Here is the Apron I made for the Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice Sassy Flirty Apron Swap. It is made form vintage fabric from the 50's. It is 100% cotton and Was very fun to make.

New quilt for Four Season Quilt Swap 5

The rules were you had to use one color family and you could use black white or grey and one accent color. My partner wanted orange or red. Well I thought orange was easier, a greater range of color. I used blak and greenas my accent. She also wanted it to be an autumn quilt. Well this was right up my ally and I loved doing it. It went together so fast and easy, just one afternoon and evening and it was done. I am going to have to make me one now because I love it so much.

A close up of the quilting. As you can tell they are autumn leaves.

Joy to Everyone

You need to check out this video presentation. It only takes a few minutes but it well worth it.

Josephine Benifite Auction

This is my niece Josephine. She was born on October 22. Shortly after she was born she was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, or Edward's Syndrome.

She will not live long-trisomy 18 is genetic disorder where there is extra material from the

18th chromosome (like extra material from the 21st chromosome causes down syndrome.) About 95% die in utero. Of liveborn infants, only 50% live to 2 months,

and only 5-10% will survive their first year of life.Josephine has had many blue spells. Because of her condition she will stop breathing.

It seems that anytime her little body is under stress she has difficulty breathing. My brother asked me to make her a burial dress after the first episode.

This was a wonderful experience. I felt so honored to be apart of Josephine’s life,

to sew a dress that instead of being her christening gown would be her burial gown.

(You just can’t find dresses that small. I had to sew a doll pattern.)

Josephine is going strong on 1 month!

My Sister Lucy and niece Angelic are hosting an online benefit to help pay

for medical expenses. Any bids/donations would be great! Check it out here. The auction will start November 26th and last one week.

Check out Josephine's story and her amazing family here.

Hot Drinks for Hot Mommas

Here is the apron I made for the Hot Drinks' for Hot Mommas Apron swap. The pattern is called "The Sassy Apron" designed by Lucy Byrd.

It is a 2 sided apron for when you are working hard in the house and the door bell rings. You can just whip off your dirty apron and turn it over and you have on a nice clean apron for company. (That is unless you’ve already turned it over once.)

Here is a close up of the fabrics I used. The theme was hot drinks. So I have cocoa cups and mugs on one side, and the other side is dots that can be the foam on top. Then the ruffle looks like the steam rising warmly off it.

Of course I couldn't send it off without 2 of my favorite cocoas, raspberry and amaretto, and a hand made cocoa mug.

The Family

I just want everyone to know where I stand on this issue. I don't live in California but I do support the idea of the Traditional Family. It is very important to me. Everyone has the right of choice, as long as it doesn't hurt someone else. I would vote Yes to protect the sanctity of Marriage.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World
We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Round Robin Quilt

Round 3

Spring Fling Round Robin. Just a littl peek so you can really wonder. I wonder what it looks like, I wonder how it will be finished. and I wonder who it will go to.

Ike

Just when I thought this little boy couldn’t get any cuter he went and got glasses. His mom took him and his sister with her to the eye doctors and they all had their eyes examined. Well Zoë will need glasses in the future but Ike’s were off the chart bad.

This is what his dad said about it…

”We just discovered that Ike is blind as a bat. The eye doctor kept saying, "whoa" every time he made an adjustment. He made a point to let us know that Isaac has more than your average bad eyesight. He's unique. “

He may have gone from future athlete to future Chess Champion but I think he is adorable.

And I miss him much.

Ikie Grammy Loves You!

A Few Fun Things

I realized that I have been far to busy to do much blogging lately.
So I’ll show you a few fun things I have been doing.

First off here is the apron I made for the Fall round of the

Sassy Apron Swap.

The rules were:
1- A full apron for good coverage for all that holiday baking.
2- Include a hot pad to use in all that holiday baking.
3- A pie recipe to be used in holiday baking

Well as you can see I did homage to the pie.

You can check out all the taste pie recipes I included at my food blog.

After the last round in the Four Season Quilt swap I was feeling a little bad because I was enjoying the challenge and the exchange with other great quilters plus the quilts were small and doable. I was really going to miss the swapping but thanks to Margaret, I found out about her Spring Fling Round Robin quilt exchange.

Again the rules were simple. You made an 8 inch finished block according to the final recipients’ preferences. Here is a sneak peek of the one I did.

