I'm still here...but not "here"

Hello to anyone who is still visiting me here or has found this blog. I have been through a life altering event, and finally feel like I am becoming myself again. To help me in my fresh start I have also started a new blog. I will be posting at least once a week and hope to be blogging much more by the time the holidays roll around. If you would like to visit me at my new blog you can visit me here. I will still have my main focus be on quilting, but also sprinkle in my love of running and cooking. I will no longer be posting here, but I would again like to thank all of you who have come to visit me while I was here.
Warmest country wishes,
country mouse

testing, testing, 123

Do you see what I see?

Yup, that's snow! Actually I'm kind of excited about it. Living in Ohio I've come to really love the changing seasons. I remember what was going on when I was younger because the seasons trigger memories. I couldn't imagine living somewhere where the change of seasons weren't so pronounced. Well, for the last couple years winter snow has come quite late (we've been lucky to have a white Christmas the last few years). I was really starting to miss the snow in November around Thanksgiving and in December at Christmas time, and it looks like I won't be missing it this year. Yippee!! Ok, yes, I know I'm weird :cP Another thing that has me excited...one of our local radio stations has already started playing Christmas music! Now I will admit that maybe it is a little early to be playing it 24/7 (I hate when people just gloss over Thanksgiving, it is one of my favorite holidays) but I love the fact that when I feel in the mood to hear some Christmas music...like when I am working on those Christmas gifts...the music is only a button away. Both of these things have given me a lift on a day when I can really use it. My personal situation is making it a tough day for me. I'm on a total emotional roller coaster. I keep reminding myself that, yes, things are tough but the end is in site and I WILL make it through. I try to keep focus on the positive and find some time to do a few things that will make me happy. So with that said, I am about to go make myself a nice big cup of cocoa, open the curtains wide, turn on some Christmas music and get some sewing done :cD I'll try to have a quilty update for you next post. Til then, warm country wishes all!!

P.S. Go check out Paula's blog. She is giving away 2 beautiful little quilts to celebrate both her blogaversary and 200 posts...not to mention she just has a great blog :cD

Simple is best

Happy Thursday everyone. Been quite a week here. Sometimes the stress of daily life for me makes me feel as though I am in a vice, or maybe being drawn and quartered :cO I'm sure we've all felt the pressure of feeling like you are being pulled in so many directions you don't know which way is up!! So I have been trying my best to enjoy some of the simple things in life. Sometimes it isn't that easy to focus on these things. They can be the little things that we sometimes overlook. A child's laughter. Those few moments of silence we can find, even in some of the most unexpected of places. Watching a cat stretch and enjoy that warm spot on the floor created by a brilliant beam of sunlight. The sheer joy in the process of creating whatever it is you put your hands to. A good home made meal. Things we can take for granted. Things we do everyday that, since we are in a constant state of "go go go" we don't take time to appreciate. I would like everyone to take at least a minute or two to focus on one simple pleasure today. Take a few deep breaths, and enjoy at least one thing that will bring you a smile :cD

The sewing process has been kind of slow here as of late. I have been able to get some more string blocks done, and a little more done on my quilt-along. I am VERY happy to announce that after what probably seems like forever, my pay it forward gifts are DONE!!! YIPPEE!! Now all I have to do is get some addresses and I can get them in the mail. I do have a picture of what I will be sending, but I will wait to share it til they reach their destinations.

I was also thrilled to receive an fat little envelope in the mail yesterday from Andrea. I was lucky enough to win a contest on her blog and won this adorable little pincushion and wonderful fabric.

I haven't decided what I will do with the fabric just yet. I think it would make great fabric for a Christmas project, but for sure it will be used for something special :cD Thank you soooo much Andrea!!!

I am hoping to get out to the fabric store today, it is a dreary fall day here in Ohio so (in my opinion) it is the perfect kind of day to go get cheered up by some bright, beautiful fabric. Hope you all have a great day!! Warm country wishes.

Its Election Day!!

I was just thinking of how blessed I am to live in a country where we are able to have a say in who it is who leads our country. Now I am not going to endorse any candidates. I feel everyone should educate themselves on the candidates and issues they are voting on and make the decision that they believe to be the right one. It is a great honor and responsibility that we have. So I would like to encourage everyone out there to get out and vote, but just in case you need some extra incentive....I just had to share this picture :cD

Ok, I just couldn't help but share that picture. Please don't think it is in any way making light of the seriousness of the elections this year, but I pass this sign every time I go to my friends house and the chalkboard part at the bottom changes from time to time, and I just got a chuckle out of it.

