This, That, and Flowers

I chose this thread for Macnas.

And here is the first portion quilted.

Hooray!

Several years ago we adopted this azalea plant when elder son re-did his backyard.

It has never bloomed this profusely - we're thrilled.

And this year we have flowers on a plant that was given to us by a friend of DH.  

Honestly, when we planted it we weren't really sure what it was - now we know it is an iris.

And this is the state of our laundry room . . . 

The dryer stopped heating on Tuesday so DH is in the process of cleaning out the nooks and crannies while he waits for repair parts to arrive.

I'm so grateful he knows how to do things like this!

Quiltdivajulie

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"Art is everywhere you look at it."

el greco

Gratitude Journal - Post 3

This is the final set of photos from my Gratitude Journal.

(I love our new color laser printer for printing online graphics)

One of my all-time favorite quotes . . . 

I have always admired Helen Keller.

Another of my all-time favorites.

Emerson's "the only gift is a portion of thyself" was the greeting on the last Christmas card I received from my maternal grandfather.  I kept that card for years and am sorry I don't still have it to put in this journal.

Having grown up in Michigan, I was delighted to find this stamp with the bridge.

I like the idea of counting rainbows instead of thunderstorms, a lot.

Gratitude plus kindness plus joy create a wonderful framework for this journal.

While I might dabble with watercolors, I sincerely doubt I'll ever do well enough to create something like this wonderful bird.

This combination makes me happy.

Some of the older off-paper stamps, like these, are pretty interesting.

A piece torn from a magazine plus a wonderful quote graphic.

And one final postcard by Dori Patrick.  I've never seen this quote but I do like it.

Final interior page . . . 

And the inside back cover.  I just HAD to include a squirrel somewhere in the journal!

Quiltdivajulie

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"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer.  It sings because it has a song."

Maya Angelou

Gratitude Journal - Post 2

Left page - right page omitted since it contains a thank you note from Little Man with his name on it.

Another left page with right page omitted.

Another left page.  (oops - gotta add the word "his" into the text)

I just love this sticker by Dori Patrick.

Another of her designs . . . 

How cool is this postage stamp with the sewing machine?!

Another bit cut from a magazine with an added stamp.

A thank you note from Linda with her kitty-in-the-shipping-box photo.

"happiness doubled by wonder"   

Another bit from a magazine with my added quotation.

A bit of scrapbook paper and two printed quote images from the internet.

I like that this map had a round edge . . . 

Piglet got it right.

(and after working through half of the online hand lettering class, I decided I liked my own printing and handwriting well enough to stop worrying about the arty-approach.)

* * *

The rest of the journal is all left-facing pages.  The right pages are blank waiting for new things to be added as time passes. 

I'll share the last set of photos in Friday's post.

Quiltdivajulie

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"I spend an insane amount of time wondering if I'm doing it right.  At some point I just remind myself that I'm doing my best.  That is enough."

Myleik Teele

Gratitude Journal - Post No. 1

Over the past week or so, I've been working on my Gratitude Journal.

Younger son gave me this blank book years ago - high time to put it to use.

The inside front cover pages were brightened up with papers torn from an Art Journal magazine.

Stickers and small cards like these two are from Dori Patrick (Etsy seller).  

You'll notice that I used washi tape on the seam of all pages throughout the journal for two reasons:  (1) I had torn out some pages and the spine needed some extra help to keep other pages from falling out, and (2) because the flashes of color help solve my "blank page syndrome."

Some of the pages like this one were lettered using my brush pens.  

Others were lettered using other pens in my stash.

Bits and pieces from all over make their appearance in this journal.

The gratitude symbol elements are described on the typewritten sheet tucked in this top-load envelope.

Special thank you cards are included.

A Get Well note to Dee Dah after his Dec. '22 car accident and another piece cut from a magazine.

I just love the quote on this mini card by Dori Patrick.

More bits and pieces have found their forever homes.

And, thanks to the influence of Margarete Miller, there will be numerous postage stamps scattered throughout the journal (each with some sort of connection to the page they're on).

* * *

I'll share more photos in the next post.

Quiltdivajulie

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"The discipline of creation, be it to paint, compose, write, is an effort toward wholeness."

Madeline L'Engle

November's Seasonal Decor

I encountered this quote by Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan) from the movie You've Got Mail and couldn't stop thinking about it as the date approached to change our clocks and "fall back."

The more I thought about it, the more I realized our November seasonal decor seriously needed more twinkle lights - for ever so many real-world reasons.

And so . . . 

Both garlands on the mantel have fairy lights woven in and I added fairy lights to both DH's wood piece on the hearth and his mom's wicker basket on the end table (both of which are filled with pumpkins and autumn leaves).

The lighted branches in the tall vase were an impulse purchase at Costco over a year ago.  They're battery powered and I do love the way they help brighten that end of the hearth.

Here's a close up of the mantel (wood acorn boxes made by another member of DH's woodturning guild).

And this year I've started a new tradition - a Thanksgiving Tree.  

Yes, it is the same tree we use for Christmas but during November it is decorated with autumn colored sunflowers,  small pinecones, pumpkins, ivory beaded picks, and wood cut outs of the words Thankful and Grateful.

And as a finishing touch, I added a ring of textural pumpkins around the base.

(I love it when stores significantly discount holiday items well before the holiday actually arrives).

We've also made 30-day lists of things each of us are grateful for.  The items are written out on brown kraft shipping tags adorned with gold ribbons and displayed in one of DH's wood bowls in the dining room. 

* * *

I know these twinkle lights won't solve any real world issues, but at least they brighten the autumnal darkness and encourage us to smile.

Quiltdivajulie

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"What if today we were grateful for everything?"

Charlie Brown