2015 Was Quite the Year!

 With a renewed focus on family, 2015 became even more exciting and project filled!

As one of the first (actually I think I was the first ;-) bloggers to document the whole "Year in Review" photo collage and list idea for arts and crafting projects, now I feel I have to share..once again..my projects. But I leave off so many because my photo collage programs will only allow a certain number of photos and I've had as many as 150 projects in a year! So the collage above is just a sampling!

The biggest project was my creation of the Mary Lou Weidman Healing Power of Love facebook project. Mary Lou was facing a frightening cancer diagnosis and all of us were doing our best to rally around and support her. Someone suggested sending her quilt blocks, but as her close friend and neighbor confided in me..."if we do that, knowing her, she will feel pressured to make the quilt instead of recuperating after surgery!"

So, I knew I was most likely to say "I'll do it! And actually do it! Ha!!! And I did! 

 

With about 35 quilters from around the US and Canada, we each made from 1 to half a dozen quilt blocks. Everyone mailed them to me and bit by bit, I created a liberated design layout and transformed them into a wonderful quilt filled with love!

 

 

And of course, I did lots and lots of quilts and blankets for donation to a service group. Alexia's Cozy Covers that meets at a local church to create quilts and blankets for foster children and others in need.

Fleece blankets are cut and tied while I am there on the second Saturday of each month, unless they are pieced as some of mine are from fleece scraps that would otherwise be tossed. But I also make flannel receiving blankets and quilts for donation at home.

I make quilts for baby gifts for others..and usually forget to even take their picture! But when I have a grand baby on the way, it's all about baby layettes! Last year, my first grandchild and only grandaughter was born and I whipped up about 100 items for her from quilts, to blankets to burp pads, to sheets, and pads and changing pad covers.

This year, my second grand child was born..a little boy. I had a lot of emotional investment in giving him the best start that I could with comfort items from my heart and by my hands. So, that's what I did,  and continue to do!

 
 Another 85 things for him...quilts, receiving blankets, burp pads, bibs, sheets, changing pad covers,  nursery curtains, lots and lots of pillows with the help of his mama for their home as well as for his nursery. A big fleece blanket for home and hospital use by mom and dad,

Cloth diapers, padded inserts, a little snoedel (snoodle) doll that holds mama's scent when baby has to spend time in a NICU or PICU or children's hospital. Lots of fun things...too many to show here!!! But not nearly enough as my heart wanted to make!

 So, of course more items, bibs as needed, a Christmas bib for Christmas Day..oh my fun never ends!

With Heart and Hands 

My Links to lots of baby quilts, blankets, nursery items, and clothing!

 

Links from my blog for Creating items for Babies and Children:

 

NICU, PICU, and Childrens Hospital Wraps & Gowns: Updated 2015

 

Making a Snoedel, Snoodle, Snuggle Scent Doll

 

Creating a Modern Baby Layette

 

Making Fidget Quilts for Children as well as Alzheimer's Patients: 

 And made quite a few of those this year, as well..and taught a workshop for our Mid Valley Guild Quilt Bolt to Bed charitable quilting day in August!

And when fabric isn't enough for me, I add paper and make cards for gifts and to recognize holidays or other special events. So I made quite a few of those in 2015, as well!

 Fabric + Paper = My Valentine Fun!

 Making Valentine Hearts and Love

I think I need an intervention. Or maybe just another 

Snippets and Threadtales

blog post?.......How in the world do I get so much done and still spend so much time with my beloved family, travel to help family in Alaska, host a big baby shower two years in a row and face so many challenges...

 oh wait...I also made a MVQG Challenge Quilt in 2015!!!

 "I Want to Go Home"

Michele Savikko Bilyeu

Douglas, Alaska and Salem, Oregon

MVQG Challenge: Parade of Homes

Read about my inspiration for this quilt on my blog post about my mother's Alzheimers...

2016 is going to be so much fun, more time with family, even more time with my grandchildren! I can't wait. Oh yes, I may sew and quilt and craft and make my art, a little too......

Michele Bilyeu blogs With Heart and Hands as she shares her creative and healing  journey from Alaska to Oregon. Wildcrafting and the textiles arts... sewing, quilting, and creating prayer flags. Join me as I add my healing energies to changing our world..one little project, one gift of sharing from my heart, at a time.