:: Catching up... & saying goodbye.

In the past several weeks, I have started a journal post many times… but each time it has been put aside. Why I wasn’t following through - I still can’t put my finger on, but I’ve decided just to start fresh and so here I am. Compared to what I post, you’d be surprised how much I ‘compose’ posts in my head, but it’s always while I’m in the midst of doing something else… out in the garden, working on new fabric designs (& I can’t share!), or on a walk with Emmie…So, I think about you so much more than I show… really!

I realized that I need to literally make a time each week to communicate here - & to quit wondering if anyone will care about what I share. So that’s my plan. Some weeks, I hope it will be full of new, fun things, but I know there will be weeks when I’m working on things I can’t share for often a months or even a year ahead. That is when it’s so hard to write posts (!) - but I promise to try.

To bring things up to date - my latest fabric collection Ellie is now at the mill. (Ellie is scheduled to arrive in shops in October.)  I’m also told the strike-offs for the next collection should be arriving soon & so I’m looking forward to seeing them. It’s always a little bit of a hold-your-breath feeling until they arrive. Thankfully the design team at Moda will see them first, & if there are ‘tweaks’ that need to be made - they give you a little heads-up before the arrive on my front porch. 

I also want to say a great-big “thank you!” to everyone who shopped the fabric sale I had on the website… Wow folks! You kept me so very busy for many days! I love all the fabrics that I had held onto (many for so long!) - but I’m so happy they have found new homes with many of you!

Next up will be some bundles that I’ve been keeping… & I’ll let you know when I’ll be getting all of those ready.

For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been keeping myself very busy in the backyard garden, installing some new drip irrigation lines… before the summer temperatures arrive. It’s also kept my mind occupied & that has been a blessing.  On the evening of May 7, I received a phone call from my niece letting me know that my sister, Marsha had passed away. We knew she was dealing with so many health issues (all complicated by her type 1 diabetes), but she was always such a champion. She continually rose above her struggles & was always joyful in each day she was given. But this was her time. She had become more fragile over the past few months & was having a harder time overcoming her struggles. A few years ago, she had a big scare - as she went into ketoacidosis  & went into a coma, as well as several other medical issues all happening at the same time. She miraculously survived & since then we spoke a lot on the phone, often daily. I treasure each & every one of those conversations. 

She loved the streaming television series, ‘The Chosen’, & we always had wonderful conversations about how much more real this series has made Jesus to us. After her coma a couple of years ago, she shared that she wasn’t sure if she was dreaming, but she knows that she was walking with who she knew was Jesus, but she was just behind his shoulder & couldn’t see his face. She remembers that she felt so comfortable, & at peace, but He gently told her it wasn’t time… not yet.  She still couldn’t see his face… & when she woke, she could remember it so clearly. We laughed when I said that maybe she couldn’t see his face because if he didn’t look like Jonathan Roumie, (the actor that portrays Jesus in ‘The Chosen’) - she might have been disappointed!! :-)   We giggled at that many times since, but I know that as she left this earth, into the presence of our Savior, what the actor that portrays Jesus looks like was forgotten. She was in Jesus’ presence… face-to-face.  I smile when I think of that now & while it’s bittersweet, I’m so joyful in knowing she is eternally in His sweet comfort & peace, & that we will be reunited someday. I so miss our phone calls, & listening to her share about her days & her ten grandchildren. As she shared about how she felt knowing her time here on earth could end at any time, for her she always said it was a, “Win - Win”.

This is one of my favorite photos of Marsha (With Dad, in prayer, at one of her daughters' weddings.) 

I miss you Marsh… Hug Mom & Dad for me.

  ♥ 

:: A Little Catch-up

 So... that was quite the blogging break wasn't it?!!

Actually, as you can see from the posts below - when I set up my new website a little over a year ago, I also started a 'journal' there. At first, I thought that I wanted to just post there - to consolidate things, but I'm re-thinking that.

I've been re-thinking a lot of things when it comes to 'social media' - & I'll be writing more about that in the next few months... but for now I wanted to let you know (if anyone is still here!!) that I will be posting my journal posts both on my website - but also here on my Blogger space.

Too much has happened over this past year (another reason why my postings have been far & few between) - so if you would like to catch up on the couple of journal posts that cover the 'whys', then here's a few links to those journal posts:

The Best Laid Plans

Dreaming of Dover

A Little Time

I'll be updating the blog here & also post a new post (or two) this weekend... (in both places).

Thanks for being here... I'm looking forward to being here more often.

♥︎ Bren

:: Changes

It’s been awhile... I know.

A few posts ago (when there had been quite a spell between my postings), I apologized & promised that I would be posting more, & more often.

