Wondering Why Wednesdays are so Wonderful? Wander with Wonder, Wahoo!!!

Do you find yourself oohing and ahhing at a quilt in a movie and rewind then pause and CELEBRATE....or enjoying the quilts in children stories......How fun is this Patchwork spread?  An original WONKY design for sure!

Instead of BAH...humbug!, Tonya....How about HA HA HA Humbug!  Do you look at playground toys and see form for an applique idea?

Creative Exercise to add a WOW to your Wednesday....Pick a chapter and leave a comment...

Didn't you long to be on the set of Sesame Street when you were younger? 

Wonder Why Wednesday are so Wonderful? We Wander With Wonder! WAHOO!!!!!....Say that 5 times!

Picked up this book over Christmas and look forward to creating an art piece of applique someday...

and Until that day.....

CELEBRATING 40 sounds mighty nice to me! 

V, would you agree?!!!

Have fun with this and leave a comment to entertain me While I Wander in the Woods on my Wednesday- Wahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ooooooooo!  What started as an O for Oprah and then become an O for Karen and now may need a "4" to carry on the CELEBRATION of the week..hmmmmmmm!

Too many projects and ideas------EEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Em

:>O!!!! :+)!!!!!!! :=) Hugs and Kisses or is it Kisses and Hugs?

Did you note the mathematical equation in this POST's TITLE?

I couldn't resist!

OXOXOX, Em

This giveaway prize ends up 16" X 16" and was so much fun to create and I found myself quilting and then more quilting and then more quilting...

Can you see the "Inner Beauty"...

The "O" began as the "O" on Oprah Magazine to CELBRATE this month's issue of Creativity and Celebration of the human spirit..and then I thought of a dear friend who put her tv in the kitchen to watch Oprah everyday when CELEBRATING liberation from a controlling husband....and then I thought of how often I long to create but have housecleaning tempting me....and then the CELEBRATION of all of your interps, ALL SO POETIC and I read over and over while at work today.

Thank you!  

"You are my LOVE  BIRD!" 

And KAREN.....

You are the winner of this love note from me!!!!!!!!!

xoxoxox, Em

I am pulling my hair out over this blog kink!

Anyone know how to help me get my currently blog posts to publish?

HEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, EM

Monday's Mantra! Celebrating Life as a Palette and Seussical labyrinth....

"Life is a big ol' canvas.  And you have every combination of colors to paint with."-Oprah

A visit to Penny at Sew Take A Hike this morning left me dreaming of even more ideas to create!!!!!!!!!!!!  Fellow bloggers, please stop posting so I can get some sleep at night and not be distracted while at the office :). 

I had already awakened with dreams in my head of.....

"Finish the Seuss....Play with Kaffe's....lie in a bubble bath...tackle the HUMBUG for Tonya....begin a Red X for V....or.....Housework....? 

So many fabrics and projects and too little time!

And yesterday....I am almost ready for Christmas 2010...Seuss for THING 2 is quilted.....

and when I was done with the swirls...somehow my world was turned on its side!

Topsy Turvy Monday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Em

Followers give me HAPPINESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Joy Joy for a special someone who is my 100th follower!  Seemed fitting to use Butterfly Blues and Pinks to CELEBRATE!  I quilted her name as though it is encrypted as we all know is a game in leaving a comment on a blog, kissed it for luck and off it sails across the world to a new home!  May the happiness of friendship in Blogland jump out of this card and sprinkle creative ju ju all over Liz!

Love, Em

Read all about it! Due to popular demand...2011 Celebrates Ball will be held tonight..follow the elephants, they "never forget".....

OOH LA LA!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What is a parade without the elephants......

and the birds and the bees....A little aphrodesiac for tonight's 2011 CELEBRATION BALL...

Janet's sewing studio is all a buzz as everyone takes their places for catching candy and then ready to primp and giggle and guess who will be the first to dance the

Bernina Burlesque....

Lilac will be the MC and gracious hostess offering morsels of scraps, kindly removing runaway threads from gowns and guiding thirsty guests to the den for a momet to stitch or review the current blog buzz...

I love her embellishment at her waist...is that topaz?!!!!

And in the den....the light is switched on and unbeknownst to the innocent guest..

Don Juan Rotary is whispering sweet nothings to Suzy Scissors....

They giggle as they look at one another's ribbons and at the same time ask,

"How did you know that Purple is my favorite accent?".....

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10  you owe me a candy bar!!!!!  Oh the games we silly people play!

Love, Em

At this special time of year when our thoughts are turned to goodwill and friendship.....

