Winds of Change!

Fortune
Change is coming!  After a difficult month of July, which I wrote about in the previous post, things are looking up!  Last Sunday, I ordered take-out Chinese food, but I didn't eat my fortune cookie until the next afternoon.  This was my fortune!  Within an hour of reading the fortune I received a phone call offering me a new job, working in Postpartum at the hospital that is just 3 blocks from my home!  

Praise be to God for answered prayer and for keeping his hand on me and my life!   
The verse that I have had taped to my computer, that I have meditated on during this difficult time is this one: 
The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.  
Psalm 145:14 

He has lifted me up and upheld me during my rough days.  I am so very grateful, so very blessed.

The week previous, I had decided to look at what other jobs in my field might be available.  One popped up unexpectedly for the hospital near my home, where I had applied twice previously and been told that they wouldn't hire me due to the fact that I have an Associate's degree in nursing and not a bachelor's degree.  With much prayer, I updated my resume and submitted my application on Friday afternoon.  I received an e-mail back on Monday asking for a phone interview, which  then took place on Wednesday.  At the phone interview, they asked to set up an in-person interview.  That happened on Friday.  On Monday, I had the job offer!   I am so very happy and relieved to be able to work so close to home again.  It's less than a 10 minute walk from my front door!  

I have put my resignation in with my current employer and am looking forward to a couple weeks off between jobs to regroup and prepare for the changes!  So excited!  

CQJP2015BackgroundTrials
With so much stress lifted,  I have at last had energy to put towards stitching!  First up is my CQJP 2015 project.  As much as I liked the bright green fabric and how it made the blocks stand out, I couldn't get past the glaring brightness of it, the full-on 60's/70's vibe it had.  That wasn't how I pictured it in my mind, so it was back to the drawing board.  I went ahead and added the bright pink borders to the blocks.  Then it was time to try out some other background fabrics.  I tried a pink/orange/purple variegated batik.  It was ok, but lacked warmth.  The green I already knew was out.  i tried a more subdued pink/orange batik, which I liked, but it still was missing something.  The blocks just didn't seem at home on it.  So I pulled out the original piece of fabric I had bought, back when I first started working on the blocks.  Without the pink borders, the blocks just got lost on it, and so it had been set aside.  But now, with the pink borders, the blocks came to life and just sing!  I cut the sashing and had just snippets left!  Couldn't have been more perfect! 

CQJP2015 The Back
With the blocks pieced together, I turned it over and discovered that I like the back almost as much as the front!  It certainly has it's own beauty to it!  

2016.07.30SummersDelightWIP01
Now, the front completed and I am SO happy with it.  It looks much more like how I had envisioned it in the beginning.  I love how the greens of the blocks stand out and how they've lost their yellow/orange cast.  

Working Things Out CQJP2015
Then it was time to play with ideas for finishing the top.  Lots of ideas, much time and effort put into making decisions about how to deal with the sashing.  

New Backing for CQJP 2015
Some backing was in order.  I was going to use the same dark pink fabric that borders the blocks, but it is so tight and difficult to stitch through, that I opted for a simpler fabric with a looser weave for the back.  

Thomas on CQJP2015
When it came time to bast everything together, Thomas sat there making sure that nothing moved unnecessarily!  He was quite the critic!  

Quilting CQJP2015
With the quilt stretched on a quilting frame, I tried out some hand quilting in a dark pink thread, but have since pulled this out.  You'll have to wait to see the finished project to see what I used instead!  It's coming along nicely!  

Mollie Feathers WIP
Even after all this time working on the CQJP 2015 blocks, I still find the bright colors tiring for my eyes, so it was a pleasure to bring out my Mollie Feathers project to work on in between.  A couple of dedicated days saw all the little blocks pieced together using a faux paper piecing technique that I learned from Jude Hill of Sprit Cloth.  (If you want to know more, check out her class, Spirit Cloth 101) There is something I find incredibly satisfying to take all these tiny bits of cloth and put them together into a new whole.  

MollieFeathers WIP
I then used a similar technique to add the inner dark border between the featherstitched panel and the blocks.  I'll use it again to add the outer border.  I was going to add some texture stitching to the blocks, but have decided I like them without it on this particular project!  Hope to have this completed this weekend... but Grandbaby #1 is due any moment, so it's entirely possible that I'm going to be a bit distracted!  

p.s. Please pardon the somewhat blurry phone photos in this post!  Once the final projects are complete, you may be assured that there will be real photos taken with much better focus and a closer look at the details!


