Paul Gauguin - Artist Study

Paul Gauguin, who was born on June 7, 1848, and died on May 8, 1903, was a French post-Impressionist artist. Unappreciated until after his death, Gauguin is now recognized for his experimental use of color and Synthetist style that were distinct from Impressionism. Gauguin's art became popular after his death, partially from the efforts of art dealer Ambroise Vollard, who organized exhibitions of his work late in his career and assisted in organizing two important posthumous exhibitions in Paris.

His work was influential to many modern and French avant-garde artists, such as Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. Gauguin was an important person in the Symbolist movement as a sculptor, printmaker, painter, ceramist, and writer. He was an influential proponent of wood engraving and woodcuts as art forms.

In The Yellow House by Susan Rubin, the story is told about how Vincent Van Gogh missed the company of other painters, so he invited Paul Gauguin to come live with him in his Yellow House in Arles.

So, for two months, in Fall 1888, the two men painted side by side. Their artistic styles, however, were very different. Vincent painted what he saw around him; and Paul painted from his memory and imagination. Vincent painted quickly, while Paul worked on paintings over a period of time. Vincent was messy and disorganized, and Paul was tidy and organized.

Below are six paintings that Paul Gauguin created. Olivia studied each of them and shared some things that she remembered about them.

Peasant Woman and Cows in a Landscape
Watercolor, 1889
Private collection

Olivia remembered:
- There are two cows and a woman.
- One cow is black and white; and the other is brown and white.
- The cows appear to be milk cows; and it appears the woman is getting ready to milk the black one.
- In the background, you can see some trees that look they are on top of a slight hill.
- The trees look very odd - they look like really misshapen potatoes with horns or arms sticking out of them.
- One of the trees looks like it could be a person with two horns sticking out of their head.
- There is a brick wall that looks like it has been made into the side of the hill.
- The woman is wearing a white cap, a white shirt with a skirt over it; and she looks like she is wearing a yellow apron.
- There are some clouds in the distance that look like they are storm clouds.
- There are also some black spots that are on the top of the picture by the trees that looks like some black paint was spilled on it.
- There are these spots on the trees that look like a hand...sort of.
- There are some flowers on the hill as well.
- The ground looks like it is a dirt road or just dirt on the road.
- It looks like summer with flowers that have already bloomed. The trees are mostly bare, but there are a couple of branches that look like they have leaves on them.

Night Café at Arles
Oil on jute, 1888
Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia

Olivia remembered:
- There are seven people in the picture. One is the owner of the café and the other six are customers.
- One has a mustache. Another one has their arm on the table with their head on it. The other four are sitting at a table together and it looks like they are having a conversation together.
- In front of the customers and behind the woman, is a pool table. Underneath it, by the leg of it, is a cat.
- There are three pool balls on the table; two are white and one is red.
- The woman appears to be standing in front of a table or counter, and she has one hand resting on the table and the other propping up her head.
- She has her head slightly tilted so she can see the customers.
- There are two bottles on the table next to her - one is made from blue glass and the other one is green.
- On the wall behind the table is a picture. The only thing I can point out in the picture is a lamp.
- Someone or several people in the café is smoking because you can wisps of smoke.
- The walls are brown on the bottom half and the other half is bright red.
- The owner (the woman) is wearing a white shirt with what looks like a long black dress over it.
- The woman has black hair and the people appear to have brown or black hair.
- On the table with the four people, you can see some bottles.
- Two of them appear to be Asian.
- The cat is white with some black and brown spots.
- You can't tell where the light is coming from, but you can see the shadow of the pool table on the ground.

Old Women of Arles
Oil on canvas, 1888
Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois

Olivia remembered:
- There are four women in the picture, two trees, a pond or lake, and a red picket fence.
- Next to the fence is this big green thing that looks like boulder that looks like it is covered in moss and has a face on it.
- The women all have blue or black shawls on it that makes them look like kimonos and have little hats or bows on their heads.
- On the pond you can see the reflection of the shore and the sky with a cloud in it.
- There is also this weird thing in the middle of the cloud's reflection in the water that looks like a lily pad in the shape of a top hat with white spikes coming out of it.
- There is a white path and the two women in the background are walking on the grass.
- In the left corner of the picture, you can see some tree branches hanging down.
- You can't see the top of the two trees on the grass. You can just see the trunks.
- The two women that are closest that you can see have their hands folded under their shawls.
- The fence is made out of wood.
- The women all have blank or calm and peaceful looks on their faces.

