Thursday, June 30, 2011

Hail Hail! CELEBRATING a Lady and a Lady's DRAGON vision!!!!!!!!!!


I bit the bullet today and dug into the box of UFO's!!!!! I am so excited that this piece went together so quickly today.  The family and I are headed away for the weekend to camp and play in Bryce, so excited!!!! Projects in different phases are packed and cooler weather...here we come!

I was browsing blogs tonight and found the most amazing creative project that you will not want to miss out on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you do not do anything else tonight, VISIT and CELEBRATE dragons and a young lady bringing them to LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Enjoy!http://whatahootquilts.blogspot.com/.


Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend CELEBRATING!

Love, Em

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The Ribbon Dancer.....She is so alive with the joy in her step and song in her heart!

       
           Maggie, The Ribbon Dancer...Larger than Life!

Do scraps make your heart skip a beat.....They do for Maggie, more like a skip in her step!  I placed the gnomes under her to give the idea of her feeling LARGER THAN LIFE...



Do you love to dive into a big box of tiny remnants and think of the quilts that have been created with that tiny triangle of pink paisley you spy in the bottom corner, hard to believe it  once was 3 yards for a back and you got it on SALE!.... (Do you want to reach out touch the streamers?)


Did you have Retreat enVy when you saw pictures from Victoria's fun with peers combing through scraps upon scraps? (I left the rays free to help give movement and texture....

When did you discover that scraps are NOT meant to be SCRAPPED.....but CELEBRATED in SCRAPPY quilts? (all these little tiny scrap baskets imploring MAGGIE to play with them!)


The story is unveiled!....I hope the happiness that I pieced and quilted in this story quilt touches you!
The streamers are from a thrift store I found CELEBRATING retro ribbons for a child's bike...I saw them and WHAM BAM, THANK YOU MA'AM....I'll take 2 of those for a quilt!


I had a blast quilting the details on this piece...it is a tiny quilt and you know me with the teeny of teeny, ROXY AND I LOVE THEM!

And it is a 1st for me!!!!!  It is off to a quilt display CELEBRATING story quilts...barely made the deadline and am so excited.  Maggie cannot wait to hang out with other stories made by Mary Lou Weidman...Peggy Baldwin Clayton and many more....

Once upon a time a puppy named Porsche ate a corner of her mommy's quilt...This sad quilter emailed LaDonna and from there giggles, tears and a story was created!

And now another chapter is complete...



What quilt show you ask?  Here is the press relaease.....

It was one of those chance occurrences that change a person’s life forever. In 2002, Peggy Baldwin-Clayton won a book at an event at Quilts by the Bay. She had just turned 50—a milestone for anybody—and had been gathering pictures and mementos of her life so far as part of a celebration. She wasn’t quite sure what to do with them all—putting them away in a scrapbook drawer somewhere didn’t appeal. The moment she opened the cover of the prize she’d won that question was answered. The book was by Mary Lou Weidman, Quilted Memories: Celebrations of Life. Peggy made her first Story Quilt , Celebrating 50 Years – my Self Portrait filling the entire 42” x 57” space with pictures of her life, of friends and relatives, buttons she’d collected, even an earring or two from special occasions. She has taken several classes from Mary Lou since, and Mary Lou included Peggy’s first quilt in a subsequent book, Out of the Box – Unleash Your Creativity through Quilts. Peggy has gone on to make 26 more quilts in the last 9 years, in spite of--or maybe even because of—large-scale events, the passing of her husband from cancer during the Hurricane Rita evacuation, celebrations of vacations with her quilting friends, Hurricane Ike and losing her job as Ike’s floods caused her company to relocate. personal health issues, Even becoming the president of Galveston’s quilt guild didn’t slow her quilt-making. What had been just a hobby has turned into a life-time passion due to that one, small bit of luck.




Baldwin moved to Galveston in 1989 to become director of the Galveston County Unit of the American Red Cross. Since then, she spent almost 3 years as the executive director of the Ronald McDonald House of Galveston, 8 years with Seaborne ChalleNGe Corps ending as its director. In March she retired from the executive director position for Bay Area Habitat for Humanity. Starting to quilt as a hobby in the 1980’s, she now calls herself an avid and passionate quilter”. All but one of her quilts have been quilted by Holly Dee Quilts owner Denise Green, a long-arm quilter in Seabrook,



Upwards of 20 of her quilts will be on display at the 1861 US Custom House, 502 20th Street from July 11-September 30, M-F 9-5 (closed Sept. 5).



