The shape of our life is never set in stone. The things that you take for granted, good and bad, can evaporate like a mist. What I surely have observed in my years on this earth is that life can always, always surprise you. That doesn’t feel like a threat to me, rather more of a curiosity and a promise. Like a book that you want to keep reading, or better, like a story that you are making up as you go.
Read MoreThis month I have been keeping a secret. Or really, it’s been longer than that. Certainly my marriage has been dying a long, slow death of many months and years. For a long while the edges of that growing reality were soft and slippery until their form became a solid thing that could not be denied.
Read MoreAs I observe the lifestyles of my Dutch friends, I notice cultural patterns of frequent family connection. It strikes me that the proximity makes possible a tight-knit family cultural. Here are some Dutch habits I’ve observed with admiration and not a little jealousy.
Read MoreThere have been little uh-oh moments when my longarm has given me trouble, but this time - - -this time I really did it. I made a mistake and, as a result, my longarm tried valiantly to quilt over the metal clamps. That didn’t go so well.
Read MoreCan there be justice when your child’s life has been stolen by caregivers who didn’t seem to care? No, not really. Is there justice possible for Eleni, who knew so much suffering in her short life? Never. But there can be accountability, apology, recompense and financial support for the cost of those grevious mistakes.
Read MoreWhatever gifts or challenges 2021 has brought you, I wish you a time of peace this holiday season. I wish you the chance to gather round the light and share it with someone you love. To be still. To be warm and to be hopeful for the year to come.
Read MoreI enjoy sharing the different ways that society can be organized because it opens up possibilities for gratitude and maybe even change. So, are you curious about how children’s sports and extracurriculars are set up in The Netherlands?
Read MoreI spoke to her of Eleni when she was only days old. I remember standing before Eleni’s photos and the words I needed to say out loud, This is your sister, Eleni. I held my new, healthy baby close and felt how hard it would be to tell her this story when it mattered to her.
Read MoreTime for a Fair Isle update. With the help of the members of Comfort circle, do. Good Stitches, I’m sewing a child-sized Fair Isle quilt made up of Penny Sampler blocks. Only a few more blocks to go!
Read MoreWhen our family moved from the United States to The Netherlands a year and a half ago, we moved to a country we had never visited and to a culture we only knew secondhand. Here’s what we miss and what we don’t!
Read MoreHave you ever sewn a bunting? It’s a whimsical, yet simple project and packs a big punch. For Aria’s 16th birthday I made this swallowtail bunting. Stop in for fun fabrics, vibrant colors and a happy surprise!
Read MoreI used leftover yardage from making myself pajama pants last year to create a simple top for Elora. There’s lots to love about sewing for little girls. One is that tops don’t require that much fabric. This took only about a half yard.
Read MoreThis month I celebrate a decade of blogging at Stitched in Color. Wow! Join me for a snapshot review of each year, including my favorite quilts, important milestones, family moments and happenings in our community.
Read MoreTo all the sweet souls who stop by now and then: I wish you scrumptious food and loved ones near and happy surprises to give and to get. I wish you dear memories both old and new. I wish you a heart that is peaceful and bright, like the lights that shine on these very dark nights.
Read MoreThree years ago baby Elora brought so much light and healing to our family. What a happy time it has been and so quickly has it passed! Today as she leaves toddlerhood behind, I’ll share one last milestone post, for all of Elora’s virtual grandmamas and aunties and uncles.
Read MoreWhat is it like living in The Netherlands as newly settled expats? On Tuesday October 15th, I kept a record so that I could share a typical day with you. Welcome to the minutia of our everyday Dutch life!
Read MoreSome of my favorite quilts tell a story. They capture a moment of joy or pain or expectation. They bottle that feeling with color or shape or clearly distilled memories of time spent processing emotions, cloth in hand.
Read MoreA leader or a follower? I ponder the two opposing roles as I watch Elora play at our neighborhood playground. If I’m honest, her propensity to observe, bide her time and stand apart from the crowd can make me uncomfortable.
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