Edgy Softness

Who doesn't just love a cuddly, soft baby blanket?! And the darling baby fabrics are so numerous!! How could one resist such cuteness?? Not me . . .

And crocheting a little soft edge just adds to the sweetness!

Thanks to this nifty little idea . . .





I've made a stack of soft, delightful baby-licious blankets for our Chrismas bazaars!

Hope the buyers can't resist!

Scarecrows and Pumpkins and Sunflowers~~Oh My!

Mama and Papa Scarecrow

Baby Scarecrows

Scarecrow Buddies

Friendly Scarecrow

Comfy Scarecrow

Scarecrow in the Sunflowers

Scarecrows in the Pumpkin Patch

Scarecrow Clones

Seems that I can't have too many Scarecrows!

Quilter Wannabe

I have a confession.

I have been sewing for 49 years. I sewed my outfits in high school. I made my own wedding dress. I made clothes for my babies before they were born. I made cute outfits for my toddlers and more cute outfits when they were school age. I made work clothes when teaching. For Christmas bazaars, I now make aprons, hand mitts, little purses, hoodie vests for kids, baby bibs, and much more. In other words, I know my way around in a fabric store, and I can work a sewing machine.

But---I have never made a quilt. I have always wanted to make a quilt, but I'm scared. What?? I can't explain it. Maybe it's the size or a fear of failure. I absolutely love quilts. I admire them at the county fairs and bazaars. I follow quilter blogs and marvel at their creations. I have even resorted to buying ready-made quilts for our bed and couch. I have a pretty good fabric stash that makes people ask if I am a quilter. I'm always buying cotton remnants that elicit comments like "This must be for your quilting stash." And (I'm embarrassed to admit) sometimes I'll say "Oh, yes it is!"



I'm a total quilter "wannabe". Okay, so now that I'm retired and have all of this glorious, uninterrupted time, I'm committing myself to making my first quilt. I'm not sure which way to turn. Should I begin with something small like a wall hanging or runner? Should I just jump in and begin cutting shapes and making blocks? Which design should I start with? A nine-patch, a string quilt . . .? Is there a good book or website for first timers? Should I sign up for a class? I feel a little lost, but determined.

I now have my mind set to complete a quilt before I turn 60--that gives me about a year. And I'm on a mission to find a project that will put my silly fear to rest! Any suggestions?

Pretty Little Aprons

I've been getting reacquainted with my sewing machine since being sick. My lonely tubs are waiting to be filled up for the Christmas bazaars, so I'm staying focused and working on one thing at a time. A stack of unfinished aprons was my first project to attack. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out. They're reversible, have pockets, and one size fits most! I sure hope they sell . . . otherwise, guess what my family and friends are getting for Christmas!!

New Sewing Project

Look at this cute little purse. It's meant for organizing credit cards, gift cards, ID cards, store rewards cards . . . you know, all those cards that fill up your wallet or get lost in the depths of your big purse.

I found the basic pattern several weeks ago, modified it a bit, and have already made 75 of them! Something new for the Chrismas bazaars that will be here before I know it!!

I Organized My Fabric Stash!

I got this wonderful idea here using foam core board.
I instantly knew that this was the answer to my never-ending quest to organize my fabric in a practical, accessible way. I'm always picking up cotton remnants--I just can't help myself! But then I forget what I have, and it just sits on a shelf or in a tub. But not any more . . .Yay! Many thanks to The Little Coffee Bean!

Here's What Being Married for 60 Years Looks Like

Come October, my parents will have been married for 60 years. They have been together so long that they have basically grown up as one entity. They seem to know each other almost better than they each know themselves. And this goes way beyond simple likes and dislikes.

She knows when he's getting a little too tired. He knows when she's got a headache. She knows when he wants something to eat. He knows who she's talking to on the phone by the sound of her voice. They watch out for each other, protect each other, support each other, defend each other, encourage each other.

He glows and calls her "good-lookin'" when she walks through a room. She gently covers him when he lays down for a nap.

He patiently waits in the car when she gets her hair done or shops for fabric. She listens with care when he reminisces on his time in the Navy during WWII.

He lovingly takes a picture of each afghan that she crochets. She trustingly relies on him to fix anything and everything.

They seem to live in tandem, each one half of a whole. I will never know what it's like to have a faithful partner of 60 years. But I'm privileged and proud to see what it looks like through my very sweet parents.

Life is Good

Imagine feeling in charge of your day-to-day life. Imagine being able to plan your day any way you'd like. Imagine that the only person you have to answer to is yourself. Well, this imagined life is about to become a reality for me. After decades of being a "slave" to a school bell, being locked in to a required daily routine, and being bombarded with demands and expectations from all directions, I am about to retire from my job as a first grade teacher.

