Lost and Found Faith

 

"There was a kid in his yard."

Lost and Found Faith is the gentle story of a broken man, an insecure woman and a little foster boy. Neil Hamilton, high school History teacher, wasn't good with little kids. Yet he found a little boy in his yard one morning. Having climbed a wall and fallen, Oliver clung to Neil when Maggie came looking for him.

Maggie Byrne had been in foster homes. She knew the pain and heartache that being abandoned left. She was determined to foster Oliver and eventually adopt him. The trouble was, Oliver couldn't seem to bond with Maggie. 

When Neil's wife died, he lost all interest in living. Going day by day, just doing the job. He became known as the "Iceman" at school. When Oliver seemed to connect with Neil, Maggie came up with a plan. She was going to need his help. 

Laurel Blount has woven such a beautiful, tender story. Her characters were well developed and engaging. Her word pictures brought each character to life. It was heartwarming watching Neil grow, learning to love God again.  And in the process, allowed Maggie and Neil to find love.

This was a wonderful story that I thoroughly enjoyed and would highly recommend it. 

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are my honest opinion.

Finding treasures

We often frequent antique malls whenever we travel. It's fun to dig around and find some hidden treasures.

 I find quilts among the goodies.

And then there is always something creative.

And some fun sewing machines.

This one was my favorite.

It makes me wish these machines could talk :-)

More Babies?

 As I was gathering material for backing of the baby quilt, I found two (TWO) more baby quilts that I had started and never finished.

This second one is made from baby flannel, and I'm not sure it will quilt up very well. Any suggestions on how to stabilize it? 

                        Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

Riverbend Gap

 

 

Deputy Sheriff Cooper Robinson comes across an accident. A car is preening on the brink of falling off of a cliff. The problem is there is still a passenger inside. After nearly hitting a deer, Katie Loveland's car swerves out of control and perches on a tree hanging over a cliff. Cooper talks with Katie until help can come, trying to keep her calm. But in the process, he feels something is special about Katie, an instant connection. They are able to share and communicate easily. The problem comes when Cooper tries to return Katie's phone, he finds out that Katie is his brother Gavin's girlfriend.

I loved this story in all kinds of way. It was sweet how Cooper and Katie tried to refuse their feelings for one another. Yet they are constantly being thrown together. Neither one of them wants to hurt Gavin, yet they are magnetically drawn. And in the small town of Riverbend Gap the rumor mill is alive and well.

Riverbend Gap is a clean Christian romance by Denise Hunter. Ms. Hunter is such a skilled story teller, being able to bring her characters to life. She can convey their feelings and deep emotions. You really start pulling for the Katie and Cooper. I loved the dialog between them, all the way to the end. I am looking forward to reading the next book, whether it is Gavin's or sister Avery's story. Riverbend Gap is an exciting place to visit.

 I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Welcome to the baby shower

Baby showers can be lots of fun. There is usually food, games, and of course the Mom opening her gifts.

                                

And now gift opening time.

I think she liked it :-)

                                               Friday Favorites

                                                Saturday Sparks

Cleaning your quilt

Have you ever thought about how important it is to share your knowledge of quilt care with the person you give your quilt to?

Case in point. I happen to see a quilt that I made for someone in it's present condition. It was faded and worn, mostly from hard washing. If the quilt had been for a child, I would have expected it to have that kind of treatment. But it was not made for a child.

So here are a few pointers to share when you gift a quilt.

Cleaning your quilt ~

If you see a stain, try to immediately treat with a small amount of mild soap and water. If washing is necessary, wash in the delicate cycle of your washing machine. Wash the quilt by itself and use lots of cold water and a very mild detergent. There are products specific for washing quilts, such as Orvus Quilt soap.  Add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to keep colors bright. Rinse in cold water and use the spin cycle to remove excess water. If possible spread a clean sheet and lay your quilt flat on top to dry. Never wring. You can also dry the quilt on low heat in your dryer for a few minutes and finish by air drying,

To store your quilt, fold or roll loosely and wrap in a cotton sheet. It is best to store the quilt in a dark dry place. Never in a plastic container or wrapping. Over time it may damage your quilt.

