Pieces of My Life ~ Section IV & "Finishing School"

 

Congratulations! 🎉 You have completed all 24 blocks of a quilt that tells the story of your life.  We recently watched the movie Mona Lisa Smile, and that prompted the title of this story.  I'll not go into the emotions that surface when I watch it.  Rather, I'll jump right into the final instructions for finishing your quilt.

The final section (IV) of the Quilt-as-you-go layout uses the same layout as Section II.  

Cutting instructions:

2 - 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips

2 - 2-1/2" x 18-1/2" strips

2 - 3-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips

Layout your blocks and strips as shown in the photos.  You can join units together as you desire but I used the following order so that I could chain piece until the final seam.  

Join your 6-1/2" blocks together.  

Add one 3-1/2" strip to the block intended for the upper right unit.  

Join your 6-1/2" blocks to the lower left block.

Add the second 3-1/2" strip to the upper right block.  

Sew a 2-1/2"x12-1/2" strip to each of the remaining blocks. 

Join the 18-1/2" long strips to the remaining units. 

Join the 18-1/2" long units to the 12"+2-1/2" strips units. 

Join the two units together to complete the section.  

Each section should measure 28-1/2" wide by 30-1/2" tall.

NOTE:  I used a variety of fabrics for the sashing strips within the section.  My original plan was to use the same fabric throughout.  I was not fully pleased after auditioning my idea on the design wall, so I started reaching for the scraps and discovered I was much happier with it.  

Prepare a backing piece a few inches larger, approximately 30" x 32", as well as a piece of batting.  Prepare to sandwich section 1 as you would any quilt.  

I use the fusible batting from Hobbs on a regular basis.  (It not only eliminates the sticky mess but also the smell from spray basting.)  For this QAYG process, especially when joining the four sections together and eventually the border, I highly recommend using a fusible batting.  I have no affiliation with Hobbs, just a big fan of this product.

There are multiple videos out in cyber-land but I follow the process as shared by Pauline from Pauline's Quilters World. I considered making my own short video (for about 10 5 seconds), but quickly talked myself out of it since Pauline demonstrates the process so well. She says that there is no need to pin.  I choose to use some pins... a few all over but mostly along the edges.  I find that this helps to keep the top from shifting or moving if not fully fused or if it pulls loose in the handling of the fused piece.  

Quilt as desired... don't you just hate when a pattern says that??? I felt that each block deserved some special quilting to enhance the pattern or design, so I used a variety of straight lines and soft curves.   I quilted the strips with FMQ of vines and leaves first.  Not up for vines and leaves?  Try a stitch-in-the-ditch paired with a 1/4" "echo" line.  Or stitch a continuous soft curve to create a single wavy line... or return back over that line with stitching in the opposite direction making a single serpentine line or chain.

Still unsure or not up to custom block quilting?  You could certainly do an all over stippling, lattice or grid or a hanging diamond design.  Here's a site that offers some simple beginner quilting ideas...

There are sashing strips between each section.  You will not need to be overly concerned with making certain that the stitching from section to section align perfectly.  Whatever you do... have fun with the quilting! 

My method of QAYG is as follows:

Trim/square your quilted piece to the precise size that you need, 1/4" seam allowances included.  Each section should measure 30-1/2" x 28-1/2".  

Cutting instructions for sashing strips:  Cut 2 - 2" x 30-1/2" (back sashing) and 2 - 2-1/2" x 30-1/2" (top sashing).

Layer the 2" strip (right side up), the quilted piece (top up) and then the 2-1/2" strip (right side down) on Section I.

I am not generally a pinner... but, since it is important to have the sashing strips cut to the exact length of the quilted piece, I did use pins.

Sew your 1/4" seam through all layers.  Flip and press the strip on the back.  Pin back the wider strip to keep it from getting in the way as you add the next quilted section.  Again, pin into place on Section II and sew your 1/4" seam.

Press seams to the center of the back sashing strip, forming a channel.  Cut a piece of batting the size of the channel.  Mine was 1" wide.

I use fusible batting so I don't have a worry that it will shift or slip as I move the piece from the ironing board to the machine.

You will then press the front strip over that "channel" while folding under the excess, being careful to just cover the 1/4" seam line and not cut off any points that you may have.

Pin into place and topstitch into place.  Topstitch the opposite side as well.

I am now ready to add the FMQ twisted ribbon in the sashing strip to prevent the batting from pulling away or bunching up in the channel.

