Jamie Fingal Fabrics are FUN! And a reason to count your blessings today....

Jamie Fingal sent me some fabric from her new line for Hoffman. I was asked to do a 16" quilt and I could do anything I wanted. My first inclination was to do a woman with a hat that was crazy and wild....but Jamie said "hey how about doing a cow?" Since I know well how to do cows and the fabric was so whimsical and I made a button bovine. When I get back I want to do a series of funny girls with hats on. This fabric would lend itself to that really well!

If you come to Festival we will be at the COW show called "MOOSTON"-stop and say "hello" in Houston

I have some bling crystals on it and they make it even more fun! Plus note the rick rack tail and other things. Invention and creativity are what these quilts are all about!

I don't know why this loaded upside down because it is right side up in my file...sigh...But isn't the line below pretty? This photo was taken on my sofa in case you are wondering.

And final bit of fun is the rick rack tail and the fruits on the udder. Creativity is the name of the game and these little quilts make good short stories...a two day workshop. Think of the stories you could tell and the creativity we could dream up for fun too!

This fun quilt will be hanging at Market and I hope people enjoy the whimsy!

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COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Last night I learned that dear family friends have lost their darling and wonderful 23 year old daughter-she crossed the center line and crashed into on coming traffic and was killed on the way to work early in the morning. I remember the day this girl was born and how much her parents loved her and were so proud of her. She had just graduated from University and gotten her first job.
         What I want to say most about his other than we have been crying tonight is that "if your family is safe and whole, give thanks and acknowledge your blessings for there are many many others who are living with the pain... of losing someone they dearly love and that cannot be rectified or replaced". "Money, power and things, are really not much when it comes to people we love and people we see that are wonderful in so many ways. I am so thankful that for now, my family is safe and well. I am blessed and I pray for others who are not as lucky as I am. This is what it is to be rich."
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And now for a funny for the day! Keep smilin' we all need it for our health!

 

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Your Smile for the Day...Isn't this funny?

One wonders how they got this cow to laugh for the camera? This is pretty funny. I love cows!
People are asking how the horse will get out...good question and I guess that it makes sense the cow was photoshopped in but hey, isn't it wonderful? Makes me smile everytime I look at it. Haha

Fall in the Northwest gives one joy and many Quilt Ideas too!

The weather is so beautiful here and God has made the colors so beautiful against the blue sky! Today we visited the pumpkin pacthes with our Daughter and grandson and it reminded me of certain Fall quilts I have made and that I am going to sell.

 

This seemed like an really important time for Mark to enjoy apple cider, apple pie, pumpkins and all of the things Fall brings including our kids and Grandkids. We had alot of nice laughs with this little boy today.

Many many acres of pumpkins of all kinds are left in the fields....I suppose they plow them under if they don't sell. They are sure pretty in the sunshine....

 Here we are enjoying so many blessings today...the sun always makes everyone feel better and Mark ate a hot dog for lunch with potato salad which was a blessing since he is on a really strong chemo this week. We are blessed.

This little chicken quilt is one I had when I taught my chicken class...isn't she cute? I grabbed a photo because she is kind of Autumn in a way...she IS a chicken after all

The little Autumn Kitty was a sample I did for a wqorkshop and then a magazine article. I love the colors and whimsy....

This is a scarecrow I did for a workshop. He is quite handsome I think...sorry the photo is not clear, I must have moved when I took it.

 

Close up

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I have a number of quilts with my friend in California for sale that are Fall in theme also. My favorite is a scarecrow in a wheelbarrow on the back of a horse...very fun and very whimsical.

A Fall Quilt with Folk Art whimsy....buttons and fun are included....

Lots of fun and Fall colors in this whimsical wallhanging....

I am going to have a place to purchase these quilts and many more on my website at Marylouweidman.com

We will not be posting these until I get home from Houston...around November 10th. I will have many baby quilts for little ones for Christmas gifts and other quilts of mine from all of my books.

Some people have written to inquire about a quilt they would like to own. You may do this also.

There are alot of nice quilts that will go to good homes and it makes me happy to think they might be a gift to one of you or to someone for the holidays.

One can never have enough buttons! and Trims and rick rack and lace and "stuff"

My button holder....just some of the buttons I have....
I have 16 drawers and they are filled with trims and buttons and good stuff...I am not taking a photo because they are messy but,,,

On this pretty white bin there are many carded buttons...vintage and collectible...

