Wreaths in my future . . . and maybe in yours!

If you  have followed my blog, then you are aware of how much I like to make wreaths. This has been something I have enjoyed as a casual endeavor for over a year now. As I have been honing my skills and giving my handmade wreaths to family members and to various local charities for fundraisers, I have been asked by several of my readers if I ever sell the wreaths I make. The answer is "yes", but I haven't always had more than just a few to choose from. Now that we are beginning a new year and I have discovered that there are many people who like the wreaths I make and would like to buy them, I am going to go forward with sales on line and possibly at local events. I will be increasing my wreath inventory and will be posting them for sale locally here on my blog, and on my Facebook page.

I put a lot of effort into my designs and choosing the materials. I make each wreath with skill and care and owe much of my work ethic to the people who I have learned from, including my Aunt Mabel who taught me to sew and crochet, and my quilting instructors who have taught me about accuracy and finishing techniques. The wreaths I make are ones that I am proud of and would hang on my own front door. The people who have purchased wreaths from me have been very happy with them. These things, along with the support of my husband (and sometime design consultant) give me the security to take the next step to selling to the public. Online sales are in my future, so please stay tuned for that during the coming year. You may not realize it, but when you show interest in what I make and comment on my blog posts, it means a lot to me. So, as I start out on this venture, I want to say "thank you".

Now that the holidays are over, I can post photos of wreaths I made as gifts. If you want to view the photos closer, you can click on the photos and it will enlarge them. There are captions under the wreaths that describe them. Both wreaths measure approximately 24"x24" and are about 6" deep.

A gift for a big fan and his family.
It is now proudly displayed on their front door in anticipation of a successful run in the AFC wildcard playoffs.

My college-age grandson expressed an interest in the wreaths he saw me making when he visited this past summer.  He surprised me when he said, "if you make a wreath for me, I will hang it in my dorm room". So, of course, I was sure that he would receive a wreath. I used his college's logo for the sign.

Gnomes aren't just for the garden!
Gnomes were everywhere this Christmas season and my sources tell me they will remain popular for next Christmas season, too!
Approximately 24"x24"x8" deep
$65
Local Sales Only.
Pickup or delivery location to be arranged within approximately 30 miles.

Let It Snow!
This  little snowman will greet your winter visitors with a friendly smile.
Approximately 24"x24"x7" deep
$65
Local Sales Only.
Pick up or delivery location to be arranged within approximately 30 miles.

Thank you again for your interest and your moral support. Your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog and on Facebook. I read all of your comments and reply. As always, it is my wish that you and those you love are happy and healthy; and until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

It was 40 years ago today . . .

It was 40 years ago today . . . a cold December morning like just today, and about the same early hour as I write this at 4 a.m., when I received the call from my mother that my father was in an ambulance and on his way to the hospital. I gathered my things and my thoughts, left my dorm room, walked in the dark across the icy parking lot as the snow crunched under my feet, packed the few things I had gathered into my car and made the one and a half hour drive to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, I stopped at the front desk to inquire in which room I could find my father. The woman at the desk looked down and then looked up at me. She looked down again at the papers on her desk. She looked back up at me, and through the window between us, she spoke to me through the little hole in the glass . . . like the ones at the ticket booth at the movie theater . . . and said, "Mr. Hawker is deceased". Any strength I had in my legs left me and I felt like I was about to collapse. I looked back at her and said, "What?" And in the same monotone that she had delivered the news the first time, she repeated those four words. No change of intonation, no emotion, no recognition that this must have been someone important to me, since I was there at six o'clock in the morning. I felt panicked and asked, "Where is my mother?" She didn't know was the answer I received. I asked her if I could use the phone and she directed me to a pay phone in the lobby. With my hands trembling, I fumbled for the change I needed to make a phone call, dialed my parents' phone number and reached my mother. She was sobbing, hardly had a voice, as if everything had been taken from her being. She spoke to me in a whisper and through her tears she shared her story of what happened in the past few hours.

I left the hospital, in a state of confusion, and drove the back roads to our farmhouse. It was still dark when I arrived. I went inside and found my mother sitting at the dining room table. There she sat, looking so very small and so grief stricken. She was in disbelief. She told me the head nurse asked her to leave because she was not allowed to stay in the room with my father overnight. He had been admitted only a couple hours before. It must not have occured to her that she could have stayed in a waiting room, so she walked out in the dark and on the ice to her car and drove home. The last words she said that my father said to her were, "Please bring my cane with you when you come back, Honey". She never imagined it would be the last time she would hear his voice. They had been together through every major event during their marriage. She was heartbroken that she was not with my father when he took his last breath. It weighed heavily on her because she had not wanted him to leave this earth alone. She could have been there, had she stayed. She was mad at herself and also at the nurse who asked her to leave. Nothing could be done to change it. It was a regret that she carried with her for the rest of her life. If there is any consolation, it is that my father actually got his wish that he would die in his sleep. My mother was told that he passed away while sleeping. That gave her comfort and she held on to that. 

I am sharing this part of my life story, not because I want attention or sympathy, but because it has been playing over and over in my mind this week. As the date of December 4th approached, I started to get very sad. It started on Thanksgiving. I remembered all the bustling activity at our house when a holiday meal was prepared. The arrival of my aunts and uncles and the familiar baskets on their arms with fresh rolls and pies in them, the crowded and noisy kitchen with hot dishes on the stove and hot discussions about how the gravy should  . . . and shouldn't . . . be made. And after dinner, the clean up and then either a game of canasta at the dining room table or sewing baskets and handwork in the living room while my father and uncles played cards in the kitchen or took a walk out to the barn. To some people, this may not sound particularly exciting, but to see my parents in a jovial and social setting was very special to me. To see them enjoying the company of their sisters, brothers and inlaws, seemed to bring them all so much happiness. They would often exchange books they had read and would pass them along so the others could enjoy them. They would write their initials and the date with pencil inside the front cover to note when they read each book, so when they were together again, they could keep the books moving among them, with the exception of one hard cover book that my father never loaned out. He kept Zane Grey's "Riders of the Purple Sage" all to himself and he read it every winter.

