Cozy Old Quilt

Quilts. Ahhhh.....quilts. Even when they become too tattered to use on a bed, they can still be used to decorate. 

They make great table covers. Note too the vintage scarf draped into the display we had in our shop last spring.

This quilt is draped over an old wooden ironing board. I about always have a few ironing boards on the floor as display pieces. As well as a few extra in the back I can pull out in a hurry if a piece of furniture sells.

An old iron footboard serves as a quilt rack.

This long quilted table runner is running down a ladder instead of laying across a table. Forgive the glare of the display windows. I have never figured out how to take a decent photo through glass.

Our deck railing is a great spot for putting freshly washed quilts out to dry. Ignore the nasty deck floor. Obviously, our deck could use some attention this summer. 

How sweet is this embroidered baby quilt? I can only imagine the love that went into it by it's maker. 

A sweet butterfly hanging quilt, pillows made from vintage quilts, and another one covering an ironing board. This is in our display window. Since they are long and narrow, ironing boards work well in them.

Wall hangings and table runners. Love, love, love!

I saw this photo on Pinterest, and thought it was really cool how someone added doilies to the quilt seat. I'm assuming that was to cover holes in the quilt. Unfortunately, I can't find the link to it now, so I can't give credit where credit is due. If anyone knows what blog or website this originally came from, let me know and I will gladly add the link. 

It seems there is no end to the ways old quilts can be used. 

They are love that can span several generations! 

Getting Back on Track

I can think of several places in my life this applies. The last few years, I've gotten sidetracked in many respects. Some was good. Some..... not so much.

I have been very busy. Some was good. Some.... not so much.

My focus got muddled.

While I certainly believe in helping others where possible, it can swallow you up. I found myself spending so much time helping others that I had no time left for me. For my family. For my health. For my shop.

So. I'm reining in. Getting back on track. Selfish? In some ways perhaps. But that will just have to be ok. There are only so many hours in a day, and the older I get, the faster those days are going.

I look forward to working on this blog again. I've missed doing so.

I left off almost a year ago with news that the baby goats were about to start arriving. What an adventure that was! And extremely time consuming.

Spring was a blur of taking care of the mama's while they waited to go into labor.

And the babies as they came.

48 of them!

And as babies tend to do, they got into mischief every chance they got.

Every day was a blur of day job work, and evening time goat tending.

Or fence mending.

For a few months, those goats took over our lives.

Unfortunately, despite our constant efforts, we couldn't keep them in.

Not in the barn - they figured out how to knock down fences.

Not in the pasture fields. 

I never understood the term "walking down a fence" until I saw goats do it.

Repeatedly.

Long story, and a difficult decision, but we ended up selling the herd.

And using the money to build a new front porch.

Which was also very time consuming.

And whew! A lot of work! 

Speaking of work.... 

In addition to the added farm work, I also spent most of the summer baking for a farmer's market. 

Talk about time consuming!!!

It was a good experience in many ways, but not one I plan to repeat.

Maybe if I was younger.

When I was younger, I could eat that stuff and get away with it.

Now..... not so much.

I had lost weight doing the farm work. 

But gained it all back (and then some) eating leftovers.

Yeah. Not good.

So. 

I'm looking forward this year to helping our son & daughter-in-law with their farmwork. But not being as tied down to it as last year.

I'm looking forward to having more time to devote to our shop, creating, planning, decorating. Without the distraction (and calories) of the baked goods.

I've reined in some other areas of my life as well, and feel a great sense of relief in doing so. 

Here's to a New Year! 

Hopefully one full of lots of new blog posts.

I promise to try.