The NEXT Chapter of Our Life

Uncle Alex Reads to Ted, Hospital Waiting Room May 9, 2011

Chapters:

1. The Early years
2. Boy meets girl ... Toni & Peter est. 1982
3. Parenthood ... Introducing: Zac, Alex, Samantha, Derek
4. Arizona, a place to call HOME =0)
5. Homeschooling FOUR children
6. Back to Kansas ... starting the College years & "Real" School
7. Children: college & marriage .....  Sunrise, Sunset   .....{remember: Fiddler on the Roof}
8. ... Becoming Grandparents!... Introducing: Ted
9. OMG  ~  Peter's Open Heart Surgery, 5/9/11

May 2012 marks ONE YEAR after Peter's Open Heart Surgery ... who woulda' thunk it? ...   We will survive.  Something like that helps put things in perspective. With a "NOT Quite Empty Nest" ... while finding balance &  truly making adjustments...  Part of the "next chapter"  the Downsizing Begins... We have really tried to focus on what's important.  I don't know how we've done it, but we have always managed. 

... There are things I'm going to miss (My yard & My dog) but I have never loved this house,  & NOW it is TOO much for me.  It has served it's purpose. But it's never felt like HOME, so moving on will be easy (I PRAY) ... NOW for Prioritizing - What's Really IMPORTANT? ~ Two more years of High School for the youngest remaining in the "nest" ~ OUR Health ... and most of all: appreciating the people i love, as well as  making time for more CREATIVITY.  Last weekend was a great get away, left very inspired - but TIME went too fast ... Maybe i didn't get very much accomplished, but i spent it with some of the best people.  I would like to say i made something super amazing ... My Wassily Knadinsky Inspiration Fabrics (mostly hand dyed by me, and some shott cottons) went along to play, but ... I DID work on My Bee Blocks, Converging Corners... (i'm yet to take a picture *TBA) ...

WK Challenge fabrics that went on the retreat, but ...

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back 

and realize they were the big things.”

Ever see the movie "Parenthood" ? ... with Steve Martin' and the comparison to life being like a Roller-coaster Ride ... that has been my husbands mantra since he's seen that movie.  Going on 30 years of marriage, just saying it's been one big roller coaster ride.  I wouldn't mind so much spending the next couple years on the "Merry-Go-Round" ... time to get off the ROLLER COASTER, I want to enjoy  the whole amusement park ...
A FAVORITE MEMORY:
I love to look back at the video Zac made of Derek's tenth birthday at Worlds of FUN - certainly a GREAT DAY ~  Looking forward to more time with the kids

"... I don't remember growing older, when did they?"

... SLOW down already!

... HAPPY Belated New Year ...

note to self: FIRST CHALLENGE ~
{it is clear, regular POSTs is NOT my new year resolution! ... those who really know me are aware that i do NOT participate in such utter nonsense and who-ha as New Year RESOLUTIONS
... i do set GOALS, ALL THE TIME! ;0) ...}

MY First Challenge of the year,
besides survive constant change and improvement,
is through the KCMQG ... i picked this Wassily Kandisnsky Print for INSPIRATION! ...
~ more later.
Ciao!

Once Upon a Time: Hoffman Challenge, BUTTERFLY Fabric ...

... and some of My First Hand dyed fabrics! ... i LOVE this

... it makes me smile ...

? Why have i Not finished it? Well, because i love it so much it deserves better quilting than i feel confident to do ... ? Because it was so wonderful that it inspired me to do other things; a catalyst to MORE fabric & MORE ideas...?  because  we MOVED!?! ... I started it while we lived on Jacinto, (Mesa, AZ) before Derek was born (GADS! where did fifteen years go?!) THEN, we moved to Navarro (Mesa, AZ) ... it went on a Mom's retreat with me ... It moved to Grand (Mesa, AZ) where i pinned it on the wall for inspiration and a reminder to finish it ... It supervised while i made baby quilts for friends and Project Linus. It overlooked as i STARTED SEVEN wedding quilts (still WIP's).  It has moved to Kansas with me, Lenexa and now Olathe. IT is now  WAS UP in my studio
... It has moved with me five  SIX times!
.... (btw that is FUCHSIA NOT PINK that is surrounding the lovely orange, because we all know, i DON'T do Pink! !) I am in love with the hand dyed muted purple border. Maybe i don't want to finish it until i hand dye more fabric, yeah, that's it! Perhaps it is simply a reminder that I am a PROCESS person, rather than a PROJECT person.  I like to LIVE WITH my projects, rather than crank them out, because lets face it, when i finish things i tend to give them away!

& i'm not done living with this one! 

... it is on the TOP of my handwork basket in my studio ... 

