Come Fly Away with Me.

 

Up Up and Away

Recently, I attended a foundation paper-piecing class at my local quilt store, Boxer Craft House. Our project was a Hot Air Balloon. This was an interesting process because you stitch fabric pieces to a foundation paper with the marked side of the paper facing up and the fabric pieces layered underneath. The resulting pieced units will be mirror images of foundation papers. It is almost forcing you to have a different perspective. 

Much like a Hot Air Balloon, your perspective changes when one has distance. 

Really Happy with my pillow and mug rugs that I made.

Did you know that Hot Air Balloons are actually very difficult to fly. You cannot steer a hot air balloon. The balloon follows the path of the wind and you must go along for the ride. All that you can control is going up or down! Geez, this is life! We can only control how we react, not the wind or others! 

And just a change in fabric is a different perspective.

There is so much we cannot control in life. Like a hot air balloon, we cannot control the direction of the wind and if we struggle against it, we will only waste our energy. When we allow ourself to accept the current situation, we may notice the things around us in a different way.

Yep, even I need to be uplifted when writing a difficult journal!

 Brianna Z. Kauer, M.S., BCBA states this best, “When we are flying low to the ground, everything seems large and appears to be moving quickly. When you are flying high in the air, everything seems small and appears to be moving slowly. We can’t control which direction the wind blows us, but we can choose to rise above the struggles of the day to see them from a distance. When we create distance from our negative thoughts or feelings, they don’t seem so big; mountains become foothills, houses become toys, people become ants.”

No matter what’s happening in our lives, we always have the potential to rise above, accept the current situation, and adjust those inner burners (our emotional and physical reaction). Moreover, we have the choice to rise out of our negative thoughts, our limiting beliefs, and our comfort zone. What a great “life lesson project” and a great reminder for myself. I hope this post lifts you up and inspires you for the ride of a lifetime.

Cardinals in Magnolia

 

Cardinals in a Magnolia Tree

 

I created this 18x 18 stained glass window as a reminder of the strong love of two friends had. They both have passed and are missed by many. I always enjoyed watching the cardinals with them and every time I see a cardinal, I think of Grammie & Poppie!

 

 

This window would make a wonderful gift for someone who is getting married, memory of a loved one who has passed away or even a handmade gift for a birdwatcher.

 

I selected Magnolias as the flower because magnolias symbolized dignity and nobility. In ancient China, magnolias were thought to be the perfect symbols of womanly beauty and gentleness. In the American South, white magnolias are commonly seen in bridal bouquets because the flowers are thought to reflect and emphasize the bride's purity and nobility. 

 

This window is available for purchase in our Etsy Store and would make a wonderful gift or decoration.

Ginger Dawn