Mary Lou's Creativity Story Quilt Retreat + snow fall here + things to think about and ponder

Here the story goes into the middle of the quilt canvas....it is nice to set a color palette first...most students say they will never look at fabric the same way again.

We always swap fairy gifts at the retreat and these adorable birds were one of the gifts...mine is hanging right here above my computer. It is a happy and nice memory.

Every student gets a "real" tiara here (no plastic) and it adds alot of fun and even some beauty to the group....locals wonder what we are queens or Princess's of.....

The above saying is SO true and if you are one of those people whose sewing room is always in pristine condition and never messy maybe you need to let go and have some crazy fun...it IS messy but you can always clean it up!

It is snowing here like crazy and word has it there will be between 2 feet and three feet by the end of the week. Luckily if my plane can get out I will be in LA tomorrow. Phew. It IS pretty though and hey, wouldn't this bike picture do a great quilt???? I LOVE it.

This is just a little bit of snow...now the word snow is GONE deep in more snow

The above quote was something my Grandpa used to say all of the time and he loved to call a nap "a good snooze." It always seemed like when you took a nap up in Canada at his house it was a good thing as opposed to when you were home and had to.

I have been so crazy with creative thoughts lately and I should end this month with four new quilts. I am having so much fun and am trying some new free cutting techniques I am going to share for great quilts with cool things. The above lady is so cool and wouldn't she be great with free form cut things here and there and then quilting and lots of embellishments? OH how much fun!

The above is credited to Mark Twain but Proverbs in the Bible basically says the same thing.....I've had to learn this more than once in my life.....

The photos here are of girls who came to the retreat I host every year in Post Falls Idaho. For those that come early enough we meet the night before at a Mexican restaurant. This year for those that come early enough, we will go to Farm Chicks the awesome sale here in Spokane that everyone comes to from all over the world. THEN we will meet in Idaho at the Mexican restaurant. GREAT fun! And hey even more creativity because of the fabulous things you can find at Farm Chicks. Don't know about Farm Chicks? Then "Google" it and see what you don't want to miss on June 2nd. June 3rd we begin the story quilt class and get new patterns, ideas for free form cutting and tips on your stash and what might be missing there and good food with chef Tina and a visit to an awesome quilt shop that will stay oepn for just us!

Happy girls meeting the night before we begin the class in the well lit and wonderful JACC art center.

Just some photos from last year and smiles and "stuff" to show you an idea of what goes on....

As you can see I took photos at different stages of different quilts. Very fun since all of the borders are different as well as the stories that go inside.
It is the one thing a year where I am close to home and can bring fabrics that work, give away things I don't have to ship, I can bring calendars I have collected for ideas and all kinds of things to show students and get their inner artists out and inventing and having a great time. Hope you can join us!

HERE comes the SNOW.......

The snow clouds moved in just like a funnel cloud. My neighbor Michael took this photo. We are supposed to get between 2 and 3 FEET here where I live within the week. I will be lfying in and out of this which is scary.
     I thought we had escaped the snow this year. I am going to get some coal and carrots for making of snow ladies....what do you think?

Just thinking of Things for the New Year That Make me Smile and Dream About Quilts To Come- Thanks to Some of My Students.....

The quilt above is by Linda Peterson

I have a stack of fabric and am getting ready to create a new New mexico quilt....that place and the color and the peace and the people and everything about it has captured my heart.

Don't forget the alphabets in "Out of the Box with Easy Blocks"

I must remember to pack my light giving plaids with me this year to make more blocks that glow! Hope to meet many of you this year as we learn how to improve your stash and enjoy color and bringing your inner artist OUT

Springboards for Inventing New Artwork with Images-Look At These!

How many times did you use the "Airplane" to get your kids to eat? I did ALOT!

Someone sent me this darling quilt photo and I think it is a good story quilt! I'd give it a prize if I knew who to send it to. Love it!

