Today I sit in My Quilting and Sewing Arts Studio reflecting on the past 2 years

Today I sit in My Quilting and Sewing Arts Studio reflecting on the past 2 and a half years.  In October of 2019, I moved from my 2 bedroom apartment in Newport Tennesee to Live with my Daughter Nancy and her family in her new home in Nellysford Virginia.  This move had been our plan for the past 6 years.  Nancy and I had wanted to move together after she completed her Ph.D. and obtained a "real job".  A Job where she actually settled and got a paying wage.  

In April of 2019, she graduated with her Ph.D. and after applying to places throughout the country she was accepted by the University of Virginia into the research department.

 

I remember her excitement when she got the call from UVA to come to meet with them in July of 2019.  Money was very tight then for us both and she was struggling to stay ahead and was unsure of how she would manage a trip to Virginia for a face-to-face interview.  It was June when the call came and we were visiting my Children in Minnesota to attend my Son Paul's wedding to Shannon.  Nancy had flown up that Friday eve and was to return Sunday home to Ga.  Sat morning everyone met at my son Mike's house including my brother Eddie.  Nancy announced to her siblings that she had this interview coming up in July but needed $ for a hotel room, she had already borrowed $ from her sister Beth to cover Airfare.  My brother came up with a solution! Wait he said.  I have a lot of air miles ill never use why dont we get you a plane ticket with them and then you use the borrowed money for your hotel stay!  He called the airlines and purchased the plane tickets with his miles and she was able to take care of her hotel cost.  Wow-what a godsend that was.  

Nancy went to the interview but it turned out to be a visit to show her the uva campus and where she would be working.  She had already been accepted for the position.! It was an incredible time for her and for me too.  I had planned to move up in March of 2020 after she got settled.  Well, she, with my brothers' assistance was able to rent a home that would accommodate her and her family and me as well.  

So with my brothers' insistence and help, I moved here that following Oct lock stock and barrel.  Into a lovely Large open Room for my Quilting and Sewing and a bedroom.  Wow!  what an eventful beginning.  2020 and 2021 brought mixed blessings and sorrow, the Covid years, the Pandemic! 

    

I see More Baby Quilts in my future.

"Down on The Farm"

Three weeks ago I was asked to make a baby boy quilt that was needed in 2 weeks by a friend of my daughters.   I laughed, knowing I would not be able to finish one in that time frame.  Then I remembered the quilt top I had leftover from the baby quilts I had made for my grandkids.  It was a cute baby boy farm quilt with a scrappy border that was done but needed batting and backing material.  I quickly gave options to my daughter's friend and sent a picture of the unfinished quilt top.  I knew I could finish it within the approximate timeline if they still wanted it.  She said yes, so I sandwiched, pinned, basted, and Quilted the Baby Boy Quilt.  I enjoyed doing it and had so much fun with the quilting, adding texture to the walkways and barn.  I sent it out last Tuesday and it arrived at 9am this past Thursday and she loved it!  

Now she wants a Baby Girl Quilt.   

Here I am basting the quilt sandwich together.

Choosing Thread Colors

Adding Texture

texturing the walks and barn

Quilting fun clouds

I added a soft flannel backing

stitching on the binding

Hand stitching the binding to the back.

Adding a Label

The finished Quilt 

Christmas 2021 Quilts for the youngest members of my growing large family

My Newest Great-Granddaughter 
Got Noah's Ark for Christmas.  

 Today I posted some older posts I wrote but did not post so now I can update them.  Last Nov/Dec I became a grandmother again and a Great Grandmother within 2 days - Wow I had such fun with this.  I made some cute baby quilts for these new arrivals for Christmas along with my older grandson walter turning 1 this past December.  

& Big Sister Barbara received this Dolly quilt 

My one-year-old grandson Walter received the cat in the hat toddler quilt.  for Christmas.  I had found this ready and waiting to be quilted along with a bunch of other baby quilts. 

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And my youngest Grandson Logan was given this farm Quilt as his Christmas gift.  I had made 2 of these quilt tops, one for Logan and one for Walter but when I found the Cat in the hat quilt in a box just needing to be quilted it was the better option for Walter since he was no longer a little babe.  I had so much fun making all these baby quilts for the youngest members of my growing family... 

My kitchen is Growing boxes!

My kitchen is Growing boxes! Oh my! and they are all empty. Oh my.

The beginnings

The It started innocently enough with a couple of empty boxes brought in from the garage. I’m moving so my need for boxes has been growing.  Then I went to my local liquor store and acquired more.  As I talked with friends about my move I got offers for more and more boxes. Gone is my fear of not having enough boxes for packing. Replaced with my horror of a home overrun with boxes. Melinda brought me some good heavy duty ones.  Tina brought me more from her home' Great!  Then my son Paul sent me some via UPS along with packing supplies, by now my kitchen was FULL. So those boxes were put in my garage and my car was parked on my driveway pad. “Poor” car.  

My car parked x

I'M A GRANDMOTHER AGAIN, TWICE IN 1 YEAR!!

 last December 2020 my Son Earl and his wife Rikki had another Child, thier second. a Baby Boy. Walter. My granddaughter, 7 yr old Amelia, is now a big sister.  what a delightful time this past year has been; they have visited me 3 times in my new home in Nellysford Virginia. they had decided to move to Charlotte NC so now they are closer to me. Walter will be One year Old this December 15th

This year my youngest daughter Elizabeth is expecting her 1st Child, I'm so excited and happy for her, and so glad she is finally pregnant.  this past Oct I traveled to Minnesota to visit my  family and have been able to stay for 5 weeks.  we arrived Thursday evening Oct 13th  and that Saturday we had Elizabeth's Baby Shower, many came and it was great to see the family again. she received so many gifts!on Nov 3rd I accompanied Beth to her Sonagram and got to see my newest grandson. he showed us his foot and the turtel, (which I understand to be his boy parts), but he was sleeping and didn't want to show his face.  I got to meet with her female OBGYN, who was monitoring her blood pressures carefully. she told Beth that she needed to monitor her more closely so she told Beth that she was off work till the baby delivered. I was so relived because she was bordering on pre-eclampsia. This past Friday Nancy went wth her to the sonogram appointment and met her OBGYN, who told Beth that the blood pressure was getting to high and she was being induced that day!  Saturday at 7:48pm Baby Logan arrived, healthy and sleepy Yeah! I became a Grandmother again. Twice in one year.  How blessed I am.