Quilt Therapy

Ah, the magical number of 25 is upon us.  Tomorrow, December 1.  That’s when the real fun begins, right?! 

I am making most of my gifts for Christmas this year.  At least I hope I am – I haven’t exactly finished much YET!

Do you prefer a homemade Christmas?  I sure do.  I look back on the gifts that the kids have given me and I really love the ones that they made.  I sure hope the recipients on our list feel the same way!

Thoughts for This Christmas Countdown Day:  Your love shines through in everything you do.  Think about homemade gifts for the holidays this year.

I was going to write something about making homemade gifts this Christmas season.  But, after the afternoon issues we’ve had with our very compassionate oldest daughter, I changed my mind.  Instead, I feel the need to remind myself and you that Christmas is nothing with the Christ child. 

We are nothing without the Christ child.

This snowman is nothing without the Christ child.

Thoughts for This Christmas Countdown Day:  God’s grace is a gift for eternity.  Enjoy it now for the future is His!

First, a joy to share.  I submitted a story to a couple of moms who wanted to put together a book.  The purpose of the project was two-fold.  Their lives and families have been touched by autism – both have sons with special needs.  So, they wanted to raise funds for their Special Education PTA in the area where they live.  I just happen to (quietly) follow the blog of one of these authors, which is how I found out about the book.  Second, one of them has a daughter who is at the age when she’s learning what it means to fit in … or not fit in, at school.  Do you remember your pre-teen and teenage years, trying to fit in?  Good golly, I do!  This books helps address the differences of people – at a level that is appropriate for everyone from pre-teens to adults.  We DO fit in.  Really. We do!

Anyways, my story was accepted for publication … and I’ve been published along with a number of other wonderful authors with stories that DO FIT!

I’ve already placed the order for my books – one for our family and one for the school library in the school that my daughters attend.  Can I Sit With You is a collection of blog stories by authors from all over, edited by Shannon Des Roches Rosa and Jennifer Byde Myers.  If you have children who are just trying to fit in, this book would be an excellent gift for them this holiday season!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT PURCHASING CAN I SIT WITH YOU

On to the Christmas Countdown!

I am reminiscing about the final Christmas I had with my family – I find it’s always good for the soul to find the shining stars and joys of our past.  Dad was in the hospital three hours away, from which he would never leave alive.  He had suffered cerebral aneurysms, which eventually killed him.  Mom had moved us from a southwestern Iowa farm, back up to Fort Dodge, Iowa – which was my hometown and closer to relatives.   If I remember right, one of my aunts actually owned the farm where we lived.  We lived in the old farm house and Aunt Ellen and her son Mat, lived in a trailer home on the property.  I wasn’t really aware of adult issues when I was 10 so I only remember bits and pieces … and what others in the family have told me.  I know that Aunt Ellen gave Mom the trailer she had lived in and they moved it to a trailer park in Fort Dodge for us to live in.  Aunt Ellen moved to Des Moines.  They had a big sale at our farm, which must have produced some extra money for Mom – because she went nuts buying Christmas gifts for us in 1975. 

I also remember it was the first year that I questioned the impossibility of the mysterious Santa Clause!

I truly don’t remember what we received as gifts, but I do remember how HUGE the present piles were under the tree.  The brightly colored wrapping paper.  The ribbons that twinkled with the Christmas lights.  Of course, with five children in a family, there were usually big piles.  But, those were usually clothes and stuff that weren’t fun to get as kids.  But wow, in 1975, you could barely see our tree for the piles and piles of presents!  And most of them were toys!

Our Christmas tradition had always been that we had chili (with beans, which makes my southern husband turn green because real Texas chili doesn’t have beans) for our Christmas Eve dinner.  After the dishes were done, we’d set out in the car … spending an hour or two driving around and looking at Christmas lights.  And usually, upon our return, Santa would have arrived!  On this night, since it was just my mom, we all ate Christmas Eve chili and then bundled ourselves up she sent us out the door … us kids walked the trailer park, looking at all of the Christmas lights that adorned the homes of our neighbors.  And, lo and behold, upon our return, Santa had come!

The joy in our house that night was amazing.  I still feel it, every year when my own kids see that Santa came to visit.

