JoAn's Sunbonnet Sue

I think most people consider a work of art to be a painting or drawing. I think art can be much more, such as photography, musical ability, dance, poetry, writing, even decorating and quilting, etc. There are a number of such artists in my family. My daughter has some musical ability and dances but so far shows no interest in painting or drawing. Once upon a time I thought she was interested, but it didn't last. My nephew also has musical ability and my niece is showing interest in drawing and painting. My mom, my aunt and I are constantly photographing something and my sister Regina isn't far behind. My mom, my sister, and I have always enjoyed painting and crafting as well.

My mom's cousin JoAn creates quilts. She's certainly gifted in this area. When I was a little girl I had a quilt my grandmother, my aunt and my great-grandmother made for me. It was blue and was the "Sunbonnet Sue" pattern. When I moved out after high school graduation the quilt ended up on my sister Lacey's bed and when I went to retrieve it a few years later it was pretty tattered. I still have it but it is beyond repair. The last time I went to Missouri to see my family my mom presented me with a new Sunbonnet Sue quilt that JoAn made and Mom quilted for me. It is beautiful and has all the colors I loved as a little girl (pinks, whites, yellows.) It looks wonderful in my guest bedroom, which I decorated for my mom. (She stays in it most often and was the first to visit our new home in Texas.) This is the room in which I keep my most beloved toys from my childhood (a stuffed monkey whose banana has been chewed off, a giant teddy bear I recieved from Santa in 3rd grade, a beaver my mom won for me at the county fair one summer, and numerous others.) This is also the room where I keep the hope chest my grandmother gave me and the doll her father bought for her with S&H green stamps when she was 12. My husband showed some concern with my decorating choice in this room. He was concerned about any males who might want to visit and whether they'd be comfortable in such a room. I assured him that most males would only care that there was a bed, a blanket and a pillow and would not be bothered in the least with what was on the walls or in the room.