Saturday, December 28, 2013

A START AND FINISH WITH HAPPINESS

Ahhh....
I've been starting my days,
still in bed,
 under several cozy quilts...
reminding myself...

if it is to be
it is up to me.

"Today I get to......"


go to the beach!

I also get to 
choose
to make time to play.

Here's what I have been playing with...
my Kaffe Kollection!



More Kaffe play on the right...
and a new scraptastic idea for a class on the left.



The idea on the left is from a favorite book...



there is something so fun and satisfying
when I play in my scraps.


I also decided to play with some
mostly blacks...


I found this great card a while back
(in the Papyrus store)
and I am pondering the use of my mostly black play.
Perhaps as the elephant,
or maybe as the background.


Choosing to
embrace 
the gloriousness of life...
choosing...
to feel happy.


What are you going to get to do today?!





Friday, December 20, 2013

CELEBRATING

 Here's my beloved Fred.
He lost his best dog friend this week...
our dear rescue Lilalou
...sigh.


I just couldn't focus on the sadness.
She came from the shelter
with some issues
and over our seven years together
she completely healed (!)
and became a trusting, joyful, and loyal companion.


Time to celebrate!
I played in my scraps
and...
joy was found!






I also made some happymatts for Christmas.



I have three left that need a binding.


I am also working on my third lattice quilt 
from the book Colorific.
So much fun going through my stash
and the visual pop is so rewarding.


I finally finished my Domestic Bliss quilt!
Whoop Whoop!



I was able to ask my youngest and his friend to hold it up...
because...
no school...
it's snowing!
(Not a common experience here in the Pacific Northwest.)


love
love 
love

A new year is quickly approaching...


Any changes coming your way?

Friday, December 13, 2013

WINNERS!

WOW!
THAT was a lot of fun!

All those wonderful comments about travel plans
have left me feeling itchy 
to travel again!

I do believe that a whole lot of people want to go to 
Australia and/or New Zealand!
A few people don't like to fly, so they are renting RVs!

I think the funniest was 
the lady who needed to go to the spa first 
before she would go to her dream beach destination! TMI!

The plan for Denmark 
and the Fjords sounded wonderful.
Fiji! Always a great choice in  my opinion.

All time favorite...
the lady who said heck with visiting
she is moving to the Greek Isles!

OK!
Enough said.
DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

WINNERS -
1. Squirrel - Gypsy Thread who is hopping across the pond and circling the globe!
2. Misc. - Sowing Stitches, who said she was dreaming big and would go to England and buy Mr. Darcy's estate!
3. Tis the Season - Principeta, who is off to Paris then the Maldives!
4. Quilt Diva - Julia Floyd, who is going to Scotland!
5. Woman Themed - Sara, who is going to Europe, Bora Bora, and San Fransisco!

PLUS!!! One secret surprise winner 
Crystal Hendrix 
who wants to go all over Europe for a year!

PLUSSara
WHEW!
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
for your fun comments and/or
for becoming a follower!



Monday, December 9, 2013

63+ FAT QUARTERS TO GIVEAWAY!

WHOOP WHOOP!
It's that time again!
Time to giveaway some fabric!

Giveaway Day

I am so happy to be linking up with

As I put together a new house quilt (last post)
I have gone through my entire
delightFULLy way too big
stash,
and discovered 
63+ fat quarters that I could giveaway
(and never know they were missing!)

I've divided theme into 
5 choices.

1.
Squirrel panel and 9 fat quarters
mostly Awesome by Sandy Gervais



2.
13 fat quarters
Hodgepodge of miscellaneous fabrics




3.
Tis the season!
12 fat quarters of Christmas themed fabric



4.
7 fat quarters
mostly Quilt Diva by Amy Bradley
plus some Mary Engelbreit



5. 
Woman themed fabric
22 fat quarters!!!




On Friday afternoon
my sons will pick the winners!
Everyone can play.

One chance - Leave a comment telling where you would take your first trip if you one the lottery. (I love to travel!)
Second chance - become a follower and let me know.
Third chance - tell someone about my blog and have them leave a comment.
Fourth chance - tell someone about my blog and have them become a follower.

Then...



and go over to 


and see what other goodies are being given away!

Bon Chance!





Monday, December 2, 2013

GRATITUDE

fun day
was spent 
this past Saturday
in my class at Calico Creations.


My intention for my classes
is to create a safe space for the students
to 
let go of worry...
 let go of expectations...
forget their rules.

I share the joy I have when I create with fabric.

I try to give them a peek into my process...
giving them permission to figure out
what works best for them.

I recognize that this can be
very out of the box for some...
so out of the box that I feel
some crumple the box in frustration...

I hope they come back one day...
to try again... 

Sometimes...
magic happens!

A very dear lady
who has taken a couple of classes with me,
gave me  a fat quarter...
She said, 
"I saw this and thought of you.
You inspire me."


Oh my!
Sniff-sniff...
I am still grinning ear to ear!

The ladies were making Jan Mullen's Catz




or liberated trees.









I gave my Catz quilt to the local cat shelter. 
They are always at capacity with 150 cats...sigh.
I know someone there
 most certainly deserves to feel the love in that quilt.

I also gave away this red, white and blue quilt. 
It felt so healing when I gave a quilt
to a random Viet Nam veteran last year -
he had the Viet Nam vet sticker on his pick up -
(in honor of my dad)
that I decided to again.

This time I spotted a house flying an 82nd Airborne flag...
(my dad was 82nd Airborne)
knocked on the door...
I shared my brief story for a few minutes, 
he shared his brief Iraq story for a few minutes,
some tears fell...
and a great hug was shared.


During this holiday season
and end of the year...
as I reflect...
I again realize how wonderful this "hobby" is!
I know you know too!

I feel a tremendous amount of gratitude!

WHEW!

I am working on a new
house quilt...


It is requiring
a thorough stash review!
(Is it still called a "stash" if it is the size of a small quilt shop?!)

This large review
has resulted in a growing pile...
that I am intending to giveaway on
December 9th for 
Blogger's Giveaway Day
at 

Stay tuned!