My Featherweight Case

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.

~ Bernard Meltzer

A few years back, I went through a rather nasty divorce, as so many of us do. It always seems to leave us cracked and bruised. It was during this time I lost my Featherweight. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be to give it up to him, it really wasn't and I hope having it has made him happy.

A friend of mine had one in her closet and she had never used it. I was able to purchase it from her. The case had a slightly musty smell I could not get rid of no matter what I tried, and believe me, I tried every thing. My dear friend, Penny offered to help me pull all the black paper from the case. My idea was to get rid of the paper, seal the wood underneath and paint the case and apply stickers. Penny took it home with her to finish with the paper as I have asthma and I had started to wheeze. She took the first two pictures in her kitchen.

Penny is a wood worker extraordinaire! She stripped the glue, applied beautiful trim, stained and worked her magic until I had something better than anyone could have ever imagined.....and it didn't stop there.
Note the little inlaid maching in the bottom right hand corner of the back of the case. All the wood, with the exception of the inlays are original to the case and was buried under the black paper.
I took this picture for you tonight and it does not do justice at all. There is now a little brass nameplate with my name on it on the outside of the front. Penny made me a precious gem that I will treasure all the days of my life. I have to admit, this machine runs better than my old one, it looks better. And now, it has an incredible new home that was made especially for me. Thank you, Penny!

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase.
~Martin Luther King

I needed something small to take on a little trip and since I joined a sock of the month club, I figured maybe that was small enough. I only have until the 30th to get a picture of two socks posted....I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....
Do you have any clue what kind of plant this is? When I went to visit my parents last July, my Mother had this plant growing and blooming beautifully. I brought two leaves home and this is the one that took off. She didn't know the name of it, but I know one of you will. It has purple blossoms that look very much like a gloxinia, I have just never seen one with leaves this long.

Sunday Moments

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

~Nelson Mandela

Congratulations to the Arizona Cardinals, the new NFC Conference Champions!

Jo Jo over at Home Sweet Home is having a 100th post give away. The rules are simple, just tell her what 3 crafty things you cannot live without. This was an easy one for me. My thimble will always come in #1. What hand quilter could live without the one she has bonded with?

My Featherweight is a definite #2. I will tell you the story of this precious machine another time.

You might not believe this, but I tend to fall on the forgetful side. It is probably a little stress induced. I used to lay my thimble down, Heaven only knew where, only to find it had grown legs and moved to a location only it knew. A friend took pity on me many years ago and gifted me with this incredible thimble cage. I wear it every day, always. You would be surprised how many conversations it starts. I would not be without it.

Wintry Thoughts

Whose woods these are I think I know,

His house is in the village though.

He will not see me stopping here,

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

~ Robert Frost

I doubt you keep up with national weather to the extent that you know we here in South Dakota are in the midst of a blizzard. I thought I would share with you what we South Dakotans do for fun.....yes...that is a yard sale sign ( my Mother will be so jealous...) and please note, the beautiful colors that will stand out in any blizzard. This is where you are thinking to yourself that those people must be a hardy breed...(okay...I heard that about fools). That poem by Robert Frost is my favorite.

Sunday Moments

There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
— Jane Austen

"GO EAGLES!"

And Bruce said it wouldn't happen. My Eagles are on their way to the NFC Championship game next week.... Bunny Hill Designs is offering this free BOM. They have done theirs in cotton, I may do one in cotton and another in wool. This is the block cut out and ready to be stitched done in some hand dyed wool scraps I had in my stash. I intend to have it standing by for the next time I have to take a trip.

I hope your Sunday was as delightful as mine was.

Giveaway Alert

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.

Sir Winston Churchill

Cindy, over at My Romantic Home, has a beautiful floral teapot or Victoria Blue & White In Your Home book she will be giving away this weekend. Definitely worth stopping over and leaving a comment for her. Good Luck to you! Check out the rest of her blog while you are there. If you are not already familiar with it, you may be adding it to your list of favorites.

Sunday Moments

Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.

~ Albert Camus

GO EAGLES!!!

Good game today against the Vikings......next week....the Giants. I wonder who my Eagles will play in the Superbowl?

Her couch, her domain...move the quilt and do NOT take her picture, Human.... Meet my daughter's cat, Gizmo.
This is a first time event for me, I have never used a PVC frame before. I prefer wooden hoops for lap quilting. I thought a square frame might be the way to go. The jury is still out. What do you use?
And now for some sexy legs. I never had the opportunity to measure him for these socks, since they were a surprise. I figured bigger is always better, right? He is a very good sport and claims to love them.

Happy New Year

Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That is why they call it the present.

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt was a woman before her time, an incredible inspiration. She is one of the people alive or dead that I would love to have lunch with, I consider her among my heroes. Happy New Year, Everybody!

The quilt top for my Brother-In-Law is together and ready for quilting. I am hoping he likes it as much as I do. I am thrilled to be getting one of his paintings.
These bowls are one of my latest thrift finds. They are Williams-Sonoma but they do not list the name of the pattern on the bottom. Maybe they didn't produce any pieces other than the bowls.
And today, one of my rosemary plants has blessed me with a blossom. Harbinger of the coming year? I hope so. I read a story years ago that Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus had been on the road for a very long time, running from those that would do them harm. They stopped beside a stream to rest and Mary washed their clothes and hung them over the bushes to dry. The bush she laid her blue robe on was a rosemary shrub. God blessed the plant with blue blossoms the shade of her robe.