What great fun is coming!!

http://www.quiltmaker.com/100blocks.html

Hi everyone, so much is happening! I have lots to chat about but very little time this A.M. I have an announcement, my block is in Vol. 5 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks magazine and ...and.....and....wait for it, wait for it.....it made the cover!!! How cool is that?!

This morning I'm running short of time!! I have a quilt due to another magazine. I don't know how in the world I'm gonna finish this quilt today! I have to ship it out today!! I also have a quilt show that I want to attend this afternoon, but don't know if I can fit it in.

Tonight I am hosting a "help you sew" at the local quilt shop, if you are in the area, I will be at the Village Quilt Shoppe in Canterbury Village in Lake Orion. It costs $5, bring a dish to pass. I'm there to help you finish your quilts...instructions, not actual sewing. I'm hoping it will be a blast!

Well everyone, please come and be a part of the blog tour that begin April 30 and runs till May 5 with Quiltmaker magazine! You will love it!

Happy Sewing!



Rise and Shine, I've started early today

Rise and Shine world! Yep, I woke up awfully early today and could not go back to sleep! I believe I was up by 4:30am, I tried to go back to sleep..just kept tossing and turning..finally gave in and got out of bed. I had lots on my mind that was occupying my brain.
Quilts, family, friends, events, deadlines....life...being a grandma soon, graduating my 3rd son this year, traveling, quilt shows, designing quilts, reading a good book...my mind just would not turn off! Ever have one of those nights? morning? Might as well just get up and make use of the brain power that is going on! Put it to good use!
I began designing a quilt in honor of my Pastor's wife Bonnie. Pastor and Bonnie were married for 32 years and have 3 grown children and 1 daughter in law. Bonnie was a Pastor's wife. A Pastor's wife has to be willing to give up her husband anytime of the day or night, duty calls for him. She led our women's ministry at church for a very long time. Always there for the women. I've seen Bonnie in action, I've seen her listening to women. Bonnie would sit close to them and place her arm around them to console them. She had lots of wisdom to share and give.  Her face would glow when one of her children would perform a song at church, play an instrument(their children are very talented muscians)...proud momma! and poppa!
Bonnie suffered for over 5 years with breast cancer. A couple of years ago she was given a clean bill of health, then it came back...back with a vengence! Bonnie had Triple Negetive Breast Cancer. She battled with it as long as she could. She died a little over a week ago.
Bonnie was in several clinical trials to kill this cancer, her body just could not take any more. We all loved you Bonnie.
I did not know Bonnie as well as other church members. When we moved here, 5 years ago, was about the time she had started her first chemo/radiation. Bonnie was not at church, she was sick from the treatment. For the longest time I only knew "of Bonnie". When I finally met Bonnie she was still weak, but my first thoughts were she is pretty, I like this Texas gal! Most of the time I would see her standing with her arms folded across her stomach when she was listening to someone. I loved to watch her make a "joke" or a little remark...cuz she would move her head in a "sassy" kind of way and giggle! Bonnie had a beautiful smile and classy sense style! Bonnie was beautiful all around.
Bonnie was a "scrapper"! Yes, she enjoyed scrapbooking. Ido know one thing about her, she did not like the color purple....One day I was trying to find out Bonnie's favorite color and I was told she liked everything but purple, this was told to me by her daughter Abby. Ok, no purple it is then, make note...don't put purple in Bonnie's quilt! <-this was from a quilt I made for her a few years ago.
I designed 2 quilts in honor of Bonnie this past week. I don't know which one I like best, so here goes....let me know which one you like.

I asked three of my boys to come see the two quilts I designed. Sons Joe and Steve like the first one, Chris likes the second one and I like both of them! Which one do you like?

Hello World!

I'm so excited! Let me tell you why!
Earlier in the month of February I was told by an editor of a magazine that I would hear if my submission made the cut by the end of Feb. Ok, so the impatient person that I am, checked email everyday almost hourly!! Well of course I would not hear anything when I am doing that! So, by this past Friday, since I had not heard anything at all I gave up and figured that I would get the "rejection" email later on. So....jump forward to yesterday. It was around 3pm. I knew I had a few minutes to check email, but I was not looking for anything in particular. I would have to leave in a few minutes to take my son John to work. I sat down, logged into email and lo and behold...there it is...meanwhile, my son John is standing beside me asking me to help him finish his laundry while he is at work (all my kids have to do their own laundry)....you can probably guess that I am ignoring him and reading my email from the editor. I'm still expecting the reject though...and there it was!!! My design was accepted!!! WOOHOOO!! I screamed with glee that my design was accepted!! Poor John was still standing there trying to ask me about his laundry! lol
Finally, I said, "what? and John do you realize? I just got in another magazine!!!" He grinned, gave me a "hi-5" and said, "never mind mom I will go switch out my laundry" LOL poor guy...then while he was driving (he is driving and I'm sitting in the passenger seat) he says, "mom, I think we need to celebrate this new magazine you got in." Ok, how john? "by having STEAK for dinner!" LOL, oh you are paying?!! He just grinned that "john" grin ...no mom....lol
Anyway, my block was accepted into Vol. 5 of Quiltmaker magazine. This will be out in May. My quilt design is going in one of their special publications that will be out in the later part of this year. I can't show you anything yet, sorry!
I have so many designs in my head, that sometimes I can't sleep! They wake me up. I think I should put a special lamp, notepad and pencil on my nightstand so I can write my ideas down.
And on another happy note, I don't have to make dinner tonight. It is Kate's night...lol...I wonder if she remembered?

