Hi Everyone! Two posts in as many days. How about that?
I have recently started reading Yvonne’s blog over at Quilting Jetgirl. She is a really talented quilter and her blog is fun to read. She has begun a link up on Thursdays that she calls Thankful Thursdays. This week she has a great post about the inspirational quilters from Gees Bend that recently spoke at Quilt Con. It was really an interesting read. I think it is a timely reminder to focus on what we are grateful for. My last post was a bit of a downer because I recently finished a quilt and was not so thrilled with the final product. Rather than point out the nice things such as the amazing, hand dyed fabric that I used as the center accent fabrics (which I won from the monthly giveaway sponsored by Angela on soscrappy.com!) or the overall look of the quilt, all I could see was the less than perfect quilting I had done. Way too negative.
So this post is a reminder for me to remain mindful of the positive. This week I am filled with gratitude for the amazing spring blossoms that I have in my garden. We are having a very early spring – it has been unseasonably warm here in CA while the rest of the world is enduring a very harsh winter.
My peach tree is blossoming. Crazy early and I am hoping we will still get peaches. Hard to say with the blossoms coming about in February. Either way, it looks lovely.
Daffodils and primroses are in bloom as well.
Hard to believe how the climate can be so incredibly opposite from one side of the country to the other. The silver lining to a crazy warm winter are these blossoms that are popping up in my yard. Hope the eastern half of the world begins to thaw soon.
I had lots of finishes this week. I started replenishing the little clothesline/clothespin bags that I sell on Etsy. I was almost sold out (it is warm enough to use a clothesline in parts of the country!) This week I made them with upcycled denim jeans that I thrifted. They came together so quickly compared to the ones that I have made with burlap. (Burlap can be tricky to work with.)
And now a polka dotted version.
Nice to add a few new items to my Etsy shop.
Also finished up the February Row for my RSC15 quilt. I am following along with Mari over at Academic Quilter on her Classic Stitches Row Quilt. She should be releasing the next block for March on Tuesday of next week. Looking forward to seeing what she has planned as well as what color Angela has picked for March. For February Mari did a tutorial on these little heart blocks. I did 6 inch blocks. They were very simple to piece.
Here they are with the broken dishes blocks that we did for the January row.
They look cute side by side like this. Tempting as it is, I won’t stitch any rows together until I see what the others look like.
Hope you are all finding reasons to feel grateful. Some days you have to look deeper to figure it out but there is always, always something. Thanks to Yvonne for the reminder. Leave me a comment on gratitude. I would love to fill the page with positive thoughts. 🙂
Linking to Thankful Thursday and Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, as well as TGIFF.
Angela Walters is a great champion of being positive and uplifting, too. Her recent blog post might be uplifting for you: http://www.quiltingismytherapy.com/2015/02/25/three-things-machine-quilters-shouldnt/. I am so grateful for my loving and supportive husband. Thank you so much for linking up!
Thanks Yvonne. I will read the post. I do love Angela. I saw your post on IG – you have a keeper there with your husband!! 🙂
I read Angela’s post this morning, too, and felt like she was talking directly to me because I always find fault with my work. I will have to go read Yvonne’s blog. She always has something thoughtful and thought provoking, and I love her work. Well, today I’m grateful for beautiful sunshine despite the cold. It streams in the windows and really brightens up (and warms) the house. I know spring will get here eventually, and your post just gave me the shot of spring I need with your beautiful flower pictures. Your clothespin bags are so cute! We don’t have a clothesline anymore (in fact, some areas around here ban them–can you believe it?), but I’m thinking of getting one if for no other reason than to have a place to photograph quilts!
Hi:
Yes, hang a line — I do love to take pics of my quilts on the clothesline. Why are they banned? Unsightly to see all those “unmentionables” hanging on the line??? 😉
Take care Janine!
Bernie, I don’t know if this comment goes out to all who read your blog
But
I couldn’t help thinking about all that I’m grateful for.
I miss Rod so very much but by moving to Santa Rosa, I’m so grateful having family close by.
I miss my neighbors and friends but I’m grateful we still stay in touch.
Hugs to you and your family.
Yes, comments are public but this is so sweet. Of course you miss Rod – I am sorry for that. But very glad you are near Dena and the boys. The neighborhood misses you Reta! Hugs to you too.
B.
Ohh I wish I had flowers blooming, today we had 5″ of snow…not as much as the east coast but for north Texas that is a lot.
Hi Shauna,
Hope the snow doesn’t last too long for you. We have thunder tonight and a bit of rain. I love the thunder though. Doesn’t happen too often here so it’s a treat.
Come by again!
Bernie
YOU might have been seeing less than perfect on that quilt but I think that most of us just appreciated how pretty it was, as are these projects and flowers ! Lots of snow and cold where I am so it’s nice to see 🙂
Lovely photos and timely post. There is so much to be grateful for. Thanks for the links.
Hi Ann,
Glad you liked the post. Thank you for stopping by!
Bernie
Looking great. And those blossoms, beautiful!
Love your row by row. What a fun quilt this will be.
Thanks Angela. I’m looking forward to digging into the bag of yellow scraps. It will be a challenge as that is one color I know I don’t have tons of scrap in. Surely enough for a row though. Also looking forward to seeing which block Mari has decided on for March! Hope all is well.
B.
It is so easy to let all the imperfect stuff ruin the other stuff we do. Glad that you were able to shift your perspective a bit. In contrast to your early spring, Oklahoma is having a late winter. Usually we are starting to see buds around here, not this year.
Love your row of hearts and broken dishes. Sounds like a fun scrappy project.
Hi Kate,
It has definitely been a weird year for weather. Hopefully you’ll get some springtime soon. Thanks for your sweet comment. Come back again sometime!
Bernie
What a wonderful post. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Sheila,
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by.
Take care and have a great week!
Bernie
I NEED to make one of these! Thanks for the inspiration! Glad you rejuvianted this one, or i would have missed it.
Yay! I’m glad you saw it too. Post a picture of yours when you get it done!