The Greek Festival

The Greek Festival last night was wonderful, the food was totally yummy and the dancers were awesome.

...But on the way there we had a bit of a scary moment when cutting diagonally through Pioneer Park to get to the Greek Orthodox Church on the corner of 3rd S and 3rd W.

The sun hadn't even begun to touch the horizon, it was only a little after 6:00 pm. A frantic eyed woman (honestly, she looked and acted a bit...touched?) approached us and said in a panicked voice, "Do you have a cell phone? Do you?"

Thinking she might be some kind of panhandler I said, "No, no cell." When in truth it was nestled safely in my purse slung across my body. Ignoring what I said and walking backward now so as to face us, continuing her warning as we walked in the opposite direction, she spoke more loudly saying, "They're fighting over there. Really arguing! Call the police now before someone gets shot! I don't want to see a murder right in front of my face! I tell you! Someone's going to get killed!" I could hear more of her warning as it faded behind me and I started looking around for what might have frightened her. Ahead and to our right were a group of about 6-8 black men either poised menacingly or shoving and verbally abusing each other near the rest rooms near the center of the park. Even though I was walking with my big strong hubby we began walking faster. As big and strong and protective as he is, he isn't a man of steel and can only stop a bullet as well as anyone could, with much pain and blood involved. I clutched his hand tighter. We kept our eyes forward as we approached, came abreast, then passed the group. I murmured quietly to him through my teeth, "I hope we don't get shot just walking through the park tonight."


I felt a little better as we got further from them and I could no longer hear them when we came upon another group of young-ish men, mostly black and maybe a few Latinos arguing loudly, chins jutting forward aggressively across a couple of picnic tables. I tried to tune it out but I think 90% of their conversation consisted of the F*** word in all it's various forms accompanied by many threatening hand gestures featuring either their middle fingers or clenched fists.


All the stories about this park and the increased police presence there came back to me and I could feel my shoulders drawing up to my ears. A very typical sign of stress for me, and a reason that I see a chiropractor. Steven let go of my hand and gently put his arm around my shoulders as we continued on towards civilization just a hundred feet away. I could even hear the sound of Greek music and smell the food.


Ahhhhh...nothing between my shoulder blades but a throbbing ache from tension. I wonder if it would feel much worse to me in a war zone. Although I do remember seeing stuff like that on a regular basis during my High School years in So. California during the 70's. I don't remember feeling that stressed then.

Oh yeah, that was when I was an invincible teenager.

Needless to say we didn't cut through the park to get back to our car. We walked around it and watched the most gorgeous sunset on our way home.

Wedding Quilt Continued - The Cutting/Sewing of Block #1

I'm a marathon sewer. When I start it's hard to stop. I just keep going, and going and going. I've had people ask me, "Are you sure that you'll be able to finish this quilt by the wedding?" which is now less than 3 weeks away? The answer is, "No problemo! Unless I get deathly ill, injured or die, it will be done in the time allotted and probably earlier." It's my nature. I only get slowed down by 'sewer's block' which is similar to 'writer's block': when inspiration is thin and/or mangled or I lose interest in a project.

Okay, Monday was the washing day.

Tuesday was the cutting day for Block #1. I started after dinner and finished before 9 pm.

There are two main blocks, when laid alternately, create the overall pattern, or movement in the design.

 

All totaled for Block #1 x 13 plus 8 half blocks and 4 quarter blocks there are 697 pieces.

Wednesday was sewing Day for Block #1. I was going to take pictures of the process but I got lost in it and forgot.

There are 13 full size blocks (12" x 12" finished - 37 pieces each), 8 half blocks (6" x 12" finished - 21 pieces each), and 4 quarter blocks ( 6" x 6" finished - 12 pieces each).

697 pieces have now been reduced to 25.

Tonight it looks like the Greek Festival for dinner so probably no cutting for block #2 until tomorrow, unless...unless I have time when I get home.

The making of a wedding quilt -

I thought it might be interesting to do a time lapse blog on the making of a wedding quilt.

