Time for a breather!!!

Howdy Y'all!!!!     I hope that where ever y'all are, that the sun has been shining and you were able to look outside and see and enjoy the beauty around you.     The color of fall is not as beautiful right around here as I had hoped it would be, but I have heard from others that are enjoying the wonderful colors.   That is awesome for y'all.     One of my friends and her husband in North Carolina, went for a drive earlier this week and she mentioned seeing acres of sorghum, and of course that just made me think of some of the times as a youngster getting to enjoy freshly made sorghum, right at the mill!!!!     You talking about "yummo", whew, that is some of the best stuff ever squeezed from a green stalk!!!    hahahah    Well, it is!!!!    hahaha      One of my Momma's fresh hot biscuits, my Mamaw's freshly churned butter and a little sorghum molasses...........a meal fit for a king!!!!     It was certainly good enough for this lil' country gal!!!     Oh........I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get 'lasses on ya!!    hahaha

I have been busy as of late and I am ready to take a breather.     I have been going from one endeavor to the next event to the next happening, and I'm just ready to not have to think.    Oh, everything I've been doing has been a lot of fun and just a pleasure to be doing, but it has been tiring.    My body doesn't recover as quickly as it used to!       Dognabit, it don't!      But that's ok.     I think most everything has calmed down a bit for me though and I hope to get back in my art place and play.   Everyone needs to play a little from time to time.     It's good for the soul and cheaper than therapy!   hahaha

I had shared with y'all about the Hebrew class that I had been taking, well, I'm sad to report that it is over.   Just broken hearted!     But, if I heard and understood the teacher correctly, she will pick back up in the Spring!!!!     Woohoo!!!     Yes, I was paying attention.     hahahaha     Is it Spring yet??????   I just can't tell you how much I enjoyed the class.    I did learn a lot, but I know I have soooo much more to learn.    I hope I can share a little more with y'all, of what I did learn.    One of the ladies wrote out Psalm 23 on the white board in Hebrew and the imagery that goes along with each Aleph-Bet and she done such a great job!!!     It took a lot of courage to do that, and it was quite impressive to see.   You know who you are, big hugs and much love to you, Ms. Pam!!!!     WooHoo!!!!

My Family Community Education Club, through the local County Extension Office had our All Clubs Day event yesterday.     All of the clubs in the county come together for one event to tell about how each club ministered to the community.    It was quite impressive to hear about what all the clubs  have done over the past year.     And that's why I'm so pooped today, but it's a good thing!!!!     It was a huge success!!!    My club was the one that was over the meal prep and serving and all that good stuff.    Everyone always says we do such a great job and we do!   We do put a lot thought in to what we want to do and try to make it a good and fun day and it was.    I did not take pictures of the event, I was too busy.    But I did take a picture or two of the favors I made and of the Sweet Potato Casseroles I made.     So I will share those with y'all.    Don't blame me if you drool over your key pad and ruin it!    hehehehe

I made 40 of these little gift bags.    They are quite easy to make with We R Memory Keepers Envelope punch.    SplitCoast Stampers has the scoring method for making these in their tutorials.   Look for something called Envelope Punch Gift Bag.

I put an ink pen down to show the size of them.   They are quite small.   They was made from a 6x6 inch pad of double sided cardstock.    I had everything on hand, so there was no expense to me.   I just got to use up a little bit of stuff on hand that wouldn't have been used otherwise.   Each little gift bag had a pin or necklace that I had made in them.   The ladies loved them!!

The little "thank you" was punched with a punch that I got at Wal Mart.    Don't expect to find it now though, they quit carrying it.    Just so you know, Wal Mart is the last place I shop now, where as, it used to be the first place I shopped.    I know a lot of people depend on them for a job.    I used to depend on them for what I need and good prices, I can't depend on that anymore, so I shop there when all else fails.

 These are the Sweet Potato Casseroles I made for All Clubs Day.    They was really good!!

You can see in the near left corner where I took a little sample out of it.    I had to!!!     I had to taste it to make sure it was good.    hehehehe     That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!!!      hehehe     Well, it is!!!

I'm gonna throw in a commercial break right about now.........If you are a telemarketer, stop calling me!!!!      If you are campaigning for your favorite politician, stop calling me!!!!     Sorry, but I DO NOT like all the calls from whom ever is making them!!!!     All these calls are getting quite ridiculous!!!!!      It's one thing for the calls to come in all hours of the day, but all hours of the night......I'm telling you, "I would love to reach out touch someone!!!!"     Remember the commercial back in the day, being sung so nicely by this beautiful female voice "Reach out, Reach out and touch someone"?      Consider it being sung by someone who can't carry a tune in a bucket but would dearly love to reach out and touch someone!!     Well, that's me, and I would love to, seriously!!!!!       Trust me, if you are selling something, I don't need it!!!!!!      If you are campaigning, trust me, the only solution for that, is strong toilet bowl cleaner!!!!!      Does that sound like something that a Christian woman would even want to say?      Not hardly, but I have just about had it with all the calls!!!!

