*do you have some of the Scoda Family's money?

A very dear friend of mine whose character I am intimately aware of is, along with her husband waiting upon the Lord to fill the cup over.  You see, Trina and Jay are following hardfast to the direct leading of God in regards to an international adoption that will soon be finished (WOOT!).  As I stated a few days ago on a home school support group list that we are both a part of, the Scoda family has had a rocky road on this adoption.  Not so much so that any doors have closed, just some windows that have been half shut - you know jammed for the moment and later opened fully.  The road has been a bit muddy along the way but no road blocks.  In areas that they weren't sure if they were doing what God was calling them to do, they called out to Him and the road rose up to meet them.  So they keep pressing forward.  Their faith has been tested, tried and found true though they find themselves in another test.  They wait on God.  They trust Him to provide.  I am not giving God my help, cause He does not need it.  I am simply giving you the word of a family in need of their money that has been placed in some stewards hands for  a temporary time.  I like to look at it like this... sometimes our budget has more money than we need for that month and often I find that we have "someone elses money" that God has entrusted to us.   He trust us to hand it over for His good purposes. Do you have some of the Scoda Family's money?

I know many of you who Follow, Subscribe or read in Google Reader may not know Trina - or me personally as far as that goes, but I do know Trina personally and I tell you that you are investing in good soil. God knows better than I, let Him speak to your heart. Don't give out of emotion, but obedience.  You may send them a donation using Paypal if you would like. I will gladly give you their street addy if you would like their street address in order to send a check.  One other option.. you may give a tax deductible donation as well by visiting : HERE

You may follow or read their journey by reading their blog : Seemingly Reckless Faith  I actually find the title of her blog, that she named almost a year ago, fitting to their current situation.  They are set to travel in just a few weeks, are you a part of this story?

*a mothers heart

Family.  They are forever, for better or for worse.  I am so grateful for my family.  Years ago when Eric and I first married and moved away coming "home" on holidays was always nightmareish.  That is for Eric and I; perhaps for no one else but it was for us. I know we are not the first couple to deal with this. You know, you have been not been "home" for months after moving away and every one is excited about seeing you.

 So I am 40 something, been married for almost a quarter of a century and on this last trip to Georgia, I GOT IT.  UGH. Really? Can I be that slow? Our mothers are always anxious for our visits, to a degree of being a bit over bearing and controlling.  Both Eric's mother and my mother have been guilty of this to one degree or another.  And I finally get it!  They are just so excited about having you home, they desire to do special things for you, to make  your favorite meals, and be a part of the family traditions.   

We recently took a trip to Florida to deal with some housing issues for our upcoming move and on our long drive down we stayed over night at my mothers which is a halfway point.  She had expected us to arrive several hour before our actual arrive time, but due to some unexpected delays things changed.  She had purchased enough fresh seafood to feed the whole family (my sisters and their families too).  Since we got there after the dinner hour on our drive down, we cooked the seafood feast for lunch the next day, before we got back on the open road for the last leg of our trip! The time spent with my mom, watching her cook for us and helping along side of her was precious.  The meal was delicious!  In fact, it was the best part of that whole trip!

*so true, but how did it happen?

*left to wonder

For a number of years now, I have driven up Hwy 705, Pottery Highway, to Seagrove, NC and every time I am baffled by this sight. I have studied it, taken pictures of it and wondered about the story behind this 'colorful display'. There has to be a story, I wonder what it is? Anyone have any hidden insight? I have already googled it, can't find a single thing as to why this red and blue toilet sits on the top of this old dilapidated truck along HWY 705 in NC. The property all around is beautifully manicured and is quite pleasing to the eye, that is until you see the hunk of junk with the john sitting on the hood.  Strange.

*no theorems or proofs today!

Hopefully, Henry is enjoying the benefits and perks of homeschooling again after having been at a private school for the last three years.  For now, gone are the days of:  waking up at 6:00 AM to get ready for the bumper-to-bumper drive to school, packing a lunch, studying for endless tests, and ....oh, yes, paying that monthly tuition!

Henry has been having some frustrations with postulates, theorems and proofs, so today Henry and I broke away from the norm and had some fun outside our home.  We went to Aberdeen, Pinehurst and Carthage to do some picking and have lunch.  We all enjoy watching Mike and Frank, American Pickers and I think Henry secretly wishes he could be a picker too.  We started off with a few stops at some antique/junk shops in Aberdeen.  He tickles me when we are in antique shops.  He is certainly his mothers' child!  Today he found a red vintage metal free standing kitchen cabinet that he loved.

