Making a Difference

Usually one of the first things I do when I get up in the morning is to check my email.  It is kind of like checking the snail mail in the afternoon.  I can't wait until it comes because there might be something good in it.  And no, there usually isn't anything good.  Yesterday morning I checked my email as usual, but unlike most days when I have mostly updates from websites I have subscribed to, I had an email from a name I didn't recognize.  I quickly opened it and found the most awesome message.  I want to share it with you.  I made sure that Jennifer was good with my sharing.

Hi Marla,

I wanted to send you a very special thanks for the beautiful blanket that you and your team made for my son. We were vacationing family in Lawrence and had an unexpected scare with my son Vincenzo and he was admitted to the hospital with bronchitis. Thank you so much for your time and effort, you are doing an amazing thing for children all over. He now sleeps with it every night and it will forever be with us. Can you please send along our thanks and pass on this picture to those who were involved in making the quilt. Vincenzo says THANKS!

Jennifer Christiano

Is that an awesome email or what!!!!  And what a beautiful child.

Talk about an email making an impact!  We always hope our quilts go to someone who will love them.  We do get thank yous in the mail from time to time and we certainly are thrilled to get them.  This email along with a picture of Vincenzo actually in the hospital with his quilt is priceless.  Of course, we wish he hadn't had to go to the hospital, but I'm very happy he got a quilt.

In the morning when we all get out of bed, I doubt that most of us think about who we might make an impact on that day.  I have to admit I don't.  I make quilts.  That is what I do.  It isn't a big deal but on this day it was a big deal to Jennifer and her son.  I am grateful that I and this group had the opportunity to make a difference. 

Jury Duty

I recveived a notice in the mail a few weeks ago that I am on call for jury duty.  Most people I know will do anything to get out of serving on a jury.  I am exactly opposite.  I like being called for jury duty.  Having previously served on a jury plus a several year stint working for a high profile law office gives me a different perspective I suppose.  I actually find it all interesting and think it is a good thing for everyone to do at least once.  I have had to call in every couple of days to see if I need to report.  Last week I was a bit torn.  I had a dental cleaning scheduled.  Jury duty or the dentist????  It ended up no jury duty and clean teeth.  I think it worked out for the best.  Last night I did the routine call thing expecting a recording saying I didn't need to report.  To my surprise I had to report this morning at 8:30.  Off I went thinking all the time this is going to cut into my sewing time.  After being there 30 minutes the clerk comes in to tell us the state does not have their witnesses ready to go so the trial would not start today after all.  My session ends Friday so I do not have to call anymore.  I am done!  My sewing time is intact!

Let's check out some of the latest quilts we've done.

Fun and bright daisies--a girl would have to love these!

Isn't the backing great?  Our quilter even quilted daisies on the quilt!

The crayons on this one paired with the striped border would work for either a boy or a girl. 

The blue backing is perfect.  It has subtle color variations to make it pop.

This is a red and white disappearing 9-patch.  The simplicity of the two colors is great.

The backing with houses and baskets of apples is the perfect finishing touch.

I love the soothing colors of this quilt.  The squares have dragonflies on them for fun.

This backing is just the punch this quilt needed.  Blues and greens with daisies give a burst of color.  The quilter added some dragonflies to her quilting!

This quilt is different from anything I have done before.  I had a piece of fabric that was so cute that I didn't want to cut it into small pieces.  I cut it into four pieces and added the checkerboard.  Easy-peasy. 

Can't you just see a little boy running his car along the streets of this fabric?

The blue backing gives your eyes a place to rest with all the busy pieces on the front of the quilt.

Some of my readers have been asking for more quilts, more pictures.  Hopefully, you enjoyed seeing a few more quilts today than the usual.  It is cold, damp, and dreary here. Wherever you are, I hope these pictures have brought a smile to your face and a bit of sunshine in your life.