Let the Festivities Begin

Even though we are mid renovation this might just be our most stress free Christmas ever. Renting a furnished apartment for the duration of the renovation was brilliant.....thanks to my husband for that bright idea. 

I even had some quilty play time this morning!!

A mini tree, some presents............yes, those are the superhero quilts all wrapped and ready to go.

A poinsettia on the table............

Lots of good food........my daughter brought this lovely tray for Christmas Eve.

Tomorrow, dinner at her house with everyone, including four kids and three dogs....should be fun!!!

It's a very different Christmas than last year. Last year this same daughter was so very ill and this year she and her husband are hosting Christmas Dinner at their house.....I'm so thankful.

Merry Christmas to all of you and your loved ones.

Marianne

Saying Goodbye

On Easter Sunday, my Mom passed away at the age of 85. 

She was a wonderful artist.

 Here sits her loom.....now still.

 Mom's 85th Birthday, last July. 

 I made this quilt for her birthday. 

I was testing Cheryl Arkison's pattern "Stripes" for her book A Month of Sundays and as the quilt progressed, it just seemed to have Mom's name on it. The colours reminded me of her weaving. 

Her death was very sudden....and now we face the process of saying goodbye. She lived a full, healthy, and very creative life, filled with family and friends. 

Thank you so much, for all your heartfelt comments. Your kindness warms my heart during this difficult time.

Every evening, since her stroke, I sit snuggled under this quilt......and I suspect that will continue, for many evenings ahead.

Marianne

Waiting and Wondering........

Last week I walked along the river.......

Spotting pussy willows along the way.

I even saw a beaver actively building his dam.

Yesterday, my Mom had a massive stroke....so today, we sat in the hospital, waiting and wondering.

Just last week, my Mom was recovering well from cataract surgery, anticipating spring and adjusting to her newly improved eyesight. It doesn't look good.

We are in shock, but thankfully we are together as a family....so we wait together.

Balancing Act

Not only am I a quilter.....I'm a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend. Often I fall short in all of the above, because finding balance is not always easy!!

 This week I'm in Grandma mode, as I have my little Autumn Claire (15 months) for the week....her parents and big sister are in Mexico, for a much needed vacation. Smiling brown eyes and dimples.....need I say more, we are so in love!!! There's a reason women my age don't have babies.....every evening my husband and I fall into our easy chairs exhausted, even though she is good as gold.

Just as I have more than one role so does the space I live in.....my quilting studio has to serve more than one purpose. I have the toys for the four grandchildren in a bedroom right next to my studio....this room also serves as a guest room for out of town guests. As you can see the playpen is all ready to go for my wee girl.

 My studio has to function as a family room and a home office as well as a sewing space. The cutting table makes a great craft table for my three year old granddaughters.....I love to nurture their creativity. My biggest challenge so far is to make the space look good (the stairwell from the upstairs is very open), have it function well and be safe for when the little ones are here.

The glass door hides a multitude of equipment.....needless to say, I have a lock on the door. Curious one- year olds and long-arms don't mix all that well.....I have a fear that my one year-old grandson will think of the frame as monkey bars.

As you can see, my fears aren't totally unfounded!!!

Behind those doors it's still a work in progress!!!!! During nap time I try to keep working, on getting this organized.

I even managed to finish this little sweater....I started it almost three years ago, sigh!!!

Sooon very sooon I hope to get some quilting done.....the quilter in me is feeling neglected!!!

Creating Some Calm in the Storm

 

 Here's one last look, at the view, from my son's hospital window (rather a quilt worthy view, in my opinion). I'm happy to report he came home on Friday and is doing really well. We even managed a family outing to Ikea over the weekend....that alone should tell you how things are going, 

Thank you so much, for your kind word, thoughts and prayers....it means so much!! 

 Meanwhile we've been trying to create a little bit of calm in the midst of the chaos. After all one does need their computer!!

 And perhaps a sewing machine or two.....just perhaps.

Yup....there's the cutting table. Are you wondering what's up with all the plastic??

The basement has approximately 700 hundred square feet of unfinished space, besides the finished part. Unfortunately there are no windows in that area. So just what does a quilter do with a black hole of that magnitude??

Cut a door of course....and let the light from the patio doors shine in!!!!! We'll be putting in a french door.

Put up some drywall, add some lighting and electrical sockets, paint the floor.....and I will have more storage than I have ever had and a spot for the long arm.

 Of course this is rather a slow process and dusty to say the least.

Meanwhile, upstairs is becoming a little more orderly.

 

Slowly but surely things are coming together. 

I've even created a temporary closet until I can get around to ordering an Ikea system.

Lest you think things are under control.....remember this room, yup it is still piled high to the ceiling!!

Once again, thank you for all your wonderful comments and emails, I tried to answer as many as I could....a few might have slipped through the cracks.....your support as ever, means so much.

Marianne

Leech Therapy...the Beauty of the Leech

 I have always found leeches to particularly gruesome....NOT ANYMORE!!! 

My amazing son had an accident with a saw.....several severed fingers later, we find ourselves embracing the beauty of the leech. The leeches are placed on the reattached finger every two hours, in order to keep the blood flowing. 

My son took the picture on the left, taking note of the leech's beautiful colours, as it does it's job. Ever the science teacher, he is quite fascinated and ever the artist, I found him sketching leeches on his iPad, with his good hand. 

Watching our son in pain has been extremely difficult but we are so thankful it wasn't any worse and that it's not his primary hand.

Ever the quilter, I went looking for some quilty inspiration in the hospital, as he rested.

 

 

 

My son's strength and humor in this difficult situation is an inspiration to me.....I'm so privileged to be the mother of such an amazing young man.