Giving thanks for My Blog friends-YOU are Special to ME!

 A year ago my two friends and I were in Neuremberg drinking Glugwine. Ick, I drank hot chocolate (the best!). Germany is the place for Christmas adventures. No one does Christmas like the Germans!

I wanted to share this beautiful wreath done in my wreath class in Las vengas (I think). I have lots the ladies name who did this. but isn't it wonderful. Playful and fun and happy! Bet it is on her wall right now!

Here is a fun cat quilt from my book. I am waiting for the publisher here in town to do "Hoochy Twochy" my new book on hoochy quilt easy piecing with dogs and cats and hats and all kinds of new fun things along with pages from Hoochy Mama Quilt book and Flower Power. I expect that they cannot get it done until right after Christmas. I am down the line for their project list.
Here is a fun cat quilt from my book. I am waiting for the publisher here in town to do "Hoochy Twochy" my new book on hoochy quilt easy piecing with dogs and cats and hats and all kinds of new fun things along with pages from Hoochy Mama Quilt book and Flower Power. I expect that they cannot get it done until right after Christmas. I am down the line for their project list.

I have some real changes coming in 2017! My oldest daughter and her 15 year old and her son age 12 are moving in with me. I have plenty of bedrooms so I am so happy. Both kids are straight A students and volunteer for our community and real leaders. They are also very sweet as is my daughter who works for surgeons.

  Beacuse they are teenagers, I rented a new studio space and move about 50 boxes and loads of furniture that will go to my new studio with clean painted walls of yello gold in the sewing room and the other space is a gorgeous turquoise. My furniture and things will be so pretty and my studio is only four minutes from home! I will be showing photos in my next blog entry for you. Eventually I will have a SMALL retail space in there and may do some private workshops for people who live close. Plus I will have some time this year to get more story quilts done. Makes me giddy thinking about it!
I purged alot of things and that lightened up my mood and now my Grandkids will have a nice Family room to bring their friends to. Its a win win.

O my goodness did I ever have the buttons to move! I have loads of fabric but it doesn't touch what I have in buttons. Some of those will be packages and sold and rickrack too. I love both for whimsy in my quilts!
    Many people ask where I got all of the buttons. I have bought alot on the road but my Father used to go to garage sales and look for them for me. I plan to do a quilt called "Button Man" about him. He was a very sweet guy. One time my friend went to a garage sale and she was fighting with what she called "an old guy" over these buttons. He got them and she was so mad. Then we found out if was my Dad and we all laughed. Haha.

I was thinking about Christmas's from Other years and this is a photo of me and my new doll. I always had my eyes shut and I still do when there is a flash. I am very sensative to light. But this was a very happy Christmas for me.

Remember Minnie Pearl? I am working on self portraits and the idea is "who you are on the inside" so it doesn't matter what you choose to look like. I really want to do a Minnie Pearl lady. She was so cute and whimsical!

I love Polish folk art and see alot of it in Sante Fe. I am hoping to go there in a couple of months. This should inspire someone to do a cool Nativity. I have a couple that are drawn and hope to give it to a friend who is willing do sew it. :0) Would be so nice to have one to hang this time of year.

I am hoping to teach more about manipulating blocks so they are not all the same in borders. It is fun to be surprised at how things look one you cut them different. It is always a nice surprise!

These blocks above will be included in the new book. Quite whimsical and fun- by kathy in Idaho.

This is to encourage you to say positive, upliftig things this month! Don't express negative, downer thoughts to your friends when you can give compliments, laugh at funny things, share sweet memories and give a hug to someone who needs it!
     Let's make the New Year our best and happiest so far. I know that 2017 is going to be special and full of happy surprises for all of us. Looking forward to be positive and happy. Isn't that what we all want? Thank you for stopping by dear friends. I plan to be better about putting things on here including some give aways.