... " a chair of your own" ... ?

~ oops, i've done it again ... spent time blog hopping and gaining terrific inspiration

... and it's OK!

 I grant myself permission for some 'me' time - It's a beautiful day for sure.  I have gained inspiration to be more with less: mini lessons and enjoy my space ... (i really am not sure i got to those links, other than, i have a few fav's and each day i log on, with a cup of coffee and start hopping for 15 min or so~ i love where my blog-friends lead me! .... If you have a favorite link that inspires you ~ please share below~! LEAVE A COMMENT... and see what happens!)

"Every woman must have money and a room of her own ... " Virginia Woolf

So, whilst enjoying my 'space' recently and working on the KONA Challenge ... this has been my Work In Progress (WIP) ... i'm taking a moment away from it to start on the Strarlight Mystery quilt, (i will show you my fabric choices when i get them uploaded ... I am i bit behind there!) One step forward, two steps back! ...  Here is the Process of what i have so far ~>

~ so FIRST i thought i would group them by color 

and do a 'split 4-patch' variation ... 

~ then i moved them around and thought it a bit 

... i dunno ...boring? ...

~ now it's kind of taken on a mind of it's own and turned into a traincrash! ... I think i may want to regain some control... ? Playing a bit with the improv style ...So, folks, this is what happens when you are tired of patterns, play with color and too many ideas collide!

~ what do you think?

Oh, by the way ... 'my husband lets me have as much junk as i can hide'

~ those ear-rings you just got yourself,

& the other junk....

... Happy Valentines Day! ~ 

We don't traditionally celebrate VD, or other commercialized events ...  We agree that you should be able to tell each other how you feel ANY DAY - the kids are embarrassed when we do just that,  and are under the impression that sometimes we *gasp* fight,

when we simply express our feelings~ 

~ We discuss, sometimes loudly.  Don't tell 'what's his face' - but i really do love him! I appreciate that we can share our points of view, and agree to disagree, having our own opinions is HEALTHY!

 .... Yesterday, after spending some quality time with girlfriends, {&they said he could hang with us, just a bit, cuz they actually like him also} ... He was kind enough to accompany me to places i like ... i told him we'd go were he wanted too ~ but, he couldn't think of anywhere. We got out and enjoyed the somewhat still gloomy, yet warmer weather... We obtained some Greek seasoning ETC; some stuff from at Beadazzler Beads for a wall hanging i STARTED eons ago ~ the purple/green majesty ... and we wandered to Harper's Fabric just before they locked up ... then got some TART, but yummy pastries ... 

~ THEN,  we headed home, and i was ever so slightly ;o) motivated ..  to dig out the old project: DISCHARGE FABRIC DYE ~ Started ... way back in Arizona ... Circa 2001.  ~ the darker 'squares' are dark 'green' ~ what the lighter green were originally ... then the others are a variation, believe it or not, of purple and black ... i thought it was quite ugly and stashed it away - but, the thing is kind of growing on me.  Ideas i toyed with post taking fabric dye and design classes from Adriene Buffington.  I was reminded of the project when i was thinking of what to do with the luscious Kona cotton challenge! (relax, i'm NOT going to bleach them!)

~ So many ideas, so little time! 

~ why is it on Sunday eve i finally get my creative mojo

just when the work week awaits me?

~ Happy Week ...

~ WHAT'S ON MY DESIGN WALL TODAY ~

KCMQG Kona Solids Challenge!

TONIGHT: Kansas City Modern Quilt Guild !!!

Confession: I think i do have QUILTERS ADD.  I have more than (3?) projects.  Truth be told ~ i know this is going to come as a shock: I am behind in blogging....

~ I wanted to rush right home the night after we received our

"KONA CHARM PACK GIVEAWAY!" 

~ thank you!!!

~ happy happy joy joy! ... I fantasized i would post this right away~! and get many pictures of the mad dash of all the greedy little OVERJOYED quilters suddenly inspired by FREEBIES! (what cool craziness!) ... Back in NOVEMBER as an early Christmas gift to US we each got to pick a light/bright/dark  CHARM PACKS ... to PLAY with! ~ DUE BY: MARCH ... that's reasonable  ALMOST HERE~! what the heck?! ~
I've had several ideas competing in my brain

... i think i am just going have to CUT LOOSE .. quite literally 

... just get my rotary cutter and QUIT ADMIRING THE FABRIC! 

 I picked: DARKS ...

 here "it" is, isn't it PRUDY! ...'the dark Charm Pack'

 ... and here is some of what i had,

more solids than i thought ...

i really have some fun ideas,

I just need to get busy ... and get going, ....  

 see ya' later!

