Burgundy Quilted Squares and Pink Rose

Quilting is a rather emotional hobby for me. Primarily because I am a 3rd Generation Quilter, having learned most of  my skills by sitting alongside my mother and grandmother. Each quilt holds a story that is quickly brought to remembrance when snuggled beneath its heavy weight and warmth. 

I pieced this burgundy and pink quilt together with my mother. We selected the fabrics from each of our respective stashes of pink calicoes, plaids and solids.  We meticulously arranged the rows trying to evenly distribute the dark and light pieces. And of course, I finished the edges with Herringbone embroidery stitch.

The rose below is from the petite bush in my front yard. This rose is a symbol of the buds that have yet to open as I took this photo last year. I hope you enjoys today's snapshots. Wendi

Hallelujah Sunday No. 3

Psalm 121 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains where does my help come from?
My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 

This weekend I ventured out for my first official outing of Summer 2011 with a quick trip to the mountains for a rainy adventure with fresh Rocky Mountain air,  one very cold evening, a slightly deflated air mattress and plenty of smoke in the eyes. All of this equates to one very happy camping trip with family.

As I was packing for the trip, right before I walked out of the house on Friday, I grabbed a white enamelware coffee pot and a little hand quilted wall hanging in hopes of showcasing these items with a bit of mountain flare. I hope you enjoy the photos and that you are feeling the help of the Lord wherever you are today. Happy Hallelujah Sunday! Wendi

Psalm 121 (New International Version)

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
   where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip—
   he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you—
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm—
   he will watch over your life;
⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going
   both now and forevermore. 

Special Notes on Post: The book you see in the photo is The Postmistress by Sarah Blake which I have yet to begin reading but is on my list. The small wall hanging is one my mother made years ago.  

Cheery Pink Vintage Kitchen Linens

One thing that I appreciate about collecting vintage linens is how the items have survived over time and how they have traveled through the lives of many individuals. There’s no way to capture the stories woven in the threads of each piece but I like to image what those stories could be. For example, who was the woman that first owned these towels? How is it that they were so carefully preserved? Did she embroider them herself? Did she store them in a hope chest because they were too beautiful to use? 

I purposely use my vintage linens for everyday chores as well as special functions. Pink embroidered tea towels bring such charm to any task whether I am working in the kitchen by myself or I am hosting a holiday gathering.

Lay up lovely linens for yourself and you will always have pretty tools to keep a smile on your face while you’re drying the dishes!

The Door to The Little Room

In my grandmother's home there was a "Little Room". And to the this "Little Room" there was a door. I treasure this door, this pink door with a window on top and a cold knob. 

Springtime at Grandma's house meant mud pies and apple blossoms. Dressing up in skirts and blouses that were far too big for our girlish frames. Purses and scarves hung from our shoulders and necks. Ruth was my grandmother's name.

Hallelujah Sunday Two

Hallelujah Sunday is about highlighting a scripture from the Bible that brings comfort and encouragement. I love the WORD of GOD and it is a foundation of hope in my life. My prayer is that your soul finds delight in all the good that surrounds you...

Psalms 107:9 (Amplified) 

For He satisfies the longing soul 

       and fills the hungry soul with good. 

Psalms 130:5 

 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
         And in His word I do hope.

Friday Quilts and Kettles

As a new blogger, I am discovering that Fridays are quite special days in Blog Land. Many bloggers take Friday as the day to showcase particularly Pretty Things. I'm happy to join in the fun, so I hope you enjoy scrolling through a few photos of some of my special treasures.




















The small pink tea kettle is my most favorite piece from my enamelware collections. I'm not an expert when it comes to vintage collectibles but pink pieces seem to be less assessable. I combined this kettle with a mini quilt that I made several years back which I display around Easter. I made three similar quilts, one for me, one for my mother and one to give away in my annual Easter Basket Exchange. That year my BFF pulled my basket and now she has her very own Pink and Green Egg Quilt.

This piece was photographed by the very large tree in my front yard. Notice the deep and ridged grooves in the bark of the tree. Most of these fabric fat-quarters are from earlier lines by Amy Butler.

The wooden highchair was my mother's when she was a child, she refinished it in time for her first grandchild. My mother pieced and quilted the nine patch crib blanket also using Aunt Grace fabrics. I, of course, added the embroidery around the binding. Lastly, the Peter Rabbit flour sak is a real FAVORITE. The backside of the sak is the back side of Peter. I believe it was intended to craft a Peter Rabbit "doll" once the flour was used up.

Happy Friday to all of you, I wish a rejuvenating weekend! Wendi

Find Me Linked up with  
Show and Tell Friday on My Romantic Home 

Photo Feature Friday on A Rosy Note 

Vintage Inspirations Friday on Common Ground

My Uncle's Farm

My uncle has raised cattle on his farm for as long as I can remember. His children participated in 4H activities as now do his grandchildren. Today I visited his farm just like I used to as a young girl. I went hoping to capture some photos of his spring calves and I came home with so much more.

 

Growing up, my sister and I would visit our father's brother's farm and find delight in feeding the cows by hand, dropping round biscuits into their sloppy mouths and giggling when our fingers encountered their prickly tongues. 