Some of the fancy dishes that we used on holidays. I have fond memories of getting these out of the china cabinet and still enjoy using them for special occasions. 

It is hard to believe that I am old enough to say these memories have been with me for many decades. As those who I held dear left me, the memories became more precious and I am glad I have them and can recall them. And as I contemplated writing this post as the date approached, I started to think about and value everything that has happened in my life to bring me to this place . . . emotionally, physically, philosophically and geographically. The effort my parents made to impart their values to me and provide a safe and happy home, the value of learning and trying new things, the good food that I get to enjoy at holidays and everyday, the beliefs and freedoms I have, and the place in the world that I call home all have great value to me, especially the home my heart has found. The life I share with my husband is unique and precious. It doesn't matter if others value the same things as me, as long as I can still enjoy my own life and my own memories . . . happy and sad . . . distant and sometimes ethereal .  .  . knowing life is not a guarantee, but a gift. Sometimes the memories are rich and sometimes they are mundane, but when put together, they make what I call my life. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I seem to have rambled a bit . . . or maybe a lot . . . while writing this. Without much editing, I will post this and send it your way. It is my wish that you will enjoy your memories, the old ones and the ones you will make today and this holiday season. I pray for all my readers and hope that you and those you love are well and happy. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

Music, Memories and Emotions

While working in my studio the other day, I heard a familiar show tune playing in the next room . . . the love song that Tony and Maria sing to each other in West Side Story. My husband was watching TV and had stopped at the movie channel while surfing for a program to watch. It is a pretty normal routine for us. I quite often work in silence while he likes to listen to music or watch a movie as he chips away at his "to do" list. He can repair gadgets or put together items we order online from cryptic instructions, while I can't concentrate if there is a familiar tune within my hearing range. I have so many thoughts in my head about what I am trying to accomplish that if I hear music that has lyrics that I know, I will start singing them and then my concentration is broken. Not to mention, I will hum or sing the tune for the rest of the day . . . often to my husband's detriment! (Wink!)

But hearing the love song from West Side Story had a surprising effect on me. I became very emotional and teary. I had to sit down and take a deep breath. I listened and it brought back a vivid memory from when I was a very young teen. I am not sure I had even seen the movie yet, but I asked for the West Side Story record album for Christmas. On Christmas morning, I could see the wrapped album under the tree and I knew right away what it was. I was so happy and after all the presents had been opened, I removed the album's cellophane wrapper, read the back of the jacket and put the album on the turntable of our stereo console record player that was in the living room. I don't know what it was about the music that day that came out of those speakers, but I had an overwhelming and very emotional reaction to it. I cried and cried and my mother was rather confused by my behavior. I remember her saying to me that if she'd known the record would make me cry all Christmas day, that she wouldn't have given it to me. Of course, I reassured her through my tears, that it was a wonderful gift and I loved listening to it. And even though I cannot recall when I actually saw the movie, I do know it was when I became enamored with George Chakiris and Rita Moreno. The undercurrents of the gangs and the tragic story of the modern Romeo and Juliet were new to me. I was a little farm girl, living in a rather insular setting, where we were far removed from a city. But the story hit me in a place in my emotions and psyche that had not been reached before by any musical score. Was it the tension in Leonard Bernstein's tempo? Was it the instruments? Was it the key the music was played in? I think it was a combination of these any many other things. What strikes me the most though, is how much the effect of the music on me is the same as it was over fifty years ago; so much so that after my husband told me he recorded the movie for me on our DVR, I haven't wanted to view it. Not quite yet. I will need to make time to enjoy it with out breaks. I need to be still and enjoy it from beginning to end. Yes. I will enjoy it and have a good cry that will probably tire me out to the point that I'll need to take a nap!

I did a Google search on why music makes us cry and among the many articles I found, I thought the one linked below was good, except for it's abrupt ending.

https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-do-certain-songs-make-us-cry-ncna784801

Have you ever been riveted by a surprising visceral reaction to something triggered by a long-ago memory? It has happened to me only a handful of times, but each one is deep-seated in my psyche. For me, the musical score from West Side Story is definitely one of those memories. Another is the events of this day in history in 1963, when President Kennedy was assassinated. Black and white footage of the news stories that aired for what seemed to be days and days evokes a strong and sad emotion from deep inside and it was when our entire nation was rocked from our foundation. There are personal memories and those that we share with others, but for me the feelings are similar, all encompassing and they always give me pause.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read this post. As always, your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I will read them and respond.

It is hope that you and those you love are healthy and happy. I pray for all of my readers and until we meet again, it is my hope and my prayer, that the Lord will hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

And just like that . . .

I was amazed at the delicate pattern the snowfall created on our fallen arbor that was blown over a couple weeks ago during a terrific windstorm. ♡

And just like that, fall was over. The autumn days were delightful and I had hopes of more beautiful crisp and colorful days, until the weather made a very abrupt change to extreme cold and heavy snows. As I write this in the early morning hours, while waiting for the sun to rise, the temperature is in the mid-twenties and it is snowing lightly. It is a bit early for this kind of weather to arrive and stick around, and earlier than I originally planned, our fall decor will be coming down, spurred on by the weather. My husband and I agreed that we are both ready to begin decorating for Christmas. By our own admission, we are not fast decorators and if we want to enjoy the season, we need to have our house looking festive so we can relax and partake in the events that are meaningful to us without feeling behind and in a rush to decorate.

This idea meshes with my thoughts on being more intentional in my life. For many months, I have been trying to enjoy each moment for what it offers without thinking about what I will do next and minimizing the importance of the here and now. That includes daily chores, such as cleaning the house, as well as memorable outings with friends. Is cleaning fun? Not really. But as I set out to clean a room, I try to remember how important it is to surround myself with meaningful things and enjoy taking care of them. As I dust the pretty little dishes that I inherited from friends and relatives, I am blessed by memories of the those who I loved and of the hours we spent together. While folding laundry, I am thankful for clean clothes I can wear to keep me warm. When I look through windows after I wash them, I am thankful for the view of my neighborhood, where we watch over one another. I think to myself about the friends who are currently hospitalized and how much they would like to be enjoying the simple everyday things that I am doing. What would they give to be back home making their own bed instead of lying in an uncomfortable hospital bed, hooked up to gadgets that prevent them from even rolling over and getting comfortable, and having to ring a buzzer for help with everything they need to do? I am grateful, and as I take down the wreath I made for the fall season, that has a sign on it that says "thankful", I am just that. Thankful.