I don't know a whole lot about much!!!!    I'm the very first one to admit that.    But let me tell you this folks, if it stinks, no amount of the finest perfumes is gonna cover the stinch!!!!     One of the sisters at the tomb of Lazarus told Jesus, "but he stinketh by now". (my paraphrase, you can look and see what she actually said.)     Well, after listening to all the campaigning for over a year now, I can truly say to you "this campaign stinketh by now!!!!"      No amount of the finest perfumes or in this case, fancy talking, is going to cover the stinch!     It stinketh!!!!  

At this point, it's painful to think about who wins!!!!     What I do know is this, the American people, the voters and tax payers, will be the ones hurt by this election!!!!     I DO NOT like feeling like that at all!!!!     Where is morality?     Where is common sense?     Where is honesty?     Where is truth?     Where is character?     Where is championing a cause?     Where are the true heroes that we desperately need now?  

Morality has gone the way of the dinosaurs!     Common sense flew the coop so long ago that it too has become extinct.     Honesty, what is that?      Truth.....oh that depends on who you talk to and what day of the week it is.     That didn't make sense, did it?     Well, the so called truth that spews forth from some peoples mouths don't make much sense either.     There is no such thing as absolute truth for them.     Everyone wants to throw in a little gray area.     When we start putting in the gray area, that's when it becomes a lie.     It's either black or white.     It's either right or wrong.     A little bit "right" is still 100% WRONG.       A little bit "wrong" is still 100% WRONG.    It can't be both ways.   It's right or it's wrong.      A few years ago, in my neck of the woods, on all the school billboards we seen the phrase "Character Counts".     I am 100% convinced that our politicians don't know how to read, otherwise, some of them would have read that and at least googled it to find out what it meant.     If they had read it and understood what it meant, would they not have tried to live up to those words, "Character Counts"?     Maybe they misunderstood it for bad character, I don't know, I really don't.     Who knows, maybe I'm the only one that feels like I am drowning in the stinch of what's happening around me.     I am just waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel and praying that the light is not attached to an oncoming train!!!!     Championing a cause today has become taking a stand FOR sin.    Go figure.     And the only true hero we ever had was crucified some 2000 years ago between two common thieves.     So what do we know or care about a hero?

Oh yeah, I was about to forget this one.      I don't know how I could, but I almost did.     About all the calls, some of them have been for the proposed bill that will be on our local vote ballot.     You want to know what that one is for?     Wine in grocery stores!!!!     Oh boy, MORE DRUNK DRIVERS!!!!!      Ask anyone that has ever gone to the cemetery to look at the headstone of a loved one who's life was cut short by a drunk driver what it feels like.    That's all I'll say about that.       End of commercial break.

I don't know what all the answers are to all the questions that are on some of our minds, but I will tell you that I know where we can find the answers!      We can start with:

 2 Chronicles 7:14     If my people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

What people group is being spoken to here?     Yahweh is not speaking to everyone.     He is speaking only to His people.      Who are His people?      Have you accepted Yeshuah as Messiah, Lord and Savior, of your life?     If you have, then you are who Yahweh, God is speaking to.     He is not speaking to those who have blatantly made a mockery of Him and blatantly turned their back on Him and the call that He has had on their lives.     In other words, His words are for "Christians".     The lost people don't know or care that they are living in sin.     But, Yahweh, is speaking to the ones who belong to Him and call Him Father.     He is calling on His people to humble ourselves; He is calling on His people to pray and seek His face; He is calling on His people to turn from OUR wicked ways. What are some of those wicked ways?      We are not living our lives in such a way that is making a lot of difference to the lost people we know.    We have allowed the culture of the day to rub off on us and we have started to stink a little.    There used to be actions or behavior in society that we called sin.     There is no such thing as sin in the culture today.     Oh, we wash it and clean it up with new names, but what Yahweh called sin from the very beginning, guess what, it's still sin.    I finally realized that Yahweh was speaking directly to me and not the lost person that doesn't know or care.    He is speaking directly to me!     How humbling is that?     If all of us that are called by His name would do as He asks of us, He will forgive us of our sin and heal our land.     Oh how the land cries out to be healed!!!!!      Yahweh's people are one people divided by a bunch of man made denominations and legalism within those denominations that has all but destroyed the testimony that His people should have.      We all should be running from that which we know has no basis, ground or foundation in the Holy Word of Yahweh!    There are no gray areas with Yahweh.      Trust me, I have tried to find the gray areas, there are none.       Just what am I willing to call "sin"?      If Yahweh called it sin, then I will call it sin.      You know, I don't want to hurt anyone, but I would be doing a far greater disservice to someone if I agreed with sin and a life of destruction.     I don't know of anyone with the heart to serve Yahweh that has a desire to walk up to someone and call them a sinner point blank to their face and that's not what anyone who loves Yeshuah ever wants to do.     But, sometimes it has to be done in love.  
       
