… a post filled with gratitude

Veterans.

As I think about it. . .

 there is nothing I can say to encompass my gratitude.

But, I know that, "thank you" means more than we comprehend.

I've been substitute teaching quite a bit (at the private school I taught at), 

& on this past Friday, they had a special assembly 

- in honor of Veterans Day & to honor veterans.

It was incredible being among the kids, from the ages of 12 through 18,

singing the Star Spangled Banner - with their hands over their hearts. . .

. . . & then the school choir singing the oft forgotten last stanza of the song, 
a cappella.

. . . the kids still stood - with their hands over their hearts, & you could have heard a pin drop.

One of the things that all the middle school students do
 - is to memorize the Gettysburg Address,

& two of the students, one in sixth grade & one in ninth, 

recited it (in suits & ties!) with the passion & earnest-ness 

that would make President Lincoln, himself, proud. (& all of us teachers teary-eyed!)

Then the principle (himself a veteran), acknowledged the veterans in the crowd. . .

. . . some family members of students (parents & grandparents),

& then he acknowledged the former students who are currently serving.

I have to say - it took my breath away a little.

I remember these kids when they were little freshmen - just entering high school.

I remember hugging them good-bye on the last day of their senior year. . .

. . . I also remembered the first time one of them came back to visit,

. . . in his uniform, & I cried when I saw him. 

I was so proud.

I also remember -  as clear as if it were this past year, 
the morning of September 11, 2001,

. . . & because the department (art) TV was 'housed' in my classroom,

. . . & because there was so much unknown - we (my junior & senior journalism classes) spent much of the first few class periods of the day 
watching the news transpire.

As the yearbook advisor, I pulled out one of the camera's 
& took some photos of the classroom,

. . . kids sitting on the tables (& all the chairs - another class had come in too) 
watching so intently.

I will never forget, one senior boy. . . tearing his eyes away from the TV

. . . turning to look at me & ask,

"Do you think this means that we will be at war?"

It struck me hard, that if so, it would be young men, like him, most likely to go.

. . . & yes, he is that same young man, who seemed so much bigger to me. . .

. . . who stood so much taller, that came back, in uniform, to visit me 

in the spring of the next school year.

Next in the assembly, the principle acknowledged the speaker from last year,

a gentleman, now in his late eighties - early nineties, who served in WWII.

The kids erupted in applause - as they remembered him & let him know it!

I wish I could share with you his smile (accompanied by a tear as well) 

at their show of admiration.

I have chosen a video to share with you in honor all veterans, 

& also in honor of the speakers that spoke at this year's assembly.

One was a former Air Force pilot that flew over 5000 hours in missions 

in WWII, & in the Korean War.

The other speaker was the father of two current students at the school. He is also serving in the Air Force, currently serving from the Air Force base in Tucson, 
- Davis Monthan.

Both men were so wonderful with how they encouraged the kids,

 & taught then what it meant to be a veteran.

Both men also shared the love they have of flying,
 & both shared the admiration they have 

for the Air Force C-130 cargo plane - as both have flown 'her', 

& both refer to the plane as, "the queen of the skies".

This video is one of the reasons she is so loved.

. . . & a reminder of how much we have been given, by so many.

May we all remember, & I pray we all get the chance to personally say 'thank you' to a veteran this week. (. . . or any time at all!)

Thank you seems so small. . .

. . . but we mean it so.

Fallen Soldier is Carried Home by an Angel - a Beautiful Veterans Tribute from ourgodisforus on GodTube.

… blessings & thankfulness

. . .'first-ly', Bailey would like me to thank all of you who have been asking about him & mentioned how much you like hearing about him.

(. . . he thinks you are very nice. . . (& very smart)!)

☺

We have been enjoying the efforts of autumn trying to arrive here. . .

From one year to another - we can never really tell what November will be like.

Whether we will be warmer or cooler (what we are rooting for), there will be no complaints from here. 

In the light of watching the weather stories from other parts of the country - I have come to realize how much we are a bit spoiled here in Arizona.

. . . Sure we have some hot days in the summer. . . but we simply do things earlier in the day & then we celebrate the air-conditioning! Also, when the heat gets to be a bit much, that often starts the 'monsoon' season - where we get afternoon rains that cool everything off.

So really. . . I must admit that I realize that although there are many other places in our country that I think are great. . . I really love calling where I am - 'home'.

. . .  & 'second-ly',  as I've recently been doing a lot of 'counting my blessings' with the mildness of the  area that I'm blessed to live in, &/or if you have followed my blog 

(&/or business) for more than a year - then you realize that all November long is a month that I love to celebrate the blessing of getting to do what I do, & the blessing that my customers are to me!

So, yep. . . it's starting. . . !

. . . all patterns & books are at least 25% off (. . . & some more!)