But then, ... Life.

Life has become increasingly more complicated over the last few years - & so recently, with one more life event coming into play, I decided to make some changes. Changes that I think are for the best overall.

To play a little ‘catch up’..., my father, who turned 90 last January, lives with me. While he has been doing great for a man of his age, this past June he had to have emergency surgery, & it has taken a toll. He’s working hard to regain strength, but there is a marked difference. He’s now using a walker, & was told by the doctor that he didn’t want him driving, & that has been a hard pill for my Dad to take. But, I’m just so thankful that he's here at home & I can check on him easily.

I don’t know if I ever mentioned it - but about 4 1/2 years ago - when health insurance (especially for us here in Arizona) went sky-high, I decided to get a little outside the home - part time job. I was blessed to get a job with a company that provided full benefits to employees that worked 20 or more hours. It truly has been great, it was the kind of a job that didn’t use a creative bone in my body - & I could even take some design work with me to do when it got slow. (Truly a blessing of a job - right?!!!) 

It’s been a great chapter - but with the changes at home, I know that it’s time to leave the part-time job. While I love the folks I’ve worked with, I know I want to be home. Available for my Dad. Also, I started the part-time job just before my first fabric collection, Ambleside, came out with Moda, & I’ve always felt that I’ve had to put so many things that relate to developing my own business on the back burner. So, It will be so wonderful to get to focus more on designing more, & building up my little website shop. I’ve got so many things that have been floating around in my head for the past few years - that I haven’t had the time to develop & follow up with... so I’m looking forward to working on some of those projects.

I also have really missed the interaction with all of you. If there is one place I have kept up with things - social media-wise, it’s been over on Instagram. While I’m not the biggest fan of some if the changes that have happened (new algorithms) - it still is the easiest way for me to communicate quickly. So, I encourage you - if you haven’t created an account (which, by-the-way, you don’t ever have to post anything... you can just follow the folks you want...) to go ahead a check it out. My IG account is @brengr. (... & if you do decide to join up - leave me a comment to let me know!)

The other thing that I will be having more time to do - is to post here. To be honest, for a little bit, I did consider closing the blog. But, I’ve decided that really what it needs is just some attention & a little tender-loving-care. So, I’ll be working on that. For me, because of the fact that Instagram has adopted some of the Facebook algorithms, (which too often means to ‘now you see it - now you don’t’), I want to keep this platform open to communicate with my friends & customers. (... and, as this post demonstrates... sometimes ‘talk’ your ‘ear’ off!)

So, there are some changes in the wind. And, while I know some changes can take some time, I’m hoping that this change - of me being more present here on the blog - will be a good one... one that you will enjoy.

Thanks for being here.

With all my ♥ - Bren

:: This 'little man' of mine...

It never fails...

... that when I end up deciding to skip a Quilt Market... (& just when I might want to feel a little sorry  for myself)... I always end up glad that I was at home....

This time - it's no different.

Market is going on in Houston this weekend (along with the World Series right down the block!...) & I'm home. And, while I miss getting to see everybody & all the hubbub of Market... I'm glad I'm home this time.

Glad because, I've had more time to work on my quilt designs for a holiday fabric collection that will debut in a couple of months - as well as sorting though the strike-offs for my spring collection... (& trying to keep them all straight!)

But mostly because I get to spend some quality time with this little guy.

Bailey has had some tough days weeks lately, & so I'm glad that after all the vet visits (where he has been such a trooper!) that I get to spend some extra time with my little old pup.

I'd been thinking that in Bailey's 11½ years - it was pretty normal that he seems to be a little more  distant than he used to be... I know that can happen when dogs get older... a little turn of a corner in his senior years... But, then for a few days it seemed like things had taken a bigger turn than expected. He seemed to be having some sort of seizure (I was at first afraid that he might have been bitten by a snake) ... but then it got better... & then about a week later - it came back.
This time - we went back to the vet & he discovered that he had an ear infection in his right ear, & when he checked his left ear... there was no eardrum at all. Nothing.  That explained why Bailey was often not responding to his name being called... he couldn't hear as well as he used to. So, we got the treatments needed for his right ear & a lesson on how to do the ear wash & drops.

 Then, just to be thorough (thankfully), the vet checked everything - heart, lungs, all his little 'old man bumps (as I call them)... & then his eyes...
I have known that Bailey's eyes were getting a little cloudy... & with his 11+ years - it didn't surprise me... & they have been checked several times this past year... but this time there had been a change.
A big change.
It seems that the iris in both of his eyes have iris atrophy. The vet had me look into the scope & showed me how the edges of his iris has a reverse scallop edge... & as gently as he could he let me know that if a human - he would be considered legally blind. He can see light & dark forms & shapes - but no details. The vet showed me how Bailey didn't even realize when he flicked his fingers in a very quick motion in Bailey's face - that should have made Bailey finch... & he had no response... not even aware of it. So, I could truly tell that he wasn't seeing much at all.

