Senior Texting codes from my friend Kathy-very funny and true

 SENIORS TEXTING CODES: 

ATD....At The Doctors. 

BFF........Best Friend Fell...

BTW......Bring the Wheelchair. 

BYOT.....Bring Your Own Teeth 

FWIW.....Forgot Where I Was...

GGPBL...Gotta Go Pacemaker Battery Low. 

GHA.......Got Heartburn Again.

IMHO.....Is My Hearing-Aid On. 

LMDO....Laughing My Dentures Out. 

OMMR...On My Massage Recliner.

OMSG ...Oh My! Sorry, Gas.  This is my favorite.....

ROFLACGU..Rolling On Floor Laughing And Can't Get Up...

TTYL....Talk To You Louder

Merry Christmas Season as we begin the color, excitment and quilting, painting ideas!

Several years ago I was in Las Vegas where I was supposed to connect on a plane to my city. It snowed hard there and you would have thought an alien spaceship landed or something because everyone there was in a dither on how to drive,whether the sky was falling and they canceled all flights. Two days later they got the flights out but my own city was snowed in and not letting planes land so I was stuck another two days. I took a taxi downtown and bought clean pj's since I didn't have my suitcases, and  some clean underwear, a sweatshirt and new make up and a pile of magazines. Because of boredom, I went to the casino's and took dozens and dozens of photos. There were the MOST beautiful poinsettias I have ever seen and display after display. Each casino had a huge expensive display of toys, presents, glitter, sparkle, bows, nutcrackers, ornaments, trees, icycles,snowmen, children, animals of every kind (HUGE) and they were beautiful but no representation of what Christmas stands for (a Birthday of our Savior) anywhere.

I came home with beautiful photos and a sense of sadness that somehow this country of ours that says so much about diversity cannot even mention the word Jesus anywhere lest they offend someone. I don't get it and I guess I never will.

So, this Christmas I hope more people will say "Merry Christmas" and not "happy holidays"  because honestly without Christmas the excitement of all of the things people decorate with would not be. I am only too happy to say "Happy Hannakah" to my Jewish friends and to delight in the silvers and blues and dreidels and beautiful menorrahs and latkahs and all of the other things that make this wonderful. Can't we all just accept one another on an appreciation level as we honor our friends and neighbors and hope they will do the same?

So, anyway, the Christmas Season begins now and tomorrow we will put up our tree and wish each other a happy Christmas season with everyone we love both family and friends. One never knows if this is our last Christmas or not and so it is nice to make it memorable for everyone and to remember why Christmas comes to visit us once a year.

Images to Inspire you towards Christmas Quilts-Channkah too

I took this photo in Switzerland when I went to Europe for Bernina and took side trips with other designers. Somehow this Santa Poster just makes me smile and would be such a great quilt! He looks to me like what the real Santa would look like. A Santa that loves all children of the world no matter what color, or religion they are. Who doesn't love all children?

I have a whole slew of Christmas photos in my files and I wanted to load some of them on here to inspire you to maybe start a story quilt with a Christmas theme and work on it throughout the year....it is such a nice theme - family together, love, sharing with friends, joy of cooking, joy of decorating, all of the colors and the sounds of the music and the smells of things coming out of the oven. How blessed one can be even with very little. A hot cup of tea, a cookie or candy, some Christmas music or a sentimental movie and a heart that is thankful. This is a tough year for me having lost many relatives that meant alot to me for the holidays. They can't be replaced but I can find joy in what God puts in front of me and you can too. :0)

A Gift to YOU-Simple Gratitude-Watch This for a True Blessing

Only 1/2 of one percent in America has served in the military-so few give so much to each of us.

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Please click on the link below for a real blessing-it is sure to make you feel great

http://www.wimp.com/simplegratitude/

I like watching this before bed....makes for lovely dreams

Things to Inspire the Artist Within YOU

I just read that 15%  of all Americans are on food stamps. I just taught in Troy Montana and learned that their food bank was in trouble and clearly many people there and other places I have been lately are out of work or worse and last week I heard that the Coeur d'Alene Idaho food bank is  also in trouble. I have to my food bank before I left but now I am planning on writing checks to the two other food banks to share the blessings that I have (jobs teaching and selling books). The thought of others now having enough to eat for their familie's makes me want to share and I am in hopes that by sharing some of the people who are blessed will pass that along to others. No matter where you live, please pass along some of your blessings to others and ask them to pass along their blessings...this surely makes the world a better place for all of us. We are blessed to be a blessing and if you are not sharing your blessings, you are missing out.
Below are some images that I thought you might like and that inspire me and hopefully YOU.

