Easter Eggs - A Love Story

The very well camouflaged eggs in the picture were laid in the stone nest on or about Good Friday. As always with the animals that habitate our yard, I came to care for the mother Kildeer that we named "The Drama Queen". She laid her eggs right next to the driveway where cars come in and out, we ride our bikes by, and walk back and forth to our mailbox while Mama always put on her best broken wing show to entice us away from her nest. As we would get closer to her precious eggs, she would come closer to us with her act emitting cries of pain as her "broken wing" caused her to flop in circles on the ground just a few feet from us. I always reassured her we weren't interested in her eggs and she was just wasting her energy with all of her dramatic gestures.

Saturday afternoon, she acted out her drama for a cat, and we rescued her from the cat's clutches. We saved her in time, and she returned to her post and her eggs. I knew that soon, the cat would return for her.

Easter Sunday after Church, I went out to see how she was. As I approached her nesting ground, she didn't greet me. My heart sunk, but I remained hopeful. I checked on the nest several more times, and as the sun set I touched the eggs and was met with the ice cold shell. I knew she wouldn't return.

I made one last hopeful trip this morning, to no avail. I saw again the images in my mind of this mother bird stretching her wings out and sacrificing her life for the eggs that had not even yet hatched. A moment later, the Lord brought a teaching moment into my life and showed me His Son who so willingly stretched out his arms in the same manner, a living sacrifice for millions yet unborn, those never to be born, and all who had come before Him. That amazing sacrifice played out a seemingly small analogy right in my own front yard.

I'm going back out now to get those eggs. That Mama died for those eggs, so I'll not leave them there for a snake or another scavenger. As Christ died for all men, shall we leave even one man for the scavenger? It's powerful, this lesson unfolding before my eyes. The eggs laid out in the frost all night, they'll never grow into the Kildeer, and I don't know what I will do with them. I know that forever Easter eggs will look very different to me.

Card Making

While browsing in Michael's one day I came upon a book by Martha Stewert titled "Martha Stewart Handmade Card Making". The price of the book was the same as one card, so I picked up the book, a few cardstock and papers, and a can of spray adhesive. The cards I created this morning are from ideas in the book, and it's so much fun and easy to just keep on creating on some basic ideas presented there. I am looking forward to more card making fun in the future! We're trying to vote on the prettiest one to send to grandma, what do you think?

Fractured Swap - Revisited

Here is my slice of Wendy's "Jazz Drummer". I envisioned a white background that had a purple watercolor effect painted onto it. After a fruitless effort to find a print that fit my criteria, I matched the purple with a Fossil Fern from my stash. I love the way the artist used the dark lines to draw, then filled in with bright colors. I replicated the outlines with a fusible bias, then stitched it down with a zigzag stitch. I had several ideas for the design on the drums, then chose this African print I'd purchased at the IQF in Chicago several years ago. I think that is my favorite part of this slice.

I began by using a Sharpie marker and tracing Wendy's pattern onto a sheet of upholstery vinyl. I needed the left side of my slice to match perfectly with the pattern she'd provided, and the vinyl overly was stitched onto the piece while I worked to insure that I didn't slip up on any of the pieces. It is difficult to see the overlay in the first photo. I drew a line down the left side of the quilt marking the sewing line, and matched everything from the edge of the pattern to that line. Once inside the pattern, it was ok if a piece moved a fraction of an inch.

The black drum stands aren't as difficult to see in real life as they are on the photos. I began enjoying this piece of art work more each time I got it out to work with it. The colors seemed to get richer and brighter and sometimes I think I could hear the music while I worked. This was a very enjoyable project. I loved working through the steps and the design. If you've missed the beginning of this project, go back to January in my blog and find "Fractured Chronicles".

Next up, a Geisha Girl. I am searching (once again) for the perfect Japanese inspired print to use in her kimono. I'll post it later this week. The weekend is over and back to reality!

Counting the Days

To Spring Break!!!

Playmate Quilt in Redwork

Last night I finished Block #4 in the "Playmates Quilt" designed by American Jane. I'm hand embroidering the redwork. All twelve blocks are children playing based on an early reader primer from 1934 and Ruth Caroline Eger's illustrations in those books. There are 2" and 4" pinwheels and an occasional appliqued circle that work as sashing in between all the blocks. I've been collecting 30's repros in red for about two years. The blocks remind me of the primer I learned to read in, and of a time when children's toys were simple and running and playing were the norm. The whole quilt can be viewed at:
http://www.quilterswarehouse.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=AJP122#

National Quilt Day Sew Along Retreat

Pat Sloan is hostessing a three day online retreat weekend to celebrate National Quilt Day. The retreat occurs the same weekend as the Dallas Quilt Show! I'll be at the Quilt Show and sewing too, what a great way to begin my Spring Break! (should I sew in my swimming suit and pretend I'm on an island someplace warm? crank up the heat, light a fire??)

Pat is encouraging us to make a charity quilt. I'll be working on a quilt to raffle to help send my kids on a mission trip this summer. I'll be posting my progress as the weekend progresses. Stay tuned! To see details on the Sew Along Retreat visit Pat's blog: http://patsloan.typepad.com/