Peace!!!!!

Peace!!!

When I posted this morning about PEACE.....I celebrated the fun and silly of the word... and then a Godwink....CRYSTIE sent me the whisper of peace as the dove alighted on my phone..

Same word....

but connotation and visceral response so..... (you fill in blank).....

And the dove I dedicate to you Dearest Laurie at TangosTreasures.....

I would like to revisit the peaceful wishes that are alive during the Christmas season and hope that Peace is yours today. 

And to celebrate this special holiday....Cherry on the Top blog awards go to.....

drum roll........

vesuviusmama.blogspot.com

tangostreasures.blogspot.com

greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com

The three ladies behind their blogs hold special meaning for me and I hope that as you visit and CELEBRATE them you will revel in their hearts and talents also!

Thank you to Sujata at therootconnection.blogspot.com

for gifting me the cherry so I could pass it on!

And my latest little fun for Tonya's BAH HUMBUG project...my excamation point of bug eating bug....Fabric is so fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Em

And don't forget the staple of the studio.......

Kitties and puppies count as VERY IMPORTANT quilting tools...vehicles of love and uncoditional encouragement!  Find a sweater or bow or confetti, or pic of the sweetie on a quilt for their float!  I know the parade has a pet waiting for the tiara!!!

Love, Em

Kim and Shannon jumped on the wagon and come CELEBRATE their floats!!!!

A tattoo for your long arm....I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! No mistaking this Millenium when the red curly swirls of the tattoo of the machine match her owner, Shannon's, tattoos and hair!  Do you wonder if the tattoo designs have found themselves in her own or commissioned pieces....I do.  Shannon, do tell!!!  Drop by and see the best friend of this Millenium at piecefulkwilter.blogspot.com. 

And then my mind wonders, has this needle done a little tattooing of Shannon's hands when they were in a squabble....needles, tattoos, GET IT?!!!

How fun is this Swiss Army knife of Kim's?  I love the festive confetti that she is swimming in and the backdrop of teal and red compliments her pretty tattoed edge....In the old days this dear reliable friend of Kim's could travel with her..9/11 has impacted all of us from the very small to the very large losses.  Please drop by Kim's blog home at pokeytown3.blogspot.com. and CELEBRATE! 

As these wonderful celebrations have floated down the street in blogland I begin to think about it our sewing rooms become TOY STORY adventures when we are not around.....Do our pins dance on point, crochet needles fence, iron let off a little steam when the energy is overwhelming...Kinda fun to wonder...

and my BAH for Tonya's project....Kinda out there but was a riot to create!!!!!!!!!!!!  Are you making a buggy word?

I have put it off long enough and Roxy has said, "It's time, Em....Make the announcement!"

Behind every quilt, textile art piece, stash of fabric that is potential....

 are the tools that make it all happen!

If our blade is dull, needles lost on a magnet in a purse, rotary mat has a hole in the center, iron  spits up dirty spots on white fabric or a machine whose tension doesn't cooperate or pedal begins to smoke....

 Our projects stay only a vision or unfinished...................

It is time to give credit where credit is due!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

You got it, the CELEBRATION of the tools behind the quilter has begun!

As Roxy is so graciously modelling, it is time to bling out the tools, blow up balloons, and/ or make a mug rug for the machine and let's have a parade!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Keep it simple or get crazy, up to you!

Please send me pics to my email at entradamedical@snwp.com of your CELEBRATION and I will post!  Parade will be for the next 7 days or rest of the year depending on how much time you have on your hands.  I will be giving out awards at the end of 7 days....So on your mark, get set, BLING!!!!!!!!!!  Let's CELEBRATE the tools behind the quilter!!!!!!!!  And if your tool is shy and sheepish and says, "ANYTHING BUT THAT PLEASE!"....send me a pic of the tool in its humble glory.  Please include the name if your tool was gifted one or if this is the christening ceremony.

Spread the word so this is crazy fun!  The prizes are going to be traditional and wacky so enter and see what you win!!!

Love, Em

ps: the winners for yesterday's giveaway of 3 books, Refuge, are Caroll, Em and Janet. Congrats ladies and I have heard from you all, I look forward to you receiving the beauty in the mail soon!

Wednesday's wink......And it's not always PINK......

Tuesday, yesterday, was almost "TOO" much coming in from all directions and I couldn't sort it out....but this morning it all became clear.....

For 3 years I have been driving by SASSY WIGS 4 U....and it has changed locations 4 times.......

