A Quilt for a Rock Star

Here is the completed "slice and dice" project I mentioned in my last post.

Last week our son was visiting and told us how very concerned he is for his friend who is battling lung cancer. His friend is a gifted musician. He is well known and respected in the rock music scene here in Houston and beyond.  Our son Larry has played in a number of venues with him. Larry is a talented musician as well. 

I asked if he would like me to make a quilt for Todd. He got all excited and said he knew exactly what he would love if I could make it.

What he had in mind was something to represent Eddie Van Halen's famous "Frankenstein" guitar. Being fairly ignorant of that stage of rock music I had no idea. but with the aid of the ever helpful internet I found numerous pictures of the many variations and copies of that guitar there are in the world.

I went to work with a solid red background and integrated slices of white and black.

Our son was pleased. He said what I had done would be instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with that guitar. Yay!

He delivered the quilt to the hospital yesterday. Larry was not allowed in the room, but did get messages and a picture of a very happy Todd with the quilt over him.

For those who don't believe as I do, not a problem. But I believe that when we pray God hears. I truly believe it makes a difference. I always pray over the quilts as I make them, and I prayed a LOT over this one. I continue to pray for strength and healing for Todd and for grace for his wife.

Meanwhile here at Muddle Manor flowers are rampantly blooming everywhere and we love it! Lots of them come inside to bring happiness in here as well.

I hope everything and everyone is happy and healthy in your world, and that you are finding ways to spread joy wherever and however you can!

Hugs and kisses,

Elaine

One More Week!

Christmas has really done a sneak attack on me this year. How did it here so fast? Well, it's not here yet, but only a week away. 

I got the traditional cookies all made and they are in the mail!  Hallelujah! If you look in the photo above, you will see that our back door was open yesterday while I was baking. Ah, Houston, got to love it in the Winter. Summer, not so much. 

My Bruno. I do love this dog!

I was playing Christmas music yesterday while doing the rest of the baking and Ruthie's parakeet, Pete was singing along. He especially liked Handel's Messiah!  

The good news is I finished Step 3 of the Grand Illusion Mystery. Now I have to go back and finish Step 2. Hopefully before Step 4 comes out tomorrow!

It is a gray, rainy day here today, and really - I'd like to go back to bed, but there is much still to do. So, I'd better get to doing it!

I hope your preparations are going smoothly and that you're having a wonderful day. Take time to breathe!

Hugs and kisses,

As we were leaving the hospital today after our visit with our daughter Ruthie, we were pleasantly surprised to see (and hear) that a concert was taking place in the lobby.  Houston Symphony Orchestra in costume, playing beautifully for anyone who cared to stop and listen.  What a nice break from the everyday that was!  There were lots of people enjoying the beauty of it.

Miss Ru is improving and getting stronger every day.  We are just so thankful and humbled at the goodness of the Lord.  It did not start out well, but this visit has been a good one.  The plan is that she will be coming home next week sometime.

Lemons from our very own front yard.  Aren't they gorgeous!  You should taste them. 

I've taken the exterior shutters away from the sewing room window, the better to enjoy the view now that the extreme heat of summer is gone.  Doesn't Claude look contented?  Mr. Muddling has been surprised to see the change in him.  Claude has gone from being so wary he would not let me near him, to greeting me when I go out to feed him, rubbing against my legs and mewing to be stroked.  He is such a loving cat.  I don't know what happened to him before he decided to live in our back yard, but I can tell that the tip of his tail has been cut off and that the tail seems to have been broken in at least one place.  As you may be able to tell, he's also moved right into my heart.  I'd like to get him to the vet to be checked out, but I don't know when or if that will happen.  We're taking it slowly.  I don't want to scare him.

Don't you love this fabric?  I saw it online and had to order some.  Miss Ru has a friend coming to the wedding from Great Brittain next year and I'm going to make a quilt for him.  I don't know exactly what I'm going to do yet, but the cowboy boots may just figure in it.

I have a date with these strips tonight.  We have plans. 

I saw on Wanda's blog that she uses a closet accessory to organize her strips and I liked that idea.  Mr. Mudding and I picked up this little folding laundry rack when we were out and about yesterday.  I think it might just work.

I'm off now for some therapeutic sewing.  Hope you're finding something to do that makes you happy!

Hugs and kisses,

                                                                              

Time and Quilts

My clock actually does have hands that point out the time and it IS quite late (or early I should say). I just tend to get busy and then I don't want to stop what I'm doing. :)

I've completed this little quilt top for myself.

Note the chicken! I just love the happiness of the prints in this one. It will be interesting to see how it looks once I finish getting it all put together, and as cold as it is today - I'll enjoy using it!

I've got blocks sewn together for a new quilt for our younger daughter. I've been working on it most of the past few days in betweeen other things. The only thing she requested was "blue", and I think I've fulfilled that.

I have had to sneak in a few frogs though. They were always a favorite of hers.

And some music clef fabric. Our Mary is talented at many things and music is one of them. She has moved far away and we miss her terribly. I'm sewing lots of love into this quilt.

Have a great day!

Hugs and kisses,

Last night was our granddaughter's Christmas concert. She was "First Chair" in her section. The music was beautiful and what fun it was to have most of our little family there for the concert and supper out afterward!

There's shopping to be done today, so time for me to get at it.
~Elaine~