Also on display are several quilts made by her teacher, Mary Lou Weidman. Mary Lou is the author of 5 quilt books published by Martingale and C&T. Her latest one-person show just closed at the LaConnor Quilt Museum in Washington state. She also designs fabric for Benertex, and has taught quilting in every state but two, as well as Canada and eight other countries. Her classes emphasize creativity—looking at things with fresh eyes. She’s fond of quoting Albert Szent-Gyorgyi: “Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else does and thinking something different.” Her newest book, written with Mel B. McFarland is Out of the Box Easy Blocks—Free and Easy Piecing. It will be released the same day as the opening of the Galveston show—July 11.



Note to Peggy*******or would it be better instead to include her quote: “If you always do what you have always done you’ll get what you’ve always got.” I like the quote you used.



Also included in the exhibit are quilts from other students of Mary Lou, coming from as far away as California just for this show. The quilts are dense with details and memories, large-scale canvases celebrating quilters’ lives in bold, bright colors. This exhibit is one that both surprises and delights—you just can’t help smiling!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

.....But my dog ate my homework: and the story begins!

When I say puppy....what do you think of?
When I say Missing quilt and puppy....What do you think of?
When I say "OH....Porsche!" and see my quilt on the grass...what comes to mind?

YEP!   A story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I was emailing with LaDonna about the woes of Porsche eating the below quilt and a story was born.....With Ladonna's permission I share some fun and the inspiration for a sneak peek of my current project pictured above....

"That darn dog!  I know how it is...my Fergus is notorious for picking up little bits of scraps of fabric and swallowing them!  (I know, bad dog, dangerous thing to do, but so far just itsy bits!)  Makes for some interesting poo out in the yard...talk about colorful!  Maggie likes to run off with a strip of fabric flowing out behind her; she reminds me of those ribbon dancers! "


Do you spy the missing corner in this quilt?  Yes, my sweet Porsche, is a puppy.  This quilt was meant for an ill woman who has a sad heart as her healing process is slower than expected....

This piece was once about a dream and a stack of moons and now..

"But teacher, My Dog ate it!"......



I love Porcella's COLOR and whimsical design....The inspiration for my current piece in an Em style....



And the puppy pattern is from a FAV QUILTER OF MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Mary Lou Weidman is a woman I long to meet and hang out with, HER ENERGY AND COLOR is awesom!!!!!  Did you know she has a book out next month, I CAN'T WAIT!!!!  Do you have this book picture above?  IT IS FABULOUS AND I HAVE FINALLY FOUND MY STORY GROOVE!!!!


A mix of emotions as I was stitching my quilt yesterday.....Playing with an angel dog to use as a template for the RIBBON DANCER and then a moment....where I simply hug Sean and cry......

Harley was lying on the cool tile floor as I stitched and wet himself.....One of those moments when I wonder, is this a Godwink that I am working on an angel dog and my old stinky friend is no longer getting up to go the bathroom...Sean saw my face and came over and asked, "When do we know?"....Not ready for this to come.....and yet a matter of time....

CELEBRATING THE YOUTH AND THE AGED in my home....PUPPIES at heart...BOTH HAVE MY HEART!

Love, Em

Monday, June 27, 2011

News So Hot!!!!!!!!! Read all about it!!!!


Giveaway fun lights a spark in my soul and fire in my heart!!!! Thank you for playing with me yesterday CELEBRATING Freddy Moran, COLOR and "ooooooooh I hope I win, pick me pick me!..."
Seemed only right to invite a good fireman over to save this little home...(I love the pink door!)


Are you dancing with anticipation at who will be the winner?....


Sending love with the books...let me don my glasses to read the winners.....



CONGRATS!...

Michele, you have won the FREDDY'S HOUSE.  Please email me your address and it will be flying your way....

LaDonna, You are the WEINER of the hot dog trivia!  Email me your address and I will send some Gwen and Freddy your way.



Happy Monday and may you have some sizzling news spin your way!
(above is inspiration for my next project.....YUMMY!)

Love, EM


Sunday, June 26, 2011

Come CELEBRATE color with me...and win a book and surprise fabric!


Would you like to win this book?  Do you know which book this is?  YEP!  Giveaway!!!!!!!

3 Parts to the giveaway......

1.  What wonderful quilter lives in this home?
2.  Tell  me a ditty about a quilting studio-  favorite part of yours, what you dream of having in a studio, you dream of having a studio..
3.  What do you CELEBRATE in this photo?

Entries due by the end of today and I will draw out the name from a vase to receive this book...
GOOD LUCK!


Sowing a garden.....Sewing a garden.....Strolling in a garden of fun with Duffy!



I awoke to a splash of pink from my sister's garden this morning.... LOVELY like her!!!



Name the origination of Nathan's Hot Dogs and win.......A surprise book

Happy Sunday friends, May you have fun playing with the giveaways and may a GODWINK bless your hours today!

Love, Em





Saturday, June 25, 2011

Hope, Wish, Inspire, Love, Grow....What a delightful way to say Good Night to today...and please add a side of bacon to this post!



