Fermenting salsa and dill pickles!! Yummmm!

As a youth, I frequently heard the ‘grown up folks’ mention that “time goes faster as you get older.” My young mind never quite understood those sentiments (remember how long it took for your birthday to come? Christmas morning to arrive? summer vacation to arrive?) However, as the years have passed (and while I know that ‘time is time’) there seems to be some serious truth in that expression!! I probably have to admit that in reality, I am the one ‘slowing down’ while the metronome of time ticks away at the same old continuous pace. So when I looked at the date of my last post, my emotions went from ‘what?!’ and ‘really?!’ to sheepish admission of my lack of diligent posting! In a moment of desperate emotion, I even told myself that maybe everyone else was so busy having a good summer that my negligence wouldn’t be noticed!! If that happens to be true, then just skip this little ‘rave!’ 🙂 On the other hand, if you have wondered just where I have been and what I have been up to, I hope this post will fill you in! Remember…I started out this summer with a fractured shoulder….NO FUN!!! More…

Never take yourself too seriously!

Thank goodness the powers above blessed me with a good sense of humor – more exactly a wacky sense of humor. Even as a child I never had the good sense to know when I shouldn’t have been giggling, a habit that oftimes got me into trouble along with reprimands and dirty looks. Later on in life, I learned that my father admitted to having a similar problem in his younger days, so perhaps it’s in the DNA. I have never been the kind of person to intentionally hurt another persons feelings with my giggling. This past mother’s day weekend, my twin grandbabies were christened and their 2 big sisters had their first dance recital; my son (godfather to one) flew in from Chicago for the occasion. I guess the DNA thing must move through the generations, as he wished me a Happy Mother’s Day and kindly presented me with the mug you see in the picture! I couldn’t help but laugh – yes, to the point of having tears in my eyes! Did I forget to say that it hurts a fractured shoulder when you laugh really, really hard??? I do wonder though, if years in the future, will I have to explain my lack of physical ‘grace’ every time someone notices this mug? Maybe I will have to hide it! 🙂 All in all, I do think life is much better when we can find some humor in our daily lives. Personally I think our world could use more giggling! More…

Pattern designing in progress!

Let me start by saying that it has been an interesting 6 months. I apologize for the lack of posts; I find that in order to get pattern models made, patterns drafted, and patterns produced, most of everything else in life goes to the wayside. It’s not that the creative process isn’t enjoyable, but it is a journey that is quite demanding (hopefully also fulfilling in the end!) Add in any number of carefully chosen ‘real life moments’ – i.e. holidays, birthdays, grandchildren, etc. and —– well, suddenly it is May! I’m quite sure many of you reading this, can attest to similar experiences regarding the pace of our lives these days. More…

My last order of Valdani threads.

No, not the kind of threads you follow on the web!! I’m referring to all those wonderful spools, skeins, and balls of luscious colors, various finishes, exotic textures that are always begging to be put to use. I’m old enough to remember when thread choices basically consisted of sewing threads (silk, cotton, some rayons and polyesters), embroidery thread skeins, some variety crochet and tatting threads; I also remember my mother searching hi and low for a good quality metallic thread that she used in some of her tatting work – usually just a gold or silver color! Times have changed and today’s manufacturers bring us an astounding variety of threads to enhance and embellish almost any application. While I have my favorite threads for my quilts/quilting, it was my involvement with wool has led me to more closely re-examine the choices being offered today. More…

This was my DesignAndBeMary display at the Prior Lake ‘Fall in Love with Quilts’ show

Once more, it has been awhile since I last posted, but the good news is that I seem to be feeling somewhat better than in the earlier part of the year! YEAH!! Of course, I tend to say that rather tentatively as it seems chronic lymes has this nasty habit of waxing and waning. I am so hoping that it is beginning to ‘wane’ – hmmm…if that is how one spells wane!! As you might guess, when one begins to feel somewhat better, life then begins to be a game of trying to catch up on all the things and projects that have been languishing – at the same time trying to do the things that are today’s business!! Not an easy balance, but a sense of humor helps, along with a bit of attitude adjustment regarding expectations of what is reasonable to get done. More…

Auditioning button in berries sample display CU

It was with some dismay that as I began to write this post, I realize the date of my last post was in late February. ARGH! I’m not sure why this would ‘surprise’ me; this was about the time that my dedicated lymes doctor decided that I needed to change my medication protocol and needless to say, the changes have knocked me off my feet! For those of you who may not be familiar with chronic lymes, this is an unfortunate reality for those who are attempting to drive the lymes into remission! I remember many of my older relatives often commenting that sometimes you have to feel worse before you get better; that sure is true of chronic lymes treatment where successful applications of drugs cause the nasty cells to die off, which cause you to feel quite miserable as your body tries to rid itself of all the toxins! Needless to say, I am looking forward to better days; I just don’t know when they will arrive! Meanwhile, I will do what I can, when I can – but no one can make me like it! 🙂 More…

Close up of my 2010 Minnesota Quilters challenge quilt

What a surprise I had this morning! In 2010, I attended the Minnesota Quilters Show with my DH. He thought it would be a great idea for me to try a challenge quilt…despite my persistent thoughts that I have plenty of quilts and projects in my head and am well aware that I am in the last half century of my life!! Despite my deepest reservations and with considerable reluctance, I purchased the challenge kit and took it home, thinking at worst, I’ll just have a few more fat quarters for my stash! Unfortunately, hubby knows me well, and soon ‘it’ was gnawing at me – and long story short- I ended up with this quilt some intensive months later! More…

The gals at Quilter’s Haven in Rosemount

Yesterday, I was back at Quilter’s Haven in Rosemount for the second, finishing and ‘show and tell’ topper class. We were a small group, but enjoyed seeing what each had done as well as discussing problems or choices. It is a hard choice to offer a class with two separate class sections – a few weeks apart – as many people struggle with schedules and can’t manage to make it back for the second class. Yet the toppers simply can not be finished in a one day class, and while many would find it easy to finished the project successfully at home, many others – especially those new to wool – need the second class session to resolve questions and issues. Of course, missing the second class also means missing ‘show and tell.’ Selfishly, I love seeing what everyone does, not only do I get feedback (the good and the bad!) but I also am inspired by the range of creativity. More…