I MADE IT!

 An extra, non-quilty post today to celebrate a date I've been looking forward to:

Today I turn 71!

Last year I wrote about the significance of turning 70, read that here: BIRTHDAYS 

Both my parents died, years ago, at age 70. I wanted to see 71 and today I can say I made it.

Ready for a birthday dinner with friends:

My mom and dad have been gone a long time, 30 years for my mom, 28 for dad:

Their wedding day, 1950, Mom's high school photo, late 1930's, Dad in the Navy, mid-1940's 

1994, last photo of them taken on a cruise vacation

Mom and Dad were married almost 45 years. Will and I are headed to 50 years on our next anniversary. They lived long enough to see their grandchildren born, and so have we. 

When I reflect on the major changes I have made for my health in the last few years I am grateful and happy. This photo was taken 13 years ago, at about my worst. I won't delete this photo as it tells part of  my story and shows how far I have come:

Lauren and Andy Wilkins wedding day, 2012

To read more about this journey, see the tab above: HEALTH JOURNEY

As I look forward to a long, happy future, I leap out of bed each morning, determined to exercise hard, each day. And to eat smart, most days. My plan is to BE STRONG, BE PATIENT, and BE HAPPY. 

As I told my family last year, once I make it to 71, each additional day is a gift. That's why they call it the "present". 

I am hopeful the BEST IS YET TO COME for me. That is what motivates me to keep my spirit, mind,  and body as fit as I can. The future awaits and I plan to be ready.

And, now, let's quilt.

Barbara

POST 1000!

 Well, WOW! I just sat down to write this blog and saw that it is number 1000! Isn't that something?! I planned to write about something else but will use this 1000th post to look back.

My first post was December 31, 2011, titled Out With The Old, In With The New. I didn't have a plan for how long I would blog or all the things I would write about. I just got started.

Essentially, this blog is my journal diary, detailing the things important in my life. Mostly focused on quilting but not only about quilting. Though that is a central part of my life.

During these years, here are just SOME of the many things that have happened:

In 2014 I retired from H&R Block after 34 years and thousands of clients  TAX SEASON BY THE NUMBERS

Also in 2014 The RED AND WHITE QUILT THING happened--if you have not read this post about what that experience meant to me, you should: RED AND WHITE WRAP UP

One son got married in 2012 and our first grandchild was born in 2015. POST # 200--IT'S ALL ABOUT STELLA!

After 2014 I started traveling to teach quilt classes all over the country. What a wonderful thing to do. I am so grateful it continues today. So far I have taught at 4 huge shows and events and many guilds with many more scheduled into 2026. I will do this as long as it is FUN!

I even get to teach on QUILT CRUISES--that is a super fun way to combine work and a vacation. HARMONY OF QUILTING CRUISE PART ONE

2017 saw the creation of the "SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS", a group who met monthly at my home to work on the Block of the Month project from THE QUILT SHOW: Halo Star Medallion.  The group has changed over the years, two of our members have passed away, and we now meet quarterly but this group of special women is very dear to me:    SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS -- A TRIBUTE

2019 Christmas Party

In 2018 we got our first grandson: Samuel. Here he is on his first birthday:

I was honored to have a "ONE WOMAN SHOW" at International Quilt Festival Houston in 2021. Featuring 23 of my quilts from the humble early pieces to the four BEST OF SHOW winners, it was a dream come true for me to share my JOYFUL JOURNEY as a quiltmaker. I told my family it is the equivalent of the OSCARS Lifetime Achievement Award: HOUSTON QUILT FESTIVAL 2021

The most significant thing I have done has been my HEALTH JOURNEY. Begun about two years ago I set out to improve my health, somehow, someway. In just over a year, I lost 100 pounds. Now, a year later, I am down 11 more pounds and am the best weight for me. I weigh what I did March 29, 1979 as a 24 year old United States Marine Corps officer. I have posted in detail about this journey and provided recipes--all are easy to find in the tab above "HEALTH JOURNEY". HOW I LOST 100 POUNDS  This post has been read by thousands around the country and I am glad I wrote it.

Before and After

2021 with Sam

2021 with Stella

Finally, this year we were blessed with our last grandchild, Oliver. My 45 year old son is in love with his son and Oliver's mother. They have asked us not to post photos showing his face and that's hard, but we abide by their request. Oliver looks exactly like Joshua did as an infant. We are so thrilled for Joshua, Cait and Oliver!

Oliver on the left, Joshua on the right

A super fun thing that happened this year was the photo shoot and magazine feature on my weight loss for: WOMAN'S WORLD MAGAZINE

My husband of 48 years Charles "Will" Wilkins

Finally, this year saw one of those BIG birthdays. I wrote about it here: BIRTHDAYS

Birthday Photo

The gang was all here!

My life is good, and full and I am so fortunate to have all the blessings I do. Looking forward, I will continue to BE STRONG, BE PATIENT AND BE HAPPY.  The best is yet to come. Things change but I will charge into whatever the future holds with passion, determination and grit!

Now, let's quilt.

Barbara

BIRTHDAYS

We all have one every year. Children think it takes forever for the next one to come. The older we get, the faster that trip around the sun seems to go.