(. . . Also, I have a little surprise for each order. . . a little way for each of us to share a little something with someone else!)

I hope that, as we head into this season of celebration - we will also keep those who have been through so much this year - whether they be close family or friends, or the folks on the northeast coast that are dealing with such devastation,  close to our hearts & in our prayers.

So, with that spirit - I want for all to know that for all orders received on November 2 & 3, all proceeds will be donated to Samaritan's Purse & World Vision.

. . . thank you for all the blessings you have brought to my life,

& I look forward to the blessings that we can bring to many others!

♥ Bren

… a little reflection

A little over a week ago, Dad & I took our annual trip up to the top of Mt. Lemmon. . .

We go up to the tippy-top  -  past Ski Valley. . .

. . . up next to where the observatories are.

(NASA, weather, U of A, & others use them)

. . . there is a pretty little meadow up there that is very special to us,

. . . & we like to visit each autumn.

When we first came up - there was an itty-bitty aspen tree 

in the midst of the pines.

It was maybe 5 feet tall.

. . . this time when we visited - it is somewhere between 15 - 20 feet.

I'm always amazed at how it grows. . .

. . . & of how time passes.

It's been five years since we first trekked up there.

. . . can't believe it's been 5 years.

Amazing.

I've had these photos for over a week,

fiddling with them in Instagram & Vintique (apps on my phone),

& I've been thinking I'd post them & share them every day.

. . . but then the day get's started & I get busy.

. . . then I think that they might not be that interesting to others.

. . . when they are so very precious to me.

. . . so I let the busy-ness take over a bit & thought,

"maybe. . . tomorrow."

It's interesting - as I've noted that many bloggers have either quit blogging, 

or are taking 'breaks'. . .

 . . . & I have to admit that I've thought about that too.

I've wondered if what I had to blog about even mattered.

I think it's because when I started blogging,

I did it because I was convinced by someone else that

because I was starting my business. . . that I needed to.

So I did.

I honestly had no idea what I was supposed to do,

& for such a long time I related my blog to my business.

It was a  social media 'tool'.

ick.

That's so not me.

The blogs I have come to love are not about the businesses 

that the bloggers might own. . .

. . . but rather are about the people & their lives.

(. . .to be honest - I quit reading blogs that only promote things.

. . . & yes, I realize the irony of that - as I am guilty of that too!)

I can't tell you how many times I think about things to share with you

- or all the photos I have taken around the house 

- or of things I'm working on. . .

. . . & they are still sitting in my camera or on my computer.

I have constantly second guessed myself as to if it's "interesting enough" to share,

(. . . figuring back to the social media aspect  & my design business).

But, I've made a decision.

The 'little acorns' of this blog is me.

. . . & while, yes, I do happen to have a design business,

. . . it's not all there is about me.

So, I'm giving myself permission to make this blog more reflective 

of the other parts of my life. . .

. . .whether they are related to designing or not.

. . . & I hope you'll stick around.

(& thanks for reading this far!) ♡

♥ Bren

p.s. I am currently glued to the Weather Channel & my prayers are with you all who might be in the path of 'Sandy'. Please stay safe!

. . . website goings-on

Yep. . . I've been doing a lot (a lot!) of cutting, 

& bundling, 

& photographing, 

& listing. . .

 & if you are interested. . . there are bunches of new things on the website!

There are bunch of new things on the 'tag sale' pages (yardage too!),

. . . a new 'notions & tools' page,

. . . & I've also gone into the stash of my fabric lines & made up some bundles 

(most of them are the last of what I have!) 

(You can find these on the 'fabrics' pages.

So. . . now I'm back to binding a quilt for Quilt Market. . . 

that I gotta into the mail tomorrow.

 (I'm not going - but my quilt will be!)

It's been a very busy week. . . but. . . busy is good! 

(keeps me out of trouble!)

♥ Bren

… the work I love

I must admit. . . that I really do love what I get to do.

This photo is from the beginning of the week. . . when I had cut out a quilt top from my upcoming line of fabric (Durham Anew),

. . . but I had wanted to proof a pattern just one more time (a deadline thing. . .) 

This pattern had already the 'living-daylights' proofed out of it. . . but I always have that last minute 'just one more time' feeling, so I filled up my coffee mug & went over it 'one more time'.

So, the fabrics were pushed aside (but not too far aside!), 

& the pattern (the next 'farmhouse collection' quilt) got it's final proofing.

(I do have to admit - that proofing is not my favorite part of what I do, probably because I feel such angst when doing it. . . so afraid that something might slip by! But it doesn't diminish loving what I get to do!)

Today, I'm finishing quilting the quilt from the pieces above, 

but before I show it to you, 

I thought you might like to see this. . .

. . . this is the photo I snapped of my main studio table about a month ago when I received the final strike offs for this Durham Anew fabric line.