One more look before I take our "thankful" wreath down to make way for Christmas decorations. It may end up hanging on the front porch for Thanksgiving. 

Since I didn't post to my blog in October,  here's what the mantel looked like. You'll see we had some pet bats in the birdcage, but we liberated them so I could replace them with dried flowers. 🦇

And now, as we approach the season of advent, I will be hopeful. I have been making Christmas wreaths and have enjoyed opening up the storage totes where I put all my supplies that I purchased last year at the after-Christmas sales. It is rewarding to shop in my own stash and only go to the store if I need a certain color of ribbon or mesh. I made a few bases for wreaths to make the process smoother and free me to be more creative. With the base of a wreath in hand, I can view my ribbons, ornaments and signs with fresh eyes and often something will catch my eye and spark a new idea. As I complete wreaths this month, I will list and sell them. I had planned to have more made by now, but a few health related things cropped up for my husband and for me that slowed me down. Life has a way of doing that. However, I am trying remain hopeful and make what I can before the holidays.

Blog posts will be more regular now that I am spending time inside. In the summer and early fall, I tend to go outside for hours and hours. I lose track of time when I am outdoors. There is always something to take care of in the yard, as well as taking the opportunity to sit on the bench in our garden to drink in the view. I never tire of watching the garden grow. The song birds and the butterflies that kept me company all summer are gone now. When I venture out in the morning, the only sounds I might hear are the occasional screechy greeting of a blue jay or the sharp chirps of a cardinal. It occurs to me that the word I would use to describing this phenomenon is "acceptance". I need to accept the silence, the snow cover, the bare trees with their dark trunks silhouetted against the white background, and the time to live inside the walls of my home instead of outside in the yard and gardens.

One of my dress forms stands guard at the hallway table. The basket of dried hydrangeas beneath the table was a gift from a friend last fall. They are still in great shape and I love the shades of pink and burgundy on the petals. ♡

I picked a few of the blooms from one of our hydrangeas and put them in the birdcage for safekeeping. The Chinese lanterns on the right have seen better days, but I can't seem to part with them just yet! ♡

The birdcage keeping my hydrangea blooms safe. ♡

Thankfulness, hope, and acceptance will keep me intentional and grounded as I go about my days. I hope you will take sometime after reading this to consider what is important to you today and this season. I think you will find the simplest thoughts and smallest plans can be very comforting. We all deserve to be kind to ourselves in this way. We all know from experience, the world around us can dish out more than enough harshness.

Thank you for taking the time out of your day to stop for a few minutes and read this post. As always, your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I read all comments and will respond. If you'd like to enlarge any of the photos for a closer look, you can tap on them on your screen.

It is my hope that you and those you love are happy and healthy. For those who are struggling with illness or difficult situations, please know I pray for you. And, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

High Summer

The Garden in High Summer
The greens tend to become more yellow in the middle of summer and the blooms dry out a bit in the mid-day sun.

This time of year, in the middle of July, the term "high summer" comes to mind and, for me, it describes the sights, sounds and the feel of the outdoors here at home in Alexander. I pretty much live outside once the nice weather arrives in late spring. I would be okay with closing up most rooms in the house until fall. We could drape the furniture in big white sheets of muslin, the way I have seen in the movies when people close their homes in preparation for a long absence, and uncover everything when the brisk fall air returns. I like seasonal rituals and that would work just fine for me. As the cicadas sing in the bower overhead and the leaves on the trees start to have more of a dry sound when they move slightly on the breeze, I begin to get the sense that the summer is half over. And, as much as I love autumn, it does make me a little sad. The recent heat wave forced me inside for about five days because it was just too hot and humid to do anything outdoors, but it didn't change my feelings for summer. I still love summer.


In spring, summer and fall, I get hyper-focused on my gardens. We have such a short growing season here that many plants don't get growing and blooming until about now and my garden seems to really take off from July until the first frost. Yes, some of the early bloomers are finished with their show, but now the cone flowers, phlox, day lilies, black-eyed Susans, butterfly bushes and hostas are in bloom. The birds, butterflies and hummingbirds stop by and I am entertained every morning when I look at the garden while I have my first cup of coffee. Yes, gardening adds a whole lot of additional work with planning, shopping, planting and maintenance, but it adds much joy to my life. Gardening has taught me many lessons, just as my other hobbies of quilting and paper crafting have. I have learned to follow my own path, enjoy the journey, the surprise outcomes that come my way, and have learned to be more accepting of myself and what I create. I've learned to strive for what I consider to be beautiful . . . not perfect . . .  and not make myself crazy trying to make things look like they are in a magazine or someone else's garden. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. It warms my heart that my husband takes joy in creating our gardens. He cares about the things that are important to me and offers his time to help me work on planting, pruning and even shopping. It was at his urging recently, that we went for a ride and discovered two new-to-us nurseries where we picked up some beautiful things.


I can feel a bit of a shift, though, in my thoughts and I am mentally preparing to get back into my studio for sewing, wreath making and paper crafts. I have neglected my workspace to the point that the table has become a storage area, which made it impossible to use as a work surface. So, it is time once again to clean it out and reorganize it. I think it is a never-ending struggle for most creative people to get their work spaces just the way they want them.


Late afternoon rides in our old convertible . . . when the sun is lower and not so hot . . . is a real treat for me in the summer. We take to the back roads and enjoy the changes in the landscape. The ripening of the wheat to deep gold, the green windrows of freshly cut hay, and the tall stands of corn are a feast for our senses. Of course, this sometimes includes a stop for ice cream. And yes, as my mother would say if we ate a snack in the late afternoon, "it'll ruin your supper",  . . . but we don't care! If my mother was still here, I would bet money that she would eat the ice cream, too!


I've wandered around a bit in this post, not having a well-planned and thought-out message to share. It is a nice cool morning and as the day is breaking, I am consumed with thoughts of weeding, watering, and battling Japanese Beetles on my rose bushes. I can see bright sky out my window and will close here so I can get that second cup of coffee on the deck and look out at my garden. Now . . . isn't that a surprise?!?!


