New Beginnings

I've been silent in this space for a quite a while, but I assure you my life has been anything but quiet. A little more than a week before Thanksgiving, my life was completely flipped upside down. I'm not sure I could put it all into words if I tried.






My husband and I split up. Although it was my choice, I still mourn the loss of something I had so much faith in and put so much of myself into. I gave every ounce of myself in hopes of fixing things, but in the end, I was going to lose myself trying to keep a sinking ship afloat.


 I got to keep Elvis, but my husband took LBC with him when he left. I cried harder saying goodbye to that silly, wonderful cat than I did any other time. My sewing machine, The First Born, also went with him since it had belonged to his great grandmother. The two things that defined and drove my blog and creativity were gone in the span of a single night.
  

As silly as it sounds, this dog is my world. My ray of sunshine. My partner in crime. :) 

My life is in boxes right now, taking up way too much space in my parents' garage. They have been an absolute lifesaver during this entire ordeal and let Elvis and I come back home without a moment of hesitation. When it comes to parents, I really won the lottery with how good they are to me.

I've been making my way through those boxes, pulling out my sewing staples (scissors, rotary mat, pin cushion, etc.). I've managed to wrangle most things and get them in one bag together for easy access. I've been sewing more and more, finally getting used to setting up and breaking down my sewing area every night to leave the dining room table clear and uncluttered.


But this story isn't just a sad one. Despite the divorce, life gets better, things keep moving forward. Old friends that I had lost touch with are right by my side again. Family is keeping me busy and laughing more than I have in a long time. My pastor is helping me work through the things I am struggling with. And you, dear quilty friends, have been posting beautiful projects and WIP's and sharing your stash additions, all of which keep a quilty heart aflutter when times are hard. I may not comment as much as I want to at the moment, but I wholeheartedly appreciate this community I am so lucky to be a part of.  So in the wake of Thanksgiving, I am reassured that I have so much to be thankful for, even when life gets messy.

Hound dog cuddles are my absolute favorite! :)

I have several things to share and I'm hoping to get back on track with photographing and writing blog posts again! I've included a couple of pictures to show things I've made but likely won't write about.

Baby bibs! I sewed some as a commission, so those won't be shared until after they are gifted!

Memory wall hangings - the colored hearts are made from the clothes of my client's passed mother and father. I made one for each child. They're different, but at the same time, cohesive enough to be a matching set. :)

I'm planning to write a post on my new sewing machine as well, but I couldn't resist sharing a picture of the big, beautiful thing now! :)

We've been getting acquainted and I think it will be a long and happy friendship. More on her later though! :)

If you've made it this far, thank you for bearing with me! As many people say, When it rains, it pours. But I am determined to start dancing in the rain, friends, and I hope you'll join me. :)