I often say the BEST birthdays end in a 9, the WORST ones end in a 0. Recently I had one of those "0" birthdays, a BIG one. Those who really know me, know 70 has been looming for me for several years. Both my parents died at age 70. At my mother's funeral her doctor said to me "You're next". That motivated me to lose 80 pounds. And I gained them back. Ten years later I again lost 80 pounds, same old, same old, they came back. 

Two years ago I was ready to try again. If not now, when? It took 15 months but I lost 100 pounds. That was August 2023. I have kept them off and taken off another 10 for good measure. This is where I am meant to be and where I intend to stay. 

2023 birthday photo, thanks to Cait Brady

2024 birthday photo, again thanks to Cait Brady

There are 30 less pounds this year than last, and I was pretty happy with last year, as there were 80 fewer pounds than the year before. 

I had a wonderful day. What do you do when you wake up on your birthday and it's raining, and rain is forecast all day? You put on your rain jacket, grab the umbrella, and walk anyway, 2 + hours, 8 miles. I don't go out in thunderstorms but a little rain never hurt anyone:

There were gifts and cards. I was thrilled with the Bernina Q20 cover made for me by my good friend, Jan Davis--I have always wanted one but they are too time consuming for me to make. She made two, one for each of us, and said "that's enough!". It is the most perfect gift for me, one I never would have asked for--thank you a million, Jan!:

And there was THIS--a personalized video greeting card from an amazingly talented friend, TV producer Shelly Heesaker. She got Donny Osmond to sing just for ME. It's an ear worm but boy, does it make me LAUGH to see this! Thank you SO MUCH, Shelly:

Happy Birthday Barbara

More gifts and cards:

Best of all, my family joined me at Char, a great restaurant, to celebrate. Oliver, 9 weeks old, got to take his first long car trip, more than 3.5 hours, and Stella and Sam, gave me lots of love and hugs:

Sam 5, Stella 9

I once read "If I'd known grandchildren were so much fun, I'd have had them first." So true. These 3 kids are such a joy to me. 

So, the big day has come and gone. I am still here, ready to take on this new decade. What will I do today? First, I will walk another long, 2 hour power walk, listening to my favorite playlist, singing out loud, got to walk off some of that awesome big dinner. 

Then I will start a new quilt, Oh, My Stars, a pattern from American Jane. I've been looking for a new long workshop quilt, to offer to Empty Spools Seminar and guilds who are starting to ask for two day workshops. You learn so much more from a teacher when you can take an extended class. I think this will be perfect for that:

The Fabric Pull, my favorite part of any new quilt project

No longer afraid of 70, I look forward to many great times ahead. My motto is "Be Strong, Be Patient, Be Happy". I am and will continue to be.

If you want more info on how I changed my life, find it here: 

How I Lost 100 Pounds

Now, let's quilt!

Barbara

Little of This, Little of That

Just a few things, none of which demand their own post, sort of a "Miscellaneous" Post.

1. Both my garments for Houston are done, in September--yeah!!  The blue fabrics are Michael Miller, selected to help celebrate the Sapphire Celebration 45th Anniversary of International Quilt Festival in Houston. I love the way this turned out and the fit is perfect.

Indygo Junction Contemporary Kimono

These fabrics are from Art Gallery Fabrics, the Indie Folk Collection. I love the fabrics but wish I had used the Kimono pattern for this too. The pattern I used is from the early 90's and it is too big--I think I will take in the side seams a bit, without taking it apart--no, that is no happening. The back hem also swoops down, even though I cut a lot off and thought I had fixed that. With a dark top and black slacks it will be fine.

Nonaim Jacket from Design and Planning Concepts

UPDATE: I took in the side seams 1.5" on both sides, it fits better but it's not as good as if I had made a smaller size. SO, I made a tunic from the leftover fabric--this fits well and is easy to wear:

2. Last week I finished this quilt for my niece who graduated from Harvard in May. I wrote about the quilting here.

After quilting and binding it, I washed and dried it, mostly to be sure those dark blues didn't run. I laid it on the guest bed until I could box it up and that's when I saw--the center diamond I missed quilting! Good thing I checked. Back under the needle to finish that diamond and it was ready to go and it is now in her possession:

             

                            

3. Next up for quilting is my Sizzle--Warm--it needs to be done to take to Houston in 4 weeks. I've just about got the thread colors figured out and will start the quilting this week. 

4. Our family celebrated two birthdays this weekend: Sam, Mr. ONE-derful, turned ONE--he is such a happy little guy:

Sam and BB

The next day my eldest son, Joshua Black Wilkins, turned 40! That doesn't seem possible since I think I'm only 39. He is a professional photographer and musician, and lives in Nashville--glad he could make the 2.5 hour drive for Sam's party:

I don't get the "Smash Cake" event but apparently that's a "thing"--Sam loved it, his Dad painted on icing eyebrows, and many photos were taken. He appeared to be in a sugar coma but kept both hands going. He likes cake!

After Sam was given a bath, there were more photos. The rest of the family, my younger son Andrew Black Wilkins and his wife, Lauren, with Sam and Stella, 4: 

Lest he be left out, my beloved, my better half, the father of my children and love of my life, Charles "Will" Wilkins. He just loves being PopPop!

So, that is what and who keep me busy.

And: RETREAT UPDATE--only TWO spots remain for the first Joyful Journey Retreat--get more info HERE and send me an email for the brochure. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Let's quilt.

Barbara