All through history, we have seen people in every generation that have thumbed their noses at God and His way and the people that have tried to point them to a better way of living.     Yahweh calls on us, the righteous few, to keep praying for the wicked generations.     So, the righteous few pray.   The righteous few will keep praying, even in the face of persecution.    There have been more people martyred in the last 100 years of history than in the previous 4 to 6 thousand years.     What does that say about the wickedness of the land, across the whole world.     I think it says that we are looking at a world that has no morals, no common sense, no honesty, no truth, no character, no worthy causes, and no hero.     The only way to fight the first 6 things that we as a world have lost, is to put our eyes on the only real hero this world has ever known, Yeshuah, Jesus Christ.    I am ready to do that.    Will you join me?

One of the things that I will mention here is this.      Some of our drs have successfully, single handedly, with permission from something called Roe v Wade, killed out a generation of human beings; we normally call them babies until they are being killed and then they become fetuses.   How can killing over 50 million human beings be a good thing?      It was horrible when Hitler done it, but there are laws today that protect killers and make it ok to wipe out generations.    How sad does that make your heart?       Go study that "law", and study it hard and look for truth in that law.    There is no truth in that law because it was founded and based on a blatant lie.     Its out there, go look for it, you'll find it.    For me, I despise the word fetus!!!     I know that it's a technical medical term.    It is a term that needs to be done away with, in my feeble opinion.     The term, in every circumstance, should be baby.    Again, my opinion.    

This is not meant to hurt any woman that has had an abortion.    I know how you have been lied to, coerced and threatened.    I know the stories of far too many women to make light of the subject.   I've seen the faces of those who have dealt with this.      I know that there is MUCH mental anguish associated with it.     I know that there is much needed heart and spiritual healing for this.     I would love to see some of our tax dollars being spent now on the grief counselling that Roe v Wade has caused.      So, for you ladies that have been in that situation, please search out support groups in your local churches.     Some of the churches in my area offer Celebrate Recovery program and it is a great program to go to if you get a chance.     If there is a Crisis Pregnancy Center in your area, call them to see if they offer the bible study "Save One" written by Sheila Harper.     Any Crisis Pregnancy Center that does not offer that bible study should check it out.     You will be thrilled you did.    It is an awesome bible study and there is healing in that bible study!!!     I have seen many women gain spiritual freedom from that bible study!     Google it and see if you can find out where a bible study is offered in your area.    The ladies and volunteers that work in Crisis Pregnancy Centers have a heart of love and compassion and are passionate about you!     It will always be confidential, so you don't have to worry about your story being mishandled.     It will be one of the best things you will ever do for yourself.     Just know that Yahweh is good and in Him is freedom!!!!

On Sunday, October 30th, at 3:00 pm cst in my neck of the woods, there is going to be a prayer rally at the local court house square.    There will be several counties that will be praying at the same time, at their local court house squares, for our nation and world as whole.    You don't have to have an organized rally to join in this prayer.    Just mark your calendars and join in, where ever you are, join in.    Who knows, it could just be the call to prayer that sets this nation on fire for the truth of Yahweh's Word once again.    I am reminded, "For such a time as this".    Oh how I pray for a spiritual re-awakening in the land!!!!!     If now is not the time, then when?

Well, I have just about covered it all again tonight.    I don't know what my tomorrow is going to bring me, but I know the One who will bring my tomorrow to me.     I just pray that I can live as He would have me live in the blessing of tomorrow.     I pray that for you too.     I pray that as you lay your head on your pillow tonight that you will give all your worries over to the One who took your place on the cross and know that you can sleep well with Him in charge of it all.    Always remember that Yahweh, Father God loves you.    I love you too!     Till we meet again, right here at the next appointed time, hugs and love.....Patty  

Fall has Fallen

Hello Y'all!!!    I hope and pray that wherever y'all are today, that it is a most splendid day!!!    It is actually Fall now in the US and in my neck of the woods it is starting to look like it.    I was on the deck yesterday with hubby when he was getting ready to head off to work and I noticed how the tops of the trees is starting to get dry looking and a little faded in color.    I don't know if it will be a colorful Fall around here or not, but I sure hope it is.    I just love all the colors of fall.    Some of the leaves can have the most amazing colors about them, from purples to bronze to oranges and reds, wow, I just love it!!!     I hope that where ever y'all that it is beautiful and you notice and take in every color that you see.   Better yet, take pictures and share with the world.    We all need to see a whole lot more beauty.   Beauty that can come only from the hands of Elohim!!!!    No one creates art quite as beautifully as Him!!!

