White stuff

Thursday morning
Couldn't believe it when I woke up and went for our early morning cup of tea to the kitchen ... snow! I actually yelled the word.

I had promised to do some work in the church office. But I couldn't walk in without first walking around and snapping some pictures (with totally inappropriate shoes). It was so pretty.

You ask "What? No grandchild pictures? Just landscape?"
Look at this picture of Caleb which Sarah put up on FaceBook. She said it was Caleb's first snow.

This picture is from the evening before. Sarah and Wade had invited us to dinner. Caleb was reacting to Wade's tongue wiggling ... and he tried to do it too.

Friday I volunteered to help Sarah so she could get some things done. First a trip to Lowes for something for the remodeling. I thought this looked so funny ... following my determined daughter.

Omi played "dress up". This was in the package which had come from my cousin Eva from Germany. She is a super knitter like our mutual grandmother Oma Grete was .I know how to knit but I am sooooo.slooooow. And her work is way more fancy.

I had forgotten that I needed to send an email. Caleb is cooperating and seems very interested in what I am doing. No, Caleb, you are too young for a smartphone! Sarah took this photo.

In the evening James wanted to do a little grilling for us. Look what he found under the lid of one of the side burners: seeds from the bird feeder and insulation.

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Evolution of a church banner

About a year ago preparations began for the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of our church ... Saint Martin's Episcopal Church in Henrico VA. We love our new (since we moved to Virginia) church and of course wanted to do our part to help. A new banner was needed and I thought I could give it a try.
This is the banner which stands on the right side in the Altar Area.

This is the banner which hangs in the Parish Hall and was made for the 40th Anniversary.

I had a meeting with the chairperson to find out what the committee had in mind. Something about the Saint Martin should be in the design. I googled several days again and again to find something like a clip art or coloring book drawing. No such luck. Yes, I found statues and paintings. Finally I found several city crests from towns in Switzerland. How about that? And one was doable as a textile applique ... besides that I really liked it.

The picture was iddy biddy though and I couldn't quite make out how the hands and feet of the beggar should be.

So I called my friend and fellow church member Julie C. She is a super photographer and I admire her artistic work.

We took several pictures and I finally even had to take my shoe off. But here is the result of it: first try!

Here is the "whole St Martin" without any details yet.

Starting the "thread drawings" of the detail. I am learning while doing!

Besides the Saint, there was an ink drawing of the church transferred to fabric, the name and wording. How to arrange it all? What sizes? What colors? What shapes/font?

All the things you do for the first time ... and probably for the last.

But finally it was ready. I wanted it done in time so if the Anniversary Committee didn't like it, they had time to get a professionally one done. No hard feelings.

Finished March 18, 2013

I was very happy to check this off the to-do list.

But since we are talking about St Martin, here is one of the cookies friend and fellow church member Kathy N. baked for James' camino talk reception on July 26. You know I collect cookie cutters and I had found this one on a trip to the former East Germany.

Today Sunday 8th of September the banner was dedicated during the 10 o'clock service.

And here is another part of the banner story. When I was working on it I kept wondering how I will feel when it turns out to be really nice. Will I be too proud and distracted from worship? Well, The Lord took care of that! When I was finished I suddenly saw that a mistake had crept in. It is said that the Amish put a mistake into their quilts on purpose because only God is perfect. That seems to be a myth and you can read about it here. It is rather the contrary. Making a mistake on purpose would be very prideful.
As I said: The Lord took care of it. Look at the photo closely. I am certainly happy about the results of the talents He gave me but no worries about being too prideful. I see the mistake every time but it will not distract me from worship. I was wondering whether I should try to fix it but then decided NO WAY!

And here is a picture Julie C. took. Earlier the church was full. It was also the day of the blessing of the back packs. Many children and all so cute.

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Auntie's mighty camera

Sarah has taken some beautiful photos I NEED to share. Here are just some of them. Guess what her subject was?

Calling China? Lucky its not my phone.

In Grandpa's chair with Grandpa's remote. A male thing?

In the next two pictures he makes a face when he spins around in a circle.

Oh, yes, Easter egg hunt at St Martin's. The children are lined up by age for the start. Because of the weather it had to be inside.

Getting dreamy. Time to go home and have a nap.

Thank you, Aunt Sarah, for taking this beautiful pictures and sharing them!!!

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