Giveaway Smiles

I am so happy I stumbled upon the Sewmamasew giveaway.  It's been such a joy reading all the comments from people all over the world.  They have made me laugh out loud or say oh how sweet for the past two days.  I can't wait till tomorrow and post who's won.  This has been a joy and a fun experience discovering new blogs finding amazing artist and feeling I am a part of something far beyond the walls of my little studio. Thanks to all how left comments and posted.  Welcome to all who have signed in to follow, I am touched. So, until tomorrow
Smiles and warm feelings from
Mama Jean

Sew Mama Sew Give A Way

I am so happy you have come to check out Mama Jean's Threaded Words and to enter into my little give a way.  This will be my first time so I hope you enjoy.  All you need to do is leave a post and I will choose a winner at random from all who leave their post.  I will contact you for shipping information so no worries and I am happy to ship international... I love when one of my little sewphies takes flight.  Best wishes to all.  Check out my etsy shop and see other Sewphies you might enjoy as well.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/jeanabbott

Art verses Function

Recently, one of my quilts was picked to be a part of a pop up store in the Museum of Contemporary Craft and I had the privilege of seeing it there with all the other artist and creators that were also chosen and I have to admit, it looked amazing.  They had hung it up on the wall as more of an art piece instead of the baby quilt it was created to be.  It was lovely to look upon and it made me appreciate this rare opportunity to see my work in such a way.  So often we create and I love the process but I am always thinking about it being a quilt, not art and suddenly I saw my work as not only functional but artful as well and it was pleasing to my soul. 
I love to think that my work could be considered art because for years I was basically told that though I was creative it was really just crafty, not real art. So, crafty was a good thing to be but I never really saw my craft as art.  I have enjoyed the transition in my thinking over the past year.  I love creating quilts and clothing for others.  I love to see the colors in my head come out and explode in a quilt.  I enjoy the process almost more than the end result, almost.  In the end to see my quilts laying out on a bed or table to see the final project and feel that sense of pride and joy that comes over me can't be minimized by my past.  I create for the love of it and the beauty and it's art, but it's art people can use and enjoy and wrap themselves in.  It's art that lives with us and becomes part of our everyday life.  It's art for the body and soul. 

So, for this month I will pass the window of the gallery and enjoy seeing my little baby quilt hanging up for all to see and enjoy, knowing that in the end it will find it's way into the life of someone and they will wrap themselves in my art.

Spring is in the Air

Gosh, it's been a bit of time since I last wrote but hey Spring is all around us and the sun and flowers keep calling my name.  I love this time of year.  I love to see everything in the garden start to come alive again and see the early flowers and feel the warmth of the sun at least when it shows up around here.  It's also my favorite time to weed because lets face it, they are so easy to pull up and take care of.  Summer weeding is a bit harder and you all know it.    I keep trying to have a veggie garden but lets face it, I'm not all that crazy about weeding and taking care of the plants all the time.. just being honest. I enjoy watching them grow if they sort of take care of themselves like raspberries, and the fruit trees.  The plum was covered in blossoms this year and the apple seems to be following suit.  The poor apricot has had a few hard years but maybe this will be the year I can finally get her back to health, she's had a bit of a fungus problem but the new leaves seem to be clear of it.  I love the strawberries that seem to be filling in all around under the fruit trees blueberry bushes doubled in size this year and finally the strawberries are filling in around the fruit trees.  Yep, fruit and I seem to get along well.  Veggies, welllllll let's just say it's complicated.  We have very little sun spots, remember all the fruit trees, we have also got a load of other big trees that seem to shade the rest of the yard so the few square feet of sun spots have to work hard.  I have planted two tomatoes, two cucumbers, lettuce and a cilantro with the hopes that it will go crazy and I can make fresh salsa with tomatoes from the farmers market at least. I am very realistic when it comes to gardening.
Funny how we seem to find our thing and maybe other things just don't seem to get the attention they should.  I would rather be in my sewing studio sewing on anything other than weeding and cutting grass and the likes.  Don't get me wrong, love to be in the yard just wish it would take care of it's self more.  I start digging and instead of dreaming of the cucumbers I will have this summer I think about what would it look like to build a veggie quilt and would anyone really want one?  Seems like there's lots of food fabric out there and I'm never sure why really so there must be a market.  Then I think about how cool would it be to go to Mexico and find a big fabric store, would they carry lots of Day of the Dead fabrics as the sun beats down on my back and I try and pull the weeds.  Or, how fun would that be to plan a vacation around finding fabric stores in other countries.  Some say it's a bit warped and twisted, I just say it's a fabricholic's dream come true.  So, you garden your way, and I'll garden my way and hey, the farmers market opens soon and they seem to really know how to do it!