 "I am going to buy a wig"

popped into my mind yesterday and it was like a lightning bolt!  It was completely out of the blue but with such ferocity that I didn't diddle daddle and it was 90 minutes I will never forget.

Yesterday morning I began with the sweetest note from Sujata gifting me an award for my blog and she asked me to accept and post 3 things I love......

My top two loves are STORIES/ connections and Family..

As the bell jingled on the door as I entered the wig shop, Genevieve looked at me and said, "I know you."  We explored possibilities for familiarity and finally gave up...but when I left the store, "We knew each other."

During my "fitting", Genevieve and I looked at one another, giggled, had AH-HA moments and shared tears as we talked of raising children, romance in our marriages, passion for hobbies and life and......

The bravery of women who have had the courage to leave an abusive man and start over...Waking up and calling our DOVE center and saying, I need shelter, protection...A New Start....

A new start that includes a beautiful wig of hair that covers up the bruises, the thinning, the bald spots..a symbol of JUMPING OFF THE ROLLER COASTER of ABUSE and walking down a stable sidewalk towards a new life....

A haggard beat down woman walking into the shop and then Genevieve swivelling the chair around and seeing tears of HOPE in the woman's eyes as her new "do" reminds her...

The wig will protect her identity as she flees....

And "seam"lessly mine and Genevieve's focus switched gears to women and cancer.....The blessed job she has of fitting women and she shared stories of women who long to mix up the daily bandana/ scarf with a sassy wig or romantic curls they have always wanted....to distract a little one from his/her mommy's sickness, continue to be a sexual being for herself or mate, have the color that she always longed for but didn't have the guts to try until the final days of LIVING are CELEBRATED! 

And this is when I sat and thought of my dear cousin, Nanyc, at 29 saying goodbye to her breasts and then her toddler.....

I began my sock swap project last night and out of nowhere a tiny scrap of fabric with pink ribbon and "QUILT FOR CURE" came to the top of my bin.....Instructions were to only use cream on cream but I just had to use the fabric.......

And this morning I visit Beth at Laugh Love Quilt and her post is......new project with fabric depicting women wearing wigs and pink ribbon for cancer....

Erin at Patchwork Place recently shared the story of a young man losing his mother to breast cancer and a touching book she read....

And the quilt on this post...sent to me yesterday by my Sis...

Not everyone loves PINK....and these wonky little squares took on breasts to me this morning, which one is yours today?

...So in this wordy POST I CELEBRATE.......(you fill in the blank)

My THIRD LOVE....

Emotions and the creative process they evoke!

Love, Em

PS...I have a lovely book written by a local author, Terry Tempest Williams, about our landscape and her family battle with breast cancer that is so breathtakingly beautiful....I will be giving away 3 copies to lucky winners who leave a comment and if you sign up as a follower to my blog you will get an additional chance in the drawing.  If you feel inclined....link on your blog today and LET'S call today, WEDNESDAY'S WINK, NOT ALWAYS PINK DAY, 2011.

Drawing closes tonight at midnight Utah time...

You + ME= Date at the Sock Hop

ME

+

Mr. Foxy with the plastic comb in his pocket......

=

Date at the Sock Hop!!!!!

Making this sock for Mary Lou's sock swap was a true date with my husband tonight...

My first take at the piece turned out to be a stocking that could have warmed 9-month pregnant ankles and that was NOT what I was wanting...Sean kindly did some calculating on the pattern from Mary Lou and before I knew it, whack here and a whack there and VOILA...

SOCK!

Off to make another....unless Mr. Foxy distracts me...OOH LA LA! ....

and once more I will say what I have said before, "And to think that my dear friend Trevor said that quilting is not sexy!"

Love, Em

"Two"sday is "TWO" fun!

Wahoo!!! The back for THING TWO quilt is complete in TONYAesque form.  Raiden has patiently waited for his Christmas quilt to be complete and we are so close.  Something so very fun about having twin nephews living down the street!  "TWO"night....Quilting...

And when you have crawling twin boys.... Grown up time when they are snoozing in the wee hours is lovely!  Thing 1 and Thing 2's parents enjoyed an evening of MIXING up home-spun baby food a couple of weekends ago.  The other night they were eating...TALAPIA and okra with some curry...And to think Noah only got mama's milk until 22 months!  They have a lot more ambition then I did back then...