So much color and words that are delicious when said out loud!  Which word do you choose to fall asleep to or greet your Sunday morning with?....

"I wish for Laughter and Love to Inspire me and you and Kindness to Grow all around us!"  

What do you create when you put the above words together in a sentiment? 

"All the better to see you my dear!"...
Up close and personal with Blog Friends...


I love that mom's cheeks are smiling!  Her first block is pieced and she is on to the second!!!!  The pattern is from Quilt It Blog.



Bottom border...Check!


These colors are so soft on my eyes and I think of smelling the yumminess of a newborn babe....or a berry pie...succulent!


Sean is creating.......Mom says that Lime Green is the next beige....



Did you guess that Sean's latest craft project is painting the head of a club?  Random and kinda fun! 


And to end my evening, I sit and smile and wonder how to write the love and care I have for my friend, Duff.
Duff and I are pictured above!  Have you visited Ms. http://bacontheneggs.blogspot.com/? I received such wonderful gifts from her this week CELEBRATING our friendship and can you believe this CELEBRATE pendant she found....The gifts were so carefully chosen and it was an evening of times just sitting and thinking, "How can I be this blessed with a connection to such a classy caring group of ladies."  Maxi D as I call her, let me know we have exchanged over 250 emails since we met last year in Blogland and the laughter and hopes for one another and our families invokes a shake of my head in disbelief.  CELEBRATing Duff!!!
And when you visit her and see a smiley face made of eggs and sausange...YEP, that is my breakfast in Disneyland sculpted just for her!  It is this zest for the creative side and her sense of humor that inspires me!

Love, Em



 
Love, Em


A scrap of fabric CELEBRATES!.... Making Life......to the tune of POP! goes the weasel...Mom is going to town and I am playing with Roxy

Sean just texted me asking what mom and I are doing....he wasn't surprised when I responded.....

start humming the "POP! Goes the Weasel" tune for background music...


All around the sewing table,
Mom is stitching her stars...
Em and Roxy purr away
...POP! goes the flowers!


Mom and I are having so much fun playing in the scrap bin.  These stars are so cute!!!!!  Some fun I am having as she creates these stars is envisioning a retreat in my home where all of you and I are giggling, dancing, quilting and CELEBRATING!!!!!  hmmmmmm....I wonder if something is in the works for this fall?
This is not the final design for these stars, we are leaving it for a surprise...A surprise for us too because she doesn't know what the final look will be!




How fun is this kitty cat fussy cut...I think of Unruly Quilter when I see this block!


This tiny scrap has such HUGE meaning....Make Life Exciting, Make Life Beautiful....I LOVE TEXT FABRIC AND I LOVE YOU ALL WHO MAIL ME THE FABRICS!!!!


QUACK!!!!! Aflac!  How does this happen....

Love, Em

Friday, June 24, 2011

You light up my life!.....and fmq novice tip #3


I just couldn't stop last night!  Mom was having a riot making wonky stars and we had a house full of laughter as the boys were being boys!....My novice tip #3 for fmq is Master the Pebbling...it is so versatile.  I love when quilts have a POP! or raised areas.  In this photo I am hoping the black and white shows the quilting better than color.  Pebbling the white petals mimicked the polka dota and rasied the scalloped petals.  Rippled around the large floral center and VOILA! not time consuming and very simple.  Just like the center block....he he he!  More to come....And...I am so excited, Lynn aka BIG GIRL PANTS is working on a gift quilt that she is fmq-ing....Can't wait to share a photo!


I wonder the hours spent trying on dresses for this fairytale wedding and the seamstress' story whose dress was chosen....I love that I never saw this couple up close so that a sense of curiousity and anonymity is mine.  May the lights forever twinkle in their eyes for one another.  Barb, this photo is dedicated to you and your daughter's wedding this weekend, may it be a time of memories, love, and CELEBRATIONS!!!!!


Do you think that the MGM Casino/ resort knows what this Ad is asking of us?  Who is up to the challenge.....CELEBRATING, knowing when you are overwhelmed and just want to lie on your bed and listen to music, don the Big Girl Pants and try something that is scary or.........

What is your "M" today?

Love, eM



Thursday, June 23, 2011

Little wonky star, little Diane Hire rippling....YEP! Perfect night sewing with Mom!



While mom is playing with scraps, ROXY is giggling and chomping at the bit....needle up and down up and down.... I decided to make a Diane Hire inspiration for the backing of my quilt...seemed appropriate to have a sea of blue tiny O's and a ripple effect from the center in honor of the blog friends arm in arm on the quilt front....Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who is donning their big girl pants with me as I begin quilting the Blog Friends Floral?

Love, Em

Walking on Sunshine.....

