Keeping it in the family, this bird is for my Aunt Linda.

I thought of her today as I have now agreed to teach two of my co-workers how to crochet. And in doing so, I realize I am jeopardizing both friendships and work relationships…

My Aunt Linda has gotten bit by the crochet bug and she is crocheting everything from hats to clothes to flowers. But, she recently started crocheting doilies. Seeing her doilies makes me think of my grandmother. I remember her making doilies for her home and her friends and babydoll clothes for me. She taught me to crochet when I was very young. And she is probably the reason I have tried anything that involves a needle and thread.

She passed this love of creating things on to me and her daughters. She has been gone from us for a very long time but seeing Linda’s creations sure brings it all back. Some of the doilies Linda is making are traditional and very similar to grandma’s. But… some are also colorful and fun with embellishments! I wonder what grandma would think of the new funky fun ones…. I vote for new funky fun!

Linda’s Doilies

When my mom and her sisters read this, they will probably cry. Sorry mom…

Date Made: April 27th, 2015
Block #92
Days on Project: 117
Blocks Made: 92

For Aunt Linda

Block #91 for Uncle Gerald

“Guess who’s back, back again. Birdies back. Tell a friend. Guess who’s back, guess who’s back, guess who’s back..”

If you didn’t get that song reference, this may not be the blog for you… Just kidding, you can stay! I haven’t posted a bird since April 7th. A road trip, busy work weeks, and a twisted ankle are to blame. Going into the sewing room for the first time in more than two weeks was weird and I am definitely out of practice.

Tonight’s bird goes to my uncle Gerald. I was able to have dinner with him and his family during our road trip. I hadn’t seen him probably 15 years. It was great catching up and getting to know them again. He is a very neat guy. I was surprised to learn about his interests in Paleontology and Archeology as I have the very same interests and his brother, my Uncle Jesse, is an anthropologist. I love his curious spirit, he seems to be always looking to learn and experience new things. That got me thinking… (I know, that could be dangerous). He, like me, has a day job that doesn’t have anything to do with his those interests. I am sure he loves his job, I know I love mine. But my job isn’t everything; I don’t wake up in the morning chompin’ at the bit to get to work. And you know what, that’s ok. It feels like everyone around me is trying to turn the things they love into careers. Our society tends to promote the idea of “You are good at that, you should be getting paid for it”. I don’t want to turn the things I love into revenue streams. Something tells me that when and if I do, I won’t love them as much and there would be no distinction between work and home. We can have fun and do things we enjoy just because we enjoy them.

Q & A

What do you think about this? Do you make a living doing what you love or is your job the paycheck that allows you to do what you love? Just a general question to throw out to the interwebs…

Also, did you notice the mistake in the bird? I really am out of practice…

Date Made: April 25th, 2015
Block #91
Days on Project: 115
Blocks Made: 91

For Uncle Gerald

Block #90 for Karen D.

I don’t live very close to my parents. Our jobs sent us across the country and I don’t get to see them very often. I miss out on late night rummy games, going out to lunch with my mom, and just spending time with them.  But, the thing that bothers me the most is that I am not there for them on a daily basis. I talk to my mom all the time on the phone but it’s not the same as being in the same town where I can look in on them and help out when they need it.

Right around the time I got married (19 years ago), my parents church had a new pastor. He was about my age and his wife was about the age of my husband. They had a little boy and my parents took the hole family in as part of their own. Or maybe the opposite happened, not entirely clear but my parents went from having one child that lived very far away to having loved ones they could count on in the same town.

I will be eternally grateful for Karen and Larry. t gives me peace-of-mind knowing they are there and they truly love my folks. An added bonus is that they have kids and that got me off the hook for grandkids for a very long time!

Date Made: April 4th, 2015
Block #90
Days on Project: 97
Blocks Made: 90

For Karen D.

Block #89 For JoAnn

JoAnn and I worked together many years ago at a company that really fostered creative, unique people. I’m not sure why they let me in, but they did.  JoAnn is one of those people, she does so many things; it just makes my head spin. She is a great writer, owns her own company, runs a B&B, plays the ukulele and recently published a cookbook. And that is just the stuff I know about! She is Super Woman and I have the strong urge to photoshop a cape onto this bird.

I am dedicating this bird to her tonight by way of encouragement. She recently took on a very difficult challenge. But given what she has already accomplished, this is just a drop in the bucket. You got this!

Check Out Her Book:

Luau Like a Local: The Easy Way

Date Made: April 4th, 2015
Block #89
Days on Project: 96
Blocks Made: 89

For JoAnn

Block #88 for Darsie

I met Darsie in a quilting class, I think we actually took the same class twice together. It was probably the hardest class I had ever taken and I kept going back year after year to take this stupid class. If they offer it again… yeah, I’ll probably be there.

