Oh yeah, it's Fina-Lee Friday

I'm eliminating the usual bullets, and negative attitude today, but still, getting back into the swing of things seems to have taken longer than I expected, but maybe it's just that because I know the kitchen remodel will be coming along all too soon and I'm not ready, that I'm just procrastinating in some areas. Whatever the case, since the remodel is on the horizon, I know I need to make storage space for the things that will be packed up and that means clearing out stuff that's already been set aside for the Salvation Army (my preferred charitable donation site for unwanted belongings); either them or the Vietnam Vets of America.

Perfect timing for some of the items this week, was that during our fellowship class at church it was announced that a new seminary family was arriving soon from England (there are two other sem. families arriving - from India and the Dominican Republic - soon as well)...with nothing but their bags of clothing...oh boy, what an opportunity to serve by giving from some of my excess. We had a twin bed wooden headboard but no bed...someone else had the twin bed with no headboard...how awesome is that? I had a perfectly good enamel tea kettle...I just rarely used it and got very tired of cleaning the cooking grime from its exterior as it sat 'decoratively' on the stove, hey, England - tea, works for me :)

The manager of the apartments where these families will be living is also a seminary family and I asked if any of them could use any boys' clothing (clothing wasn't on the original list). Yes! I had at least a couple dozen tees and as many polo-style shirts, along with a pair of black slacks and dress shoes - both had only been worn once for Nick's 6th grade graduation. I also was able to offer them some hangers, a bag of non-perishable foods & paper/plastic products (those because I shop at Costco and had plenty on hand and who knows when they'll get to a grocery store), some microwave cooking dishes, kitchen towels, and other things I forget now. What a joy it was to see the joy on the face of the manager when I took these things to her. And I'm sure I'll be able to offer more items as I progress in sorting through things in my kitchen as I pack up. Not to mention toys/books and who knows what else when I get to Nick's room and elsewhere in the house.

While I was sorting through things, I could only think what an amazing ministry it would be if someone had a building that could be dedicated to serving our seminary/missionary families by having usable items available like this that could be loaned out to the families for their household needs for the time they're here and then returning anything still usable when they leave for their home state or country. Missionaries rotate 'home' on furlough for only weeks or months at a time, sem. students and their families anywhere from a year or more depending on where they are in their studies and how much employment they have to do to provide for themselves and their families. Some arrive quite self-contained, others have more needs.

So, as we welcome new families to our neighborhood, to our church and to the seminary, we can rejoice in being able to help provide a few things to them. God has blessed me us with much.  And while we can turn around and bless others with the things we no longer want or need, it's helping to declutter my home as well.  And boy, I could declutter a whole lot more and probably not miss any of it.  When I arrived in this state, 40+ years ago, everything I owned fit in the trunk of my car...sure was easy to get up and move back then, lol.

Quilt #012

I love, love, loved this quilt. It looks so-o-o-o complicated, but wasn't! This was also a missionary quilt and was pieced by me but tie-quilted and bound with the help of other 'many hands'. It measured 89" square and looked great on the double bed, even if it wasn't in colors I'd decorate in. This one was started on May 1, 2003, and finished on October 29th of the same year. It was a busy quilt year for me in 2003 :) I believe it was passed on to missionaries in Feb. 2005. The pattern was from the November/December 2000 issue of Quiltmaker magazine under the title of "Prairie Meadows" but in a more earth-tone colorway. I could easily do this pattern again in colors that go with my decor.

Quilt #011 Double Pinwheels

Yowsa! This thing is HUGE! It measures 91" x 113". It's another missionary quilt and was started April 17, 2003 and finished June 20, 2003. It is no longer in my possession but I don't believe it's been given out to a missionary yet. This is a Quilt In A Day by Eleanor Burns pattern. Perle Cotton was again used to tie it, and it has a solid light blue backing. I loved how the colors looked together and the white was a geometric pattern that resembled the blades from a pinwheel. I wouldn't mind making one for myself but not so large. The photo was taken with it displayed on a queen-size bed.

Quilt #009

I made this quilts for our Missionary Quilts group. It measures 70" x 82". I believe I did all the work on this from start to finish, but others may have helped with tying and hemming the binding. The pattern was published in the 1999 Better Homes & Garden Sampler under the title "English Trellis". I never think to take photos of the back of my quilts. I chose a sage toile for the backing. I started on 4/3/2003 and finished on 4/19/2003! Are you amazed at that with just 16 days considering all my other projects were years? I think I was trying to prove my skills to the lady (and now friend) who headed up the Missionary Quilts program. Of course, tying is much quicker than machine quilting and all the MQ quilts are tied. My tying preference is to use Perle Cotton when I do so. I do not like using knitting/crocheting yarn, just too bulky and fuzzy. On Sept. 17th of that year, this quilt was gifted to some of our missionaries in India...a nice fit.