An end and a new beginning!

Well this is it, the last one is out the door...kids that is. This is our grandson Nick, almost 20 years old, he has lived with us most of his life. On Monday I sent him off to basic training in San Antonio Texas. Air Force, same as his uncle (17 years so far), grandfather and great-grandfather (30 years). He was so excited to begin this new step in his life. He called me after he arrived at the San Antonio airport, at the command of his new best friends (TI), and he did not sound so excited, a little dejected maybe, "It's already started.", he said without emotion, where did all that excitement go? Last night he called to give me his address, he had exactly 5 minutes to talk, someone was constantly yelling in the background (maybe a TI), and he gave me specific instructions not to mail anything to him! Odd request since he just gave me an address... seems anything received is used against them and is confiscated (Chris , his uncle, told me that) It was good to hear his voice, even though he really did not sound very happy, "I'm getting used to it", he said. Hear are a few pictures of him growing up:

At Madame Trouseaus wax museum in London, 2004, our trip to Europe and to visit Chris and family when they were stationed in England.

Second Christmas!

This is one of my favorite pictures of him, in my very weedy garden in the backyard when he was about 4 years old. My time flies! Did I teach him everything he needs to know? Does he really know how much I love him, or how proud I am of him? Have I showed him how to trust God, did he see Christ in me? I have a million questions, and some fears, but it is too late. I have used the time I had with him, I prayed over him, ALOT!!!, I have shared my heart and all God has given me, my time is up. We will spend time together again, but it will never be the same. He is on his own, he must find out for himself, God is trustworthy, and His desire is to be glorified in his life. He will never be alone, the Holy Spirit resides in him, he trusted Christ when he was 10 years old. I will trust Him to the Father, and look forward to seeing what wonderful things He will do in and thru him. I Love You Nick!

Life is hard!

As my profile says I am a "50 something", not a spring chicken, so I have been around the block a few times (enough cliches for you?). I heard from someone I love today that is going through a hard place, words seem meaningless, wish I lived close enough to pull up a chair and just listen. If you know someone who needs an ear, not a word, just an ear, go listen. Life is hard. When Jesus needed to He would go to the Father, many times it tells of him "going apart", taking time to talk to someone who cared. Be that someone, listen, love, let them know you are there for them, not to try to fix it, just to listen.

New Cabinet - what to do?

I have always been a natural wood person, but I am thinking this would look really good painted, I love the detail on the doors.

Flower detail

Isn't this pretty

Hardware

A little rusty, but they fit the look, I am assuming they are original.

Felt roses and drop cloth fabric roses

Felt Roses, I love these, I have seen wreaths, head bands, all kinds of things made with them.

We were watching TV last night and I just got my felt, scissors and a needle and thread. Before you know it I had a bunch. I don't know what I will do with them, but I sure enjoyed making them and aren't they pretty.

These fabric roses are made out of more of the left over drop cloth fabric, I am sure they will probably end up on pillows, or maybe on a picture, I don't know... any ideas?

Voila, Drop cloth Slipcovered wing back chair!

And a pillow made from the left over fabric, I just love the results!

I am very please how it turned out, the best part is, when it gets dirty, right into the washer, and when I am tired of it, off it comes!

Piping, and more piping and more piping, I thought it would never end!

And a little pleated skirt to finish it off! And here it is with another pillow made from the leftovers and some old crocheted lace!

Drop cloth slip cover!

This wingback chair was my moms, and I love it! I have seen a million drop cloth slipcovers out in blogland and decided to give it a try to update this chair. I marched on over (ok, I drove) to our local Home Depot and purchased a 6x9 cloth (which was not quite big enough, I had to send my grandson to get another). Brought it home, threw it in the washer, added some soap and bleach and waited for it to get done. Out of the dryer, voila, slipcover fabric!

I measured the rough dimensions of each part and cut fabric in rectangles, then put them on the chair and pinned around them, I saw in one blog where they used a pencil to draw around them on the fabric, this would have been quicker. I had alread gone to my local Wallyworld to pick up cotton cording for the trim and had cut yards and yards of the fabric to cover it (no, I did not cut it on the bias, I may be sorry for that after I wash it the first time, we'll see.)

It took me most of a day (making homemade ham and beans in between stitching). Stay tuned for the finished product.

Old Bowl Collection

Some of the bowls I love!

Old Bowls!

The large brown banded bowl was my mothers, I love to make bread in it!

The green swirled bowl is Watt pottery , I picked up at a flea market

The Brown swirled one is just cute and the tan one is Mason Cash. I just love bowls!

Old Bowls, Part 2 - I love them!

Stacks of them,

Large ones too!

Old bowls, Part 1

Chippy and small

Browns and whites,

Stacked,

Colors too, I love them all!

Dinosaur Squares Quilt and the new brother!

I bought this fabric on Sisters Weekend in Wisconsin and saw a large quilt using this pattern, I decided what size I wanted my quilt to be and pared down the squares to match. It turned out so cute! And Josiah loves it!

Isaiah and Josiah

Micah and Josiah They love being big brothers and are very helpful for mom, well as helpful as 4 year old twins can be! There is no greater joy than being a Grandmother, I now have 8 grandchildren, and I love it! There are some perks to getting old!!

Quilt as you go tablerunner

I made this super fast and easy tablerunner from a pattern at Diary of a Quilter .com blog. Extremely easy and fast!

More pillows!

I made the "B" pillow a few weeks ago (I got the "B" clip art from The Graphics Fairy Blogspot), I made the striped pillow, 2 in fact, today.