AS 2011 COMES TO A CLOSE

My made-with-Freddy-Moran-quilt is finally finished with binding!

My husband has been spotted snuggling with his quilty Christmas present!

One of my last little quilts says it all...

with love there is hope!

Love is an ongoing lesson for me.

Ongoing

Moving forward

It feels marvelous to be unstuck! A little bit daunting if I leave the NOW and zoom into the unknown future that might be filled with scariness due to made up chaos and catastrophe.

Remembering to breathe.

Just be

trusting

surrendering

 knowing...

you

must

eat

the

elephant

one 

bite

at a

time!

Judy Irish (THE most fabulous quilter in all the land) worked her magic AGAIN!

I wish you could see her work in person! http://wildirishrowsquilting.blogspot.com/

Here's the trunk (with a butterfly that came off a Judy's first fabric purchase in the 60s!)

pretty toes

flowered head

Happy thoughts to you for 2012!!! 

Thoughts that are soft, cheery, and filled with spring-in-your-step possibilities
(a merry Christmas present from the hubby!)

GROWING AND GRIEVING WITH GEESE

Open to hope was my word of 2011 - "hopen"

Without fully grasping it, I now see that I was hoping to be open to the idea that my mom's death at the end of 2010 could go beyond creating deep sorrow and be a phenomenal opportunity for positive growth. 

Strength and courage to make life long changes.

I am learning to allow the grief not hide from it.

Life goes on.

Geese represent the sacredness of the circle of life.

Making a bunch of flying geese, out of Hope Valley fabric has been a great opportunity to grieve and grow!!!

I cut a bunch of these 3 1/2 by 2 1/2 rectangles.

and these 2 1/2 inch squares.

Then I sewed a bunch of these...

trimmed...

and trimmed...

and pressed.

I added...

in a chain...

trimmed...

and pressed again.

Remembering, wallowing, some crying, and lots of creating...my pile grew and grew.

I decided to lay out the geese in a zig zag - ups and downs, but always moving!

I'm not done yet, but wanted to share. 

{My present to myself for Christmas was a recovered chair (thanks Kathy!) in fabulous Denyse Schmidt County Faire fabric!} 

A SEASONAL FABRIC STORY

Here's a seasonal story inspired by the very creative http://bluemountaindaisy.blogspot.com/ 

This time of year can be really stressful.

The kids can be difficult...lazy couch potatoes or...

fighting.

Even the dogs get in the act.

Sometimes I wish a blizzard would blow in and I could just hibernate through the whole season.

Since hibernation is only a fantasy, I have been practicing getting in touch with my old seasonal stories that need letting go and creating stories that put a spring in my step.

Travel to a tropical beach...

or a bustling city might be nice, but isn't necessary.

And most certainly, oodles of presents do not a perfect Christmas make.

Especially presents requiring exhausting physical feats, or...

crazy making escapades.

What if the focus was on the happy...

and fun...

and came from a place of love (not fear of another "bad/imperfect" Christmas).

There would be dancing...

and singing...

and sparkles...

and growing of love!

YES! A calm and peaceFULL story of being open to the laughter and love of the season!

Love shining bright!

Letting the bah humbug stories go!