Twas the Week Before Christmas...

Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, no one is safe, especially that louse!  Just kidding!  After last weeks blog, my mood this week is shameful.  I have been busier than usual though as I picked up a babysitting gig.  I have been discovering that how one uses words really affects how they make you feel.  Last year, I didn't "have to go to work", I "got to go to work".  You see how one makes it feel like a problem and one makes it feel like a privilege?
Therefore, I am not babysitting, I get to hang out with my new friend Miles twice a week.  He is a really great kid and I think he will help me remember how to just play.  The ability to play is something I completely forgot how to do.  All the stuff I did for play/hobbies have become my means of work.  And I do a lot of work but am very stressed.  Crawling on the floor and playing ball or cars or just making noise laughing is so good for my soul!!!!  When I got home after the second day, a jealous husband asked if he could pay me $10/hr to play ball with him.  Maybe I should, it was fun when he taught me to play lacrosse a few years ago.  Later though, right now he is template cutting pinwheel pieces out of silk ties for me.  Isn't he great?
What a great week we have:  Happy Channukah, Solstice, and Merry Christmas!
Let light, love, and laughter abound!

Giddy-Up and Go Time

Today is the day I decided to wrap up and box all of the presents to be sent out.  My goal is to get them in the mail tomorrow which would be ahead of time for me.  I trained my family members years ago that Christmas is mid-January in my necks of the woods.  I've been slowly returning to my Holiday Duties (as I see them) for a few years now.  I remember calling my mom 4 years ago and asking if the family would understand if I just didn't do Christmas that year.  You see, my husband had just broke his neck (C2) and was in a halo and I just couldn't face getting everything taken care of.  My mom said of course the family would understand.
Well, I've been getting back into the swing of things ever since.  This time of year is really a reminder to hold those family members dear.  It is not about the purchased gifts, it is about LOVE!  Love for everything - love for all humans, animals, plants, rocks, light, laughter.  Love for those close to you and love for strangers.  Every holiday season, the people of Boulder get uglier and meaner while doing their shopping.  It is horrible and builds in tension each day until Christmas is over.  For years now, my husband & I jokingly refer to this phenomena as the "Christmas Spirit".  Honestly though, it is quite sad.  I believe it happens because everyone wants to make everybody else happy for the holiday.  News Flash:  Angry people aren't happy!  Instead of fighting for and/or over that "perfect gift" (i.e.- whatever is popular and expensive), invest some time or love instead.  Love is much more rewarding and definitely the longest lasting man-made item out there.
Good luck to all in the next few weeks.  Share smiles with strangers and maybe they will pass them on too.  

Quilting Companions

 I wanted to show you the quilt I did last week with Sid's help, but it is a Christmas present for a client's adult daughter.  I don't think she'd see it here, but I would hate to ruin a surprise for anyone.  I'll post photos after the holidays of this really cool t-shirt quilt.  I have Sid working for me again this weekend.  We have begun another silk tie memory quilt.  This one is going to be in a windmill pattern.  For some reason, I like doing traditional patterns with these beautiful silks. Sid and I have created many wonderful quilts together both traditional and non-traditional styles.  The quilt pictured here really captures both of our talents. 

            We are very proud of this quilt named "Kundalini".  It was made several years ago as a commissioned piece by someone who liked our seed of life quilts.  This client used the word Kundalini when describing what they wanted.  I did a touch of research and discovered that fire and snakes were associated with Kundalini energy.  The client thought it was wonderful and so we created the quilt you see here.
All of the fabrics were dyed by Sid and I did everything else.  I am fond of saying that my quilts are a series of mistakes.  I learn incredible things when I allow myself to make mistakes.
The lesson this quilt taught me was about bias tape.  I had made my own and used bias tape for years.  Then we got this brilliant idea to dye the snake fabric on the bias and cut it 2 1/2" wide.  This looked great! What I learned is that bias tape over a certain width will not lay flat in curves!  After an hour of freaking out,  I decided to methodically pleat the inner curves and sew them down.  This solved the main problem and gave the snakes such LIFE!  It really looks like the snakes are moving and writhing around in the knot work.  You can view other quilts we've made using the Seed of Life pattern at our website, www.mountainjoyquilts.com.
Well, it's truffle time.  I must dip and package many of these chocolaty delights to send to all my loved ones.  Sometimes, I think it's a cop-out to send truffles every year.  I know they are looked forward too though with great anticipation and I might even get in trouble if I don't send them.
We all need a yearly overdose of chocolate, don't we?  Happy quilting and creating!