When your heart speaks take good notes. -Judith Campbell

I've been on the road again! We are in full get ready there is a baby comin mode! I've attended two showers for the young prince. The first was a total surprise to both Emily and Russ. They were given a shower in Jackson TN. I told Emily I could not come because I had to work as I was soooo behind with designs and writing because of all the traveling I had been doing the past few months. She and Russ fell for that line quite nicely. I dove a mere 7 hours to get to the shower. Waltzed myself into the party, I thought she would pass out from surprise! Russ was there too. I told them both that they should know me better than to think I would miss anything related to the young prince! The scary part is how well I pulled off this lie! very scary!

And here they are the new mommy and daddy to be. Russ was home from hunting (turkey,RIP..). Emily was ready to party. (BTW she has on 4" heals. I don't think women who are 25 months pregnant should look that good and wear 4" heals. There is a law about that right? )

Russ looking very manly modeling the new diaper bag..backpack..tote..WHATEVER!

Yup here is my grandson. Jackson, Jack, Prince Jackson, most precious, beloved Jackson, I'm gonna kiss you till your cheeks are raw Jackson, Jackie..pooh bear. Somebody stop me.

Mom will you get the camera out of my face. I'm pregnant.(ok so now your feet hurt, right Emily?just sayin)

Sewing, I will send along some photos of the bunting and mobile I made for the nursery. As soon as I get some photos of the bunting and mobile in the nursery. That would NOT BE MY JOB RIGHT NOW. As for now I'm sewing and designing non stop, day and night. So many projects flying around the sewing room it is mind boggling! And I'm NOT getting ready for Spring Market. I will be sitting this market out,  quite possibly sitting in a waiting room awaiting the arrival of the young prince. Sitting market out for a goooood reason. Right?

April Thimbles Meeting

Creativity is intelligence having FUN! - Albert Einstein

I've been flat on my back since Saturday..I pulled a muscle or something in my back at our monthly Thimbles meeting on Friday night and can hardly  sit in a chair for only a few minutes Not good! I will need to  WILL this away because I have NO TIME for laying horizontally and accomplishing nothing. 


Much to my surprise I sat down to shoot you a blog post just to make sure you knew I was still alive and still a blogger and what do I find? Blogger has decided to change everything and now I have no idea what I'm doing. Normally I would roll my eyes and take this sort of thing like a WOMAN and figure it all out. But I'm a woman in pain and I have no patience for this right now. Oh well I'm going to muddle through anyway. 


Last month I was in Sea Island with Debbie and some fantastic ladies so I have been away from my Thimble peeps for 2 months. Oh how I missed them and I missed the energy they always have. I took some great photos from the show and tell...you know the drill here we go! 

Ginny and her amazing Tee Shirt Quilt. She is giving it to her cousin (I think) who is retiring. Wowzer.

Debbie made this quilt for her dad's 80th birthday celebration. They had a surprise party for him and all the attendees signed a leaf!

All of her siblings signed a birdie! This quilt is fabulous! I'm not kidding..FABULOUS. (her mom and dad are fabulous too!)

Jewel Box quilt. Talk about sparkle! I swear I love anything with black in it..DRAMATIC.

Lovely logs! Who doesn't love a well built log cabin!

Kristie and her block of the week quilt from Barbara Brackman's blog/web site. All done and everything! sheesh How does Kristie keep up with all this..!

Karin and her very large quilt. I think she said she was giving it to her daughter. Karin is retiring in 5 weeks...She is one happy lady!

Julie made this fabulous Star Gazing quilt. One of my favorite patterns!

Suzanne and some other teachers  made this quilt for a teacher friend. Each person who sewed the quilt was a color that matched their personality. What a unique idea!!!

Karmen and her log cabin quilt from the 70's/80's which she got from her mom. I'm jealous! yup I am! and I recognize some of those fabrics.

Tycoa and her hand dyed..machine quilted piece. It was LUVERLY!

Karin's Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. I think this one is Roll Roll Cotton Boll...Imagine what Karin is going to accomplish when she retires!

I have some more photos to show you but right now I've reached my limit on being able to sit in a chair. NOT GOOD! I will be telling you the story of what Karin did to ME, NEXT POST.

Handwork just got EASIER!

If you want to know where your heart is look where your mind goes when it wanders

-unknown

 I am a NOTIONS JUNKIE..there I have said it out loud, do I need a 12 step program or any other support group for this?  I read about all the new goodies. I buy the new goodies. I tell people about goodies. That being said, I decided to share some of my favorite goodies and toys. I will do this from time to time. I have tons to share! Let us give a moment of silence and honor the quilters who have gone before us making the most fantastic quilts with nothing but a needle and a candle.(while wearing corsets and boustiers! eeeee gads!)

OK! now lets get down to some 21st century quilting fun! Wheww I'm better at this than the pioneer stuff. I'll start you off with a tiny thing that I have come to love. If you like to do stitchery and wool applique this baby is for YOU.

Here she is..so sweet and cheap around $10. This is the Clover Embroidery Needle Threader.

It has a wider threading loop than those other flimsy kind. I use an embroidery needle a lot when I'm hand blanket stitching using floss or pearl cotton threads. They can be difficult to thread. I love my desk top threader but it does not love the larger eye of the embroidery needle or the thicker strands of floss/pearl cotton.

Yup! this little sweetie pie does the job every time!! and she comes with a protective cover so she does not get bent when you put her in your sewing go kit (you do have one right?) or when you toss it in a drawer. (I have experience with these matters. I speak the truth.)
Get cha one and one for your sewing buddy! 
PS. I am NOT paid to say this stuff I promise. If that ever happens you will be the first to know.