NEW NEWS and Things are changing and evolving for Me

I had the pleasure of being on Quilting Arts with Susan Brubaker Knapp. It will be showing in January on PBS and if you cannot get it you can purchase a cd that has many quilt artists on it from that week. I showed embellishments, story quilts and Self portraits.
   All of these give good ideas but as I told my friend this is the beginning to taking a class where I have time to show more and I can work with you as you develop your quilt.
    By the way I have three openings only at Asilomar for next year. EmptySpoolsseminars.com
I will be bringing drawings this time to help with your stories.
     I am finally getting my mojo back from my cancer radiation and losing my husband etc. My energy has been slow in coming and for a while there I had trouble thinking clearly. But cancer did not get me and in fact I don't even like to ever say I had it as I like to focus on happy things. Makes your cells happy and you healthier!
 

I thought I would share this photo of pumkins I made hoochy style. I am taking this and adding it to my book HOOCHY TWOCHY. I had planned for it to be out earlier but the company I hured to print it could not get a decent cover. So now I am hitting my target date for late in December.

It is going to be the original Hoochy Mama book, Flower Power and new, fun patterns for dogs, cats, cars, boats people and fun stuff. I am excited about this.

I will have other surprises then and can't wait to share them. :0)

Quilt above was in the works from the Flower Power book. Sandy Fisher my good friend has finished this pretty quilt now and I am hoping to get a photo of her finished flower garden. These hoochy blocks are so much fun! Good job Sandy!

I have a block swap group from students that I have had. We had a log cabin exchange with grunge fabrics and I have to say I am love how they look. the colors just blend so well and are so happy together. I will be doing my next story quilt with alot of these. 

My really really big news is that I am moving my studio out of my home and into a great office space for a better studio situation. I sent the swarches of paint and the main room will be bright golden yellow and the Lshaped entry room will be a gorgeous turquoise. 

I plan to add lots of things on the walls and bring my fabrics and machines etc over there to work. I will be doing more painting there as well as it is light and bright and condusive to this kind of thing.

I get to move in November 19th. The week before Thanksgiving. Hmmm. No matter, I cannot wait!

My old studio at home will go back to a nice family room.

I went to a retreat in Oregon where we quilted and ate. Molly brought these funny donuts. They are Monster donuts. Maybe you can use this little idea for kids or your friends. We all laughed at this idea. :0)

This is one of my self portraits in the works. I like this little girl and inside I think this is me. She needs more work but gosh the self portraits are so much fun! I keep learning more ideas as I work. Isn't that the way? The more you do, the better you get and the more ideas you have! I could make dozens of these. The idea is who are you that day? It doesn't have to look like other people see you, it is just how you might see yourself that day. Its all about being happy and fun.

Lunch with my sweet daughter who I LOVE hanging out with. She is so much fun and we enjoy our fun. That day we went to the Mission store and found six old machines someone had brought in. She bought an old singer and I bought an old Kenmore. I took them into a guy to clean them up and fix them and she said "I'd like to learn to make a quilt. WHAT???? I cannot believe it! I am not sure where that came from but hooray! I am hoping to get her into my studio to put together a nice quilt! It will be so much fun...I think. Starting with something easy and pretty. Fun!

I finished my quilt about losing my husband and getting chickens. I must get a new photo of the whole thing. Its pretty fun and has the story embroidered on it. I am doing that more and more. I want my story to last long after I am gone. Whats your story? Isn't there something you would like to share that people will know about you or someone you love?

I bought one of those tuffet pin cushion kits. It was really quite fun and now I have a new pin cushion for my studio. Want happy things and colors and positive words and sayings all around me.

Soon I will have a NEW,  GOOD Website. I found a designer thanks to my teacher friends and it should be up in about a month. I will have patterns on there to begin with and later fabrics that I personally like and use. People that ask about light givers can find them there and also cheddars. Cheddars are the compliment of any blue, any purple and any teal. They are magic and love to show off other colors.

Anyway the website will be super and a chance to get my new things up etc. This blog will be available there instead and I will be writing a letter every month which will be easier since everything will be in one spot. I have felt torn and felt grabbed in too many directions.My schedule and classes will be shown also. I will have a few surprises too. Stay tuned. It will be at Marylouweidman.com

Piecing project I started on. It is triple the size now and will be included in the new book. I wanted to show how I do my smaller hoochy borders. So many good ideas! A little great fabric and you have a fun time and a great result!

My moose pattern is up and ready and it is so funny and fun. Once the website is up you can order him. I also give you a whole idea of mosse sayings and themes. SO much fun!