Oh, I just cannot wait! This is what I won't miss:

• having to pre-plan every day minute-by-minute
• listening to whiny, spoiled children tattle on one another
• tolerating co-workers who do not pull their weight
• wasting many valuable minutes of my life sitting through pointless meetings
• dealing with "consultants" who regularly try to reinvent the wheel when the current method/materials are working just fine (thank you very much)
• having to go on recess duty in any and all kinds of weather (This is lots of "fun"--settling tether ball disputes, keeping little boys out of puddles, retrieving balls thrown over the fence, chasing girls out of the bathrooms when they're in there yelling or hiding, reminding children for the umpteenth time not to throw bark, slide on ice, climb the poles, pick the neighbors' flowers, run on the cement, yank on someones coat, tease the neighbor's dog, play in the garbage, etc., etc.)
• suffering from tired and hurting feet, aching back, and throbbing varicose veins at the end of each day spent mostly on my feet
• sitting in chairs that are only 12 inches off the floor which set off sharp pains in my arthritic knees
• trying to be patient with children who cry because their mom isn't standing by the door the second the dismissal bell rings, they don't like what's for lunch, someone told them their drawing is stupid, they forgot their library book, they can't remember if they're suppose to ride the bus or go to daycare, a friend is playing with someone else, etc., etc.
• being evaluated based on student scores--not growth--raw scores. Translation: how many words per minute does each child read--never mind that they might have downs syndrome or autism, or that they were a preemie with a 2% chance of living (but survived and are dealing with developmental delays), or that everyone at home speaks another language, or that their dog just died last weekend, or that their parents are going through an ugly divorce and they don't know who they will end up living with, or that they had Oreo cookies for breakfast, or that they were up watching TV last night until midnight, etc., etc.
• not being able to use the bathroom when I need to

Here are the things I will probably miss:

• enjoying the innocence and cheerfulness of little children first thing in the morning
• having a sense of "belonging" to a group that matters (We teachers do make a difference!)
• seeing students practically blossom before my eyes
• having the daily opportunity to connect with other women
• reading to children several times daily--my favorite part of each day
• ummm, I can't thing of anything else

So, which list is longer?! Obviously I am ready to retire. It's been a great ride, but it's time for me to slow down, get off the fast track, and be productive in a different way.

Life is so good~~~

New Header

I've spent some time deciding on a new header. I've been wanting a label to use when I open an ETSY account this summer. I felt it had to be short and catchy, yet meaningful to me. So I came up with "Willow Blue".

First of all, when growing up, our family home had two huge willow trees in the back yard. They created lots of wonderful shade, and we had a swing set between the two trees that we spent hours on.

Secondly, as a child, we used dinnerware with the Blue Willow design. The dishes were a wedding present to my parents from my mother's grandmother. We used those dishes for years, and I now have the platter displayed in my kitchen.

Therefore the title "Willow Blue" in honor of endless summer shade, family supper, and my favorite color! It works for me, and I'll use it in ETSY as well as here!

The ANXIETY MONSTER

Do you know that feeling you have in the pit of your stomach right before a root canal . . . or upon finding an envelope in the mail with the words "jury summons" . . . or lying in a cubicle in pre op waiting for a "procedure" . . . or walking through the front door on the very first day of a new job? Of course you do. We have all experienced ANXIETY for a variety of reasons. The usual outcome is that the feeling goes away after a reasonable amount of time and your body returns to its relaxed senses.

Now imagine that same feeling of dread encasing your physical and mental self like an unwanted, unneeded, heavy cloak--24/7. It doesn't go away. It is paralyzing, consuming, enslaving, isolating. Not fun. Not wanted. Not needed. I call it the ANXIETY MONSTER.

Unfortunately, that MONSTER currently has its grips on me. Many people don't understand because they luckily don't have an ANXIETY disorder. And that lack of understanding is detrimental to me because my well-meaning friends sometimes corner me into situations that allow this MONSTER to take over.

My question is how much life will these episodes take out of me? And am I ever going to be safe from this ANXIETY MONSTER, or is it going to haunt me forever? My remedy . . . take one day at a time, and remember that this, too, shall pass . . . until the next time.

For now I am focusing only on today, and I know that in a few weeks I will feel contented and safe again.

Empty Nest Blues

The holidays and time with my kids have come and gone and here I go again. Why do I go through this every time? I certainly don't want my daughter and son living with me into their adulthood. Of course that would not be the right thing for them or me. They are ambitious young adults with active, successful lives, and I am so very proud of them.

But I miss them both so much. Whenever they are at home, the house is alive and whole and their energy transforms our house into a home. Their presence brings back irreplaceable memories.

It's particulary difficult for me when my son comes for a visit from college. I always look forward to it so much and work hard to create a welcome space for him and fill the fridge and cupboards with his favorites. There is nothing like that feeling when I first lay eyes on him either at the airport or climbing out of a friend's car. It's truly instant elation when I can finally give my son that first mama hug. The whole world looks a little brighter, and I find myself smiling without realizing it.

That's the high point. Then all too soon, the low point comes. It's time for him to leave, and I am facing that unavoidable grief once again. A heaviness fills me up and a painful ache takes over. I try to tell myself that I'm not being rational--that it's a good thing that he's in school and reaching for positive goals. That's the way it's suppose to be. But my emotional being just overrides everything else and the sadness sets in.

Then there's my beautiful daughter who does live in town. She's independent, successful, smart--just a great young lady. But I really don't see her nearly enough. There is too much time between visits. I treasure her company and want more of it. Sounds selfish, doesn't it.

I guess it boils down to the fact that I love those two more than life itself. They fill such a big part of my heart, so I guess it's probably normal to feel this empty nest grief. And I know that time will help to ease the heaviness, and there will be more visits to look forward to. But in the meantime, I will allow myself to feel this motherly sadness that grows from the enormous love that I have for my kids.