a happy hospital bed

if you follow us on facebook, you already know that our dear sarah is in the hospital. we arrived monday night through the emergency room. a few x-rays, some blood work and a cat scan revealed that her lungs are filled with fluid. even her good lung. recovery is going to be slow and warranted a few nights stay.

 

she was sleeping ok. but not great. and then a customer said to me that she needed one of her own pillowcases. of course she did. why didn't i think of that. and i knew just what one to bring. she slept all night and most of today. and that makes her doctor and me very happy. oh the love felt through a needle and thread.

p.s. our store hours have been impacted by this turn of events. please call and i have been updating the phone each day.  today we will be closing at 4:30.  friday and Saturday we should be open regular hours.

guiding grandmothers...

there's been so much excitement this week at jellen's house of fabric. seeing our store featured in a national publication is beyond exciting.  and to have our story shared with so many friends in the quilting world is very special.

it's a dream come true for sure. and one that had it's beginnings a very long time ago with two very special ladies...my grandmothers.

 

here i am at age five with my granny ewing. she lived about an hour from us in wooster, ohio. she was the sweetest woman and adored me, red curly hair and all. she would sit for hours and hours working with an embroidery hoop. i will never forget the green tin can she kept her floss and needles in. she loved showing me new stitches and would sometimes let me practice on her projects, often pillowcases stamped with blue ink from ben franklin. i'm sure i tested her patience more than once, but she never gave up on me.  unfortunately she passed away long before my skills were perfected, but her encouragement early on is very much appreciated and remembered. 

 

here i am in sidney, new york with my grandmother hillick.  she was a very good seamstress, often making her own clothes. i was always fascinated with her sewing machine and tinkered around making doll clothes. then i asked to make something to wear. so she took me down to the town's only five and dime store and we bought a pattern and fabric. the next morning she left me with my uncle charlie while she went to work. being i was eight and he was a teenager, he told me to get lost as soon as she was gone. so i did. i lost myself in that pile of fabric. by the time my grandmother got home from the hardware store she and my grandfather owned that afternoon, i had the dress mostly finished. and the rest as they say, is history.

p.s. yes, i am wearing that dress in this photo, exactly forty five years ago this month.

i doubt that i often expressed my thanks for what they taught me. i'm not even sure i appreciated it at the time. i suppose that is a part of growing up though. it often takes years to truly see and understand the lessons you've been taught. today, if i had the opportunity, i would throw my arms around them with a big hug and kiss and let them know just how grateful i am. they shared skills with me that turned into a life long passion. the most beautiful thing is, i now get to share those talents with others. 

weekend hours...

the weekend we have been planning for a long time is finally upon us. the store will close today at noon. we will however, thanks to Katrina and Kelsey, be open our regular hours of 10-5 on Saturday. thank you everyone for your support.

please call ahead

 

it's just about time for these two lovebirds to get hitched. which means i will be in and out of the shop for the next fours day. it would be best to call ahead 440-684-9830 to make sure we are open. thank you for your understanding.

my favorite...

...story of the season...

we had a dad come into the store with his young children to buy something for his wife this week. he left his credit card behind. so i put it into a plain white envelope and asked my sixteen year old to deliver it to their house thinking the mom would not recognize him. matt calls me to tell me no one is home but they have a mailbox where the mail falls into the house so he could put it in there and it would be safe. i asked him first if he was absolutely sure that he was at the right house..."yes mom, there is a wreath on the front door in your fabric."

 

...and here he is stopping in again today for snacks (as evidenced by whatever is in his cheek) and money for food...

 

 

 which is how he knows our inventory so well:)  love you matt and thanks for just being you!

it's father's day...

i originally posted this last year, yet it's message still rings true...and i would like to send out a message to my dad.  he is rarely visible around the house of fabric, but behind the scenes he has been one of my greatest supporters. visiting chamber events, offering business advice, building shelving, even paying invoices to help us get started. jellen's would not be what it is today without his help. not to mention being the best grandfather ever to his precious sarah...

thanks dad. we truly appreciate your help. happy father's day. we love you!!!

she said yes...

...my mom heart is completely overjoyed today. seeing your children giddy with excitement is the greatest feeling in the world. the best laid plans created by our oldest son were romantic...and thankfully, successful.

first, they toured the rembrandt exhibit at the cleveland museum of art, followed by a walk around the reflecting pool. the final destination was a bench they had staged a picture on back in 2006. as they sat down, tj asked her if she ever thought back then they would return to this exact location to become engaged.  being the 31st of march, she at first thought it might be an early april fool's joke. until he presented the custom designed ring he has been working on for months. she said yes!! and then he revealed the photographer julie had been watching, was actually there just for them. she had been capturing their every move as they strolled about. 

julie's parents along with my husband and i were secretly waiting at sarava, her favorite restaurant on shaker square, with coral roses and of course our love and pride. i've never experienced a more perfect evening!!