Daniel is my third born child and second son, born the day after Valentine's Day, February 15th 1985. He's my sunshine boy. His favorite color when he was a munchkin was yellow and he had/has one of the most contagious smiles I've ever seen.







He's never been afraid of getting his hands, or anything else dirty. He's got a very unique sense of humor which keeps us all going and one of the softest hearts imaginable.

I'm really emotionally invested in this quilt for some reason, not only because it comes from one of the deepest places in my heart to a dear and beloved child but because it's one I've dreamed of making. I'm sure the reality will not begin to measure up to the imagined original but we have to begin somewhere.

First we must begin with the inspiration. When his fiance, Hillary, was over with her mother, step mother and sisters to take a look at the back yard and what could be done with it we discussed colors. I got to see her bridal pictures which were taken out on the salt flats during sunset. They're Bee-Ewe-Tea-Full! I loved the stark lines and dramatic colors in them. The wind was blowing and she looked breathtaking. It was definitely her element. She's going to have lavender in her bouquet and when I mentioned sunset colors for their quilt she seemed to take to the idea. My mind began to race...

Batiks!! I love batiks. Love, love, love them. Whenever I want to treat myself I work with them.

First, I soak them in a water, vinegar, salt solution to set the dye. I was told about this process by a Navajo quilting gentleman. It works. I've never had a problem with colors   running when I do this.

 

I wanted to see how the progression would look wet...hmmm...the darks look really dark and the yellow and medium blue aren't there because they've already been washed and dried.

Here are all the fabrics I'll be using the darks will be more 'present' than the lights in order to create the contrast to see the overall design.

This is going to be so much fun!!

A rambling post about my other addiction and stupid warnings.

Yesterday as I was cleaning my sewing room, again, I came across a couple of Winnie the Pooh fitted crib sheets that I found at DI several years ago and planned on using in the guest room for grand-kids. I pictured a pretty little crib that would fit nicely in the nook where the dormer window is.

Well - it didn't turn out like that. I can be practical when the need arises and when the first grandbaby came along I realized it might be nice to have something that would be a little more versatile: crib, playpen, indoor, outdoor, camping etc...so I bought a really nice Pack-n-Play that is fairly compact when disassembled and folded up and is also roomy and has several nice features. It has a diaper changing area, a little clip on basket thingy to hold powder, salve, wipes, the mattress/floor can be raised so that a tiny baby can sleep there to be at a higher level, and lowered when the baby gets a little more adventurous. All in all it was a smart buy and I've used it for all three grandbabys so far...

...but the crib sheets don't fit it. *sigh* They're too long and narrow. But as I looked at them yesterday, sad in the thought about not being able to use them, I decided that they could be re-cut and re-sewn to fit,  and then the Winnie the Pooh theme would continue as it has begun in that room.

I had two crib sheets, both different but Pooh-ish, and from those I was able to make one fitted sheet for the mattress and two new padded sheets for the changing area. It's darling.










Now here is the scary part. As I was putting the sheets on and admiring the whole effect I noticed, again, some labels that were sewn to the Pack-n-Play. They're just UGLY: construction cone orange and Black-Wordy...ick. So I decided to take them off with my trusty un-sewer, otherwise known as a seam ripper. I took two off. Then I noticed another...then another, and another!! I unsewed no less than nine (9!) 'Warning' labels off this thing in two (2) languages! This thing must be the most dangerous, life stealing, baby bed on the planet! I can't imagine how three of my grandchildren have survived sleeping in it.


So...here is my Winnie-ther-Pooh room so far.

On the left is a view from the bedroom door. How many Pooh-ish things can you count?

That's my blessing dress hanging from the shelf.

On the right is a view from the foot of the bed. I must confess that I *do* have some fabric and screen printed Classic Pooh blocks to make a quilt for this bed.  Maybe in January...sweet, January, I'll get to that.










This is looking into the little nook where the crib is set up.

 The dresser - I love, love, love these candle stick holders and the collage picture on the wall. I know the story that each picture is about.

The shelf by the window seat - Those booties were Jason's when he was a baby.

