Kelly sent me this wonderful book and fabric pack. I look forward to making something soon. Isn't that the sweetest gift card? Kelly painted it herself.
My Birthday is the anniversary of our bringing Nutmeg home. It has been one year and we adore her even though she is spicy.
It was also a week of the worst of times. I am journaling some it here for my historial record with no editorial comments.
Everyday was a heartache. Everyday last week made me question everything about who we are as a country.
I was gladdened to see this humble sign in my privileged white CT shoreline town. Reassured me that I am not alone.
I did very little sewing which is fine, but I realized that there may be a reason I have stalled on my African fabric project. A creeping feeling of unease "Cultural Misappropriation".
Cultural Appropriation
"Cultural appropriation, at times also phrased cultural misappropriation, is the adoption of an element or elements of one culture by members of another culture. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from disadvantaged minority cultures."
So I decided yesterday to clear it from my design wall for now.
Sometimes you just need a fresh start creatively and emotionally and that's okay. We'll be OKAY.
Thank you to my friends and family for all the well wishes this week for the Birthday Girls and the Betrothed.
I have so many things to be grateful for during these troubled times. Among them are you, my blogland community.
Thank You - Stay Well.
xoSo I decided yesterday to clear it from my design wall for now.
I have so many things to be grateful for during these troubled times. Among them are you, my blogland community.
Thank You - Stay Well.
Oh Barb I’m so glad your birthday was great. Belated birthday 🎂 Wishes.
ReplyDeleteI hope your current trip around the sun continues to have many shining moments mixed with the sorrowful ones. Congratulations to Hanna and David - it's good to hear such happy news!
ReplyDeleteA good read today.
ReplyDeleteI bet it feels good to have that design wall cleared! Having a black niece and also employee we've had a lot of good conversations, but it is heavy, emotionally. Dealing with customers has been heavy too!
ReplyDeleteSo excited for your family to grow! Exciting news for Hanna!
Happy birthday again.
Well, happy birthday! You did indeed get some unique blooms in the bouquets. The unicorn pool is a fun deal. Yes, quite the times we are in presently. Challenging on many fronts.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated birthday. May all your wishes come true. Cheers
ReplyDeleteI read a statement by Rick Warren once describing life like the two rails of train tracks. His book was receiving great success at the same time as his wife was fighting cancer. The good and the bad happening right along side each other. I try to remember that when facing struggles as a way to also embrace the good going along at the same time. This week certainly made that a challenge!
ReplyDeleteSo your good health and sweet celebration of your birthday along with your lovely growing family :-) is cheerful to see! Best wishes for a healthy and happy year to you and to the Betrothed Ones!
Oh nice to see that you had a wonderful birthday...may you have many more;)))
ReplyDeleteI am finding myself stalled after completing 4th of July Baskets...
re-evaluation time for me....
Take care, stay safe
Hugs from afar Julierose
Happy Birthday Barb! May the next year hold much joy! What a fun pool :0)
ReplyDeleteHappy many, many more returns my sweet friend. In a few weeks, it will be my turn and I am just a year short of your sweet number. So cheers!
ReplyDeleteSo happy for Hanna and David. Congratulations! So many youngsters just don't anymore.
I've seen these African fabric project on your post before and I thought nothing of it. Seeing today, after all that is going on in the world right now, it made me feel very uneasy and sad. It's like you are crossing out Africa. I know, I know that NOT what you are doing, I know you are not racism in anyway, but it just jump at me, today. Poor George, and all the others who passed away because of racism, you have left an emotional battle within us that we had no idea existed. Thank you, George, for opening our eyes.
Bless you, Barb, for taking it down. ♥ Hugs.
Happy belated birthday and congratulations! Two beautiful things in a time of stress and heartache!
ReplyDeleteSo here's the deal; my brother is 50. He has five children ranging from driving age to diapers?? And they've homeschooled in their entire lives and he's always had a hardwood flooring business of his own. Over a year ago he was warmed up on and attacked like a terrorist by the police department in Saint Augustine Florida and falsely accused of something. He's never done anything bad to this day not that he's my brother and he was seriously injured and could've died. He had to have surgery on his arm and still can't work. It took him a week to tell me and when he did he said he almost committed suicide. Things happen. Things exactly what happened to George Floyd happen to white black pink green yellow purple doesn't matter the color. his case didn't make the news in many other cases don't make the news. What is good about happened to George Floyd is that it might open the door for him to actually be able to sue The police department
ReplyDeleteHappy to the birthday girls and congrats on your daughter's engagement! Best of luck on your fresh start with that empty design wall, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful birthday for 58 years young. Love the pool and, of course, congratulations on the engagement. sounds like you'll be starting a new quilt soon.
ReplyDeleteLove yeah Babs. Happy happy to all the Vedder celebrations. Xxxx. J
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to you and congratulations to Hanna and David!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely birthday, Barb. Cheers from me (belated) and happy "home" day to Nutmeg. So nice to have events to celebrate in spite of such frightening times. Whenever you rethink your African quilt, think of it as paying homage (rather than misappropriating) as you will surely make it your own.
