#29 Happy ThanksGiving.....

I know early for some...but I am Canadian....and really, is it ever to early to start being thankful....or to express our gratitude or to be generous... I know I need to take more time to think about how fortunate I am and how I can give back to my family, community and the world I live in. In the business or busyness of life I forget sometimes. So I thought I would make a list of things I am thankful for....

1    I am thankful for Family, I cherish
2    for  Friends, to laugh with and cry with
3    Home,  a safe haven, and space to create!!
4    Food, an endless variety of choices
5    Nature, Seasons, sun, moon, stars- all spectacular
6    Technology- that can keep us connected in ways that are amazing when the distance is far
7    Health- to enjoy it all,
8    and isn't taste and touch and all our other sensory abilities fantastic...can you
      imagine not having them??
9    I am thankful for today!!!
10  I am grateful to God for all these gifts and more!!!

Hope you are having a great weekend and taking time to enjoy life and be thankful......


What I've Been Up To:

I made my own ice cream sandwiches! I used Dare Simply Delicious Cookies, Chocolate with Black Cherry and Spice with Praline Crunch, but find a combination you like. Just make sure you make them the day ahead and leave in the freezer over night to soften the cookie.     

I also tried a  new recipe that I found on a new online friends blog, . Jacquelynne has a wonderful website and blog, and puts out a free e-magazine, The Art of Home,  full of great ideas. 

even shared with friends that moved to an amazing new home, they designed, last week!! ( ok I was a bit  behind on delivery, lol )   

                                                         

Finished appliqueing all the red and green numbers, only brown left to do! Then I can start assembling the pockets!!

 Finished the tester pattern for Kristy at Quiet Play !  I loved this paper pieced block and quilt pattern. It went together so quick and easy! Great beginner block, but with such versatility great for all. (I took some pictures of other ways the block could go together)

3 more City Sampler Blocks down!

#28 Fall....ing Behind!!

It's fall here in Canada, my favourite season....all the colours are so amazing!! I love those crisp days when the sun is out and I love to snuggling up with a hot drink and a good book (and now I can add a quilt!!) I love the way the leaves fall in the breeze and the way things smell!!! It just makes me smile!

And there are still flowers!!














Better late than never, though truth be told I hate being late!! I would rather be 15 to 20 minutes early!! There is a lot going on right now...  my daughter is getting married in approximately 4 weeks! We hosted a meet the family and friends event on Saturday, and I finally got around to shopping for an outfit, Monday morning (don't really like to shop) and got really lucky and found a dress I really like in the first shop I went to. Went on line ordered 3 pairs of shoes (not keeping them all, just options!! lol) So got that off my to do list, hip hip hurrah!!

So back to......


 What I've been up to this Week:

 Made 3 Halloween table runners! 2 gifts, one for me!!

               

Followed this tutorial I found online and made a handled basket for treats!!

Finished the last block of the Virtual Quilting Bee at Live a Colorful Life and she liked my block enough to post it on her blog!! How cool is that!!

Sugar Block Club October's Block:  Love how this one turned out.

Modern Blocks Quilt Along October Block

 Started to applique the numbers on my Count Down to Christmas , and it was just one of those days!! Was half way through cutting the wonder under numbers out when I realized I was going to be cutting them out again in the fabric and only needed to rough cut them at this stage! And than proceeded to iron them all on the right side of my fabric instead of the backside!! What was I thinking???
Oh well, all fixed and starting to sew them down.

(late addition!!) I forgot to add my City Sampler Blocks

Last but not least I started a new project (because I don't have enough to keep me busy, lol)  for Quiet Play, another pattern test!! This one is called WinterBound! I am testing a full pattern this time not just the block!!   These blocks go together so fast, (I completed 6 in forty minutes today...that is just sewing time, I precut rectangles of the white and colour) and it is such a great pattern. Just click on the link above to see the quilt on Kristy's Blog!

2 of 6 colours completed!

(Hey, Kelly if you are reading this post...this is a prime example of over buying fabric!! hehe!! bought for  Bloom Bloom Pow QAL and I have so much left over I am making this quilt top and will still have some left!! lol)

#27 Struggles & Miracles

I know this isn't my regular type of post, but this is a one time only share, about my best friend and her miracle! So read on or just scroll through the pictures of the quilt progress and completion!!

 I have been promising pictures and the back story for the Riley Blake Life in the Jungle quilt I have been making for my friend Kellie, but I kept running into road blocks that slowed me down. Well I believe that everything happens at the right time, even if I sometimes doubt and question why. So this is the perfect time for my post, and my friends story is like that too. Perfectly timed!

 I wanted to share Kellie's story and Kellie agreed, to hopefully encourage anyone struggling with infertility, or just struggling and needed to feel encouraged and hopeful about whatever is going on in your life right now.
Kellie and Dan were married in 2000 and started trying for a family in 2001. In 2002 after no success, they went and had tests to determine why they weren't conceiving. The tests showed no medical reason for infertility. In 2003 they started on fertility pills. In 2005 Kellie had surgery for endometriosis, and continued on with the fertility pills. They did 2 IUF procedures  later in the year which involved lots of blood work, trips to the fertility clinic and abdominal needles for Kellie. Neither of the procedures worked!

 In 2006 Dan and Kellie had the opportunity to go to Korea, for Dan to teach. They figured it would be time to relax and take a break from fertility treatments and all the stress. They ended up staying for 2 yrs.

They returned home in 2008 and in 2009 started the adoption process. They wanted a family so much and were exited when they were accepted in 2011 for adoption,














but all through this process Dan's health had begun to break down physically and emotionally, and they had to give up their chance at an adoption. Dan wasn't working and then Kellie lost her job and was out of work for a year.

Their marriage hit some really rocky ground and came very close to ending, but with the help of friends, family and prayer, God saw them through. Kellie found a new job, that is closer to home and Dan is doing better, but the dream of a family was over in their minds.














 But just like I said we don't always understand God's timing, but I truly believe it is perfect.....
 Kellie and Dan announced that after 12 years of trying and at 37 years old Kellie was having a baby!!!!!

 I'll  share that I screamed and laughed and danced (not a pretty sight, I'm sure) but I was over the moon happy for them both!! They have opted out of screening, because this is their miracle, a precious life no matter what!! They have had ultra sounds that show no problems and a healthy, growing baby...wait for it.... 

                                                                   ........BOY!!!



Who knows why the wait, like Kellie says, it was hard going through a lot of this, and some stuff still hurts, but I am going to have my baby boy, and that makes me so happy.

 

Silver linings. We always need to look for the silver linings. Sometimes what we want isn't what we need. Sometimes the timing is wrong and then it is so right!!!! Sometimes sharing our pain helps us all get stronger...

                                          Don't give up!!!