Too Hard to Part

I'm terrible with goodbyes. To cry or not to cry that is the question!

I finished this quilt in the wee hours of this morning and then went through the typical stages of grief when deciding whether or not I should sell this beauty or keep it.

Denial. I was literally standing in de Nile! Hahaha okay, jokes aside, I did feel like I was standing in water though. In water, in my sinking ship, holding my nautical quilt, knowing I should toss it over and float away but denying that was ever my intention. I wasn't giving it up... I'm not giving it up!

Anger. Why should I give it up? So what if I have twenty quilts hoarded throughout the house. They are my quilts! I made them! As my almost two-year-old says... "Mine!"

Bargaining. I mean my husband is an engineer on a ship. Nautical is our life! He would want me to have it. I even tried persuading my mother.
Mother: "You said you were going to sell it!"
Me: "But MOM!!!" *said in a teenage whiny voice*

Depression. Fine! All those hours, all that work, all of those pretty fabrics. I will give it up and I bet whoever buys it won't even appreciate it, no one ever appreciates homemade, hand-crafted items anymore anyway. I bet no one will want it. *insert sad face*

Acceptance. I will be fine. The quilt is beautiful. Someone will love it as much as I do and maybe more because they don't have twenty more surrounding them right now. Maybe another sailor's wife will find it, or someone in the navy. Maybe someone will buy it for those cold nights on their boat or to dress out their nautical themed living or bedroom.

I would love to say I decided to keep the quilt and I am currently wrapped up in it on the couch, sipping a cup of coffee, missing my husband and cherishing my creation but that would be a lie!

The kids are making messes, I'm probably doing the never-ending pile of laundry, vacuuming cheerios, feeding kiddos, and taking shots of espresso because honestly who has time to sit quietly and have coffee anymore...

So with that... My Shop is OPEN! Quilt is listed here! I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do!

Linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts.

I'm Going to Eat my Words

But FIRST...

...an addition to last week's post.  I received this photo via text this week and wanted to share with everyone following her journey! She has nine more weeks of chemo left and looks as beautiful as ever!

Now on a eating my words topic. I recently made a post entitled Twinsies in which I sadly stated why selling quilted items was difficult and the economically inferior option. At the time, I was overwhelmed with requests, beaten down by responsibility and overloaded with life. I am however, despite all the research against me; going to give that very momentous challenge a whirl.

This week I jumped onto Etsy and applied myself wholeheartedly. I am starting off small but planning for some big things! Miss White Wall is officially trying out some positive thinking, hoping for a little bit of luck, putting forth a heap ton of effort and sprinkling some magic fairy dust (I'm still on the hunt for the fairy dust!) 

This week I started working more diligently on my Etsy platform. I FINISHED 10 rice bags (pictures peppered throughout this post) and some beautiful dishcloths inspired by Amanda herself. I will eventually have some pillows, stuffed animals and quilts for good measure. 

I still have quite a few projects in the works and therefore will officially launch my Etsy shop on the blogosphere next week! Be sure to check back so you don't miss out on some of the great quilted finds popping up over the week. I am jumping into the unknown and praying that I manage anything other than falling flat on my face! Crafting and writing are my true passions in life and I would be silly to do almost anything else with the blessings I have been given.

Everyday I learn a little bit more about myself and about the world around me. Some of the best realizations I have come from my children's tv shows. They clearly have some brilliant minds working behind the scenes.  

Here is one of my favorites:

Nigel: "Aw Wicky, you always look on the bright side."

Baileywick: "That's because there's always a better view there."

So this week I'm looking on the bright side... and the view is spectacular, exciting and so refreshing!

Linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Busy Hands Quilts!

When the Road Gets Tough

When life hits, sometimes it wears its punching gloves, comes prepared, strikes from behind and hits us hard. Life is beautiful and full of wonder but also very hard and full of pain. We've all been there. We've all had our moments in the shadows, our days of despair, our darkest hour and our longest nights. But if we learn anything from those moments I hope it is to appreciate the other moments we spend somewhere else, anywhere else and everywhere else. You can't appreciate the sun without the shade, the rainbow without the rain, the light without the dark and the good without the bad.

I have a family member who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Let me start by telling you this woman is strong... very very strong. She has been faced with numerous difficulties in life and where you or I would have fallen, she pushed through. She is a wonderful woman, a vibrant mother and a loving wife. This is just one of her obstacles and I know she will exceed everyone's' expectations through this obstacle just like all of the rest... because she is just that type of strong. 

When she realized she would likely be losing her hair she asked me to make her some head scarves. She sent me some pictures (clearly overestimating my skill) and I promised what I didn't know if I could deliver. 

Now let me preface this with the fact that I am not as strong. I doubt myself, I researched late through the night and I procrastinated at every turn. Eventually, I moved past my fear of failure and I tried. I did the best I could, (it took me much longer than I hoped) I made mistakes but I also had some successes along the way. I made her six different head scarves, each unique and with a special purpose in mind. 

The first I called Red. For those special nights out, those elegant occasions or those moments you want to feel that silky, sultry feeling. Brave women wear red and she is the bravest I know. I included the following cards with each scarf (below are pictures I took wearing the scarves before I mailed them). 

The second scarf is Rosie the Riveter because she is the definition of a strong woman and a reminder that "We Can Do It!"

Pink because who doesn't love a little pink. Some softness and a feminine head wrap might be just enough to make someone feel back to their normal once again.

Because for obvious reasons she is handling this with so much class and a heap ton of fabulousness.

A girl in Polka Dots is a happy girl!

She specifically requested a Super Hero head scarf for her 10-year-old boy to show him how strong she is. I have a feeling he already knows and she didn't need a scarf to be his Hero!

So that's it! Step out of your comfort zone, try something new, have courage, be brave and fail, because if you never try you will never succeed! And I can bet you, she's glad I tried...

And so am I!

Linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and Busy Hands Quilts!