Speaking of "two"sday.... how fun is this  duo that arrived from dear Duff last night in the mail....I LOVE MAIL!  Duff loves.... you guessed it, Bacon and Eggs, and she sent me this care package of silliness, a giggle at night is very fun!  So when you get a package for me and you see the festive CELEBRATE packing tape, you can think of Duff!  http://bacontheneggs.blogspot.com/ is her avenue, visit her and you will enjoy a wonderful stop!

Since it's "TWO"sday.....needle and thread, Kaffe and Liza, IMAGINE and Boo, Green Fairy and Long Arm, Singer and Pokey, Erin's darlings, Sandra's grandsons, Janet and snow-shoes, Josh Groban and dinner, NIfty and Red fabric, Beth and houses, Em and Em, Tango and "JOY", Maree and VW bug,  Freddy and Gwen, strings and clothing,......

ME AND YOU!!!!

 "TWO" many duos to mention....What are yours?

Love, Em

Magnetic Mantra for Monday....

A giggle this morning as I grabbed my wallet from my purse, "There you are, Mr. Needle!"  I was looking everywhere last night for a needle to finish my appliquing.  Organic home is complete and off to the quilter...SO EXCITED!  I played around with gold thread for the quilting and it is the perfect touch...Something spiritual about golden stitching a halo on Mary! 

You know you are a quilter when you......... (fill in the blank dear readers in  the comment box) find a needle on the magnet in your nurse bag or safety pins in your coffee holder in the car....

"When the magnet doesn't attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that covers up the needle."

-Sri Sathya Sai  Baba

May you be a magnet for joy and creativity today and throw a CELEBRATION in just for fun!  The more joy, the quicker the pinwheel spins! 

Love, Em

La La La...Lady-bug.....Bah Bah Bah Lamb-bug..Hum a happy song!... "Ton" of fun coming up!

So many hints in the title of this post....

Have you guessed whose project I am CELEBRATING today with these new fabrics?

It is going to be a "TON" of fun watching the words arrive and play on a blog!

Another yummy hint...Godwink at the Liquor store!  Who will be the first to guess whose project I am loving and prepping for?

What project are you working on or prepping for?  

Anyone receive their neighborhood from Beth yet? I can't wait to see the quilts!!!!!

Thank you for the fun that is hosted on different blogs!

Love, Em

A dash of pink and butterfly blue for your Friday.....

Happy Friday!  With the chilly morning temp and the energy in my soul, wanted to sprinkle some pinks, yellows and butterfly blues on your day!

This quilt is one that speaks HAPPY to me and a sense of whimy about it and so I celebrate the 2 today as I travel to visit the little girl who this quilt belongs to....HARLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and shhhhh.  I have a secret....she is getting her own teeny pair of cowgirl boots....if you have followed my blog, Do you recall the pic when we are at the corral and she is in my hat and boots, A fav of mine and we will take another this weekend but with us both in our boots....I LOVE BEING AN AUNTIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And as I have sprinkled some pink on your day, I thank you for the sprinkles on my days when you write!!!  As I was travelling home two nights ago from the field, I was entertained by Vesuviusmama counting down her husband's basketball game and to read the note, "THEY WON!"  was incredible...They beat the #10 ranked college team.....or when I wake to Beth this morning celebrating her neighborhood giveaway and me "oohing" as she speaks of readinig sweet notes that were sent with the houses to her and wishing I could have been there to draw out the names of the winners.....or going through my spam and finding an emotional lovely note from Patty about Christmas and her parents.....and of course the silly notes from Jenny and I am laughing out loud or Ms. D and her jingles....I could go on and on and you know the stories as we share them daily.

and one that keeps me on the edge of my seat.....Will Victoria come to Utah to teach a class?......

or.....will I see friends when I am Sisters at the end of the month or in Paducah in April....

or will my interview for Quilter's Newletter and my quilts bemof interest and they choose me from their selection?.......

I could go on and on and this year is going to be marvellous as we share the ROLLER COASTER together!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Bring on the giggles, fear and tears....We are all in it together!

Love you!  Em

Houses and more Houses! A week Celebrating Beth's house giveaway! Are you a lucky winner?

This wonderful quilt was pieced by my sis and I love the "green space" in the center...I wonder if she planned it? 

Speaking of houses, so much fun enjoying the houses that were sent to Beth at Love Laugh Quilt blog celebrating her 1 year anniversary in Blogland.  If you haven't visited her lately, seeing all the house blocks laid out is so fun!  Do you spy your house you mailed her or a friend's house that you followed on a blog?  What a community we live in...WAHOO to BLOGLAND!!!!

Love, Em

Happy UNbirthday to you...Happy UNbirthday to you....Happy....Do it!!!!!!!!! Make a wish!!!!