Quilts are made for years of enjoyment. Whether a throw or a king size bed. Let's help preserve those quilts for years to come.

Happy Quilting!

 

Anniversaries are special

 Celebrating our anniversary today. 

Not one, but two beautiful bouquets. From my sweetie :-)

What is important

 

 (source - Woman's World)

At the end of your life, what will you regret? What will really be important?

Baby Quilt

 Baby quilt in the making.

I used the Charm pack friendly pattern by Amy Smart from Diary of a Quilter.

The pattern is called Baby Lattice Quilt

I didn't have enough charms so I made my own :-)

            Can I get a Whoop Whoop!

GO! Baby

 I haven't used my GO! Baby in a while. But I found that it is a great way to add to a jelly roll when you need more strips. 

I've been working on a patriotic quilt, and needed more strips. So my GO! Baby worked it's magic.

And wa!la! 2 1/2" strips.

Nicely done :-)

Happy 4th

 

"Blessed is the Nation Whose God is the Lord" (Psalm 33:12)

The dilemma about Irons

I've been trying to finish a baby quilt for a shower in couple of weeks. And wouldn't you know it, my iron gave out! 

Now I have had this iron for about 5 or 6 years. I have never put water in it, as I always spritz instead.  I ended up making a made dash to Big Box club and found the same iron.

I know there is a lot of discussion about irons. My preference is a Rowenta. I have had two and I loved them. My first one lasted over 15 years. The second one just about that long. But because they have gone up so much in price, and are not available in Big Box clubs anymore, I have gone back to Black and Decker. They used to be sturdy heavy irons that lasted a long long time. But as with everything now-a-days, they don't anymore. This Black and Decker worked just fine for me, until it just didn't work anymore. So I rather spend under $20 and buy one every few years.

Anyone have pros and cons with irons?

Follow Me?

 

A few weeks ago, I received a Feedburner notification because I have been using "Follow by Email" widget on my blog sidebar. Subscribers have been able to follow along via email alerts. However, that subscription is about to expire and it will no longer be available to those who have been following my blog this way.   

Recently, I was contacted by someone from Follow.it. This is a service where followers and emails are unlimited, and it is free. I've added a "subscribe by email" gadget to the top of my right side bar. Those of you who already receive emails should continue to receive them. My daughter and IT son helped me import my subscriber list, and you should begin receiving emails with this one.  If you don't receive it, simply sign up again using the subscribe gadget to the right. 

I really don't want to lose any of you so thank you to all who subscribe. 

Make You Feel My Love

 

Stories of the past. Chickadee Creek has a lot of them. When Chelsea Spencer comes to visit her Aunt Rosemary, she is drawn into the past., as she flees from an abusive relationship in her present. Rosemary has been the caretaker of an antique shop, Rosemary and Time, for many years. She knows a lot of the history of Chickadee Creek. 

Liam Chandler has history in Chickadee Creek. His family has owned land here for over 150 years. He has a cabin there for hunting and R&R. But when his brother recently died, he needs time away to think. The lure of Hollywood continues to beckon with the next big break. Is he ready to go back? Is his life and faith back on track?

This dual time novel written by Robin Lee Hatcher is compelling, as the characters in both the present day and the 1800's draws you in to their story. Chelsea and Liam, and Cora and Prescott. Different but somewhat the same. A beautiful Christian romance with relationships that draw on God to overcome their fears. 

I received a complimentary ebook copy from the publisher, through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Patriotic quilt?

Have you made any patriotic quilts? I've made Christmas quilts, fall quilts, children's quilts, birthday quilts, wedding quilts. But not many patriotic themed. 

So I was putting together a quilt made with patriotic squares and am almost finished with the top.

