Two Years Later.......

......Or a little more, the Halloween Houses/Hocuspocusville
from Crab-Apple Hill are FINISHED!    Yahoo!  It has
probably been almost 2 1/2 years as I found a blog entry
for January, 2012, in which I mentioned I had just finished
my third stitchery.

These have been so time-consuming and so detailed that
I just couldn't make myself sit and stitch for long
periods of time.  Then I would tire of them and work
on something else.  But, decided they had to be done
this year or else!

My friend, JoAnn, has hers done and we have purchased
fabric for our center blocks and will start piecing those
soon.  Hopefully, I can get it quilted and the binding on
so I can hang it and enjoy it for fall.  Am thinking it
will go up about the middle of September so we can
enjoy it. 

Now to finish hand-quilting my patriotic table runner.
Hopefully, can finish it by the first of next week so I
can put it out for the 4th of July.

FYI:  We all still have our jobs at Bowman's, the
grocery store where I work.  I mentioned sometime
ago that it was being sold and we were all on
pins and needles wondering if we would have jobs
or not.  Well, the sale fell through a couple of weeks
ago and so things will continue on as before.  Such
a difference in the feeling in the store and with the
employees.  It is much more relaxed, everyone is
happy, including the customers.  Don't know if
someone else will make an offer down the road,
but for now we are back in business as usual!

"For Pink Sakes"

Today while reading my friend,  Karen's, blog she
posted about a blog hop she had come across this
morning that is in support of breast cancer.  You
can read about it here:
 http://lifesewcrafty.blogspot.ca



So, being a breast cancer survivor, this
immediately appealed to me and I knew I
could make a quilt block to send.

This is my 12 1/2 unfinished Churn Dash
block that I will mail on Monday. 

Hope some of you will take the time to
check out the blog hop and perhaps make
a quilt block to help out, also.

The Waiting Begins

Had my interview with the new store director and the HR
person this week.  I felt good about it and am excited
about the changes to their bookkeeping system.  It will
certainly be different and I'm hoping that I am not too
far "over the hill" to adapt and be considered for the
position.

I think they will be a great group to work for and I
really liked them. They will finish interviewing the rest
of the employees Monday and Tuesday, I believe, and will
do 2nd interviews with the Managers Wednesday and
Thursday.

Now the waiting begins.......Probably won't know much
until the first of June or thereabouts.  We all feel a little
unsettled, but I know it takes time to interview and
make decisions.  Just hope I can and will be considered.

Meanwhile, I've been keeping myself busy planting my
garden and flowers.  Things are coming along nicely.
This afternoon I hope to get the rest of my garden planted.
So glad it is spring and I can be outside working to take
my mind off things.

One more note:  For Mother's Day my son and DIL
made a donation in my name to Margaret who needs an
operation to stop her cancer.  And today, I received word
that her operation has been 100% fully funded.  Now,
I hope it won't be too long before she can have this
surgery so that her life may be prolonged.   I had never
heard of Watsi before and was thrilled that through their
thoughtfulness someone facing cancer might be helped.

One Person

I am always touched when I hear what "one"
person can do or has done to make a difference in this
world or in the lives of others.

Sometime ago I posted about a website hosted by MJ
http://mjslostcause.wordpress.com/  and her desire to
make 100 fabric totes for cancer patients.  And being
a cancer survivor, I immediately jumped on the band
wagon.  What a wonderful way to use up some of that
stash of fabric I have sitting around.

Monday, she posted about the response she had
received from women sewing bags..  It was amazing.
It all started with ONE bag and ended with ------. 
To find out how many bags she received check out
her website and short video.

One person really can make a difference!

Stress and a Little Sewing

I don't know about you, but when I have a lot of stress in
my life, I find it hard to settle down to working on
projects.  The only project that seems to relieve stress
for me is working outside in my yard.  And, thankfully,
the weather has allowed me to do that off and on.

This past month has been very stressful with all the
rumors flying around at work in regard to the grocery
store where I work being sold.  Bowman's celebrated
its 100th anniversary last year which is remarkable for
a locally owned store, I think, and so it was hard
when we heard that it might be sold.  I have worked
there for 16 years starting as a checker, then Front
End Manager and now as a Bookkeeper.

Everyone has been on edge waiting to hear if the
sale was going through and if we, as employees,
would still have jobs.  Last Tuesday we finally met
with the new owners and they will take over
somewhere between the first and middle of June.
We have all had to reapply and now the waiting
begins.  Applications deadline is tomorrow and
then interviews will begin and probably take
about two weeks.

Although I am still concerned about my job, it has
been a little better meeting the new owners and
getting my application completed.  So, I decided it
was time to work on a quilting project.  I have
been stitching in the evenings and am almost done
with my Halloween houses---1 1/2 to go.

I purchased a little kit about a year ago to make
Little Quilts  "Jot" by Miss Rosie Quilt Co.  I loved
that Quilter's Haven included fabric to fussy cut the
centers of the blocks.  In fact, that is what sold me
on purchasing a kit.

 













Today I finished assembling the blocks, sashing and
borders.  Just need to decide what to use for backing
and then I can quilt it.

Off now to do a little more stress relieving work
outside.

Bearded Dragon

Love those days when I can spend time with my grandchildren.
And, today was one of those times.  While Mommy and
Ty went to their doctor appointments, Kohler and I ran
errands and then headed back home as he wanted to do
some sewing.

He loves it when we download clip art he likes, trace it
onto muslin and then let him "stitch" away.  He really is
getting better and it is so fun to watch him as he
concentrates on his stitches.

Today he chose to embroider a "bearded dragon" which
I simplified somewhat for him.  Think he did a great
job and he was very proud of his efforts.  He and his
mom will frame it this evening.

 

Cancer Totes

While catching up on blogs last week, I read Barb's
blog about making tote bags for cancer.  She posted the
website http://mjslostcause.wordpress.com and I
decided to check it out.  So glad I did!  I'm always
looking for a way to "pay it forward" for all the
kindnesses shown to me when I was going through
my cancer.  So this weekend I rummaged through
my fabrics and made five bags.

Then, remembering how my nose ran/dripped as I
went through chemo, decided to make matching
tissue holders for each bag.

This morning while I was talking with a friend who is
also making a bag to send, she mentioned that her
next door neighbor and also a friend of mine, has
been diagnosed with breast cancer.

So, I quickly cut out and stitched her a bag and
tissue holder.  Added a notebook, pencil, lotion,
hand sanitizer and will add some chocolate and
drop it off to her this afternoon.

I'm so grateful to have seen Barb's blog and learn
about these bags from MJ's website because now
when I learn of someone facing the rigors of cancer
I can make them a cancer tote.