Roxy smirked and said, "Are you open to me saying...I told you so!"

What a weekend!!!!!!!!!! Roxy was a busy woman playing with me and quilting 2 projects and she was a little sassy in the beginning!

Excited to have escaped the summer heat of St. George, I was gung-ho to join Sean and Noah for a "muddin" trip in baby jeep.....Beauty galore and an oppurtunity to be reminded of our blessings....

Driving along and then....time stands still as baby jeep pauses.....and then we roll...."Noah, are you ok?.... Well, let's get her back up right".....With my boar-huckin' mama muscles, Sean's calm demeanor and strength and Noah's tree trunk for a lever equals back upright and off down the road....I sent the photo to our oldest son and texted, "When you think you have found the right woman for a spouse, roll your jeep and see how she responds..." He wrote back ha ha ha and knows that this is how we roll in our family!..Thank you God that we are all safe and looked at it as an oppurtunity!

When I arrived back, Roxy was in the garage of the trailer looking out of the screen at the gorgeous view and smirked...."Well, I won't tell you 'I told you so!' but I am tempted. She can be sassy and we then got down to work and quilted like there was no tomorrow.

Hope you enjoyed the photos and may this week be wonderFULL!!!!!

Em

What do I do when I am at a dodgeball arena for 4 hours?

A very primitive wonky piece for the Alzheimers auction....I am disappointed that it looks so off and uneven but I guess that is what happens when you cut and glue with a glue stick and wish you had a machine in a place with ode to sweat. he he he! I went to the psychiatrist for a summer my first year of quilting due to my perfectionism with traditional quilting....it was an expensive summer to learn that to have fun I will need to turn to the Wonky-side...never been back! I think of redoing it by piecing but am going to quilt and see if it will work.....Today was a riot at the dodgeball arena because the owner came up out of curiousity and then let me know she is a quilter and putting together her Dear Jane blocks. We chatted about the hobby, kids and the talent of our local lady, Green Fairy. We are both green with envy of her gift!!!!

Off to walk Porsche and then Roxy and I have a date to quilt Onna...The day is young, right?.....

Love, EM

I wonder why today was the day I created this quilt?

I created this story quilt to honor a very special dog, Onna. She died several years ago and I have always wanted to gift to Becky and Arden a piece that would CELEBRATE! her life and today was the day. I awoke and knew exactly how I wanted to create it and yet the piece has been stewing for weeks since I found a children's book that depicted a black dog chasing a squirrel. Whenever Arden would speak of Onna, it was usually in the context of a story of chasing a squirrel. In the beginning my goal was to creat a squirrel but then I decided to use a stash fabric with squirrels scattered willy-nilly knowing that Onna would love the abundance of options instead of a single squirrel. I imagine that she is still chasing squirrels in heaven and I cannot wait to quilt her tomorrow and send her in the mail.

Some people come in to your life and you are never the same...

So it is with this couple and my life!

I am the clinician, the woman, a mom largely because of one man.....Dr. Weintraub.

Sincerely, Your Forever Nurse Jonas

PS...Do you notice the feminine shape of the tree....Not on purpose but I am thinking it may become a habit!

A bustling beehive of people's hands and their stories! Thanks, Sue!

"Isn't it interesting...."
"What?".....


Sue is CELEBRATING! the hands at her work and the beautiful stories that belong to each person. ENJOY!!!! and then visit Sue for some more photo fun at http://zzyzx-and-sue.blogspot.com. Sue is so much fun! and the most wondeful fmq artist!!! Check out her card she sent me on the sidebar of http://fmqcelebration.blogspot.com! She has definitely DOODLED her way in to my heart and I am so grateful!!!!

The story for each picture is at the bottom of the page since I am having difficulty with my blog design today. I apologize that the stories are not under each photo!

Which is your favorite? Mine.....greasy fingernails!!!!!!

Henry is one of our new car get ready/lot guys. At home, he & his wife are foster parents. He is always so calm, and always keeps busy. Several of us bring him our recyclables, so he can turn them in for a bit of extra cash.

The 2 holding hands are me & my friend Juline. She's been through some family health scares recently (which she just got a GOOD report on - hurray!), but she is a sort of Mom to us all. Juline is definitely one-of-a-kind! After living with her own mother's decline thru' Alzheimer's, she was a great help to me when I was dealing with the same thing.

Mallory is one of the youngsters, and a terrific artist in her "other" life. She makes beautiful, vintage-syle jewelry, using antique papers & resin. She's organized & coordinated 3 car shows at work, that all raised money for charity. Next Friday is one of them, and part of the money will go to the local humane society. (It will go to 4 different charities in all this time)

The one with the 3 hands are some of our sales team. Kristen is the sales mgr, Michele is an asst. mgr, and Brent is one of the salesmen. They make a good team!