 It explained so much of what I had been noticing in the little changes in Bailey's behavior. But, he is so familiar with his surroundings... that he is able to compensate amazingly well. (I was thinking of moving around the furniture in a couple rooms... but that won't be happening now.)

I've been reminded that for now... it's good to be home. Changes are happening... changes that I knew would come someday... & so I'm just celebrating this sweet season for as long as I can.

♥  Bren

:: Spring Quilt Market 2017

As I was on my way home from Quilt Market, I realized that I feel that I never take enough photos... but I do carry home a lot of memories. This was a Quilt Market like many other Quilt Markets, but this time it was held in 

St. Louis, Missouri. From what I understand, St. Louis was one of the first locations for a Spring Quilt Market, but it hasn't been held there for about 20 years. So, it was fun to find new restaurants to tryout & I do believe there was quite a lot of site seeing, with the beautiful Arch, & with the St. Louis Cardinals having baseball games every evening, & so many new things to experience. 

The Americas Convention Center - St. Louis, MO

For me, this was a Market where I did a lot of reflecting - about the journey the Lord has led me on, as a designer, & how thankful I am for the people I get to work with & the amazing team at Moda & the great bunch of designers that I have the privilege to be part of. In an odd way, I think that's why I didn't get a lot of photos taken, because I was absorbed in the moments of catching up with, & listening to other around me. I don't want to take any of this for granted. I consider it a great blessing. I truly do. 

The Moda Designers - Spring Market 2017

One of the very best parts of this Quilt Market for me, was that my Dad, Aaron, came to visit for the last day! After Quilt Market last fall, he let me know that he, "would like to see Quilt Market." He sees all that I do getting ready for it, hears the stories, & after all these years, he really wanted to see some of what his daughter had been a part of. 

Family members with Moda designers - there's Dad in the back row(!) - second from right.

Lissa Alexander even had a very special photo take with all us designers - that includes any of the family members that happened to be there for the photo too… This will always be a very special photo for me. (Thanks again Lissa! )

Needless to say, he was a bit overwhelmed with the size of Market (even Spring Market... & it's always smaller than Fall Market!) & he thoroughly enjoyed getting to meet the folks at Moda & was full of stories for everyone he met. I will always treasure this time we got to share.

Dad & I in my booth space in the Moda Designer area.

My booth space.

My new fabric collection - Caroline

You can see it all here

So, now that I'm back home & pretty much recovered from the post Market stupor that overcomes us... I've been busy getting things organized in the studio (...the office is next!). I've also made the decision to take pre-orders for bundles of Caroline as well as pre-orders for some of the new quilt designs (but for a limited time!). If you'd like to see more - check out the latest e-newsletter, or you can see it all on the website - under 'New Items'.

Next time, I want to share with you the very special side trip my Dad & I took after Market...

Sweet, sweet memories...

♥ Bren

:: a little get-away

(my handsome brother, Scott & his beautiful wife, Jodi.)

(Dad & Scott - the two handsome men in my life. . .)

(… & the other handsome little man in my life!)

Last week, Dad & I were able to go on a little get-away. My brother (Scott) & his wife (Jodi) came to Arizona for a little vacation & we all met up in Sedona. Scott & Jodi live just outside Minneapolis & they had been looking so forward to coming out to Arizona. As I had talked & texted with them over the past few months - you could just hear the weariness of the winter & the extreme cold temperatures (I’ve been informed the term ‘polar-vortex’ is now considered a bad word/term. . !). So wouldn’t you know that the week they came . . . Sedona’s weather took a turn for the colder side. One evening - as we had been waiting for a little rain to start, we were watching television & Scott stepped out to go over to their unit for something, & immediately after he stepped outside, i heard a knock on the door & I could hear him outside saying that we didn’t have to worry about it raining. . . As I opened the door - bless his heart - there he stood & there were snowflakes falling all around! I will never forget the pitiful look on his face! Thankfully, it didn’t stick & they were good sports about it all - stating they must be to blame & had brought the cold with them!

We had a wonderful time though, getting to visit & catch up. One day we took a little trip to Jerome, AZ - an old mining town that was built - literally on the side if a small mountain. (There are lots of steps to get from one street to the next!) We had lunch at a restaurant that my Dad remembered from many years ago & that pleased him so.) Plus, the views were beautiful!

