Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Spring Weddings and Natural dyes for Skin



This is the season for Weddings, my girlfriend's son was married Mother's Day weekend, my other girlfriend's daughter will be married this weekend and 100 years ago Lumber Barren Mr. Hume's daughters Constance and Florence Hume had a double Wedding.  This is a picture of their home (from the side), restored and taken care of by our local historical society. For this 100th year anniversary they have a celebration going on throughout the summer with  displays of their wedding clothes and the home set up to look like it did on the Wedding day where the reception took place.



The dresses were made of heavy ivory satin and trimmed with Irish Lace. One of the sisters,



the back of the others.



Her train. Love all the hand-work.



Hand embroidered with seed pearls.



They wore long veils with crowns of orange blossoms.



A more complete description of the dresses.



Their Wedding photo with their bridesmaids.



Their Garters.



History of the Garter.



All the rooms in the house were set up like they would have been for the reception.
Copies of the actual place cards.



The finest china and table cloths ready.



The fathers Wedding clothes laid out. Love the hat.



The women's clothes laid out,



and ready.


Love these boots. They are very long and skinny.



Child's dress on her bed.



Older sister's dress on her bed. Love this quilt.
This is just a few of the many bed rooms in the house.



This potty chair was too cute.

The ending to this Wedding story, one sister died 3 years later and the other got DIVORCED twelve years later, her parents let her if she promised never to marry again! She lived at their home until she died.



I haven't done much dyeing or quilting lately, my elderly father fell and broke his hip. Most of my time right now is being spent with him at the hospital, my mom at her home (she doesn't drive any more), helping with my grand kids, keeping my house up and working! I don't have time to go to the bathroom anymore. Now, I know what the saying "sandwich generation" means! But everyone is happy and trying to help so we'll make it ( I do hope to put in my garden before Fall).

I've always been a sun-lover and even though I don't lay out in the sun any more I still love to have a little color in the summer. I found these two products  I hope will give me the "sun" look. The first Jergens Natural Glow for face, it got high recommendations in a study. I've used it for about 4 days, so far no orange color or streaks and my white skin is coming along.
 I also found Australian Gold Intensifier made with natural dyes! Black walnut shell extract, annatto, carrot root extract, carrot seed oil, banana fruit extract, aloe leaf juice & tree leaf oil. I'm sure it's not all natural but I'm giving it a try. After 4 days no orange or streaks and my legs and arms aren't bright white.
Both product are not overnight "tans" but seem to be coming slow but sure. I'll let you know next week  how they turn out. (neither are oily either)

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Family Tree Quit



A few years ago as I saw my parents aging I thought when they pass on a lot of family history will be lost and the grandchildren would never know it. So, I began a family tree quilt. I researched and designed each childhood home (starting with my husbands and my parents childhood homes). I tried to capture them exactly with the special touches they remembered. Then I embroidered in all the family birth/death/ marriage records on each home block in the yard. (I have them covered with pieces of fabric for this picture). The lattice between the blocks have the fun facts about each family, such as their hobbies etc.



Our house is now done and I began working on the lattice, we love so many things I could fill up two of them.



Of course I had to piece a wool quilt, I took a felted sweater cut some tiny blocks and stitched it together.



Perfect.



Now I'm stitching it all on and embroidery in the details.



Two more houses to go, our children's. They will be the top two. This will be the basic layout (more lattice between the blocks), I'm thinking there will be a appliqued tree behind the blocks, starting with a gnarly trunk at the bottom with the green leave filling out the top.  Should be ready to put together by November at our yearly quilt retreat!



I pulled out these friendship quilt blocks yesterday, They were made for me in 1995! I think it's time to put them together but I need a few more.



This is the paper piecing pattern, what do you think Deb C. could you finish one by November:) Another quilt retreat project.


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Happy Mothers Day

"As we plunge ahead to build empires and race for supremacy we should stop and listen to (the female) song of life. For without the female there is no life."
Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman, Traditional Circle of Elders

Women are created with the ability to produce life. Women have a special tie to the Earth Mother. They have something in common. They are the source of life. The Earth Mother gives songs to the Woman to sing. These songs are about life, about beauty, and children, about love, about family, about strength, about caring, about nurturing, about forgiveness, about God. The World  need to pay attention and listen to Her. She knows.

  • Deb Hardman
  • Allie Aller
  • Jenny Bowker Cairo
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