The Vision after the Sermon - Jacob Wrestling with the Angel
Oil on canvas, 1888
The National Gallery of Scotland, Edinburgh

Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, there is a man fighting with a person with wings also known as an angel. 
- They are surrounded by a bunch of nuns who are in a circle.
- Some of the nuns are sitting with their hands in their laps while two look like they are having a conversation. One appears to be praying.
- There is a cow or what I think is a cow in the picture; and kind of splitting up the circle is a tree.
- This tree has green across the top of it and looks like it is very durable.
- The man who is wrestling with the angel and losing has black hair and a beard.
- Both the angel and him are barefoot, and are dressed in the same black robes as the nuns, except they don't have the white thing around their necks or the white ear flaps.
- The ground of the picture is red. I think they are outside.
- One of the nuns looks unhappy because she is looking towards the two who are talking and she has a look of displeasure on her face.
- The angel's wings look like they are a golden-bronze color.
- The cow is brown with small light-colored spots.

Portrait of Van Gogh Painting Sunflowers
Oil on canvas, 1888

Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam

Olivia remembered:
- In the picture, you have Van Gogh sitting on a stool painting.
- On the stool or table there is a vase of sunflowers and his palette with paint and paint that looks like it has been mixed.
- On the walls in the background are light blue.
- Van Gogh has brown hair with a red beard.
- There is a window behind him. Out of the window, you can see trees and another wall, and a yellow path - or something that is long and yellow.
- Next to his painting there is another easel, but you can't see what's on it. It looks like it is taller - possibly - than the other easel and maybe a bigger canvas.
- Van Gogh is wearing a full suit that is a little bit lighter than his hair color. His shirt is white and he may be wearing a bow tie and a waist coat and jacket. The waist coat, jacket, and pants all match.
- Two of the sunflowers towards the bottom are short. They are very dark in color and it looks like they are hanging down.
- The sunflowers kind of look sad in the blue vase.
- The table looks like it is made out of wood and it has slats - like an outdoor table.
- The paint on the palette is blue and white. The white paint is bright, and the blue paint is dark. It looks like he is mixing the white paint with the blue paint to get a lighter blue. Maybe to do the face.
- He is holding a paint brush in his hand. He could have been just holding it and looking at his picture.

Christmas Night, The Blessing Of The Oxen
Oil on canvas, 1902-1903
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis, Indiana

Olivia remembered:
- The picture has two cows and six people in it.
- Two people look like statues...and they may be statues.
- The other four people are standing around the cows - 2 standing in between them, 2 standing on the outside looking at the women.
- They all have their heads wrapped up in scarves or shawls to keep the cold out.
- One of the cows is black and white. The other one looks like it could be white with a palomino color.
- The black one has two white stockings (markings) on the front feet.
- Behind the women and the cows, there are some buildings. Two look like they are houses and one looks like a church.
- Behind the houses, there looks like there is a hill or an island because in the distance there looks like there is a river or lake. On the other side of the lake's shore is another city with a church.
- You can tell it is late in the evening because it looks like the sun is starting to set.
- The ground that the cows are standing on has snow on it and a dirt path. The snow kind of has a greenish tint to it.
- The two figures to the right of the picture are on this covered section that is stone and has two steps. They look like they could be statues.
- The sky was kind of orange at the horizon line.
- It is a bright picture, but at the same time it could be a dark picture.
- The two statues are taking cover underneath a half-dome.
- The two women who are standing in between the cows don't have legs. It looks like they weren't painted in.
- The two women who are standing in between the cows are facing one another so you can't see their faces.
- The woman by the face of tan cow looks tired - she has an aura of exhaustion around her.

My Favorite Photos - October 2019

This was a rather unusual month for us. It started with Olivia recovering from pneumonia and a double-ear infection. On October 10th, I had spinal surgery to address an injury from a car accident in November 2018 and the next day Sophia had a follow-up oral surgery due to complications from wisdom teeth removal in June 2019.

Aspen, one of our dogs, had surgery to remove a growth on her back left leg on October 21st. She had to go in to get it re-stitched because she opened it up by licking it at one day. She's been wearing a cone ever since then.

With that being said, there were some times I was able to capture some photos. Below are some of my favorite ones.

Normally we see some frogs on the window at night trying to catch bugs. This grasshopper, by far, is the largest and perhaps creepiest thing I've seen on the window yet.

