One Whole Month Down....

 January is about to bite the dust....ALREADY!

The studio has not seen much action this month....
My nephew, Wilbur*, asked me to repair a pillow  that had originally belonged to my mom (his g-ma).
His dog chewed a couple of holes in it.  I tried to find an old chenille bathrobe to cut up for repairs...that didn't work. 
So, instead of trying to match the flowers, I just went with repairing as best I could.

The only other thing I accomplished in the studio this month was making a pillow for Kathy's Mom using one of the blocks in the gifted bundle.  HERE .  After the First Saturday Needle Group took what they wanted, I did take the remaining items to the National Quilt Museum for their sale.

I will admit, I cheated and changed my UFO list...added these two items as #3, January's number, which was originally
Auntie Nyla's Row-By-Row wall hanging....just so I could mark them off!  Feels so good!  Whatever gets you down the road, eh?

If you are participating in the UFO Challenge, February's number is #6.

My #6 is a companion quilt to one that I made for my sister, Renee in 2021.  So, it's not TOO old.
July 4, 2021 I had traveled to Vegas for a quilting weekend with my niece, Desiree. HERE
That's when I started this quilt using a  layer cake, "Violet Hill."

This will be a fun one to finish up....the First Saturday group is meeting this next week-end for a Quilt 'Til You Wilt...
perfect timing!  It's not too late to join the UFO Challenge!  HERE

Well, folks...that's all the news that is fit to print!

From the Kitchen of "My 'Ol Kentucky Duplex": Melty Chili Casserole Bake HERE

 

 

*Yes, I am "Charlotte" and my nephew is "Wilbur" and he does like pigs. 
I made him a "Piggy Quilt" for Christmas 2015  HERE. 

First Week down....

 

 

 

 

52* To Go....and how are we doing on those resolutions?

 

 

 

I've printed my American Patchwork & Quilting UFO Challenge list for 2023.  In years past I've listed ALL my UFOs....there were always several sheets.  That can actually be very discouraging so this year there is only ONE sheet.  If I finish...or even work on....these 12 items I will be happy.

To participate click HERE.   I'd be willing to guess none of us has only 12 UFOs, but Slow and Steady Wins the Race, eh?

And speaking of UFO's....a very interesting thing happened this past week.  I received a message on the NextDoor site for my neighborhood.**  "Kathy" wanted to connect.  It seems her mom was an avid quilter and is now at an age where she needs help so she is moving into the home of one of Kathy's sisters.  Kathy has A LOT of  her mom's quilt stuff that she needs to pass on....She, herself, is not interested in becoming a quilter.

Have you given any thought to what you will do with all your quilting stuff ?????  (I had a plan until I moved to KY....)

Her work is beautiful ... a lot of hand piecing and hand quilting.

The First Saturday Needle Group met yesterday and some of the items made their way out the door.  Our newest member, Bonnie, suggested I contact the Quilt Museum and donate the remainder for their Auction that will be held in conjunction with the April Quilt show....I will do that.***

The top in the upper left would make a nice pillow.  I think I'll make it for Kathy's mom...a small remembrance. (Oh, I better add that to my UFO list...I should do it soon....)

And, speaking of the Quilt Show....I'm going to add to this pile by going through my own quilting stuff with a critical eye, especially the Row-by-Row kits.  They haunt my dreams.

 

*There are 53 weeks in 2023....a bonus
**The meeting for the First Saturday Needle Group was posted on NextDoor.
    That is how Kathy knew to connect with me.
***Yes, I did go through the fabric and I did keep some, I could not help myself.
****Kathy said "There's more...." 

A Resolution By Any Other Name

 

 

As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't make New Years Resolutions....
or maybe I do....maybe I just cannot help myself!

I'm already thinking ahead and trying to decide how 2023 will be different from 2022.    I feel like the pandemic years really messed up my internal clock.

