Stitches...at a standstill.

First...here is another past photo of our two daughters...who are 2 Sweet Sisters:

& here's a past photo taken of our daughter Girly~Twirly at one of her Kappa Delta Sorority's get-togethers.

I have said this before..."I try to do at least one post a week...cuz i have a hard time finding time to do one, much less any more than that!" haha

So, this week along with Jenny and her awesome Alphabe-Thursday S. 

& Alicia and her fantastic Friday Photo Flashback.

...this post is linked up with Amy's 3rd sensational Spring Quilt Festival.

It would have been "easy-peasy" for me if I was able to link up my recent "Q" post for the Quilt Festival, since it was about some favorite family quilts and my unfinished ones.

(*side note* I am a novice quilter so love to learn all the time...like blogging...I am always learning something new!)

Since this has to be a new post for the Quilt Festival, I thought I would focus on my unfinished ladybug quilts.

(*Side note*: I have always loved the Grandmother's Flower Garden quit pattern... Here is a beautiful vintage one that I found on the search engine: bing.com

"...the flower garden pattern is also known as grandmother's flower garden or french rose garden." & "i did a little research and this pattern was revived in the 1920's from the hexagon mosaic pattern from the 1830's. in the late 1920's there was an american quilt revival which incorporated a new color palette of pastel prints. quilts made from these fabrics are sometimes referred to as depression quilts. the flower garden quilt pattern is supposedly still the most popular quilt pattern today."  -Julie King- 


I was able to hear from Julie and ask if she wouldn't mind me sharing her grandmother's lovely quilt. I love the little hexagon Shaped... Scrappy fabric prints that are Stitched together to form the Stunning flowers.) I've heard that hese hexagon shapes are often put together as "paper-pieced", but never learned what that meant.  I didn't cut paper into hexagons for my quilt, but just cut the fabric into hexagon shapes, and sewed them together edge to edge.

Well, when Girly~Twirly became a Kappa Delta in her first year of college (Fall of 2001) and I learned about their chapter's ladybug mascot...I thought how cute would it be to make a quilt for her with ladybugs. And I pictured in my mind... little hexagon pieces of red and black stitched together like a Grandmother's Flower garden, but instead of flowers... into ladybugs.

I showed a few photos of that progress in a slideshow on this recent post, which is also about some family quilts that are special to me.

I had so much fun buying small strips of red and black fabric, whenever I would go to a fabric store (which was pretty frequent!). My goal was to have this quilt pieced and quilted by the time she started her 2nd year of undergrad ...um that would have been in the Fall of 2002....

Here is another picture taken, when my hubby was in Iraq and Girly~Whirly, Heartbreaker and I went up to see her at one of her sorority functions in 2003.  ...and still her quilt was not finished.

And then in the Fall of 2004, our other daughter Girly~Whirly also became a Kappa Delta girl!

So, I started cutting out hexagon pieces for a ladybug quilt for her too...

They are supposed to be twin size quilts. But so in the hopes of completing them faster, I had entertained the thought of maybe appliquing the ladybugs that I do have onto a solid background (...but I really like my initial plan of separating and joining the ladybugs with a variety of white on white patterned hexagons.)

So, my goal is that I will get these ladybug quilts completed...  Although, instead of a twin size...I have thought of crib size quilts from these ladybugs for each of the girls' first babies (I have a blue and white one started for Heartbreaker is also unfinished(!), so it may turn into one for his first baby. The blue and white one was my very first attempt at piecing...).  (My hubby did bring up the fact that I will have to have a quilt for all of our future grandchildren. But, I actually have quite a number of quilts started...enough for grandbabies of each of our children-Girly~Twirly, Girly~Whirly, and Heartbreaker!

These are white fabrics that I am using for the "linking hexagons" between each of the ladybugs....and with the odd excess scraps, I have started another "scrappy" crazy quilt as I go.

Ah...so, here it is 2010 and this is the Story of Stitches...at a standstill...
just a couple out of the many other unfinished ones and so many others I would love to do! I am such a novice at quilting, so I would love to get back into a guild so that I can learn from those that have so much experience!)

So a Sincere "thank you!" to all of you who have Stopped by...and for your understanding of my joining in with more than one awesome meme.

Blessings & Aloha!

Here are some ladybug drawings...

EDITED* added on June 1st*
(I realized that some are new to by blog, and after an email from another blogger...I should have explained about the drawings :o) Every drawing that I do is drawn entirely with a person's name. The whole image is with a name. I appreciate your interest and please do contact me for info or ordering any image...using any name. :o)

This was from a photo of the original, so the image was not as bright as it actually is.