You can see that I top stitched both sides of the sashing strip, making them match

Repeat this step of sashing to join Sections III and IV together.  To join the upper and lower sections, cut/make a 2" wide strip that measures 57-1/2" for the back sashing.  Make a second strip of the top sashing fabric to 2-1/2" x 57-1/2".  Pin into place on the lower edge of Sections I & II.  Join with Sections III & IV.

For the top and bottom outer borders cut/make:

2 - 2" x 57-1/2" from sashing strip fabric

2 - 4-1/2" x 57-1/2" from outer border fabric

2 - 6-1/2" x 57-1/2" from backing fabric*

Using 1/4" seam allowance, join together along the long edge of the sashing strip and border fabric to make units ready to join to the top and bottom of the quilt.  Join to the quilt in the same manner as you joined your sections together.  Insert a piece of batting that measures 6"x 57-1/2".  Fuse batting into place (and pin, as an extra measure) to secure while you add the side borders of the quilt.

For the side borders cut/make:

4 - 5-1/2" squares (cornerstones of the quilt border)

2 - 2" x 65" from sashing strip fabric

2 - 4-1/2" x 65" from outer border fabric

2 - 6-1/2 x 65" from backing fabric*

*NOTE:  The backing pieces are oversized and should be trimmed down before binding.  

Using 1/4" seam allowance, join together along the long edge of the sashing strip and border fabric. Add a cornerstone unit to each end of these border units.  Join to the sides of the quilt using the same steps as you did to join the upper and lower borders.  Fuse batting into place and secure to avoid shifting as you quilt.

You are now ready to add quilting to your borders.  

Binding (1/2 yard):  Cut 7 - 2-1/2" strips.  Join together and press in half.  If you are a beginning quilter you can find details about binding techniques here.

For the traditional layout you will need to cut the following:

Cut 9- 2" squares for cornerstones

Cut 8 - 2" strips - sub-cut into 24 -12-1/2" sashing strips

Cut 6 - 2" strips for the outer sashing/border.  Make four 2" x 52-1/2" strips.

Cut 6 - 1-1/2" strips of a contrasting color for the narrow border.  make four 1-1/2" x 52-1/2" strips.

Cut 6 - 4" strips of the outer border fabric.  Make four 4" x 52-1/2" strips.

Layout 4 rows with 4 blocks each.  Join sashing strips and cornerstones between blocks and rows.

Make your border units.  The first border should be the same fabric as the sashing strips.  Join three strips together to make the four 6-1/2" wide border units.

Add a border unit to the top and bottom of the quilt top.  Add a 6-1/2" block of your choice to each end of the remaining two border units.  Sew to the sides of quilt.  Your quilt is ready for sandwiching, quilting and binding.

Good job!  I'll have a linky party open here for you to share your completed tops/quilts.  I would love to see the quilt that tells YOUR life story.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me in this sew along. Taking the time to reflect on your life can be fun... but it can be difficult as well.  As I have stated before, life is not only made up of the warm and fuzzy moments.  If not for the hard times and challenges in life, we cannot truly appreciate those good times.  

Did you learn anything new in this sew along event?

It may have been a new technique...

or something new about you!

Did you have a favorite block?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

To Do Tuesday at Quilt Schmilt

Mid-week Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

Creatively Crafty at Creatively Beth

Put Your Foot Down at The Quiltery 

Needle & Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation

Free-Motion Mavericks at Quilting & Learning

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

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Tips are always welcome :)

Pieces of My Life ~ Log Cabin & 9-Patch

Welcome back to the final installment of the Pieces of My Life Sew Along. We have made a trip down memory lane... the journey of a lifetime in less than 12 months.  How are you feeling about this journey?  

Life is not made up of the always warm-fuzzy & fluffy, feel-good times.  Though we wish that it could be.  But if not for the hard times, we cannot truly appreciate the good times.  I hope that you have been willing and able to document the good, warm-fuzzies... as well as the bad and the ugly.  Perhaps it is something you don't want to share with your loved ones right now.  But in time, I hope that you will.  For, if we don't know the our past, how can we avoid repeating the same mistakes?

Block #23 ~ Log Cabin Block represents one's home.  So, it was natural (to me) to focus on a house... Yes, we have already covered our first place of residence, but this is about first ownership of a home... more specifically, a "dream house."  Did you ever get to build your dream house? 

