Quilts & Human Rights

Scott and I attended the Quilts and Human Rights exhibit at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL, this weekend.  It was a stunning exhibit - excellent - and powerful. Highly recommend!  The exhibit has been extended through May 11.  Here is the link.   Quilts portrayed human rights issues of many types, including racial inequity in the US and around the world, discrimination, and acts of violence and hatred.  

I am sorry you cannot zoom in on the captions, the backstories were so powerful.  My own iphone died on the way to the exhibit, and my husband's phone's photos were not very sharp.  I am sorry I do not remember the makers of these amazing works.  I was hoping to have that information in my photos.  You could contact the museum for the details.  

This was about Native American issues in Minnesota. 

This was a photo collage of many (hundreds) of quilts made in response to the killings at the Pulse (gay) nightclub in Florida.  

The story of the Hmong people. 

About atrocities in Laos.

This museum is on the very site where 5 innocents were killed, and others were injured, in a campus shooting 10 years ago.  This is one of 5 memorial quilts made to commemorate the lives lost. 

About survivors of the holocaust. 

Making a statement about the garment industry, and unfair labor practices. 

One woman's journey, after being attacked - from victim, to survivor. 

American Civic Rights heroes. 

Made by Denyse Schmidt, the original was made in response to Barack Obama's campaign, and his message of hope and change. The original was won by a donor to the campaign, and this copy was commissioned by Michigan State University, and is part of their permanent collection.   

Made by Jacquie Gering, called "Aftermath", in response to the bombings at the Boston Marathon.

A powerful and important exhibit, about a topic so much at the forefront in today's news - and in all of our lives.  

Christmases Past

Before we take down the tree, here is a little tour of some of our special, nostalgic ornaments.

These blue ornaments were on Scott's parents first tree, way back in 1943, I think.  And the cutie in the center is one of a few we have that they made together!  I cannot imagine my father-in-law doing this type of thing, or my husband either. He would try, but he's kind of a fumble fingers! These remind me of sputnik!

These beauties belonged to my Grandma Johnson, in Minnesota.   She passed away back in 1967, so they're older than that.  The top one is more "modern" , the lower one much older - and fragile.

More really old beauties.  Some of these have PAPER caps at the top, holding the little look of wire for the hanging string.  We used to have lots more of these oldies, but our old lab (Maggie) knocked the tree down and there were several ornaments that were destroyed.  I heard a crash from the other room, and when I went to investigate, Maggie ran past me, with the treetop angel in her mouth!  Too funny!

This one is old and kind of beat up looking, but I don't care.  I love the hot pink color, and the children-inspired illustrations  - especially now that I am a grandma!

This pewter rocking horse is our most special ornament.  We bought it in Bayfield, Wisconsin on our honeymoon.  We stayed just up the street at the Rittenhouse Inn, highly recommend (yes, it's still there, 39 years later).  We start decorating the tree with the little horsey, giving it a place of honor, and then add the other ornaments around it.   Time to take down the tree until next year!

December Fun!

Buddy the Christmas Elf!  Buddy is actually our daughter, Genevieve's dog, but he has become a permanent resident at HQ (what our daughers call our house) due to her boyfriend's dog allergy.  Buddy is a lot of fun to have around!

Our yearly St. Lucia breakfast at Tre Kronor in Chicago.  This charming Swedish bistro serves a delicious St. Lucia Day breakfast, and the servers double as singers, singing traditional Christmas carols.  Note the crown of lit candles!
We see the same people at this breakfast every year.  It's part of our Christmas tradition, and many others as well.

Another Christmas tradition - my piano students' Christmas "recital" and party.  The kids each play a Christmas song for each other (no parents are invited!), then we make a small craft and enjoy some cookies and juice.  They look forward to this every day, as so I.  Such nice kids!  I have a great job. 

Scott's Christmas gift was tickets to "Not So Silent Night", a jazz version of the Nutcracker, and other Christmas selections, performed by the Chicago Jazz Orchestra.  They really cooked!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas quilts, the best gift - baby Liliana!

