The Challenge

To tell the truth, I was never very good when it came to studying history in school.  My thinking then was that it was old news and I wanted to look to the future not the past.  Of course, 35 years of my life have slipped by since graduating high school (rapidly without my consent) and I reminisce about the old days when I was younger and the old ways in which we lived our lives.  Like the mall replaced the wooded area that we used to play and ride our sleds in the winter as young kids; or the school that was our middle school is now the elementary school because there are so many more kids; and of course, the new highway that seems to intersect all the original highways making travel from point A to point B faster.

So you can imagine how excited I was to see a quilt challenge that included research into historical events surrounding the War of 1812.  I feel like I come from that era.  There are times I awaken in the morning with pain in my back or feet; or that nagging feeling like, ‘what did I come into this room to do?’  Yes, at the ripe age of 52 (which, by the way is a full deck) I’m finally interested in the historical events that took place in my country as well as my home state of New York.  Living here in California, the history isn’t as rich and full of wars as the east coast, so it’s been mostly learning about the Indians and the Missions.  Yes, that’s rather interesting, but it really doesn’t do it for me like a good old war that helped to forge our country.  Of course, some of the history in California helped to establish our nation, yet it seems somewhat dry.  (Yes, pun intended.)

I’m excited to participate in this challenge for so many reasons, most importantly, because it has to do with the memory of all the soldiers that fought in this war; and any war that helps this country to maintain its freedom.  I’ve always been patriotic, however as time has moved on, I have become more patriotic and have always been very supportive towards our military.

Then there’s all the other reasons; for instance, when I go to visit the quilt show in Sacket Harbor, NY, I will be able to spend time with my married daughter who chose to move east after being raised in the west.  That really seems to be the biggest reason of all, it opens the doors to allow me to spend time with her, visit with some old friends, and catch up with family.

I’ve been busy going on line and checking into the history behind the War of 1812 and learning that President Madison (Dollie’s Husband, you know the chick that invented ice cream… her man) was in office.  And that a part of this war created the event which caused our white house in DC to be burned.  And that it was the heroics of Dollie Madison that saved some of the artifacts and paintings from the white house.  I’m still looking for information that will knock my socks off, but it’s still interesting to learn all of this.

The quilt challenge includes the size that you need to make the quilt as well as using only reproduction fabric of that era.  The size is 30” x 70”, the size of a cot that a soldier would sleep upon; as well the size of the coffin to be buried.  That’s what grabbed me to do this challenge; “Cot to Coffin” a true tribute for a soldier.  My design of this quilt has taken on a life of its own.  I sat in front of several pictures of antique quilts of that era and have seen everything from ornate to simple.  The most incredible one I saw was simple and made me feel good about my design.  It’s simply stars at the top and a log cabin at the bottom and the crossroads of life in between.  Because of the size requirements for this challenge, my design hit a snag that caused a single strip down the center.  I also still had room at the top of the design which crossed over the center.  This created a cross, and gave me goose bumps; I knew at that moment that my design was inspired; and not by me.

I will be posting more about the quilt as the fabric order that’s been placed comes in.  I want to make a mock up of the quilt to make sure that everything works from paper to fabric.  As well, I may even include more historical data that caught my attention.  As I learn more about this ‘blog’ thing, there may even be more pictures…

***Summer Vacation***

Tension mounts and it’s riding high!  Here we are again, back in the same office as yesterday and the day before that; not much has changed.  All the same players are here and they come complete with their own personalities and attitudes, some better than others.  This morning’s game is brought to you by boredom and frustration.

It’s that time of year again… Summer is seeping into everything.  It pulls your thoughts from your mind and swirls it with sand and beach sounds.  The idea that sitting on the beach is tremendously different than sitting at your computer in a constructed cubicle, and taunts you like your favorite dessert when you’re trying to diet into your new bathing suit. 

You change the desk top picture on your work screen to reflect your thoughts; pictures of tropical island beaches, and your screen saver flashes pictures of flowers, pools, retreats of splendor and anything else to take your mind off the drone of work.  You post flip flops as your Facebook profile picture as a gesture of comedy, knowing all too well, I’d rather be in flip flops than at this flop.

Suddenly, instead of sending the email of financial updates, you switch over to the internet to find a vacation package to daydream over.  Cancun.  Hmm, I’ve known a lot of people who’ve been there on a vacation; you say to yourself.  Considering, you don’t speak the language and would have to give up the husband or boyfriend in order to really enjoy that kind of vacation… you move on.  Hawaii… oh yes, they speak my language, but the cost of that would set you back financially and you really want to retire early.  Okay, you think, what would be easier?  Poking sharp objects in my eyes… that would be easier!

Then like a beacon… it hits you!  ROAD TRIP!  Gotta love a road trip, no real commitment as to where or who; just when.  You look at the calendar; get out the road map, making the decision; in state or next state.  Any motel along the way that has a pool and cheesy postcards will be the best.  Its mindless fun, the bargain basement priced trip of being lost in America. 

It’s a whole part of our lives that is missing, the trip our parents forced on us as kids.  ‘Get in the car kids, were going on vacation.’  We had wild fantasies of what our destinations would look like, would there be fun filled excitement?  Would we have ice cream for breakfast, cake for lunch and burgers for dinner?  Yes, yes, yes!  We loved the idea as kids, sitting in the back of our parent’s car as they drove long roads to unknown destinations.  We jumped into pools at Tikki style motels, drank soda all day till our stomachs hurt.  Playing cards with our parents if it was raining outside with the TV on in the background.  We loved it, we called it vacation!  Sitting around the pool waiting 20 minutes till our lunch digested so we wouldn’t get cramps while swimming.  Even if it was just a PB&J sandwich, we still had to wait. 

Or the camping trip to the big lake up in the mountains.  Roasting marshmallow’s till they caught a flame and flinging it at your little brother, watching it stick to his forehead.  Crying; ‘really mom, I thought the flame would die out before it hit him’.   You can’t be sent to your room when you’re camping, but you can’t have anymore marshmallows.

And there you are, daydreaming about long ago and far away, smiling, wishing you were being driving someplace; and then suddenly realizing that you still have to get that report sent out and that there’s a customer calling to complain about their vacations being screwed up because one of your ‘so called bankers’ has put a hold on their check over the holiday weekend.  And the tension returns.