I just wanted to share with y'all what I have had the awesome privilege of doing.    My friend invited me to take a Hebrew bible study class being offered at her church and I jumped at the chance to do it. I don't mind telling y'all that I have struggled with it, but it has been a good struggle.    I will never be proficient in it, but learning what I have, has made me more aware of the awesome Yahweh that we serve and can call Father.  

Now, like I said, I will never be proficient in Hebrew.    But, I feel quite empowered with what little I do know.    One of the things that I learned is that all 22 letters of the Aleph-Bet are description words describing the very essence, nature and character of Elohim.    For those of you that know way more then me, please be kind with your thoughts.    Everyone has to start at the starting place, the beginning.   ggg     That's where I am.    We have been taught how to write and spell our names in Hebrew.    And I must say that when I finally did write my name, I was as giddy as a kid in a candy store!!!    And then looking at all the characters that made up my name and seeing all the nature and characteristics of God in my name really made me think about who I am.    Scripture tells us that we are created in the image of Elohim.     No two of us are exactly alike, yet we are all a part of God's creation and made in His image.    When you write your name, it's easy then to see that there is a purpose and plan for your life!!!!!    With that in mind, we can know for sure that God does not make any junk!!!!

Many modern day names have biblical reference, but for those of us whose name does not date back that far, we have to just hope we get it right.    I wrote mine out on the white board and then took a picture of it.    I am so proud of the fact that I even got it done, much less that it looked good enough to take a picture of.    One thing that my brain has a hard time with is that Hebrew is read right to left. That is tricky on the old brain.   hehehe      The ladies that are presenting this class are two very lovely ladies and they have been doing this for quite a while and they love doing it.   I would suggest to anyone that if you ever have an opportunity to take a beginners Hebrew class, jump on it, you will be happy you did.  

I googled my name the next day to see if I had spelled it correctly.   (What did we do before google?   hahahaha)    There are at least 2 ways to spell Patricia.    One way, I had spelled it right.   The other way, I had added one too many letters.   But either way was correct.    One of the places actually said some spelled it one way and some the other way, so I am gonna say it's spelled correctly.    Again, for those of you that know more than I do, please be kind.    I'm just so happy to have done this and it be right according to some.    I said earlier, I did take a picture of it and I wanted to share it with y'all.

Culture is based on language.    Every language is made up of letters.     Not every language has letters that mean anything till the letters are put together.    In the english language, what does "a" mean?    What does "b" mean?     They mean nothing till they are put with other letters to spell out something.     It's different with Hebrew.     Every letter has its own meaning alone, all by itself.   Not only that, but every letter has "several" different meanings.   And every letter has a different pictograph.    And, every letter also has a numerical value, from 1 to 400.    Every one of those meanings are directly related to the very character, essence and nature of God and His culture.     Hebrew is read from RIGHT to LEFT, so it has been hard trying to find gray matter that will easily conform to this notion.    hehehe     But, with God's help, I will get it!!!    I will get it!!!    I will get it!!!!   hahaha

Ok, so look at the picture.    You will see on the far right hand side something that looks kinda like a backwards, upside down G.   That is "pey", the 17th letter of the aleph-bet.    The next letter is "tav" the 22nd letter.    The next letter or middle letter is "resh", the 20th letter.    The next letter is "shin", the 21st letter.   The final letter at the far left is "aleph", the first letter of the Aleph-Bet.

Hebrew is pronounced phonetically.    So for my given name "Patricia" you have "pey-tav-resh-shin-aleph".     To pronounce my name or any name, you use just the first part of each letter.   "p-(t-re-sh)-a".      In the picture, notice the 3 middle letters are joined by an upside down arc; ( I don't think the upside down arc is in real Hebrew writing, that is just to show beginners how you would put the letters together and say them, I think)  that signifies saying those 3 letters together. Thus saying my Patricia.

pey means       pictograph is "open mouth"      blow scatter edge enter command open   =080

tav means        pictograph is "crossed sticks"   mark sign seal own covenant                   =400

resh means      pictograph is "man's head"       first beginning think person sum top        =200

shin means      pictograph is "teeth"                 sharp press eat two destroy again             =300

aleph means    pictograph is "ox head"            strong power leader yoke thousand          =001

There is also a numerical value for each letter also.    The numerical value of my name is 981.   Now, I will be the first person to say that I do not understand it all.    But, I will have to admit, when I seen all the defining words that make my up name, I got pretty thrilled that these are words describing the very nature of God and also making up my name, thus describing my nature!!!!     Just to toss in a bit of humor, because I do believe Yahweh has a sense of humor.    Notice "pey", the first letter in my name, the pictograph is described as an "open mouth"!     I cracked up at that, because I am always talking!!!!    Who knew, right?     Well, I guess God knew.    Woohoo!!!!

