One Small Act of Kindness

I am having the BEST winter! :) If you've followed the blog for a while, you know that I love winter, the snow, dressing in layers, wearing fabulous boots, making mulled wine, cheese fondue...and the list goes on and on :)

As much as I enjoy being out in the winter, one thing that I have never done is go cross-country skiing. My husband loves to downhill ski(as do I), but has absolutely no interest in all the work that goes into cross-country skiing. He says that he likes letting gravity do all the work. On the other hand, I like a workout, so last week, I called and arranged a lesson. I had thought that since I downhill ski, I wouldn't have an issue. Well, I looked like a bird that was trying to learn to fly, sliding all over the place. I'm accustomed to downhill skis, bindings and boots that weigh a ton. Not so with cross-country gear. Comparatively, it's as light as a feather. We came to hill that I had to traverse down. Well, I fell, and looked a little like something on a bloopers show. Didn't get hurt. Wasn't going fast enough to get hurt. All in all, regardless of the frustrations, I had a blast, and I'm going back next week. Learning to cross-country ski was on my goal list for 2020. So very proud of myself for pushing forward and realizing the goal :) 

You haven't seen me in a while. Laying in a pile of snow after downhill skiing and loving every minute of it!

Many of you may remember the campaign I did a number of years ago for a children's hospital in Washington state called Mary Bridge. With the help of so many, from all over the world, we made over 1000 pillowcases that were then distributed to children who are admitted into the hospital.

Before I packed up all the cases and sent them to Mary Bridge, I hung them all in my yard, and took a picture of the extravaganza. What a sight!!! Sew News magazine even did a featured article. So nice :)  

A friend of mine has the loveliest fabric store in Granby, Colorado, Tina's Fabric Nook. I actually did an interview with her a few years ago.

  

  

I absolutely LOVE her store! It's such a gift to the community. Like most of us, I have quite the fabric collection, so just buying fabric, while a nice thing to do, is just not a viable option on an ongoing basis. So, I've thought of what I can do to create a little revenue for her. What I came up with was pillowcases, not for me, but for anyone who happens to visit when I am in the mountains. I take my guests to Tina's, and let them pick out their fabric. Each and everyone has surprised me with their choices. They NEVER choose what I think they'll choose. She has these beautiful William Morris reproduction prints that I have been dying to use. Can't talk a soul into choosing those! I may have to make a pair for myself!  

Below are just a few of the cases that I've made.

The pair below went to Montana.  

I made 2 sets for a friend who lives in Seattle, a flannel pair for the winter, and a cotton pair for summer.

This pair went to a friend in Wisconsin. Love the starry night aspect of the batik.

I've made quite a few more, just forgot to photograph all of them. I just recently made a pair for a little 7 year child who received a bearded dragon lizard for Christmas. Tina had a gecko print that fit the bill close enough. She was thrilled with her pillowcases! Everyone seems to enjoy the cases so much, I enjoy making them, and I generate a little business for Tina. So a win all around.

You may remember the pillowcases I made using the fabric I had printed at Spoonflower from a painting that I did.  

I made a coordinating pair of cases and used the leftover fabric from the pair that went to a friend in Wisconsin for the trim. Even Berkley likes the cases ;) I have actually had friends tell me that they sleep better when they use the cases that I've made.  
 

I love this quote;

There's no such thing as a small act of kindness. 

Each act creates a ripple with no logical end.

What a lovely promise :)