After we spent some time looking through the shops we headed off to have some lunch.  I wanted to take him to Pinehurst to have lunch at a deli there in the Village. Henry loves to eat at diners, small town restaurants with character and personality.   The Villager Deli  had just what we were looking for.  As we sat and ate our delicious (fattening) lunch we could hear the conversations of those around us.  The seating area inside The Villager is ample, not to small but enough.  Upon walking in the door, a gentleman behind the counter said, "He is taller than you now!"  Henry looks at me quizzically and ask me if I know him. I did not know him, but this in itself is what Henry finds charming about places like The Villager. Most of the people eating on this day were likely regulars and very familiar with the way this deli operates.  They were cozy, comfortable and at home.  You could easily hear laughter and each other enjoying their time out.  Henry says, "This is the kind of place I love to eat at. Just listen, you hear the conversations. It is small and cozy."

*2010 12-N-12 August-September Beauties!

So somehow I am finding myself posting both August and September's finished quilting projects for the 2010 12-N-12 Quilt Challenge.  The tail end of our summer turned into a tail spin!  I am sure you all can relate.

On to the "Beauties!"

Nicole has been B.U.S.Y in more ways than just sewing!  Her dear husband recently deployed (AGAIN) and she is once more holding down the fort.  Take a look at the sewing projects she has recently completed.

Nicole finished this for a dear friend. I LOVE the WORDS!!

This is a handbag that Nicole made for a fund raiser for SCTNow.org   The bag brought in $200 for Stop Child Trafficking, awesome job Nicole!

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Cheryl's husband is also deployed and while her sweet husband is away she has been carefully piecing a quilt for her number one soldier! Her husbands favorite holiday is July 4th so she will suprise him with this beautiful quilt when he comes home at his half way mark on this deployment.

Don't you love how Cheryl used fabrics from the front and pieced the back.   A two sided quilt! Mike is going to love it. 

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Franziska has completed a couple of table runners and she is sooo close to having an lovely quilt completed as well, I am sure we will see it here next month.  Last month, while visiting Franziska, she had her Fall decor out and I was able to get up close and personal with the second table runner I ever made. In fact, it was very early in my quilting 'career'. It was not pretty. Um.. did I know how to bind.. I don't think so.  She loves it because I made it. It is proudly covering the hall table at their front door.

This fall table runner rest on the sofa table in Franziska's living room.

So, a matching table runner for the kitchen island only seemed right.. so a matching one was made. LOVELY.  Just in time for fall!

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I have been busy quilting as well as helping with all the house projects.  Most of my projects you have already see here.  Check them out.

Franziska and I had a blast sewing table runners together on my last visit at her house!  In a combined effort we made the three fall runners in this post.  This one is on our front hall table in our humble abode! I LOVE IT. 

We have two more post left in the Challenge!  Get busy ladies!  Oh.. on another note.. please keep Jenny (one of our quilters in this challenge) in your prayers. She and her husband has two little ones and they are expecting their third blessing but as of my last understanding she was/is on bed rest.

*may all of your ups and down be with a needle

My needle has been busy going up and down completing projects for a few weeks now.  I set in my "Double T" quilt last weekend and was able to get the quilting finished rather quickly as well.  I never liked this quilt because of the fabric choices I first chose for this quilt.  Once I finished stippling it, got it washed/dried, I fell in love with it!  I now love the cheery colors. I love the puckers of the quilting.  I started this quilt earlier this year and I am happy to have it set in, quilted and finished.  For now, since I am not sure what to do with it, it is on the guest bed.

Just today I decided to go ahead and  put this quilt under the needle and get it finished before packing time approaches.  I have had this particular quilt set in for at least a year. I simply could not make a decision as to whether I wanted to hand quilt it or machine quilt.  With suggestions of my darling husband I decided to go ahead quilt in the ditch.  This quilt has such a fall feeling, I had to get it done for those upcoming cool nights.  This is one of the "Midnight Madness" quilts.  Easy and fun!

I have also gotten off to a good start with Josiah's quilt and will be completing the top this week hopefully! 

*our gentle giant

Frayja, our beautiful Great Dane, turned 7 months old just a few days ago. She has been a great source of joy to us (for the most part)!  When we first brought her home at 8 weeks old, she weighed 16lbs. She was chubby, clumsy and adorable to say the least.  She is no longer chubby but she is still a bit clumsy and certainly still adorable!  She was weighed a few weeks ago and she is approaching 100lbs.

Just a few days ago we were in the back yard playing one of her favorite things, fetch; on her return with the ball it appeared that she was going to trample me.  I thought surely she is going to swing to the side and pass me by. Nope.  She, running at full force up the hill, ran into my upper thigh.  My leg immediately had that "frogged" feeling.  I am sure to have a bruise there.

Some days I wonder why we acquired this beast of a canine in this juncture of our life, but then I look at the positive she has brought to our family and I am settled with our decision in that moment. She is a sweet dog and though she can be high energy it is not her modus operandius.  She has proven to be just what this breed has been dubbed as: gentle giant. 

*five toes? no, five fingers.