I told myself I would not waste a year settling into my new Kentucky Life like I did when I moved from OR to CA....and yet, we're coming up on a year.  (You can read about it HERE if you're so inclined.)  It doesn't feel like I've made much progress, but maybe I have...

Off we go into this new 2023 Adventure.

*From the Kitchen of "My 'ol Kentucky Duplex":  Breakfast Zucchini Rolls 

 **If you are interested in any of the above:
Heartland Church
The Gym
Clean Eating:  Clean Food Crush
Fabulous over 50
First Saturday
Acre Homestead
Ukulele Jam via Zoom:  Lisa the Ukulele Fool Facebook
Lessons:  Time on a String

A Look Back---Moving Forward

 

What a year it has been.....

Milestones

Accomplishments

               

AND don't forget the pincushion Swap!  That was fun!  HERE

Small accomplishments in 2022, but the most important accomplishment this year was spending time with dad.  
I would not have given that up for anything...and how I miss him, every single day! 

And now I'm ready to say "goodbye" and "hello."

*From the Kitchen of "My 'Ol Kentucky Duplex": Black-Eyed Pea Salad.  Tradition has it starting a new year with black-eyed peas is supposed to be good luck. (Of course, if you are a Believer in Jesus Christ, your life is not based on "luck", but traditions are nice.)

Challenge Yourself

The American Patchwork and Quilting UFO Challenge.
I've participated in 2018, 2019 2020, 2021 and 2022 and I'll participate again in 2023.

My most successful year participating in this challenge was by far 2021....we'd become accustomed to sheltering in place;
I had not yet decided to pull up stakes and move across the country; I think I was generally more organized that year, and certainly more motivated.

These are not in order of importance:  How it works; each month APQ* posts a number on their FB page.  That is the item you are supposed to work on that month.  The object is at the end of the year you will have finished...or worked on....12 projects (supposedly having fewer UFO's....not sure that is exactly what happens knowing Quilter's propensity for starting new projects.  "Oh, Look!  A new pattern!  It looks fast and easy...."and a new UFO is born.)

My List

 

I believe it is a good thing to challenge yourself...to participate click HERE. 

P.S.  This just Posted: 
My #3 is going to be a new skill....stay tuned.

*APQ:  American Patchwork and Quilting

The Gifts We Give

There is no getting around it, even as a seventarian I look forward to opening gifts on Christmas morning.  But, is Christmas all about getting presents?  No, according to tradition, December 25 is the day Jesus was born to Joseph and Mary in the stable....we all know the story.  (It probably isn't that exact day, but it's as good a day as any to celebrate the birth of a King.)

But back to giving and receiving gifts....I love to give gifts that are meaningful to the person... it's a love thing.  What will touch their heart.  And, of course, I like receiving gifts that are thoughtful as well ... how much effort did that person go to to think about me and what I might enjoy.  

There is a gift given at Christmas, however, that mostly gets over-looked these days....
The Gift of  the birth of Jesus Christ.

"For God so loved the world (you and me) that He GAVE. 
God gave His one and only Son to pay a price you and I could never pay.  Our "sin debt."

"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." – Isaiah 53:4-5

* We are ALL sinners.  (ALL of us...you, me and even our saintly grandma.)
* God is Holy....by His very nature He is not able to have a relationship with sin.  Without a relationship with God, when we die, we will NOT go to heaven, nor will we be "resting in peace." There are consequences for sin.  This is our "sin debt."*
* In the Old Testament there was the blood sacrifice that paid the sin debt for a time (not once for all.)
* But then God gave us a new sacrifice...Jesus Christ ... Jesus' birth leads up to Easter and Jesus' death and resurrection.
  The blood sacrifice that pays the sin debt once for all.  

But that is not the end...what happens after the sacrifice has been paid.  How does the sinner (you and me) appropriate the payment...the gift?  