Thoughts for this Christmas Countdown day:  Help find joy this Christmas season.  Whether it’s with a special homemade touch, with sharing your blessings with others or with singing a joyful noise.  Know that your joy reaches everyone around you … and that feeling never goes away from memory.

There are angels among us.  I am sure of it.  Everything around us seems to be falling apart (myself included) – the transmission & transfer case went out of the Suburban, my glasses broke, I have a broken (painful) tooth and the house is needing repairs already (warranty issues, hopefully)…the list goes on and on.

But, amongst the turmoil and chaos, angels here on earth have touched me.  Deeply.  And I thank God for them and for their generosity and compassion.  I hesitate to call it love when we’re truly just business associates.  But, it’s angelic and wonderful and good.

Today’s photo is a bright memory from a dark childhood.  When I was in the eighth grade at a Lutheran school in Fort Dodge, Iowa … my teacher was Mr. Haake.  I had been removed from my first foster home (by the police who came to school to get me because it was a bad home) and was living in my third foster home, where we’d just found out my younger foster sister had cancer.  Mr. Haake was kind, quiet and reserved – but, he often pulled me aside to offer words of encouragement and bits of faith-strength to help me through my days.  He made Christmas gifts for all of the students in our class.  I don’t remember what the boys got, but all of the girls received this beautiful angel that he painstakingly beaded.  I still have mine and it hangs with distinction on our Christmas tree.  A couple of years ago, I sent an email to the pastor of that church because I felt I needed to let Mr. Haake know that I was ok, I’d survived the mess of my youth and was doing well – and I thanked him for caring about me so long ago.  It just so happened that the week I emailed, they were honoring Mr. Haake and his wife (who was also a teacher at the school) for their many years of service to the church and school community.  The pastor wanted to read my letter aloud during this ceremony and wanted to know if he could have permission to do so.  I was touched, but at that point, I realized just how much the teachers, staff and pastors at that school held me up when no one else did.  Yet another group of angels here on earth.

Thoughts for this Christmas Countdown day:  Look around at the angels in your life.  Some you may recognize immediately … some, you may not even notice at first glance.  But, be thankful for them.  Praise God for them.  Angels help keep the faith.

And for a little crafed quilty fun, let me share with you what I’m making this year for Christmas!  I have a number of kids (and kids at heart) on my Christmas list who we need to buy for.  I’m kinda on my last dollar, so decided to spend my time making gifts for everyone.  This year, the gifts will be quilted tote bags!  And, as I explained to one pal, if I make an error while piecing them, I’m the designer … so, I’ll just call it my creative license and go on with my life!

Thought for this Christmas Countdown day:  Love every frozen moment.  Whether it be watching the snow fall, seeing the sparkles of frost on the ground or relishing the fact that you have sunshine … embrace the weather and know that it’s all God’s creation.

Poor thing.  And just before Christmas, too!

What?

You didn’t hear?

Go over to the news story HERE … then come back.

And now look at this:

Yup.  That’s our eldest daughter, posing at the bottom of the now headless Babe in Klamath, CA last year.  I can’t imagine what that gigantic thing will look like with a stuffed animal head for the holidays!

Thanksgiving Memories

I love scrapbooking but find that I’m not so motivated to do pages and pages in a day … or even in a week.  It just gets too boring for me.  I like spontaneous.  I like something different all the time.  I just can’t be tied down to tedious unless it’s absolutely necessary.  But, when you have four kids, it’s very necessary to do something to keep those memories alive.  I’ve found that by creating small book projects from whatever fun we’re having, I’m much more successful at keeping up with the colorful journaling. 

So, I snapped photos during our Thanksgiving holiday and then took them to the scrapbook table and had a blast!  I made one for my MIL, for my SIL and her kids and for our own family.  They all appreciated them and I’m grateful for the creative time amongst the chaos of the holiday.

Christmas Countdown

Thought for this Christmas Countdown day:  Don’t rush it.  It’ll come, one day at a time.  Christmas is about more than the gifts.  It’s about the love for the Christ child.  The love of our own children.  The sparkles in the eyes of all around us.  Try to take a moment to smile at those you see.  Don’t get wrapped up in the fuss of the holiday, get wrapped up in the joy instead.

