Uncommon Grace

Quilting Bee ~ February

Here's my submission for the Virtual Quilting Bee for February.

the flowers are buttons. the "pasture" is corduroy, with a Superbuzzy lamb frolicking in it. the field on the lower left is a lovely organic colorgrown cotton fleece that had the perfect texture to match with Jennifer's chenille on the right. I added wool yarn to be the vegetables growing in it and felted them a little bit with hot steam from my iron. they should felt up even better when Jennifer washes the quilt.

I had the idea for the farm as soon as Jennifer shared the picture of the fabric she was sending. The chenille just seemed like a field of wheat to me. So I'd already sketched it before I even received Jennifer's fabric in the mail. And I pieced it and appliqued the tree and the clouds several weeks ago.

some little farm people that are fussy cut and pieced into the quilt. the fabric is from Superbuzzy, and it's supposed to be the fairy tale "The Golden Goose", but I thought they looked like the most adorable little farm children with their pig running along behind them!

And then it just sat. I worked on knotting the yarn into the lower left field here and there. But for some reason, it was adding the windows and the door to the house that really held me back on this. I just don't know why, but I couldn't get motivated to add them. Isn't that silly? I think I was just tired of looking at it -- the things that didn't turn out the way I'd hoped (perfectionist me, of course). But, actually, the end result is making me pretty happy.

wool felt appliqued tree trunk -- the clouds, windows, and door are also wool felt, which I've discovered washes just fine as it's already felted

Anyway, Jennifer, I hope you like it. I had so much fun making it, and thinking about what Katie and Tristan might think of it.

A Guest Blogger!

Thank you all so, so much for your fantastic birthday wishes over the last few days! They have really been a special part of this year's celebration! And now, I'd like to introduce today's special guest blogger...

Hi, this is Elisabeth. These are green butterflies and I made them out of long pine needles and string. And I got the pine needles on our dog's walk.

I also found the pinecones on my dog's walk. I thought that a shop would be a good idea. It would have these butterflies, or a kit to make them.

I took all these pictures with my mama's camera. I found this broken-tipped pencil and a tape measure. I set them up on a piece of paper. It was blank. I thought it would look sort of like my mama was making a homemade pattern. I also think fabric buttons are cool.

One more thing. 10 and 10 are 20, and three 10's are 30. That's how old my mama is.

Bye till my shop is made. ~Elisabeth.

Edited to add: I am not really setting up an Etsy shop for her, but I thought it was so cute that she was thinking about it over the last couple of days.

30

Today is my big birthday. 30!

gifts from nature via my girl

embroidery by Elisabeth -- a very tiny tulip, because they're my favorite

dusk on the eve of my birthday

THIRTY roses from my husband

My big day, and my husband and I both feel pretty yucky. He's much sicker; he came home from work this morning after about 40 minutes. We've been lying low. Birthday plans for tonight have been postponed until tomorrow, in hopes that we'll both be feeling better.

But, I had to post at least a little something today. And do I ever have a little something to show! I'm left a little speechless by this, but I received a collaborative gift in the mail today from Alicia, Emily, Erin, and Sarah. These women are talented and generous and simply awe-inspiring. I am stunned by what they sent.

It's a book. A book that Sarah made, and hinted about here. (I can't believe that was for me!)

photograph and quote shared by Emily

Each of them shared a little something with me. I am touched and amazed and ... well, I can't think what to say. A little teary. This is what I was talking about with regard to blog friends!

watercolor and ink by Alicia (isn't her handwriting beautiful?)

photograph and watercolor & ink by Alicia

30 things that Erin loves about me?!

"thirty plus one to grow on" by emily

photographs by Sarah

I wanted to share more photos of the pages of the book, but my photos of their photos weren't turning out as well as I'd like.

Anyway, despite feeling somewhat yucky, this has been such a sweet, sweet day. Such a way to welcome my thirties! Thank you all!

52 weeks ~ 3

I forgot to do it last week, I know. But here we are this week, with two.

I really do need a tripod. That would help a lot with this project. My arms are only so long. ;)

We're now officially entering my birthday weekend. Celebrating will begin tonight and continue all the way through Monday. Yay!

And thank you all so much for your many sweet comments on my last post. It has me thinking about so many things. I hope to talk more about those thoughts late next week.

on blogging

This post is going to run the risk of getting all sentimental (and there is a glass of wine at my right hand as I type this), but I am just so touched and honored and excited about the very real connections I've made over the last year and a bit with some of you amazing bloggers.

