Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary People

I love to get to know people.  The people around me, the checkout lady at the grocery store, the librarians, blog friends, twitter friends,...  You name it, and I like to talk.

As much as people may be interested in those who fill our pop culture, I am interested in ordinary people who live extraordinary lives.

I was thinking about this after reading about the death of Kate's grandma.  Is there nothing more holy than a grandmother?  I recall a funeral I attended in which the priest talked about holiness and how all grandmas are holy.  What makes someone holy?  A quiet acceptance, lack of judgmentalism, a listener.

My husband's grandmother lived to the age of 102.  She rarely talked about her past, but I heard the story of how she was married at the age of 16 in Czechoslovakia to a family friend.  The marriage was arranged so she could come to the US with him.  They ended up starting a farm in Northeast Ohio and raising five kids.  Did she love him?  She didn't know the language, yet somehow she managed.  To me, that is extraordinary.

Or I think of my dad.  He was one of five boys raised by a single mother.  His dad was a gambler who left the family.  His mom worked at the local factory, and with the help of neighbors and the Church, raised her Irish boys to be productive adults.  An example of rising above circumstances.  In the end, her husband was dying of cancer and she took him in to die.  Extraordinary.

Another homily that stayed with me (you see, I pay attention in church sometimes....although I would listen better if I had knitting in my hands!) was about saints.  The priest emphasized the fact that we shouldn't put saints on a pedestal.   What is amazing about saints is that they were ordinary people.

This is why I am interested in reading biographies.  I love to learn about what real people have accomplished.  Some of my favorite recent reads include:

Endurance - the amazing journey and tale of survival of Shackleton

The Soloist - the story of Nathanial Ayers, a Julliard drop out with paranoid schizophrenia

A Beautiful Mind

Caught by the Sea - true stories based on Gary Paulsen's life on boats
Becoming Jane Austen
Stalking the Divine - a book about the Poor Clare Sisters (a high school friend, who was a nurse and helped deliver my oldest two kids, later joined this cloister)
The Book of Mychal - "The surprising life and heroic death of Mychal Judge" - the priest killed on 9/11
John Adams (McCullough)

These stories captivate me because of the challenges faced or the historic time period in which they lived.

Although not a biography, I am currently engaged in reading "These is my Words" by Nancy E. Turner.  It is written in the form of a diary of Sarah Agnes Prine, 1181 - 1901 as she settles in the Arizona Territories.  Recommended by Sarah, this story is not only enjoyable to read, but helps me understand the struggles the settlers endured!  (The love story isn't bad either!)

I taught a knitting class last year and had a discussion with one of my students who has a marine son, now retired.  Later, we met and she commissioned a quilt of her Marine Mom tee shirts.  I think about some of what she was feeling during the time her son served  The worries, sleepless nights, pride, gratitude, reunion.

She is an extraordinary woman (and a productive knitter now!) and we have struck up a friendship.  I share with her my worries that my eleven year old son wants to be in the Navy.  She shares stories of herself as a support person for other mothers.

And then there is the young widow I recently met.  She is beautiful, but so young to have lost her husband to cancer.  I met her through a relative and she asked me to make a quilt using her husband's tee shirts.  She wanted to give it to his mom for a birthday present.  The tees share a story of his extraordinary life.  He was a teacher, coach, husband, son. 

The young woman was so careful to choose a fabric that was meaningful to her.  And, although it is very different from one that I would have selected, it has meaning and beauty to her because of the colors and the butterflies.  Her husband loved argyle socks so I appliqued a pair on one of the tees.

I am honored each time I am asked to make a quilt because it represents part of a person's life - part of their story.

There are extraordinary people all around us - can you hear their story?

To The Beach (I Wish!)

Shark Bag

Are you having dreary March weather?  We are, here in Northeast Ohio.   I set my sights on summer.  And thanks to some customers, I have been working on beach bags!

Nautical Knots Bag

These adorable bags were made for a mom planning a beach trip this spring.  The bags are for sea shell collecting!  They are quite simple:  a fun fabric top with mesh along the bottom.  A single strap to carry the bag on the shoulder.  The shark bag is designed for a younger beach goer - it has a shorter strap.  The nautical knots has a longer strap so it can be worn across the body if desired.  The mesh makes it easy to wash the shells off in the water.  I think the bags would work well for collecting sea glass, too.  (My favorite summer hobby!)