As we stood in front of the corral this afternoon, my uncle told me stories of each of the heifers and he showed me which calf belonged to each of the hungry mothers. Then came the bucket of "cookies" and again the prickly tongues...

There were so many sights to capture and the photos I am posting are just a few from the afternoon with my uncle. I'll save a few of the calves for another post. 

Who do you need to stop and take the time to visit? I enjoyed the afternoon more than I can express, I hope the photos say it for me. Wendi

Hallelujah Sunday - Lilacs

Lilacs, Lilacs, Lilacs...

No matter how you arrange them, the beauty of the ensemble of these tiny flowers captivates us and transports us to memories of our childhood, our loved ones, and of summers past. Yet,  lilacs also help us cherish the beauty of the moment at hand. We pause and breathe in the scent of purple and white. What a great excuse to whisper Hallelujah!

Psalm 89:1 (New King James)

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever;
         With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations.

Have a Happy Hallelujah Sunday!

Three Tiers for Chrysanthemums

How many times have you read Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery? 

Did you know that first book of this series was published in 1908? I didn’t until today. Talk about vintage….

 

I have copies of the books but mainly I “swoon” over the films produced and directed by Kevin Sullivan starring Megan Follows. I have spent countless afternoons lost in story of Anne Shirley who comes to live with two aging siblings, Matthew and Marilla on Prince Edward Island.

The photos in this post remind me of the scene where Anne is asked to spell c·h·r·y·s·a·n·t·h·e·m·u·m. 

This white flower is both delicate and hardy. As for the three tiered iridescent plate stand --not so hardy.  Sadly it broke a few months ago, but it featured my Christmas cookies at the annual cookie exchange for many years and brought me great joy while I had it. I saved the hardware and plan to create a new tier in the future using vintage non-matching plates.

This summer I am committing to read the entire collection of Anne of Green Gables books currently sitting on a bookshelf at home. I’ll have to bake up some lemon cookies to enjoy while reading.  

Do you have a favorite scene from this popular story?

Bunny Quilter - At Long Last Complete

This weekend I FINISHED, actually finished a project that I started over 10 years ago. I have titled this wall hanging, Bunny Quilter. 

In the late 90's, I took a class with my mother and sister to learn how to do REDWORK embroidery. The concept is to embroider in a single colored thread, typically red thread.

Well, my favorite color is pink, so I stitched the rabbit silhouettes in a dark pink. Then I pieced together the stars and designed a unique border with mitered corners. The unfinished quilt top is featured in some photos you've already seen from the 2009 photo shoot. 

Last fall, I took the quilt top to a local quilt store to have it machine quilted on a long arm. I personally prefer to do the handwork and will rarely quilt my own projects. I attached the binding this weekend and finished it off with my classic border embroidery Herringbone stitch. 

Finishing this project on Mother's Day means a great deal to me. See, my Mother went home to Glory in 2003, I remember embroidering some of the rabbits while she was still here with me. I think she would have been so pleased to see the finished quilt.

I hope you get a kick out of my Bunny Quilter!

Collection of Glistening Pinks

We all have a few collections, right? I've offered you a glimpse of some of the items that I've uncovered and brought home to line up on shelves, fill cupboards and stack in closets. In this first month of blogging, you've seen some of my enamelware, some fabric, some glass and more.  

What I'd really like to know is what items do you cherish? Are they vintage?  Do you prefer something new? Do you construct something amazing out of thread or beads or candy wrappers? I'd love to know what you are always on the hunt for.

Have a wonderful weekend! Wendi

For fun, I linked up with a new friend.. stop by her place.
Mel Dreams Often

Cups and Treasures

What is it that fills your cup? 

Each day is a new opportunity to have our "cups" (our souls) filled to overflowing with good things. Furthermore, today is a prime occasion to pour out good things into the "cups" of others. 

Our words are tiny morsels that can be used to stir up love, joy, strength and compassion.  Pleasant words have the potential to act as little treasures which continue to bring us hope long after they are spoken.  

Are your words uplifting, encouraging? 

How about the words that others are speaking into your life? Perhaps we can judge the quality of words by the fruit that springs forth once those words take root within our souls. 

When I need a little boost, I find a favorite verse from the Bible and speak it aloud, which in turn, fills my cup with living power that promises to edify and lift me up. “The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in the furnace of the earth, Purified seven times”. (Psalms 12:6 NKJ)

Take the time to speak kind words into the “cup” of someone you care about. You never know, it may be the treasure they are looking for. 

May your day and your CUPS be filled with good things!

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”  (Proverbs 16: 24 NIV)

May Day's Pink Lids and A Beautiful Hymn

Today's SoulDelights include vintage glass canisters with pink lids. I spray painted each lid which is a little decorating trick I picked up from a Martha Stewart magazine a few years back. Now the canisters fit into my pink vintage themed kitchen. I change out the contents from time to time to showcase a variety of items such as crocheted doilies, cookies cutters, crisp linens, etc. 

Below each photo is a verse from a hymn that we sang today at church; How Great Thou Art. The individual verses are beautiful arrangements of words that translate into soul awakening expressions of worship and adoration for the Lord. I hope you take the time to read over the words, as if for the very first time.

Happy May Day! Wendi

HOW GREAT THOU ART!
Author: Carl Bobert
Date Written: 1886

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art 

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.