Paper Roses

My Grandma.....

It's been 2 months today. Two long months.  Two months since I got that phone call at 11:20 pm. Two months when the world crumbled down. Two months when Mark and I rushed to the hospital holding out hope.  Two months when my aunt told me that Grandma had passed and I collapsed in her arms.

It was two months ago that I lost my dear sweet Grandma. 

 

*This layout is featured in the new "The Big Book of Scrapbook Pages" from Memory Makers.

The journaling says: My Grandma Barnes has been a huge part of my life. She has supported me, loved me, been super kind to me....Everything that her own daughter couldn't do for me and for that I'm thankful. I love you"

I grew up without a mother.  But Grandma stepped up and did all that she could for me.  She and I have always been close and I always looked to her for guidance throughout my life.  She was there for me when I was growing up and flying me down to California so many summers to spend it with her and grandpa, she drove all the way to Idaho by herself to see me graduate from high school, she was there while I vented about issues, she was there to support me as I lived with her and got my bacholer's degree from Cal State,  she was there in the front row watching me marry the love of my life, she was even there in the room watching my first son being born.  She will always be Grandma, but she was more than that..... she was a mom to me.  And I will never ever forget everything she has done for me.

As I sit here thinking of everything of her, I tear up.  I so miss her so much.  I can't even erase the messages  on the answering machine, because I still want to hear her voice.  It's been two long months without being able to call her and see what's she's doing and invite her over for dinner.  I hate that.  As much as I know she's in heaven with my grandpa, I want her with me still.  It may be selfish....but I don't care.  :(

I was going through some boxes the other day and found a couple of notes she wrote me.  On one note I wrote to her"Grandma, To be made for you very soon! (smile face) love, Chrys" *dated 12-25-09...and on the bottom she wrote "Chrys-I'm so proud of you! Your quilting is getting so good- Love you very much, Grandma" *dated 6-9-10

This is the quilt I made her....which now is back here in my house.
 

Over the years Grandma's parkinson's has gotten worse and you can see in her writing she was struggling.  My last years birthday she wrote in my card "Dear Chrys, Thanks for the invitation. You are so special. I know I hardly ever tell you. I'm so proud of you and the way you turned out. I love you very much. Happy birthday. Grandma"  I will forever hold these notes, among others dear to my heart.  I've never felt so much love than from my grandma. 

As much as I will miss her I know she will still be here with me in spirit.  And she's already come to visit me at least twice that I know of.

The first time was when I brought home one of her cats Buster. Buster is Vader and Jasmine's older brother, though he's orange marmalade not black.  He has been getting wet food all his life, and were Mark and I dont' feed our cats wet food, I thought we should at least still give it to Buster. His world already changed so much, let's keep this one thing the same.  Well I don't know what type of cans Grandma bought. For a few days I kept hearing "Friskies" over and over.  I finally called my aunt to see if she knew what type and low and behold, it was indeed Friskies.  Grandma was telling me the whole time. :)

The second time was on my birthday (May 30th).  I had a BBQ at the house with some family and friends to celebrate the Memorial day and my birthday.  Mark was running out to get ice and the boys were upstairs playing.  I was sitting at the kitchen table looking at my iphone and all the facebook birthday wishes I was getting. When all of a sudden I heard as plain as day "Happy Birthday Chrys".  What??!!!!!  I turned to my right and just tears rushed down my face. I knew she was there wishing me a happy birthday.  It meant so much to me. 

I hope for the rest of my life here on earth that Grandma will come and visit me.  To be there so I can talk to her, to watch my boys grow up to be fine young men and to one day greet me at the gates of heaven. 

 

2010-2011 Round Robins!!!!

Yay!!!!!!!!!! It's like an early Christmas for me!  I have 2 of my quilts back!  These were done locally with my tuesday night group and my quilt guild.  I'm building up a stash of tops ready to start passing them to my Aunt Kathy to quilt for me. :)

I'm so excited to show you all what they now look like.

If you remember this block....

 
This block has many 1 inch squares....and the needle turn applique flowers and yo-yos on it.  Well this went to the ladies in the quilt guild.  Each round was a different challenge to do. From triangles, to squares, to 3-D.... Oh, seeing all of them grow was amazing!  Although I couldn't see mine until it was completed.  lol.  *that's why I do round robins online as well...so I can see the progress of my quilt*

Anyways....drum roll please.....

 
Isn't it beautiful???!!!!  Oh, man, this is going to be lovely on my quilt ladder during the spring months!

So, now for the other round robin (the Tuesday night group).  I didn't take a picture of my center block.  It's just a simple snowball block.  I asked the group to keep the color tones to black, green and red and of course snowmen.  And this is what they did with my center....

 

:)  Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Another Christmas quilt!  I think this one will be put on the dining room table during the holidays! :)

 
Here's the ladies in our Tuesday Night group....what a great group of ladies! :)

 

Another Lizzy's quilt

I think I posted this little quilt back in Jan. or Feb.  So I really loved how quickly it came together, so I made a red white and blue one for James' teacher. 

 
This is named "Lizzy's Valentine"

And here is "Lizzy's America"

 
James' teacher loved it! :) Yay!  :)  I'm so pleased with it, that I need to make one for me and *maybe* a few others for some other *peoples*. ;)

I sure can not get enough of Jo's fabrics!  Have you seen her new line "Carolina"?  Holey Makeral!  LOVE it!!!!  :) :)

Little Henrietta

Good morning!  It's already dipping into the end of June.  I'm sorry I've been away from my blog for so long....Life is still working itself out and I'm finding since my Grandma passed, I just haven't yet found my groove.

I'm laying out the plans to get this blog back up to par and show you all the fun projects I've been working on for months.  From cross stitch, paper crafting and quilting, there are lots to share with you. 

The summer is upon us and the boys are enjoying their swim lessons so far.  Last week was the last game for James and his baseball team.  They finished second in the TOC's (Tournament of champions).  Very proud of him and what he's accomplished his first year of baseball.  Both of the boys will be playing next year.  As for the fall and soccer, both boys decided they don't want to play.  I'm ok with that as I need a bit of a sport break myself, before basketball and baseball start back up in the winter months.

I do have 2 blocks to share with you today from the Henrietta Whiskers BOM from Bunny Hill Designs.  I'm so loving these blocks!!!

 

 

And here is so far the first 6 months sewn together....

 
Look at that!  Two of my favorite things combined....Wool and Civil War fabrics. :) :)

CupCards {to go} June kit

Oh my gosh!  It's already June!  We are have way through 2011 already!  Crazy I know!!!!  Did you all have a chance to go to CupCards {to go} and order the June kit????  Well if not, hurry on over there to order your little box of goodies! 

Here are the cards I designed with the June kit called Virginia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's bittersweet, but I need to let you know that this will be my last kit I'll be working with for CupCards {to go}.  I've been with Sonda from the very beginning when we were in a hotel room working at an expo years ago and we were chatting about what she could do for a card kit. I'm so proud of what she has done with her company and wish her continued success with it.  I just need to take a break now as other things in my life have come forward.