Welcome back to Melva Loves Scraps and this week's installation of Sew & Tell! I don't have much to share in progress or completion of quilts...
You see, I was knocked flat on my rumpuss with allergies. Not just a day or two... Nooooo. Four days! I had been doing SO well! In fact, I had spent time outside on Saturday AND Sunday planting flower seeds and actually enjoying easy weeding since the ground had been well saturated after several days of rain.
I don't do much gardening, but I planted flower mats I purchased to support my granddaughters and an assortment of old seeds that were kept around at Mom's house. Some were very out of date. 🤷♀️ Sweet peas from 1969! Holly Hocks from 2008! And several others from the 20teens. 🤣
I am counting on a little help from my dad who could make anything grow. 😁
Dave and I trimmed up a tree near the back of the property that had been damaged in November when we had 42 inches of snow. It was so pleasant!
And then... WHAMO! Monday morning, I had burning and watery eyes and nose and my throat felt on fire. An allergy pill helped some... temporarily. On Tuesday it had progressed, and the allergy meds didn't seem to be helping. I was fortunate blessed to be able to snag an appointment that morning for a laser treatment and allergy clearing. Said treatment and other natural remedies did help... It did indeed move on through the various stages but at rapid speed in comparison to what I have experienced for years.
I was out of commission for 2 days and eventually felt well enough to begin adding green hexagons to my RSC project. As I sat and allowed my body to rest and heal, I listened to several audio books. One was the Museum of Lost Quilts. I enjoyed reading it earlier this year and lucky enough to get it on the Libby app just as I began to crash. It was comforting to listen to as I snoozed on occasion as the story played.
I listened to a few other books, but nothing spectacular, in my opinion.
Since I had finished Fractured Emeralds Tuesday morning, I had plenty of time to sit and ponder the significance of that name as well as the beauty of how each scrap worked with the others to "shine". I recalled lots of happy memories as I looked at the scraps... I recalled the stuffed Christmas trees Grandma T made for each of her kids and grandkids. I remembered the excitement I felt as I announced and kicked off the Pieces From the Past sew along as I looked at some of the depression era reproduction fabrics... and the civil war reproduction fabrics I used in my Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail sew along...
My friend Connie who had cleared out her Mom's fabric stash and gave it all to me... Heather as I giggled about the monkey fabric she had selected for me to make her some scrubs as she started her career in the hospital lab. And my brother's wife who passed away last summer as the binding fabric came from strips of fabric she would use to crochet assorted baskets and such with.
I was reminded that with each memory, life is not always roses and rainbows. There have been losses and fractured relationships. And then... I remembered Anne of Green Gables and her flair for drama... "This is the most tragical thing that has ever happened to me!" **back of hand on forehead with your head tipped back as it is said** If Anne could recover time and time again... so could I! So SHOULD I!
I reminded myself that it is often in the times spent in the valley that we notice, as we look back, the most growth. It doesn't mean it is easy, but it IS possible. For, with God, ALL things are possible. We must endure the thorns and the rainstorms... and we don't have to do it alone.
I've pulled up my big-girl pants and am moving forward... in just a bit ;)
I saw a thing about Mother's Day and how to avoid having a "bad" one. It said to tell your children or spouse exactly what you want when they ask you... Ok... thing is, I don't get asked. That's the reason I decided to give myself a gift, exactly what I wanted... and a tradition that I'll continue, thank you very much. I do appreciate the kind thoughts and comments recently. My pity party is truly over. 😁 NOW, I will move forward.
This week's party attendance was down. :( I could speculate about why, but I don't have the energy or desire to do so...
This week's feature is Donna Lee Q. She shared some great bargains from JoAnn Fabric as they approach the end of the going out of business sales, including this storage unit. Head over to her blog to see what else she found!
The closest JoAnn Store is 80 miles... if I lived closer, I would certainly be making frequent visits. ;)
Have you taken advantage of any of liquidation sales?
Leave a comment telling me what you picked up! I'd love to hear from you.