Ron is our service mgr & electrical tech. It was hard to get him to sit still long enough for the shot - I got him while he was waiting for the computer to program a radio. He's a dad & grand-dad and a cowboy too.

Sheri is our business mgr. She's one of those horrid people - tall, thin, beautiful...and NICE to boot! She's been through a lot the last few years, living with MS and the loss of her 20-yr old son to cancer (note her "LIVE STRONG" bracelet). But, she's now looking forward to becoming a grandma for the first time, thanks to her lovely daughter.

Did you notice the difference in the quilts? I had the quilt wrapped for shipping and noticed something nagging in my brain about the quilt. I got out the camera and looked at the photos and realized that the crosses were uneven. I had measured and pinned and measured again.....and hence the roses to distract and I am so grateful that a mistake was what prompted softening the edges of the crosses.

More hands to come!!!! I apologize, I am behind with having been out of town and gratefully being able to say that I am being a very hands on Mom and hence less computer time :). But the stories that await you and the photos from a car dealership.....just a teaser!

Love, Em

Doctor, doctor! Do you want to raise your pulse with a sight of creative fun?

Immediately leave my blog and head to http://quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com for a wonderfull and inspiring project that has just been completed and let its color and creativity inspire you!

OOOOOOOdles of OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO's....Jacque's friendship and hand!

Thank you, Ms. Jacque at  http://lilypadqulting.blogspot.com/ for this very poignant photo.  I  smile big when her snOOdles email address pops up on my phone because I am reminded of all those little O's that I love so much and her friendship!!!!  This photo is particularly powerful for me seeing it in contrast to the black background.  Jacque's lovely ode to her husband...

"Hi, Em.  I love your posts celebraring hands, life, and all of our blessings.  I found this picture in my files and got misty eyed; I wanted to share it with you.  This is a photo of my husband's hand..... one of a pair that belong to a 6 foot 4 inch frame- yes, he's tall.  And these hands are big....but I have seen these calloused hands gently comfort a crying babe, and tenderly bandage a toddler with an ouchie.  When I see these hands I see love.

Celebraing that love, Em!

Have a spectacular day!"

And may her wish be to you all for today the weekend, May it be spectacular!

Love, Em

"May I trace yours?"......All in a day's work! CELEBRATING! Kim

Do you recognize Kim's hand?  She Celebrated this fun giveaway about hands with 2 photos..ENJOY!  I love her narrative that reminds me how much our hands can do in a day and that at the close they fold in prayer.  Visit Kim's wonderFULL blog and enjoy!  The title of her blog is an ode to hands in itself...http://pokeytown3.blogspot.com/

A birthday quilt...Lucky kid!

"Hi, Em.  I have always loved hands too and I am constantly asking children if I can trace theirs.  Sometimes I take that tracing and sew it into a quilt for the child...that is always a big surprise for them.

Here is my hand at the end of the day in which I volunteered, gardeneed, planted ghubarb, moved my lawn, weeded my gardena dn made a meal and did kitchen clean up.  And now I am going to sew :).

Hand to work, hearts to God.

Hugs, Kim"

Keep the photos and wonderfull stories coming, I am loving them and will giggle as I read and enjoy during my weekend of camping.    This collage I created is a culmination of the sentiments I have felt since we started this CELEBRATION! this week.  Thumbs up to rising above! 

Love, Em

#3 in Mary Series.......

This piece is ready for glue stick and Roxy and we are packed for the mountains for the weekend.  It is fun for me to think that I quilted my #2 Mary in the same spot that I will quilt this one.  Because I am making a number of them and they have similar inner design, it is my goal to play with the colors, choice of florals for broderie perse and embellish uniquely.  This quilt showcases a love of mine, the cross. 

Something new for me, weaving in and out of lettering...still playing with concept but enjoying the process!

I have wonderful hand photos and narratives to share before I go out of town. To be posted tomorrow afternoon. 

Thank you for supporting my blog and playing with me so often!  It is such a gift to share in this journey with you all!

Love, Em

"Here are my hands"......After reading this I was inspired to sing, "Hands, shoulder, knees and toes...." CELEBRATING! Ms. Duff

CELEBRATING! hands.....the photos begin to roll in! 

Have you sent me your picture? 

Driving along in the wilderness and my phone vibrates.  Deer are scattered, a lone coyote saunters across the highway and I pull over.  No mustangs once again but I keep hoping, Judi!  I cannot wait to open this little gift on my phone......

"Here are my hands:  I lie on the ground, looking up to the heavens through the holy trinity my hands form.  I see the vast beyond and feel weightless, loved, free.  I am thankful for 10 fingers and 10 toes, for life, for breath, for serentiy, for joy, for His plan, because I am joyfully content in my body, mind, and being.  I am enveloped in complete gratitude for my blessed life. And you, My dear Em, are one of my most cherished blessings!"

