Never in a million years did I think I would ever have or even want a white Christmas tree.... I go for the homespun kind of tree... Green tree, lots of fabric ornaments, mostly homemade......nothing too flashy.
But when I saw that white Christmas tree and THEN saw it had fiber optic lights.... well, I just had to have it. I thought it would look awesome in my craft/sewing room. And boy does it ever. (Especially with the pink and purple ornaments I got for it.... yes I said pink and purple - and yes, never in a million years would I have thought.....)
My youngest took the picture above..... I just LOVE IT.
When I was a kid, I can remember often hearing the adults in my family talking about getting older. What always stood out was when I heard someone say that when we age - we often revert back to our childhoods.
I never understood what they meant.....
Until now.
As we all jump into what is probably the busiest time of the year.... I am taking a few moments to look back on 2012. I realize this is something one does at the end of December - but I seem to be a bit different.... start new things at the most unusual times in my life and learn A LOT from them....
This blog was started about a year ago. It was something I had been thinking about it for a long time. I must confess that originally this blog had dreams of being the next Ree Drummond or Ambitious Kitchen or Lucy at Attic 24.... (Yes, I like to dream big!) So with no experience - jumped right in and starting writing. I love it and have love learning all about layouts, pictures, blog buttons, etc., but most of all about this great big community of women who love to craft, sew, cook, bake, quilt and then write about it.
So this year has been full of new starts and learning new things, small ups and downs.
My oldest was married at the beginning of the year.... Boy was a lot learned from that experience. The biggest lesson I learned was that I was very comfortable at being "mommie," but when it came to being just "mom" ... well, let's just say I had NO CLUE... still have no idea what happened. Her whole life, I could give her all the advice in the world about navigating her childhood, kiss a bruise with all the courage in the world, and answer just about any question with confidence. But not one word of wisdom crossed my lips when she was standing before me - so beautiful in her wedding dress - still my daughter but only moments away from being her husband's wife.
I was able to whip up flower arrangements, make invitations and put together food like no other.... But........
I need some more time to figure this one out. Hopefully before my youngest daughter gets engaged!
Time..... whether it is determining the "right time" or needing more... is essential.
I've always wanted to quilt. I even remember cutting up old shirts, when I was in junior high school, into little - I mean little - squares and hand sewing them into rows with the goal of piecing them into a quilt top. That never came to be but my desire never dulled. After I was married and my oldest was in junior high - I bought a book on hand piecing and set out to piece a quilt top using Jacob's ladder blocks. I got much further - cut all the triangles and squares, but only pieced about four blocks and then life got in the way. Those cut pieces are long gone.
So from raising kids to blogging to weddings to changing roles as a parent..... to quilting.
Timing has been a part of this story........ and a little nudge from a friend.... We wanted to learn to quilt. She found a quilt store, we signed up and we are now working on our fourth quilts! And I LOVE piecing quilts.
What has been learned......
Mistakes are a good tool, a quilt is never finished until it has a label and maybe waiting until the time is right - success is easier to achieve.
So while the mystery of my "lack of a witty or heartfelt mother to daughter on wedding day speech" is still lingering.....
I will learn from my mistakes, put the mystery label on it and just wait to learn from this when.....
the time is right.