As always, it is my wish for you and those you love that you are happy and healthy. You are in my morning prayers and for those who are dealing with special issues, I keep you close in prayer all day long. Your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I always read your comments and will respond. And . . . until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy

Spinning Plates

Melmac. Say that word to anyone who grew up in the 1950's or '60's and they'll know exactly what you are talking about. I think there was a set of Melmac dinnerware in every mid-century American family's home. Ours was light green. It was a complete service for eight with serving dishes plus one additional small yellow plate, cereal bowl, cup and saucer that was mine. I loved having my own little plate and bowl. I felt very special whenever it was set at my place at the table. For more information about Melmac, here's a link:
https://hobbylark.com/collecting/Collecting-Melmac-Dinnerware-Vintage-Fun

I hadn't thought of those plates, bowls, cups and saucers for a long time until yesterday. I reached up and took a bowl out of the kitchen cupboard to use for some avocado slices. As I set the bowl on the counter, it spun around on its base making a sound that brought back a special memory. It sounded a lot like the Melmac dishes we used to spin when we set the table for dinner. It was a funny little thing that we did to amuse ourselves as we made our way around the long formica kitchen table. But what struck me today, as I recalled the sound of the spinning  plates, was how much joy my mother took in doing it with us. As busy as my mother was in the kitchen, she took the time to play along with us. She could really get those plates spinning!

My heart was warmed with the memory of those days in our kitchen at home on the farm and I began to think about other things that I do regularly that remind me of my mother and father. For example,  when I clear my throat, I sound exactly like my mother. Sometimes the sound startles me. When I am pensive, I tend to fold my hands the same way that my father did; and when I am having a conversation with someone and need to listen intently so I can respond, I fold my left arm across my body and rest my right folded arm on the back of my hand at a right angle, while I hold two fingers to my cheek, and my thumb beneath my chin. I remember my mother holding that very same pose when we would have heart-to-heart talks. And it isn't only things about myself that remind me of them. When I was on the phone with my cousin, who I haven't seen in decades, I teared up when he uttered a very familiar chuckle. His father and my father were brothers and very close all throughout their lives, and at times, you couldn't distinguish which one was speaking unless you were in the same room. They sounded that much alike. When I heard my cousin's laughter, it was such a familiar sound, but one I had not heard in almost 40 years. He sounded so much like my father that it took my breath away and I just sat there listening and smiling through my tears. What a gift it was to hear him laugh!

A lot of what we learn in childhood and throughout our lives are not things for which we have had instruction, but from observation and mimicking. I am sure there is a scientific name for this kind of patterning. I don't need to go to the Internet and research it right now. I am writing from my heart and don't need a wordy definition or to spend an hour wandering around Google for specifics. What I am trying to convey is that we probably could stop and listen or observe our habits and find that there we are very much like those who raised us, including teachers, clergy, and even neighbors. Every time I wrap leftovers in wax paper, I make a fold along the top that I call my "Dorothy fold", after our neighbor and good family friend. I spent a lot of time with her and her family when I was growing up. While helping clear the table and put away food one summer night, she showed me that clever fold and I use it to this day. It is a funny little memory, but one I hold dear.

Do you have habits or characteristics that remind you of someone from your childhood? If you do, I hope that they bring a smile to your face when you realize where they came from. We never know the effect we have on others. I guess that is why it is good to try to be on our best behavior at all times, not that we can be . . . but I will leave those other learned habits and behaviors to your (and my) own private thoughts. What I say or do when I drop an open gallon of milk on the kitchen floor isn't the kind of patterning I am writing about! 😉

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read this post. As always, your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I will read them and respond.

It is my wish that you and those you love are safe, happy and healthy. And, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

April Showers and Sunshine

It finally looks and feels like spring! It has warmed up nicely over the past week, the grass has greened up and many of the spring bulbs have bloomed. Outside my studio window, there is a large lilac bush with tiny leaves unfurled and our forsythia survived its drastic pruning last summer and is full of branches of delicate yellow blossoms. In between April showers, we managed to dig holes this week on a sunny day with our handy gardening auger that attaches to our cordless drill and plant the bulbs that never made it into the ground in the fall because of the constant rain. We said a prayer over them and hope they will survive. We will know next spring. I have learned that if given a chance, most things in nature will grow, so I am hopeful! We have lots of plans for our garden spaces, so there is always something to do outdoors and the fresh air and sunshine feel so good on my face. The perennial garden is waking up and there are a few plants emerging. I spotted foxglove, delphinium, Asiatic lilies, sedum, and cone flowers leafing out. It is time to trim back the rose bushes so they can fill out. I waited to do any pruning, but I think we are past any damaging frosts. Let's hope so!

We completed our goal of 40 days of giving as one of the ways we observed Lent this year. We put items we wished to donate in a special box for the observance. For me, it has become a habit to look for things in ordinary places that I no longer need or want that could be a blessing to someone else. I am sometimes surprised by the things that are sitting out in plain sight that can be shared this way. The boxes for our donations are getting filled and it is a very good feeling.

And speaking of donating, I am so happy that I have found a new way to support organizations in the local community. My husband and I have always enjoyed putting together gift baskets for charity events. We know how much fun it is to attend a basket raffle and come home with something wonderful that someone donated. These events help organizations raise money and awareness about their causes. There will be two basket raffles in May to which we will be donating, but instead of baskets, we will be donating handmade wreaths.

The first event will be on May 5th to support the St. Jerome Guild at the local hospital. You can learn more about it here:
https://www.thebatavian.com/tags/step-into-spring-0

You Had Me At Meow

Approximately 24" across and 7" deep, this wreath will be included in the raffle to support the work of the St. Jerome Guild at the United Memorial Medical Center in Batavia, New York. Information about the event can be found above the photo. For a closer look, click on the photo to enlarge it.