This is a photo of the same image after I added color. Since it's a photo, it also looks like the mat was not straight, but it is a fishbowl distortion from the lens.

...and this one was one of the quilt-related drawings that I had on my previous "Q"post (Quintessential Quilts and Quilting Quandary)...

***Oh! Here's a favor to ask...If you are a quilter or seamstress, please let me know what type of sewing machine you use... I gave my sewing machine to our daughter Girly~Twirly and am looking for another...I would like to find one that also does monograms...and is "user-friendly" :o)***

***also...it is hard to believe, but I am coming up on my 100th post...please check back, since I will be having a giveaway on that post for a Personalized Sketches artwork and a special discount. I just noticed that this is my 92nd post.*** Thank you to all those that have stopped by and it is so fun meeting you :o)

Reminiscing & Rejoicing...

This post is about the recent graduation days of our older daughter and her husband...

My hubby and I have just returned from yet another road trip... Our first road trip took us about a 12 hour drive from Georgia to Kentucky (to stay a couple of nights with our kids) and then on to northern Wisconsin to visit my dad (about a 15 hour drive from KY to his home).

...and then on our return back fro Wisconsin to Georgia, we were able to stay one night in Kentucky with our kids.

Then the following weekend, we drove the 12 hour, one way, to see our daughter -Girly~ Twirly (aka theluckiestmrs.) graduate from Dental school and 12 hours back home... And then the weekend following that, we once again hit the road to see our son-in-law graduate from Medical school, 12 hours there and 12 hours back.

So for some Reminiscing...here are a few earlier photos.

Kindergarten

Besides cheerleading and academics, Girly~Twirly kept very busy in lots of activities throughout high school and college... such as GSP, Girls' Soccer team, Girls' Tennis Team, in high school. University of Louisville Women's Crew "Oarswoman of the Year", Kappa Delta sorority, UofL Homecoming Queen, Mountain Laurel candidate... G.E.M.S (Guaranteed Entrance to Med School)...AAWD...Excellence in Restorative Dentistry...
(You can go to this past post about another "R" inspired word...Royal Chronicles... :o)

Her Mr. also was very involved in high school and college...Track, Basketball, High school Prom King, High School Homecoming King, Valedictorian, Sigma Chi Fraternity, Big Brother's, G.E.M.S (This is where they first met), taught 2nd graders Science. 1st in his class in First year Med.,  Med School Graduate with High Distinction. Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society.

...still can't find all the photos that I know that we have...but here are a couple more:

High School Graduation with his mom.

UofL undergrad Graduation.

& for the most Recent Reason for Rejoicing...graduation photos...

After about 21+ years each of schooling!

REJOICE in the Lord always.

...and again, I say REJOICE! Philippians 4:4

We are so blessed and proud of their perseverance, hard work and accomplishments! 

Blessings & Aloha!

Thank you for stopping by!

I am joining in with 2 marvelous memes of 2 lovely ladies...
with Jenny for
Alphabe-Thursday "R".
&

Alicia for 

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK.

We have ties to both University of Louisville (Girly~Twirly & her hubby & Girly~Whirly are all UofL undergrads)

and University of Kentucky (Girly~Twirly & her hubby graduates of UK's Dental and Medical Schools, Girly~Whirly has 2 more years of UK Dental School, and Heartbreaker will be in his 3rd year of undergrad at UK).

...I have seen the stickers like these: 

But instead of this Rivalry... I would rather look at it as... :o)

 A House UNITED :o)

Quintessential Quilts and Quilting Quandry

My very first recollection of a quilt was a scrappy, crazy quilt that my dad's mom's oldest sister (Great Aunt Mary) made for us.

Funny, but when I was little and someone would mention Great Aunt Mary...I always thought they were just talking about my dad's sister, who was named after her. And wondering why, was she called "Great" Aunt Mary and why my dad's other sisters...Aunt Annie or Aunt Kathy were not also called "Great" Aunt Annie and "Great" Aunt Kathy...cuz I thought they were equally as "great".

I remember having so much fun looking at all the scrap pieces of fabric....As a little kid, I would lay on it and just imagine what piece of clothing was made from each or make up stories about the pieces.  We were just visiting my dad, and I meant to take a picture of that quilt, but I forgot!

Quintessential: most typical representation; perfect

(The following quilts are what I call quintessential, for me they are perfection & cherished even more, since they were made by family...a "most typical representation" of the creativity, skill, and love that was put into each stitch and time spent.)

This quilt was one that was made (around the1940's or 1950's): 

...by my dad's Aunt Ann on his dad's side.

**********

These are some of the many quilts that my mom made. She didnt start doing quilts until the early 1990's. She was so gifted in so many other interests and hobbies! You can read a little more about her HERE.