The bin on the top is filled with all kinds of loose buttons and the bin on the bottom is packages of buttons (LOTS) of various colors and catagories....I have packages of buttons with a couple hundred of many many colors and I have containers of theme buttons and coat buttons, and bakelite and celulid and all kinds ....
    My Dad used to do this as a hobby- he would go out to garage sales on Fridays and Saturdays and hunt down buttons and fun things for my quilts. He bought hundreds of them and it was so much fun for both of us.
I plan to do a quilt this year called "The Button Man" and want to do him running with trails of buttons in between the houses....I think he would like that. :0)
     When cleaning my sewing room my friends told me I can never ever buy another button or fat quarter of fabric....
We'll see. :0)
    

The black and white drawers on the right have 1940' buttons in there and they are wonderful and fun.

The cherry bin on the bottom is all carded and special buttons for special quilts or projects....Love what is in there!

OK so these don't look so tidy but they are awesome and fun to go through...lots of German glass and Susan Clarke buttons- I LOVE her things. If you do not know who she is you should look her up.

In drawers I have milagros for my Southwest quilts and some day of the dead things and some cracker jack toys and some charms and some beads that go on top of buttons and some doll buttons and some 3" buttons and some large buttons that look like tires....it would take a long time to see what all I have and this is the fun of it! Will take some close up's of fun things soon.

I may start selling some of these off with rick rack for fun and to bring some cash in to help my husband's bills. My Dad would like to know that though he is not here he is still helping us. He was such a nice man. Alot like my husband.

This little Mexico wall hanging is a nice sample of what I use buttons for. The buttons hanging on the tongues of my folk art bird are from South America and when I teach this class in wool, I offer a set of these awesome buttons in all kind of shapes and beautiful colors.

I have six wool workshops I am teaching as well as the wreath class that I am now doing in beautiful wools. The feel and look is so pretty.

My dear friends Sandy Fisher and Wendy Price gave me this platter. Many people have sent me cards with this saying since I love tiaras and wear them from time to time. This sits in my office and makes me smile daily. It is nice to have friends who stand by you and are kind and like family. Really I feel like of like quilters are cousins...it doesn't seem enough to just say they are friends. Do you know what I mean?

    Last week was a tough week for me and it was my friends who wrote little notes or emails and made me smile. It is nice to know that I am not alone and that others understand. It is nice to be able to ptay for friends and their loved ones too as it gets you to think of others which makes YOU feel better.

I go to Houston for the cow show next week. They are calling it "MOOston." Haha.

Hope to see you there!

Hope you find some buttons YOU like. Stay tuned for a few photos of how I use buttons on quilts...they are so fun. Give me a day or two please.

 

Fall quilt that I love and doll clothes to make little little girls happy.....

 

Working on my lady with a chicken on her hat. I did this one time years ago and did not like the colors (in Ruth McDowells class....I am redoing and like this much better. I LOVE color and flowers and whimsy...but then you knew that!

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I LOVE quilted wreaths and have a fun class I teach that we put all kinds of images on a wreath (quilt) and add family names and whimsy and lots of buttons and trims like rick rack and just have a good time. Would love to have you in a workshop or teach for your guild. I will be at Quilter's Annon in Seattle in November...come and join us!

Marylouweidman.com

 

I don't know why I am posting this other than it made me laugh....you have to find some levity in life and especially with politics....I have friends who are not working and it is very hard on them....

I am not sure if I showed you this but my friend Diane Harris from Nebraska (editor for a quilt magazine) is on my block swap list. This month we took Timeless Treasures TONGA packs and their "Sketch" fabric in Delft blue and made any block we wanted. I think she outdid herself with these beautiful blocks...can't wait to see the others....the colors are fabulous in person. Will share with you for sure.

Speaking of the swap, Mari Linfesty is the Grand Poobah who we all send your blocks to and she divides them and sends them on to us. This quilt she did is a combination of the owl swap and the pumplin swap....isn't this wonderful???

Leaves added are so pretty and heym the pumpkins are whimsical and pretty

Wouldn't you love this to hang or put on a bed? It is pretty wonderful.

Mel McFarland who co-authored my last book with me is a girl of many talents. My two Granddaughters received American Girl dolls from their other Grandmothers. I bought a clothing book and Mel offered to make the dolls some new darling clothes.I did not get photos of all of them but aren't the ones I did get photos of cute? The girls were both so excited and they quickly tried on all six of the outfits. The green dresses are Hawaiian fabric. Mel has a condo and a house in Maui. I LOVEd the pom pom trim she added to these. Both girls dressed their dolls in their pj's before they all went to bed. So cute and so nice to see them doing wholesome fun things I used to do. 

These girls are cousins and the girl on the left likes to be somewhat of a tomboy and hurt her face a little. :0) I think the dolls look like they are happy. Mel makes us all happy with her love.  