Christmas quilt tour! This is a favorite, made with a bee group I used to belong to, round-robin style.  I made the angel center with its pieced border, then 4 friends added the next borders, and I finished with another pieced border. Love the touches of gold lame for some holiday sparkle.

On the left is my Swedish Christmas tree.  I found a book on the technique years ago, made the tree and we have enjoyed it every year since.  The wall quilt was made by a friend after we co-chaired our guild's quilt show together.  

Another oldie but a goodie.  The center block was made at a bee meeting, we drew names and I won it! 

Here you see our dining room and family room, all decked out for the holidays.  I made the Believe quilt as part of the Labor of Love quilt competition in 1991.  My quilt hung in the show in Houston, and was featured in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.  Not a winner, but I love it and had fun making it.
I added the hanging banners this year, to mimic those I see in our favorite little Swedish bistro in Chicago.  I love how they turned out!  I cut triangles with a ruler, two layers at a time, with wrong sides facing.  I topstitched two of the sides together (raw edges exposed), then enclosed the third side in some dark red bias tape.  Easy peasy, it makes the space so festive!

Not a Christmas quilt, but we have this quilt up every day.  I made this quilt out of pure gratitude after my husband totaled our car driving home from work six years ago.  He walked away from it, no injuries to him or anyone else.  A good reminder to be grateful every day for life's blessings!

The best gift!  Born Christmas morning, our first grandchild:  Liliana Noelle, 5 #, 12 oz, a tiny nugget of love!  Baby and mother are doing great, we love her so much!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hannah and Danny's Engagement Party!

We hosted a small engagement party for Hannah and Danny last night, and it was just so much fun! They are a perfect match, they have so much fun together, and their love just shines through, doesn't it?

Just before we cut the amazing cake, which I had made especially for Danny and his love of golf. Cake created at Kirsten's Danish Bakery in Burr Ridge, IL. 

It was delicious, too!  Yellow cake with chocolate mousse filling, and buttercream icing. Yummy!

Our special guests were my brother and sister-in-law, Chuck and Jean, from Burke, VA, who just happened to be travelling through town the same weekend as the party!

Scott and I with Hannah.  Love her new dress! 

Group shot (and my finger, too, I guess - oops!), featuring Hannah's friend, Katie, our daughter, Genevieve, her bf Dave, Emily's husband, Matt, and our daughter, Emily. It seems that Dave and Matt became best friends last night after sitting together!

Nice smiles from Emily and Matt!  You can see  everyone having a good time, which I love.  We decorated with sunflowers, Hannah's favorite.

My wonderful husband, Scott - the party happened to be on our 39th wedding anniversary!

The guests of honor! Their wedding in May of 2018 will be here before you know it!

Couple more finishes for 2017

"Oh My Stars" for a special baby-to-be! My daughter's sister-in-law, Erica, expecting their first, a little boy, has planned an adorable aviation themed nursery, with navy, gray, white, and gold scheme.  I had lots of fun with this!  Did NOT turn out as planned, but better!

After searching locally, I found this cute border fabric on etsy, and the quilt was planned around it.  Simple blue stars (mimicking propellers?), set off by smaller stars, centered with compass points. 

Love this little touch of yellow, and the two different gray/white prints in the background. Quilted flawlessly by Sue Pawlowski.

Soft and snuggly for the little boy! 

Fun at Erica's baby shower!  L-R, daughter Genevieve (due in December), daughter Emily (due in February), Erica, me, and daughter Hannah (getting married in May. Needless to say, I have lots of quilts to make!!!

"Eleanor's 4-Patch" for a dear friend of the family's second born, little Eleanor.  I was unsure of her color scheme, so I used some soft baby quilt fabrics from my stash, with splashes of lime green, my favorite, and a wide white border. Simple quilting finished this quilt in a hurry!

Gratuitous puppy shot! Our dog, Buddy, loves to pose. 

Quilt on my antique baby rocker, which held me, my mom, and my grandma!

Cute baby Eleanor, with her equally cute mom, Cara.  Irrestible!