Christmas Card 2013

Dear Friends and Loved Ones,

It seems like just a few days ago I was making last year's Christmas Cards.  The years seem to tick past us quicker and quicker as we grow older.  This year has been wrought with challenges, but we are also constantly reminded of how blessed we truly are. Here are just a few:

• Christina turned halfway to 70 and it was a pretty difficult birthday to swallow. :/
• We connected more with our church and community and have grown to love where we are planted!  Matt has some great fishing buddies and Christina feels pretty loved on.  We look forward to being able to bless those people as well.
• Matt also coached with the same group of guys that he was with last year in Bothell.  His team didn't fare as well this year, but the coaching staff is awesome and we look forward to spending a few more years hanging out with them.
• Christina took on quilting as a hobby.  If you are reading this blog, you can see most of her works here as well.We did some minor traveling--visiting family mostly. Probably one of our favorite weekends was spent at Samish Island, up in the Puget Sound, near the San Juan Islands.  It was a weekend filled with friends, good food and wonderful R&R!
• Matt was laid off in October and has been diligently looking for new work (work that would be stable, predictable and better supply for us financially). 
• Christina continues working as a therapist at the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission with women coming out of domestic violence and addiction.  If is completely rewarding and she loves it.
• Matt and Christina are beginning the process of fertility treatments.  In November, they held fundraiser events in Port Angeles and Bothell and have been overwhelmed by the financial blessings from people close to us.  Thank you for your continue prayers about that.  It can be a pretty stressful process and we will need your continued prayers. 
• Matt and Christina both did excellently in their Fantasy football leagues.  Christina took the TOP honor (after the league told her she had the worst draft?!?) and Matt came in second in his league. We have so much fun watching football and learning about all the players around the league rather than just our beloved Seahawks!

We pray that this season has been filled with blessings and lots of love and laughter and that more than anything you are reminded of why we celebrate Christmas--the gracious birth of Jesus!

Love,
Matt and Christina Konrad (and Saben)

Sept/Oct/Nov Blocks

I continue to learn so much about quilting as I finish the yearlong journey that has been the Amish with a Twist quilt.  I have learned the precision absolutely matter.  I have learned that grace is necessary for many parts of life, but expecially for quilting.  Those two lmost contradict themselves, but I find them both helpful and necessary reminders as I venture further down this path.

This month, I shared with someone that I quilt and they were surprised by it.  They had assumed that quilting is a thing of the past and I assured them that they could not be more wrong.  Quilting has a cultish following.  People do it and do it well.  There is pride in their creations and generosity in their hearts.  I love that I can go to class on any given day and absorb wisdom and pointers from a plethora of more experienced devoted quilters.

These are the final three blocks of my 104"x104" Amish quilt.

Bear Paw

 

Double Wedding Ring

 

Tea Cups and Saucers

I should start putting the whole thing together soon!  64 of 64 blocks done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Casual Saturday Fun

Today started with my leaping out of bed at 7:32 needing to be at a class at 8 o'clock.  It was an interesting start.  Apparently, Monroe isn't as far away as I thought, because I was on time!

I showed my tree quilt as "show and tell" and got a lot of compliments.  I love that I am learning new techniques!

When I got home, I was inspired to work on something in my sewing room.  I have a lot of projects started, so I thought I should work to finish them.  Makes sense, right?

Well, the first thing was to make pillow cases for throw pillows for the guest room to go with Bird Quilt. (See April 2013, Bird Brained Bizarre).

This is how they turned out!  I am pretty stoked for this guest room to come together completely.  It's going to be SO CUTE!  Right now, I have pillows and new curtains.  The quilt is at the quilter.  It's the little things that make me :)!!!

SAMISH ISLAND

I think Matt and I might have a new favorite place!  We were invited to spend the weekend with our Goode friends in early August at Nathan's family cabin in Samish Island, near the San Juan Islands.  We had a lot of fun, but I think Saben had the most fun!

While we took walks, Saben went fishing.  She really enjoyed finding oyster shells.  She was the happiest medium-sized puppy out there!

We checked out a Whiskey Distillery.  Interesting tidbits learned: A small whiskey barrel costs about $200.00 and they only use it once.  That's crazy! 

We ate this DELICIOUS cheese!

We walked around this little town called Edison.  I loved this pic because of the afghan hanging in the window at the top.  It reminds me of my great grandma, Elma Mydland.  She was a precious little lady.

I just liked the name of this store and the fact that there was a huge nest on it's sign.

 
And, you can't forget to have ice cream!  Yum! 

We also ate a lot of CRAB that weekend.  This is us going to throw out the pots!

 

Beautiful, Washington summer sunset.  Love me some ocean and sun!

August Block

More "hourglass" and "birds in air" blocks sewn together in a different way.  I love how this one really takes on a new look as you spin it!

Whoooohooooo!!!

July Block--The CENTER!!!

This month was so fun!  We took the mosaic stars we made a few months ago and made a border for one.  This will become a center mosaic piece for the entire quilt.  The border is mainly made up of "hourglasses" and "birds in the air".  Different people call them different things.  I am so consumed with learning all of these new blocks and techniques. When I showed it at class, my teacher said it was exquisite!  I was pretty honored to receive such a compliment.

 

At this point, we are so far along that I couldn't resist laying out the blocks I have to see what it's going to look like as it comes together. I am so excited to have us a new, humongous picnic blanket!!!

 

You can DEFINITELY see the light, medium, and dark variations. Quilting is so fun!

More Patriotism

In July, I worked hard to make 3 quilt tops to donate to a unit of soldiers who are being deployed to the Middle East.  I pray that these blankets not only bring comfort to the soldiers, but that God covers them with safety and peace as well.