Do you think for one minute that the enemy wants me to see myself as God sees me?    Not hardly!!!!   That's why I have always had a very bad self image.    The enemy knew if I ever found out how God actually feels about me, it would be life transforming.     That's why Scripture tells us to not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.    Renewing my mind means to literally change the way I have always thought about myself for over 50 years.   That's not easy and God HAS to be a part of the process.   And I had started that process of changing how I thought about myself several years ago, and now, this is just another step in changing my thought process about me.

As I said earlier, this is so far above my head, and I don't understand it.   But I have and will continue to pray for God to remove any and all obstacles in my mind that are hindering me from fully grasping this.   I have enough of a taste of it that I am hungry for more!!!!    So I do pray for God to give me greater understanding of His culture and to hopefully understand it enough, so that at some point in time I can share with others that also have a desire to know more.

One thing that this study has shown me is that our culture today is about as from Yahweh's culture as we can possibly get!!!!     Everyone always says that we live in a different culture than the days in which Yahweh was using people just like you and I to record His written word.     100% agreed!!!!   But you know what, I don't care how much the culture in which you and I live changes, Father God's culture NEVER changes!!!!!     His culture is a culture of holiness.     There are several times in the Scriptures when Yahweh uses the word "forever".     The word forever means forever!     Where is holiness in our culture today?     It makes no difference what we say to excuse the culture we live in, Yahweh still expects holiness and lives that represent Him.  

It has been an interesting study, looking at Father God's culture, the culture that He has always desired for us even from the beginning versus the culture of the day..     We live in a sinful culture, we can see how sin has infiltrated every aspect of our lives and we don't even realize it.   But just as Yahweh spent much time with His people early on trying to get the paganism out of their worship, He is spending as much time today trying to get the "man made law" and paganism out of our worship!     Worship is something we really know very little about.     For some reason, we have the idea that worship is about what Father God is giving us, but in reality worship is about what we bring to Him.    Do we bring to Him the very best of what we have to offer or what is left over after we have poured out to everyone else.

Many years ago, I was a fan of my local high school basketball team.    I would yell and scream to the point of losing my voice and just squeak from one home game to the next.    (That's one reason my voice sounds kinda like fingernails of chalk boards!)   After I graduated from high school, I then started going to church and in the fall when school started back again, I went to the very first home game.    I was like any great fan, screaming to the point of losing my voice again.    All of the sudden, Holy Spirit, Ruach impressed upon my heart, are you ever going to lose your voice telling others about Yeshua, Jesus Christ?     I turned on my heel in that instant and left and never went back to a basketball game or any other sporting event for that matter.     I will lose my voice over Christ, but not ever on a sporting event again!     (So, if you are ever near me in a church service, I will give my Savior a hearty "woohoo" from time to time.)    I would love to see stadiums filled with people, yelling and cheering on Christ like we see people cheering on sports figures.    What have these sports people ever done for anyone?     Very little to nothing.     What has Christ done for everyone?   Oh, He has provided us the means to be in right relationship with Elohim Yahweh!!!   But, again, the choice is each individual persons.     We choose!!!!    Who do you choose?    Oh, I'm not saying it's wrong to support your fav team, but what about Christ?     Do the people you are with at the ball game know you are a Christ follower?     They should.

There you have it.     My name in Hebrew.    I want to try to write it better at some point in time and make a piece of art out of my name and have the meanings of my name on it.    I can't wait to do this in the near future and when I do get it made, you can just know that I will share it with y'all!!!   Woohoo!!!    I am just believing right now that it will have some purple and glitter on it somewhere, right!    hahaha     Well, we'll have to wait and see, but I just think it will.     hehehe

I sure hope you seen or read something here today that was worthy of your time and if so, share it with your friends.    Tell someone today, before you lay your head on your pillow tonight, that Father Gods loves them and has provided the way for them to be in right relationship with Him.     Enjoy the rest of this awesome day.    Remember to keep the folks on the eastern coast of the US in your thoughts and prayers and also the ones that have already been devastated by the hurricane.    Prayers of safety for all.     I do look forward to reading your comments too.     So, till next, just know that God loves you and so do I!!!      hugs and love, Patty

