Saturday, March 30, 2013

Hey! Easter is Here and Aren't WE Blessed!

 
I love this photo...it must be in Texas...beautiful 
The quilt above seems like a good one for Easter-it is by the Danish artist Bodi Gardner
Coloring eggs is creative but writing on eggs seems like a really great idea- maybe with Bible verses and family names and blessings!
Just got the nicest note and this little bunny above is made by Sarah FIELKE  who is from Great Britain...they always do cool stuff there and I do love this=Thank you Folk Lady for letting me know this! !
Wouldn't this be a cute wallhanging or quilt?
Easter Bonnet cake...now that is beautiful and delicious!
When Bunnies share....on Easter of coarse!
I always hope this....I always feel better and happier when I feel God there in my life.
Isn't this the cutest elephant ever?
CUTE bunnies and a happy happy chick!
I took a class to make these eggs once....phew what alot of work...but beautiful!
It makes me feel happy especially at Easter time that God has a divine plan for me and the people I love and all people whether they know it or not....
I wanted to share this. When you think of God imagine His hand and Divine design in everything. Look at the perfection in this head of cabbage. As I told my Granddaughter today, there are miricles everyday right in front of us and we are too busy to see the beauty and majesty right in front of our eyes. It is a good thing to take time to really see what is right in front of us to enjoy!
I wish you all a beautiful Easter and a Happy Passover. Count your many blessings for the things that some people would give anything for and you might be taking forgranted. Life is beautiful and meant to be enjoyed and appreciated and to share your blessings with others who need some of what you are blessed to have.
Thank you for visiting my Blog!

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Easter Blessings AND Flower Power, Spring and Fun Quilt Ideas

Here is the Baby Chick from the book Out of the Box with Easy Blocks!
 
Vickie Monton took the little Chick from the Out of the Box with Easy Blocks book and made this cute Chick! Imagine what a darling baby quilt this would be in soft pretty colors....makes a good Easter quilt too...;0)
BIRDS from the Flower Power book and exchange...so fun!
 This bird was made in one of my workshops and she used curved piecing....
FLOWER POWER starts wotjhoochy piecing and lets it grow into a large flower garden of fun and color and whimsy....the skies the limit...we will be doing alot of these at John C.Campbell in May and the West Virginia Cedar Creek Retreat and my own retreat in Idaho June 2nd-7th.
 
The Flower Power quilt above is by Kathy Sandling-isn't she wonderful with color?
Lots of flowers all in one wonderful quilt!
Girls from Flower Power Workshops
Aren't these fun?
White makes a cool background too and added buttons and rick rack once it is done is awesome....
The quilt below is for Laurie Latta's Granddaughter-lovely flowers in a happy quilt...the alphabet instructions are in Out of the Box with Easy Blocks
Laurie Latta made the darling quilt below...all from Flower Power
Flower siwth prints and plaids are awesome...I did not write down whose flowers this is but I love it!
Joan from West Virginia...darling quilt! Shes coming back which makes me so happy!
This might be by Kathy Collins...I am not sure but great heart shapes for fun! These could be in a row as bleeding hearts too-or heart flowers
This is what spring is about- color and happiness...and my fabrics
I saw this wonderful rainbow in Arizona and wanted to share it...like God had His finger making this that moment...so cool
And I have posted this photo in past Easter years but had to show it again. I went to Salzburg Germany and they had this egg shop with thousands of hollowed out decorated eggs...it was incredible. I bought too and they were shells by the time I got home....sigh
 

And for fun I thought I would end this with Carol Simpson's happy work. She did this darling cat quilt and used the cats from the Out of the Box with Easy Blocks CATS...so fun and so funky.... 
These are darling quilts she made for each daughter and she used the Princess Idea for each and put her own spin on it...isn't she wonderful? Taking an idea and making it your own is what I love to see!

SORRY MN quilters I won't be visitng you this year in June...I think you are too traditional for me I am sorry to say. I do love it there and think I fit in when I come to visit.
I love this time of year and the wonderful colors that God provides us. Count your many blessing and be a blessing to someone else. This is the true secret of happiness.