From early in our marriage, we talked about buying a house.  Knowing that we wanted me to be a stay-at-home Mom, we figured that we would only be able to afford a "fixer upper" on a single income.

We saved every little bit of extra money we could for 9+ years.  It was when Dave accepted the teaching position at Trinidad State that we purchased our home.  It was November of 1994, and we had just 6 weeks to pack our belongings that occupied the large farmhouse in Illinois.  We didn't have the funds or the time for us to travel from IL to CO to search for a place to live.  

We asked my parents to do the leg work for us in house shopping.  They graciously did all the searching for us.  Our dream of owning a fixer-upper came true.  The house had been repossessed by a bank a few years prior and sat relatively empty.  (I say relatively because a previous owner continued to reside there from time to time... think I had a fight with my wife, and she kicked me out.)

As we reflect back... we are now quite embarrassed to admit that we bought this mess!
But at the time... we were very proud of our first home.

The closets were still full of clothes, the cabinets had dishes and some food.  And it was dirty!  My parents kept asking the realtor if there was anything else... she showed them several others, but they kept coming back to this house.

After the closing, my Mom & Dad and brother traveled to Trinidad to begin cleaning the house for us.  My brother spent the better part of 2 days cleaning the oven and stove top.  They shampooed the carpets, removed the drapes and washed windows... they cleared out the closets and cabinets... they scrubbed the bathrooms... they scrubbed the kitchen floor and wiped down all of the walls.  

Their work that weekend was invaluable to us.  It allowed us to arrive to a clean house with our loaded moving truck, van and trailer on December 31st.  We rang in the New Year by unloading the hundreds of boxes that we had.  

The overall living space that we moved from was easily double the size of our new home.  We had purged before we left Illinois... and the purging had to continue as we unpacked boxes.

The house has seen a few changes over the years... All for the better!

Over the years we made improvements to the house.  We are as much a part of this house as the house is a part of us. Literally, blood, sweat and tears have been shed here.  We have written Scriptures on some walls as we remodeled the house, room by room.  Many times, the girls worked alongside us... learning the value of sweat equity and the opportunity to learn the skills required for minor and major repairs.  Skills both of the girls have used as they grew up and moved on as adults. 

The family has grown with marriages and their children.  We have four grands - one boy, three girls - ranging in age from 15 to 3.  We became grandparents in 2014... I was 49 and Dave was 51.  We love each one of those grands in a special and unique way and always look forward to the opportunity to spend time with them.  We enjoy helping them learn new skills or improving something that they already know how to do. 

Dave and I are both very "hands on" creative people... Me with my quilting, sewing, crafting and baking; Dave with his shop skills, building and repairing... things we have enjoyed all our lives.

Block #24 ~ A simple 9-patch ~ represents the various pieces and parts of life that come together to make a patchwork of your life.

Since this is the last installment of the sew along, tell me...

Do you have a favorite block?

Mine is the Heart block... I may be a little partial since I designed it and all, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it ;)  Leave a comment!  I'd love to hear from you. 

It is now time for you to hop over to my Payhip store for the patterns.  Find the yellow highlighted links in the story above for each direct link.

Thank you for joining me in this sew along throughout the year.  I hope that you have enjoyed it as much as I have.  

Be sure to come back when you have your blocks done to join the block party.  Feel free to link up your finished quilts as well.  It brings me great joy when you share with me.  I am always fascinated at how a block changes with color and fabric selections... which is why I made my quilt in two different colorways.

Keep piecing,

Melva

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Tips are always welcome 😊

Pieces of My Life ~ Jacob's Ladder

Welcome back!  Today's block, #22/24, in the original "Bride's Quilt Story" is the symbolism of Jacob’s ladder – “steps of communication” between themselves (the husband and wife) on earth and God in heaven.  It is a pretty simple block made up of four half-square triangles and five four-patch blocks that create a "ladder" diagonally in both directions, thanks to color placement.  Some of the questions included in the memory pages approach more of a steps or progression in a career/job.  

Sorry about the weird shadow in the lower right corner...

I began working when I was 17...well, I did some babysitting before that, but my desire was to work as a secretary.  I enjoyed typing, filing, organizing, etc.  

My first job was at a farm loan institution.  The men were the loan officers and women managed the office.  I had the opportunity to learn all of the different positions... receptionist - how to answer the phones, transferring calls, taking detailed messages and making sure the guys received them (didn't lose them and actually returned the calls).  One of the receptionists was also responsible for taking dictation (you know... shorthand) and typing up letters.

