It Has Been A Long Winter

Winter some years seems to drag out longer than others, but this year it has seemed extra long and dreary. Everyone has their highs and lows, good news and bad, and you learn to take what life gives you and make the best of it. Right before Christmas my family received some especially sad news that was confirmed just a few days later.. My nephew hadn't been hitting the typical milestones that infants and toddlers do. His parents, Justin and Esther, worked with multiple specialists trying to find a cause so they could help him in anyway possible. The answer they did get was shocking and tragic. Here is what Esther posted soon after getting the diagnosis. 

"We got the DNA results. Tanner tested positive for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I am sad. I am scared. I am not sure how someone is supposed to cope with the news that your child will not be getting better, but instead progressively worse. That there is no treatment, no cure. That every illness is potentially life threatening. So I cling to the fact that there are people out there actively working on a cure and hope and pray that one will become available in time to benefit my sweet little mamma's boy. That I will finally get to wake up from this nightmare."  

I can't even imagine the pain and heartache that comes along with finding your child has a fatal disease, but watching my sister-in-law cope with this as gracefully as possible has been incredibly touching.  

Each Christmas our family draws names and this year Tim and I picked Justin's family. One of their other sons had told me at Thanksgiving that he knew his parents wouldn't get him a dog, so could Tim and I please get him one. So we did the best we could under the circumstances (stuffed dogs instead of live) and brought them a whole circus. 

Charcoal, as usual, had to be involved in any project I work on.

Of course this lion needed to be dressed up so I got to work on a bow tie and a crown.

A bow tie for the monkey.

And each circus dog got his own collar.

The circus was a hit with all three boys, but Tanner especially loved the dogs and was trying to hug all three at once. His smiles and bubbling laughter were priceless.

In the Last Two Weeks....

It has been a busy, but fun two weeks.

Started from scratch with this.

Just about finished...

Turned right side out....

And all done!

This is an Amy Butler pattern that is great for make-up bags.

A peek inside.

Time for cooking salsa.

The dogs during the salsa prep.

Pretty little Lola in the garden by the peppers.

Yum.

And more peppers.

Salsa and a few jars of tomato juice to make soup.

The ladies checking out the goods.

Delicious!

And one more bag made from scratch.

The inside.

All put together.

The "outside" of the reversible bag.

Charcoal checking out the goods. Oh, and see the little yellow pot in the background, it has cuttings from my succulent garden for another project.

Put in my first magnetic pocket. They are super easy, but new to me!

The "inside" of the reversible bag.

Found these beauties on sale at Cactus and Tropical.

Thought they would look lovely in my living room. The need to be soaked in water so....

I bought this plastic container. Really, I bought two because I wanted to line one with hemp and didn't know if the glue gun would burn through and make one leak. It did. So I just tossed the plain plastic inside this one and no more leaking.

I love the way it turned out.

Found these on sale.

And this little gem.

Put it together to make a lovely little indoor garden.

 Each project helps me a little with the next one. What I liked, what I would change, and what completely failed (a few of those to come in my next post!)

Clarice's First Quilt

Clarice, my sweet thirteen year old niece, had her first sewing class in junior high last school year. You know the one. A little introduction to basics where you make a little bag or maybe a skirt if you are lucky.  It perked her interest and she began to show curiosity to the fun tools/fabrics in my project room. It didn't take long for her to ask if I would help her make a quilt this summer. Her very first! I helped with the design and some of the cutting, but she did all the rest on her own (including the painful lesson or taking seams apart.)

I walked her through the quilting process beginning with buying supplies, just so she knows what damage her new addiction can do to her piggy bank. Then I let her dig into my stash, my VERY FAVORITES included. Unfortunately for me, Clarice has great taste. I'll be honest. It was a little painful when she picked a few of my lone pieces of precious fabric and she even offered not to use them, but what better home could they possible have? So I told her to get ironing and cutting.

 Once all the fabric decisions were made it was time to experiment with pairing up patterns.

Clarice had fun mixing and matching.

And played around until she found things just the way she liked it.

....while Lola supervised.

Then it was time to get to sewing.

 Followed by even more ironing and experimenting. 

Now all that is left on the front of the quilt is to add the borders.

Then sandwich the batting and back together and throw on some binding. 

Clarice has been a quick learner and I can't wait to see her finished product. Who knows, this might just be the beginning of many quilts to come!

P.S. I took this opportunity to enter her into her very first sewing contest here. There are MANY talented people entering, but I wanted Clarice to have the chance to win something fun  to start her own collection.

What to do at the end of a hot summer day?

Have watermelon.....for everyone to enjoy. Literally (pictures as proof.)

Delicious on a hot day.

The gals LOVED it. I couldn't get a picture of them all together because they would grab some and run, trying to get it away from the other hens.

Ate every last bite.

Notice my death grip on the rind.....don't want the dogs to eat the rind and turn it into a several thousand dollar melon.

Love that tongue.

Delish!

Lola was the only one too good for the melon and decided to cool off in the rows of corn.

Happy birthday to my wonderful mother. Hope these pictures made you laugh.