The overall scenery in & around Sedona are incredibly stunning. . . Scott & Jodi had found a favorite trail to see the sunset & they took us there. Even driving into town about a few miles after getting off the highway - you take a turn around a bend in the road & the red rocks suddenly appear & it literally takes your breath away! I will certainly be taking more trips up to Sedona.

Right after arriving back home, we celebrated Bailey’s birthday. He is eight years old! He’s now officially my ‘big boy’. . . & I can’t believe how fast time has flown by. (sigh)

Although I haven’t made my way out to the garage to begin my spring cleaning out there, I did dip into my wool & I made up some wonderfully spring-y wool bundles. So for those of you who have asked me about the wool colors I used for the wool pennies on my ‘Spring Tulips’ design. . . these are a perfect set of hand-dyed wool colors for this design & any design that you want to use fresh, spring colors in 100% wool.

So, that catches me up with the blog-o-sphere. Here’s hoping I make it out to actually start my work re-arranging in the garage before my next post. (!)

♥ Bren

… welcome November!

Happy November!

One post in October... pretty sad. Funny though, I thought about posting this & that. . . just never when I had the internet handy. So, I'll play 'catch-up' with this post.

Had a wonderful trip to Minneapolis for 11 days. Got to see such pretty colors & there were even a couple of snow flurries. . . just enough to make me grateful that I was returning to temps in the high 70's! But, with the colder temps & rainy days in MN, I had plenty of opportunities to snuggle up next to the fire in the fireplace with my brothers pups & I got lots of stitching done on my next cross-stitch design. It was a great visit. I met my brother for lunch one day & got a tour of his new office (he has just been named President & CEO), & I got to put my interior designer hat on, & with my sister-in-law, we gave the freshly painted office a little makeover. It was nice, just a little bare... & we just warmed it up a bit with some lamps, artwork, & a basket or two. It was great fun shopping for it, & we had quite a few giggles on what we could have put in there! But we were good... Kept to a small budget, & it turned out wonderfully.

Since coming home, Bailey has been extra snuggle-y. . . Which is a relief, because it can also go the other way where he ignores me for s few days. Thankfully when I walked through the door, he gave out a little cry from his 'post' on the back of the living room chair & came running with lots of kisses & snuggles. (whew!)

I've been making some updates to the website (finally got the 'fabric lines' page updated), & will be continuing to add some things in the next few days. There are some fun things that we will be making & making available... just in time for the holidays... (or for anytime really!) I will really try to get all the info posted on Monday.

I've been baking cookies for Dad (molasses, his favorite & sugar cookies too) & since Dad finished off the sugar cookies last evening (!), I'm making some shortbread as I post this. It's just beginning to smell so good! The only issue I have with baking shortbread is that is has to cook at a lower temp for so long! But it's worth it. So, I'm having a cup of coffee & decided to enjoy the smells for now. (But, I must admit... I may be having shortbread for dinner!) ;o) 

I love this month... for so many reasons. The weather getting a crisp feel to it, the autumn light as the sun sits lower in the sky, & the reminder to think on the things we are thankful for. I have been working on doing that all year, & it's amazing on how my perspectives have been changing. I've been doing quite a bit of reflection & looking for the things that really matter & to focus on those things. It's not been the easiest thing, as I have had to realize that I need to let go of some things (I can be a control 'freak' if I'm not careful), but it's also opened a lot of doors that I never really would consider. Good for me to be stretched, & I'm looking forward to what's ahead.

Hoping you have a wonderful start to this special month.

♥ Bren

… memories. . . old ones & new ones

Whew!. . . what a busy week this has been!

As I was finishing the quilting for the 'Remember 'Whooo' Loves You' quilt for my newest little grand-nephew, my trusty Bernina died.

. . . out of the blue.

. . . no warning.

I was quilting along one minute & the next *poof* . . .  & nothing.

At first I thought that maybe the foot pedal cord had come loose, but nope.

After checking everything & anything it could be - I gave up. It would have to be taken in to the Bernina doctor. 

In my desperation to finish my quilting (as I only had one more day to finish the quilt!), I went out into the garage where I've stored the first sewing machine I ever owned, a Kenmore that I bought with $99 of my high school graduation gift-money.

Bless it's little sewing machine heart. . . even after about 10 years of being stored, it worked wonderfully. I un-earthed the free-motion foot I had for it & we finished up the quilting with no problems. (For the baby quilts - I simply quilt an allover cloud/popcorn design. . . one that withstands a lot of washing.)

