HEE HEE HEE, makes me very happy, how about you?

I saw this and I have played it for family and friends and we all love it...so happy.
http://www.coolestone.com/media/5237/Huge-Bear-Surprises-Crew-on-Photo-Shoot/

Please come back when you are done....

Sewing Like Crazy! And some thing to make YOU SMILE!

I am teaching a class in Chicago on embellishing. I am bringing my big quilts that are embellished or some of them and I am working on this little Southwestern sample. I have twice as many embellishments on now that you see here....lots and lots of sequins, beads, mirrors and other fun things...It is pretty wild but when the sun comes out I will hang it in my entry and I think I will really like it. See the Milagros? Milagro means "miricle." I have gotten to really love these little charms.

So, I went to my studio this week and got all of the leftover blocks and the blocks I have put together in my workshops and I layed them out. When I am done, next week, I will have seven quilts put together....yes, seven. Along with tons of flowers, wonky blocks, baskets, pots, fish,birds,and other things, the colors are really alot of fun. All of these quilts are pieced and not story quilts. I quite like them! I will be teaching these easy piecing techniques in both Chicago and Lincoln Nebraska. I have lots of new things I am trying out and gee is it ever fun!

My poor toile sofa was covered with loads and loads of blocks....now most of them are sewn into quilts and the left overs are getting sliced and put into borders. So much fun!

The one thing I discovered that is new is that I LOVE black background with white dots on top...all sizes,,,well not huge dots...but it gives such a nice look with colors....So I plan to be using lots of it as I go along.

 

It has been fun taking blocks apart and putting them together with different leaves or pots or baskets....change is good and bringing your artist out to play is so so much fun!

I lost 8 pounds since the beginning of the year. I am watching closely what I eat but it has been easier with being so busy and so inventive with my quilting...I'd rather do that than eat...I am not kidding. :0)

I do not know these two but I know exactly how they feel and I can hear the child's laughter in my head...isn't this wonderful? These kinds of photos pull us out of winter's sad grasp....they tickle us and make our heart happy.

I LOVE this....I cannot tell you how many times my son or husband got in trouble for using my good scissors....it is silly but it makes me happy...heeheehee

What's not to love about this adorable dog? LOVE it!

This is a good way to get over depression. Take a hot shower and get some GOOD smelling lotion. Put the lotion on, fix something nice like hot tea and toast with GOOD jam or GOOD cheese or Good something that makes you feel worthwhile and happy and put some MUSIC on and shut off the TV set! IT is depressing.....

Music makes you happy and to be clean and smell nice and have a goal or a hobby like quilting is such a joy. Call a friend, share a smile, send a nice card to someone out of the blue. You can change how you feel by doing simple things and counting your blessings (write down 25 blessings today) makes you more grateful for the simple things that you take forgranted.

This cow by Mari Linfesty is getting quilted this very week! It is so beautiful in person-she started it at my retreat in Idaho. Not the bull (her husband) and the two frogs (her boys)....it is wonderful.

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Back Porch in Pacific Grove will be showing 20 of the COW quilts next month just in time for Asilomar. Can't wait to see them all hanging together.

If you want to do a cow, you can get the pattern from "Out of the Box with Easy Blocks." Think of things like "ACOWtant", "ChiCOWgo", "Dairy Queen", and hundreds of other ones....they are so much fun!!!

I am sorry to say I have lost the name of the lady that made this but I hope someone who knows her sees it so we can borrow it for one of our shows. We are showing different cows all over the US this year...all different.

I am so happy that you stopped by here today. I am going to contact four people who have commented since the beginning of the year -I will be sending you a fabric surprise. I will keep doing this over the year randomly. I so appreciate you coming and supporting me. I feel blessed by those of you I know who come in here and visit. Stay happy, stay grateful and stay well.

 

Chicago Workshops and Lincoln Nebraska Workshops coming up soon!

 

Here is the information for Chicago....the classes are "Embellishing Makes the Quilt!" and "Invention with Easy Pieced Blocks". Both are very free and very fun and very habit forming...I love both! February 7th-9th-Evanston, Illinois -rlevin2000@aol.com Illinois Quilters Inc. www.illinoisquilters.com Meeting Overview Monthly meetings are held the first Thursday of the month at Beth Hillel Congregation Bnai Emunah 3220 Big Tree Lane Wilmette, IL 60091 No monthly meeting is held November or June. Meetings begin at 7:30pm. Doors open at 6:45pm. Workshop Overview Workshops are held the Friday and/or Saturday following the monthly meeting. Workshop Registration registration form and fee schedule All workshops are held at: Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 1133 Pfingsten Road Northbrook, IL 60062 Workshops begin at 9:00am unless otherwise noted. Supply lists for each workshop along with a brief description of the workshop are available ---------------------Lincoln Nebraska workshops are on February 16 and 17.

Nancy Holman SouthEast Community College

301 South 68th Street Place

Lincoln, Nebraska 68510

 phone- 402-437-2712

For questions, please contact Nancy Above...it is two full days of piecing FUN and bringing your inner artist out for invention and discovery!

 

Workshops from Mary Lou and Girls Names...is yours here???

I remember someone sending this to me when I was little. It is hard to believce there are other Mary Lou's and now you don't hear the name Mary, Nancy, Sally, Linda, Peggy, Marilyn, Joan, Cindy,Debby,  Janice, Molly, Melinda,Tina,Laurie,Susan,Lois, in the baby lists any longer....check your name and if you are my age (old) then no little kids in your neighborhood are named with your name right?

Here are some of the top baby girl names for 2012

. Briella

2. Angelique

3. Aria

4. Mila

5. Elsie

6. Nylah

7. Raelynn

8. Brynlee

9. Olive

10. June

11. Bristol

12. Aubree

13. Charlee

14. Adalynn

15. Aubrie

16. Mckinley

17. Parker

18. Brynn

19. Gemma

20. Gia

21. Nyla

22. kinsley

23. Aylin
24. willow

25. Elliana
26. Charlie

27. Dylan

28. Londyn
29. Eloise

30. Adelyn
31. Caylee

32. Lyric

33. Cora

 

OK, on another note, I am going to start teaching my FOLK ART FISH class. So many people wanted to take it and also it is a good chance to show how I embellish too. I am working on a whole wool series and it is really fun.

I am also teaching my wreath class as a wool class for those that want a wool wreath with fun things and personalized for a keepsake.

It is fun teaching Easy Piecing. I teach hoochy traditional blocks as in taking traditional blocks and make them wonky, flying gesse very untraditional and this year I am doing some fun colored thing that are cool with these, houses, cats and people that are wonky and lots of strips and strings turned into great quilts! This class is a two day class because we need time to really play.

Flower Pots and holders are loads of fun the easy pieced way and then you add those fun flowers and birds and bugs! Another workshop to enjoy....make 2013 the year you GET OUT OF THE BOX! and try some new ideas and make some new fun quilts that reflect YOU

Just thought I would add some images from my easy piecing workshop and also from my Flower Power workshop.
    The thing for me is, I love teaching about color and fabric and your stash and warms and cools and rules you can break with color and texture and design. It is so much fun and seeing what everyone does and the laughter and the invention is what makes this a ball! Hope to meet you this year or be with you again for more fun! I know that 2013 is going to be a wonderful year!
If you read to the bottom, it is a good thing because I have some rulers for hexagons and some fabric I will send to three people I pick from a bag. Comment sometime in the next two weeks and see if you are a winner!