Back to New York

After a whirlwind visit home, Toby has headed back to New York and more Juilliard. Do you ever think about this: when does a child stop 'coming home' and it turns into a simple visit to our home? How will I know and will it hurt? Like becoming real (Velveteen Rabbit). So we got up at an awfully early hour - I have discovered I don't cry as much if I am dog tired...and took him off to the airport. My block is a tear and glass towers. I think he loves NY, I know he loves what he is doing and learning.

FIXING DAY 5
Turns out fixing the square from Day 5 was not as hard as I thought. I just needed to embrace that I was not making a lovely sampler like most the other participants. Let me stop here and say that if you haven't gone to see other people's squares you should - they are amazing and most remind me of the coming spring.
http://39squares.blogspot.com/
But mine seems to have taken another turn. After the first block I realized I was making a journal of sorts. When that became clear I realized the way to fix the Day 5 block was to do what I wanted to do with it - add a fish!

Do all Christian religions celebrate Lent with fish? Fish is a weird thing to allow us to eat - no meat but it is okay to kill a fish - I'm Catholic so of course I don't read the bible, but still... what is that about? Anyway my fishy is so glad to be swimming among the seaweed.

This is Day 6 of my nature squares - leaves - one of my favorite things to draw, collect and just be amazed at.
ros

Lent and Day 5

So, I was thinking of Lent and Fish Friday. I dutifully ate my tuna at lunch today but I always feel bad for other people having to smell it. As I was preparing to come home a teammate suggested a few ideas for blocks but of course, I have to pick my own - sometimes that doesn't work so well for me!

I thought my squares needed something less pictorial so I decided to just make designs like seaweed instead of the fish I really wanted to do for Fish Friday.

Now though, I don't really like it - so I am allowing myself to consider ripping it out, or at least alter it. Maybe this is the place to put a big button!

Beyond that, I am ready to reveal my second project. After the first day of 1 inch squares I thought I might need to make a bigger sampler...see below...

The first or maybe the second day, I noticed that some people were doing theme squares which I liked. So I decided to start a second square project that has Nature as a theme and blocks that are a gigantic 1 1/2". I also gave myself permission to make blocks for this project as time allows instead of like the other one where I am committed to daily squares. Here is my work so far...


When I was a kid, I planted, tended, harvested, boiled, salted, and baked sunflowers and their seeds. We lived in this old Victorian and we would lay the boiled seeds out on cookie trays on the screened sun porches - good memories.


Pinecones - the ultimate Grama Eda memory - she paid us 5 whole cents for every grocery bag we filled with pinecones from her trees. Pinecones are an amazing fete of nature, have you ever looked at one of them closely, they are amazing and the way they protect their seeds - incredible.


Finally, the theme - this is the first square (actually 3 squares) I did - it runs sideways. It looks like it is not a rectangle - but that is just my picture.

Toby

I decided since it was 'sons' week I would do a square for one of my sons (the other son will be honored on his birthday later this month). So this square is for my trumpet playing, Juilliard going, son Toby. He is an amazing person who challenges me to be a better person. He is home for Spring Break and when he isn't with his friends we are having a nice visit. Last night he casually mentioned that he was now the Principal trumpet for the Orchestra - proud moment!

Day 3 - The Moon

Was thinking about the moon tonight - maybe all that news that our rotation has been thrown off by the recent earthquake. Anyway, I also wanted to include some bling - thus the sequins. I am loving this challenge - look so forward to it.
I am now far enough in that I am questioning my colors and fabric choices - just need to push through it for a few days. This uncertain part of these type projects are the hardest part for me.
I also got to do some sort of sewing tonight - some shower gifts for tomorrow - two babies and a wedding - I will post that work soon

39 Stitch Along

This project is created by Amy Powers of Inspire Co. - my favorite blog. She is turning 39 this month and decided to create a stitched square each day to celebrate. Some days I will need to stitch an extra block as I am a little beyond 39. Finally, after much trouble with pictures and embroidery rules and such...I have my first two days of blocks.

But first, my color palette...

Orange, brown, pink, turquoise, blue

So, I misunderstood the rules and thought I was going to make a block each day just like Amy's - it wasn't until I looked at other blogs participants blogs that I realized we were all designing our own!!! And so, I did not post the first day as I made a birdie like Amy's. My teammate at work helped me realize it was a happy mistake and that the first square was to honor the person who got me started on this. So the birdie gets to stay.

Then last night I made block two: hollyhocks. I didn't think I would like inventing my own block - but it was fun. I enjoyed it so much I decided to do a 3rd block (since I need to make extras) of a heart to honor my dad. Dad spent his first night in all his 72 years in the hospital - it all turned out well but I was concerned.

Can't wait to see what I think of for tonight!

BTW - I realize now my pictures are in reverse order - I have much to learn about blogging
ros