Thank you, Kona

almost ~ WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~

KC "ALL THAT JAZZ" Quilters Shop Hop

OOPSs! i did it again! ... the shop hop.
First, i Forgot my camera THEN, but tried to compile a bit of my findings!
Second, it's taken me forever to get them loaded etc.... the Hop was in APRIL 2010! ... crazy stuff. ( i tried to group my collections by 'shops' but, sadly am not accurate. oh well.*some of it's in hiding, cuz it's going into gifts!) ...  What i love about the KC hop, is that at each shop you get not only a quilt pattern, but also a CHARM! i love that ... (photo of my past year bracelet to follow! ...later)

I got off work Friday? and remembered, SHOP HOP... stopped to pick up my passport, CHARM and BOM (Block of the Month) ... THEN, realized if i hit all the green lights, i could make it to Harper's, and pick up my prepaid "Jazz" fabric! ... Next morning, Saturday ... DH said, what the heck, let's go to a couple more, it's a beautiful day.... and Viola... we made it to all but one store.  We got to Rustic Yearnings just as they were locking the doors, took my passport, but of course they were out of charms.  Still, pretty darn good for being SPONTANEOUS!  

MY ROUTE:

1.  Prairie Point ~ where i picked up my "Jewels" Block Party: BOM! (Batik!) *etc
2. Harpers ~ where i picked up my "All that Jazz" Special fabric! (*etec!)
3. Quilters Haven ~ where i caved in a got addicted to Charm Packs ...
4. Quilters Paradise ~ Wizard of Oz! embroidery patterns, etc, etc, *etc!) I confess, we found some cool stuff in Baldwin City, and DH learned that "fine, you get to go to the quilt shop, i get to go into the antique shop" ... equals DANGER!!! ... he helped me pick out fabric, and i found TWO antique sewing machines! (i have to get photos of those, they are SO very COOL! ... he left scratching his head, "how did that happen" ??? well, i just don't know!?
5. Overbrook Quilt Connection ~ where i found a cool kit, Ovarian awareness fabric, "DOG" panel *etc
6. Stitching Traditions, Topeka ~ Hand dyed Ribbons, *etc! and, some **ugly fabric**
7. Stitch On Needlework, Lawrence~ where i found some great batiks ... (*fat quarters and then some!)
8. Quilters Quarters, Leavenworth ~ we got lost in the dark on the back roads, and called them - they kindly stayed open for us - my brain was fried, but we found some cool stuff for sure!!!
9. Peddlers Wagon, Parkville ~ my son even found some fat quarters for HIS quilt!
10. Rustic Yearnings ~ where it was probably a blessing in disguise they were locking up, i get in "trouble" there ... (but i have way cool stuff from there from before!) 

GOOD GOLLY, I NEARLY FORGOT! ... While in Parkville... we went to two of our favorite places: one was closed, -sadness, as they often are when i want them to be open: Florilegium , i'm in LOVE with that place!!!  The other, H.M.S Beagle - i FUN science shoppe! .... i got some groovy stuff to make NATURAL hand dyed fabric!!! i've not done that for awhile! *sigh* i wish i were there!

challenge: .. good-bye July... hello August ...

 

Design Wall Today: Ugly WIP - the fabric, the plan?

so, this is what i'm working with ~ the request was for 'browns & greens' ... so, i found this fabric and some compliments ... but, it seems the more i play with it, the PINK was standing out! uck. i NO LIKE pink ...
so, I had my son pick off anything that was reading PINK ...
and i like THIS much better~!

i'm still debating,
whether or not to use the light blue, with the PINK flowers ... in THIS quilt...

... playing with Wonky Blocks! ~ my try at Improv Quilting~

Blessings to you ...

~ it's been a beautiful weekend!...

"May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields..."

~ goals this week:
clean my "office"
work on the house
? thank you notes
? "twinchies"
? piece the bag(s)

ok... so, I've been busy, but still alot TO DO ~

* My "ScrappyStuff Studio!"
... I've tackled some of my "to do" list... {not shown}
*Envelope Book ~ ctmh scrap book supplies;
*Card Set: ctmh Best Friends papers & Arcylix stamps ... Colors: Hollyhock, Twilight, Bamboo;
and my stab at * the "deck of ME"

5 Minutes to Art

from CLOTH, PAPER, SCISSORS!
(Art by Melissa P. Hackmann)

No time to make art, you say? Here are tips to show that if you get organized and do a little at a time, you can get a lot of art done in five minutes.