I had a few moments to play.....Cutting up fabric with children's scissors, stick glue and a brown box.....

Hope you feel the sunny fun of this piece!


Front of piece.......


Back of piece made from a brown box enclosing shoes......

Foot + Sunshine=

WALKING ON SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What have you created that was a moment of spontaneity and use of odd materials that ADDED UP to a very fun time?!!

Love, Em

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Green Lantern....You are a beauty!

What is it about Blogland that draws us in....The connections, the "its a small world" aka GODWINKS, inspired gatherings and the goadings  to challenge one another and respond with a "WAHOO!!!!!!"

Today I celebrate Julie!  She donned her Big Girl Pants and has brought embellished beauty to this block..ENJOY!

Julie has a fun White Coat Project running....Run over and CELEBRATE her White Coat collaborative project and her current quilting adventures!  One woman who you will not want to miss out on!!!!


CELEBRATING Julie's FMQ playtime!!!!!!!  Below is the quote that accompanied this lovely block!

"I dropped the feed dogs and went for it - no drawing first, no planning, just went for it.


I had set this orphan block (made from 2 smaller orphans) aside to make a Priority Quilt ... well, now it is done and will be registered yet today.

I named it Green Lanterns (8-3/4" x 11-1/2")

:-)

Julie"

LADIES, keep the photos coming and the adventurous spirit alive!  Grab that FMQ vibe and quilt it!!!!!!

Love, Em

A peek...


Married a formal flower with a wonky pieced center block and borders around it....outer borders to complete and then I will share it with color.  Sole purpose of this quilt,,,YEP! more practicing!  I love how many of you are jumping on the FMQ train and donning the big girls pants!  We are one huge support network for each other!  I have not had my laptop at home so could not upload some photos I have received from you all both of quilting and little soft fun packages in the mail...Will post soon I promise! 

Happy TOOsday!

Love, Em

Monday, June 20, 2011

What do you admire about a tree? How quilting in the green with swirls takes on a whole different meaning than mimciking blades of grass...

                         
While creating this small piece inspired by Lindy Gruger Hanson's, "I Dreamt of a Stack of Moons", I initially was focussed on the trunk representing strength and wanting an erratic colorful leaf to be amidst the greens, but as I quilted....

Roots  became my focus.....And the green that orignially I had planned as grass and Roxy would mimick spears of grass....became....


Whimsical swirling roots of the tree...Never thought that a blank space such as this green strip could then offer options that would change what was the representation of the color....



My fmq novice tip of the day.....WHen using a print with a set direction such as this brown and gold on the outer border, choose with purpose then accentuate the print already there.  I have seen this square fmq design on 365 days of Quilting and also on a quilt by Victoria and love the sense of squares that pop due to stitching going vertical then diagonal and so forth......

And.... the wavy roots can take on a different connotation, Sean's love for the ocean and surfing is handed down to Noah...it's in the family roots!

Love, EM

When Cyber Space and reality hug one another! Where is your SMILE CENTER today?

 Can you imagine what a photo frenzy I had at the New York arcade where the Coney Island smile was everywhere along with "SMILE CENTERS" scattered amidst tickets that labelled themselves as smiles....I could not help but.......SMILE! 

Arriving home last evening.....it was as though I had brought the arcade with me...There were smiles to be had in every corner of my home last night as I got to hug.....a very special someone and her family!  Who?................In looking at the pic I think we may be sisters!....

a blog friend became a "REAL" friend and the night was amazing!  Head over to Peasinapod.typepad.com and FEAST your eyes on our fun! 
The connections were so amazing that very little quilting was discussed but the art of our grandmothers, tatting, knitting and the purrrrr of Janome's opposed to Vikings were conversatonal "pieces"....Of course I was in heaven having a sweet little girl in my home that I could be an "Auntie" too...I never pass up the oppurtunity!


The ironwork in the Trump dining area is such a mirror of a favorite quilting design of Green Fairy's and I could not help but take a pic and send to her and thought, "HOW FUN TO HAVE JUDI JOIN ME AND SEAN FOR BREAKFAST!"

Last year Judi and I happened to be at the Haunted Masion ride in Disneyland at the same time and I remember her telling me that she was getting quilting ideas from the ironwork on the mansion.....I love remembering details of exchanges I have had with friends!  Makes life so interesing and a reminder of loved ones when you are not with them!!!

Mom and I had a lovely trip to Quiltique in Henderson.  The store is amazing!!!!!! Above are some fabrics I fell in love with and used the hotel  floor as a design board as I played around with a floral project....Just the beginning and I love the simplicity of it.  I now choose fabrics with the  quilting in mind....this outer border will be fabulous in pebbling the brown and having the butterflies POP!

Happy Monday and may you find a SMILE DISPENSER in your moments of your MONDAY!

Love, Em