WIP Wednesday

right now i am mad at Blogger or myself for not being able to figure it out.  i have the pictures going the right direction in the file but when they upload they are all going the wrong direction.  so, use your imagination.  i am sure that i am the problem given the day that i have had.

no sewing in this post.  too much Christmas stuff that i can't share.

however, i can share a cute little project i did for gift bags.

i took scrap fabric in a shade of green & put some steam a seam stuff on it & then cut out triangle shapes.  it did the same with some brown fabric & cut out trunk shapes.

peeled off the backing & positioned them into trees.

then i ironed them down & added a button to the top of the tree.

there you have it.  some simple.  affordable. cute gift bags.  these are headed to Spokane tomorrow with gifts for my friends up there.  i hope they enjoy them.

maybe next week i can show some sewing on my WIP Wednesday post.

happy sewing

Giving Thanks

according to Merriam-Webster

Thanksgiving is

defined as the act of giving thanks. a prayer expressing gratitude. a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.

and

Thanksgiving Day is

defined as a day appointed for giving thanks for divine goodness.  the fourth Thursday in November observed as a legal holiday in the United States.

i found it odd that there is no mention of a big feast in the definition of Thanksgiving Day.  because that is what we do right? 

we cook a large 'special' meal just for that day.  usually taking the whole day to prepare the meal.  the meal is then shared with family & friends.  where we over eat, nap & watch football.  some people even believe that the food & day will be better if their house is in perfect order.  my mother being one of them.  ughhhhh

 

digging a little deeper.  Wikipedia (i said a little deeper) says that 'Thanksgiving in North America had originated from a mix of European and Native traditions."  both of these groups celebrated the end of a good harvest season.  overtime this evolved into Thanksgiving as we now know it.

for myself, i enjoy the meal & the time spent with family & friends.  but, i also think that it is important to celebrate, to give thanks, to be grateful for our own harvest of the past year.  the good things in our lives over the past 365 days.

so, on this day i reflect on my own harvest of this past year.  the birth of my niece.  the bond with my friends & the support they have given me.  my health.  the experiences i have had.  the lessons i have learned. 

for all of these things i am grateful for & today i give thanks for them because without them i would not be me.

so as you enjoy your meal with your family & friends pause to reflect on your own personal harvest of this past year.  be thankful for what this past year has brought you & be grateful for Someone special in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving

WIP Wednesday

a week ago i was at quilt camp.  roughly 4 days of sewing time.  it was great.  an amazing group of ladies.  good food.  lots of laughter.

so what did i get done?

you have seen most of these pics before, but i didn't say what was my stuff.

a bee block that took me out of my comfort zone.  which.  isn't always a bad thing.

another bee block.

a six-pack bag.

made with Terrain from Kate Spain.

this Christmas quilt made with Countdown To Christmas fabric from Sweetwater.  i got a few questions about the pattern.  i found it on the Moda Bake Shop & its the Ruby, Pearl, and Opal Quilt pattern.

3 zipper bags that are more then likely going to be gifts.

note pad & pen holders with a pocket.

gifts again.

large Snap Happy multi-pouch clutch.

its for me. its green & i love it. if you haven't made any of the Snap Happy bags i strongly encourage you to give them a try. you use a metal tape measure in them for the snap closure. they are very fun to make.

2 WSU (Washington State University) bags.

this project was purchased a couple years ago during a trip to Sisters.  its out of Nature's Solitude.  640 pcs to begin with.  i have had it cut for over a year now & it has been to a few camps with me but this is the 1st time i have touched it since i cut it out.

now down to 320 pcs.

so that is what i have been working on for the past 7 days.  i feel really good about what i got done at camp.  i am looking forward to spending sometime with my sewing machine tomorrow as well.

Slow Down Therapy

this came across my desk yesterday at work & i thought i would share it.  we all are living at such a fast pace that its nice to pause.  to take time.  to go a little slower every now & then.

"Slow Down Therapy" ~ Author Unknown

1. Slow down; you’re not responsible for doing it all yourself—at least not right now.
2. Remember a happy, peaceful time in your past. Rest there. Each moment has richness that takes a lifetime to savor.
3. Set your own pace. When someone is pushing you, it's OK to tell them they're pushing.
4. Take nothing for granted: watch water flow, the corn grow, the leaves blow, and your neighbor mow.
5. Taste your food.
6. Notice the sun and the moon as they rise and set. They are remarkable for their steady pattern of movement, not their speed.
7. When you talk with someone, don't think about what you'll say next. Take time to listen and your thoughts will spring up naturally.
8. Create a place in your home...at your work...in your heart...where you can go for quiet and recollection. You deserve it.
9. Allow yourself time to rest. Rest isn't a luxury; it's a necessity.
10. Listen to the wind blow. It carries a message of yesterday and tomorrow-and now. NOW counts.
11. It’s ok to rest on your laurels sometimes. They bring comfort whatever their size, age, or condition.
12. Talk slower. Talk less. Don't talk. Communication isn't measured by words.
13. Give yourself permission to be late sometimes. Life is for living, not scheduling.
14. Listen to the song of a bird; the complete song. Music and nature are gifts, but only if you are willing to receive them.
15. Take time just to think. Action is good and necessary, but it's fruitful only if we muse, ponder, and mull.
16. Make time for play at the things you like to do. Whatever your age, your inner child needs re-creation.
17. Learn to stand back and let others take their turn as leaders. There will always be new opportunities for you to step out in front again.
18. Take time to read. Thoughtful reading is enriching reading.
19. Take a day off--alone. You can learn from hermits without becoming one.
20. Pet a furry friend. You will give and get the gift of now.
21. Work with your hands. It frees the mind.
22. Take time to wonder. Without wonder, life is merely existence.
23. Sit in the dark. It will teach you to see and hear, taste and smell.
24. Once in a while, turn down the lights, the volume, the throttle, and the invitations. Less really can be more.
25. Take a walk-but don't go anywhere. If you walk just to get somewhere, you sacrifice the walking.
26. Count your friends. If you have one, you are lucky. If you have more, you are blessed. Bless them in return.
27. Count your blessings - one at a time and slowly.
28. Let go. Nothing is usually the hardest thing to do - but often it is the best.

enjoy your day!

Quilt Camp Update Part IV

the last update from quilt camp.

we all made it home even with all of the snow that we got while we were there.  it was a great camp.  great ladies.  lots of laughter.  lots of sewing.

come back Wednesday to see what i worked on at camp.

Quilt Camp Update Part III

it's still snowing & we are still sewing.....

tomorrow it all comes to an end so we are all sewing like mad tonight.......

Quilt Camp Update Part II

just a few more pics from the past couple of days at camp.

come back to see more pics of projects that campers have been working on.