I don’t know if it is the same for you, but it is always with mixed feelings that I end a trip or vacation. Julia and I had such a wonderful time in Vermont. The week seemed to fly by and it was difficult to leave. Having my kids living so far from California isn’t the ideal situation but it is what it is, right? While I was a bit sad to leave them, and especially my sweet grand baby, I was happy to come home. I love my home and was more than happy to see my husband after ten days apart.
As for my grand baby, since I know you are all dying to hear, she is just adorable. I loved having the opportunity to spend a long stretch of time with her. She is full of all that newborn wonder that just melts a person’s heart. Her little cooing sounds when she is nursing, the happy smile she does when she is dreaming (what do newborn babies dream about anyway?) and the adorable cat-like stretches she does when she is waking up – the stuff newborn babies are made of. Ahh, I do love babies. She does have a touch of colick and can be quite fussy during the late afternoon and into the evening. Her parents handle these episodes with such patience. I am really proud of both of them.
When I got home, this was the first thing I saw as I drove up to the house. Isn’t it great? I ordered this banner a few weeks ago from Vistaprint. I will be a fabric vendor at our local quilt show in May and wanted to have something hanging at the back of the booth so shoppers would know the name of my shop. I am thrilled with how well it turned out. These pictures don’t do it justice. Ray hung this for me as a surprise but it was very gray and cloudy out and we took it down right away so it wouldn’t be rained on.
The size is 2 1/2 feet by 6 feet. It seems big to me but I am a poor judge of these things. Ray thought it was perfect so I am going with his opinion. We will see when I get the booth set up.
I also came home to a lot of happy mail. There was a lovely thank you note from a reader that won some fabric. How sweet of her to send a real note. It is a treat to receive a real card when email is usually the way we communicate these days. The card featured a very pretty crazy quilt picture.
After opening the card from Gloria, I opened a package sent to me by Jayne of Twiggy and Opal. I cannot even describe my surprise to see this gorgeous mini quilt. Jayne enclosed a note saying this was just a little gift for me. Really? For me? Just because??? I am beyond happy to have this quilt. I watched Jayne’s progress on this project on her Instagram feed. (Side note: do you follow Twiggy & Opal on IG? If not, hop over there and follow her. She is just a constant source of inspiration. I love her feed.) Anyway, I loved this project from the beginning.
I love the quilts Jayne designs. It seems like (and I may be totally wrong) she starts with an idea and it just organically evolves while she is sewing. From what I saw on her IG feed, Jayne made the bias strips she used to create the heart in the center. Then she started creating little (teeny, tiny) pieces to use in the border. The nine patch block on the left side of the photo above measures just under one inch. I have no words. It is adorable. The little HST’s to the right are also just under an inch. Yikes. My fingers are too clumsy for such miniature piecing.
She must have done some strip piecing for the nine patch and then also used it for the checkered border. That isn’t a striped piece, it is pieced! I just love her straight line quilting and also the quilting she did over the bias strips to emphasize the heart shape.
It is already hanging in my sewing room. I love having this treasure from Jayne and will think of her when I see it. It is such a special gift.
I have so many blog posts to catch up on this week. I didn’t read too many while I was away last week. There is so much going on right now. The New Quilt blogger Blog Hop is on going and there are lots of new bloggers to befriend. Check out the links at Quilting Jetgirl, Cooking Up Quilts and She Can Quilt. I will have a new Meet the Designer post up in a few days. This one will feature Kim Schaefer, a designer of cute, whimsical fabric lines for Andover. Hope you will come back Wednesday to get to know Kim. Until then, happy sewing to you!!
Love your mini quilts wall! Your banner turned out great.
Thank you Nancy. I am quite excited to have the banner to hang and was very pleased that it was not expensive at all. I needed to acquire/purchase a few items for this quilt show and I know I won’t quite break even but for shows down the road, I will be all set. Happy you stopped !by 🙂
Welcome home! Big time! Love your banner and your sweet giftie. I just started following her blog. I’ll have to check her out on IG, too, except I don’t go there too often. Good luck at the show! XO
Karen, nice to hear from you! Have you left Texas by now?
I am happy to be home and in love with my Twiggy & Opal original. She is one talented quilter, for sure. It is nice to be back and working on a few projects. Today looks to be rainy all day and you know what that means…. Time to sew! 🙂
Sounds like you had a wonderful time and stocked up on cuddles. I love your banner and how it coordinates with your blog and your shop, it’s a lovely clean and modern look, but so you. I follow Jayne and love your mini, she is a quilter I am always in awe of too.
Thank you Kate! I love the logo too. I think I am nearly set for the quilt show. I have a few sample items to finish making – I want to have finished projects to display so it is not just rows of bolted fabric.
Jayne is an inspiration to so many of us, isn’t she? Have you ever looked at her Etsy shop? I peruse it just because I love seeing what she has made. 🙂
Yes I do know the feeling of sad to leave but happy to be home. Even though my daughter is near by in Toronto I see her less as she gets older and I am always sad to see her leave….and of course I never get enough of my grandson although I do get to baby sit this Friday.
What a wonderful gift from Jayne. I think she is an inspiration for a lot of us.
Oh, how fun to be able to babysit your little guy. I hope you have a great time! Is he at the age for books and songs, etc? I can’t remember but I think he is a toddler, right? Enjoy him. I really hope someday I will be near enough to be more involved with our sweet grand baby. Who knows?!
I am so glad you had a wonderful trip and visit, and welcome home. There is no bed like your own bed (at least, that’s how I feel)! Wow, I am so excited that Jayne made that mini quilt for you. It looks perfectly at home hung up. It was definitely meant to be. And I agree with your husband, the banner is going to be so great at the fair.
Yep, I know exactly what you mean Yvonne. I love my own bed, my own bath and the comforts of home. It was a wonderful trip so really this all means I am doubly blessed, right?
The mini fit so well into the empty spot above my THREAD mini. It is like it was meant to be.
I am enjoying this year’s New Blogger Blog Hop – great group of quilt bloggers!
Oh my what a wonderful welcome home, after such lovely time with your family. The banner looks fantastic – good luck at your first market. Wow – to receiving Jayne’s mini – what a truly special gift.
I love the banner! Your hubby was right about the size, I think. What a lovely gift from Jayne, too. Lucky you!
I’m happy you had a great visit with your grandbaby Bernie. Babies/children are just so precious and a joy to be around. Your wall of mini’s looks sooo good, and Jayne’s fits right in. Lucky lady!!
Thanks Beth – It was a wonderful week spent with that little one. Now we are back to texts and pictures flying back and forth. I am grateful for the technology we have now. It makes being apart so much easier.
I relate completely to all your newborn comments. Before you know it she will be a year old like my granddaughter! I hope you get to see her again soon.
The sign is fantastic – wish I could see it in person at your booth. 🙂
That mini! Oh my gosh, the checked border is pieced? Goodness. My hands hurt just thinking about it. It looks wonderful on your wall.
Yep – the time goes all too fast these days. Hopefully I will get back over there sooner rather than later.
I wish you could come to the show too!! Wouldn’t that be great? Isn’t your husband just itching for a trip to Northern California? Maybe someday….. 🙂
Glad to hear that you got to spend time with the grandgirl…I was back in time remembering the oh so cozy feel of a newborns little head curled up against my shoulder…::)
How lucky you were to have gotten Jayne’s mini! I was following along wondering who was going to get it. So happy that it ended up being you. 🙂 And your banner looks fantastic!
I feel very lucky! What a treat it is to have this mini hanging in my sewing room. ☺