Author: jennifer

Sun

Musings on Life and Beauty



Yesterday brought several hours of sunshine, and I couldn’t have been happier about it.   I literally ran around the house opening curtains and blinds to let every bit of light in.  Then I played my still-favorite music album and danced my way through the cleaning.  I was happy enough that even my boys’ room seemed easy.  I wanted to go buy flowers enough to fill every empty container I own.  It was that kind of day.

Really, it’s amazing how much more potential the day seems to hold when the sun comes out.  I cleaned much more than usual, got dinner made early, and generally felt on top of the world.   The cumulative effect of cloudy days this winter has really been getting to me lately.  Monday was so cloudy I was fighting back tears of discouragement all day.  The continuing pain in my mouth left me feeling tired and fragile, and my three year old fell and sliced her chin open.  We sat in the doctor’s office waiting for what turned out to only need steri-strips and watched snowflakes fall.  I wanted to cry with her.


Yesterday’s sun was such a gift.  I was driving children to all their activities from 4:00 to 7:30 without a break last night, and it felt SO GOOD to come home from all that driving to a clean house.

It appears the gray skies are back again, which means we’re averaging one day a week when the sun shows itself.  There were many years in my life when I didn’t give a thought to sunshine.  I took it for granted, assuming the majority of my days would be sunny.


Not anymore.   I am grateful, so grateful for sunshine and for how good it makes me feel.

HH

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Quilt Along Blocks

Quilting and Sewing

Two months ago I made the first block for a quilt along I’d begun.  I saw the second block and got cold feet.  The block is great; I just wasn’t confident it would work well with the fabric I’m using.  A couple of weeks later I checked back and saw another block that I wasn’t sure I wanted to make with this fabric.  Cold feet once more.

And so my lone completed block has sat, for two months, on top of a pile of neatly folded fabric, looking at me every time I walk into my studio.   How’s that for being a finisher?  I know, disgusting.

Well, all the blocks are now available and the layout of the quilt has also been unveiled.  I’ve decided to finish the quilt.  I’m going to make 14 of the blocks, skipping the two I was unsure of.   Once they’re all made I’ll decide what to do; either make the blocks I’m hesitant about, choose two favorite block designs and make duplicates in different colors, or design something different.  I’ll work it out when I’ve got the remaining blocks complete.

I’ve finished four of them:


This block was a lot of fun to make and came together much more quickly than I anticipated.  I learned a new technique for making flying geese which was kind of fun.  I’m not sure I’m smart enough to figure out the math well enough to design or cut a quilt using the technique, but I’d really like to learn.


This block I changed a bit.  The design is supposed to have the red polka dot in the center, but I wanted to incorporate one of the large red roses so I swapped it in.  I’m not sure about this block, but my three year old princess likes it best.


This block was a lot of fun to make.  I enjoyed using the same print in four colorways for the patchwork squares.  The dark gray polka dot is from the Summertime collection.  I’ve used this gray dot to bind a quilt with and it’s one of my current favorites.


This pinwheel block might be my favorite.  I really like pinwheels and I love the way the blue really pops.  So pretty.

Now five blocks are complete and I only have 11 more to make!  (so much for my grand plans to stay caught up).  I’m hoping to complete them quickly and see how the project turns out.

Which one is your favorite?

Jennifer

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Sand Dollar

Decorating

I have always loved sea shells.  I still have the shells I collected as a child.   And while I love sea shells, I’ve never liked resin replicas.  I prefer the real thing.

Until now.


This over-sized replica from Pottery Barn looks really awesome to me.   Measuring 30 inches across, it would make a great statement over a mantel.


I dream of decorating a beach house someday.  That probably stems from summer vacations at the beach and many weeks spent in my Grandpa’s beach house thinking of ideas for how to maximize space and update the look.   It would be SO MUCH FUN.  This sand dollar would most definitely be on my wish list of accent pieces to incorporate.

This artwork from Ballard Designs is on the list as well.  I’ve had a picture of this piece on my inspiration board for months.  I love the simplicity of it.


Perhaps if I dream of the beach the sun will come out today.   I am weary of gray clouds.  Is it just me, or do gray skies seem to decrease your productivity?  I hate that feeling.

I’m hoping for some sun!

HH

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