The Thing I Love About Quilters Is…

How unbelievably encouraging they are. Darsie and I are now Facebook friends and she always has something encouraging to say or at a minimum she is willing to commiserate with me when I foo-bar something. Luckily she lives close so we were able to get lunch and go quilt shop hopping one weekend in addition to chatting on Facebook.

Darsie loves to go kayaking and I am a bit envious. An athletic, out in the sun, on the water hobby. I only have the one hobby, quilting. I am learning to knit but both are solitary, indoor activities. I have also been informed that watching sci-fi movies and tv shows is not a hobby. I watch episodes of The Big Bang Theory where they are making fun of the guys inability to play sport and I think… yep, thats me. But, I have to admit, that is not the only nerdy stereotype I share with those characters…

Date Made: April 4th, 2015
Block #88
Days on Project: 95
Blocks Made: 88

For Darsie

Block #87 for Valerie

Tonight’s bird is dedicated to Valerie, one of my buddies I hung out with “back-in-the-day”. The thing I loved about hanging out with Valerie, Cathy and Stephanie was that when we left work, we left work! We went to lunch or dinner and rarely talked about work. It was the only time in my career I can say I was able to do that. Even now, when I go to lunch with my co-workers we mostly talk or gripe about work. It’s good to get out, but when I get back to my desk I rarely feel refreshed.

These guys got me one the best gifts when I left that job. They got me a “Darth Tater” and the tater has traveled with me through every job and cubicle move. Occasionally, I will come back to my desk and find it mutilated with an arm sticking up out of the top of his head or it’s eyes where it’s mouth should be. I never know who the culprit is but, obviously, I am not the only person who likes that tater.

Date Made: April 4th, 2015
Block #87
Days on Project: 94
Blocks Made: 87

For Valerie

Block #86 for Cathy C.

I am going down memory lane tonight. I know I have said this before, but I used to work at a wonderful place, very far from home but very close to the beach. And when I worked there, I had three very good buddies: Cathy, Valerie and Stephanie.

I went back through all of my old emails (I never delete anything) to see when the last time I got together with them and it was so many years ago. So many that I got immediately sad and embarrassed that I let that happen. I was reading the emails between the three of us from when I left that job. We definitely had separation issues. The three of us would go to lunch almost every day and talk about tv shows, movies, and just decompress. So when I left, I was inconsolable. My emails to them sounded so whiney, I can’t believe they put up with that.

So the next two birds will be for my gal pals. They are a promise to get the gang back together and get caught up to speed on the last 5 years!

Date Made: April 2nd, 2015
Block #86
Days on Project: 92
Blocks Made: 86

For Cathy C.

Block #85 for Matt L.

Tonight’s block is dedicated to Matt L, and not just because he mentioned it was his turn on Facebook. I met Matt after an exhausting, and I mean exhausting search for a PM/BA at my last job. We interviewed so so many people, and I had never felt more relieved when we finally found a keeper. I actually remember his interview pretty well, because I think I was so frustrated by the time we got to him, that I was being extra cantankerous with the interview questions and set up. I recall we put him on the spot, gave him a scenario and told him he had 10 minutes to come up with a plan, and then we left the room. I do feel bad about that. (It’s been awhile, I could just be making all of this up) Not long after we hired him, I bailed on him and went to another job. I feel bad about that too…

Matt was recently married and I would like to send a big Congrats out to him and his new wife. Matt, this camo bird is for you!  (I was inspired by your profile pic)

Date Made: March 31st, 2015
Block #85
Days on Project: 90
Blocks Made: 85

For Matt L.

Block #84 for Justin

This block is dedicated to Justin. Can you say that you have been to an impromptu  accordion concert in a parking garage? No? Well I have! Justin is a very well rounded and talented musician. One day at work he showed us the large number of musical instruments in his car. When I stated that I hated accordion music, he decided he would try to change my mind. It didn’t work.

One weird night…

Justin plays with groups at different renaissance festivals near here and has been known to be in costume. Our other friend Erik is a traditional German dancer. One night after work a group of us were at Chili’s and I was paying attention to a different conversation when I overheard my husbands name being mentioned. They were deep in discussion on whether Justin would be more likely to get my husband to wear tights or if Erik would be more likely to get him to wear lederhosen. Yeah…

Turns out Erik would have won the bet, however, they would have had to find a way to incapacitate him and be prepared to run once he was free…

Date Made: March 30th, 2015
Block #84
Days on Project: 89
Blocks Made: 84

For Justin