On October 2nd, I took Olivia to the hospital after the walk-in clinic suggested she be admitted. She was struggling with getting over pneumonia and ear infections that she had since September 18th. A positive thing that came out of this visit was that she did not have to be admitted to the hospital. Instead, they gave her both prednisone and albuterol (on top of the other medications she was already taking). These helped her start feeling better and not coughing as much. So, it was a very good visit to the doctor.

On October 3rd, Scooby had made himself comfortable on the pile pillows on the cedar chest. I think of it as his own little throne since he is sitting higher than everyone else in the room.

We went to college to visit Sophia and have a meal in the dining center. As always, the food was excellent. Each of us had a different entrée.

The next day, the 4th, Olivia and I went back again to visit Sophia. We dropped off a couple of breakfast sandwiches that I made and froze in preparation for my surgery on the 10th. Our favorite part of the meal that day was the dessert: an ice cream/cookie sandwich, ice cream cone, and strawberry malt.

I washed the sheets on the bed and brought back the comforter when I was done. Aspen had wrapped herself in it. She looks comfortable on a chilly, rainy day.

On the 6th, I was washing blankets. I brought out this blanket from the dryer and cover Danny in it. He looked so content and toasty warm on another chilly day.

I created another care package for Sophia with the saying, "Orange you glad it's Fall" on the inside box flaps. It was filled with a variety of items that were orange or had orange in the packaging. She was surprised and happy to receive the package. 

As I mentioned above, I went in for spinal surgery on October 10th. In a matter of less than a morning, the nerve that was pinched that went from my neck to hands was released. I went in with pain and numbness in that arm and hand that was constant from November 2018 to the 10th. I left with NO pain or numbness. It was amazing! The only pain I have now is in the back of my neck at the surgical site. It should heal by mid-November or so.

Sophia came home on the 10th so she could have her surgery the next door. The dogs were thrilled to see her.

On the 13th, we celebrated 29 years of marriage. Olivia helped Paige pick out the bouquet of flowers. I like the autumnal colors and variety of flowers.

By the 18th, I was up and around and starting to walk longer distances. Olivia took her bike and I walked behind. We had a nice 2-mile ride/walk on a beautiful day.

We have been seeing beautiful sunsets throughout October.

Olivia is working on repairing and quilting two quilts. Cooper is looking out the window to protect Olivia from squirrels and rabbits.

On another walk/ride that Olivia and I went on, she rescued 16 woolly bear caterpillars as they were crossing the road. I'm not sure why they like crossing the road. They have plenty of natural elements on the sides of the road.

Here's a close-up of one of the caterpillars.

During October, we had the back garden completely trimmed down with the exception of a rose bush. It has been a challenge since we've moved in. I refuse to use chemicals in the gardens, so there's always weeds and grass in it. This year, I started pulling up the weeds and grass and replacing them with perennials. I got about 2/3 of the garden planted. Next Spring, I'm hoping that the perennials will overtake the weeds and grass.

One of the flowers we planted  were cleomes. They are about three feet tall and a beautiful shade of purple. Last year I harvested the seed pods. This year, I'm letting them drop to see if they will re-seed themselves and we'll have more next year.

Danny and Eenie enjoyed sitting in the sunlight one afternoon.

Since I'm still not able to drive because of the surgery, my sister took me out on a leaf-watching drive. Down the road from us was this big osprey at the top of a pine tree. Its talons were grasping either edge of the top of the tree. Its legs looked so powerful; and its body reminded me of a strong chicken body.

This is one of many beautiful roads around my home that we traveled down. The colors were so pretty against the blue sky.

This is my favorite oak tree in our northwest pasture. I'm taking the photo from the road looking south.

Some of the leaves on one of our trees.

This is a hibiscus that bloomed. Olivia and I got the hibiscus tree in Spring 2018. It did not overwinter well indoors, so we put it outside in Spring 2019 just to see what would happen to it. It went from having very few leaves to being filled out by the Fall. In October, there were two blooms - both orange. We were thrilled! There are many blooms on the tree so we should be seeing more in the next couple of months.

One of the sunsets that was eye-catching during October. I like how the colors of the sky and clouds are reflected in the pond.

Milkweed seeds are now formed and the pods are splitting open. The wind carries the seeds to new places where plants will grow next Spring. On many walks I've been taking, I pick the pods and spread the seeds to further distribute the milkweed seeds. I'm hoping to see a lot of milkweed plants next Spring and Summer for the monarchs.