Quilts, Quilts and more Quilts

Hello Y'all!!!!     With each passing day here in my neck of the woods, the leaves are getting more colorful and each night brings a little more of a nip in the air.    It is just a reminder of all things Fall.   Fall is a time of "all things beautiful" because of the colors that are associated with fall.    If we have a beautiful fall with all the lovely colors, you see everything from the most beautiful gold to the boldest red and a million colors in between!    I love all the colors that bring us on up to Thanksgiving.    I think pumpkins and other winter squashes are what really tell me the season is upon me.    When I start seeing all those lovely items in the fresh food aisles at the grocery stores, I know fall is upon me, even if I haven't noticed outside yet.    hahahaha     Ohhh, I have to say that I LOVE acorn squash!    I love to take a  real small acorn squash, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and make a crumble of a little butter, brown sugar, oats and a dab of flour with a sausage link crumbled in each of the halves and bake till it's nice and tender.....ooohhhh, you talkin' 'bout some yummy for your tummy food, this is!!!!     It may not look real nice in your rear view mirror, but you can't see that unless you look, right!    hehehe

I just wanted to share with y'all that this was one very exciting weekend for all of the Family Community Education Club members here in our county.    We had our first ever, and hopefully to be the first of many to come, Quilt Shows.    I gotta tell ya, I knew when we first started talking about that it would be good, simply because I know the caliber of ladies that are in these clubs.    They go all out for something that is worthy of the time and effort.    This Quilt Show far exceeded any of our expectations though!!!!!  

I had been to a Quilt Show back in April of this year at Paducah, Ky and I must say that their Quilt Show could not hold a candle to ours!!!!    Theirs was a juried Quilt Show, meaning that the quilts were being voted on to place in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on..........but there was NOT a quilt there that was any more beautiful than what we had, just for fun and show!!!!

We also had 2 ladies come and present their Trunk Shows for us, ohhhhhh how much fun that was!!!! I had never seen a trunk show before and what it is, it's where the quilt artist brings a trunk load of her quilts and tells the story of how the quilts came to be and how they choose the fabrics to make such beautiful quilts and how they modify on the fly to suit their needs and just any little interesting or fun detail of the quilt.     If you have never been to one, I suggest if you ever see where one is gonna be, make plans to attend, you will NOT be disappointed!!!!    These 2 ladies was as much an artist as Rembrandt or Monet or any of the masters of the brush.    These ladies are masters of the thread arts, and it truly is an art.

Now, there are at least 2 types of quilts.    Bearing in mind, this is from my perspective.   hahahaha   There are utilitarian quilts.    Those are the ones that we sleep under in the winter time and we may not be as likely to put those on display, unless you call hanging one out on the clothes line being on display.    hahahaha     Then there are the quilts that are literally works of ART!!!!!     Those are made just to garner the oohhhs and aahhhs of everyone that sees them.    At our Quilt Show we seen a whole lot of both!!!    And absolutely everything I seen was amazing!!!!  

We had 122 items on display!!!!!   With over 80 of those being quilts and the rest was table runners, pillows, table toppers, hot pads and all kinds of stuff.    We had from baby quilts all the way up to the extra huge king sized quilts and bedspreads.     We had old quilts, I mean old quilts to quilts that was 4 months old.    It was just a baby in age compared to most of the others, but an heirloom just the same.  

We worked on Thursday and Friday putting it all together and I do have to say that it was a great success and it was beautiful and we are looking forward to next year, for sure.     Who knows, I may even make a pot holder for it next year!    hahahaha      I would love to make a full sized quilt, but I really doubt that will happen, but a small quilt may be in the works, who knows.

You know I would not tell you about something without some pics to back up the story, right?     Yeah, y'all know me well enough now to know there will be pictures.    I just wish I could share ALL 275 of them, but I will share a good sampling of what I got and I do hope that you enjoy them.    You know that if you click on a picture, it will enlarge it a whole lot and you can see better, so do that, but make sure to read about the ones that have a story with it.    I tried to find out as much info about them as I could to share with the guests as they came through.   It made it fun for them and me.    I hope you enjoy.

This quilt is called "Dear Jane".    I didn't name it.    I was thinking that a much better name for it would be "Insane Jane"!     hahaha      But there are over 250 blocks making up this quilt and no material in it is a repeating material other then the blue border around the outside and the backing.    The pics do no justice for any of these quilts and I am sorry for that.