The second event will be on May 11th to support Crossroads House, which is a hospice facility. You can learn more about it here:https://crossroadshouse.com/spring-memorial-basket-raffle/

Welcome To Our Patch

This handmade wreath is approximately 24" across and 7" deep. It will be raffled to support the work of Crossroads House in Batavia, New York. Information about the event can be found above the photo. For a closer look, click on the photo to enlarge it.

There is another wreath in the making right now on my work table and this one will actually be for our own front porch. Sometimes I feel like the cobbler's wife whose children have no shoes! I constantly make things to give away or sell, but don't make things for our own home. There is a long-neglected hand applique quilt that will be getting finished soon, too; and it will be for us  . . . to keep!

I hope that you are enjoying springtime and that you feel the gift of hope that it offers. For those of you who are in need of prayer, please know that I pray for my friends, family and our world every morning and include you in those prayers.

Thank you for stopping by to read this post. Your questions and comments are welcome. You may leave a comment here on the blog or on Facebook. I will read it and will respond. And, as always, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you and those you love in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

April Goals

One quarter of 2019 is behind us. It seems kind of hard to believe it, but it should make perfect sense, since this is one of the longest winters I can recall! Recently, we've had several days with lots of wind, and that is a good thing because fall was so wet and winter set in so early, that yard cleanup never really happened for most of us living in Western New York State. The leaves that ended up in soggy piles and stuck to the ground swirled about in the steady winds and the 50 mph gusts. Hopefully, it will make the job of raking gardens out much easier.

I have set monthly goals since the beginning of the new year and it has worked well for me. To focus on one major idea or task seems to be a good fit for how I approach things. So, with January's goal of purging closets and drawers of things I no longer needed or wanted, and February's goal of deep cleaning some of the more neglected areas of our home met, I focused in March on communicating more with friends and family. What I have noticed, after each month has ended, is that I have developed new habits based on my monthly goals and they are now part of my routine. I didn't expect this, but from my past research about how to break or establish a habit, maybe I should have anticipated it. So, now that this has been one of the rewards of goal setting, I am happy to go on for the rest of the year with setting monthly goals.

April is the month I have chosen to focus on working on projects in my studio. It was hard to limit my time in the studio when I had other goals during the first quarter of the year, but now I can get to work on several of the UFO's in my quilt stash and new wreaths and paper crafts. That means for you, my faithful readers, there will be more photos of things I have made.

I made a birthday card in March for our granddaughter who turned 21. She likes the mixed media things we have made together, so it was easy to come up with what I wanted to make for her.

For a closer look, click on the photo.

Mixed Media
6"×6"

I made a cute spring wreath that will welcome guests from now until fall, and I have several more started for spring and summer. They will be posted here soon!

For a closer look, click on the photo.

Welcome to our Patch
Spring Wreath
24" across, 8 " deep
$65

Side view of wreath 

Close up of wreath 

The gardens are bare and brown . . . but each day that I go for a little garden tour, I find one or two more daffodils, tulips, hyacynths, and bleeding hearts pushing up through the dirt. We are still experiencing cold nights and, believe it or not, it even snowed this week! But, very soon it will be time to get the leaf blower, mulcher, rake . . . and my helpful hubby . . . outside to work on all the after-winter cleanup! For now, though, I will spend April getting back into the studio and establishing some good creative-time habits.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post and going on my Studio Emmy journey along with me. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. I will read them and I will respond, here on my blog or on Facebook.

It is my sincere wish that you and those you love are well and happy. For those of you who are dealing with tough, sad, or lonely times, please know I include you in my prayers, whether or not I personally know about your worries and concerns. And, as always, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand

Emmy

Lace and Memories

It is a chilly morning here in Western New York State. The sun is shining brightly in a blue sky, which is not the usual for us during the winter due to the lake effect from Lake Erie that casts clouds and drops snow over the region. But, it is no longer winter. The season changed to spring three days ago. But March is very changeable and so while it is a pretty morning, it is a very cold one with a temperature of only 19 degrees and a wind chill "feels like" temperature of 5 degrees. There is an inch of snow on the ground from overnight flurries and my plans to rake out one of my little gardens where spring bulbs are popping up through the layers of dead leaves are dashed. But, this does not depress me or deter me from making the inside of our home more spring-like. I changed out the Valentine's Day décor when Mardi Gras and then St. Patrick's Day approached. There was a lot of green to be seen, and it remains still, but in a quieter voice. The dried hydrangea bloom leaf wreath that I made last fall is back up on the wall and a few favorite green depression glass pieces, pottery and such decorate the mantle, along with a handmade piece that a quilting friend made for me when I was recovering from surgery, hanging on the wall. The faded sage tablecloth that I used on the table looked pretty drab, so I decided to give my lace tablecloth a chance to shine. I have had this beautiful handmade crocheted gem for over 30 years, but have never owned a rectangular table until last January, where it could be showcased. I had used it as a throw draped over the shoulder of a wingback chair and as a cover over a plain white sheet on a twin bed, but never has it had the chance to be used as it was intended . . . on a table.

This is a very special piece that I treasure. It was made especially for me by my Aunt Mabel, who lived just down the road from us in a little house that always smelled like sweet perfumed dusting powder and showed the activity of a busy seamstress, fancywork maker, baker and gardener. We were always very close and when the only grandmother I had ever known passed away when I was 8 years old, Aunt Mabel seemed to step in and assume the role. At her knee, I learned to sew and crochet. She would show me the steps to make things and I would practice until I got it right. She was a stickler for doing good work, so I became adept at ripping out stitches and trying again. I would often walk down to her house after supper and stay until after dark, even on school nights! I would lose track of time and my mother would call on the phone to ask if I would be coming home. I would stay just a few minutes more and walk back, sometimes after midnight, on a very dark rural road.

Aunt Mabel always had something new that she was working on to show me when I visited, which was several times a week; and on one such visit, when I saw a little 5-inch square of a crocheted wheat motif, I knew I wanted something made in that pattern. I asked Aunt Mabel if she could make something for me and a few years later she surprised me with the tablecloth. I was thrilled and never expected such a gift, although I think I may have hinted that a tablecloth would be my wish. The wheat motif held special meaning for me because our road was bordered by fields of golden wheat every summer and the harvest was always an important event for our farm family.

Please click on the photos for a closer look, if you wish. 