Waving HI!!!!!

as I cruise by Blogland imbetween drives to the field.  I miss you friends and promise that work will slow down and I will visit your avenue soon!  With the weekend right around the corner do you wonder,

"What can I do to test if life is really the best when being impromptu?"

hint:  little boy in the window in above's home....

and little boys in the below photo...

CELEBRATING....UNbirthdays.....Just because a 4 year old asked Mommy if they could make a birthday cake....Sprinkles and all.....and of course a candle for each to make a wish!

Close your eyes and make a wish...DON'T TELL....ok, you can whisper on my blog if you want to play with me!

My wish, that Sharon and the boys saved a beater coated with frosting for me!!!

Get crazy and surprise someone with a fun impromptu something!  Please share with me what you do so I can enjoy with you!!!!

Love, Em

"TOO" amazing on this "TOO"sday

Do you ever have a  moment when you ask yourself, "Is this really happening?" and a little Cheshire smile forms or a tear in the eye magically arrives....My Godwink story follows.

The weather has been very unusual for us in Southern Utah in that we continue to get snow and rains.  As many of you know, Wednesdays are my usual field day for visiting students and clients for their physicals.  Yesterday I went to see the adults in our upper field area where the wonders of the Mustangs live and stampede.  While at Starbucks stocking up on warm fluids, I told Roger, "I am off to play with the Mustangs today.".......And as I drove slowly near the usual homeland of my favorite family....alongside the road they were lunching.  I stopped and smiled as I saw how thick their coats have grown and to think that this is our 6th winter together.......

The roads were snowy and with this being my 4th day in the field weathering the wilds....10:00 pm rolled around and I pulled into my driveway.  Tired, very tired, and grateful that my clients and staff are safe and healthy....I went inside....The wonders of heat!

And as Sean poured a glass of wine I perused the mail pile and my heart found the energy to inspire a giggle as I saw "Judi" on the return label of an envelope.  Inside........

Mustangs and greeting of love..........

A moment when I just stand there and think, "Is this really happening?" 

Yes, it is and I pinch myself.

Love, Em and love to you, Judi, my KarateQuilter and dear friend

Monday's Mantra....

"The most sophisticated people I know- inside they are all children". 
-Jim Hensen, Master Puppeteer

Thank you Santa for  the child in me!

Love, Em

Applique garden becomes a beanstalk that becomes a "ladder"...

Slow progress on my ORGANIC home..."saving the world starts in the home....." I appliqued first of my flowers and clouds  while riding to the ski resort yesterday and when I showed Sean he commented, "I like your beanstalk" and I giggled and then had vision of the fairytale, Jack and the Beanstalk, with the characters climbing the leafy stalk to the mansion in the sky....  As I wanted to CELEBRATE this Sunday with a scriptural post...Google decided on this beauty...

Genesis 28-32.  Jacob had a dream in which he saw a ladder on the earth with its top reaching to heaven and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There above it stood the Lord and he said, "I am the Lord God.  I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

And I CELEBRATE the imagination path from cutting out a Kaffe flower and ending with visual of God at top of a ladder reassuring us of his love and devotion to each of us. 

and just one more CELEBRATION...my angels here on earth

Love, Em

Put your arms in the air and shake your derriere!.....Welcome, 2011.

This past week has been a rollercoaster of activity at my job and I have missed blogging saying good-bye to 2010 and thanking you all who have become such an intimate part of my life.  When I began my blog a year ago I had no inkling that my life would change forever and that I would cry and laugh and pray and experience such goodness and sharing as I have.  I am so grateful for the joy and the human-ness and the sharing of life's sadness and silliness that you gift to me and letting me in to your life and you coming into mine.  When I think of the Godwinks....I am overwhelmed and get a tear in my heart.  How often I will see something at the quiltshop, grocery story, bill boards, toy store or a thought pops in.....of you!  We have travelled to Disneyland together, chased mustangs, cried over loved ones dying, cheered me on as I sat for hours this week in the middle of wilderness bogged down in mud and shared dreams both fulfilled and in the making.....

So with this past year CELEBRATED and will be alluded to in future, I greet this New Year, 2011, with a photo of the Liberated Roller Coaster.....Sums up life for me, the peals of delight, screams of fear and the butteflies in the belly while a friend or loved one sits next to me or waits on the ground to take my hand and ask if I am ok.

With humble gratitude I say "Thank you!"  now let's.....DANCE with our needles and quilt up some fun and beauty!!!!!!

Love, Em