Over the Weekend

Oh how wonderful it was to have a three day weekend! It started off so lovely with friends gathered together for make your own sushi night and games.  We contributed a Thai Beef salad and oh how yummy it was! The games were so much fun. Oh there was so much laughter! Quilts were used for cuddling because of the cool trade winds blowing through the house. Oh how I wish I had a whole stack of cozy blankets to pass around! I might have to get started on a new quilt for the house! Also, currently Liam likes to take things out of drawers. As in - everything out of drawers. There has been a lot of investigating on his part - a lot of picking up on mine.

Liam also found out the pleasures of playing with scraps! This little basket kept him busy for a whole ten minutes! I can sew a block in that amount of time! Oh the possibilities!

 Liam was introduced to mangos this weekend. He loved them as I knew he would. Who can resist that sweet tartness.

And then the highlight of the weekend. The family was able to make it down to an off roading beach spot for some fishing. Ross was able to throw net and catch a dozen mullet fish, and all of the family casting brought in another bucket. Liam got to go in the water and I got to collect some pretty shells and sea glass to add to my collection.

A moment that stands out was that Liam fussed in the water until I sat down next to him. He would play for several moments... taking handfuls of corral sand into his chubby little hands and then a next moment he would reach out and touch my leg. Once reassured that I was near him, he would continue to discover. Oh how my heart swelled when I realized what he was doing! My little boy - pushing boundaries, but still needing him mommy. As I write this we are lying in bed - this little boy is tuckered out from yesterday's adventures. All I want to do is touch his feet - to acknowledge that he is still little. That he still needs me.

It was a wonderful weekend. Full of friends and family and sun and water and love. The best kind. I even got some stitching into Liam's birthday quilt during the evening as the family got together to enjoy the catch for a fish fry. My heart is so full!  I hope you all had a wonderful three day weekend!

Oh by the way, in case you were wondering - his hat was blogged here.

The stars have aligned! A finished top!

Oh my - this top was finished at an alarming pace. Two days! I can't believe it! I finished embroidering the last block on Tuesday, Wednesday I sewed the squares together, and by Thursday the quilt top was done! Sandwiched and ready for hand quilting - this little project for my sweet little boy is coming along.

Liam has been taking long naps on the living room couch and I set up my sewing machine on the kitchen table - and whenever I could, stitched and stitched and stitched.

This project has really pushed me to be better. To take chances. Being a self taught quilter, I tend to shy away from new techniques. But I really really loved the quilt in the book  and I wanted to push myself to make it according to the directions. I learned have to make colonial knots from this tutorial  and finally started doing them successfully by the last block that called for them, which was that sweet little yo yo block. I love the texture that embroidery brings to a project. I can't stop running my hands over it.

This is such a thoughtful project that I want to stretch it out a little longer - so this sweet quilt is getting hand quilted. I love the pace of hand quilting. The rhythm of it. How I can work on this project while my son naps with his little feet resting on my leg.

Often times a favorite question of mine is to ask Ross or Liam if they can feel how loved they are. "Do you know I love you? Can you feel it?" When Liam is old enough to understand... and he sees this project... I hope he runs his hands over it and feels just how special he is. How with every stitch came a prayer, a hope, a kiss.  This is one of many projects that are in my head for a little birthday corner for my sweet boy... who will turn one in four months - oh my! Oh how fast time flies. I really want to treasure each and every moment. To remember how he is starting to become more social. To remember how he plays. How he loves to chase balls and tear down towers made from blocks. To remember how he looks for me in a crowded room whenever someone else is holding him. To remember the weight of him in my sling with his head listening to the sound of my heart.

Oh yes - I want to remember.

Linking up to Finish it Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts 

Oh my! I just found out that the Sew The Library link up is still going! It has a new home over at Weekend Doings  hosted by Martha. I love this project! I have two entries in this link up so far and you can read about those projects  here and here .  I am so glad that this project is continuing!  If you are interested in joining along, below is the button that will take you to the information page! Hope to see you there!

Mother's Day Gifts

Sewing with a little one, oh my! Lately it has been a lot easier to sew by hand because I can usually do that when Liam is playing. But trying to get on the machine - it takes an amazing amount of patience since there is a lot of stopping and starting. All you crafters out there that keep on keeping on - amazing!

Oh this week has been a flurry of activity! Whoooh! (incase you didn't understand, that was a sigh of relief!) Liam seems to discover more and more areas that aren't baby proofed, so we are constantly tweaking as we go along. We have also been celebrating Ross' 35th birthday all week with special dinners. I have really been trying to be more creative in the kitchen lately and I have been finding this book so inspiring! I also dug deep into the cook book for some of the family recipes that my dad wrote out for me. Ross wanted Vongole (clam spaghetti) for his birthday dinner and I was oh so happy to oblige. Also, since Ross is more partial to pie than to cake, my pie plates are busy.

In between the mothering, cooking, and baking - sewing indeed has been done. My mother's day presents for my sister and mother are finished and in route. I have to admit that there was a bit of nervous sweating in my part to get them in the mail. I am usually so bad about sending things out on time. I have been trying very hard to be better about it.

Aren't those pouches (Kinchaku) just so sweet? The pattern is from here. And it sewed up so nicely! The quilting was done by hand and I must admit that that was my favorite part of the process. That and stitching up the names of my sister and mom to personalize their pouches just for them.

This is my first mothers day and I think the experience of actually being a mother has given me such a different light about this day. The work and the sacrifice that often goes unsung into the moment by moment rhythm of the day... I understand now. But it is still the most wonderful role I could have ever played through my walk in this life.

So to all of you who are moms, who have been moms, or who will be moms. Thank you. Thank you for your love, and for your sacrifice, and for being just exactly all that your child needs.

I wish you all a happy early Mother's Day.