Sunday, March 24, 2013

Retreat Photos from Years Past-Making Friends and Enjoying the Process

I just HAD to share this. Janice S. who took a five day workshop from me decided to do her friend Ann from Denmark (she also took my class). This is how it looks today and her sense of color and whimsy is wonderful! See why we love these story quilts so much? I would love to own this and put it on my wall! Just wait until it is quilted! Awesome job Janice!
Above is Tina's buy from Artfest in Spokane the day before the retreats...I also bought a clock...note the cow in the lower corner by Judy-she is driving up (again) with her sister Kathy from Pacific Grove...they bought some great things last year too and got many ideas from Farm Chicks and other students...so fun!
Above is Sandy's trps with her Mother over Hill and Over Dale....so fun-she is coming back this year and I am sure it will be done and quilted..can't wait to see it!Keep scrolling and you will see how it is coming along!
Thought I would show you some brief photos of the Idaho retreat I host every summer. I have lots of photos of blocks we do every year with new handouts for new things and new ideas.  Such fun to push the boundaries...even if you use traditional colors!
Who would have thought of a black flower? I love this and Sandy Fisher thought of it! She is coming back this year with a vehicle so she can bring home treasures from Farm Chicks, the quilt shop and ArtFest. :0)
Below, Val shows off a bunny she cut out! no drawing just cut....
Tina's vegie tray
Here are three of Judy's cows for her story....this year she is coming back to finish it...can't wait. She has two to finish....but who is counting? :0)
A finished wonky flying geese....
Below is the beginning of a story quilt by Charlotte about her husband painting and a relative playing the sax along...very fun story and awesome quilt...love her colors....Charlotte and her sister Laura (the bunny sisters) have both done many many story quilts...so wonderful for the history and for their family...
A quilt all ready for its story....
Sue White does a story quilt of her house being built and her children and husband are now appliqued onto the top of this...it is awesome and shows the beauty of where she lives in Idaho
here is Sandy's quilt which you saw earlier and look how it has progressed...these are so much fun!
Wonderful chicken salad on whole whear...delicious
Below, borders built and stories next....love the ground in the one closest here so fun!
Chicken salad...
Dawn's birds....loved being with talented Dawn....
Linette conquers the hoochy block
Dawn's border all ready for her drawing (below) of her daughter in law...
Another adorable bird...so many smiles in this class!
Working like busy bees...great light and room for everyone here. I keep the numbers low so we can accomplish new things as they come up....so fun
Playful blocks and flowers and bees and birds and hearts...
Dawn's drawing to go on her background...so fun
Desserts are served on our mascot girl...she has been at every retreat serving up good stuff and a smile
Houses and flowers and....
This is the beginning of Diane's farm quilt which now includes a wonderful bird bath and birds....one of the wonderful things about this retreat is we learn alot from each other and everyone comes from somewhere else in the country!
Laurie's salads and hot rolls and cookies and good stuff 
A border waiting as the picture is drawn....
Ruben sandwiches......
trying to stay out of the rain!
The bottom of Dawn's terrific daughter in law quilt...I have no idea why I didn't take the head with it's darling hat!
 
Alphabets and lettering for chuckles and serious sentiments too
Wendy's pretty smile (she is returning this year from Southern California...
Sandy Appleby who finished this quilt about Italy and won a first prize at her guild (I don't have a photo of the finished quilt that I can find (I have 22,000 photos on my computer
We always start out the retreat with dinner at a good Mexican restaurant...now we do this following a day at Farm Chicks and ArtFest in Spokane
here is the huge sign you are greeted with
Americana is a big theme and lots of clothing that are on people mirror this...and cowgirls and vintage clothing and us in our Aprons and tiaras....
Sandy did these wonderful pieced letters for her wonderful cow quilt!
 
Huckleberry shakes....a treat of this region....
 
There are so many cool pieces of furniture there and alot of them holding cool stuff like this one....
Hundreds of old tablecloths and linens for great prices...old flags, rugs, pillows....
Recovered furniture...repainted furniture...great stuff and awesome ideas...
Old game pieces, typewriter keys and awesome stuff!
Pillows, old quilts, old quilt pieces and lots of repurposed stuff that you think "wow, why didn't I think of that!?"
:ots and lots of cool jewelry, scrarves, tops cowboy boots, hats-little lamps,old chennille bedspreads....kitchenware from the 40's and 50's...
    Anyhow this is what I could find today in my vast photo library....hope you come and join the fun. We have two spots left ...only. Would love to have you come and join the fun with all of us!