Wow, it's really been a while since I posted here.  No wonder why my friends gave up on me...:)

I've started a quilt journal which has a page for every quilt I've finished with its picture, dimensions, fabric info, stitch info, etc.  This got me thinking about all the quilts I've done that I've forgotten about or never took pictures of.  I'm proud to say at this moment I do not have an ancient unfinished quilt lurking about anywhere.  I am having to pull some quilts out to take pictures though.  Example one:

 

This is a quilt that I started on years ago when I didn't exactly know what I was doing. I loved Civil War era fabrics so I wanted a quilt that used reproduction fabrics. I don't care for the way I did the sashing but after it sitting in the closet for a year or two, I decided to finish it anyway! It's all uneven and wonky but I still love it!

 

 

 

 

I just got this one bound a few days ago after what seemed like the longest quilting process ever!  I used a meandering line pattern (by hand) and I started out way too small.  It took forever to finish.  I used a pink thread for most of it and a light green to quilt flowers in the muslin squares.

 

 

 

 

 

This one the girls from Sunday night coffee will recognize. I started this one a couple of years ago when we traveled to Oklahoma to see friends. This entire quilt was pieced and quilted by hand. It was originally intended to be for our bed but I changed my decor by the time I finally finished it (this year!) It was a lot of fun to make though. I cannot tell you how good it makes me feel to see my little boy wrapped up in this and know that I made it. 

 

 

I love seeing how much I have learned throughout the creative process and every day I feel just a little more free to turn loose and forget the rules.   There's no telling where that will lead me! 

Change of plans

We have a child with mild Asperger's.  "Mild" is a relative term of course.  Reese may not have as many issues as a child with more severe Asperger's but it is still a serious everyday challenge.  It has definitely changed how we do things, how we plan and who we spend time with.  We are having to learn to expect different reactions to things than what a "normal" kid might experience. 

A couple of weeks ago, we took Reese to the circus.  I've never been before so I was really excited to be sharing the experience with Reese.  A "normal" kid wouldn't want to miss a single second.  Reese, however, was done after the first half.  The high ceilings, the crowd, the noise, he just can't take it. I was able to convince him to stay until after the tigers and elephants but then we had to leave. 

Saturday, we had plans to go to the beach.  Reese got more agitated the closer it came to leaving time.  He finally said "Momma, I'm scared of all the crowds."  I had already been worried about driving an hour and a half just to have him say after 30 minutes that he wanted to go home.  We made a compromise and went to the beach club in cinco ranch.  That way we could come home at any time.  That is the life of an Asperger's child.

For almost 7 years, we had "swim Friday" during the summer.  Anyone and everyone was welcome to come at 10am on Friday to swim at our house.  I started to notice that Reese wanted to go in after about 20 minutes of swimming with everyone or even sooner if more families showed up.  The last year or so, he wouldn't even come out to swim at all.  Until we figured out he has Asperger's, that made absolutely no sense to me.  Recently, he's been able to articulate more of what he's thinking.  He finally was able to tell me that he liked swimming with one family but not more. 

It's definitely an adjustment, a rethinking of everyday events.  But man, I wouldn't trade him for anything!

Finished!

I finished a quilt today!  Good thing since there are about 4 waiting in line behind it.

I didn't use a pattern, just kind of eyeballed the shade changes so I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.  This was my first time to use batik prints and I really liked them. 

This was pieced by machine but hand quilted.  Hand quilting takes forever but I think it's so much nicer than machine quilting.

I'm trying to think of a good name for this one.  I always see all these clever names for quilts but names are not really my forte.  Any ideas?

Stand firm

Okay.  Let me start by saying this is the last new blog I will start.  Promise.  I was never able to find a blog name that really fit me....until now.  Anybody who knows me well knows I don't like shoes.  Ever really.  So it follows that no matter what I'm doing, I'm barefoot.  Taking down a wall, painting, gardening, building something, taking apart a pallet, swinging a pick axe, etc.  The only exception I make is mowing the yard.  I'm not really sure why that is.  Maybe it's my Dad's voice in the back of my head, saying "always wear shoes when you mow!"

Either that or my extreme attachment to my toes. 

And the fact that it's not unusual to come across a cottonmouth in our yard.

All that to say that at most times of the day you will find me barefoot.  And at most times of the day you will find me crafting.  Get it??  Barefoot and crafting??  Clever right?  Yeah, I thought so too......

I promise to have some clever things posted really soon.  As a good friend mentioned to me the other night - "Ummm, I used to follow this blog....."  Sorry.  I'll try harder.  It's just that blogging takes away from crafting time.  And creating is how I keep my sanity.  So you really want me to create.  Really.

I'll leave you with a little pallet project I completed a few days ago. 

This sits on the mantle above the fireplace so I wanted the quote to be really thought provoking.  In these days of political strife and questionable actions by our "leaders", I felt like this quote by Abraham Lincoln was extremely appropriate.  He really was one of the wisest men of all time.  Do you know what you stand for and why??