Tag: Quilt

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Creativity and Perseverence

My youngest son started drawing one day. I do not know what prompted him to do so, but I was quite impressed with his first drawing which was of a tree with a broken sword.

 

He really enjoyed drawing and started to do some more pictures, using only his   pencils and whatever paper he could get a hold of (nothing was off limits, this included his school assignments).  I started to purchase items for him to use for drawing (paper, pencils, etc.) as gifts for birthdays and Christmas.  He has gradually improved, and I have quite a collection of drawings hanging up around my house.

 

My favourite drawing he has done so far, is of a dragon swooping down towards its nest. He has added some wonderful details, dimension and the shading is well done. I am impressed that without any formal training, he has improved greatly in a relatively short period of time.  I really look forward to what else he will produce in the future and see how much he has grown in learning how to draw.

 

Why do I share this with you? To encourage you! Often, especially when we start something new, we get discouraged and want to quit without seeing our potential.  It takes time, perseverance, patience, practice and grace to improve in whatever skill we choose to work on. I think one of the best things we can do for ourselves is keep the first items we have created and look at them later in the journey of our creativity to see the improvements we have made and be encouraged by it.

 

The first few items I quilted, I wanted to toss as they were not great, in fact, they were horrible (in my opinion) and I was discouraged.  I am so glad I did not get rid of them because I can see how much I have improved.  Also, when people have asked me to help them learn to quilt, I use these items to show where I was in my creative journey and how over time, it has gotten better.

 

I look forward to seeing my son’s creative journey in drawing over the next several years. He has a lot of potential and I hope he keeps expanding on his talent.   I wonder what he will draw next?

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Heart Gifts

Several years ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with Melanoma.  When she told me, we hugged each other and cried together.  I immediately set to work to create a quilt for her. It was my way of tangibly doing something.  I gave her the blanket and was honoured with her words of thanks.  She posted to her own blog the following message…

Heart Gifts

I was an older teenager, perhaps even a young adult when I first read about the concept of “heart gifts.” A heart gift is just what it says – a gift of the heart. It can be anything at all. If you’ve had contact with children, you’ve likely received many a heart gift, be that a picture, even if you can’t make out what it is (so…tell me about your drawing? – safest way to approach the “what is this?” question) or  being honoured with a treasured doll or possession. A heart gift can be anything that someone gives you with you in mind – it might be bought or it might be made. The ones with the most meaning are made or written. One Christmas my family didn’t have much in the way of money so I decided to write out “heart gifts” for my parents and brother. It was quite an eye opener for me to find things to say to each person – I believe I wrote about what I could do for them as a heart gift – doing my brother’s chores for a month, taking out the garbage for my father, doing my mother’s household chores for a month. It was definitely a gift because it involved my putting out energy and being committed to the “gift” for the entire time frame allotted. No backing out, no defaulting to another time. If you give a “heart gift” you have to give it your all.

John and I have been given many “heart gifts” these past few weeks as friends have dropped off food, sent cards of encouragement, phoned me regularly, sent small gifts. They have all meant so much to me.

I received a beautiful “heart gift” yesterday. My friend Jodi made me the most beautiful rag quilt. She has struggled with her own health issues over the past several years so she knows what it’s like. This quilt is special in so many ways. First, it’s a rag quilt – something Jodi and I have talked about as I want to learn how to make one. Secondly, it’s a prayer quilt – certain squares have the praying hands embroidered on them (I love that symbol) – a reminder that prayer is woven throughout my journey. Thirdly (is that even a word???) – Jodi has chosen beautiful earthy colours for this quilt – greens, rusts, golden yellows, browns, creams and a forest scene that is so peaceful to look at – she knows what colours are soothing for me. This is indeed a “heart gift” – it has taken her some time to finish this for me and it reflects the things that I love about nature.

Thank you so much Jodi – this Ragged Prayer quilt will accompany me for the remainder of my hospital treatment visits and will be a constant reminder of your loving heart.

“As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person” Proverbs 27:19

 

Sadly, on March 31, 2017, my friend, Kathryn Pepper, lost her battle with cancer.  It was her words that pushed me towards starting this website and making lap quilts for other friends or acquaintances that have been diagnosed with cancer.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take a picture of the quilt I made her, but I have attached an image of the praying hands that I used on her quilt.

I miss Kathryn and I thank God I had the privilege of knowing her and being part of her life and journey for a time and look forward to seeing her again one day.