Home Dec

 

I like to rotate the quilts that live on the back of my couch. As the weather gets warmer and flowers bloom, I have opted to bring out the Tutti Fruity quilt and some colorful pillows I got at Spoonflower.

But this little pillow on the red chair didn't really work, so I decided to make another cover for it.

I made this pillow from fabric I have had for a very long time, but I think it's a perfect accompaniment.

But, you know me. Gotta go the extra mile...

I figured as long as I was at it I would make some coordinating pillows for other couch quilts!!!

The Family Gallery

 

I've been all sixes and sevens lately. No real surprise. I'm dealing with grief, and I just have to admit it. 

I'm having a hard time getting into the studio, and working on the second bird quilt doesn't really thrill me at the moment, so I may set it aside for a bit and do something to get my creative juices flowing.

ANYWAY...

I removed everything from the top of the bureau in that corner of the living room.  I cleaned the wall, and the top of the bureau. I cleaned and dusted every picture, photograph and anything I would put back on display.

I rewired the big drawing of The Fontaine Sisters.

It really should be moved over an inch or two to the right, but that's a pretty easy fix. The diamond shaped frame on the right with the four portraits needs to shift too. Again, an easy fix.

I should move everything on the left of the drawing up a bit higher too. I can do that a bit later, when I'm not so much full of emotion.

So this is the finished arrangement (minus the fine tuning I have yet to do.)

This is the same picture as at the top of this post. As you can see I found a frame for the photograph of my Dad and I. It's over on the right. In the back left is my college graduation photo. There's a picture of my son and I when he was about 8. There's a picture of me with my grandparents at my first communion on the right. Gizzy and Jasmine are there, and Millie's card tucked into the frame of the drawing is no accident.

There are some small objects on display too. One is a tiny rocking chair one of my coworkers gave me when I announced I was going to become a grandmother. There is a small brass bell that I hung in the Christmas tree to try to deter Millie from climbing in it the first year I had her. It did not deter her in the least. I remember hearing the bell tinkle at all hours of the day, and smiling to myself. There is also a small ingot of 10 troy ounces of sterling silver. It has a serial number on it, which means I can actually turn it in for money if I ever choose to. It's more fun as an object. I think it was given to my son, but it lives in my house. Oh well.

I visited The Framer's Market this morning and dropped off some things I wanted framed (you'll see them later), and I also left the postcard my dad sent me. 

I decided framing it would be the best way to preserve and honor it. I'm happy with what we chose, and it isn't at all what I thought I might do when I brought it in, but the guys at the shop were terrific. I can't wait to see it all finished. I don't know where it will go yet, but I'm not worried. 

I also saw this painting by a local artist, so I bought it. I put it in my bedroom, so I can see it every day and smile.

Right now I need all the smiles and hugs I can get, so please bear with me while I flounder around getting back to "normal."

There is some really good news and something wonderful to look forward to! My friend Julie will be visiting me in June. We are going to visit a couple of quilt shops, we will go to the Seacoast, and we will look at barns. We will also do some sewing. We may collaborate on a quilt or two. We will talk. It will be great.

Before and After

For the last few days this has been the view into the dining room. Notice the empty walls.  I had taken the quilts down to bring to the Concord Piecemaker's Guild for my talk.

They were a great bunch of ladies and I hope we all had a good time. I talked a bit too much (sorry) and as a result the guild's show and tell did not take place. (Really sorry about that, I'dve waited, with pleasure, to see what everyone was making.)

It was an hour's drive home, but at 9:45 at night, the roads are blissfully empty. I set the cruise control and the GPS and stayed in the slow lane for the calming drive home.

At home I was too jumpy to go to bed right away, so I put my quilts back on the walls where they belong.

Yeah, that's better!

The Best Thing

The best thing about coming back from a trip away is sleeping in your own bed.

No Place Like Home

There's no place like home, especially when it's filled with pictures of those you love.