Comments

Unknown said…

Dear Lisa
I have read your blog for a few years now. I have admired your strength through your trying times, and so enjoyed your travels through Great Britain. Since your last post I have thought of you often, saying a pray, hoping you were doing okay.
When I just read your blog tonight, I am rejoicing for you. And thanking God, for His care.
I am so happy for you, to have a job, so close. No more long winter drives to work.
Carole
Unknown said…
Поздравляю с новой работой!!
Какие красивые у Вас вышивки - очень хочется так научится, а пока просто люблю наблюдать за процессами и тихонько восхищаться
Wilma said…
Congratulations on your new job Lisa, how wonderful that you no more have to drive that long way to your work. And the best thing is that you will have more time to stitch!
Congrats on your new job dear Lisa. You must be excited to be working so close to home, that's a blessing.

Love the feathers piece, such nice mellow colors.

I sometimes think the backs of our embroidery pieces have their own beauty.

Have a lovely Sunday and a great week.

Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady
Josie said…
I am so happy for you Lisa! Having a job so close to home is a blessing.......I experienced that also before I retired and it makes a big difference! :-) Congratulations on your new job! :-) Josie in Texas
QuiltingFitzy said…
Thank you for your inspiration and hope. I love your work and your spirit.
of course your stitching is perfection. It's amazing how creative we can be when our mind is freed from stress and pressing issues.
xx, Carol
Lady Locust said…
Congratulations on your new job! 3 blocks from home - how wonderful.
Also, though my first crazy was similar in color to your pink/yellow, I luuuuv that Mollie Feathers runner. That is just beautiful.
Anonymous said…
I am SO HAPPY for you- God always provides for us. Also, I love the bright colors you have been working with. This is project is beautiful. I always find your creations inspirational. Thank you, Jane Raymond
Gerry Krueger said…
That is so great about your new job. I always am waiting for unexpected new doors to open in my life and they invariably do..
SallytotheMax said…
How wonderful to read your Good News this morning! Would you mind answering a few questions? Will your new job allow you to sleep at night (the trend in the hospitals around these parts is for a 12 hour day)? How far away will the new baby live? And about the stitching...do you orient the blocks in one direction? I've heard you talk about "at the top corner" but I assumed that was for the picture. The fabric that you decided upon is perfect but you had several choices, are your blocks always the same size? Do you know how much fabric you'll need and by that I mean, is it standard? I always learn so much from your blog! Thank you for sharing :)
allie aller said…
So very very happy for you. xoxoxo
Mosaic Magpie said…
Congratulations! I am thinking in the time it took you to shovel your driveway last winter, this year you will be able to walk to work. Happy for you!
Congratulations on the new job! Hope it is everything you want it to be and makes your life easier and much less stressful.
Heather said…
Congradulations! I'm glad to hear things are looking up for you.
LindaSonia said…
Soo very happy for your good fortune!! All the very best. :-)
Anonymous said…
What wonderful news!!!! I'm so thrilled for you, being close to work is a real blessing. You will do great. I have felt you have been burdened lately and thank you for sharing your verse that saw you through. always. always love your work! Mary
DH said…
Dear Lisa, You are such an inspiration to me! Not only in your beautiful crazy quilting and stitching, but also in your trust and faithfulness to Jesus! I am so happy for you! Thanks so much for sharing your life with us! Dawn
Cathy said…
Lisa, I'm so glad things have worked out for you on the job front. Being close enough to walk to work is a double benefit. Take care, and I'll see you soon!
FredaB said…
Lisa I am so happy for you. The new job will add so many hours to your life. I always worried about you having that horrible drive and you were such a brick through it all.

I love the variegated colour you have chosen for the sashing. The quilt is gorgeous.

Sorry I cannot make the conference this year. Too much going on here. Have a great time.

Hugs Freda
Lin said…
I love the way you have put together your CQJP blocks - it looks stunning! Congratulations on the new job. xx
msmo said…
Oh, I'm so happy for you with your new job!!! What a difference it will make--wonderful!!
Winds of change in my life too! But getting slowly back to some kind of routine again.love these crazies!!
Hooray! I KNEW a good change would come - God is good, for sure. Enjoyed seeing your blocks and reading about how you made your colour choice for the borders and I think you made the best one. Blessings to you in your new job!

Popular Posts