In late-October, there was a lone thistle that was still bright purple. A week later, when I went by it on a walk, the color had faded substantially. This is a black-and-white version of the thistle. I thought all the textures of the plant and flower were interesting.

An  overcast day made a good backdrop for these tall weeds/grasses that were along the road.

This view of the northwest part of our farm never gets old. This is the view from the road. I like the golds, rusts, and browns of these trees with the bright white birch bark interspersed in landscape.

These milkweed seeds are ready to fly away. The afternoon sun illuminated the fluffy white floss that is attached to the seeds.

The wild cucumber vine is dried at this point in the season. The spikes are still sharp. We had always believed that this plant was invasive. It isn't. It's actually a native plant to Minnesota, and can grow 30-foot vines (or longer) that attach themselves to trees, fences, and other plants. If you don't want this plant to spread, it's important to take it down before the pods dry and the four seeds drop from the pod.

This is the view from the street of our home. The lawn was just mowed and leaves picked up. I can't believe how tall the pine trees have gotten in the front yard. They make the home look so small.

Inside, we decorated for Halloween. We lost a lot of our Halloween decorations in the fire at our farm in May 2018. So, this year I bought some lights for our windows. These lights were quite bright since they had groupings of lights rather than single ones. The window stars are ones I made this year.

The last weekend in October we went to the annual awards ceremony for 4-H. The centerpieces had two items by them on each table representing different 4-H project areas. At our table, we had a stuffed dog and ceramic rabbit.

Sophia earned several awards for her participation in 4-H for ten years, serving as an Ambassador last year, and for project records she did.

Olivia also earned her ten-year pin and certificate as well as many project record pins.

On one of the days counting down to Halloween, we had "Boonilla Shakes" and ghost-shaped pancakes for breakfast. Danny thinks that we've set a place for him at the table next to Sophia. He's ready for a pancake!

This month we each received refurbished bikes from an organization that gives bikes to youth and adults. In our case, we lose all our bikes in the fire last year and were unable to replace them. This organization was able to find a bike for Olivia that has three wheels so she can ride a bike! She has challenges with balance, so the bike she received is perfect for her. The minute she got on it, she was able to ride it. It even has a basket to carry her jacket, food, or even a small dog who may get tired from walking and need a ride.

Five years ago, Olivia planted this tree in the front yard. It now towers above her.

Sophia also planted a tree in the front yard and hers, too, stands well above her head.

It was a good month...despite the multiple surgeries. We were able to do a lot, see the leaves changing, and do fun things together as a family.

The Christmas List - Book Review

As I continue to recover from spinal surgery, I am able to read more books that I've wanted to read for a while now. Over the past few days, I read The Christmas List by Pete Nelson.

Initially, I thought that the book looked vaguely familiar and that the storyline sounded like one that I had read before. However, I didn't see any record on my blog that I had reviewed it, so I assumed I didn't read it.t

As it ended up, I had read it before. It was a good book to read again, and I am grateful I had the time to do so.

This story is based on a true story about the impact that encouragement and positive thoughts towards others can have on people - no matter what their age.

The story was inspired by a nun in Minnesota who had each student in her class write his/her name on the top of a piece of paper. The students would pass their paper to the person sitting next to him/her. That person would write something positive about the person whose name was on the top of the page. Then they passed it onto the next person who wrote a positive thing about the person whose name was on the page. This continued until all the students had the opportunity to write something nice on all the pages.

What was surprising to both the teacher in the story who did this exercise with her class as well as to many of the students who met later in life at a classmate's funeral, was that a significant number of the students kept their lists and referred to them throughout their lives.

There are sub-stories within The Christmas List which is set around the holidays. All are equally interesting and engaging.

I have already shared this book and its idea with a friend who is a teacher's assistant as well as who has a daughter and sister-in-law who are teachers. Hopefully, this year they will do this exercise and more young lives will be forever and positively impacted by the encouraging and supportive comments that other students share with them.

The Christmas List is well worth taking the time to read, especially as the holidays are approaching. It's a good reminder about how to treat others, and how to give people intangible gifts that will last for their entire lives. 

The First Phone Call from Heaven - Book Review

Ever since I read The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom, I have wanted to read any book he has and will write. His writing style is engaging and thought-provoking. So, when The First Phone Call from Heaven came out, I added it to my list of "want to read" books.

I'm so happy that I took the time to read it as I'm recuperating from spinal surgery. Sometimes these forced breaks provide opportunities to read well-written and meaningful books.