This quilt is called "Stars" and it was made in 1891.   It is also considered a string quilt.   Each star is made up of 8 points.    Some of the points had two or three pieces of fabrics.     One of the points had no less than 18 pieces of fabric in one of the points!!!    The lady had it said that it was made by her husbands grandmother.    There was an appraiser there and after her appraisal show was over, she went around with myself and another lady and offered free appraisals on a few of the really old quilts and she said this one, for insurance purposes, would be valued at $1800 to $2000.   I really loved looking at all the old material!!!

Ok, so this was a very special quilt to me, I'll tell ya.   The name of this quilt is "Crosses of War"    The same lady owns this quilt that owns the one above.     This quilt was pieced and quilted by the ladies of Watertown Tennessee in 1943.    After they got the quilt done, they sold raffle tickets and raffled this quilt off to raise money for the War Effort during World War 2!!!!     That really spoke to me!!!   The lady that owns it said her husband used the money he got from selling his crop of tobacco that year to buy raffle tickets for this quilt.     The money earned from most tobacco crops would have been used to see the family on the farm through the coming winter.     That's how important they thought the War Effort was back then.     It too, was valued at around $1800 to $2000.     This quilt made me proud to be at the Quilt Show!!!!!

 This was a "Crazy Quilt".      They are made with all kinds of fabrics and shapes of fabrics using all different kinds of stitches directly over the seams of the quilt on the front side.     Some of those stitches were very elaborate.    Most of the modern sewing machines have a ton of built in fun and funny stitches to use.    This could very easily be duplicated on the machines of today.    Most of them just used small scraps for these types of quilts.     And then of course there are "string quilts" that literally use up stuff that most would toss in the trash.    Pieces no larger than a finger nail, used in a string quilt.

This was a shot from the back far left hand corner up to the front right hand corner of the main exhibit hall.    

This was from the right hand side back up to the front left hand side.    I do believe some of these pictures was taken on Friday sometime, because som of the quilts was rearranged to better utilize the space and show off the quilts.

This is the right front wall.     And just a short story to tell in the midst of the pictures.    I had texted my brother on Friday night and told him about the quilt show and asked him to come and bring mom down to see the quilts if he didn't have to work or if he felt like it.    Well, I never heard anything from on Friday night.   I checked my cell phone Saturday morning, still no word from him.    If I would have had time, I would have been upset and probably cried a little, but, heck fire, I was so busy I didn't have time for tears.    hahaha    Several times throughout the morning I thought about mom and I just knew she would have loved this.    I had sat down for a minute when there was a little lull between guests and all of the sudden I looked toward the front door, squinting a little, from the farthest corner and I seen......YES......that's my brother and my mother standing there looking right at me and I jumped up and went hopping and running and squealing off to meet them!!!!    People thought I was crazy for a little bit.    One of my friends, when I told her that was my mom, she looked at both of us and said, "that's where you get your sparkle from, because she's got the same sparkle!"   Well, what can I say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, or is it nut, oh well, neither falls from the tree.     hehehehe      That was another thing that made the quilt show extra special for me, my brother taking the time to bring mom down and they both really enjoyed it!!!!

Back left hand corner.

 Front right hand corner again and some along the back.   You can't see it very well, but the quilt in the corner that is folded in half on the front wall was made in the early 1900's by the mother of two of my good friends.     It was made from men's wool suits that had been taken apart and cut into 4 inch squares and just sewn together in no form or shape other than a quilt sized rectangle.    It was tacked in the center of each square.    It being wool, you could tell is was very warm and also very heavy.

This shot is looking at the antique wall from the far back left hand corner.    There are several more that did not get in this picture.

This area with the tables in the forefront of the picture was Family Community Education Clubs fundraiser table.     Ladies searched thru their fabrics and brought scraps and old patterns and all kinds of stuff to sell if anyone seen something they wanted.    That little table of items earned about $100.     That was awesome!  

 More of the fundraiser table.

This area in front of the chairs is where the appraisals and the trunk shows took place.    When the lady that done the appraising was in the process of that, another lady and myself was helping open up quilts that had been brought in for appraisal.    She and I worked together like we had done that all our lives and the appraiser offered both of us jobs with her!!!!   Cracked me up!!!!   hahahaha     She kept saying, "Wow, y'all are really good, wanna job!"     hahaha     It was fun!

That quilt with the paper underneath it is called an "Anniversary Quilt".    It was made in honor of the recipients 50th wedding anniversary.    Their daughter-in-law took quilt squares to all their friends and neighbors and family and had them to do something special on the quilt squares.    Each block represented some one or something on the farm, and animal or a tool or a building.   It was just awesome to look at that quilt.

 This was in one of the smaller exhibit rooms.   It also had some amazing quilts in it!!

This too, is the same room.

On these tables is some of the smaller quilted items.   One is a quilted cake pan sized carrier.    It was a really nice cake carrier.

