Practice, practice, practice

For the past few weeks, I have "practiced" in participating in the Proverbs 31 on-line study"blog hop".  You see, I need the practice.  You may, or may not, recall that the whole reason I began this blog was so that I had something to put on the application when I submitted two blocks for the Quiltmaker 100 Block publication.

And, as you may or may not recall, I had one of the blocks be accepted for the publication.  The publication (100 Blocks, vol. 8) will go be available for sale on November 19th.  I will be participating in their blog tour that will take place between November 11-15.

I have been told that they will be sending some post ideas.  I look forward to receiving them and "entertaining" you as I share my love for quilting, my faith and how the two come together.  I recently read Marie Bostwick's book, Threading the Needle, and loved a statement in the story...

I doubt there are any books out there titled "Quilting taught me to Pray",

but maybe there should be. 

Praying and quilting has taught me that there's a little more to me,

and a lot more to life, than I had realized.

 

 

While I may not have any earth shattering ideas that will revolutionize or change the world, I do enjoy quilting and making the world a better and happier place with each quilt I complete - one piece at a time.

 

 



The Great Life

As I finish up the Proverbs 31 on-line Bible study of Lysa TerKeurst's "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" and their final blog-hop I reflect on the Psalm 81:10.

I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

 

It takes great faith to trust God for the provision of our future.  (You can look back on my blog to get a few more details of our current situation. http://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/2013/04/an-oasis-in-desert.html and http://melvalovesscraps.blogspot.com/2013/05/he-makes-me-lie-down-in-green-pastures.html .)  Dave has been saying for months in our night prayers, "if it is only $1.50 a day that we earn, may it be enough."  I echo that prayer.  I echo it with every trip to the store and with every meal that we prepare and every bill as it comes due. 

 

We often recall the story from a close friend of his trust in the Lord when he has had need after need met, mostly by total strangers and how he had "just enough" money for the trip that he was about to make.  He had visited a church and when the offering came around he dropped in the remainder of money ($14) that he had in his pocket.  The $14 had been earmarked to assist his friend with the cost of gas when he dropped him off at his next destination.  He was trusting... At the end of the service the woman sitting behind him tapped  him on the shoulder and tucked a $20 in his hand and said, "The Lord told me that you need this."  He responded quickly with a "thank you" and then in his mind with "What's the six bucks for, Lord?" 

 

As it turned out our friend helped to pay for the gas, as planned, AND had the opportunity enjoy one last short visit over a cup of coffee with his driver.  The cost of the coffee with a small tip?  $6!

 

So, I open wide my mouth and know that you fill it.  The visual I have with this is me standing in the rain, arms outstretched, face lifted and mouth wide open... Praising Him.

 

I also recall a memory of our daughters (now grown), at age 4 and 2 standing in the rain in a similar fashion singing "if all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops, oh what a rain that would be!"  Good times, good memories.

 

I think I will head to my sewing room and make a quilt that reflects the perfect provision and timing of God.  Please consider coming back to see what I come up with.  You know it will be "Blessed from Above and Made with Love".

 

 

 

 

A Fresh Vision... A New Season

With the passing of the holiday weekend, hearing about kids returning to school and seeing lots of "first day of school"pictures from all of my friends on facebook, I am reminded, again, that Dave and I are in a new season of life.

For 18 years, even after becoming empty-nesters, I held to the tradition of beginning a week of deep cleaning the house when everyone was "back to school". This year is different. Sort of...

I always had a period of adjustment and sadness/disappointment when Dave went back to work after having much of the summer off.

With Dave not returning to TSJC and starting up a home based business in the shop, I celebrate that he is close by and await with great anticipation and excitement as our new season unfolds.

But what about my "fall cleaning"?  The other morning Dave happily said, "I'm going out to the shop" and knowing he would be out there for several hours, I kicked the dog out of the house and went to it.  The kitchen got a much needed deep clean.  The next day I moved to the bathrooms.  By the end of the week I will have the whole house (mostly) deep cleaned. Yay!

So ... borrowing a quote from Amy Grant, "Watching the seasons change is always a good reminder to embrace the changing seasons in our lives."

As I approach the end of the Proverbs 31 on-line Bible study "What happens when women say Yes to God", I embrace this new season with excitement and a Fresh Vision. 

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11

 

Give It Away! #SayWhat!

I am participating in an On-line Bible Study and it has been quite interesting. We are using a book, What Happens When Women Say Yes! by Lysa TerKeurst. This week's lesson talked about Radical Obedience. Listening to the voice of God and actually doing it! No matter how crazy it might seem.

This morning I was headed to my sewing room with the intention of working a couple different layouts for my Pieces of My Heart block that will be included in the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks issue coming out in November. 

Or, I thought, I could make a couple more items for the upcoming Farmer's Market and using the ideas I came up with that I feel would be good "sellers". 

As I started pulling fabric for the projects my mind immediately switched to a different mode when I saw the large bag of fleece that was in my closet that I got from my cousin when she cleaned out some of her dad's stuff. (Yes, her dad quilts, or used to before his health declined.) 