 

Too much thinking to do!

You can never cross an ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore

-unknown 

I have to lose sight of the shore  PRONTO..The above quote is for ME today. I'm at that creepy point, thoughts,..worry..joy...stress..strength...self doubt..self confidence SOMEBODY STOP ME NOW! So much to do, so much to accomplish... and so little time. The sleepless nights and thoughts!!! Here is but a sample...

Can I get it done? will it be enough, don't forget TO DO this and that and this and that, THE LIST IS ENDLESS. Keep the daily list of must get done THIS DAY by your side, remember the sun cannot set on the daily list until it is done!  Work until you drop into the bed every night and pray you can sleep enough to start again tomorrow. Keep going girl because you are making magic. Grandson coming enjoy the JOY! Don't think about the end AND all the stuff to do to get there... just breathe and take one bite of the elephant at a time. You can do it girl! Take time to eat healthy instead of standing and walking around sewing/designing/writing while eating a mini meal..aka junk! Try to remember your friends and their special days. Be a wife and spend the best time with him because you are so blessed with the most fabulous husband. Blog more, Comment more on blogs..speed reading is not good. Lose the Pintrest addiction, it is a time sucker! Keep up with your reading list and be a good member of BOOKIES, book club! Plant the summer annuals. Grocery shopping , cooking... keep your house ready for company (gee thanks mom!).and on and on..

Ok! that felt good to write down, thank you for your kind patience. I am through with my breakdown and we are back to happy reality.  I've mentally slapped myself around and now I'm skipping off to the sewing room for a day with my design wall and a lot of fabulous fabrics.  Perhaps some soft music. Like
Lynrd Skynyrd..Sweet Home Alabama....deedahdeehdahdo. Sing and dance with me today pahleeeze!

I've been busy with my hand work...some top stitchy on wool and fabric. What a blast this is, and soo fast! You will get to see the whole project sometime in the near future.! LOVE IT!

BTW I still like Pinterest! I've shut that voice up!

Where's Waldo?

 A year from now what will I wish I had done today? 

-author unknown

 I have been absent from blogging for a week or so.(obviously!). I have been absent and frustrated. I have mentioned this before but I'm going to whine now okay? I try to blog on my iPad while I'm on the road. I have even bought two apps FOR DAT, Blog Press and Be Write. The problem is that when I blog. I write the blog, upload the photos, hit publish and BOOM...no blog. My posting won't launch. Then there is the little matter of the not understanding the newer of the two apps Be Write and no time to really learn it while I'm traveling. I suspect that my photos may be causing the problem. If anyone knows what I'm doing wrong please feel free to contact me or just come on over to my house and provide me with a tutorial. okay??? I will make you some cookies, or a mint julep.


We went on a week log speaking and teaching, 1500 mile jaunt through the Gulf States. Baton Rouge, Morgan City, and Jackson Mississippi were all stops. The lovely quilters who hosted us were  A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. I swear if Quilters aren't the best people in the world! So let me tell you a bit about the Gulf States. I'm a southern girl but I have never been to the deepest part of Louisiana (New Orleans doesn't count in this case). I met people who were from the small towns in southern LA. Cajun folks! I could have listened to them talk all day long. Their accents were so strong and they were the kindest of people. I ATE MY FIRST CRAW FISH (and absolutely not...did I eat the head part..nope nope nope NO WAY). We talked about hurricane Katrina and the Oil spill and the hardships they have faced in recent years. Here is the thing...they live with hurricanes and oil rigs. This is their way of life and they love it. Oil is what keeps their community alive in a very harsh environment. (I'm talking swamps and bayous people..gaters and hot sticky, humidity).  It was all so interesting to me. I love to travel and meet people from different parts of the country and hear how they live and about their communities, life style, and families...but then I'm curious that way. 

I gave my lecture/trunk show and taught 3 workshops. It was the funnest fun that ever was fun. The gym was filled with quilters from all over the Gulf States. See that table? Those were all the quilts I took to show and talk about. There are around 85-100 on the table. It was terrific. 

 

The host guild (Morgan City Quilters) decorated the rails in front of the bleachers with quilts. I took some photos. I really was a warm welcome to all who traveled to the quarterly meeting of the Gulf States Quilt Association.

This quilt was their raffle quilt. So you didn't win the lottery last week..this would be even BETTAH (that is cajun talk for BETTER).

Lets just take a closer look at this beauty!

HOLEY GUMBO IS THIS QUILT AMAZINGLY WONDERFUL. I hope they raise 12 million dollars on it..and I hope I win. 

Here is my cajun talk...DIS IS DEE BAYOOOOO (biuuuuuooo) where we et dah fish. If it swims in dee watah we eat it. Dasss reeelll goood. Dis is de photo of where we sat to eat dah fish. Der waz a gatah in dee watah. And turtles too! Pat did not eat de gatah stew..NOO SIRREE. She did say..SHOOT UM..we was embarras, but she is frum Lanna. Day talk funny.

Ok! I will never try to type in the dialect of the communities I visit again..that was hard. I'm back to my normal crazy words.

I have changed my travel schedule for a while. I have a grandson that will be coming soon and I have some very large projects in the pipeline that I MUST ATTEND TO. Perhaps I will take some time to learn those apps so that when I'm on the road I'm close to my blog. I missed my blog and I missed hearing from YOU!