Sew Dates

This week I had the joy of having two sew dates with friends and if you haven't every had one, then it's about time.  The first thing you will need is a friend who sews too, or has a common passion.  Knitting your thing,  then knit.   Love to photograph flowers, no better time... or just enjoy great coffee and a good laugh..perfect date.    Then you will need to pick a date on the calendar and stick to it.  It's so easy to cancel things that are just for ourselves.  It's amazing sometimes how everything and everyone in the world can start to take over everything we do. By taking care of self however, it allows you to do a better job of taking care of everyone and everything else.  Food is always a nice addition to a date.  You can start the date by having breakfast out or create a lunch together it really doesn't matter but sharing time over food feels all warm and fussy and who doesn't like that?  Have fun.. for heaven sakes, it doesn't really matter if you get anything done by the end of the time, it's the time that matters.  Time is that thing we never have enough of and are always behind but when spent with someone we care about, those are the times we remember.  Friends help us laugh and feel good.  They support us through good and bad times and help us feel connected.  After all, we are only human.  We need others.  We are very social creatures.  No one is meant to be alone so reach out and touch someone this week.  Take a chance and make a date.  I promise it will make you smile and feel all warm and fuzzy.

New Week, New Challenges

Another week begins, as the sun comes up on a Monday morning.  Had a fantastic weekend with my son who came to town on a whirlwind visit.  I see him coming and going out the door as he has places to go and people to see and in between he stops for a few and we catch up on all the latest.  Life has a way of flying by us if we're not careful.  We need to take those precious moments when we have them and be totally present because those moments will slip by so fast and you'll wonder where they went.  
Last week I was so excited to win the contest in Goofingoff's blog contest.  I was so grateful to all my friends and friends of friends that took the time to vote for me, it made me feel so special.  To know that they cared enough about me and what I am trying to do to help me out. I was so honored to be chosen in her weekly picks and today I answered the questions that she asked and it was so wonderful to be able to reflect on this journey and realize that it really started back in the day when my Mom took the time to create moments for me.  To help me learn how to sew.  I wanted to so bad.  She knew she could sew but wasn't sure she could teach us how to so she joined up as a 4 H leader and followed all the manuals and programs and gave us an incredible opportunity to not only learn how to sew but knit and cook and be a part of a group.  We made lots of bad food, tore out more seams than you can imagine and created memories that still make me smile today. Yep, she was one incredible woman and I miss her everyday. 
So thanks Goofingoff for bring lots of smiles to my face today as I answered your questions  and for having an opportunity to honor my Mother and the love and devotion she gave to me... because each creation I make from dress to quilt, has a little of her magic in it as well...

Morning Thoughts

Some mornings it's not easy getting started.  You know how it is, the chickens need to be cleaned out, the seeds you bought for that garden need to be started, the dogs really do need a bath and weren't you going to purge your stash closet or at least make a better path through it.   But somehow that third cup of coffee just seems to be calling your name.  It's fun to watch spring find its way into the world one blossom at a time.  The apricot tree blooms first of the fruit trees in the yard.  Bold and strong hoping to miss the last frost of winter that can sneak in.  Then the plum tress begins covered in big buds just waiting to explode on the scene on every branch from top to bottom.  So much so, that when the wind blows it's a rain shower of petals.  Then I noticed that the blueberries have quietly blossomed without any fanfare what so ever.  Now, the apple tree has a bit of pink here and there just under cover for now but soon of so soon it to will be covered in blossoms.  So, like spring, a quilt comes together one fabric at a time.  One piece is bold and brave and shows its self first, and then you find others that just explode all around it.  A nice quite one to help fill in a bit here and there and then the final fabric finds it's way to the surface and it seems to bring the whole quilt together.. a garden of fabric makes for a very pretty quilt, yes indeed.