Welcome

WOW! This is a huge step for me, and I am so excited that it is finally happening! I want to welcome each and every one of y’all to Martha Jane Creations!!

Martha Jane Creations has been a dream of mine for many years. The “what” has evolved as time passed, and I am sure will continue to evolve as new dreams blossom and expansion is made possible.

So, just what is Martha Jane Creations exactly? Well, it is my creative outlet, where I hope to inspire your creative side as well. I will be writing patterns, sharing tutorials, tips, tricks, and some of my favorite things! This is my first blog post, with hopefully many more to come.

My name is Emily Kate, not Martha Jane. So just who it Martha Jane? Martha & Jane were my grandmothers. They were two of the most influential women in my life!

Martha, my paternal grandmother, was a quiet, reserved individual. But she LOVED her grandchildren. I never got to meet my grandfather, so she was extra special. She never had a lot, so she didn’t spoil us with stuff, she spoiled us with love, which is the best way in my opinion. She always took the time to have us all over at her house at times that didn’t revolve around holidays. Her house was small, and I just remember it being so loud when we were all together, but loud in a good way. Joyful noise!! As I got older, I was one of the few that stayed around. I am a homebody and really have a hard time being too far away, haha. I got to enjoy a lot of extra time with her, even if it wasn’t the most glamorous time. I would take her to doctor’s appointments in the city (Nashville), go by and clean her house, and just go sit and visit. My first degree is in Agriculture and I did specialize in landscape architecture and horticulture for a while, and I felt so honored that they let me rip out, design, and replant her front landscaping. My dad and uncle paid for it and I did all the work as a surprise. I remember the look on her face when she saw it and it just made my heart melt. As she aged, I almost went to live with her to keep her company and help her with things, but everyone started pitching in to help more and we got her involved in Senior Citizens. I saw a new spark light in her. She needed that interaction with others her age just as much as her time with family. She took up art while at Senior Citizens which I remember surprised me because I never knew her to be creative before then. But she loved it and was great at it. She drew a butterfly for me, and that it where the butterfly in my logo comes from.

Now Jane, my maternal grandmother, was my best friend. She lived next door my entire life. My grandfather was a dairy farmer and she a farmer’s wife. She actually did go to college and had an education degree, but didn’t teach. She was a substitute teacher at times, and boy did she have some funny stories. I spent a lot of time with them when I was younger and couldn’t start day care yet. My granddaddy was very special to me, and I was super close with him as well, but sadly lost him when I was 6. My son is named for him. As I got to school age, I went to my grandmother’s house (remember, next door) every morning to catch the bus. My parents both had jobs that required early mornings, but where off with us in the afternoon. My grandmother cooked me breakfast every morning. The first thing she ever taught me to cook was biscuits! I also stayed with her in the summers when school was out, along with my sister and cousin. Although I loved being outside, I was also the only one that loved being the little “housewife.” She taught me to cook, garden, can and preserve, and to SEW! My first quilt I ever made was a patchwork doll quilt from her scraps. I would also make pillows and other small projects with her. She also taught us to memorize bible verses, and other bible lessons and helped to instill a deep faith and love for God. Every year, no matter what, she always had a red geranium. That is where the geranium in my logo comes from, and every year since she has passed, I too have had at least one red geranium.

So, that’s a little about how Martha Jane Creations came to be. Again, I am so glad you are here and look forward to our future together!

My Quilting Journey