My first quilt...

...and maybe my last.
It took me over a year to make it, but I finished it.  I actually finished it around the first of the year and it has taken me this long to actually document it here. 

I have always wanted to try quilting...and I mean "machine quilting".  My very talented and crafty friend, Morgan Moore gave me the idea of using up scraps of fabric to make this quilt.  (You need to click on the link and look at how adorable her quilt is as well as check out her cute blog.)

So I cut out 4 inch squares, and yes that means I have tons of scraps of fabric that are pretty big for being scraps. My husband was all too glad that I was using up fabric for something useful.

Thankfully my sister is a quilter and I happened to be up visiting my family when I started sewing them together.  She taught me the shortcut way of how to lay them out and put them together.  So much easier than what I was going to do and it saved on thread.

I loved sewing these together as I thought about each piece of fabric and where it came from.  It was quite a ride down memory lane and quite a pattern in my own life of things I have accomplished, people I have met, and of my family.  I love sewing just because of the time I am able to reflect on life.  This quilt made it even more special.

For the back I used this old big piece of heavy denim.  I don't know why I kept it so long, but as you can see from the picture there were a few flaws in the fabric.  This fabric was the perfect size and I loved the thickness of it as this is the quilt we keep in the car for the park or the beach.  I knew this denim would keep the moisture away and would stand up to any beating my children gave it. 

I have no quilting frames and so I cheated my way through actually sewing the front, back, and batting together.  There are a few tucks here and there, but only noticeable if you are looking for them.  The machine I was using is old and I have never been able to get the tension just right.  I used red thread and did a zigzag stitch. 

I bound it with red double fold biased tape.  And...I love, love, love how it turned out.  

Will I ever make a quilt again?  I don't know.  I don't think I can really say one way or the other.  I can say that I will not be buying a walking foot for my Bernina any time soon as they are so expensive AND I do not want to sew again on the other machine I used for this quilt. 

So for now I will just focus on the quilt of my own life and what patterns there are for me to see and work with:

“Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His. We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God's purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.”  

Neal A. Maxwell

Charity

I remember a missionary district meeting a long time ago in a land far far away (Hong Kong) in which we were discussing charity.  I remember an elder sharing a quote on charity.  I didn't remember who the quote was by, but I know that I loved the quote.  The only part I really remembered was that charity is expecting the best of each other. 

Well, I found the quote:

“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.”
― Marvin J. Ashton

I would have to say that this is probably my favorite quote on charity.  Right now, it is exactly what I need to hear and work on in my own life.  My mother always taught me to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.  My best friend's mother taught her that if you are easily offended you do not have the spirit with you.  Life long lessons to hear and put into practice.   I am so grateful I was lead to this quote.  I hope that someday, in hard situations, charity might come easily and naturally for me. 

Practice, practice, practice...

My Favorite Christmas Gift

I know it is May, but I have to share my favorite gift from Christmas.

I have been talking for a long time about the possibility of learning more about herbs. Well, in December when we realized the School of Natural Healing had Christmas specials we decided to take the plunge. I enrolled in the Family Herbalist course. I had just over 3 months to complete it. It was a ton of work with 3 books to read (2 were pretty small), 7 cds or dvds to listen to or watch, 3 study guides (one being really big) to complete, and an exam to finish.  The exam ended up just being a quiz and I just got my results back this last week...100%.  I over studied for the quiz, but am glad that I did. I feel like I know so much about herbs now and yet this is only the beginning and it was just a general overview of herbs. This course is the prerequisite course for the Master Herbalist program.  I plan on continuing to study and learn and work my way through the program. I love it! These classes, I have a feeling, will be my Christmas presents (and Birthday and Anniversary) for the next couple of years and I have to say that they will continue to be my favorite gifts.

Let me know if you have any questions about herbs...

Feelings Buried Alive Never Die

I decided several years ago I should get this book and try it out since my mother loved it and highly recommended it. 

Have you ever read a book that suddenly just makes you want to throw it across the room? Well this happens regularly with this book.  Sometimes it just hits too close to the truth... 

There is a section where you can look up different illnesses, the location of pains, and other affirmities your body might be experiencing.  As you look up whatever is afflicting you it then lists the different feelings that are associated with these issues.  I so hate it when I look up something, read what is listed, and realize it is spot on with whatever emotional issues I am currently going through.  Sometimes it is as if someone is reading my mind or God is directing me to know what I need to change in my life.  If I am not wanting to be humble and hear such correct chastisement, I want to throw the book across the room.  And then...I get over it and work on unburying those feelings, dealing with them, and releasing them so that I can have a happier and healthier life. 

So, I say that I have a love-hate relationship with this book and am truly grateful for the things I have learned about myself from reading it and using it as a reference. 

(Don't be too shocked by so many blog posts as of lately -- I don't know if I can keep it up)

Cakes for Scouts

My son had to make a cake for the Blue and Gold Banquet last year. 

This is what we came up with:

Campfire, Tents, and Dock

This year they did the scout activity differently...  Each cake that was brought was auctioned off.  We decided to make a fruit pizza that we would buy ourselves.  The crust is our favorite sugar cookie recipe with a cream cheese frosting.  I believe we pleased him when we spent the most on a cake.  We had fun!  And the pizza tasted great!

I can't find the picture of the pizza we took to the auction. My son had arranged the fruit randomly and it surprised us how nice it looked.  We used blackberries instead of grapes and maybe some other differences.  I can't remember it all.  Where oh where did I save that picture?

What is an Essential Oil? Part 1

"An essential oil is the volatile lipid (oil) soluble portion of the fluids of a plant containing odiferous compounds produced by steam distillation of vegetable plant matter. Plant matter can be any part of a botanical species including stems, branches, fruits, flowers, seeds, roots, bark, needles, leaves, etc. During the distillation process, the vapors are condensed, collected, and separated from the condensation water." (The Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple by David Stewart, pg. )

I love, love, love Essential Oils!!  I use them almost every day.  They have been such an aid to my family for emotional stability, sleep, peace and calming, first aid, and much much more.  The two books above are two of my favorite on essential oils.  My sister's website gives some great information on these fabulous oils and has some excellent links to other articles written on essential oils. 

Amy's Infamous Pick Up Lines

My niece was recently posting pick up lines on facebook, so when I was just cleaning out some things and found a list of my younger sister's favorite pick up lines, I couldn't help but think I had to share (I love run on sentences).  Here they are:

• Do you have a quarter?  I told my mom I'd call her when I found the girl/guy of my dreams. 
• I lost my phone # can I borrow yours? 
• Are you a gardener?  'Cause I want to plant my tulips next to yours.
• Your lips look a little wrinkled...mind if I press 'em for you?
• They say 75% of your body is made up of water.  Boy am I thirsty. 
• If I could rearrange the alphabet I'd put U and I together.
• Kiss me if I'm wrong, but aren't you Jack/Sally?
• If I told you you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?
• Are you tired?  'Cause you've been running through my mind all day. 
• Did it hurt?  When you fell out of heaven. 

There is a small part of me that really wishes I had used some of these when I was single.  Hahaha!!