Not too much quilty to share this time. Been enjoying the unseasonably warm weather and the fall foliage. Hope everyone is having a great Tuesday and again...PLEASE get out there and vote. Thanks

Warm country wishes

new month = fresh start

Hi everyone! Wow its November already. The summer months just flew by and now we are closing in on the end of the year. I can hardly believe it. I feel a renewed sense of energy and a new desire to get back to "normal" (believe me, in my family normal is a VERY relative term lol) The air is getting cooler and fall is definitely in the air. And so with the beginning of the season, I too, am going to try my darndest to focus on a new beginning of my own. I had to get a quick picture of the pumpkins on our porch. We did have 2 that we had carved, but they were well past their prime. I just love the rich orange colors! The painted one one of the mouslings picked out, and the one on the right came home from a field trip (and that one is going to be turned into pumpkin pie on Monday ;cD)

Also snapped a picture of a lone little dandelion among the fall leaves on the ground. Now is it just me or is this little one a bit of a late bloomer? I just don't remember having dandelions this late but then again, I could be mistaken. I just had to snap a picture after my little one said "Mommy, look its the first flower!" Too cute!!

On to quilty news :cD Yesterday I spent part of my day in Amish country on a shop hop. I never have enough day to do as much as I would like. So much inspiration!! So much fabric!! One of these years I am going to have to try to get to all 12 shops. Their theme this year was Pineberry Creek. I really liked the fabric...very country...and picked up a couple kits that I plan on turning into some throw pillows. I've also gotten some sewing done. I finally got those borders for the quiltalong quilt started. I love to use up as much fabric as I can. I hate to see any go to waste if I can help it. So I used up the scraps I had, cut them into strips and, well here is what I have so far...

Also got several string quilt blocks done. I have 256 done and I need 308 although I can't for the life of me figure out what I wanted the dimensions of the quilt to be :cS I just know I wanted a BIG, WARM quilt for the winter and these string quilts (with extra fluffy batting and flannel for the back) really fit the bill.

This is just part of the blocks I have. I have another stack just as big as the one on the right put aside waiting on the rest of the blocks to be done. I just love these string quilts. I love looking at all the blocks and seeing all the different fabrics and remembering the quilts that the fabric went into. Well, I am off to get some more things done. Not the least of which is to put finishing touches on my PIF gifts. I am soooo excited to finally have everything almost ready and ready to mail out by the end of the week. Hope everyone has a weekend filled with lots of your favorite things. Warm country wishes all!!

Purging

I have been going through all my stuff (read fabric, blocks, tops etc) and have come to the conclusion that I may have to do some purging of my stash. Yes, it pains me. All the fabric I have I have picked out because I saw some beauty in it or it was gifted to me. And I tend to keep all my scraps because I am so the scrappy quilter, but I am moving on with things in my life and am feeling more and more like I need to leave some of those little pieces behind or get rid of them. It is so hard to go through and get rid of some of this fabric because even the littlest pieces are beautiful, but then I realize that worrying about all those little pieces and what may become of them are a stress I don't need.

That got me to thinking about life in general. How much do we carry with us that are those 'little scraps' that tend to weigh us down. All those little inconsequential decisions that really haven't or won't effect our lives that we drag around and question. We second guess ourselves. As I am moving forward I am going to really try to have more confidence in myself. To know that I am able to make decisions and that not everything is worth the worry that I bestow upon it. It can be very hard at times, but I AM trying.

On a more positive note, I have been able to get some quilting done. It is a lovely thing when life starts to reach a state of equilibrium after a LOT of turmoil. I have been able to get some hand quilting done on my scrappy bargello quilt. I have also gotten several more blocks done for my string quilt that I have been working on FOREVER! lol and I think I may have found my next long term project (like I don't have enough of those already :cD). I have seen a few log cabin quilts that were made with itty-bitty blocks. Well, I printed out the paper piecing pattern for a 4 inch finished log cabin block. I only have one done, but I love that little block. So I am keeping at least some of the little scraps I just can't bear to part with to use in more of those blocks. Now I am thinking it will take me quite a while to get this done, but I really feel it will be well worth the effort.

I also have to admit that the weather is also helping to cheer me up. Fall is my favorite season of the year. I have to get out and get some pictures of the beautiful fall foliage to share. Well life is still rolling along at full throttle, and I have to go try to jump back into things, but I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful Wednesday and warm country wishes!!