1. Organize a basic, portable toolkit. Get a a small compartmentalized tote and put in supplies you use most often, such as: your favorite background stamp and a small set of alphabet stamps, a black or brown Staz-On inkpad, a fat quarter of fabric, watercolor paper, a pair of scissors, a embroidery needle and floss. Keep basic materials in a handy place, ready to go when you have five minutes to spare.

2. Make backgrounds. paint a wash on the watercolor paper with watercolors. Stamp words and/or images over the wash. Let dry… (It’s now prepped for later use!)

3. Practice your embroidery skills

4. Add to your sketchbook. Keep a fine-point black pen and/or a small set of watercolor pencils in your bag with your sketchbook in your bag. Then when you're waiting … sketch an object or write down an idea. Add a glue stick to the kit, and you can paste in fun found objects.

5. Embellish. Sew or glue a button, charm, sequin, or bead on a project you've already started, or to a piece of fabric you can appliqué onto a project later.

a few more ...

v Pre- Cut up ATC backs. ( 2½” x 3½”)…

v Dye fabric. Trims, fabric squares, cheesecloth, and other natural fibers …

v “Age” fabric.

v Stamp …. Stash fun improvised stamps in your everyday tool kit, and next time you have five minutes, stamp like crazy!

v Cut out individual letters from old magazines to use in a collage at a later time.

v Make a “sandwich” - Fuse fabric to one or both sides of a sheet acrylic felt (the kind you buy at craft stores). When you have another five minutes, slice them into ATC- or postcard-sized pieces.

~ What I am READING today ~

Inspiration Today ~ through @ Harpers Quilt shop I not only learned of the "Art Quilt Workbook" ... which i can't wait to play with, but I also I had the pleasure of meeting fabric designer & Soryteller : Sonie Ruffin, the author of "THE SOULFUL ART OF AFRICAN AMERICAN QUILTS" ... I love that she too considers quiltmaking a form of PRAYER! ... very inspiring!

TO DO: this week ~
~ QUILTING ~
i will be working on Zachary's ALL RED, IRISH CHAIN ...
~ SCRAPBOOKING ~
i will select photos to scrapbook for zac/mo wedding album...
~ family ~ i will be juggling time with kids b4 school starts!

I LOVE these Books!

L@@K!
Getting Organized!

sCraps of This and ScrapS of that ....

Fabric Scraps, Paper Scraps, Fiber scraps, ANY Scraps
... When Life Gives you sCRAP ... CreATe!

A little bit of fabric Scraps ....

Color Magic Class, Summer '06
Just part of my "to do" ~ Project List
and all that sCRAP.... Not just SCRAPBOOKING!

DRAWING, CRAYOLA'S... inspiration ~

LIVING, LOVING & LEARNING

Excerpted from the book, by Leo Buscaglia

As an individual, you must not be satisfied with just becoming like everybody else. You must think for yourself. For example, art supervisors. I can remember when they used to come to my classroom in elementary school, and I'm sure you can remember it, too. You were given a paper, and the teacher would put up the drawing in front of you and you were really excited. It was going to be art time. You had all the crayolas in front of you, and you folded your hands and you waited. And soon the art teacher would come running in, because she had been to fourteen other classrooms that day teaching art. She ran in, and she'd huff and puff and she'd say, "Good morning girls and boys. Today we are going to draw a tree." And all the kids would say, "Goody, we're going to draw a tree!" And then she'd get up there with a green crayola and she'd draw this great big green thing. And then she put a brown base on it and a few blades of grass. And she'd say, "There is a tree." And all the kids would look at it and they'd say, "That isn't a tree. That's a lollipop." But she said that was a tree, and then she's pass out these papers and say, "Now, draw a tree."

She didn't really say, "Draw a tree" -- she said, "Draw my tree." And the sooner you found out that's what she meant and could reproduce this lollipop and hand it to her, the sooner you would get an A.

But here was little Janie who knew that wasn't a tree, because she'd seen a tree such as this art teacher had never experienced! So she got magenta, and orange, and blue, and purple, and green, and she scribbled all over her page and happily brought it up and gave it to the teacher. She looked at it and said, "Oh my God...."

How long does it take somebody to realize that what they're really saying is, "To pass, I want you to reproduce my tree." And so it goes through the first grade, second, third and right on into seminars in graduate school. I teach seminars in graduate school. It's amazing how people have learned to parrot by then. Think? Don't be ridiculous. They can give you the facts, verbatim, just as you've given it to them. And you can't blame those students, because that's what they've been taught. You say to them, "Be creative," and they're fearful. And so what happens to our uniqueness; what happens to our tree? All this beautiful uniqueness has gone right down the drain. Everybody is like everybody else, and everybody is happy. R.D. Laing says, "we are satisfied when we've made people like ourselves out of our children: Frustrated, sick, blind, deaf.....