Hopeful Homemaker

4th of July Trivia

July 1, 2024 jennifer 4th of July

Today is July 1st, and my favorite holiday is days away. I always host a 4th of July breakfast for my family and some guests. My favorite activity at these breakfasts is a short round of trivia, centered in American revolutionary history and our founding documents. Every year I create a new one, print it out, and let everyone guess at the answers. While the holiday is mostly full of family, food, and fireworks, I also love inviting my family to pause, remember, and really think about the holiday. I decided to share my 4th of July trivia with you this year, just for fun. You’ll find a link at the end of this post.

I hang buntings and flags in June for Flag Day and they mostly stay up until the end of July. I suppose flags and red, white and blue will always remind my kids of summer. Yesterday we hosted a large gathering and it was nice to have the porch looking festive and welcoming.

I got new planters this year because my last set were broken. I’m still heartbroken about that; I don’t think I’ll ever find planters I love as much. Still, the gray is pretty and I always love flowers on the porch.

This antique star has been a fixture at my house for many years. I decided to prop it among the flowers, and I love how it stands out among the planters.

My fresh boxwood wreath from Christmas still graces the front door. I have a long blue bunting with stars on it, and tied an enormous bow around the wreath. It’s dry now, but still pretty, and I’m enjoying it. We actually had some birds try to build a nest in it, against the window a month or two ago.

A terrible idea, which they quickly abandoned. It was fun to hear the birdsong RIGHT outside the door, and to watch them.

I set up the table for early morning visits and added pillows to the bench, so my husband can work outside.

We stood to sing all verses of the national anthem on Sunday in church, and I loved being in a congregation that sang with feeling and conviction. It was a perfect beginning to a patriotic week.

So my porch is ready, the flags are flying, and the 2024 4th of July trivia is prepped. There are 2 PDFs for you. One with questions only, so you can print as many copies as you wish and pass them out, or print one and do the trivia vocally as a group. The second one is questions with answers. Click here to get your copy!

I wish you a joyful, thoughtful, and safe Independence day!

-Jennifer

Orange Peel Applique Quilt – Tribute to Lafayette

June 27, 2024 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

American Revolutionary history is a favorite of mine. I love the lessons I learn from history, love thinking about how it actually didn’t have to go the way it did. Reading about the lives and decisions of people who were just trying to do the right thing in the moment really inspires me. I think the American revolutionary war, it’s events and those who played a role, is my #1 favorite subject. I’m sure I’ve written here before that the 4th of July is also my favorite holiday. So what does an orange peel applique quilt have to do with all that?

Well, let me share! First of all, I finished my orange peel applique quilt! I shared here how long it took me to hand stitch all the blocks. In fact, I really enjoyed re-reading that post, as I needed a reminder to just keep “stitching” in life. Second, my quilt is a tribute to Gilbert de Mortier, better known as the Marquis de Lafayette. Legend credits him as the inspiration for the orange peel quilt block. And the Marquis de Lafayette was an important contributor to the American Revolution.

The legend states that Lafayette was invited to a banquet celebrating the colonists’ victory in the revolutionary war. After the dinner, the guests were offered fruit. Lafayette selected an orange, and it is said that he sliced it into four quarters before peeling it. Afterwards, a female guest picked up his discarded orange peel segments and used them as the inspiration for her next quilt. Of course, I have no idea if this is true, but it’s a popular legend and it makes me smile. I love stories like that. Perhaps I should name this quilt “Lafayette’s Oranges”!

I chose edge to edge quilting in a “feathers forever” design. Melissa at Sew Shabby Quilting, quilted it for me. It’s got an 80/20 batting in it, and because of all the applique, it’s a heavier quilt. Although I’m calling it a summer finish, I think my children will particularly love it in the fall and winter.

I used only two fabrics in the quilt top, and both are dark in value. Not like me. But I still love them together. I added a bright pick piece to the backing from Heather Bailey. I wish I had lots more of this fabric! It’s fun to have something unexpected in this quilt. I found some leftover yardage of the solid, and used it for the binding.

Look above the quilt – we have so many cherries this year! I feel like there are more cherries than leaves. Right now they’re a bright red – they will ripen to a much deeper color. We’re excited to eat them!

Another Prosper Quilt Top

June 25, 2024 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

One definition of “prosper” is to grow or increase; to thrive. I find much to ponder in that. In what ways am I growing or increasing? What does thriving look like at this point in my life? How can I best help others to truly prosper in more ways than just materially? I’m curious: what comes to your mind when you read that definition, those questions? I pondered these things while I sewed my blocks together to finish another Prosper quilt top.

I shared the quilt blocks individually here and here last summer. As stated there, my background color is called nocturnal, and it’s an Art Gallery Pure Solids color. I also used it in my Show Up quilt top, which is the 48″ version of my Serve quilt. Honestly, I think it’s making an appearance of some kind in most of what I’m sewing lately. I really love the deep, deep blue.

This 9 block version is a fun lap size, approximately 67″ square. It will be fun to finish. Looking at it, I can’t help but feel like each block represents one of the last 9 years. Darkness framing luscious blooms. It’s awfully symbolic.

As for the growing I referenced earlier, I have been thinking about how we’re always changing and growing, but who we actually grow to be will surprise all of us in some ways. Certainly there are things I will always like, and tendencies I’ll likely always have. But isn’t it interesting to think back to who you were ten years ago – what has changed? My journey of growth and increase over the last 10 years was a path I did NOT want, but today I’m so grateful for all I’ve learned. Do I want to live it again? Nope. But I am deeply thankful to know what I know. I know things today that I couldn’t have known without that journey.

I guess I learned to thrive on this journey. Now I feel like another journey is needed, and in some ways perhaps I get to choose it more intentionally than I did the last. I have a vision for the growth I want; the Future Self I want to be. But who knows? While I hope I recognize her, I’m sure I’ll be surprised. I hope they are good surprises, and that she is truly prosperous.

Who knows? Maybe then I’ll make another Prosper quilt top in celebration.