1 year and still blogging + a give away

You know we started this blog a year ago to satisfy a school requirement. The kids have long since abandonned it and I struggle on with it. Actually I really love to write. What is it about words that is so addicting? I can find such beauty in words. My family thinks I'm nuts, but maybe that's why I so suited to be a librarian. Though there are days I don't think I'm that cut out for it.

While shopping a favorite craft store today I noticed they had great plaques with words and sayings on them. They were wonderful! But a little pricey for my budget. So I'll either wait for a sale or make do with something else. I've always thought a "word" wall would be fun. Not just random words, but beautiful, meaningful quotes that inspire us to be just a little bit better than who we are normally. Quotes that encourage us to reach a little bit further, dream a little bit more or maybe just make us laugh.

So with that said what would you put on your word wall? To celebrate one year of blogging we'll do a drawing. Leave a comment and I'll put it in a drawing. The camera is down right now, but I'll get a picture soon of the goodies to be given away. Because we all lead busy lives I'll give you until February 8th to leave a comment. Good luck!

Here's one from mine (yes I'll admit I've been collecting quotes for awhile.) "Children are the living messages we send to a time we will never see." Neil Postman

2 quilt shows back to back

My two best friends insisted that we keep our prearranged out of town trip even with all that has been going on on the home front. Actually it was really good therapy so to speak. We usually do our annual January trek to the Ontario quilt show. It's a wonderful weekend of just best girlfriends, quilts, quilts and more quilts. Oh yes and shopping the vendors to make quilts. I'm including a few of the great pictures I took during our trip. The quilts on display are amazing. They're more works of art than something you would put on your bed. There was even an apron display. The vendors' booths were just as fabulous and inspiring. I was really good though and bought only patterns that would help me use up my fabric stash. Okay and 1 panel of magnificent roses. Not sure how I'll use that up, but it'll come to me.
I also meet a really nice quilter and author, Judy Laquidara. You can visit her at her blog: Sunshine quilts. It's under my favorite blog sites. She's very sweet and talented.
SORRY I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THOSE NEAT FOWARD LINK THINGS. So please just be patient with me. I haven't had a lot of time to learn all the ins and outs of blogging. I'll pick it up eventually though. I'm better if I'm shown how to do something.
Here's the apron display. I can't remember exactly what it was about, but the aprons were cute.

Here's some of the really friendly vendors. Vendors come from all over the United States to participate in the Road to California Quilt show. It's really very huge. At least it's the biggest I've ever seen. These ladies were from Crooked Nickel Quilt designs out of Montana. Lisa Maki, the owner is the lady on the left. You can check out her story and her shop at http://www.crookednickel.com/ .

This picture really doesn't do this quilt justice. It was stunning in person.
This quilt is just awesome.
This past weekend, January 26, our local quilt guild hosted their own quilt show. Though much smaller, it's very apparent that we have a lot of local talent. This is a quilt down by Nancy Rink. Nancy has enormous talent and does stunning work. You can catch her at her website http://www.nancyrinkdesigns.com/

Mom's Open House

Here's a picture of the table set up that we did for Mom's Open House. We chose to do an open house as opposed to a funeral. Mom was a simple person and would have liked this format we did. I served a finger food buffet in the kitchen. Friends and Family came and went between 1 and 8 p.m. I pushed the dining room table against the opposite wall and put her quilt on it as a table cloth. My brother and I then went through pictures to pull out ones that we felt best represented her life. I typed up a brief eulogy of her life and then we put flowers, candles and her favorite turtle statue on the table. We'll do a ceremony this summer when we spread her ashes at the meadow. She's been a wonderful addition to our life for the last 4+ years. It was our privilege to take care of her for the last years of her life. I know she felt like she was a burden to us, but she wasn't. We miss out on a lot of blessings in life when we don't take care of the older generation. Mom was a big help to us the first several years when she was able health wise to help out. She's greatly missed already.
Love, Amanda

November 11, 1951 - January 12, 2008

On January 12th our dear Mother and Grandmother passed away. She had fought long with her illness and was ready to go "home". She will be greatly missed. We had a lovely open house for her. We will have a small ceremony this summer when we spread her ashes at the meadow. I hope to be able to share more in the coming weeks. Thank you to all who brought flowers and food. We greatly appreciate the support.

Love, The Kramers