ReplyDeleteSuch happy news. Who couldn’t love a man that not only brought a cool pool but shared it with his lovely fiancé.
ReplyDeleteThey look made for each other.
I didn’t have a engagement ring or a cool pool...I drove from Chicago to LA with my new Hubbie 45 years ago with a 6 week old Irish setter puppy, a tri color parakeet sitting on rear view mirror and 10 genuine tropical fish in a bag of water under the front seat. One last check from VA for school and off we went for adventure. You brought up a lovely young woman. May the couple choose to look at being part of history as a challenge and chapters in a book that aren’t written yet. May love surround yiur family
Jane currently frying in Florida....
Hello my dear friend ... I loved to see the pictures of your birthday and those about Hannah and her fiancé !! Oh yes, what a week !! But it was a wonderful week no ?
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are beautiful and it will be a gorgeous quilt as always !
I'm sorry for the rest... and as I French, I'm not allowed to tell you my opinion but I can understand your sadness...
Big hugs !
testing comments - why can't these just work right?
ReplyDeleteGlad you were able to have a birthday celebration--those flowers are amazing! The unicorn pool is a hoot--looks like your daughter's beau is going to fit into the family just fine. Happy belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteSince I have already said "Happy Birthday", I will say "Oh wow what a week is right"! For once in my life I am speechless at what has happened in our country. The words and safe actions will come soon, but for now I am just stunned. I can understand why you have taken down (for now) your project, but it makes me sad and bewildered. Every day a new message for those of us born into white privilege. I have learned a great deal this week, but am still wondering where to start the healing. On a positive note, I adore that pool! Boy he really IS a keeper! Stay safe and healthy and hope we all figure out where we are going soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you for such a beautiful post. So many emotions....aptly titled Best of Times....Worst of Times. I appreciate your transparency. Congrats on the beginning of a new year of life - and the good times with family.
ReplyDeleteHello Barb
ReplyDeleteIt is so fun to see happiness in your family, your home so well decorated with quilts...You deserve these cards and expression of friendships .... Each country has got his difficulties ...
Happy birthday
XoXo
Véronique
Oh, sorry I didn't realize it was your birthday. I hope you were well pampered.
ReplyDeleteGreat news about Hannah! I love that the rings were made by David's grandfather. That is so special.
I listened to the Black man (birdwatching in an area where dogs were to be leashed)who was asking a woman in Central Park to put her dog on a leash and she threatened to call the police. It was so enlightening to hear him talk about how he knows he needs to be careful as a black man walking around with binoculars in his hands. He named other things he had to be conscious of that a white man out birdwatching would never have to consider. It was as if a light went on in my brain, and I was given a perspective I'd never considered.
Having a biracial granddaughter has heightened my awareness of all of the concerns, as well. I'm sure it just felt right to take down that quilt right now.
Wishing you belated birthday wishes! And congratulations to the newly engaged couple! The world is in a very strange place at the moment, but hopefully we can all work together to change it for the good of all
ReplyDeleteBarb, Happy belated Birthday, what nice treasures you were given. You are the picture of beauty and health! Congratulations on Hannah's engagement too. How cool to have the special rings from her husband's family! I watch the news from afar... and just almost feel despair sometimes about what's happening in the U.S. On the other hand, this could be an incredible tipping point and turning point. I sure hope so.
ReplyDeleteHappy belated Birthday, Barb! So many good things are happening in your family. Congrats to Hanna and David. They look like the perfect couple :) Hard to believe you've had Nutmeg for a year already. I'm with you on the state of our country but I also believe something good will come out of all this discontent. Someday you will put that quilt back up on your wall but for now it was the right thing to do--for you!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday from one June rose to another! Have you begun your daughter/fiance's wedding quilt?.....As for cultural appropriation: I hope they (whoever "they" is) will come up with a more precise way to differentiate between negative stereotyping (appropriation to demean) and positive appreciation of cultural traditions. If ALL borrowing/adapation is considered pejorative then our own culture will stagnate.
ReplyDeleteHappy happy day(s). Life will return...if not to 'normal' then the 'new normal' which one more time will be filled with JOY!!!
ReplyDeleteSorry, a bit late, but still, congratulations! Hope you had a lovely birthday. And also congratulations on the engagement. Still some positive things to be celebrated in these dark times. It seems there is fear, anger and strife everywhere you look.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday wishes to you! It looks like you had some fun along with the self reflection. Isn't imitation the best form of flattery? We do it all over blog land it's part of the sharing of ideas (and cultures) that makes it wonderful.
ReplyDeletetake care!
Very Happy Belated Birthday wishes are headed your way, you sweet young thing! Sounds like you have good family around you helping you celebrate, and wonderful news about that young couple! Special adoption wishes for that little scamp of a Nutmeg as well! Blessings on you all!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I have been catching up and landed here! Congratulations to Hanna and her fiancé and happy belated , really belated birthday!
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrible times we are going through as a country. It is nice to hear good news. By the way, I love the quilt top you just finished. It is going to be another show stopper!
Be well!