(. . . kinda embarrassed, as I just found it on my camera. . . it's been that kind of month!)

When these (strike offs) arrive, everything else get's put on the back burner - as the mill is waiting for the word that all (colors, prints) are okay, so that they can begin printing the sample yardage.

So, I stopped everything else I was working on. . .

 looked (& drooled a little) over them, 

& thankfully everything was great!

. . . so today, I get to play with my sample fabrics, & promise peeks soon.

I'm also working on getting lots of goodies uploaded to the website. . . 

. . . keep checking back!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

♥ Bren

… catching up

After subbing for an entire week last month, 

I've been feeling like I've been trying to catch up ever since.

I've been thinking about you. . .

. . . & 'thinking' about all sorts of things to post. . .

. . . but (obviously), the 'posting' part never quite happened.

I even took some photos!. . . meaning to post them.

One (still on my camera. . . what can I say, I'm claiming 'lame blogger'), 

is a cute photo of Bailey. . . just outside on the back patio.

I took the photo because he had just been thoroughly brushed 

just about an hour beforehand. . .

. . . but he had just been 'helping' Dad in the backyard.

He (Bailey) was covered head to tail in little leaves, blossoms, grass

. . . & who knows what.

What I did discover - later that evening (& all that night. . . & for the next few nights) is that little Mr. Bailey must have  found some little dead critter & made it a little snack & probably had rolled around in the ground all around where he 'found' it.

(. . . why do they do that?)

Anyway, he got some major tummy-bumbles & although he never threw any of it up - it did wreak some havoc on his. . . um. . . other end. . . (& on any plans for a good nights sleep for the next few nights.)

Bless his heart. I almost wished for him that he could throw-up some of whatever-it-was, just so he (& me too) could get some good rest. Thankfully, I'm a pretty light sleeper - because the only hint I had - was that he would walk & walk around - more & more quickly around on the wood floors (. . . think little clinkity-clink noises from his little nails). Then it was me jumping out of bed & getting to the back door as fast I could get there. . . & little Bailey shooting out the back door to get to the grass as fast as possible. 

Poor little guy!

The vet told me to be sure that he got plenty of water. . . as it can dehydrate them pretty fast. So it was lots of water & very plain kibble for several days.

Finally, after 3 nights - we got to sleep all the way through the evening.

Ah. . . . bliss.

But, it did do a number on my getting back into my 'regular' daily schedule.

I am in the midst of going through all of the closets & cupboards in the house - especially the ones in my studio & office. (There's a big hint there. . . get ready for a 'tag sale' announcement soon!)

I did get some wooden crates & boxes, & I got them painted one afternoon. They will be for when I re-do the closet in the guest room.

. . . things are definitely a-changing around here.

It's going to take a bit of work. . .

. . . but I'm really excited to keep checking things off my list.

. . . until then, I'm keeping a much closer eye on my 'fluffy-bump' when he goes outside. . .

(. . . & honestly, I don't think he will be wanting to nibble on anything he finds out in the yard for quite a while. . .)

♥ Bren

… a wonderful. . . exhausting week.

Whew!. . . what a week.

As many of you might know, I used to teach (high school art) at a local private school, & last year I went back & started substitute teaching. I have loved it. Loved getting to be with the kids again, & I even gotten to be back in my old classroom a couple of times.

This past week I've been subbing the sixth grade core classes.

. . . nuff said.

I had a wonderful time. . . but,

I.  am.  exhausted.

It's that good kind of tired, but I must admit that surely enjoyed sleeping in an extra hour - until 6:30 this morning!

The sixth grade is the youngest class at the school, as it is a middle school - high school. Mostly I have subbed at the high school grades, but I must admit that what I did l love the most, was that on Friday, my last day subbing the 6th graders, I got hugs, & some of the kids came back into the classroom after school, when I was straightening-up the room, to say thank you. Honestly. . . how could you not love that!

I had to laugh at myself though, because every night this past week, I have been in bed about 8 - 8:30 & lights out no later than 9:00 pm. I was that tired! (lol!)

What I missed the most about this last week, was getting to work on some new projects, as much as I wanted to. . . but after getting home, filling orders (no complaints there!), & trying to keep up with emails, I was pretty much spent.

This is the little bit of stitching that I did get to do. I can't wait to show you the finished projects. . . (the other one is wool on flannel!)

Soon though. . . I will try my hardest to make it as soon as possible. 

Promise.

I do want to thank you for the response to my fabric line 'Hill Farm'. I was made aware that Jenny at her Sew Fabulous Quilt Shop Blog did a post asking folks to vote for their favorite lines from 12 lines that she was considering for her quilt shop. I'm so pleased to find out that Hill Farm was one of the top lines chosen! What a treat!