But. . . just to show my appreciation to my little Kenmore - I pulled out the manual & I'm going to give it an all over oiling. It didn't give me any problems while we were sewing, but I thought that after having to live in the garage where the temps get really (really) hot in the summer. . . it deserves it.

I actually loved using it again. It brought back so many memories, & using it was like riding a bike. I remembered right way how it was threaded, & the differences with it & my Bernina. So, for now, (& maybe longer - depending on what the diagnosis is for my Bernina),  it will have it's well earned place on my sewing table. It's such a little trouper!

(. . . if only it had a buttonhole stitch!)

The quilt did get finished, washed & I carried it onto the plane on Wednesday, when Dad & I flew over to San Diego to meet Samuel (or as his brother call him - Baby Sam).

It was a long, but wonderful day (we flew home late that evening), & now little Samuel is also wrapped in memory of the loving arms of my Mom. (you can read about that here.)

The last photo is of my Dad & three of his four great-grandkids. (He's holding Samuel.)

What I love about that photo is that both of the other 'grands' had "foodie's" all over their hands (buttered biscuit on one & grapefruit on the other's). . . & they both grabbed onto Dad's trouser legs for this photo. :o) They did it so fast & at the same time, so there was nothing we could do but giggle!

Great memories.

Hope your weekend brings you some precious memories too.

♥ Bren

… treasuring new life

 I must be honest. . . 

it's been really hard to stay indoors for the past few days. . .

(in fact, I'm sitting out on the back porch posting this!)

Spring has definitely arrived here. . . & it's lovely.

I think having what felt like a colder winter than we usually do, 

(& a couple days with these pretty white fluffies!). . . is making me

appreciate the warmth & the flowers budding (all over the place!).

The birdies are back in the yard - filling the air with their chirping,

 & taking drinks & baths in the water fountains.

I feel like I could sit here & watch them all day.

I got the finch feeder out - but I'm almost out of the seeds for it, 

so I'll be running out later to get some for them. I don't always have it filled - but I like to especially as winter has just past 

& they seem really hungry.

My brother & sister-in-law have been here visiting from Minnesota, 

& Jodi (my s-i-l) kept commenting on all the color & the budding plants!

It's been so wonderful to have them here. They left for the airport this morning, & I will miss them so!

I'll get to have another 'missing-my-family-hole-in-my-heart' fix in a few days though, as I will get to meet the little cutie-pie in the middle photos. He is Samuel, my newest little grand-nephew. Isn't he a cutie? Dad & I will be taking a day trip - flying out to San Diego to meet him next week. It's a quick trip - but it's so worth it! I can hardly wait!

So. . . as you can imagine, I've been working on another of my owl quilts for little Sam.

(If you don't know the history of this design, you can read it here.)

This is the fifth 'Remember Whoo Loves You' quilt that I have made. . .

. . . & I never tire of it. ♡

I also plan to watch the finale of  'The Bible' on Sunday evening. Have you been watching them? I have. . . & I'm so impressed with how they were created & I must admit that in my heart, I'm encouraged at how they've been accepted & how many people have been drawn to them & to looking deeper into the Bible. For me. . . I don't know how I would deal with life without it(!) . . . & so, as we enter & think upon the events of this incredible weekend, I feel so thankful for the love & for the sacrifice & the demonstration of what unconditional love is. It humbles me so to know that I am loved that much, by my Lord & Savior.

 I wish you a wonderful weekend, filled with the wonder & hope of such Love.

♥ Bren

… springing

. . . no 'springing forward' on the time zone front

(we don't do that here in Arizona... no 'springing forward' & 'falling back'...while the rest of the country changes time two times each year... we stay the same... all year 'round.  (Although when I woke up at about 2:30 a.m. this morning & couldn't get back to sleep. . . I wouldn't have minded getting up the hour earlier!)

. . . but with the snow & rain showers we've had this past month (with days up in the 70's in the midst of those!) - you can tell that spring is itching to get started around here!

While at our local 'Trader Joe's' a couple of days ago, I couldn't resist the little bunches of daffodils they had. None of the buds were open, but after trimming the stems, & putting them in water, by the next morning they were blooming away! 

Then my Dad surprised me with a little birthday lunch last week with some of my sweet quilting friends (thank you sweet my ladies!), & in the middle of the table in the cafe was a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses (with stunning orange edges on the petals)!

They are now gracing the breakfast table where they seem to open up a little more every day, & where we can both see them the most.

Today, after working so very hard at it, the sun is actually shining away, 

& it is forecasted for us to possibly reach 90 this week! I think our flowers & plants & grass & birdies will be giddy! I know I will!

Hope you have a wonderful week!

♥ Bren