These were not just scraps of fleece, but 1 yard cuts of fleece... large enough to make some blankets. Not the typical project that I usually do, but I thought they would make some nice baby blankets. That's when I thought "I could make them and give them away!" "Say What?!?" As I argued briefly with my myself, I thought, "I sew/quilt items to sell and to help supplement our income." Okay, well, maybe also to support my "problem" - my love of fabric and sewing. But I do sell enough stuff to actually help us afford some of the "extras" in life.  

So, I posted on fb to my friends what I was doing. I quickly had a few requests. Now I need to see how many blankets I can actually get out of the fleece... As silly as it may seem, I believe that by my listening to and following through with the simple idea of giving the fleece blankets away I am actually being radically obedient. 

Want one? Let me know. If I have any left, you are welcome to one.  

#1,2&4 have been claimed... the other three need love too. No strings attached... free! Just give me an address to send then to.

My motto is Blessed from Above, Made with love. Exactly what these blankets will be - Blessed. Blessed because of a lesson in radical obedience. 

... Every Story Can Have a Quilt!

Every Quilt has a story... and Every Story can have a quilt.

Every quilt does have a story... who made it, who it was made for, the occasion, when it was made, etc.

But every story can have a quilt as well! Take for example, Tori. A young gal that just graduated from HS and is beginning College. Her teen years are being compiled into a quilt. As I look at the blocks from her collection of T-shirts on my design wall I know that she was a dancer, participated in lots of drama and youth activities.

Or... one of my favorite children's stories is The Tale of Three Trees, a traditional folktale.  Three trees have hopes and dreams and plans for their own lives.  The moral of the story is that God has a plan for you... If you trust in Him, He will give you great gifts.  Not to give the story away, but each of the trees got what they wanted, just not in the way they had imagined. 

So, what story would you like to have made into a quilt?  A favorite book? Or you own story of vacation destinations, marathon/running "career", or a past career/job?  Let me know. I am always up to a challenge and/or new ideas.



Every Quilt Has A Story...

Every quilt has a story... 

Since I had posted about the history of quilt blocks and the stories behind them, I thought about many of the quilts that I have made and the stories and inspiration behind them. 

A few I have blogged about, such as Green Pastures and An Oasis in the Desert.  I have lots of others that I haven't told the stories about, like my "Gettysburg trip remembrance quilt,"

and my virtual vacation quilt "Hawaiian Trip"

But I wonder about the story behind some of the old quilts that I have acquired... like the one from my Mother-in-law.  It was nothing fancy, well worn and somewhat tattrered.  I remember when we were cleaning out her place 18 years ago, getting it ready to sell.  One of the sisters said "What about this? It can't be just thrown out out given to some second-hand store."  None of the kids really knew the story of it, but it really did just look like a comfortable blanket that seemed to invite someone needing comfort and warmth.  I took that quilt.  And then one day I found a pattern for the perfect project to repurpose that quilt that still had so much love to give.

Then I found a quilt that my Grandma had.  Her favorite color was yellow and Grandpa's was green. I am sure that is why she had it.  I know that she did not make it herself but I wonder about the story behind it as well.  (Was it a gift from one of her friends?  Who made it?) It too was tattered and worn, but I knew that it still had so much love to give.  The pillows are quite comfortable and look great in our basement sitting room! 

By taking a special keepsake that may have outlived its original purpose, but was just too special to toss I was able to bless several family members with small gifts that serve as a reminder of a loved one.  Blessed from above, made with love... and the story of a loved one gone from this earth can be carried on for another generation.   

Do you have a special keepsake that could be transformed and made new?  I would be more than happy to help!

The acceptance letter...

The day had been a frustrating day... until I opened my e-mail as we waited for friends to arrive for an evening of socializing. There I saw it. A message from the editor of Quiltmaker Magazine. I first thought it might be about an application that I had sent in to be part of a group to make a quilt using one of the block patterns from their recent volume 7 of 100 Blocks. Or a thank you for my recently renewed subscription. Instead I found this...


Dear Melva,

Congratulations! Your block (Pieces of My Heart) has been chosen to be included in 100 Blocks, vol. 8, on sale November 19, 2013.  More information will be coming shortly regarding the blog tour, promotions and more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was so excited! I was, actually, quite shocked. You see the original paperwork had stated that I should be notified within two months of the deadline - that was March 1. When May 1 came and went I figured my two blocks that had been submitted had been passed over.

Not that I am complaining, I mean we had plenty going on in our lives (still do), but I am in a much better frame of mind to fully absorb the experience.

Now, I have the opportunity to create a quilt using my block design to possibly be included in the designer's galler in the magazine and/or to be a part of the gallery exhibit in their office in Golden, CO. 

I have spent much of this summer working along side of my husband, Dave helping him do roofing projects, installing an attic fan, and putting in insulation and drywall in his shop.  And since Dave's shop is nearly done I should have the opportunity to spend a little more time in my sewing room.  I believe my construction work is done! 

I am off to my sewing room...