I hear spring is coming (quilt pics included)

Yep, I hear spring is coming! It is March 1....it is snowing....someone needs to inform Mr. Weatherman that he should not say those things on tv and tease us! LOL
Yesterday was a very busy day. But I wanted to share some pics with y'all. They are family pics and quilt pics

Chris playing his bass at church

Chris, Josh and Steve. Chris and Steve are 2 of my boys

Chris and youngest brother John...what can I say? I have a musical family!

Last night after church we had to stay for another practice. Steve wants us to do a special at church "Praise Him with a Dance" by Casting Crown. Steve rounded up everyone that he wants to be in this special. He does not know when we will be performing, that will come later.

Also yesterday, I received a box in the mail!! A box of quilts! Quilts that belong to me!! So here is the first book that my work is in!! Out of 9 quilts in this book, 3 are mine!! How sweet is that?!

Front cover of book, Release date is March 2, 2012

Can you find my 3 bedrunners?

I think they all look like carpet runners or throw rugs!!

this one was a bear to piece all those triangles! but I did it!

Kate has informed me that I can display this one at Christmas time in the foyer....I think I will

So there ya have it! All in all it was a great day yesterday

Take care everyone and happy sewing!

A few things happening

Good morning world!
Here in Michigan we are blanketed with snow. I know I know, it is February, what else is suppose to happen? I don't have to like it, but at the same time I will attempt enjoy it...from my truck:

Yesterday I volunteered at the LQS "The Village Quilt Shoppe" at Canterbury Village. There is a quilt show this weekend in Kings Court, which is in Canterbury Village. There were a lot of customers coming through...I'm cheap, I work for fabric!! Or in this case batting! I need 2 king size battings for 2 quilts that are due to 2 different magazines. Lots of guild members and friends came through, it was a great day! I will try to take a picture today of the Canterbury and post it tomorrow or if I get home on time tonight.
I have to send a profile picture to Fons and Porter, what do you think of this one?

Same pic, just cropped one

So which one?

My kitchen table is in the background, I don't really have a true profile pic...do you think these are ok?

While I was working at the Village yesterday, I saw the latest edition of Quilter's World magazine. My floral charm quilt is featured on the table of contents page!! I did not expect that! So here you go! 

Well I just figure out why most of my pictures have that black thing on the right side...it is the holder from my phone!! I will work at turning it out of the way, lol....

If you are in the area, please come by the quilt show!

Happy Sewing everyone!!

Another quilt accepted!

I was so excited when I read that I got another quilt accepted!! This one is going to be a bear to piece! it is a king size paper pieced pickle dish!! What was I thinking!
I have two quilts that are due to two different magazines within 2 weeks of each other. I'm going to begin working on one this weekend....at least that is my plan!
My husband is recovering fine. He decided to go back to work on Friday. I think it exhausted him, but he managed well. Friday he had all of the staples removed from his ankle surgery. He has 9 screws and 2 plates in his ankle!! OUCH!! I thought about putting the pictures of his ankle on my blog and then I decided against it! I felt that some of you might not like seeing that....eeewww
Last night I was able to go to Sew Many Things for a fun night of itch to stitch! Two of my favorite quilting/sewing buddies were there. Dawn works there and was there for helping others. Sydney drove she and I there. Here is a picture of them being extremely silly!! What a hoot they are!

Can you see that silly bonnet Sydney has on?!! she was wearing it wrong! LOL And they the two of them put on the pot holders and called them duck bills? They were laughing so hard at themselves!! Too hysterical!
I have one more pic that I want to share. This is me and my Lilybird! She is a yellow cockatiel. All she wants to do is be with me, have me scratch her neck and snuggle with her all day!

The other day  my son Steve was bringing Lily to me. She leaped from his hand onto my shoulder. She gets very excited when she sees me. Anyway, she also can't stand it when someone wants to take her away from me, she is very possessive!!  I told Steve I could not hold her right now that she had to go back to her cage. He put out his hand and told her to "step up". She is suppose to obey this command..keyword...suppose to..well she saw his hand coming for her and she began hissing at him!! LOL She ran (sideways and backwards) from my right shoulder across my chest (all the while hissing and fussing at him) to my left shoulder, mean while Steve's hand is following her across my body and he is saying, "Lily step up!" She continues around my back as fast as she can back to my right shoulder..where she started out..she gave in at that time...but not quietly!! LOL She let him know she was not happy with him at all. LOL What a female!
Happy sewing everyone!

Quilt Designs

Good morning quilt world! Do you ever have that Aha! moment?! Well I just had one! I have designed a quilt a while back and could not get the center medallion to come together nicely. I have figured out just how to do it now. I think I'm going to attempt to do Sally's suggestion...she said to hand sew the center points...or maybe I will bring it up to her today and get her to give me some pointers...that sounds like a plan too!
What is everyone working on these days?

I pulled out another UFO yesterday and made some serious progress on it! I'm very pleased with this!

Happy sewing!!