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Friday, May 6, 2022

Life is So Full

A week spent traveling and visiting family in Kansas City, as well as going to Gainesville to give a "What is Modern Quilting?" program to members of Gainesville MQG, has kept me out of the sewing room. In between times, and while riding in the car, I managed to make progress on a few things.

Car time was spent finishing up these 18 EPP X-blocks for my Prudence quilt. Now to lay out and arrange all the medallions and X's. 
 

This was the view out the car window while going through Kentucky, near Paducah. (No time to stop for the AQS show that was going on. 😞) All that yellow is blooming canola which we saw in numerous fields in that area. So pretty!

I had the chance to spend time with two of our four grandsons, attending soccer games, taekwondo, and a fifth grade school musical. Tay is 12 and plays soccer. 

Aesa is 11, just earned a blue belt in taekwondo, and was the production manager for the fifth grade performance of an original musical. 

On three occasions, I visited my 92 year-old Dad at his apartment - helped clean out a storage closet, and took him to buy new shoes - while spending time with our daughter, my sister, and a brief visit with my nephew at his store (Olathe Pet Shop). It was great seeing everyone!

As soon as I returned home, I prepared for my program and trunk show with members of Gainesville MQG. They may be a small chapter, but their interest in modern is huge! I was glad to be able to pull out and revisit modern quilts I made eight/nine/ten years ago.

Since the Gainesville meeting was in the evening, my friend Rosemary traveled with me. It was so nice to chat with her coming and going on the 80 minute (each way) car drive. Thanks Rosemary!

Being away prevented me from keeping up with the Alison Glass Stitch Club Kantha Sew Along, but I've made big steps toward catching up. Week two was to add hand-embroidered words/lettering, if desired. Well, "I desired," but spent way too long coming up with what I wanted to say! 

I finally arrived on Proverbs 15:13a: A glad heart makes a happy face. 

I'm paraphrasing it as: glad heart. happy face.

Using Alison's video tutorial, I hand-drew the letters onto the yellow linen part of the backing. As a template, I used a 1¾" steel ring from a set of Applipops, and drew around them with a fine Sewline pen.

Letters are stitched with a double strand of Wonderfil Eleganza, size 8, using a chain stitch. 

Once the lettering is complete, it's time to put together the front and back, and begin stitching. I'm looking forward to that! 

Thanks to a friend, Sherry, in South Florida MQG chapter, I learned about a new Bible that sounded worth owning. Since we don't have any Christian book stores in our area, when I was in Kansas City, I sought out a Christian store and was happy to find Mardel Christian Bookstore (owned by Hobby Lobby). There I found exactly what I was looking for - a large print, red letter (Jesus's words in red) Filament Bible in NLT (New Living Translation), and a new Bible cover.

 

What's special about a Filament Bible is that you can download, for free, the Filament app. When you open the app, take a picture of the tiny logo/page number at the top of each page.

Then, a whole bunch of information is at your fingertips! Just tap to study, reflect, or see/hear videos and worship music! I love it!


I'm really excited about using this Bible. I chose the NLT version because it's what's read at Lutheran Church of Hope (West Des Moines, Iowa). My previous Bible is NIV (New International Version). Oh! And while in Kansas City I worshipped, in-person, at Lutheran Church of Hope's satellite location in Shawnee. Loved that too!

We finally got our new golf cart! We ordered it November 15, and delivery was April 25, even later than anticipated. Turns out, our cart (as well of those of dozens and dozens of other customers like us) was assembled and only waiting for a turn signal handle! Yep, production of that small part, coming from China, prevented earlier delivery.  Just another incidence of supply chain problems since the pandemic. 

Hubs and I have shared one golf cart since moving here in 2013, so keeping the old golf cart (with 33,700+ miles on it!) means we each have a cart to use if we happen to be away at the same time. Yay!

Book Recommendation
I've been excited to share this book with you because it's one of the best books I've listened to in months! Definitely my best read, so far, in 2022. 

The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle is the debut title from this author who lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

The story is about Summer and Iris, identical twin sisters from Australia, who take a long sailing yacht trip together from Thailand to the Seychelles. During the voyage, Iris reflects on her relationship with Summer, the twin who seems to have it all - good fortune; a gorgeous, doting husband Adam; a young son from Adam's previous marriage - while Iris is trying to pull her life back together from a failed marriage to Noah. 

On the voyage, Summer goes missing, and after searching for her, Iris fumbles her way alone to the Seychelles, where she's swept up in Adam's arms and concerns. He thinks she's Summer. As Iris wrestles about "the right thing to do," she becomes more embroiled in her lies.

I can't get this book out of my mind, which to me, is a sign of a great story. I hope Rose Carlyle keeps writing!

Linda's score: 4.6/5.0

Linda

10 comments:

  1. Those boys sure aren't little any more! What fun to see them. It is nice to have someone ride with you when you have a long drive. Glad you were able to share your work with that guild. New golf cart is so cute. It needs some Linda aqua seat covers (just kidding). Glad you had a good time during your travels.

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  2. It was wonderful to have you at the GMQ meeting, and a pleasure for me to help hold up your beautiful quilts.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful visit, Linda, and congrats on the arrival of your new golf cart!!

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  4. It sounds like you had a wonderful time away! We grow a lot of canola in Australia! I love the look of your Prudence blocks.

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    1. Hello Anonymous! You've been so nice to comment on my latest blog posts, but I'm sorry to say I cannot reply to you in person (you don't have an email address associated with your Google profile), and only hope you might return to this post to read my reply to you. I DID have a great time away, and especially appreciate being able to see my Dad. Interesting about growing canola in Australia. I didn't know, and in fact, didn't know it was grown in Kentucky, until I did an online search. Thanks for liking my Prudence blocks. I'm very anxious to start laying out and joining the little medallions and crosses. This has been a big project!

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  5. You packed a lot of family fun into your recent trip, and the kids grow so fast. And back in time for your lecture. It's nice to get those quilts out and about. Canola- the first I've seen a photo of a field. Good progress on the Prudence blocks. They are looking great. Snappy golf cart! Glad it finally arrived WITH a turn signal.

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  6. Can't believe we were both in the KC area at the same time. In Olathe even! Have fun with your new cart. Looks like such a fun way to get around.

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  7. I had to look up Canola as in the photo it looked very similar to what in the UK is known as Rapeseed. I found an interesting explanation about the names and whether they are interchangeable here: https://rapeseedoilbenefits.com/faqs/difference-canola-rapeseed-oil/
    There are lots of fields full of bright yellow Rapeseed/Canola around here at the moment. I wonder if the edible oil will be a high price crop with the disruption to growing and supply of sunflower oil from Ukraine? More evidence of our reliance on global supply chains.
    I like to read the NLT too, although I find it's good to have another translation to hand especially for housegroup Bible studies.

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  8. It certainly does look like life is full--good for you! And I love the red golf cart!

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  9. Your stitching looks good! I decided not to join the sewalong - decided I had enough things going on. Can't wait to see what yours looks like!

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