Several years ago a dear friend of mine and I, were sitting at B&N enjoying a cup of coffee while catching up with each others lives.  As we sat and talked I noticed an interestingly, strange pair of ... shoes on this one young man at a table where a small group gathered.  I was enthralled with them. I wanted to know what they were? Where they came from?  How I could get a pair!  I like different. I have even been called weird, strange, out of the ordinary, over the top - different.  I suppose I am a bit of all of those things.. but on this particular day I was not brave enough to ask the young man where he acquired such a pair of footwear, so my brave friend did it for me!

The turquoise ones are a pair of the ladies Vibram Five Fingers Classic.  My hubby is sporting a pair of his Vibram KSO Trek, they are made of kangaroo leather but he has found them to be very breathable during the summer months.  Now these do look a little like gorilla feet! But they are so awesomely comfortable to wear.

Vibram. Five Fingers, to be specific, since Vibram designs and produces many different shoes of various styles.   I told Jocelyn the evening we left B&N, that I would be getting me a pair of those shoes! I purchased my first pair about two  or three years ago. I wore them almost universally until I wore a hole in one of the toes.  My dear husband, son and others jeered at me.  My husband most especially.  Funny thing is, this past year several other styles came out that I purchased to wear during my walking/running.  My hubby decided that he liked the way the Five Fingers Trek's looked and ordered a pair to try after having heard how much I love them. Then, he ordered another pair, stating his feet has never felt so good. He has a history of feet issues, really what Army man doesn't?   I have had the Classics, Sprint, Bikila and now my most recent pair are Trek Sports.  I LOVE THEM.   I have a hard time choosing any other shoe from my closet outside of a pair of Five Fingers.  They simply do not look good with a dress or skirt for Sunday morning or when your meeting a friend for tea at the local tea house. I almost have to force myself to pick up a different shoe outside my Five Fingers.

These are a pair of the black Trek Sport Vibram Five Fingers.

The Bikila were designed for running and they do a good job for what they were designed for, however within the last month or so the Trek Sport's were released and these are (IMHO) far superior for running than the Bikila.  All three of us have a pair of the Trek Sport's and enjoy them on our daily exercise as well as in our daily wear around the house, on trips, to the grocery store, or just about anywhere.

Recently I was reading in a health magazine how shoes with support, like traditional walking/running shoes can be bad for your knees.  A study at Rush University Medical Center found that bare feet and shoes that mimic barefoot mechanics, like flat, flexible shoes (the Five Fingers fit the bill)  put less pressure on the knee than super supportive styles.  They say that also, that barely-there footwear, lessens impact as you walk, reduces joint loads as much as orthotics and knee braces do.  So.. if your suffering from some knee issues or if you are at risk.. go flat and flexible. 

We are a Five Finger Family.  

*wee felt folk, Little Wendie

Today while visiting with Wendie (my "adopted" Mother), I got to spend some time in her sewing room.  It was sweet to be able to sit in her sewing room amidst numerous piles of assorted fabrics of either partially started projects or completed quilt tops waiting to get to the shop for quilting.  Soon I will not be across town and I shall miss her more than I realize right now in this moment.  She has been very instrumental in my life as I have known it here in North Carolina.

Many years ago she and her dear husband came to the area via the military; their children grew up here and later started attending colleges nearby.  Wanting to be near their children during their college years, Wendie and her hubby never moved.   It was never their intention to stay, but sometimes things that are our plans are not in the plans - if that makes sense.  I, among many other ladies, have been benefactors of having had moved to the area and some where along the way become "adopted" daughters to Wendie.  

"Miss Felt Folk Quilting Wendie"

Several years ago I designed this felt lady to resemble as many as Wendie's features as I could capture in a wee felt folk creation!

She is dressed well (as Wendie always is), she is adorned with some accessories (as Wendie always is) and her beautiful gray hair is nicely pulled up in a clip (as Wendie's always is).  Wendie has a bit of "junk in her trunk", JUST KEEPING IT REAL, so this little wee felt folk is carrying some junk in her trunk too! Last, but not least, she has selected a number of fabulous bolts of fabric to add to her stash!

Interested in making some "wee felt folk of your own? Check out Salley Mavor's book, Wee Felt Folk.  In her book you will find step by step instructions and many great illustrations to guide you along the way.  You can be as simple or as elaborate as you so desire in your little people.  You can also view some of her creations, she is quite an artist and each piece is a masterpiece.    One other link, I just stumbled up on this myself... it is Salley's blog: Salley Mavor.  Enjoy!

I also know of a young lady who makes these precious keepsakes.  She puts a whole different level of skill and time into each piece that she creates than I have thus far.  Standing in the Sun has some lovely creations you will want to see if you like these little felt folks. She (Caroline) also sells her felt folk on etsy.. make sure to check that out from her blog.