Keep Piecing,
Melva
Linking with:
Oh Scrap! at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework
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So sorry you have been so bothered by the allergies! I think it's a bad year for that everywhere. We have had gobs of yellow pine pollen all over the place up here. Your Fractured Emerald quilt is gorgeous! I love all that green - and the memories you have from those scraps, too. And the pops of pink in the binding are pretty, too. I don't see the link-up button yet, but will put my post in as soon as it's there. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteWe have a nearby Joann. I'm going to miss it. I stocked up on lightweight fusible interfacing--30 yards, that I use for t-shirt quilts and to make frankenbatting. We do have Hobby Lobby, too, so we aren't without resources here!
ReplyDeleteAllergies are no fun! I’m glad you’re feeling better! I so love hollyhocks! I planted some seeds as well! Your hexagon project is really coming along! God is certainly good to get us through “tragical things”!
ReplyDeleteYour words about the valley are healing. You’re so right – I’ve had much growth in the last year. I am so glad you bought yourself those drawers. How do you like them? These seem nice to store organized scraps?
You know, I also buy myself a Mother’s Day gift every year, and a birthday and Christmas gift as well. 😊
Another avid audiobook listener via Libby, here. I just started Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks, this morning. It's a memoir with the focus of giving yourself the time and space to grieve. Seems very apropos as I read your post and facing different struggles with friends and family myself. I, too, turn to Anne of Green Gables and chuckle if my agony gets extreme, thinking of her "depths of despair.
ReplyDeleteYour hexie project is coming along nicely.
Too bad about the allergies, I remember the misery I used to experience in south Texas. For some reason, after we moved to Oklahoma, they went away. Then when we moved back to south Texas, they no longer bothered me and haven't in any of the places we've moved in the last 15 years. Weird!
ReplyDeleteI so love your Fractured Emeralds, it's just beautiful to look at and even more so with your memories. What did you buy yourself?
I did buy some pretty fabric for the back of Grandson's wedding quilt. I got six yards at about $5/yard at a Joann's, so I felt lucky but sad. I love Joann's and will miss it.
I actually sighed when I saw your colorful hexies! Gorgeous use of color, then emeralds... I just love it Melva. Especially the binding. Our allergies are thru the roof right now. My eyes are grainy, and head throbs. DH has that dry constant cough he gets every year so there is something wicked pollenating right now. We planted wildflower seed and lettuce in pots yesterday then got mighty hail and rain. It beat up the trees so maybe knocked some pollen off. LeeAnna
ReplyDeleteSorry the allergies hit you so hard, but nice that you are recuperating and moving forward;) I checked out our JoAnns 2 weeks ago when I got back and their calico wall had dwindled to about 50 bolts left and was only 50% off. I only got a few yards. I went back yesterday and got a piece of the foam they have in their interfacing area, 2 yards of black felt and a couple of pillow forms. Hardly anything left in the fabric dept. They still had yarn and some crafts left.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeleteCame for the hexies . . . stayed for the Fractured Emeralds quilt ... that's a WOWzer!! (I still love hexies; I'd have stayed for those, too!)
ReplyDeleteMelva I’m sorry to hear your allergies got you down but glad to hear you recovered faster than normal. Your hexies are sure a fun project and I enjoyed your sharing some of the memories from your fabric bits. Thank you for hosting us 🤗 Carol
ReplyDeleteHi Melva, your Fractured green quilt is lovely. For those of us who love fabric, each of these scraps mean something to us. Thanks so much for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks and for your linking party. I'm hoping that life will be mostly back to normal now health wise and that I can start playing with fabric again :-)
ReplyDeleteSorry you have had such a problem with allergies. They've really been bad this year. That is the first I've heard of using a laser for allergy treatment! Interesting. I hope your found flower seeds grow and create beautiful flora for you! Love your Fractured Emeralds quilt and the hexies! Thanks for joining us at Monday Musings and for hosting Sew & Tell! I finally have a completed quilt to show!
ReplyDelete