The 5"x5" square crocheted wheat motif that is used throughout my heirloom tablecloth.

Back to my story about covering that drab sage green tablecloth . . . I went to the closet and pulled out the folded tablecloth and carefully laid it out on my ironing board. I starched it and it came out beautifully. I carried it downstairs and started to drape it over the table and as I did so, my heart started to beat a little faster and when I made the final adjustments, I began to cry. It was a perfect fit. I could not have asked for a better gift. I was filled with emotions and memories and now every time I walk through the dining room, I feel such a sense of comfort, connection and belonging. Yes, belonging in my own home. The tablecloth's presence is like an anchor in a safe harbor for my heart.


The heirloom tablecloth adorns our dining room table.

Thank you for stopping by to read my post. Do you have favorite heirlooms, either passed down to you, or those you have acquired over the years? If you do, I hope you will find ways to enjoy them, or that you are doing so already, because even on a cold day such as this, you will find they can warm your heart. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. I read all comments and will respond here on my blog or on Facebook. It is my hope that you and those you love are happy and healthy . . . and until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.


Emmy

I Wish . . .

Don't wish your life away. Have you heard this old adage? Perhaps it was told to you by your well-meaning elders when you were a child. I heard it plenty of times.  Dreams and wishes are a part of life, especially when we are young. Maybe dreams are more a part of our lives as young people than they are as we grow older. I seem to think about wishes quite often nowadays. I wish this and I wish that. I still wish on the first star I see in the evening sky.

I wish ________. I am certain you can fill in the blank with at least one little or big wish. For me, the wish that I have been thinking about quite a lot is the wish that I had pursued my artful endeavors at an earlier time in my life. I have so many interests that the art supplies are starting to crowd me out of my studio. More often than I would care to admit, while searching for a certain item in my studio, I stumble across supplies I bought to use in a future project. That always makes me shake my head, serves up a good dose of guilt and sends pangs of anxiety to my core. I whisper to myself, "me, and what army?" That is what I say. Really. I do. I say that because I would need an army to actually use all my supplies and actually make all the things I have in planning stages, in my dreams, or sometimes in various stages of unfinished-ness.

But before you continue reading, let me assure you that I am not spending my days heaping loads of guilt on my shoulders. I am still a dreamer. And I like that about myself. I like to think of possibilities. Of course, I may need to be reined in a bit at times before I go off on a trip to the store to buy supplies without a plan . . . or with a plan that requires the army I would like to command in my studio. Just like you, just like any of us . . . our lives are what we make of them. Unplanned and uncontrollable things happen to all of us, and to those we love; but we each have today and hopefully we each have tomorrow. So, I continue to dream about what I can make and when I am browsing Facebook, Pinterest, or DIY videos on YouTube, that list of dreams gets a little longer . . . along with my shopping list for supplies. 

So, back to the topic of wishes. I wish I was an architect because I like to learn how things are made and can be made differently. I wish I was an interior decorator because I enjoy transforming a room into something that fits its purpose. I wish I had the energy and physical stamina I used to have before my three surgeries. I wish I had planted the romantic garden of my dreams 10 years ago, so it would be lush and full of mature plants, trees, bushes and shrubs by now. I wish, I wish, I wish . . .

As a child, my teachers may have wondered about me. Teachers would tell me I was bright, but I was also told I needed to try harder. I'm still in touch with one of my elementary school teachers. He may agree, if he remembers what it was like to have me sit in his classroom for the fifth and sixth grades. Even my teachers in the lower grades observed and encouraged me as I dawdled and daydreamed . . . always drawing in the margins of my papers. But I learned to work fast, when it mattered, to get something finished and handed in with those little drawings often in the margins.

My parents emphasized being a good girl, not making waves, being polite and respectful, and of course getting good grades. That was a given. I wish they would have noticed my artistic side. Playing the piano and singing in the church choir and school choruses and musicals was as artsy as I got. Getting the carbon papers from my father's farm contracts was always a treat, as odd as it sounds today. I would find places on the carbon paper that still had some ink on them and use them to draw flowers, birds, trees and I would practice writing in cursive. My father had to hide his pens because I would use up all the ink in them if I found them by writing and drawing. He started giving me fancy Papermate pens and refills for Christmas so I would stop taking his from his desk! Now I have drawing paper, colored pencil sets, paints, brushes, lots of pens with colored ink and I have taken a few art classes.

One of my favorite scenes from the movie Uncle Buck is when John Candy's character makes a visit to the assistant principal's office at his niece's school. I so identify with his niece and not just in my memories of being a six year old, but as sixty-six year old! Take a look at this clip from the movie:

https://youtu.be/xEt5dEOcW0I

I will continue to pursue my artsy side and sometimes I may be a twiddler, a dreamer, a silly heart and a jabber box. I can continue to wish, but I also need to act. And if people don't understand or approve, I will ask Uncle Buck to explain a few things to them. We all need an Uncle Buck sometimes, don't we?

Photo source: CityNews

Thank you for taking the time from your day to read my post. As always, your comments and questions are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I will read them and respond. It is my hope that you and those you love are happy and healthy; and until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

Mardi Gras in Alexander!

Fat Tuesday is in two days and then on Wednesday, the season of Lent begins. Still buried under snow, and with daytime highs in the teens and nighttime temperatures in the single digits, it is not like celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans. But, when I saw the pretty mesh, ribbons, beads and masks at the store last month, I knew I needed to make a Mardi Gras themed wreath. The traditional colors of purple, green and gold that signify the carnival season are a refreshing change to the red and green of Christmas and pink, red and white of Valentines Day. Full of color and life, it is a welcome change while we wait for signs of spring to emerge. It may already be meteorological spring and in just seventeen days, it will be astronomical spring; yet in Western New York State, it will be a few more months until we can really experience the sights and sounds and smells of spring. But . . . that is just how it is here. It is a fact of life in Western New York. Winter has its own beauty and gives our earth the rest it needs under a blanket of snow, but once the ground warms up and signs of life return to the brown fields, then we can say it is really spring. For now I am happy to stay inside where it is warm and not go out walking on the ice and snow.

For a closer look, click on the photo to enlarge it.