 I found these wall paper stick-on's on sale at Target a few years ago and re-found them under the bed about a month ago. PERFECT.


I love this room. I really do. And if guests don't like it well...then, they can just close they're eyes (so as not to look at it) and go to sleep, and probably dream of The Hundred Acre Wood. That would be a happy dream.






 My children will be the first to point out that Winnie-the-Pooh isn't necessarily confined to this room.

Pooh Shrine

I have a London Pooh sitting on my bed...


...and barely noticeable, insignificant 'shrine' in my living room.





 

A small menagerie on the hallway mirror.

And a little Pooh wisdom hanging above the door going into my kitchen.





To name a few.

My husband, by the way, is totally okay with this. ♥

Bugs and Boys

Once upon a time there was a beetle. He was a nice beetle. He lived in Marysvale Utah in a nice RV park. He liked it fine, especially in the tent culdesac where it was mostly quiet. The grass was nice, the river was close by and friendly people would occasionally leave bits of food that were nice for beetles. He often heard exclamations on his size and color and especially his nice large mandibles that looked quite menacing and he could gnash them in a very alarming manner when he was feeling threatened. So far his life was going quite well and he'd grown large and fat...and, sadly, somewhat complacent.

One dewy morning after visiting the place under the picnic table for his breakfast he decided to make his presence known to the nice little girl who was packing up her tent. His shiny carapace glistened in the sun and he gnashed his mandibles in a satisfactory manner as the trundled over to meet her.
---

Once upon a time there was a nice little girl named Krissy. A friendly girl with soft blond hair and sweet smile. She was busy packing up her tent when suddenly she came upon a very large and impressive beetle trundling across the grass. There were exclamations of surprise at the largeness of this fine beetle and squeals of alarm when she witnessed the gnashing mandibles. But curiosity won out over sweeping the tent and she called over her sister and aunt to view this fine specimen. A small stick was procured and the beetle was herded this way and that in order to get a better view. Eventually he was scooped up into a paper cone and deposited on the gravel so that he could be seen and filmed by Krissy's uncle. There were many exclamations at his size, both body and mandible as they herded him from side to side.

---
Beetle was accustomed to being exclaimed over but this was more than he had bargained for. He gnashed his mandibles mightily and scurried from side to side trying to avoid the prodding stick. Ohhh...the humiliation of being turned belly up and having to thrash in such an unbecoming manner to right himself. He had not counted on this. Where were the shrieks of terror? When would he be left alone to find his homey-hole and peace again? Ohhh...he had a bad feeling about this but he gnashed his mandibles again and again, biting the stick and  hoping they would eventually have the desired affect. When would this end??

---
Uncle was getting some good shots of the giant beetle and Auntie had brought over Nigel and Sookie to meet this fine beetle. His pinching mandibles were pinching mightily and his legs were scrambling, scrambling to try and get away. When suddenly, without a sound and without warning a giant hammer descends from nowhere and pounds the beetle three times. BAM BAM BAM!!

Yes...I hear your shocked silence.

But it was only a moment of silence for that poor beetle before eyes were raised to the beetle murderer and incredulous voices exclaimed, "SCOTTY! What did you do? You killed it!" Everyone looked down at the poor squished beetle pounded to mush on the gravel of the quiet tent culdesac. No more shiny brown carapace. No more threatening, pinching mandibles.

Why do we laugh in the face of such brutality? But we did as we looked into the eight year old eyes of a smiling little boy wielding the power of a hammer.

Kitties...who can resist them?

I love kitties. I really do. I've adopted...let's see, Winter, Smoky, Mavric, Chulita, Howard, Nolan, Mimi, and Woody. Are there any more? I can't remember. I'm not going to mention Colin the Urinate-or, or Alan Harvey the Dumb-as-a-bag-of-hammers-cat, I never adopted them and I'm glad they didn't stay, but the others were part of our family.

The problem is that I'm allergic. Not just a little allergic and not necessarily Deathly Allergic but uncomfortably and sickly allergic. I sneeze. I cough. I sometimes get rashes. My nose runs. My throat itches. My eyes weep and swell. It wasn't until we got rid of our last cat that I realized how having kitties in the house affected not only my health, but my general sense of FEELING well on a daily basis.