Tracking and double-checking journal entries was a tedious job, though it was made tolerable when two people did it together - one reading amounts from receipts and the other verifying the accuracy.  The year was 1982 and this was a time just prior to computers being available and used in all offices... especially small offices like the one I was working in.  It played havoc with my eyes and that was when I realized I needed reading glasses.

The payroll office was always a fun office.  The ladies in this portion of the office took me under their wings and allowed me to calculate the payroll check amounts first.  They would verify the number of hours reported, the hourly pay rate and the various withholdings.  If there was an error, I was not reprimanded for it.  Rather, they gently explained where the mistake was made, made the correction and then moved on.  

Of course, there was always "Girl Friday" responsibilities in the office as well.  You know... the one that made coffee, made sure there were pastries or snacks around, tidying up the board room after meetings... and shredding old documents.

After completing my college education for a "Secretarial Science Certificate" I landed a temporary job in an accounting office.  The Secretary/Receptionist was out on maternity leave for 3 months.  I enjoyed the position and was lucky enough to be able to transfer to the main office when she returned.

It was at this job that I had the opportunity to learn how to file basic tax returns.  Again, this was before computer generated/auto-fill forms.  The accountants would complete worksheets, plug in the numbers into the proper lines (hand-written) and then make a pile on my desk.  I would gather the necessary forms and, using a typewriter, make the final returns.  I would always double-check the accuracy of their math.  They in turn, would always double-check the accuracy of my typing.  Teamwork!

There were still opportunities for taking dictation and letter writing.  Shorthand was not one of my stronger skills, though I managed to get by just fine.  Most of the time, the accountants didn't mind if I made a few changes.

Over the years, I continued to use my secretarial skills and still use them to manage the "office" of my husband's business, Nolan Quality Customs.  

I have worked in the front office of a manufacturing plant as a receptionist and an insurance processor (employees would bring their medical bills to me and I would send to the insurance company).  It was an office full of women... and that office was divided.  If you worked with so'n'so, you weren't allowed talk to certain others.  I was able to get along with everyone, but eventually the backstabbing and nastiness of the whole thing soured me, and I quit after 6 months.

I enjoyed working in an architectural office that was full of men.  They were kind to me and treated me very well.  It was another short-term job since I became pregnant and chose to be a stay-at-home-mom.  As the girls grew up, I held a variety of part-time jobs.

The biggest change I have seen in my career is the implementation of computers and data entry.  Computers have changed the world!  They have basically eliminated the need for dictation and many executives write their own letters (at least the ones I have worked for).  I would only need to tweak the letters for proper layout and correct any grammar or punctuation necessary and make certain that any supporting documents were included.  It is no longer politically correct to say that I am a secretary or receptionist... Administrative Assistant or Administrative Professional is the title.  

I have worked in offices of primarily men... as well as primarily women.  And I would choose to work with men over women every time.  I am fortunate that I had very good experiences when working with the men.  Never did I feel taken advantage of or treated improperly.  I do realize that is not the norm for many women.  For this I feel badly but will not linger there.

Could I have climbed the ladder to become one of the executives?  Confidently I say, yes.  Did I want that responsibility???  Nope.  My family and home came first.  There were two particular jobs that I held where I was doing all that was involved and required by a person in the position of the Executive title... as well as performing a full-time job in a part-time position.  It wore on me and affected my health.  I had to make a choice and have never regretted my decision to leave those jobs.

It was after leaving my last job in 2009 that I began my quilting career.  And I have absolutely no regrets of making that shift.   It has fulfilled my creative spirit and brings me joy each and every day and a new excitement as I begin each project.  I have enjoyed each and every sew along I have hosted, and I can look back and see how I have grown as a quilter, made improvements in color selection and placement as well as pattern designing and writing.  PLUS I have all of you that have trusted me and participated in the events.  I am so blessed to have you here and am grateful for your helping me as I changed "ladders" and careers.   

What changes have you seen in your career over the years?

Leave a comment... I'd love to hear from you!

It is now time that you can hop over to my Payhip store for the Jacob's Ladder pattern.