When I was a girl, I had a lot of pen pals. In France, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, and several US states. Most of them were with other children (and later teens) that I never met in person. But we learned and shared so much through those letters. It was such a meaningful experience for me -- so much so, that I still have all the letters in a box at my parents'.

Fast forward 15 years, to blogging. Today was a super hard day for me. The house hunting is not going well. It seems that everything we can afford is just ... well, not really appropriate for a family. When it says "perfect for students" in the ad, that's a bad sign. Or when you step into a house and you're pretty sure there's dried vomit on the wall. We looked at five houses today, and not one of them was anywhere I'd feel comfortable with my children running around in. Indoors or out. But my day was sweetened so, so very much by a silly (in the best of ways) back-and-forth exchange with Kirsten about Pride and Prejudice. It was nice, after looking for hours at the same house listed over and over again on all the different websites, to pop into my email and have something to laugh about. So, thank you, Kirsten.

And then there was the sweet package, in more than one way, sent by Emily last week for Valentine's Day. My children were over the moon about the little packets of goodies just for them. And she sent the marshmallows (above), which were so light and fluffy and pillowy and sweet and just everything a marshmallow should be. And then, she sent these beautiful goccoed cards. I tucked one into my husband's bag before he left town on Friday, and he was not only glad to have a note from me while he was away (I admit that I do this every time he goes out of town, though), but he was also amazed by the card. He knows what's good. And I was blown away by Emily's generosity and sweetness and just the amazing goodness of having met her.

There is the criticism about blogging -- saying that when we spend time building relationships with "computer friends" and living in "virtual worlds", we're not building relationships with people in our real lives, or living in our own real worlds. I understand this point. I really do. But I have to say that blogging, for me, has been a way to motivate myself in my actual life (would I have anything great to share here if I weren't really doing it?), and honestly, we are living in a world that is becoming more and more technolically-driven. Whether we like it or not, "community" is coming to be defined in different ways. So, no, I don't know Emily and Kirsten "in the flesh." But these were real connections, that I really needed in that exact moment, I'll add. Blogging friends are real friends.

So, thank you wonderful blogging friends. For your lovely comments that make me smile or pick me up when I'm having a down day. For all of your inspiring blogs, and the commitment that it takes to keep them up. I would just love to share a cup of hot chocolate with one of Emily's marshmallows in it with you right now. Except they're all eaten up. ;)

from the weekend

Just a few photos from the weekend to share on this Monday.

Special treat: a trip to a 50's diner in the middle of a very long weekend without Daddy.

My girl. In my favorite dress on her. Wishing her face were more in focus, but it was pretty dark out when I took it. Wondering how I got so lucky to be the mama of this amazing child.

Other bits from my thoughts tonight:

~We've been doing some packing and lots and lots of looking at houses, so that's been occupying much of our time and energies. Looking for a rental can be kind of depressing, especially when you want to live here, which is of course not an option as it's some thousands of miles from here.

~In seven days I will be 30 years old! My husband, who turned 40 in December, thinks it's the teeniest bit amusing that I'm getting all excited about this. But I am. :)

~We had a pretty fantastic sunset tonight. I'll leave you with some photos of that.

Sweet

Did you have a sweet Valentine's Day? We did. In a literal and figurative sense.

The wee ones awoke to valentines and gifts at their places at the table. I got the idea for the valentines from The Purl Bee. (And can I just add how much I love The Purl Bee? They're brilliant, I tell you.) I love the way these look, and I love the fabrics here. Perfect for these, if I do say so myself.

Then we spent most of the day with my mom, having lunch and super-fancy pastries at a little old-fashioned Swiss restaurant, then off to an indoor play area (I don't love those, but my little ones seem to...) for the kids to run and jump and play. (We did end up with several inches of snow yesterday and a high in the low 20's.)

We headed home, and I had cello lessons to teach right away. Then some dinner (Mexican food and margaritas) when Daddy got home, and off to bed.

Very sweet indeed. 

A little taste of spring

Today (and yes, it's still today ... it's "only" 11pm as I type this!) we enjoyed a lovely little respite from the cold days of winter. It was 65 and sunny (tomorrow we're expecting a high of 25 and several inches of snow, though).

My children spent hours playing outdoors, while I finished piecing Jennifer's block for the Bee.

Ah, spring. I could get used to you.