I love this time of year. It smells good, it is colorful, it is happy for kids who are in school now and jumping in leaves and running with new friends, the sky is a beautiful blue against the pretty trees, quilters are busy and happy and cooking and baking to share, and there are many blessings around you if you take notice. Have a wonderful October and make a quilt that is happy and possibly a story about YOU. Thanks for visiting friend.

Summer Goes Too Fast!

It has been a beautiful summer for me and I love this weather and warm winds, water, kids laughter et !

 My son is still enjoying keeping fit. He and wife ride weekly a long way and now their two kids go too. Nice to do this as a family!

 Fooling around with self portraits. The idea is you do what you feel like that day! It is so much fun!

  

My yard us so pretty this summer. I love seeing the colors and happiness out there!

 

   I I have been working on a few things to have quilts ready for Quilt Art magazine and also doing three episodes for the program. 😊 one thing I am discussing is my embellishing. My quilts have lots! 

Keys make great embellishments. In many ways too!!

 My son in law had a good summer catching salmon and his daughter loves the beach too!

 These are great story quilt ideas!!

Speaking of Candia Tucker drew up a story quilt about her sons who are musicians! Good musicians! 

 AAnd she completed it and they are talking about using it on their CD cover! A great memory and a legacy quilt for sure!!

I think this is great!

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So I treated myself to Sue Benner's class at Prochem in Fall River Mass. I knew nothing about dyeing though years ago I did dyed fabrics and in college I did mono prints etc.

Wow did I ever have a lot to learn. Great gals and great teacher and facility!

 

 Sue dyed this piece and cut it up later for the class to each have a piece! Such fun.

 PPart of one of my pieces... I still need to

Add more color and detail.

 This is sunflowers that I now will paint in details and put border on and have quilted. Such fun! Dyed, mono painted, painted and stamped.

 Two of my pieces from a distance. I want the background of pumpkin quilted in turquoise. Pumpkin needs yellow greens and purples. Such fun!

Sorry the same photo posted below--- I cannot delete it. Frustrating!

 SStill working on this! 

My most favorite one I did not get a photo of but it will be done and quilted soon. 😊

 

I love this one. It is silk and have plans for it as well.

 Quilting night totally save this. More silk. 😊

 Wendy who sat close to me did this scarf. Isn't it great???

This is a cool Mono print Sue made. Such fun. I may never appliqué again! 

Just kidding!

 My biggest good. Plan to bring it around with some mono  prints and hand painting. 😊 

 HHad lobster rolls twice! The East has the BEST LOBSTER!!

       Bad weather leaving and we say on plane on Tarmac friction plus hours. Got off plane and a half hour got on plane. Sat an hour and finally took off to Denver with lightening rain and thunder with us all the way. Had to pay for hotel as I missed my connection. Sigh.

Next day found out I could not get out of Denver until 10:55 tonight. Had to leave my hotel room at noon or pay for another day. I did not want to spend 10 hours in airport so I paid a second day. 😠

But I will be home in bed tonight after midnight and hopefully safe and sound.

This week was a blessing! 👍

A New Book with Need of Photos- Can you Help?

So I am redoing a book in August that is going to be fun. I am adding some me hoochy blocks to the "Hoochy Mama" book and to that I am adding the Flowrr Power book with new birds and some new flower ideas and to

Those I am

Adding a whole grouping of border ideas and some animals and some cars.

It is going to have all three books in one and will be called "Hoovy TWOchy." If it gets printed on time it will be available the end of August and will give you super ideas got more fun quilts!!!

 

 

My dear friend Charlotte put together this Flower Power sample...can I use this Charlotte?

 

So what I really need is any photos you have of a Hoochy wall hanging or a Flower Power wall hanging or quilt. I know there are good ones out there and I would love to share them! 

I am self publishing this book. Hope you see what a fun method it is and leads to great quilts!!

 

Sharon Stanton did these darling blocks 

Darlene did these beautiful blocks in our Asilomar class. Love them all!!

 

 

 

 

These girls are all Paducah students. Great flowers and fun too!

Imagine being able to do a cute row of people. Those patterns will be in there also! Watch this blog and in August it willMTell You how and where to order it.

There is nothing quite so fun as flowers, birds and creative things seen by you! A great chance for us all to be creative and HAPPY!!