Both bags are available in my shop.  I do a lot of custom sewing, so if you have something special you want me to make, just ask!  I am willing to explore various sizes and fabrics with you.

This is another custom bag.   The customer wanted the monster fabric for her son's sand toys.  It is sized like my oversized beach tote - plenty of room to store toys and perfect to shake out the sand.  I am working on developing some of these for my shop.  I designed a plain mesh bag when my kids were little.  We still use it to haul our toys to the beach.  We don't carry quite as many toys as we used to, but it has served us well.

Annie has caught the spring bug by making fabric flowers and attaching them to headbands.  I think they are so cute!

I hope wherever you are, the promise of spring awaits you!

Annie's items, shown below, are listed at the Pink Paintbrush.

Annie's Upcycle Chic, Vogue Pattern Magazine and a Winner!

How Annie spent her snow day!

(By the way, they now have to make up two days of school!)

Annie's 20-something cousin gave Annie the center dress because she didn't really like it.

Annie started by chopping off the sleeves and converting the neck to a jewel neckline.

She toyed with adding a sequin sash but settled for accessorizing with pearls and a leather belt.

With the belt worn high, the lace-covered knit dress has a tailored look.

With the belt worn low, the dress has a bit of a schoolgirl/flapper look.

Now her cousin wants the dress back!

Speaking of Annie, we were very thrilled when Vogue Patterns contacted us to include a photo of Annie's coat in their "What are You Sewing" feature!  You can read about Annie's coat on this post.  This issue of Vogue Patterns has quite a few interesting patterns and articles!

Finally, congratulations to Erin Wallace of Dropped Stitches, winner of the $45 CSN gift certificate!

Thanks for playing!

Top O' the Morning to Ya!

Annie's Irish Magnets

Celebrating my Irish heritage has long been a family tradition.  Cleveland has a fantastic St. Patrick's Day parade that we try to attend.  I have also attended parades in New York City and Chicago.  Those were quite crowded and I managed to get caught in human traffic jams!  

I have a favorite Irish Soda Bread recipe that I'd like to share with you.  It is not cooked in the traditional mound, but rather, in bread pans.  It is not as dry as most Soda Breads and everyone seems to enjoy it.  I obtained this recipe from a home-style restaurant named "Fanny's" in the old neighborhood.

Speaking of the old neighborhood and all things Irish, the colorful character Danny Greene, from the new movie "Kill the Irishman" lived in my neighborhood!  Dad had lots of stories to share and I have a few of my own.  The movie opens across the nation this weekend and I can't wait to see it!

Have you ever stopped by Mega Crafty?  She has such creative ideas for Wreaths and Cupcakes and I couldn't help but share this amazing Shamrock Wreath.  Check it out here!

Wishing you a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

6 C flour
3/4 C sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp baking powder
4 Tbsp butter
2 eggs
4 C buttermilk
1/2 box dark raisins
1/2 box light raisins

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Make a well.  In separate bowl, mix eggs and buttermilk.  Add buttermilk mixture into well and mix until flour is absorbed.  Add raisins.  Pour mixture into three greased 9 x 5" loaf pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 55 - 60 minutes or until browned and toothpick comes out clean.  Brush with melted butter or margarine, then invert onto cooling racks.
Optional:  add fennel seeds.

The Power of Light and Giveaway!

As we trudge along the dreary path in the month of March, I am reminded of the power of light.  I have complained to you before that Cleveland ranks in the top 10 cities with the most cloud cover in the US.  I think many of you understand how the cold, grey skies pull us down and how a bright sunny day can pull us up.

Similarly, artificial lighting can greatly enhance a mood.  Annie and I love to watch David Tutera create magic in unusual spaces - often enhanced by creative lighting strategies.  If I attend a party or a wedding in a social space, I prefer that the lighting be soft and dim.  Who likes to dance under fluorescent lights?

In the home, with an unlimited budget, I would create a sophisticated look with recessed lighting and indirect lighting.  In the days when I pored over architecture and home design magazines, I loved the looks created by good lighting design.

