Focus is Everything!

My husband and I went on an overnight couple's getaway Friday night.  Just as Susie was taking the pic, the ribbon on my camera case flew in front of the lens.  This was a reminder to me of how life is...it all depends on what you're focusing on.  On the way to the retreat and back, I finished hand-sewing down the binding on one of my secret projects.  Pics posted to my secret blog soon.

Recently I've become aware of several heart-breaking situations in families that we are acquainted with...such sadness.  But our focus should be on how rich our lives are in God's love.  We are always "better than we deserve".

Here is the finished center of my snowball quilt.  I think I'd like to do some kind of scrappy outer border.  This is 52-1/2" x 64-1/2".  I think an inner border of gold (maybe just an inch wide finished) and then a pieced border, than another gold border.  The purpose of this snowball quilt was to use up part of my gold scraps as well as get rid of some gold yardage...I have so much gold fabric!!  Must pare it down.

~Joan

{713} More Pepper

Here she (they) is (are) again!  From a few days ago.  Need to get this puppy to a vet for a check up and see what shots she needs.

~Joan

Snowball Quilt Progress

I connected half of the blocks for the snowball quilt earlier this evening.  Then I laid out the other half and webbed them.  If you don't do this (web the blocks), check it out on quiltville.com.  It saves time and aggravation.  In the above picture, I have webbed the left half and then sewn the top six rows together.  I hope to finish the center tomorrow.

Snowball Quilt Center Half Finished

Here is my snowball quilt half finished (just like it says in the title of this post).  I am laying out the other half, but I'm not sure I'll get to sewing it together tonight.  This measures 28-1/2" x 64-1/2".  I plan on putting a few borders on.  This was an attempt to use up my gold scraps.  Mission accomplished!

It's been a strange week.  Tuesday night, we were playing wallyball, and I bounced off the corner of the court, hitting the left side of my head, my elbow, and landing on my bottom, then hitting my head again on the floor.  Not a pretty sight.  I have been recovering ever since.  Very sore...very sleepy...very big headache!

~Joan

Beautiful, Beautiful Brown Eyes...

...I'll never love blue eyes again...   Does anyone else know that ancient song??

She is growing so fast!  I wonder how big she'll get??

I'm Writing A Book...

...but you'll never be able to buy it.

I am writing Emily and Steve a book for their wedding.  It is nothing fancy...just a spiral bound book of blank pages.  

Recently I read a couple of books where a parent has written his child a book of letters.  So I had this *bright* idea that I should do that for Steve and Emily.  Steve has said several times that he wished he knew Emily when she was a little girl.  I am trying to put down on paper some of her antics and escapades...things that have endeared her to us, as well as give Steve a glimpse of what it was like to watch her from infancy until now.

Yesterday I let Emily read my first two entries and asked her if I should keep it up or ditch it now.  She implored me to continue, so I guess it is serving its purpose.  She will be able to read things I thought but never told her.  Isn't that the beauty of a book...being able to "read" the author's mind?  A lot of them will be things that she was too young to remember.  Some will the the circumstances around events that she was unaware of at the time.

I hope it is a meaningful gift for the two of them.  One of my friends who also has a daughter getting married this fall asked me if I was sad that Emily was leaving us.  OF COURSE!  One of my goals is to only express happiness at their rehearsal dinner and wedding.  I.  am.  happy.  But I will also be so very sad to have her leave our house.  I am thrilled for who Steve is and who I see him becoming.  Could not have picked a better husband for her myself (if that were even possible).  But it is bittersweet for me.

~Joan

Binding On and Pepper...Again

I started sewing my binding down by machine.  I found myself with a couple free hours and decided that would be the fastest way to finish this up.  I stitched about 20 inches of it and decided hand sewing is best.  I have nearly one side finished (the top edge in the picture above).

Two of my boys held it up for me.  There isn't a lot of empty space in my kitchen, but I was able to get a fairly decent picture.  I was off to the right a little, so it looks like the quilt is not squared up, but it is.  Trust me!

Took this little sweetie pie for a walk around the block.  Took Isaac, too.  Pepper is becoming more animated and curious...very puppyish.  Sooooo cute.

Everyone is taking such good care of her.  She seems to like her house...what puppy wouldn't like such a well-constructed mini palace?

~Joan