Lecien will be taking orders for Hill Farm - only through the end of September (just a week away!) - so if you are a shop owner, & are considering it. . . don't wait! (Checker & E.E. Schenck are also taking orders for Hill Farm as well.)

The fabrics are due out in November. . . & I'm going to be spending some time between now & then making some new projects with it. . . so be sure to come back & see, okay?

Until then . . . I'm going to be going to bed earlier. . . (I've actually liked getting to bed earlier. . !)  & getting up earlier. It's a nice way to welcome in autumn, as the days get shorter, & the evenings come so much more quickly. I like the getting up before the sun rises, & get to witness the pink sunrises that come with cooler weather.

(. . . plus, it's very handy, just in case I get an early morning call to sub for the day!)

Hope you have a wonderful start to (what I must admit is my favorite season) autumn!

♥ Bren

… update on bundles & kits. . .

Hi!

Just popping in to let you know that I just added a limited number of 

fat-eighth bundles of 'Hill Farm' onto the website. 

. . . it's like a little sneak peek, as the fabrics won't be available in shops until November.

I have a very limited amount of fabric this time around. . . so these bundles will be limited!
(sorry, all sold out!)

Also, because the fabrics worked so well with the design. . . 

I also made up some more kits for 'Betsy's Closet - In Stitches, using 'Hill Farm' fabrics!

. . . but again - there are a limited number of the kit that I will be able to make up for you!

Another announcement that I want to throw in here. . . is that I am working on making my patterns available as downloadable pdfs. . . but it's a lot of work & so it's gonna take me a couple of weeks. . . 

I've been looking into it for quite some time, & I can see the positive aspects of making my patterns more accessible for those that aren't near a quilt shop, & especially for international customers(!). I always feel so bad when facing those international shipping charges. . .!

. . . so between working on current designs. . . & things for quilt Market (nope, I'm not going - but I have things that I need to do for the next fabric line), & two graphic design projects. . . I'll be working on getting the pattern pdf's all ready.

Thanks for hanging in there with me!

♥ Bren

… Hill Farm . . . at last!

Remember these?

. . . after a couple of 'hiccups'. . .

. . . I am so happy to announce that the sample fabrics for 'Hill Farm'  have arrived & that the fabric reps (for Lecien, as well as the Checker & E.E. Schenk reps) 

now have the fabric hanger samples & will be showing them to shops.

 (yea!. . . big sigh!)

The catch is that they will only be showing these until the end of September - so if you would like for your local shop to carry 'Hill Farm'. . . make sure you mention it soon!

I've been ironing the sample yardage that I received for the past two days. . . 

(& still have another day of pressing. . .), & I am falling in love with these prints all over again.

 I can't wait to start playing with them! I already know that I will be updating one of my first (& favorite) patterns using them. . . & I can see some cute little pouches, pillows, & shams on the horizon as well. 

What I love most - is that they epitomize the 'farmhouse' look that I love. 

I can't help but think of my grandparents farm, as I've been pressing them all. 

They are all so fresh & comforting. . . & you know me. . . that's what I'm all about when it comes to quilting!

If you check on the sidebar (left side) - you will find a link to the free pattern that I designed for 'Hill Farm'. I made it so that it is what I call 'nap size'. . . perfect for an afternoon nap! (I love taking those. . . although I don't get a chance to very often!)

So, I hope that you to enjoy 'Hill Farm'! . . . (& be sure to mention it to your local quilt shop. . . it will be available to order for a limited time!)

(. . . I do believe that it is scheduled to deliver in November)

♥ Bren

… boo-boo's aren't fun. . .

. . . just ask Bailey.

He is having to wear what my friend calls the 'cone of shame'.

Not a bunch of fun.

He has only had to wear it once before (when he bit open the stitches from his 'little boy' procedure. . .), & for the first day, he pretty much was afraid to move at all. Giving me the, "but Mom, why?") look.

But after a couple of days. . .

. . . he's getting used to the addition to his daily rounds.

This time, he's having to wear it so that hopefully his leg can heal.

(You can maybe see the spot on his front left leg.)

He has a habit of licking & 'nibbling' it. That's why it looks so dark. . . the saliva  turns his creamy coat darker, & his skin is actually much darker than his coat, so when it is exposed, it really stands out.

His groomer shaved the area for me the last time he was groomed, so that I could apply the ointment from the vet & then bandage it - so that he wouldn't lick it off. . .

. . . but this cute little stinker just started nibbling above the bandage, pushing it down & actually starting a new spot. (!)

So, . . . out came the 'cone of shame'. 

His spot is getting much better & healing over, & I'm hoping that in the time he's wearing it (for almost 1 week now) he will lose the 'habit' of fussing with his leg.

In the 'mean-time', he's also been on a much more restricted diet - to check for allergies (in case they might also be involved.)

But for now. . . he's back to his cute sweet self.

 . . . cone & all.

♥ Bren