Keep Piecing,

Melva

PS - Blogger has made some changes recently so that I cannot simply respond to your comments via email.  I will try my best to reply here on the blog, but I'll be honest... I'm not very good at following through with that.  I never know if you actually see my response...  You can always send me an email at MelvaLovesScraps@NolanQualityCustoms.com if you want.  

Be sure to return after you get your block completed to join the block parade. :)  

Tips are always welcome :)

Linking with:

Put Your Foot Down at The Quiltery 

Thankful Thursday at Brian's Home

Little Things Thursday at Good Random Fun

Off The Wall Friday with Nina Marie

Brag About Your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Pieces of My Life ~ Maple Leaf

Welcome back!  Today we continue the journey we are making together as we piece a beautiful quilt that tells the story our lives through the blocks and memory book pages.

With leaves of trees showing off their brilliant colors and flittering or swirling to the ground, the Maple Leaf block begs for discussion of fall activities and events.

As a child, I enjoyed Halloween. Of course, it was all about the candy!  Actually, I remember more about the costumes.  Maybe because there are pictures of those.  I have very few memories of going out Trick or Treating with friends... a couple times - one of their parents did the driving. Maybe twice? 

More than anything, I remember getting to wear our costumes to school and having a party with cookies, cupcakes and punch.

clockwise - 1973, 1970, 1967, 1968

Remember, I didn't grow up in a neighborhood that was filled with houses and nearby neighbors to visit for the candy collection part of the day.

If we went anywhere, Mom and Dad would take us to our Aunts and Uncles houses.  We would get better treats there anyway... homemade treats!

I loved those masks!

One year in high school I attended a Halloween party hosted by friends down the road.  Steve was a year older and his sister, Sandy (on the gymnastics team with me) was a year younger.  There were some fun themed foods, decorations, games, music and dancing.  I don't recall costumes... but there may have been.  What I do remember is doing some snipe hunting. LOL! It was a good, clean party.  

Did I carve pumpkins??? Maybe one or two years... I'll just leave it to the fact that it wasn't really encouraged because those pumpkins could have been cooked and prepared for pies, cookies or breads.  And pumpkin pies were a staple for Thanksgiving meals!  And there was never anyone to come by and see them.

When it came to food preservation, there was a lot of it done in our house... mostly canning but some freezing.  Canning was something that my Dad would help with, but the freezing of various foods, like shredded zucchini, could be done easily without his help to tighten the jar lids, so that was something I helped with in my teen years.

It was a task/tradition that Dave and I continued after being married and had our children.  Gardens were easy to grow in the Midwest with plenty of water (most years) and good black soil.  We grew all of the necessary ingredients for our salsa - tomatoes, peppers and onions.  I canned tomato sauce to be used in spaghetti or lasagna or as a pizza sauce.  I would blanch and freeze green beans as well.

One summer while my parents visited, Dad helped me and taught me how to can fresh peaches from Michigan.  We spent hours in the kitchen together.  Dad would not prepare or cook meals... but he had the food preservation thing down!  And he was not afraid to help.  

In the fall I would get apples from an orchard.  Again, I would spend hours in the kitchen making apple sauce, apple juice and freezing some for pies or cobblers.

We never tried to grow a garden after our move to Colorado.  The soil is not good for growing much other than ragweed and the growing season is so short.  The nights cool off too much for the satisfaction of tomatoes and other veggies.  The extent of our food preservation anymore is making our salsa and freezing roasted chili peppers.  I do, every once in a while, purchase green beans to blanch and freeze... But not like in the 1990s!  Oh, and crock pickles... they're just so easy.  But you need to have a little room in the fridge for the storage of them. 

We could have purchased all of the produce we had become accustomed to preserving, but we soon discovered that the cost of fruits and veggies in Colorado was much higher than back in Illinois... It just wasn't as abundant here in the high plains desert... therefore it sold for a premium.

Happy Fall Y'all!  Now is the time that you need to head over to my Payhip store to get the Maple Leaf pattern.

Stitch up your block and then come back to share a link to a blog post or photo of your block.  I'd love to see it!

Keep Piecing,

Melva

Linking with:

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Tips are always welcome 😊

 

Pieces of My Life ~ The Broken Dish

Welcome back to a new session of the Pieces of My Life Sew Along!  This installment will be lacking the emailed newsletter since we are on the road.  This session focuses on a block I call The Broken Dish.  The questions have progressed from our childhood and teens, to being adults, making adult decisions regarding marriage, and family.  We'll continue with questions about your family.