She had made this block quilt for me (around 1990) in these pastels, since I liked those colors. 

And then later, she was whipping out Denim ones like wildfire!  Denim ones for Girly-Twirly, Heartbreaker, my brother, and other family and friends.

She made one of courderoy squares for my sister. And here is the white denim quilt she made for our Girly~Whirly.

All from old pants she purchased from the church thrift shop that she volunteered in.  I am in awe that she created all the quilts that she did in a short amount of time! And they are all large bed size quilts!

**********

I thought I would add these two photo taken in 1967, when we were in Massachusetts. (Not really quilt related, but I came across these when we were visiting my dad. He took these of mom, me & our dog Rascal in the "igloo" they made for me.

(...looks like I have a choke-hold on our poor pooch!)
...um...back to the topic of quilts...

Here are some cross-stitched quilts that she also made...the dark blue one to fit a full size and the smaller light blue one as a throw.

**********

This one was made by Mr. B's sister.

**********

And this one is a Hawaiian Quilt design for a pillow that was given by Mr. B's family to Girly~Twirly when she was graduating from high school. (I love the appliqued style of the Hawaiian quilts. I want to "one day" do a Hawaiian Quilt sampler of various patterns....)

Quandary: dilemma

My dilemma? ...my mathematical perplexity is...
...my unfinished quilts + my limited "free" time = my unfinished quilts!
...but I hope to get better organized and set aside some time to work on my unfinished pieces and projects.

The slideshow has some vintage quilts that I have found and purchased (hm...I think they were all bought while Mr. B was deployed ;o) Anyways...this will also explain why I am in awe at how many quilts my mom had made...because I have so-o-o many unfinished ones!

Here are some drawings that are "quilt-related". 

********

I am joining in with 2 marvelous memes of 2 lovely ladies...
with Jenny for
ALPHABE-THURSDAY "Q"

&

Alicia for 

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK.

Blessings & Aloha!

...we will be back "on the road" again! I will be sure to catch up more on my blog reading when we return. Thank you for stopping in and leaving your wonderful comments.

Past, Present & Promise...

This is a Picture from the PAST...

20 years ago,  on May 9th, 1990, we were blessed with our little bundle of joy.
You can read about his birth story here, along with the birth stories of our dear and darling daughters.

I still want to do a future post of the challenging time that our family went through, when Heartbreaker was  diagnosed, went through cancer treatment and the awesome testimony of the Lord's peace, strength and reassurance we felt during that time and also of our son's healing.  And I want to include one of Heartbreaker's scholarship essays that he wrote regarding that time.

But today, I want to celebrate in the PRESENT...we are so blessed and thankful for the opportunity to reflect on the growth from a sweet newborn to an amazing young man.

Here is a slideshow of some early birthday photos I was able to find and also when he turned 15 in the hospital and 16 fully healed! Praise the Lord!

And we look forward to what the future and the Lord has in store for him. A promise of many more blessings.  (This is the verse that we had posted on the Caringbridge page we had journaled on during this time:)
"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 


We will be driving up to Kentucky for our Girly~Twirly's (aka theluckiestmrs.) graduation from dental school (I'll be posting about that and her husband's medical school graduation, in a few weeks).

...so once again, my hubby and I will be "on the road again"! :o) And we will be able to celebrate Heartbreaker's 20th birthday! :o)

I am joining in with 3 marvelous memes of 3 lovely ladies...

with Jenny for

ALPHABE-THURSDAY "P"

&

Alicia for 

FRIDAY PHOTO FLASHBACK.

&

Lynn for

FRIDAY FOLLOW.

I am posting today, since we will be leaving immediately after I get off of work Thursday. So, I will have to add the links to Alicia and Lynn's memes once we have access to a computer again...

(Hop over and meet great bloggers at these sites).

~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some drawing orders that I will actually be bringing with us to deliver while we are in Kentucky. These three happen to be monograms, but each very different.

Jessica, Thank you for your monogram order...it is always fun to see what style of lettering is chosen for me to work with.

J drawn with Jessica, P with Phillips, G with Garry

Megan, Thank you for your two orders...I really enjoyed coming up with working the tobacco plants in with the monogram of your aunt and uncle's initials of their tobacco farm.

TAF stands for Thomas Academy Farms. With T drawn with Ricky, A with Thomas, and F with Donna.

This one was also a unique idea with the monograms of the couple's initials, but using their three sons' names drawn for each letter. (Lettering that was chosen was PF Chanpioin Script).

A drawn with Matthew, L with Grant, D with Andrew.

 Thankyou so much for stopping by!

Blessings & Aloha!