~Sweet Remembrances~

 I know it has been quite some time since my last post, but due to the fact that I just want to rock my sweet little  granddaughter Emma, I am sure you all can not fault me.  This post includes some things I have been working on and projects I recently finished.  I hardly start anything new anymore as I have sooooooo many unfinished projects to complete, or better yet, projects that I have all the materials purchased and just need time to complete them.  I recently read that if you want to lower your stress level, you need to "follow things through to the end."  I took that to heart and am doing just that.  So here goes:


My mother recently visited from Illinois and she brought me this sweet cement planter that I am sure is old - it has a star imprinted on each side and I planted some thyme in it.  The other morning after a gentle spring rain, it particularly caught my eye.  

Emma and I were going to take a nap - and, well, grandma had to snap her sweet photo first.  She loves taking a snooze with me......  that is one project that gets finished in a heartbeat - naps with grandma!

 
But her big event was a couple of weeks ago - we had her blessed here at home and what a beauty she was.  I made her blessing gown and amazing enough, no spit ups and no blow outs!  She was the perfect mannered little lady showing great etiquette! There was only 18 yards of lace..... :-) And the rocking chair Emma is sitting in came from my mother in Illinois also as a gift to Emma.  It was not our family heirloom, but I do know the old friend it came from that it did belong to - it was his as a child and he was born in the early 1900's!

 After three hours of wearing the dress to church and then a blessing at home, she sure was glad to get that dress off!
 

 
I do find a smidgen of time to work on a few unfinished projects- this is the quilt top I taught this last spring for my civil war living history class at the local quilt store - Battle of Fredricksburg.....

 

 My take along project of counted cross-stitching - Miriam Dowd........

I found this quilt rack/shelf at the thrift store and stressed painted it in black....

 

And finished my Christmas 1830 pattern from NotForgotten Farms.

Time flies quickly and there has never been any sentiment that I know of that says we should spend more time away from family.  Both of our children will be spending the summer with us before resuming college and other responsibilities later on this fall.    This may be the last time I get to have everyone home for the summer, so I am going to make everyday moments count.  I am going to say 'I Love You' more often, use paper plates to the fullest, and try not to stress out if the bathrooms don't get cleaned every Tuesday morning.  We have several family outings planned, picnics to go on, and parades to watch.  There are night skies to enjoy from the porch, fireworks to watch, and Emma's smiles and other milestones to photograph.  These things don't come every day, but you can bet that the dirty bathroom will still be there Wednesday morning.  Take the summer to enjoy the little moments!

Blessings to you and yours,

Shanda