Putting Something Back Together Again

Our picnic blanket is a quilt that I gave my grandmother for Christmas a long time ago.  Thirteen years ago, it came back to me.  It had been a department store purchase, nothing extra special on the shelf.  Just something sweet I thought she might enjoy.  But it did become very special.

Not made particularly well, it had started coming apart at the seams.  A small gap here, a small gap there.  And those grew.  And more holes appeared.  By the time I brought it from the car to the house to do "something" with it (no idea what that would end up being), it was in terrible shape.

On a warm summer night, while everyone slept, I sat down with this old quilt.  And I just started mending.  No plan.  Just a needle, thread, scissors, and pins.  I started with one small, easy hole.  And then I sewed the other open seams on that star.  I touched the fabric and noticed the colors and prints.  I found the next easiest star.  And I sewed it back together, one seam at a time.  I got to know the construction of the blanket.  I sewed until I felt tired, and I went to bed.

And over time, this blanket started to come back together.  

By the end, I was left with two stars right in the center that were in shreds.  And I thought, "There is no way I can mend something like this."  But, I started anyway.  What did I really have to lose?  I sewed up one seam.  And then one more.  And then one more.  And I stopped thinking about what I couldn't mend.  I just thought about the stitch I was making.

This blanket is whole again.  And, to my mind, it is more beautiful than it was before.

Project-Based Homeschooling

I did something really cool this summer.
It was, in fact,  so cool that I still haven't figured out how to write about it in one measly post.
So -- I give up.  (And I'm okay with that.  I believe there's strength in knowing when to say when!)
I'll just start with this.

I took the Project-Based Homeschooling Master Class.
It was fantastic.
Fan-tastic.
I can't recommend it highly enough.
The class was superb -- the material, the format, the facilitation and the support.
Really -- you should do it.
It's easy to say to ourselves, "Not right now. I'm just too busy."
But this -- this -- gave me focus where I had been wanting it.
Support where I *needed* it.
And, the support is ongoing.
It's sort of a no-brainer, actually.

It isn't just for homeschooling families.
It isn't even just for "kids."

Check out the blog.  Participate in the forum.  Buy the book.  Jump in -- you'll be so happy you did!

sewing, women in history

a clay charm business

nurturing a home that can nurture us

Creative Placement of Creativity

I have a little basket near the table --
just a little basket with a needlebook, embroidery floss, scissors and a project.
How my kids eat meals: giggle, giggle, take a bite, giggle, tell a story, 
     (fall out of a chair), giggle, take a bite, ...
So, I eat.  And then stitch and giggle and relax.

Give & Take

Today Linus and I made our first superhero.  He picked Batman.  He's a little disappointed it isn't made out of plastic, but I told him I do not want to have a factory in order to make a plastic one; we will use what we have.  He said it's "mostly great."  I will take that.