{Feed your Dreams, Starve your Fears}

On Friday  May 25th,  I took the plunge.......out of a perfectly good airplane......from 13,500 feet.......with a skydiver buddy in a jumpsuit that said 'student' on it.......and I didn't go splat.

I think I said 'Holy Crap' to myself 10 times before we actually went out of the plane's door. At least I didn't have to get my hands peeled off the door jam. I went quietly. Not one sound crossed my lips until we were free falling for a bit and I realized I wasn't going to die, at least not at that moment. I did my best 'wooooooow' and said nothing else until Mark, my skydive buddy who was not a 'student', pulled the chute and we started drifting around. It was surprisingly quiet up there and we were able to have a conversation.






















Danny & Samantha jumped too, but were on the plane after me. Kids have no fear, at least they don't let on that they have any fear. They acted cool and calm. I was kind of hoping to see a teensy weensy sign of panic. They did not cooperate......at all.

How many kids get to skydive with their Mom? Wow, look at that fear on his face.

They both look shaken to the core, don't they? Kids.........

{Project 365+1: Week 20}

{OH YEAH~ Bloggers' Quilt Festival: Spring 2012}

This is my first {Bloggers' Quilt Festival} submission, ever. I'm a real newbie at this; it's been about a year since I discovered quilting and I'm obsessed. I love the fabrics and the patterns and the blogs. I wish I was able to spend more time actually sewing than looking on the web at everyone's quilts, but for now that will have to do.


When we found out that we were going to become grandparents this June, I knew that I was going to make a quilt for the baby. I had bought Salt Air by Cosmo Cricket and put it aside for the right project. When I discovered Granny Square Quilts on {Blue Elephant Stitches} I knew that would be the perfect design for the baby quilt and the fabrics would work for a boy or a girl (even though they've slipped so many times and I'm convinced it's a boy).

It came together so easily after I figured out some little tricks. The more I worked with the fabrics the more excited I got to see the finished project. I had it in the wash about five minutes after sewing on the binding. I love how it came out.  And, it was a big hit at the baby shower. I can't wait to see the sweet little one wrapped in it.

{A Thought for Today}

Life is a daring adventure or nothing. ~ Helen Keller

            ~ HOLY CRAP~

{Barn Quilts}

Since I started quilting just about a year ago, I've been spending a lot of time online 'google-ing' quilts, quilting, quilt patterns, quilting methods etc. One of my searches brought me to a site called {Barn Quilt Info} , which surprisingly has info on barn quilts. Evidently, barn quilt trails are becoming popular. You pick a state, then a county and drive from place to place photographing the barn quilts which are displayed on the sides of barns and businesses. I found a {blog} where people can post a newly discovered barn quilt so that others can do a drive-by.

Two years ago when I started taking Danny back & forth to Lehigh University, I noticed some very photogenic barns on 78, right before crossing from NJ to PA. One lovely red barn ( is there any other legit color for a barn anyway?) had a cool geometric-looking design hanging on the side, under the eaves. I planned on stopping to photograph it but always forgot on the way back or whizzed right by, swearing under my breath that I had missed it again. Anyway, last week when I picked Danny up from school I made a mental note to stop on the way home to finally photograph what I now knew to be a 'barn quilt'. I pulled off the roadway, carefully backtracking on foot as the semi's flew by. The sun wasn't in the best spot but I did manage to get a decent shot of my first barn quilt.

From what I've read there are a lot of barn quilts scattered around Tennessee. One county that's loaded with them is only an hour away from Steph. I'm guessing we'll be doing a little drive on the 'barn quilt trail' when I go to visit.

{Project 365+1: Week 19}

{ A Thought for Today}

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.      ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

       Swiftcurrent Trail - Glacier National Park, Montana                                           © Janine Smith 2012