Thursday, January 5, 2012

Scrap Therapy : :

First, today I need to say thank you! I am so overwhelmed by the comments and emails I continue to receive still today. Every word you've left me as a comment or in the amazing emails you took the time to write me, are so helpful and encouraging that I was brought to tears several times throughout the day. I really don't know how to begin to explain how much what I shared yesterday has changed me or how to begin to respond. But I plan to! It just might take a little while. In the meantime, please know that I am so touched by your kindness, your own bravery to share, and your willingness to pray for me more than I could ever say! Thank you so very, very much. Thank you!

thank you

Several weeks ago I dreamed of making a pillow just for me. The plan was to use the pretties below, which are some of my very favorite fabrics. I love all the colors and how they make me feel. I had fallen in love with this Starburst Floor Pillow design, so the plan was set. I began cutting and piecing, without paying much attention, and once finished I realized I had cut all my pieces exactly the same. Big. Huge. Mistake. Oops! I tossed the pieces into my fabric basket and quickly they became buried.

pretty

Then yesterday, I decided this is just the thing I need -- getting to use up my scraps, while creating something fun, improv, and just for me! Well, that sounds just like the therapy I need right now. And, scraps? Oh, I've got em'!!!

The organized scraps...

My little jars of scraps

Those jars didn't work for long! My scraps quickly advanced to a new level -- meet my basket o' scraps...

my HUGE scrap basket

It's huge, messy, over-flowing, and ever-growing. And rooting through it just so happens to be my kids favorite thing to do lately. I did a little rooting of my own, which I have to admit is pretty fun.

A colorless solid, how did that get in here? :)

A colorless solid! How'd that get in here?? :)

And, I dug out my scrappy mistakes and started making quite the scrappy mess!

scrappy mess

I realize I messed up yet again on the center star piecing just now as I uploaded my photos. But I've decided that's alright. I'm going to just keep going with hopes that my imperfect, super scrappy quilt ends up being just perfect for me!

scrappy

And again, THANK YOU!!!

19 comments:

  1. I think your imperfect project looks beautiful!

    Enjoy your day!
    Jenn

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  2. I love it, Maureen! Those are some of my very favorite prints to. AMH is a genius! I was very touched by your post from yesterday. I appreciate your willingness to add a bit of personal information to your blog, and feel that I know you a little better. I will be checking back, as I do anyway, but now with a prayful attitude. Can't wait to see this pillow all finished!

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  3. Maureen, your positive, upbeat approach to dealing w/ your situation is just amazing. You are to be commended on turning to your creativity to keep yourself on course. I'm sure you will come through this -- keep clipping and stitching away at your health problems and your work and I just know things will keep improving. I'm pulling for you. BTW, your photos are great - I love the one at the end of the 4 Jan post - the shelves filled w/ gorgeous fabrics is a beautiful image. I also like the jars of scraps.

    I will keep thinking of you and sending positive thoughts your way.

    Mary

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  4. Looks great, keep going!!!

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  5. I have a tub of scraps that I keep saying will eventually be a postage stamp quilt made on my antique foot petal powered sewing machine. Somehow I keep tricking myself I'l have more free time in the future, lol!

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  6. Gosh lass what a crock of bad luck for your health but I applaud your positive spin on what you do have going for you.
    I dare say there will be odd days when you could scream and rant but I reckon that will be understandable lol
    With bairns, hubby and cat in your corner...youve much to be positive about and I wish you every success with keeping as well as you can be.
    Good luck and thanks for such an interesting blog.........:)

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  7. What block pattern is that? :) I absolutely love your scraps. Your scrap bin LOOKS very different than mine! You have a lot of awesome designer fabrics.

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  8. Oooh what fun! All the colors and prints are so cheerful. I believe everything happens for a reason, even messing up a craft project! Who knows what lessons and truths you will learn from this project!

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  9. Oh my gosh, that's the most gorgeous, gorgeous beginning! As in I want to drop everything and make that star!!!

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  10. Maureen the block is so perfect!! Gorgeous fabrics, I would like to dive in that scrap basket too ;)

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  11. I just got a chance to read your post, seems all my problems started when I hit 30 too. I am on a yeast free diet and told I have long term lyme, so I understand how you feel. From what I was reading, I am wondering if cats claw might help you too. I have been taking it for a few weeks now and it is keeping me off the cillins. My husband has skin lesions and cancerous cells and since he started taking it, his skin has cleared up. I have also read that it helps with boosting the cells when taking chemotherapy, so something you might want to see, if you can take. The brand I am taking now, that is stronger, is Samento. Just found this link with pdf files you can read if you want to take a look.

    http://www.samento.com.ec/sciencelib/sammain.html

    I will be praying for you and ask God for his healing grace.

    Debbie

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  12. Realized that I had the wrong brand, not sure about the one I listed, but it does have some good pdf files on various problems and the use of cats claw. I use saventaro standardized which is stronger.

    Debbie

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  13. Scrappy quilts are the best! I am currently working on one for my hubby - it was supposed to be a xmas gift but that didn't really work out. It's all hand stitched too, which is great therapy and meditation.

    I wish my scrap bins stayed organized. No matter how many times I organize them, they just get messy over and over. I guess that is the nature of scraps :)

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  14. SO joining! I think separating scraps into colors is such a great idea. Mine end up getting tossed in a big basket like yours...

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  15. God bless you! I will pray for you. I have a daughter near the same age as you. I'll tell her to put you on her prayer list as well.

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  16. I just finished a scrap project and a scrap attack quilt looks like my next step.

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  17. Ooh, those colours are beautiful. I love how they ping off each other, and your pillow is definitely going to look great.

    My scrap box has grown over the year but is still fairly small, so I think I'm going to use them to make myself a Billboard quilt. I've definitely got enough scraps for letters, and drew a plan for it last year. Now I need to get around to making it!

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  18. Sometimes it is so relaxing to pull out scraps and iron them into pretty little piles, crumpled to clean lined in seconds. I know it sounds crazy, but I will do that when I am overwhelmed and it just feels good, sink full of dishes and toilets to be cleaned, but it feels like order has been brought to the mess....for me anyways. I will be praying for you. I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind and you have a chance could you send me the name of the skin problem? If it is to personal I understand. I have been dealing with something for a while now and I want to see if maybe this is the answer I might need. Jeans and long sleeve only cover so much and is no fun during the TX summers. Thank you. arpsherry at gmail dot com.

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