Beginnings

I've been in a bit of a blogging funk lately (could you tell?). Just feeling like ideas are a bit thin, not much to say. I thought about taking a break for a little while, but I think I'll try to stick it out and get over the hump. There will be things to post soon. (Did I mention that my 30th birthday is in less than two weeks now -- 13 days, to be precise?)

So what has been going on around here? A lot of beginnings. Birthday ideas (my children's birthdays follow along right after mine) are in the beginning stages. The Tilted Duster has been cast on and is slowly, slowly coming. We're looking for a house ... we rent here, and we're looking for another rental, so it won't be our dream house, but I'm hoping we'll find something with more space indoors and out.

Work on my first foundation-pieced quilt block, for the Virtual Quilting Bee. Our items Mini-swap 3 are being planned with glee. Four dolls are in various states. Another little knitting project needs to be cast off and finished. A little boy, 23 months old today, is needing a bit more mama time (especially at night) lately. Enjoying the little taste of spring that comes around Valentine's Day most years in our part of the world.

So, in all, it's a very productive time, even though I feel that my blogging voice is a bit hoarse. I am making a little posting goal to myself to share a little something, even if it's a random photo, these next few weeks as I focus on all of the things we've begun here.

{The photos in this post are from my west-facing studio window, where I've been spending a bit more time in these days of quiet productivity.}

52 weeks ~ 2

::for 52 weeks, my kids and me::

We have had a weird, long week. It hasn't been bad, but just somehow out of balance. Baby sleep troubles, thinking about moving (to a bigger house, not a different locale ... sorry dear friends!), a couple of headaches for the mama (I so rarely get them that it's been pretty odd), and very few ideas about posting here. And a lot of projects begun, but none completed. So.

Today seems a bit better. Elisabeth and I started reading Little Town on the Prairie today. We'd read all the Little House books through The Long Winter last year, and then took a little pause (mostly because we didn't have the others). We haven't been able to put it down! This has to be my favorite of the books. I love the evocative way that she describes the simple pleasures in keeping a home so well, and the satisfaction of taking comfort in home and family after a day of real work. It has nearly brought me to tears a few times today. (Well, it's been that kind of week.) More than once, I wanted to jump up and rush in here to exclaim to you all, "You have to read this now, friends!" And my real-life friends will chuckle when they read that it has me thinking about a housecleaning kick. ;)

Anyway, I want to leave you (and me) to look forward to the weekend (and the upcoming spring, which is not really so far away afterall) with some words from the book:

"Beyond the open door and window the prairie was dusky but the sky was still pale, with the first stars beginning to quiver in it. The wind went by, and in the house the air stirred, pleasantly warmed by the cookstove and scented with prairie freshness and food and tea and a cleanness of soap and a faint lingering smell of the new boards that made up the new bedrooms.

"In all that satisfaction, perhaps the best part was knowing that tomorrow would be like today, the same and yet a little different from all the other days, as this one had been."

Tracks in the Snow

I meant to post yesterday. But after awakening from a night filled with bad dreams (unusual for me) with a screaming headache (even more unusual), I ended up with a "nothing is going to happen today" sort of day.

We did get out of the house to make tracks in the falling snow for a while in the afternoon, though, and that really helped to turn the day around. I love James's little tracks, especially.

A fire in the fireplace, some hot chocolate, an early bedtime for Mama, and things were good again.

Just Us

I accepted an invitation several weeks ago to join the Flickr group 52 weeks, my kid(s) and me, and have never posted to it. (I have a gnawing feeling that there are a lot of things that I said that I would do or joined -- or something -- that I haven't done. Only I can't think of what they are.)

Anyway, I finally decided that I would start it this week, especially with today being February 1, and the time for me to decompress after the holidays has probably passed. So new projects it is. 52 weeks of self-portraits of me and my wee ones (I think Fridays sound pretty good), and the Virtual Quilting Bee begins this month, too. (And I'd just like to say that I am so flattered to have been asked to join this group. The other ladies in this group are so very talented. It's going to be fantastic.) And "birthday season" at our house is now rolling into gear (mine at the end of this month, James's in March, and Elisabeth's in April), so there will be work on projects for those, and Easter falls into that mix, as well. And, I have another very special something in the works, so stay tuned...

Anyway, Hello, February! Hello New Projects! Goodbye Christmas of 2007! (You were great, and I learned a lot from you, and now you are passed. Thank goodness.)