I am Mary, owner and designer of Fleur de Lis Quilts and Accessories. Hubby and I live in a small town in central Louisiana. I breathe, dream, craft and sew in quilts. In fact, the phrase on my header is French for "Quilting is the extra in life." And that sums it up fairly nicely for me. Sometimes it feels that everything is a possible quilt--color, shapes, nature, architecture, culture, tiles--the list is endless!
If you're here to lavay (Cajun French meaning to visit a while) you'll find tutorials on quilting, photos of my quilts, and a list of books I've read. The most popular post has always been my pattern for a NICU gown. Sunday Quilt Inspiration (SQI) and Pin It Weekly (PIW) are posts meant to inspire you to get started on your next quilt. SQI starts with a theme then shows quilts that reflect that theme. PIW shows you what I've been pinning and sometimes what followers have on their sites. I'll gladly feature your Pinterest site if you contact me at mary.marcotte@gmail.com.
Richard and I have been happily married for 42 years. If he spoiled me any more, I'd believe I were in heaven. As it is, we're pretty close. "In good times and in bad" was our vow. Parents slowly slipping away into dementia were some of the bad, but God has also blessed us with amazing gifts, such as our deeply Catholic beliefs, our Cajun French heritage, our family and friends. Our three sons, three beautiful daughters-in-law, eight adorable grandchildren and now, two sweet great-grandchildren are at the core of our life. Nothing is more fun than having the entire bunch over for Sunday lunch or an evening barbecue.
There's probably a better way to do most things, but our country way works for us. We really love our quiet lifestyle--family, gardening, reading, quilting, traveling--and although we've had a few opportunities to move or change, we choose this life. So it's the life that I write about: our Catholic life, our silly grands, and the shenanigans that a big family can dream up. Of course, most of the blog is about my quilting life as it began as a way of documenting quilts. It has become much more.
"When someone is given a great deal, a great deal will be demanded of that person; when someone is entrusted with a great deal, of that person even more will be expected." Luke 12:48
I retired from teaching for our local high school and a nearby college. Teaching was my vocation and passion for 28 years but it is now time to serve in other ways. God has blessed my family, and I thank Him every day for those wonderful blessings. As Luke teaches, a great deal is expected of us. Now that we are better able to respond to that edict, we find ways to give our time, talent, and treasure to our church and others in need.
"He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little
children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes
the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" Matt 18:2-4
I know it may seem strange to non-quilters, but once I became a quilter, life just made sense. I suffer with Bipolar Disorder, and creative pursuits are therapeutic, so crafting, sewing and quilting have been helping to save my life. Who knew?! Now, along with medicine, therapy, exercise and quilting, I am better able to manage my depression. Do I quilt more? You can bet on it!
I really like to hear from my readers. Please leave a comment on any post you run across or email me at mary.marcotte@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you.