This inspirational writing is from my dear Ms. Duff at http://bacontheneggs.blogspot.com/.  My nickname for her is Maxi D and I still remember where I was when I met her for the first time with a comment she left on my blog......Early Tuesday mornings I drive to work in the dark and the D for my community is lit up on the side of town and I think about her.....hundreds of emails of "chatting" and Ms. Mary in my quilt room wears a t-shirt, SOUL SISTA, that Maxi gave me so that I pretend that she is quilting with me....and my giggle last night when I showed Sean the picture, "Em, Where did you take this photo?" ......"This isn't yours?  Looks just like something you would do!"....and that is my CELEBRATION of you, Ms. D!

Thank you for sharing a photo with us all and your creative loving spirit!

Love, Em

My heart is a puppet and God is Gepetto...the fragilenes of the heart strings

Today I post in reverence and may the photo of Mary's hands be the symbol of comfort, guidance and her cloak be snuggly. I have been distracted for the past 12 hours by some love notes that describe heartache, loss and the emotions that are in the spaces between the words. Tears still free flowing as I made an early morning prayer for my friends.

What did you note about hands yesterday? 

 I am in quiet awe of how the hand CELEBRATION! photo contest has gone from newborn grasp yeserday to final embraces this morning.....

Last night Sean commented I was silent and this was my meditation....Choosing each piece and cutting them and then placing them, then moving them, then......Distracted.

I CELEBRATE! life and the joy, the fear, the grief.  Do you ever wish that you could be the puppeteer for your heart when a string is tweaked and you are not prepared for the momentum.  But then.....friends are gathered for the show and give hugs and recant remembrances, look to future for goals and plenty of Kleenexes circulate during the intermission.

May this third MARY of mine be a reminder that quiet moments are a part of the healing process and that life is not always the vibrant colors of happiness but shades of grey.

Love and a hug, Em

I pass on to you the LOVE! Do you see the heart? How about giving me a HAND with a CELEBRATION!?

I awoke this morning to some LOVE notes from dear friends in Blogland.  Amazing how much easier it is for me to awaken early on Tuesdays when I have my phone blinking care.  

CELEBRATING! Maree's beauty from across the world.  I wonder if one day I will hold these hands and we will share our stories together.  For now, I will enjoy the the wonder.

This summer I have fallen in love with pictures of hands as many of you may know.  This picture inspires me to think of last year's giveaway when we donned quilts together for a giveaway.  I LOVED IT and hope that you enjoyed it.  (If you did not have an oppurtunity to see the beauty on display, it is blogged last Novemeber during the Houston quilt festival.)

I would love to showcase pictures of hands on this blog. 

Muddy hands,

 newborn fingers,

grandma's wrinkles, handwork, LET's CELEBRATE!

Please submit a photo and a narrative if you would like.  I will post on my sidebar with link to your blog.  I will run this giveaway for the next while depending on response.  And a wonderful prize will be yours as the ICING ON THE CAKE!

I wonder how often you will notice hands today, tomorrow, or remember the first time you HANDled your newborn children, as a loved one placed a ring on your finger, bandaged an owie or a wish that your hands worked like they used to.  

Happy TOOsday!  Em 

Isn't quilting a fun hobby? One day quilting a wonky cow and hours later planning my traditional angel quilt...

The latest Quilters Newsletter has an advertisement for a wonderfull new book that has me excited for using the above fabrics!  Traditional for my mother-in-law.  Anyone bought the book, "Circle of Nine" by Janet Houts and Jean Ann Writght?

Are you willing to cheer me on as I try traditional? he he he!!! I have already texted my sis that I will need a lot of coaching! 

Yep, another Mary is surfacing and CELEBRATING! Kaffe Fassett.  Sean has been patient in waiting for me to get a Mary just right for our home and this may be the ticket.  I have cut out
BLESSED! for her heading.

More to come on both of these lovely ladies!

MARVELous Mary is My Monday Mantra....

mOO la la!!! Ready for binding!

I decided to fmq this baby quilt in very primitive swirls to mimick the whimsy cow and to keep it poofy for the babe.  At times I wanted to resort back to more precise prtterns and then would just let Roxy go.  I hope you enjoy and encourage you to do a wonky quilt if you are new to fmq and want to have your mistakes and learning curve match the quilt instead of being disappointed or distraught and throw out as I have done before. 

I wonder if I will ever meet the baby that will grow up with this little cow inspiring her to have some silly in her life!  Kinda fun not having a clue about the family that this cow will ship to and wondering what will be the first response as the gift is unwrapped.....

The fun of CELEBRATING! and sharing.