Unlike The Five People You Meet in Heaven, this one was a mystery, of sorts. The story is set in Coldwater, Michigan (a fictional town in the book, but there's a real Coldwater, Michigan). People start receiving brief phone calls from loved ones who had passed away. There seems to be no connection to any of the people, their deaths, or the reason for the calls.

A reporter begins to cover the calls, particularly those that one woman, Katherine, is receiving. The coverage draws attention to the small town. Before long, people from all over the world are coming to Coldwater as pilgrims wanting to talk to or be close to those who have received calls; or to protest.

One of the people to receive calls from loved ones was Jack, the police chief. One conversation that he had with his son, Robbie, addressed fear. Robbie said, "God wants people to know not to be afraid...fear is how you lose your life...a little bit at a time...What we give to fear, we take away from...faith."

About midway into the book, one of the characters, Sully, is being focused on more. He was a military pilot who was cleared for landing and then, on the descent, landed on top of a Cessna. The Cessna belly-landed onto the runway, its rudder damaged by the larger aircraft's engine. Sully made the decision to eject from the plane as it pointed to an empty field and eventually crashed.

The air-traffic controller, realizing he was at fault, abandoned the control tower and sped away. At the same time, Giselle, Sully's wife who was coming to pick him up from the airport, saw the crash in the distance. As she said a quick prayer for his safety, she rounded the corner by the airport and Elliott, the air-traffic controller who was abandoning his post, drove his car into her car. He died at the scene, and she was transported to the hospital.

It was later found out that Sully had had a couple of drinks the night before, within the 12-hour window of safety (from bottle to throttle). Because the voice recordings at the control tower were inaudible in parts, the blame for the accident shifted to Sully who ultimately ended up serving time in prison during which time his wife passed away.

Once he was out of prison, he got a job at the local newspaper and learned that the obituaries for the paper were written by a secretary at the local funeral home. This was the same funeral home that had oversaw his wife's funeral. Sully became suspicious of people at the funeral home as well as with the paper; and believed that someone was behind the phone calls.

***Spoiler alert: don't read any further if plan to read the book. The ending is told below.***

As he is digging deeper into research and talking with people around town, the plan for a big event is taking place scheduled for a Friday after Katherine talks to her deceased sister who assures her she will call on an upcoming Friday.

Sully finds out that the funeral director, Horace, was involved in the military as well. He is able to find out Horace's last name with the help of Liz, the librarian, at the town library. She also is able to help him find Horace's home address.

On the day of the event, there is a major snowstorm which cancels most activities and makes it very difficult for anyone to get around. Nonetheless, the event continues as scheduled. The eight people who had been receiving phone calls would arrive at the event and get set up on stage. The hope was that some would receive phone calls during the event. However, if none did there was plenty of programming with paranormal experts, clairvoyants, and other speakers.

As everyone is on stage with their phones in hand, Sully is driving erratically through town to get to Horace's personal home since he found out he never works on Fridays...the same day that the phone calls from heaven always happen.

Almost in unison, the phone calls start ringing. One by one, they are answered.

At the same time, Sully has scaled a fence and discovered a building and radio tower that was camouflaged on Horace's property. He entered the building and saw computer monitors, keyboards, and racks of electronic equipment. Horace invited Sully to sit.

"What are you doing?" Sully whispered.

"If you didn't know, you wouldn't be here." Horace tapped several keys. "Here we go."

And with a tap of a key, Katherine's phone rang. Katherine answered it and it could be heard over loud speakers at the event.

With each question that Katherine asked, Horace typed something quickly. Her dead sister's voice, re-created, was now having a conversation with the living.

Katherine asked her sister about heaven. Horace typed the answer to which Diane's voice said, "In heaven, we can see you...We can feel you...We know your pain, your tears, but we feel no pain or tears ourselves...There are no bodies here...there is no age...The old who come...are no different than the children...No one feels alone...No one is greater or smaller....We are all in the light...the light is grace...and we are part of...the one great thing."

Katherine asked, "What is the one great thing?"

"Love...You are born in it...you return to it."

Sully was furious and ripped the cords from the electrical outlets, threw the monitors onto the floor, and swept the rack of equipment over. Horace believes he has done nothing wrong, while Sully sees it as some sort of lie and false hope that is being given to those who have lost loved ones.

When he was pressed as to why he did it, Horace said, "To make the world believe."