In fact, if I was 17 again and on the brink of college and a career, I would love to be a lighting designer.  Most of you know that I have a Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering.  This was a promising field, particularly for bright, young women in the early 80's.  I pursued it with the idea that I might also enter med school.  I changed my mind about medical school and wasn't all that crazy about engineering, but there was no turning back.

I began my working life at GE Lighting.  I started in a training program in which I completed my M.S. degree and also worked in various departments.  At the time, GE was doing some very public lighting projects:  the Lincoln Memorial, the Golden Gate bridge, Mount Rushmore and buildings all around the country.  I wanted that job and pursued an assignment in the technical marketing department.  I didn't get to design anything but I did begin teaching classes in a state-of-the art customer center in which we demonstrated various lighting techniques.  In particular, I taught a fun class about the science of color and light!  My interest was brimming so after my M.S. degree I took classes in Interior Design.  I was eventually pulled back to the engineering departments but given the opportunity to continue teaching customer groups that came through.

Ultimately, a career path in lighting design would have been possible for me to achieve, but it would have been a long road requiring relocation.  As I was building a new life with my husband at the time, I tucked my dream away and sealed it up even tighter with the birth of my oldest son.

I think lighting design would have been an ideal career for me because it combines technical issues with artistic issues.  Perhaps I could have studied interior design or architecture.  It's not easy to look into the future when you are a young high school student, which is why I empathize with my own children experiencing these decisions.

Even though I admired gorgeous interiors with beautiful lighting, my house did not have creative lighting design.  When we remodeled, we added some recessed lighting in the kitchen and dimmers on many of our lights.  Recessed lighting helps put the focus on the room, not on the fixture or the wires.

I enjoy having parties - and even dinner parties - in which I use soft lighting and candle light.  It helps to create a cozy, intimate environment.

Do you have any creative ways that you use lighting design in your home or workplace?  Share them with me!  If you leave me a comment AND you are a follower, you will be entered in a drawing to win $45 from CSN Stores.   You can choose any item from any of their stores. 

This contest is open to US and Canadian residents and will close on Saturday, March 19th, at 12 Noon EST.   Please be sure I have contact information!

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

Do you remember the days before email, Facebook and Twitter?  I'm so old, I remember the days before PCs!  These amazing changes have occurred in the days since I attended college, some 25 to 30 years ago.

My college years were precious letter-writing years.  I have a huge box full of letters in the attic.  It was my first time away from home so my parents, Grandma, my loving siblings , cousins and a few friends would write to me.  I cherished those letters at the time and cherish the memories they preserve now.

This past summer I lost an old friend in a tragic car accident.  I had lost touch with her so I went up in the attic to see if we had written during college.  We hadn't.  But I found one amazing piece of wrapping paper she made with all of our high school memories written on it.

I found the letters my dad wrote to me - often scribbled on little post-it size notes.  I loved that my dad wrote me his own, personal letters.  (I loved the money he would stash in there, too!)   Mom often typed her letters since her lefty, shaky hands maker her writing illegible.

My best friend growing up would write "books" to me.  Long, funny letters - usually about the men in her life.  I wrapped up all those letters and gave them to her for her 40th birthday!

And then I came upon this stash.  Yes, I knew her before she was a famous blogger:  Sarah, of Clover Lane.

Recently, I sent her these amazing letters that she wrote me so many years ago!

I attended an all-girls Catholic high school.  There was an elementary school up the hill - both schools taught by the lovely Sisters of Notre Dame.  When I was a senior attending retreat, I received a beautiful note from a 6th grader at the elementary school.  That 6th grader was Sarah.

I don't know if I had the original note, but I'm sure she said that she would pray for me.  In those days, a nice note always deserved a note in return.  And so, a type of pen-pal friendship was born.  Remember, we were six years apart, but a true friendship developed between an emerging young adult and a quiet, shy, young girl.

We both loved rainbows and shared lots of them through the years.  Perhaps a sign of our optimism.

I loved the drawings and surprises I would find.  Even her mom would jot a note down on the flap on occasion!

Sarah had beautiful handwriting - can anyone write like that today?  She would describe things so eloquently.  I remember the first time I went to her amazing log house in the woods. For a city girl, this was really the woods! 

