Keeping It In The Family

First, I want to extend a warm welcome to my new followers. I hope you'll enjoy your stay here. Also, welcome to any visitors stopping by today from a belle, a bean & a chicago dog. I'll try to make things as interesting as possible for you in hopes you'll decide to click that precious "follow" button. (wink, wink) Feel free to click around and stay a while. I've added lots of new things recently. If you like what you see and want to show some love, grab a button! Are family pictures and crazy kid stories more your style? Then go check out my family blog. Now, on to today's agenda....

I mentioned in past posts that I've started quilting. Quilting has been in my family for generations and I'm ashamed to say that I never picked up on the craft. I'm afraid when my great-grandmother leaves this world, the craft will die out in our family entirely. I'm hoping to pick up the reigns. My great-grandmother found a quilt recently that my grandmother (who passed away in August) was working on and she gave me a quick tutorial on how to finish it the last time I was back home in Kentucky. This is that quilt:

These next few pictures you'll see my grandmother's handy work; her perfect stitches.

And now my imperfect stitches.

My great-grandmother (96 years young, by the way) carefully pinned the edges to show me how to finish the quilt in it's entirety.

I wasn't sure how I'd like taking on the task of finishing the quilt. After all, I have several other irons in the fire - scrapbooking, photography, cooking, blogging, not to mention raising three two kids (husband wouldn't want to be included in that number - loving you!). And I've never done it before. I was afraid (hello, insecurity) I wouldn't do a good job. After all, the previous women who've worked on it have been doing it for years. However, I have quite enjoyed quilting. I find myself picking it up while we catch up on some recorded TV each night and I've accomplished quite a bit. I've said this before, but there is something extremely satisfying about making something by hand.

I love that my great-grandmother, my grandmother and now I have all worked on this quilt together. When it's finished, it shall become my daughter's first quilt. Now that's keeping it in the family.

Thanks for stopping by. Y'all come back and see what's in store for tomorrow!

Back On Track

Good morning, everyone! Though it is Monday. Blah. The dishwasher is going, laundry underway and I've only had to heat up my coffee once so far.

The kiddos and I made it back to Memphis safe & sound and were very happy to see the hubs and sleep in our own beds. We had a fantastic time with our friends and family. Wish we could have brought them all back with us. But such is life. We took lots of great pictures and to see all of them you can visit my family blog here. I would like to share one incredible picture with you. This is a gorgeous Kentucky sunset. I spotted this behind my parents' house one night and couldn't resist. Doesn't it look like the sky is on fire? Incredible indeed.

I enjoyed some quality time with my precious great-grandmother. She had found a quilt my grandmother had been working on before she passed and gave it to me to finish. She gave me a quick tutorial and I'm hoping to do her proud. Again, visit my family blog to see pictures of her teaching me to quilt. I didn't want to bore those not interested (one of the reasons I keep a separate blog). I do, however, hope to post some before & after pictures of the quilt once I finish. I worked on it a bit last night and there is something extremely satisfying about using my hands to finish this quilt - a quilt my great-grandmother, my grandmother and now I have all worked on together. I'm feeling creatively empowered. I just might find myself inside a quilting store very soon. Now THAT'S something I never thought I'd hear myself say.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! It's good to be back on track in the blogger world!

I'm Back!

So sorry for my absence these last couple of weeks but this is when things start getting a bit crazy for me. We just wrapped up Thanksgiving and right before that we had a new hardwood floor put in so the kids and I packed up and headed to Kentucky to visit family. Now, we are preparing for 2 birthdays and Christmas. CRAZY!

Anyhow, I have had a chance to be a little creative amongst all the chaos and wanted to share. I've always wanted to learn to quilt, simply because my great-grandmother is the only one in our family that still does so. So someone needs to carry on the craft, in my opinion. While in Kentucky, I had an opportunity to learn. I haven't gotten too far, but I do know how to put together a quilting block now. When I go back for a visit, I hope to learn more. But check out my handy work. There was something oddly satisfying about creating something with a needle, thread and my own two hands. I didn't expect to feel that way about quilting.

I will try to blog when I can. Hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far. God Bless!