Feeling Positive

Thank you for all of the wonderful anniversary wishes you left on my recent post. It was sweet to read them and kind of you to write them! On the more recent post about my Choose Any Direction quilt, there were lots of mentions about the amazing community support we all give and receive when trying to solve quilt making issues. Again, thank you – it was a challenge for me and so nice to be able to ask questions and find the answers. So, yes – I am feeling positive!

Spring is another reason for my boost in positivity. Our garden is beginning to burst with color! The rhododendrons and azaleas are blooming and the lawn is gorgeous. It makes me so happy to see abundant color after a winter of no blooms whatsoever. This is just the beginning too. Many more plants are popping up here and there. Tis the season for gardening!

Feeling really positive about the upcoming QAL too! Hope you are getting excited about it. Preeti just put up a post talking about sponsors and prizes. Hop over and check it out. Won’t be long until it is time to choose fabrics and start making blocks.

Speaking of choosing fabrics, I am positive I want to use this pull in a quilt. Do you all enjoy pulling fabrics together without a plan in mind? I was looking at the old fashioned, large scale floral and one thing led to another. Next I know, I am looking through solids that work with it. Now I love this whole stack. Hmmm…. what to make with it??

There is no way to feel anything but positive when I look at photos of these sweet girls. Ray and I gave them this swing for their birthday a year ago. Time went by and it wasn’t hung. (We all know how that goes, don’t we)? Anyway, my son got it installed and the girls are loving it. Be sure to take a look at little sister’s shoes. If she wears Crocs, they are invariably on the wrong feet and it makes me chuckle every time.

Black and white photos are something else that I just love. When looking at a black and white picture one doesn’t have the distraction of the colors. It causes a person to see the emotion in the picture. (Does that even make sense)? This picture of A is gorgeous with the focus on her pretty eyes, cute little mouth and curly hair.

Who doesn’t get a dose of positivity from a cute puppy? Then add a trip to the library to the equation. Now we have absolutely, positively pure joy! My sister brought Powers to the library during our normal volunteer hours. She is just starting to take him in public. He was adorable and made everyone so happy. I hope she brings him again on Wednesday. Puppies make people smile, no doubt about it.

Lots of simple things going on making life good these days. What about you? Who or what is making you smile lately? Tell us in the comments and then go have a great day!

28 thoughts on “Feeling Positive

  1. Kathleen Kingsbury

    Love the crocs on the wrong feet. And no doubt mom didn’t correct her because the girl dressed herself and that’s one less thing mom had to do that day, which in itself is a very big deal! Thank you for sharing your sweet granddaughters. I have two as well and they do so many of the same things. Never-ending joy.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Grand children are a huge source of joy. I didn’t know how much I would love being a Grammy.
      As far as those silly shoes…. If we put them on the right feet, at some point she will switch them. Who knows why? It is really funny and I have a number of pictures of her with her crocs on the wrong feet. Honestly, I will miss it when she stops doing it!

      Reply
  2. Wendy

    Great post, Bernie! Your “Rhody” is looking fabulous. I like the fabric pull, and look forward to seeing what you make with it. The girls look happy with their swing, and I love the B&W photo of A! The crocs crack me up.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Good morning Wendy –
      I love that fabric collection too. When I looked at the floral I was sort of ‘meh’ with it but that set of solids sure looks pretty with it. For now, it will remain in a stack while I work on a few other things. But I plan to use them together at some point. Have a great day!!

      Reply
  3. Pamela Dempsey

    Such a happy post 🤗! Your granddaughters are loving that swing and it will be great memories for them. The bright azaleas are beautiful and your solids pop with the floral print! Love the puppy shot. What is making me smile lately are our 2new calico kittens! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      We don’t have kitties because a few people in our family are too allergic to them. I bet kittens are a handful though. Are they siblings? When you get them? Do you have to train kittens like you do with puppies – litter box and all that?

      Reply
      1. Pamela Dempsey

        My black cat, Emily, passed in March and we miss her terribly. She would have been 15 years old in April. We found kittens through the spca but their mama is FIV positive, like HIV in people. We adopted 2 calicos and will need to keep them inside and away from other cats. Kittens are so much easier, you show them the litter box and they use it. They will be 11 weeks old tomorrow, so fun to watch playing with each other and to cuddle with. Yes, I’m a cat person 😻🥰

        Reply
  4. Rebecca Burch

    That fabric that you’re pulling to match is gorgeous! Is it a Hoffman? If it were mine (& I wish it was! 😆), I’d make a sampler with your solids & little bits of that fabric in each block.

    Thanks for turning me on to the “Positivity” QAL! Yay! Another Merciful Quilt!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hurray Rebecca! Are you going to join us? This year’s pattern is super quick and a fun one. You’ll see in a couple of weeks!

      Reply
      1. Rebecca Burch

        As of this very moment, I have every intention of joining you! It looks/sounds super fun! Plus… an excuse to buy fabric!

        Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hi Cindy –
      My son is quite the photographer. I love the B/W too. He sent it to me in color and I switched it (the joys of simple photo editing these days!). I want to print this one. Hope you are doing well. Have you seen your kids/grandkids lately?

