~A Caligraphy Lesson from the Civil War~

Monday was a marvelous mail day for me - I had a package from a dear 'Cousinette' in Wisconsin.  We call each other 'cousinette' but really I guess we would be second cousins?  Anyway, she is dear to me, and I have learned an endearing lesson from a book she sent me.  It is called "Faithful and Devoted: To My Adelaide ~ A Quilted Love Story."   It is a quilting book, but also a great piece of history, as it chronicles a love affair and courtship between a civil war soldier, Charles,  and a young lady named Adelaide. 

I was soon transported in time back to 1861 and proper etiquette overpowered me.  I wanted to write with a 'fountain pen', a real caligraphy pen.  I couldn't get to an office supply store fast enough.  After securing  my writing instrument and ink, I tried to write like I always do, but talk about a mess!  It took 3 dips of the pen into the ink to get my name on paper, let alone a sentence!  It must have taken HOURS for one to pen a love letter during the civil war era!  Correspondence was truly a labor of love!  And today, sometimes e-mail, tweeting, texting, or FaceBook isn't fast enough for us!  Oh, where is the felicity in bringing back the love letters and everyday correspondence?  This soldier and his sweetheart even had to wait weeks and/or months to receive a response.... the agony!  To receive a two page handwritten piece of parchment in the mail would be so endearing and show a fondness from the sender to the recipient. 

This book goes on to chronicle the growing relationship between Charles and Adelaide, with photos of them and photos depicting the civil war.  I do not doubt that they would never had guessed that their love story would be the center of a quilting book 150 years in the future, but it is, and a great love story at that!

 

Such a treasured gift from my cousinette!  Life was so much slower then, but look at what we are missing!  I keep a journal, and even to write in that faithfully with a working ball point pen takes effort.  I can't imagine using a caligraphy pen, but I should try.  What a legacy of faith I would be leaving my posterity.  They don't even teach penmanship in schools anymore, but how beautiful the writing was even 50 years ago.  

In then end, Charlie and Adelaide were never married, as he died before the war was over.  Kind of reminds me of the Hallmark Movie "Love Letters".  If you haven't seen that movie, you should.  And then write a love letter with a caligraphy pen to a dear one ~ it may be in a book someday!

Regards from yours faithfully, 

Shanda

 

~Tis Everyday Life Snippets~

We are back from the beautiful mountains of Idaho, a wonderful quilting retreat weekend, and inspiration.  Now to use these gleaned experiences in our everyday life.  Sarah and I were blessed with wildlife and beautiful scenery, and I spent time down memory lane as this is where I grew up.  There is beauty that I had forgotten about in my childhood, both physical beauty and beautiful memories.  We happened upon some elk resting by the Salmon River and snapped their photo. 

The rest of the weekend we worked (played) at getting our projects done.  This is a quilt that I taught at the retreat - I so enjoyed all the ladies and their interactions!

My daughter literally camped out at the sewing machine hoping to get her diaper bag done, and she did!  Now I have to brag a bit - Sarah refuses to follow sewing pattern directions and has very little sewing experience.  All of a sudden, she has blossomed and made all sorts of things, but as her mother I am most impressed with her diaper bag - 8 ROWS OF RUFFLES ON THAT BABY!!!!!  She did GREAT!

And the side pocket was her invention - all the pockets were on the inside, but she had to add one on both the outer sided for keys and bottles.  Way to go, Sarah!

 A while ago, I finished my very own 'grandma' receiving blanket.  It is so old fashioned - I love it!  I cannot wait to hold little baby Emma in it.  I crocheted all the way around the edges and it is double thickness, so grandma and granddaughter can cuddle together in warmth and comfort. 

And lastly, our son, David!  He is off track right now from BYU-Idaho working in the Florida Keys until the end of August for the Boy Scouts of America doing everything from teaching Merit Badges on snorkeling, scuba diving, and sailing, to taking inventory in the kitchen and scout store.  Anyway, during last Winter Term, he attended the "Jane Austen Yule Ball".   You guessed it. This is an annual  '18th Century, wear period costume, know how to dance the dances, use your proper manners and do lots of curtsies' kind of affair at the college.  He came home one weekend and told me he had been asked, and I had a little less than 48 hours to make a costume.  He said "Mom, I know you can make me look good!"  Uugghhh!  What is a mother to do?  This is not something you can go rent from a tuxedo rental store.  So I pulled an all-nighter, sewed him up some period duds, and he made it to the dance.  I HAD to put something together.  I would rather be up all night sewing him a Mr. Darcy outfit than be up all night getting him out of jail.  It thrilled me to the fingertips that he even wanted to go.  I can sacrifice sleep for that!

And his date!  Oh, so perfect!  Both of them made the other look great.  This photo was taken in her apartment before they left for the dance and sent to us via cell phone.  I love technology at times like this!

This is all for now.  I have to admit, that while I was at the quilting retreat, I was inspired to pick up my cross stitch again and finish some projects.  I was inspired to work on being a better person, and I was impressed to enjoy nature a bit more.  Beauty is all around, especially in our everyday moments!  Be 'in the moment' with your loved ones!

Shanda

~Emma Grace is coming to our home!~

 
Yes, there is going to be a BABY in our home - Emma Grace, our first grandchild.  Our daughter Sarah is expecting, and while her first choice was to place the baby for adoption, the birth father will not relinquish his rights, which is his choice.  So Sarah will be a mother, and our first grandchild is on her way to us!  Some dear friends gave our daughter a shower last Saturday here at our home, and oh my, how beautiful!  We had a brunch of quiche, blueberry buckle, hashbrown casserole, fruit, and juices.  Here are a few photos:

A diaper cake:

Stephanie, Sarah, and Sandy:

A very sweet heirloom made by my cherished friend Pam:

Also a shower gift favorite- Sandy's crocheted baby booties!  

A little Bling:

And of course I had to make her  a 'tag quilt':

Emma will be here in about a month.  So much to do before then........ But this weekend Sarah and I are off to a quilting retreat in the middle of Idaho - will post about that next time.  I am truly a blessed individual and looking forward to being a 'grandma'!

Hold your families ever so close!

Shanda

~Tis a Season of Slowing Down~

Today it is snowing here in the Pacific Northwest - so much that I am relieved.  No reason to drive anywhere, no reason to expend any unnecessary energy, and certainly a day to be wearing my slippers all day long.  Dinner is in the crock pot, I have a fire to keep warm, and all is quiet out on the street that runs along the front of our home.  The snow is coming in sideways, piling high against the windows, and all is sacred.  However, because all is cozy within, I am blessed to spend my entire day in my sewing room.  I have my cup of herbal lemon tea, the wind is raging outside, and my Bernina is a humming.  Life is good.  Life has indeed slowed down.

Create your own sort of slowness this day and be glad in it!

~Shanda~