Let's pretend you get a speeding ticket and the fine is $1,000 and you only have $20 in your bank account!  "Pay up or go to jail!" the Judge shouts.... You try to reason with the Judge but he is a just judge and he is firm. You resign yourself to the fact that you're going to jail because you just, plain don't have the money for the fine.  

Then a total stranger steps up and says "I'll pay the fine on their behalf."   The fine will be paid and you'll be free to go home.  Wow, how grateful you are ... how relieved and happy ... but you still need to reach out and accept the gift.  You need to tell your benefactor that you accept the gift.  (You both know this is a gift...not a loan...you do not have the means to pay him back.)

So, HOW do you accept the gift of Jesus' payment for your sin debt?  The debt you could never, ever pay on your own?

* You must admit that you are a sinner....you can't fake this....you can't just use words... this may take some time to really look into your soul.  While God cannot have a relationship with sin, He does hear the prayers of sinners...pray, ask for the Holy Spirit to show you your sin...it is a very humbling experience and will truly break your heart.*

* Believe that Jesus died to pay for your sin debt, and that He rose again on Easter, and is alive today.   This does not come naturally to us.  We don't just "Believe"  just like that.  Again, pray that the Holy Spirit will show you the truth of  your sin debt and Jesus' payment.

* Humble yourself, accept God's free gift of payment for your sin.  This may look different to different people.

As you can see, this is not a 10 minute process....it may take some time.  Get alone in the mornings before your busy day.  Get a Bible, start reading the book of John in the New Testament.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see God's truth in God's Word.  Honestly, this will change your life.  This will change your eternity!

Don't wait.  None of us knows when we will breath our last.  After that, we stand before God and He asks only one question.....What did you do with the knowledge of the birth, death and resurrection of my Son, Jesus Christ. 
Your answer will determine where you spend your eternity.

Please send me a private message if I can be of any help to you in any way. 

*If you are thinking you are a "good person" and never sin....just think back on the past week and count the number of lies you've told.
Lying is a sin, even the "little white" ones.

The Tyranny of the Urgent

 

When I was in my 20's I worked at Campus Crusade for Christ* at Arrowhead Springs, their headquarters in the foothills of the Southern California mountains.  I think they have a good ministry, especially on college campuses.  But, back then, working at Headquarters, honestly, it felt like a big click.  It makes me chuckle now, we were young and oh-so serious.  

One of the click-ish things we did was read certain books...everybody read the same book.  At the time it was The Tyranny of the Urgent.  In a nutshell, as best as I can remember, it was nearly 50 years ago (wow...50 years!)...it was  a book is about things that feel Urgent  and may be stealing your time and keeping you from truly important things. Kind-of like "The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Gease" whether it's the main wheel or not.

 

As we wind down 2022 I'm feeling anxious and urgent....what must I finish before the end of the year?!   I want to finish something -- need to finish something -- end this year, 2022, on a positive note. 

And, so I did, well, almost.  Who knew anxiety would drive me back to the sewing studio.  I've left this quilt top in a good, positive place.  But it was NOT easy getting even this far...Jack and I have spent some quality time together lately....dontjaknow.  (Don't look too closely, let's just say "done is better than perfect.")

 

 

Hummmm....hastily thrown up on the design wall...this is NOT turning out the way EQ8 and I envisioned....oh, well.....it'll be perfect to the young lady who will receive it.  Of course, there will be many adjustments before the final layout is stitched together.

Reminder of the general idea of the layout.

 

Now I can fly off to California (leaving the chilly KY weather behind**) and spend time with The Babes.  

*Now called Cru  Arrowhead Springs Hotel history.  HERE

**In case you're not following Ryan Hall Y'all on YouTube....BIG arctic cold front moving down across most of the lower 48.

*** From the kitchen of "My 'ol Kentucky Duplex": French Onion Chicken Skillet HERE. This is a yummy chicken skillet. 
Served with roasted vegetables, it was a big hit with the Baby Sis and her D.H.