Quilt Top: The Whole Process!

This past Christmas I wanted to give Josie something for her truseau. She chose fabric for a quilt. This included a book with detailed instructions. I have been working on it off and on since the first of the year. I have made quilt tops before, but always from scraps. Nearly always they have been squares or rectangles. This was a fun challenge for me. Here is a little travel log of the whole process.

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What can you do with four pieces of fabric?

Pair them up...

Cut them into shapes...


Sew the shapes together...


(At this point, I felt like I knew how many a g'zillion really is.)

Place small blocks into a six and half inch stack, and sew together.

One completed block.

4 colors, 16 pieces per block, 80 blocks, 1280 pieces, two borders.

ONE QUILT.

Laying on Josie's bed.

Spread out over the clothes rack and couch.

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This is not just a pretty quilt. It is a work of love from a mother to a daughter. I love the end results. In order to give credit where credit is due, I really have to thank Eleanor Burns for creating this pattern "Gadabout" in her book, "Still Stripping after 25 years". (Yes, I got a kick out of the title). And of course, Josie for picking out such great colors to work with. With a few moments of blood, sweat and tears, we made it through. I am not even going to think of the quilting process. For now I will just enjoy the accomplishment.

Canine Before and After

This is a photo of our dog, Durango. He is fluffy, white, and absolutely adorable. He is a Maltese. His hair grows like humans, so occasionally he needs a hair cut. We usually get him trimmed in a puppy cut, which is shorter than in this photo, but still fluffy and cute.

This is Durango, the hairless wonder.

The Dalmation wanna be.

The straight haired poodle.

Okay. It'll grow so I know I shouldn't be too shocked, but he looks so funny and well, weird. Where did my doggy go?

I am most sad because I miss his cute little mustache, beard and side burns.

He looks anorexic. Poor thing. He is just happy to get to wear clothes like the rest of the fam.

Okay, his ears still perk up when he sees us, so I guess we will make it through these tough times. sniff!

Before and After

Over Spring Break, we repainted Jackson's Bedroom.

BEFORE:

When he was young, Jackson LOVED dinosaurs. One Christmas I made him this Dinosaur bedspread in bright, fun colors. (dog was not included at the time...)

To match we painted his walls in crayon colors and splattered the lower half. Now that he is sixteen, it seemed a little juvenile. We planned last summer to paint over the splatters, but never got around to it.

Jackson ROCKS!!

He was really excited to repaint. He cleaned and cleaned in his room. He move the furniture to the center of the room by himself, before we were ready.

It's true, he is my stud muffin! Jackson wanted Sky View colors... Blue and Yellow.
I stopped at the paint store one day and got some paint options to choose from that matched his new bedspread. We spent an afternoon narrowing it down.

The final choice was this beautiful yellow color. I painted the edges and the trim. Jackson did all the rolling. (That included 3 coats of primer to cover the splatters.) He really worked hard to get the new look.

The most fun is always pulling the tape off when the painting is done.

MEGA TAPE BALL!!! (eyebrows included at no charge...)

AFTER:

The finished project, view #1.

Hanging out with Durango after the work.

View #2.

We worked hard for 3 days. 2 for paint and one to put the room back together.

Afterwards... sheer exhaustion!!

... and complete satisfaction!

WE LOVE IT!!

... and baby makes three!

My sister, Betty, played host to a great baby shower. Theme: "Under Construction"

We made a scrapbook for baby Samuel, with lots of advice and thoughts for the parents.

(We are so full of it.... we had to share ;D)

Dan and Deb Warner with only 5 weeks to go until the baby is due!

Cassidy holding one week old Wyatt Godfrey,

Betty, Mom (Jean), Josie, Deb, Ann and Traci (Wyatt's mommy)

Dave and Terri (soon to be grandparents) couldn't make it all the way from Maryland, so they sent a beautiful bouquet of flowers for Deb. It was a great surprise.

Shane Turns 23!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHANE!!Bonding with his family. Top to bottom...

Josie, Shane, Durango and Jackson.

Shane is our St. Patrick's Day boy. His birthday is always sprinkled with lots of good luck and green, green, green! Ruby, Shane and Jackson.

Jackson's 16th Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKSON!

Jackson hung out with his friends Josh, Noe, and Brendan. They got Charlie's icecream and went to the movie "Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief"


"SWEET SIXTEEN AND NEVER BEEN KISSED"
Josie and Ruby Attack!!

Hanging with the BIG boys now!

Tony, Jackson and Shane.

Jackson was ordained a priest. His grandparents came to support, except for Ruby's dad who was having heart problems at the time. Back: Paul Douglass, Jackson, Ruby

Front: Jean Douglass, Jean Warner, Josie

Megan and Brexton

One Saturday in January I got off work early. I went to see Megan.

She was the teacher I worked with last year.

That is, until she had her cute little boy Brexton.

Now she gets to play with Brexton all day. (Instead of me)

I am so glad they get to be together even though I miss Megan terribly.

"Who da crap is that behind the camera?"

Gotta love those bottom two teeth!

Ruby and her new boyfriend.
Let me tell you, that spike on top of the head... it can really tickle a girl's nose!
(the little flirt!)

Brexton obviously loves to play with Daddy.

Bart is equally as wonderful as Megan.

After All These Years

At Bruce's Funeral

This group of guys were such good friends, and good people.

The only one missing here is Bruce.

Gary, Paul, Lee and Mike.

Just over a year ago, when Bruce's father died, he and I talked about getting our church group together. Most of us had been in the same church group our entire lives. That is, until graduation from high school. We were just a bunch of good kids that got along together. Bruce's funeral was the first time in 27 years we had all seen one another.

Be Still My Soul

Today is Monday. Last Saturday I found out that Bruce Jasper, childhood friend and neighbor passed away. The news had a strange effect on me. Others my age have died, yet never one so close to my personal life until now.

Saturday found me moping around, reflective and sad. However, when the alarm went off Sunday morning, the song coming across the waves was the most amazing arrangement of "Be Still My Soul" I have ever heard. It is one of my favorites. The beginning of the hymn is just one male voice, a capella, then others join in one or two at a time until there is over lapping harmony. Wow! I felt so calmed by the words and music that I was able to go to church and enjoy the spirit there.

During the Sacrament, I read and re-read the hymn. I have decided to post it as a reminder to myself and others that our Lord is truly there for us. He did not put us here to fail, or to go through trials alone. Life is hard, but we were meant to succeed in all we are given.

Hymn 124: Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul: The Lord is on they side;
With patience bear thy cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev'ry change he faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: Thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as he has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: The waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while he dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: When change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Bruce's passing made me face the reality that life is short. Sons, daughters, and friends don't always live to be old. However, it has also given me an opportunity to reflect on the testimony I have of our Father in Heaven, and his son, Jesus Christ. The blessings of the Holy Ghost as the comforter are wonderful. I am so grateful to know of this kindness bestowed upon me while I stumble through this mortal exsistence.