But still...I love kitties. I love their weirdness. There's a saying in our family that it's redundant to say "Weird Cat" because CAT = WEIRD. It would be like saying 'weird weird' or 'cat cat'. Yes, you see.

And kittens are just adorable, frustrating yes, but adorable just the same.

Do you see my dilemma? Could I possibly adopt another cat? I've said no. No. and NO!

Until...I saw these kitties-

It's purrrrrfect. The name Animeko comes from Japanese: Ani - crochet and Meko - cat. I love needlework, yarn, color and kitties. AND there's No dander. No midnight howlings. No cat fights. No cat pee down the floor vents. No litter boxes. At. All.

So I welcome some new kitties into our house. First there's Sookie, my itty-bitty-yeller-kitty, first born. She has a few booboos but she's darling nonetheless -

And then there's Nigel...he reminds me a bit of Nolan-

There will probably be more...

...with maybe some German cousins, and I'm hoping to document their escapades for Fitz, Swede and eventually Sophie and Rue to follow on http://nigelandsookie.blogspot.com/.

My Future...

...is as bright as my faith.

I was made aware of this quote a little over a week ago when I met up with a friend I hadn't visited with a while. We decided to go to lunch to do some catching up and she filled me on what was going on in her life. In the last 12-18 months, or longer, she's had to deal with some pretty stressful things. I won't list them all but the list includes an impending divorce and break up of her beloved family, possible bankruptcy, and possible/likely loss of her home. Just those three things alone would be enough to send me to the edge of the abyss, if not over the edge altogether. Her life, through the choices of people she loves and trusted was on the apparent brink, if not of ruin, then at least, of drastic change

As she talked, and I listened, I honestly felt that I had nothing to offer that wouldn't sound trite or thin. We share the same religious beliefs so I know she's heard it all before. I felt for her. I wanted so badly to offer something, anything that might give her some comfort, though limited and/or temporary.

Then she said something like, "I look at my life and I think, 'I should be devastated. I should be alone in my room banging my head against a wall and contemplating the unthinkable.' Yet I am not. "My future is as bright as my faith." And my faith is strong. I know my Heavenly Father loves me and is aware of my life and my problems. I'm going to keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing the right things. The light will dawn and I'll be okay." She went on to say that at this point she'd like to be able to keep her house so when her son comes home from his mission he'll have his ward and home to come home to." At some risk I said, "You know, that may not happen."

To which she replied, "Yeah, I know. But even so I'm working in that direction. I have to have something to work for, hope for, but if it doesn't happen I know it will all be okay. I'll be okay. My children will be okay. I just have to have faith. Just walk with faith."

When we parted I felt like I had been the one comforted and blessed with hope. For her. For me.

"My future is as bright as my faith." 

I've been pondering that quote ever since and in consequence, looked up these scriptures in the Doctrine & Covenants (Italics added):

Section 122: 5-9

5 If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land or by sea;

 6 If thou art accused with all manner of false accusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy father and mother and brethren and sisters; and if with a drawn sword thine enemies tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring, and thine elder son, although but six years of age, shall cling to thy garments, and shall say, My father, my father, why can’t you stay with us? O, my father, what are the men going to do with you? and if then he shall be thrust from thee by the sword, and thou be dragged to prison, and thine enemies prowl around thee like wolves for the blood of the lamb;

 7 And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, (I also add: my daughter) that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

 8 The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

 9 Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever. 

Section 98: 1-3

 1 Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks;

 2 Waiting patiently on the Lord, for your prayers have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth, and are recorded with this seal and testament—the Lord hath sworn and decreed that they shall be granted.

 3 Therefore, he giveth this promise unto you, with an immutable covenant that they shall be fulfilled; and all things wherewith you have been afflicted shall work together for your good, and to my name’s glory, saith the Lord.

This is going to be on my mind for a long, long time.

Link to the talk with this quote: http://lds.org/ensign/2009/05/be-of-good-cheer?lang=eng