The quilt above was made by Karen Grabowski at my retreat in Post Falls. This was the beginning of the quilt. I love Flower Power Flowers  and have been using them as a beginning for some of my story quilts. Look at the color in this! If you aren't using color in your stash, you are missing out.
-------------------------------
The photo below is something from my files...I love sunflowers and anything that looks like Mexico-color and pretty images- I loved this for a springboard for another quilt.....

There was a time I could have really related to this, how about you?

I don't know if this is paper, paint or a quilt above. I had this in my photo file and I think it is awesome. Love the colors and the play of lights and darks. Don't you?

I ran into a photo of these cupcake papers online and I wish I had kept the source but as an aside, please look at the background of red and how lovely these colors look on it. Beautiful and kind of a waste that you wouldn't see this when eating a cupcake!

As many of you know, I have a real thing about loving bottle trees. I saw this in New Mexico and think that maybe it is too much for my yard but hey it is cool somewhere else that has alot of space! Love those bottles!

So ,y friend Susan Typpi who many of you know sent me this dog picture that her husband gave to her for Christmas. Isn't this artist great? So many inspirational ideas off of this one picture. Do you have a favorite dog you want to tell the world about? How about being whimsical and inventive?

If you belong to a guild, I am starting to teach "Freehand Cutting" in quilts where you freehand cut things and don't draw them and then add and add and add and delight yourself because your artist has come out to play! Fun and easier than you think. You might surprise yourself with just how good your inner artist is!

This is not my drawing above but it could be a self portrait if I ever rode a bike....which I should and I wouldn't look like this.

Above is one of my Mary Lou Hearts....I love doing these and how you can have so much fun with pattern, size and color! Just in time for Valentines Day! Who says hearts have to be red or pink?

And finally, I have to show a photo of my three Granddaughters. The oldest one is on a hockey team with one other girl and all the rest boys-they are called "the killer bees". She is really quite feminine and the skinniest little girl you have ever seen without that outfit and all of the padding...she is the best skater on the team. :0) She plays with her brother and boy cousin and her dream is to be the first girl in the NHL. A dream that thankfully she won't be able to make. The other two girls like soccer and art. I don't think they will go the hockey route. Phew.

Happy Color things and my latest story quilt in the works (thank you Timeless Treasures!)

So I spent part of last night when I couldn't sleep looking at dishes (one of my all time favorite things) and I found this pretty Scottish tea cup-LOVE an idea of a kitchen full of these! And wallpaper in a kids room too!

If you don't belong to my chatroom on yahoogroups (Marylouweidman) then you missed the wonderful ornament swap to make a Christmas tree with once you get the blocks you swapped-WONDERFUL stuff and everyone will have a great tree next year. I am going to design a new ornament swap for next year for this summer. To meet nice girls from all over, come and join the fun and the friendships.

I was looking at the piece above and thinking how much some black and white fabric can make the difference in something good and something fabulous- I love this!

     I got a box of fabrics from Timeless treasures to work with and I bought some more and I decided that I wanted to do a story about my daughter when she was five and her girlfriend and their lemonade stand. It was fun seeing the two of them so excited over $4.30. They are still great friends today. I am putting another border around the outside and getting it quilted and adding eyes for the animals (buttons) and other fun details. I have changed the faces to be smaller since I took this photo.

 Owls are my new favorite thing....stay tuned for lots of story quilts with owls of all kinds in them.

I adore quail too so I added a little one in front of the cat I did. Can't wait for this to be quilted! I want it for classes this year when I see you!

Inspirations Continue in the Year 2012! A NEW year and a NEW Artist coming out in you!

 

Above, I think this should be a mantra for all of us in the New year! BELIEVE you can turn out masterpieces and you will. Take classes and take advantage of your stash and your inner artist!

I love the photo above-anyone who takes a class from me and smiles makes my year and more! LOVE THIS

I think the quilt above is a great example of a pretty quilt for Valentines don't you? We are doing a heart swap in my Yahoo groups (MaryLouWeidman) chatroom. It is going to be really fun and you end up with blocks from all over