 

Think about this below because I wish many people I meet would look for the pretty, the positive, the good, the delightful, the awesome, the happy, the fabulous, the beautiful, the creative, the up-side, the delightful or just something that makes one feel good. Share your smile and your positive side with people who need an example!

 

Next I am going to show you the project I am doing for a friend for Market. Very fun and very creative....short stories make me happy.

ANY story makes me happy. Stay tuned for developing stories to come this week!

COWS Grazing in Iowa a BIG Hit! What Fun and how Creative!!!

The quilt above is by Sandy from Davis CA. I love it. See that it is an adorable chocolate shop and Miss Cow is quite fashionable!

 

The cow show at AQS had 45 cows all in a big herd. It was lovely hearing all of the laughter and comments about the cows. One nice gentleman said "that was the first show I have ever been to where I hear so much laughter and so many comments." It is fun to share the comments and the appreciation for the creativity with others there in amongst the herd. No matter where we show the cows (Mel McFarland and I who curate these shows together) people LOVE them and the fun and creative spirit behind them. Perhaps you have not made a cow. Please think about it. Our pattern is in the book "Out of the Box with EASY blocks" by Mary Lou Weidman and Mel McFarland". It is easy to do for all quilters and does not take long to put together the simple shapes...then you get to go and add your touch and imagination and invention.
I teach this as a workshop and would LOVE to come to your guild to do these with you. It is a two day workshop that is filled with ideas about how to stretch and think "out of the box" and enjoy invention and giggles together.
AQS has other shows- so far the cows are not scheduled but we can hope.
Phoenix: Enter by October 9, 2013
Lancaster: Enter by November 6, 2013
Paducah: Enter by December 6, 2013
Charlotte: Enter by March 12, 2014
Grand Rapids: Enter by April 2, 2014
Chattanooga: Enter by April 23, 3014
Des Moines: Enter by June 4, 2014
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Order the book and get this pin! plus some fabric and a post card....

 

To order the book, go to Marylouweidman.com and  (I have two other books for sale).

Quilt by Kathy from Atlanta...this got alot of comments and who doesn't love the hoochy background?

Quilt by Leanne from Western Washington...pretty clever!

This quilt is by Pat from Texas who did two great cow quilts...even cows love chocolate

Cow is by Mel who even did a dimensional tongue....she has milagros all over the cow's body

Sandy from California did this cool cow and the udder has wine corks on it...

Close up of COWman Miranda by Sue from California.....COOL!

Cow by Pam from California and the udder is loaded with pink buttons....

Carol from Arizona did a cow and a bull at the movies called "COWsblanca" (haha)

This is how the cows looked hanging together....FUN, that's how....

Jamie from California did these darling cows that are "sMOOching"....

We keep getting new cow photos weekly so we will continue doing these COW Stampede's with new and old cows for people to see. I don't think you have to live in a farming community to "get" Creative Cows! FUN and laughter and creativity is the name of the game!

This is my quilt- when I teach workshops I give out a large list of ideas and you can always find ideas on my older blog pages too.  Farbic also gives you ideas like "Martini" fabric that could be" MOOtini" - if you can brainstorm with girlfriends or family or office workers you can make your own large list!

Sue from Castaic California did this one...so pretty.

Pretty haning in a herd don't you think?

Here is Terri and I with her Cow Tipping quilt...her nice husband took this photo...

Below Molly from California did a Fall Quilt (Halloween)-Love the whimsy

Modern or MOODERN quilt by my neighbor Connie and myself....fun to share in a project....

Below Sue did the Cowman Miranda....so fun

Looke at this detail! NICE bracelets!

Rebecca from Nebraska did this MOOrage quilt and the details and choice of fabrics were great....

Charlotte from Florida did "MOOlah" and it has coins hanging from a purse for the udder...lots of fun detail here

Stay tuned, I have more to add later.

Thank you sincerely for each of the girls who commented on my studio remake. It saved my sanity really and made me happy to begin quilting again.

Now that my husband is ill and am more determined than ever to do stories about us and when he was little for diary pieces that will be around for people to see. If you have not made a story quilt, please think about it and that it will be a testament for who and what YOU love that will be studied later on.

Out of the Box (story quilts and creativity book) will tell you how to go about doing one.

 

You girls who visit my blog keep me going and I am sincerely so thankful to you for all of the kindness you have shown me. It just goes to show that when I say "everyone should be a quilter to find sture friendships that last a lifetime" I am right.

Thanks for being my friend, I mean that sincerely. I feel loved and blessed.

This was a sign on the window at the convention center...so funny.

I was sitting in the livingroom just kind of thining and meditating and I went to go and turn the light off and I saw this angel shadow from my chandeleer and felt very comforted...lovely isn't it?