Aren't we lucky that  we can SEE and enjoy the things our eyes can delight in. Such a wonderful thing to discover new ideas through our eyes.

 I love images of women doing different things.

 Turkeys are always something to make us smile and the colors of feathers and the silly way they walk all to delight us along with the taste!

 Freddy Moran had this on her table years ago and I always loved the image of the table cloth, the pottery and the pumpkins....she has such a talent with designing

 One of my most favorite people is Emily who owns Tasuti Zoo one of my most favortie shops! I usually get a photo with her once a year at least-she is kind first off and talented in art second...I admire her wonderful spirit.

 Fower Power quilts continue to inspire me...love these blocks and beginnings of a beautiful quilt....if you don't have the book, you would love doing these....

I have been teaching my wreath class alot lately and it is fun to see what people add on their wreaths to create something wonderful for their holiday (Christmas) walls

 This is my friend Kathy who is working on a Christmas Tree quilt she started in one of my classes...Kathy is extremely talented in quilting and I admire her style and kindness

A nice Atlanta girl offers a photo of her tree as it progresses in class-what fun!

 This is in the Seattle airport and I love the images when I am hurrying off to the next plane gate....

 I am so thankful that now I have time to work on quilts, and work on designs for Timeless Treasures (I LOVE this company). I want to do some bold bright and exciting prints to make wonderful quilts with!

 I am sharing this photo of Freddy's entry hall and my friends Susanne and Jeanne...can you imagine having a tree in your entry? I would love that in my imaginary world....

 Christmas Stars give light and ideas of images for quilts as does this adorable Polish angel....Maybe you might think about these images in a way you could use them for a fabulous quilt or craft of some kind

 Here is a class with my wreath photo....Nice girls who made a wreath of their own and hopefully now, they are done and hanging.

Some things to make YOU Smile Before I Drive Back Home in the Snow....

Happy Turkey preparation week....I will be home in plenty of time to bake and clean and make my share of the meal with Son's in-laws....such fun.
Don't forget to keep your thankful gratitiude list going to bring you the gift of creativity. This was an important lesson I learned in the best art class I ever took.

Just In Time for Thankful Month...Isn't this wonderful?

Thank you Francie!

Mel sent me this card and I think it is delightful-Can you imagine this as a quilt story with YOUR friend?

Roxanne's shop in Carpinteria on Maple a Delight to visit and enjoy

Here is a wall at Roxann'es quilt shop that makes any quilt look sensational! Such fun and such great stuff to buy!

 I love dots and this wall was so pretty....

 I didn't think I like this color pink until I saw this darling wall and the place I got to sign books- "order please-ONE MALT and a Cherry Coke plus a Huge plate of fries and catsup!" And...."where is that book about dieting"

One friend that stopped by to say "hello" told me "the good old days are back when I come and shop at Roxannes! I totally understand what she was saying...my heart was happy the entire time I was there and Roxanne, is thoughtful and kind and has great friends and a darling daughter who works there.

The jewelry is something else with positive sayings and Roxanne's special little angel in some of them, I bought some nice things to wear as I travel...so many happy things in this shop and so many nice gift ideas too

A close look shows my friend Wendy Price's tags for quilts here....if you don't have them you should-they are darling tags to sew onto your quilts. They are called Tag-It-On. And below are beaded fish...always fun and colorful!

This is thankful Month as you all know and I encourage everyone to keep a journal of at least ten to fifteen things you are thankful for each day. This makes any artist more aware and gives you new insite on how blessed you are in your everyday life. I am happier with a simple cracker and some tea than I am with a banquet....a little music, some wheat crackers, photos of loved ones and friends, some fat quarters, flowers and hand cream make me giddy. Today I am most thankful for a warm home, beautiful leaves on my lawn, a nice husband who never complains about his trips to the airport, beef stew on my stove, berry pie, warm socks, a nice blanket on my bed, the color turquoise, the smell of the cold air, dear quilting friends I meet on the road, someone who laughs, a nice cousin named Linda Georgeson Gates, a car to get me where I need to go and most of all today SLEEP-
Tomorrow I give away fabric packets to four lucky people who posted comments and belong to my followers list here