I've become more aware in my more mature adult life of the need for self-care.  As a young mom I was all about keeping the children alive and healthy and if I was lucky, happy.  Some days were better than others and there were certainly days that I was only successful in getting myself showered and the girls fed.

We required that the girls help with household chores, including washing dishes.  Before getting our dishwasher, this meant that sometimes there were broken dishes.  I tried to stay calm and not get too upset.  Sadly, I admit that somedays I was not nearly as successful as others.  

I have talked with our daughters and offered apologies for the times that I was not a "good Mom" and simply lost it.  Our youngest assures me that she does not remember me always yelling at them... This is good!  Broken dishes are one thing, but a broken spirit is completely different.  I am relieved that I didn't do that.

I embarrassingly admit that I was delusional when they were in HS in believing that when they went off to college and beyond that my worries and concerns would be less.  Silly me!

When the girls were very young, I enjoyed doing cross-stitch projects in the evenings.  I made framed pieces of all sizes.  I even stitched on t-shirts and sweatshirts.  These Mr. & Mrs. Claus shirts have been around for nearly 35 years. 

Over the years I went through phases of knitting and crocheting in the evenings.  I made large scrappy afghans to snuggle under as we watched television laying on the floor and enjoying the warmth of the fireplace.  When we moved and no longer had a fireplace they were not used nearly as often.  Though we were very glad to have them to use when needed... like if the power would be out for an extended time due to a blizzard or a car accident taking out a power pole.

Since taking up quilting as my "career" I have given up evening hand work of any sort.  It was a difficult transition to go from keeping my hands busy to just relaxing and watching the programs or movies... I have since adjusted. :)

Also, when the girls were young, I made certain that they would have "play dates" with friends.  Sometimes it meant that they would go to a friend's house, or a friend would be at our house for a few hours.  I used this strategy when we were planning/packing to go on a trip.  It would clear up a few hours for me by keeping them occupied and I could get a good portion of chores done without them being underfoot.  But sometimes the "play date" included a social time for us moms to visit and share conversation about life and how to handle different or difficult situations.  We would make this a weekly event when school was not in session.  A support group of sorts.

One summer there was a group of moms and children that traveled to and from all of the same the various activities around town... swim lessons, free lunches at a local school, art classes at the art museum and then gymnastics class.

We would sometimes take turns carpooling from the various activities.  It takes a village!  Over their junior and senior high school years, the girls participated in volleyball, cheerleading camps, soccer, student council, band, art and photography classes and knowledge bowl.  Thankfully, these were spread out though the year.  They kept us hopping though!  

It is now time to grab your Broken Dish pattern and memory book pages that accompany your quilt in my Payhip store.  Don't forget to return with your completed block to share in the block parade. :)

stained glass, broken polish pottery
(love that SPOON at the bottom!!!), bottle tops,
marbles, and broken shower door

I'll leave you with one last thought about broken dishes...

Recently I wrote about transforming a vintage tablecloth into a quilted tablecloth.  It has some stains and holes, but imagine the time spent together with friends and family making memories around that table.  A high school friend of mine has lived around the world since her husband was in the US Air Force.  She said...

"I collect dishes, but our home is not a museum, so we use them as much as possible. As you can imagine many of them have been broken over the years. I saved all of the broken dishes and this beautiful work of art was made from them by my friend Angela Wilson Stevenson at Big Orange House Designs as a graduation and housewarming gift for our daughter.  

When you look at this work of art remember where you come from and trust God to make something beautiful out of anything that you consider to be less than perfect in your life."

The “Mimosa Tree” commission
from broken Portmerion Pottery. 

Here is a second piece she commissioned and the inspiration for the design.

"This was Alicia's Christmas present five years ago. I still don’t regret that we used the good dishes when the kids were little, and a few were broken. 

Beautiful things can come from brokenness too. 

My talented friend, Angela Wilson Stevenson, at Big Orange House Designs used a box of my broken dishes to create this work of art. The inspiration for the piece was the Mimosa tree growing in my grandparents' garden when I was a girl. Thirty years ago, my Dad dug up a shoot from that tree and planted it in their yard and last August my husband dug up a shoot from that tree and planted it in our garden. 

Remember where you come from baby girl. We love you with all our hearts.

What special pieces!  And the phrase "beautiful things can come from brokenness too" resonates in my heart and the repurposing of vintage pieces... 

Keep Piecing,

Melva

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