      Reply
  5. Tracie

    Lovely post, Bernie! The B&W photo is adorable, and my 5yo nephew also wears shoes on the wrong foot every time. I smile and cringe at the same time. Our only blooms are fields of dandelions, and my husband is sick about it. We have to leave them be, though, because the native plants are also emerging. I’m living all the birds who returned to our yard, so we have color in flight.

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      We have lots of birds in our yard as well. I should have included them in the post. We get huge pileated woodpeckers and loads of robins plus lots of little ones I don’t know the names of. We keep a seed feeder and a suet feeder off our deck so we can watch them. I put a hummingbird feeder up the other day but I haven’t seen even one.
      Don’t worry about the shoes. As with other stages, this will end and I have to admit, I will kind of miss it. She is a silly girl and I love when she is walking around with her toes ‘pointed the wrong way’. 😉

      Reply
  6. Kathleen McCormick

    This post is making me smile ear to ear. The Positivity QAL is always great, and I do hope to participate. I think I lost track of it last year with my broken ankle. The girls are adorable and the crocs are hysterical. I would laugh every time too!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Kathleen,
      You had a crummy time of it last year! Hopefully life it all back to normal. We would love to have you join us. The pattern is very sweet and super easy to piece. (My kind of quilting!!)
      Thanks for the sweet comments about the girls. We think they are pretty special.

      Reply
  7. elana

    I love your post. So upbeat and joyful. I am wondering if the sew positive quilt along is for one specific pattern or anything we choose. i’m sorry to be confused. We all need more positivity so ild love to join.
    (-: Elana

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hi Elana –
      The QAL happens each summer and is based on a pattern that Preeti designs and takes us through. Of course, the quilter is welcome to modify it as she pleases though. Last year I ran out of time so made mine a bit smaller than most people. Anything works! Preeti will share the pattern over Memorial Day weekend and we will sew it over the summer with a finish by Labor Day. I hope you will join in, it would be fun to sew along with you.

      On the other hand, if you don’t want to make this particular quilt – any donation of a lap quilt is always appreciated! Send me an email if you have questions.

      Here are my previous Pos QAL Quilts:

      https://needleandfoot.com/2022/07/06/finally-2021-positivity-quilt-finish/

      https://needleandfoot.com/2022/08/21/2022-positivity-quilt-final-link-up/

      Reply
  8. Sue Marshall

    Awww, so glad life is good! Our quilt show made me happy this year. Also glad we’re done.
    Missed you, take care and enjoy all the little ones (including your sis’s puppy).

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hi Sue,

      Your quilts are stunning this year. That whole cloth quilt is amazing and so is the improv pieced quilt. Don’t even tell me you were lucky to get the ribbons. That is skill, not luck! I thought about the show a lot this weekend wondering how it was going and who was happy about those pretty ribbons hanging on the quilts. Will you post a pic of the best in show on FB? I haven’t seen it yet and want to! Who made it?
      I told Cathy you sent her best wishes for her and Powers. She was happy to hear from you. He is so dang cute. Lots of work and so clumsy. It is hystericaL watching him go up and down the steps to the back yard. Pretty fun little guy.

      Reply
  9. Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl

    I love it when a print can inspire a fabric pull and be the beginnings of a quilt. I look forward to seeing what you do with that palette. So much to enjoy and be grateful for; this post really put a smile on my face. I hope you have a wonderful week!

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      I agree. I have project bags with various pulls that I like. It is a fun way to spend time, playing with fabric and the endless combinations to be made. Finding time to make them all is the issue! But eventually I get to them. I think I have four different bags with combinations I like at the moment. It is a way to be creative in the sewing room when the urge to actually sew isn’t happening.
      I hope you have a lovely week as well!

      Reply
  10. Roseanne

    Another great post, Bernie! Adorable grandchildren and Powers – what to comment on first?! Throw in a gorgeous azalea and a yummy fabric pull?! You’ve got it going on in spades. Truly, the swing picture with the Crocs on the wrong feet – how sweet is that. B/w photos truly make you focus on the subject, I think. That sweet little baby face – it just makes you want to kiss those cheeks. Thanks for sharing all of these wonderful things with us. You are blessed and I love to see how. {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Hi Roseanne – We do feel very blessed. It is the small stuff that makes our lives feel so rich. Today is a work in the garden day and then some time in the sewing room. Later this week, I will pick up little sis to spend a couple of nights with us. Doesn’t get much better than that!

      Reply
  11. Allison

    Thank you for the positive post with all the lovely photos. I am feeling positive following the Coronation weekend here in the UK. We had a great street party, so lovely to mix with our neighbours after the long cold winter. And best of all, a few days before the Coronation, our daughter produced our first Grandchild! She, hubby and baby are doing well 🙂

    Reply
    1. Bernie Post author

      Congratulations on your newest grand child. That is so exciting. I hope you live reasonably close so you will be able to see the baby often. Your neighborhood party sounds wonderful! Our neighborhood is very quiet and people seem to stay to themselves. This was a disappointment to learn after we moved here one year ago. Happy Spring Allison!

      Reply
  12. Rebecca Grace

    That fabric pull is amazing and so are your lovely granddaughters, the azaleas (or is that a rhododendron?) and all of the other Good Things you’ve shared in this post! Happy Spring, Bernie!

    Reply

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