Sorry that is all I can show you for now.

I sent off my little block then waited to see what would come in the mail. Well here is the send round. I received an 8 inch block and had to add boarders to bring it out to 13 inch block. Again you just get a sneak peak. (I’ll have to post the final blocks when the swap is over)

I am finding that this is quite a challenge to work off of someone else’s idea, make it your own and still leave it possible for someone else to add onto it also.

Last of all. Last Saturday my husband and I went to the Walnut Valley Guitar Festival. Man was it great. National music competitions etc.

I just wanted to show off what I picked up at one of the craft booths. All I can say is that I wished I had a pair of knitting needles the rest of the day. Noting better then listening to great music and knitting. OH yeah we did snarf a funnel cake with powdered sugar. I guess I did blow the diet for that day.

Summer Quilt

I received this great quilt from Gwen. It is the last of the Four Season Quilts. I am sad to see the swap come to a close. It has been a fun thing to be a part of. I have gotten 4 wonderful quilts and I feel that I now have a little piece of the world. This quilt has come to me all the way from Germany. Gwen said she picked the fabric up while on a trip to her home country of Brittany in France. She said the fabric it typical Breton fabric. Well all I can say is that I LOVE IT!!!
Gwen has fussy cut little pictures bordered them with blue and yellow. Then she cut them askew and sashed them with red. Look at the detail on the mitterd boarder. Such attention to detail. Great work!

Yellow and Blue is one of my favorite color combinations. My kitchen is yellow and I have many blue things to go in it. This will look great in it.

All these great sea scapes.

This woman just looks sad to me. I wonder if she is missing her homeland. I can tell you I am sure enjoying a little bit of Brittany via Germany.

Catch Up Swaps

Sorry Sorry Sorry!

I have been really busy this summer. And here is a big reason.

This is Isaac Oscar Petersen (Ike)

And this is Zoë Ingrid Petersen

They are two of my wonderful Grandchildren

that I only get to see about once a year

so I spent a lot of time with them the past 2 weeks.

Well I need to do catch up on the swaps I have been involved with.

Sassy Apron Swap

Here is the Lovley Brandy modeling my summer Sassy Apron . It came all the way from Astralia.
Here is a close up of the details. I just love it. Very cute and I am going to have to gaurd it well from my daughter-in law aka the lovely Brandy

Srcap Fabric Swap

Package #1 came from M. Rivas in Atlanta GA.

This is a close up of one of my favorites.

Pacxkage #2 came from J. Tacy from Weare NH

A close up of one of the treasures.

It was really fun to get these fabrics. I love fabrics! With several of my daughters at home the last 2 weeks I had to really guard them well.
My mind keeps thinking of tots and little clutches and other girly things to make with these wounderful pieces. May be an accent on an Apron or 2.

Thank you all for Playing so nicely with me and being patient while I played with my Grandchildren.

Memorial Day

My Father passed away January 25th of this year.
Today I went, with my Mother and sister Lucy's family,
to the little cemetery where he was buried.

My nieces and I had gathered flowers from around Mom's home.

We made 2 lovely, mostly wild flower, bouquets.

We placed one on Dad's grave and the

other one my Brother-in-Law's Mother's grave.

It was a good day for remembering.
We had a lovely visit.

Summer's Here

Summer's here
I'm for that
Got my rubber sandals,
Got my Straw Hat.
It's my favorite time of the year
and I'm glad that it's here.


Just a little song by James Taylor that has been going through my head that last few days.
Well here is my summer SASSY APRON for someone special. But I won't say who.

My sister told me that this was an apron that my Mother's Mother would always make for the Church bazaars when my mother was frowing up. Well I am alwasy up for a chaneges when it comes to sewing so I came up with a pattern using my quilting tools. It was time consuming and I know of alot of ways to make it faster now that I have finished it. But that is for next time.

Clsoe up of the waist band. The one rule for summer was that you must..."The apron has to have some sort of embellishment this time like Ric-rack, fancy trims, decorative stitching, BUT must be washable so NO GLUE.) " Well I used NO GLUE!!! I sewed every thing.

Here is the close up of the hem detail.

I did end up making it revesable. I was just going to line it but if you go to the work of linning it you might as well make it pretty and sassy on both sides.