Friends!

Tuesday evenings are reserved for spending time with my quilting friends. Our Guild meets the first and third Tuesdays, and our small group gets together on the alternate Tuesdays of every month in each others' homes. We ooh and ahh over each new project, offer advice when one hits the wall, and generally encourage each other in not only our quilting, but in life.

When someone has to be absent, it's as though a piece of the puzzle is missing. Last night, we were without Melanie and Laura, who are both in Florida. Melanie is a sparkling little redhead, cute as a button, and twice as much fun. Laura often hides her wit and wisdom, but when she gets going, she's just a riot. She's a great story teller, often poking fun at herself about her cooking and domestic skills. She's the maven of lettering on quilts in our group. She's the master of both "wonky" pieced letters, and taught us the technique of enlarging a title on the computer, selecting various fonts to enhance our message.

At our Miss Mary's retreat in January, she encouraged Marguerite to make some wonky letters in Tonya's style. At the same time, Laura was working on a challenge with lots of lettering. Laura collects phrases that she believes will translate well to a quilt, and tell its story a little more. Her comments are always heartfelt, and true. She encouraged me to do the lettering on my little tea pot quilt, and I'm so happy with the way it turned out.

So, now she's in Florida, and I'm working on a piece with Rising Star blocks, and the title across the top, "You Are My Shining Star!" I can't wait for her to get home, so I can show her my progress. I know she will be encouraging, and delighted to see it.

Sometimes one just needs a personal cheerleader's endorsement to make everything perfect!