A dark ages Halloween

Princess Mina and her gallant protector, Sir Mosselot on his trusty steed.

Novice quilter

Last summer, a friend of mine was kind enough to show me the basics of machine quilting. I started out with a simple table runner pattern and, in the fall, I tried a different pattern for a table topper. My most recent one is pictured above. The binding is pinned and ready for hand sewing. My first attempt, below, is pictured while in process.

The pattern is called Ozark Star and you can acquire a free copy of the pattern at Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting by registering on their site.

The fat quarters are beginning to accumulate and I'm hoping to translate them into this year's Christmas gifts.

I've already cut out the pieces for my next project, which is a table cloth. It is called Crossroads Table Set by Brenda Miller and you can acquire the pattern at Quilt Craft Distributors. The pattern includes a table cloth, placemats and table topper.

I'm using the following fabrics to make it:

Some art class drawings

Here are some drawings from the SpeakArt Class I've been taking. The Art Psychotherapist, Eva-Marie Stern, has written a feature 'Trauma therapy: helping survivors of abuse and violence rebuild their lives'

Stop by to view the online gallery for The Art Not Violence Project.

The Lurch

The 1960's television show, The Addams Family, was a favourite of mine when I was growing up. This evening I found a 'blast from the past' on YouTube. It's 6-foot, 9-inch Ted Cassidy (Lurch) dancing The Lurch on the TV variety show Shivaree, October 30, 1965.

Easter love

This greeting generated with Smilebox

Be nice

A Lemon Squeezy Home blog posting for February 12, 2012 features words to live by. Christie has made four, free printables of the following quote available.

Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other.

― Marvin J. Ashton

Happy Heart Day

Create your own digital greeting card

Freedom of expression

When my husband and I watched this last Friday, we howled with laughter at the graphic and effective demonstration of the disgusting and horrific practice of posthumous baptism.

I can barely wrap my head around the fact that this clip is generating such hue and cry.

How can this religious organization unilaterally nullify everything this man believed in and then, when satirized, climb on the high horse of the right to freedom of religion/thought? Clearly, there is an inability to adhere to their own arguments.

The doctrine of eternal life based on individual, corporeal existence was conveniently bypassed when faced with the core tenets of Edward Davies' life. Based on this so-called 'truth', shouldn't unbelievers experience the same permanence based on their lifetime choices?

This religious organization crossed the line of human decency in the most cowardly way possible; exerting their will when Davies could not possibly exercise his rights and freedoms. This posthumous baptism demonstrated complete and utter megalomania. Fully aware that Edward Davies would have been repulsed by the ritual, they performed it anyway.

Freedom of religion/thought? I'm left to conclude that their strident argument applies only to those chosen ones who believe exactly the same way they do.

Update: February 18, 2012 on Wired: Can I Get on the Mormon “Do Not Baptize” List? How to avoid being baptized after you’re dead. Looks like Bill Maher might be busy with his unbaptisms.

Season's Greetings

Our online holiday dance was on ElfYourself in 2011 but has now expired.

There is the 2012 new, free elf greeting creator called Elf Madness.

All the best to you and your loved ones this holiday season!

Lest we forget

A poignant Remembrance Day video by Terry Kelly called 'Pittance in Time' stressing the value of observing a minute of silence to commemorate the huge price paid by military personnel in combat.

Please take that moment to also think about our 'walking wounded', who suffer PTSD.