She even wrote a poem for me....

 Rainbows

Rainbows are a special thing,

they travel through the sky

bringing hope to every person

who happens to be walking by.

The world needs hope and so do I

everybody does.

So rainbows are a special gift,

given to us by God.

For some people rainbows do nothing

for others everything,

but for you and me they do

something that is very hard to explain.

So rainbows are important,

as important as can be

for bringing hope to everyone,

including you and me.

Isn't she beautiful?  These photos were probably 6th and 7th grade, around 11 to 12 years old. 

I read the letters and wondered if I could give them up.  A flood of memories came over me.

What I learned about Sarah that is still true today:

- she is eloquent
- she has loving parents and a beautiful family
- school was a challenge for her sometimes; she studied hard
- she prayed for me - a lot!  I think that's what got me through college!
- she isn't a huge fan of winter
- she is creative
- she is sweet and kind

What I learned about me:

- I struggled my first semester in college
- I am committed
- I am Sarah's Confirmation sponsor.  I feel terrible that this fact had slipped my mind.  I think that her mother stood in proxy for me because I was away at college.
- I enjoyed my time with Sarah.

I was the youngest of six kids who grew up in the city.  Sarah was from a family of five kids who lived in the country.  We were an interesting pair and it was easy to see that "the grass was greener" on the other side.  I longed for her quiet lifestyle.

Since I had no younger siblings, she even came to visit me at college for "Little Sibling Weekend."  I look back and wonder how we organized events before email and cell phones!  Well, often we wrote letters!  We would suggest dates and times and then we would follow up with phone calls.  Today, our children create Facebook events to plan get-togethers!  Yes, it is a different world.

Somewhere along the way, our letter-writing stopped.  Perhaps it was when I started working and then Sarah was heading off to college.  I have not seen her for 20+ years, which is hard to imagine because I feel like I've known her forever.  Somehow we found each other again - whether through Christmas cards or email and, of course, her beautiful blog.

Now we email on occasion.  It's amazing how I look to her for advice and support on family issues.  It's amazing how two quiet, shy girls grew up to be strong, opinionated mothers!

Thank you, Sarah, for being a beautiful friend.

Eine kleine Nachtmusik (Jazzy Style)

Watermelon Man

This past week I enjoyed having my oldest son home on "spring break."  He barely made it home due to a large snowstorm, but the week passed with him catching up on his sleep and me enjoying his piano playing.

He put a jazz trio together during Christmas break.  They sounded so good I wanted to have a little party to showcase their talent.  It was mainly a family party, including my mom, my aunts and uncles and some of my cousins.  The crowd of 30 was about the limit for my space.

I didn't go overboard with the theme.  Rather, I focused on a simple dinner of pizza, sandwiches (pepperoni rolls and Reuben loaf) and salad.  This freed me up to enjoy the music.

Annie was a sweetie and was my waitress for the night.  I whipped up a little apron in some musical note fabric. (Shown in the unedited photo below.)   She whipped up a black menswear tie.  She looked adorable (but I didn't get a photo of her in action.)  And let me tell you, she worked hard!  She served guests, passed around appetizers, did the dishes,.... 

 

My son is back at school now and already the house seems too quiet.

As you might guess, I like to entertain.  We've had some busy weekends and it has been great fun.  Next Saturday we have two kids competing in different events:  Science Olympiad and Academic Decathlon.  After that, we hope to have a quiet evening at home...something we haven't had in a while!

Window Shopping at Maiden Jane and The Pink Paintbrush

Oversized Beach Totes in this fabulous Alexander Henry Bebe fabric!

 Oversized Beach Tote in a rugged home dec fabric.

 A new, large tote (but not oversized). 

Custom T Shirt Quilts

 Make your own T Shirt Quilt Pattern

 Beach Glass in a Bottle

 Medium Beach Glass in a Bottle  (Annie made me one and I LOVE it!)

 Dream Wall Hanging

 Sister Wall Hanging

 Princess Wall Hanging

 Fabric Flower Ring

Owl Pendant 

 Zebra Clutch Purse

 Cameo Pendant

 Spring Clutch