The folded quilt was made out of blocks that were completely finished.    Each one was about pot holder sized and then sewn together to make a quilt.    The owner could easily add more blocks to make it wider or longer.    I wish I had paid more attention to it, but I just remember it was a really neat quilt.

I loved the quilted wall hanging there.    It was such a fun item, I wanted it so bad, but the owner of it did not feel sorry for me at all.   hahaha

4 quilts are shown here.    The edge of the light blue and white blocks.    That was "State Flowers".   It was hand embroidered and done back when there was only 48 states.    I thought that was pretty neat.     The next one is called "Brides Bouquet" and you can see the shape of the block and how it got its name.     The next one is the grandmother of them all.     It was pieced and quilted in 1866!!!!   I almost was moved to tears when I touched it!!!!     In the center of each star was some patterned material that had lost all the color except for what looked like dirt.    I got to looking at it and all the alike pieces had that same dirty look, only it wasn't dirt at all.    It is where the color had disintegrated!!!!     Also upon closer inspection, the pink that you see inside the blue and beige was an 8 tipped star cut out as 1 single piece!!!!! And the circle center was stitched in with the beige, and then the individual beige points that led to the individual blue points.    I am still at a loss as to how this was accomplished as neatly and nicely as it was 150 years ago!!!!!

This quilt is white, obviously......but what is not so obvious is the patterns in the quilting.    The quilting itself is what was on display.     It was the most gorgeous handwork I have ever seen!!!!   Every stitch on that quilt was exactly the same length!!!!    One person even tried to argue with me that it wasn't hand stitched.    I finally showed the comparison of a machine stitched vs hand stitched and convinced them it was hand stitched.    It is about the finest work I ever seen!!!!!

Well, this is just a sampling of the over 275 pics that I took!!!!     I really hope and pray that y'all enjoyed seeing these pieces of art.    Oh how I wish I had enough room to share every one of them with y'all.    I know some of y'all would love it!!     But don't ever let anyone tell you that piecing and quilting quilts is not art, because let me tell you, it is ART in is purest form, especially when every stitch is hand stitched!!!!     Fabric is just one of the many medias that people choose to work in and it takes a lot of talent and skill put it all together with perfect stitches to make a beautiful quilt.  

Well, it's just about bed time for me.    But before I go, I have a question for all of us.    Where will you spend eternity, if you don't wake up in the morning?     If you would say, "I don't know", all I can say is don't go to bed unsettled.    Know that you know that you know you will spend eternity in the presence of Jesus Christ our Messiah.     How do I do that you may ask?     #1.   Confess with your mouth that you are a sinner.     Tell Yeshua, Jesus Christ that you are a sinner and have made a lot of mistakes.    #2.    Believe in your heart that Yeshua, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, lived His life teaching His disciples to be teachers, died on the Cross by crucifixion, was buried in a borrowed tomb and was resurrected on the 3rd day and walked with His disciples and many others and then ascended into heaven where He sits at His Fathers right hand making intercession on our behalf.   These are basic fundamental beliefs that every one who believes in Yeshua, Jesus Christ believes, or you don't believe and thus are not a believer.    #3.    Then ask Yeshua, Jesus Christ to come into your heart and to be the Lord of your life, directing each step you take, through the direction of the Holy Spirit.    I just have to tell you, that if you haven't yet given your life to Christ, it will be the best thing you will ever do for yourself!!!!    It's hard to explain it until you've committed your life to Christ, and then you will be wondering why you didn't do it sooner.    Anyway, if you have questions, ask me here or seek out a trusted person that you know is a Christian and talk to that trusted person and tell him or her what you want to do or that you want more information.    Start reading your bible, if you don't have a bible, get one and start reading John and the the other gospels and move on in to the writings of Paul.    Don't worry if you don't understand everything you read, the Holy Spirit will help you understand what you need to understand at the time you are reading.   And when you do read, ask for more understanding and ask for more and ask for more and it won't be long till you will be grasping and understanding what you are reading.     Just know that you know that you know before you lay your head on your pillow tonight, that if you don't wake up in the morning on planet earth, that you will be in the presence of Yeshua, Jesus Christ.

I hope and pray that y'all have a wonderful, peaceful night of refreshing rest and that tomorrow will be the best day of your life so far!!!    Always remember that Yahweh, God loves you more than you can possibly understand.     He is the One that gave His Son for us to be in right relationship with Him!!!!     That's love!!!!     I love y'all too and hope to see you back here real soon!!    hugs and love, Patty

(ps: please forgive and overlook any misspelled words, it's late and I want to rest so badly, but I wanted to get this posted too.  I will try to correct any that I see tomorrow.)