I am Thankful For:

• God’s Grace 

• My husband

• My children

• My family

• My friends

• Quilt therapy

• Scrapbook therapy

• Life

Last night, on Thanksgiving Eve, I pulled out a box of videos …. and found the movie I was searching for – Homecoming with Patricia Neal.  What a memory!  This movie was released in 1971 and was the pre-curser to The Waltons.  When it first came out, my parents were still alive.  In fact, my whole family was still alive (including three of my grandparents).  I was seven years old and we lived on a farm (three miles north of the Starlight) outside of Fort Dodge, Iowa.  I don’t know why I remember this movie, but it was always the one we watched on Thanksgiving.  It was our own family’s pre-curser to Christmas.  As kids, we knew that we could start to dream about presents after we ate turkey and saw the Homecoming.

My hope for each of you is that you experience your own homecoming.  Whether it be a quiet Thanksgiving with your loved one(s) or a big turkey bash with friends — and I hope you remember to offer up thanks for what you have.

I’m a real nut when it comes to fabric.  Sure, I have a great stash … though, I have worked hard at getting rid of a lot of it lately because my sewing room is so very full.  But, when I get new fabric, there’s a definite ritual that I follow – especially if I don’t have a design already figured out for it.

AbbiMays.com sent me this “Shangri-La” (by 3 Sisters for Moda) charm pack and said I could do whatever I wanted with it, she just wanted to give me a chance to let those creative juices flow without being encumbered by a preconceived design.  The fabric laid on my cutting table for a week, while I thumbed through the charm pack … waiting for quilted inspiration.  Then, I opened the package up … fanning the fabrics to get a feel for them.  After a couple of days of that, I began laying the fabrics out so I could see them, in their colorful entirety.  Last weekend, I started piecing together some fun — and each step of the way, I’d sew a little here … sew a little there … match with other fabrics from my stash … and leave everything on the cutting table while I walked by it and studied it to make sure it had the feel I was going for in the finished project. 

I’m thinking my quilt therapy is something we can market and sell – because, it’s always SO refreshing to be able to design based on sensual fabrics!

Christmas is just around the corner and I’m preparing my shopping list and checking it twice!  I love the holiday season and anticipate it with joy as each season comes around.  The songs, the food, the happy faces, the excitement of the kids and the music.  I *love love love* Christmas music!  My family and I attended a holiday parade this weekend, enjoying an evening of lighted floats, singing and we even walked with the girls’ school float down main street!  The highlight of the parade was the lighting of the holiday lights on the local courthouse, and it was just lovely!  The images of my kids’ faces when Santa made his appearance was priceless and I found myself holding my breath as the sparkles in their eyes grew wide.

And then I got to thinking.  With all of the hustle and bustle of the season, there must be time, each day, to reflect on the meaning of Christmas.  My Christian faith dictates one celebration.  My family traditions dictate an additional celebration.  We’ve managed to merge Jesus and Santa Clause just fine within our family — but, I still need to take time each day to just sit and enjoy the reason for the season.

So, beginning on November 25th, I’ll offer a “Christmas Countdown Thought for the Day” here at QuiltTherapy.com.  I’ll share a Christmas photo with you, a sweet note or two and perhaps a craft that I’ve found online, something small yet fun and definitely something that is worth sharing.

If you have sites and/or blogs that you visit that will fit with what I’m going to do, please share them in the comments section here!

And just for a sneak peak — here’s a photo of a little shop window that I took during the holiday parade – decked out in PINK for the Christmas season!

Holidays can be exciting, stressful and fun for all involved – but, a family affair usually means someone may not feel as special because they’re not getting individualized attention!  I decided this year, I’d give thanks to each person who sat at our Thanksgiving table, with a homemade placard that had a special message for each diner on it.  It allows me to take a few minutes out of the days leading up to the harried event by spending it with one person, in my thoughts, while I create their placard.  Each placard is different, each says a special something that’s intended for the person who’s sharing our table, and each one is special!  We usually say the blessing with our holiday meal and then we each go around the table to give thanks to someone that has touched our lives — this year, I get to thank each person with their placards, because they have ALL blessed me!

For more Last Minute Gift Countdown ideas, please visit Cotton Spice quilting magazine!

Thanksgiving Quilted Placards from TK Harrison