Em

Tickle tickle! Roxy is teasing Miss Cow with feathers......and shhhhh! A giveaway!

Ok, I am cracking myself up right now as this pic posted.....Miss Cow's hoochie heart has taken on a look of her udders.....or a fine rump if you are following on the cattle trail.....And then I wonder if God had this same experience when piecing together Adam and Eve.....now I am thinking that the fig leaf was the original "BLEEP!" that we see on tv now......All in the direction and perspective...

Do you remember the day you learned to laugh at yourself?

(Bear with me, I woke up and realized that today start's vacation from taking call and I am giddy!

......Hence an inpromptu post!)

While quilting this center yesterday, I wrestled with how much quilting to do since so many people love baby quilts to be poofy and comfy and not the stiffness that tight quilting can cause......and then I thought of Judi the Green Fairy and following her creative instincts......so, I made feathers fat and loose  and tightly quilted the center.  A kind of compromise with me, myself and I Roxy.  I decided to use sunshines, feathers and a little silliness in the corners.....movement design that reminds me of the cartoon cloud blowing signifying wind.....or in this case with it being a baby quilt...persed breathing during labor.

And the back, are you curious? 

It is one of my more successful ones in regards to tension and Sean loved it! 

Visit http://fmqcelebration.blogspot.com/ for a peek and enjoy other's Big Girl Pants projects while there.

If you would like to join this collaborative blog then leave me a comment and POOF! you can post.

and.....there is a giveaway on it that goes through the weekend....you will want this prize!!!!

Happy Friday, may you have renewed wind in your sails or an oppurtunity to recline, let the sails take you where ever the wind blows or....

jump ship and head to the quilt shop for a textile treat!

Love, Em

With a smile and a hug...I announce the winner!

I have been smiling non-stop as you left comments as entries for the Mary Lou Weidman's book giveaway.  CELEBRATING! the creative steps in making a quilt was a fun way for me to realize that I lOVE THEM ALL with different quilts as you would write and I would then be inspired with a particular quilt that I loved that stage of the process......

And there can only be one winner.......You know that I wish I could gift you each one but......

drum roll, needles up and down.  scissors opening and closing and the gasp of suspense!

All in celebration of

NIKI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You are the winner of the autographed book, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!

I appreciate all of your support and playing along with me on my blog!  Means a lot to me when I know that time is precious and there are so many blogs to CELEBRATE!

happy Thursday, Em

Book giveaway continues and the so does the progress of Miss Cow.

I am having so much fun reading your comments for the Mary Lou Weidman book giveaway!  Thank you for playing.  Today's rule for an entry in the giveaway that goes through tomorrow,

Leave a comment CELEBRATING! the quilt process...

For entry in the giveaway today, please leave a comment about your favorite part of the process.  If you entered yesterday, enter again today, more entries the better your chance of winning!!!!!

My favorite part of quilting changes as I try new technics and am challenged by new books,  My current fav is the embellishing process and quilting.....To see a project take on a life of its very own is so fun for me!!!!!  Today I look for a cowbell for this little cow and Roxy gets to play with her tonight...WAHOO!

Happy TOOSday!  and good luck in the drawing for an autographed book by Mary Lou.

Em

Would you like to win an autographed book? Come play with me, CELEBRATING! Mary Lou Weidman's new book

I LOVE LOVE you too, Ms. Mary Lou!  he he he!

Mary Lou has sent me an autographed book that is newly released this past month and I am excited to give away to one of YOU!!!!

How fun for your library!

This book is a GODwink in my life....I had received a phonecall 2 days prior to receiving or reading this book and was asked to make a baby quilt with cows as the theme....YEP, cows!  and guess what is showcased in Mary Lou's book?  YEP! 

I decided to combine different ideas in the book in to this piece...still in early stages as you can see. 

Gotta love the wonky star!  and I decided to follow Mary Lou's admonition to use brights for baby quilt in place of the typical...fun to go buy some KAFFEE's to CELEBRATE! this coming babe.

Sean looked through the book and remarked, "I bet I know which one will be your favorite."  Hmmmmmmmmmm, why would he ever think of this one with the cake, he he he!

CELEBRATING! the talent and fun of Mary Lou...and she CELEBRATES! God in her dedication....

And now for the good stuff, the rules for playing in this giveaway.

The giveaway will continue through Wednesday evening.  Your entry to the giveaway is leaving a comment on this post of a DEDICATION if you were publishing this book

or...

What would be the symbol in your CELEBRATE! quilt if you were creating one using Mary Lou's template.  In the narrative below the birthday cake quilt she encourages the reader to choose a celebration and then create!

Have fun and good luck...as for me..

It's milking time, off to create some udders,  hoochie mama flowers, a chick riding on Miss Cow and......

The EMbellishments are sure to be fun!

Love, Em