Merry Jerry

This was an emotional Christmas.  My brother has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer.  I have not been the same since I heard those words. I now realize the agony other families go through when they hear those words.  In my family we pick names for Christmas gifts and this year I picked him.  Oh shit!

What to make him??  I knew buying him something would have no meaning and he really does not need anything that does not have meaning.  He has a granddaughter he adores and she is sending the same love back to him. I just took a needlepoint class in Nashville hosted by t he one and onlyAnna Maria Horner. I thought a framed picture  that said "Pa Pa" would make him happy.  When I started it I was doing pretty good but when I got to the sides boy did it look crooked.  At first I was going to frame it but I changed my mind when I saw the ends and made it into a pillow. After I took this picture I realized how bad I was at this needlepoint stuff.  Every time I saw the white I would go back but it would split the thread and cause more "white noise".   It does not matter because it is what is in our hearts that count.  My brother knows that. This is my first completed needle point project.  It would be horrible to be perfect at everything. Ha.

Of course my favorite look for a quilt. The washing machine!

In between making the Pa Pa pillow I made this blanket out of some scraps.  This blanket kept changing depending on what I found to make it.  I LOVE the washing machine look.  It really show cased my favorite pieces of fabric on the quilt.

Here it is a little closer on a bed. I like the randomness of this blanket.  It was not easy to make. :(

This was the last of my brother's gifts.  He had mentioned a few years ago he wished he had the  license plates from our childhood.  After I hearing that, it was always in the back of my mind to get these  back.  They have been in a barn in Brown County, IN for about 20 years just hanging with other homeless plates.  I got a hold of my friend and her wonderful husband hopped on his trusty ladder and saved the plates!  My brother was thrilled to have these back in our family and they are resting comfortably in their new  home.   It really is just the little things in life that counts. Amen