Mardi Gras Wreath
The wreath is approx. 24 inches across and 7 inches deep.
People have contacted me about selling my wreaths.
They are for sale locally for $65 and can be shipped by USPS at an additional cost.

I finished out the month of February and stayed on task with my goal for the month of deep cleaning the rooms in our house. I used Mrs. Meyers products and have been pleased with their effectiveness. They do the job and they smell nice. I am happy to have found my very own cleaning products and not the same old products my mother and grandmother used. The scents of Windex and Pine-Sol were never my favorites and I was not convinced that they did a great job, anyway!

My goal for March is to get more connected with people and be a better communicator. I have let the ease of technology create a false feeling of connectedness. I miss hearing the voices of my friends and relatives. I wonder what the future will be like as people text more and talk less. In their golden years, will their memories be brightened by remembering text messages they received? I don't think so. I think we remember things that we are more involved in, such as a conversation in person or on the phone, than the current form of communication via textspeak and emoticons. So, friends . . . don't be surprised if you hear from me via a letter, or a phone call. I really miss talking on the phone. I hope to do more of it in March.

It is my hope that you and those you love are happy and healthy. I hope you are communicating in meaningful ways with those you hold dear. They can't know how much they mean to us if we don't make the effort to reach out to them and let them know. I urge you to do it now. I planned my March goal in January...long before I had any thought of writing this post. In February I missed the opportunity to communicate meaningfully with a friend after I learned her precarious health had taken a turn for the worse. She passed away last week. I can't go back. I can't call her or send her a card. Reach out. Communicate. You won't regret it.  ♡

Your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I will read them and I will respond. And, as always, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

Waiting and Worrying

There is an old saying that goes something like this: What you worry about never happens, so go ahead and worry. That isn't exactly how it goes, but it is close enough. So today I am starting the worrying nice and early.

My morning view.

Every morning, before I my feet hit the floor, I open my eyes and check the view through the colored windows in our bedroom. After many years, I can discern whether it is sunny or cloudy, snowing or raining, or breezy. Breezy. That was what I was looking for this morning.  There was a slight movement of the smaller branches on the maple trees in our yard and I could tell it was a blue sky sunny morning. I was surprised to see the sun because I was ready to face the beginning of what has been forecast to be a harrowing day with high winds that will average at 35 to 45 miles per hour and gusts as high as 75 miles per hour. So, I am sure that I am not the only one checking the movement of the tree limbs this morning, I would venture a guess that everyone else in the whole Western New York region is looking up at the trees around their and their neighbors' houses. Our house was built in 1846, so it is safe to say that it has withstood many storms. I hope today is no exception.

As I prayed about my own safety, I realized I needed to expand my thoughts outside my own four walls. Of course I prayed for my husband. I always do. But then I thought of the first responders who will be out trying to help anyone who needs it. And all the calls won't be just for storm related emergencies. What about the person who falls ill and needs to get to the hospital or the expectant mother who goes into labor and needs to get to the hospital in the midst of all of what is supposed to be an awful weather day? Prayers.

I am sitting in our living room as I write this. I just turned to look out the front windows and instead of a blue sky, I now see a dark threatening sky. It looks like snow clouds, but I know that wind clouds can also be dark. The wind has completely diminished and there is nary a twig swaying. It is eerily still. That tells the wannabe meteorologist in me that the wind has been sucked out of our area and is now somewhere else . . . but will most likely arrive when those clouds cover our village. OK. I have worked myself up into a high state of worry.

I planned some projects to keep me occupied today. The first is to work on a Mardi Gras themed wreath. We don't celebrate it like they do in New Orleans, but I saw some pretty things at the store and before I knew it, they landed in my shopping cart. So, I will be working on that today . . . hopefully under my work lights and not by candlelight.

Some of the supplies I've gathered for my Mardi Gras wreath.

We anticipated the fact that we may lose electric power, so we have lots of food on hand that can be served cold. Just like before a snow storm, we; along with other Western New Yorkers; prepare as if we will be unable to shop for weeks.

It is beginning to thunder. I guess the wannabe meteorologist in me didn't see that coming. It is raining now and very still. I am definitely worried. So, I will close here, get another cup of hot coffee, charge up all our electronic devices and wait . . . and hopefully the winds won't be as strong as they say they will be and everyone will remain safe.

Wherever you are, I hope you and those you love are happy and healthy . . . and safe from the storms that seem to be everywhere. As always your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I do read them and always respond. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

All Dressed Up for Valentine's Day ❤

It's Valentine's Day! I always try to do something special to celebrate it, even if it is just decorating or making a special meal for my husband and me. But, since my main focus for the month of February is deep cleaning every nook and cranny in the house, I haven't been in my studio a lot to create things. I already posted the two Valentine wreaths I made, so today is just a short and sweet...mostly pictorial...post of the transformation of my mini dress form from Christmas to Valentine's Day. ❤

Please click on the photos to enlarge them, if you want a closer look.

Here she is wearing her Christmas ensemble.

The blouse, sash and pin were all removable.
I used rubber bands to draw in the evergreen skirt.

In order to smooth out her evergreen skirt, I wrapped her lower half with batting.

At first, I was going to sew a skirt for her,
but it was easier just to take several yards of tulle and wrap . . . and wrap . . . and wrap her!

I tucked bright pink tulle into her bodice, wrapped her waist in an organza ribbon and tied it in a big bow.
Of course, she needed to wear some pearls, so I made a little choker for her, too.

The big reveal . . . All Dressed Up for Valentine's Day!

Thank you for taking the time from your day to read my post. Your questions and comments are welcome here on my blog or on Facebook. I will read them and respond. I hope you and those you love are happy and healthy; and as always, until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

Super Bowl Sunday

As we get closer to the beginning of the Super Bowl, in about 45 minutes, we are still trying to decide if we will watch the game or a movie. We are not fans of either team, so it does not matter to us which team wins or loses. We are fans of a few NFL teams, and one in particular; but none of them made it to the big game. We enjoyed the playoffs, and maybe that is enough. But will we miss something that a large percentage of the population will be watching en masse, if we aren't viewing it at the same time as everyone else? We have the DVR set to record it and figure that we can fast forward through the game and maybe even some of the commercials . . . even though some people say they really only watch for the entertainment at half time and to see the commercials . . . we do enjoy a good football game! If it is a close game, that is all the better. So, we will decide soon and in the meanwhile, I will work on some hand sewing or sorting a box of baubles that I plan to use soon on a special paper craft project.