How about you? Do you make quilts for the different holiday?

This is the day....

 

The Heart's Charge

 

"Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the land of the wicked."

The Heart's Charge by Karen Witemeyer is book 2 of the Hanger's Horsemen. I loved this story. 

Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks come across a woman giving birth. Because she doesn't want to keep the baby, they take it to Harmony House, a foundling home. When Mark arrives, he finds Katherine, the woman he almost married 10 years ago. Kate and her friend Eliza started the home to house homeless children. 

I loved the slow build of romance between Mark and Kate and Jonah and Eliza. The characters were well defined. The secondary characters were just as interesting.  There were some serious and thought provoking moments, but I enjoyed the humor and witty banter a well. 

This is an action packed mystery. One that ended with a real surprise. It is beautifully written and very inspiring. Karen Witemeyer writes clean Christian romance, weaving how God is working in the lives of her characters. Her books are always a must read. This one has turned out the be my favorite. Definitely a 5+

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A little time away

 Last week we took our traveling cottage on a short trip. 

I say short, because we found out that our water heater is leaking and we had no hot water. :-(

We ended up spending a few days in Savannah at a beautiful location. 

The tree covered drive to our camp ground. 

We spotted a couple of deer, but this one did not run.

She just sashayed away. We figured she had a young one down and just wanted to distract us away.

We drove to Tybee Island, and did not enjoy that at all. The place was crowded with so many people and cars. 

It felt like people are back out after so many months of lock down.  

So even though we had cold showers, it was nice to get away for a few days.

What plans do you have now that summer is here.

Checklist

Always good to have a checklist handy :-)

Grand time with the grands

This weekend I finally finished the quilt for grandchild #5.

It was such fun fabric. This is the second quilt I made using this fabric.

And we had a surprise visit. My son brought two of his children over.

This is the first time AJ was on our playset. He had such a good time romping around in our yard. 

We discovered the pretty flowers.

And this little guy was not too happy.

If we come too close, his little bottom lip starts to quiver and you can be sure he will have tears soon after that. I think in time he will warm up to us. His sister and brother are always so happy to see us. Each child is so different. But we love them all. 

National Sewing Machine Day

 

This is my little Featherweight. I love this little machine. She is not my first Featherweight though. My Mom had an old Featherweight that she used once in a while for mending. When I started sewing for Home Ec, I wrestled with her Featherweight to the point of frustration. It never seemed to run right. I passed the Home Ec class and one of the first things I purchased after high school was a Singer Stylist sewing machine. After my proud purchase my thoughts at the time were, why would I need that old black thing that gave me such a hard time!! So I sold it to a co-worker. For $10.

The new Singer was not a very cooperative machine. It was in constant need of repair. I felt so much frustration that I pretty much gave up garment sewing. As I began to quilt, I realized the need for a good straight stitch. A friend was getting a new sewing machine and she asked me if I would like her old Kenmore. I have sewn many, many miles on that machine. It was sturdy and faithful.

But in the back of my mind, I mourned for that little black Featherweight. The more I heard of others sewing on Featherweights, the more I lamented. I was sure that my old co-worker was still sewing on that old black machine.

On Christmas morning in 2003, there was a little black box sitting under the Christmas tree. I wondered what in the world could be in that little box. At first I thought it was some kind of projector or camera. But when I opened the lid, there sat this little beauty. My dear sweet husband and son had been on a mission to buy me a new sewing machine. I was thrilled to say the least!! But that is not the end of the story. You see, my dear sweet husband and son had gone to a sewing machine repair store and asked questions. The store owner told my dh that the Featherweight had the best straight stitch, and that quilters everywhere covet them. Hummm, but it isn't a new machine. Oh if you want a new sewing machine you need to go to the store down the road. So in addition to this little beauty, my dear sweet husband and son bought a Bernina Virtuosa 155. Can you imagine my surprise when I not only opened the Featherweight but the next box was this incredible Bernina! 

What brand and model do you have?