Sully asked, "Why does that matter?"

"If it believes, it behaves better."

"What's in that for you?"

"Penance...sometimes you sit in a cell and don't deserve it, Mr. Harding." He looked away, "Sometimes it's the other way around."

Sully felt lost. "Why those people?"

"It could have been others. These were enough." He went on to explain that he chose Coldwater because of Sully.

Sully still doesn't make the connection between Horace and himself. Horace encouraged him to read the deed to the house one more time. Then they exchange some more words, with Horace extending his condolences to Sully and that he was sorry he never got to say good-bye. Only angering Sully, he replied, "You don't know anything about her!"

"I will soon enough...I'm going to rest now. Please forgive me." With that, Horace presses a button on the wall and the room fell into blackness. Sully somehow manages to escape in the darkness.

He calls a reporter at the local paper who encourages him to let a reporter from a larger paper call him since they now know the calls were fake. Sully says to give him an hour.

He sent a frantic text message to Liz asking if she had the deed to Horace's home. She wrote back that he did. Looking through all the paperwork, he found it and the signature: Elliot Gray. The father of the air-traffic controller who gave the wrong landing clearance to both pilots.

Just as Sully was about to share the truth with a reporter, the line went dead. Moments later it rang again. This time it was a woman's voice: Giselle's voice. She encouraged him not to share what he knew. And so he didn't.

Soon after, the crowds of people left Coldwater and life resumed to what it was before in some ways. In other ways, life changed, relationships changed, and more people were attending church.

Mitch Albom writes, "Desire sets our compass, but real life steers our course. Katherine Yellin had only wanted to honor her sister. Amy Penn had only wanted a big career. Elias Rowe had only wanted to run his business. Pastor Warren had only wanted to serve God. Desire set their compasses, but the events in the last sixteen weeks had steered them far off course."

As the story concludes, Jack (the police officer) tells Sully that Horace had called the police station to report a dead man at his property. It ended up being Horace/Elliot. He told Sully that he took a letter from the desk and wanted him to read it.

The letter explained who Elliot was and what had transpired the morning of the accident. His son, the air-traffic controller, left his home angry after his estranged father had showed up unannounced and they had an argument. An hour later, he gave the wrong clearance for the landings.

While this was happening, the father was on the way to see his son one last time and give him his will. He heard the plane crash and went to the control tower to find his son yelling, "What did I do?" His father said to lock the door and let him handle everything since he had been involved with military communications and could erase all the data.

He came to Coldwater to settle his debts. He purchased a home and took on a new identity. He met the director of the funeral home and purchased a portion of the business.

Horace/Elliot said, "I...discovered that the grieving of others gave me comfort. I listened to their stories. Listened to their regrets. Nearly all of them had a single desire - the same desire, I suppose, that led me to the airfield that day: to speak with their loved ones at least once more.

"I decided, for a handful of them, to make it so. To make my last act one of empathy, and perhaps give you and your son something hopeful after your wife's passing."

After reading the letter, Sully looked at the time on his phone when he received a call from Giselle (after her death): 7:44 p.m. He called Jack at the police station to ask the time of death of Horace/Elliot: 6:52 p.m. How could this be explained? What did he believe now?

Close to the ending of the book, the author looks at how lives were positively changed because of these calls - even if they were orchestrated by Horace/Elliot. "In their own way, the calls had steered people to just what they needed" - whether that was friendship, a career change, comfort, the ability to make amends, a new future, or answers to prayers.

"We call out; we are answered. It has been that way from the beginning of belief, and it continues to this very moment, when, late at night, in a small town called Coldwater, a seven-year-old boy hears a noise, opens his eyes, lifts a blue toy to his ear, and smiles, proving heaven is always and forever around us, and no soul remembered is ever really gone."

Holiday Pillowcases Using the Burrito Method

For the local county fair this past July, I made two pillowcases - one for Halloween and one for Christmas. I had fabric and thread on hand for both pillowcases so the supplies cost me nothing. It was just my time for this project.

The Seasoned Homemaker has a good tutorial about how make pillowcases using the burrito method. It is the easiest and quickest way I have found to sew pillowcases.

The inside seams are French seams. The first time I did French seams, I thought I was doing it wrong. It's good to watch a video of how to do the seams, and Crafty Gemini has a short, clear video about making a pillowcase with French seams.

I definitely will make more homemade pillowcases. It's a fun way to use up fabric that I have on hand and make something useful with it.