Inspiring Story for all of us

Whether or not you are a quilter or a crafter, this story will very likely inspire you the way it did me. Recently I've been following blogs of quilters and fabric designers. I must say that I learned about many of them through the Moda Bake Shop give away blog hop. I also must say I had very selfish intentions when I did because I wanted to win something. I found that I loved reading their blog entries and seeing their styles. Then I saw that one of the lovely fabric designers, Kate Spain, (she designs a bunch of stuff including dishes you can find at Target & Crate & Barrel: Kate Spain's Website) was going to be on an online Crafting Talk Show, Pat Sloan's Creative Talk Radio. Again, I saw a prize attached if I listened and commented. You can see my true colors here. So much for being all the Jesus wants me to be!

What I did NOT anticipate was hearing Kate tell a story that made me smile and search the internet in the wee hours to find out more about a special mom and daughter. Kate told about getting a comment on her blog from a lady who dreamed of opening a fabric store with her daughter. She told that the lady, Joyce, was able to realize that dream and her daughter, Sarah, had become interested in learning how to sew. Here is where you might want to run & get your tissues. Sarah is a young adult with Down's syndrome. When her mom told her that there was a challenge to make pillowcases to give to people with cancer, Sarah wanted to make one for her friend Kristen, another young lady with Down's Syndrome, who had cancer. This sweet young lady wanted to learn to sew to help her friend! Sadly, her friend lost her battle with cancer, but Sarah continues to sew while she misses her friend.

Kate sent fabric to Sarah and was able to be with Joyce and Sarah when they opened their store. Please go check out the store at JEllen's. You can get to their BLOGS here.

I'm smiling as I type this because as I type I am opening web pages to give you these links. Guess what Kate Spain blogged about today? This exact thing, so that makes finding the links even easier! LOL!

Yesterday at the grocery store I picked up a copy of American Patchwork and Quilting. I knew Kate mentioned that Sarah and Joyce were in a magazine, but I hadn't caught which one. I opened the front cover & look what I saw! This smiling face that I'd found in those wee hours online!

Then when I opened Kate's blog, I saw a picture of the magazine on her desk. It looks just like my picture. Except her picture shows a wood desk. Mine shows a card I never sent to anyone. And a sticky note. And some digi images I need to color. Oh, look, the final bill for Natalie's trip to the ER last year. Paid. A copic in need of a refill. And underneath are some pages for a quilt block I want to cut out. Just thought you'd like to see the difference in an artist's desk and that of a homeschool mom with no organizational skills! Funny, I have great spatial skills. That is, if I have space in which to be spatial. LOL!

AND, in case you were worried about the little girls' dolls shivering in our American Girls class, I am almost finished with the dresses. This fabric was SO stinkin' cute for these old fashioned dolls! And I MIGHT have bought enough to make some kitchen stuff, too. Maybe.
Oh, looky there, you can see more of my junk and several dried out copics! ha, ha!

I do hope you'll go read Kate's story about Sarah and Joyce. I have yet to make pillowcases, but I am now VERY inspired to do so, and teach my daughter(s) so they can, too. Bethany isn't into sewing, but I think Natalie will want to make one. Some of our pre-teen & teenage friends want to sew, too. I'm thinking that after our last year with 2 friends with cancer that maybe these girls might want to make some to give to a Cancer Treatment Center or Children's Hospital. Hmmm, I might even see a Girl Scout Silver Award in the works here!

Final little bit: Most of you know I have a special needs child. Bethany has Asperger Syndrome, a mild form of autism. Since she's getting older (she is 14 now), Phil & I have from time to time discussed how we don't know yet if she'll be able to work "out in the real world." It's not that she isn't CAPABLE. She has some amazing skills, especially in art and now in digital movie making. I even just discovered that she's gone into my spices & organized them for me. Trust me, if you think my desk is messy, she makes me look like a "Neat Freak." This is a huge thing for her to be organizing! Anyway, reading Sarah's & Joyce's story inspires me as a mom. It reminds me that we CAN find a way to help Bethany do what she needs to do to be successful in life. My goal in homeschooling her is as much about making her as socially adept as possible as it is scholastic. We've lagged behind scholastically with her while I've focused more on social time & skills (yes, I laugh at the thought of homeschoolers not being social!).

Hope you are staying warm and cozy with your loved ones today.