We had an extreme wintry spell over the past week with temperatures dipping down to -9 degrees and windchills to -25. The National Weather Service officially called it a blizzard, which is a pretty rare occurrence, even for us here in Western New York State. I fought off my nervousness about the cold and snow and whiteouts by hunkering down in my studio. Luckily, I had gone shopping before the storm and instead of buying bread and milk, I stocked up on materials for some new projects, so I made a wreath to keep myself occupied. I have discovered that making wreaths is a very satisfying way to use my creativity and even though I like to  make quilts, they take much longer, so the rewards come sooner when making a wreath!

If you would like a closer view, please click on the photo to enlarge it.

It is February.
That means it is time to make all things Valentine.
I made this wreath during the blizzard we had this past week.
It is approximately 24" across by 7" deep.

During the winter months I find I am inclined to pursuing what were once called the  "domestic arts" . . . sewing, decorating (which includes paper crafting, drawing, painting and mixed media) and even cleaning and cooking. Well, maybe not so much cooking! But I do like to clean in the winter because the brightness from the snow makes the rooms in our old house filled with light and it makes such chores easier. :-) I have jumped on the popular Mrs. Meyers wagon and am waiting for my first order to arrive. I can't believe how excited I am as I anticipate the arrival of cleaning supplies! They are supposed to be delivered this week, so will let you know how I liked them in my next post; and if you have tried them, I'd like to hear from you.

While I have been writing this post, I have been taking little breaks to watch the movie Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte with my husband. It had been a long time since I Iast saw the movie. It made me think about what people silently suffer through, how they are mistreated and misunderstood and what conclusions people often jump to. The movie is an extreme example, but the story of deceit and manipulation is probably played out more often than we realize. It really is hard for me to believe how badly people can treat one another. I try to see the best in people. I expect it. Sometimes I am disappointed, but there is a lot of good in our world. People are doing good things and that is what I need to remember.

It is halftime now . . . and I have been peeking at the score on my phone. Shhhh . . . don't tell my husband! He just started watching the recorded game . . . from the beginning. So, I will close here so we can watch the game together, see the commercials, the halftime show and then have fun reading fans' reactions tomorrow on social media!

As always, your questions and comments are welcome. You can post them here on my blog or on Facebook. I read them and always respond. So, may the best team win and until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy

Staying on track . . .

It is the middle of January and it should be no surprise to anyone who has lived in the Northeast that we will most likely have a big snow storm or two during the winter. So while we await the first storm of the year, I am thinking about how I will get through the next several days of being snowed in. As I have been continuing my purging efforts around the house this month, that is part of my January 2019 focus, I have come across many unfinished projects and have added several of them to my TO DO list.

During the year, I often say to myself ..."when we have a winter storm, I will hunker down and  do one of those items on my list that requires a chunk of uninterrupted time". But the storm comes and the storm goes . . . and my list pretty much remains static. So, today, as I am sitting here watching the weather and wondering how bad the storm will be . . .if we will get the 20" of snow and the blizzard-like conditions they are predicting, I have decided that I need to rethink my old imaginary plan to knock those projects off my list.

The first thought I had is to create a project box for myself...something that has a name and a purpose...that I can open and find one of those undone projects inside that I always say I will work on during a storm, but never do. It might sound a bit simplistic, but for a person like myself, who is pulled in many directions by creative thoughts and urges, I am thinking this just might work. Of course, it will require some effort and stick-to-it-iveness on my part, but I am thinking of the good feelings I will have when I have accomplished whatever task I find inside. Once the plows have cleared the roads, we have shoveled our way out of the house and the sun comes back out, I will be able to feel that sense of accomplishment I anticipate.

So, today I will grab a couple of boxes and prepare some winter storm project boxes. I know one project will be a little flannel doll quilt that needs the binding sewn on. It is already pinned and with little effort, it can be finished. The next will be a box of photos that need sorting, labeling and sharing. I have a lot of photos, but one little shoe-box-sized project shouldn't be too daunting. I will make pretty labels for the boxes and place them in a prominent place on a shelf. I look forward to opening them on a snow day . . . maybe tomorrow!

For other things on my TO DO list that can't be put in a box, I might resurrect an old idea I learned about many years ago. I saw it in a magazine and although I can't give the person who wrote about it credit, I recall it was for families to use to get some household chores done. It might have included a reward system. There is ice cream in the freezer, so we are good on the rewards here. 🙂 The idea was to write down the chores on slips of paper, fold them in half, and put them in a fish bowl or a mason jar. I don't recall the details, but I have always thought it was a cute idea and it didn't involve any nagging or begging . . . which I know gets really tiring for parents! I might take a few of those unboxable items from my list and put them on slips of paper and bottle them. There are many little chores that take only 15 minutes or so to do, but I tend to tell myself I can do them later, and later never comes! The tedious microwave scrubbing and the dirty oven vents come to mind. Those old toothbrushes I save and some Q-tips will be my cleaning tools . . and that is probably why those chores never rise to the top of the TO DO list! Then there is the silverware drawer . . . how is it that it gets dirty inside when we put only clean utensils in it? For breaks, how about I actually watch some of the programs I have recorded that are taking up space on my DVR list? I mean . . . really . . . how many Hallmark movies can I keep on the list? At this rate, I will be watching them in July!

I am back on track in my studio . . . after a little post-holiday break and a vacation at Disney World. It took me a week or so to get back to my usual routine, but I am making things and, hopefully, I will get to those TO DO list items, too!

Click on the photo to enlarge it,

 if you would like a closer look.

February will be here before we know it!
I couldn't wait to break out the pink and red ribbons and trims and make this wreath!

Thank you for taking the time out of your day today to read my post. As always, I hope you and those you love are happy and healthy. Your questions and comments are welcome. You can comment here on my blog or on Facebook. I always read them and I will respond. And until we meet again, may the Lord hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Emmy