"You know that feeling when you see someone you love and the only thing that matters at the moment is that moment?"

This post will be one of few words because it seems they would cheapen the sentiments of my weekend. I even become emotional as I begin to type the post. My boys were both with me for the weekend, mom and shop hopped to island quilt stores while eating ginger snaps and tatting and reading on the ferry and....a quilt class I will never forget nor could have imagined the beauty that was in store as I signed up for it. Sitting in a circle listening to Gwen's stories, revelling in the quilts as she brings them out and advises on the process of making a small quilt and my favorite....as she made the rounds and she sat down next to me and looked in my eyes as she spoke to me and nodded as she was listening. A woman who I admire and now I love because of a fun intimacy she shared with us. Her adorable stories and little giggles as she would tell the punch line, teach us the secret to small curved strips in a piece and sitting in a group as we talked about little boys and their love for scraps and how fun it must have been to be with girlfriends in a red tent.....She told me that quilting is the process and if we all leave having had a good time that day then it was a success and a quilt top would be a bonus.....And my project, a tiny quilt for a dear girlfriend who shares the joy of art inspired by maxi pads.....hence the stuffing left as embellishment and the labels from packaging. Off the wall but so is she! Speaking of off the wall, something about a lady coming up behind me and asking, "Are you Em?" Turning around to my delight and having Stephanie a dear blog friend introduce herself and have our cyber lives become real. We shared a table, stories and I found it hard to believe that we were together. Love to you on this Sunday! Em

Jean Wells, I like your inspiratoin!!!!!

I love Ms. Wells' advisement of finding inspiration for quilts in our everyday world...How about a surf magazine ad? I guess I did it a little backwards....began the piecing and quilting of Sea and Sand and then found the pic that was what I had visualized in my mind. With the help of the design Earn Your Stripes also. May you find some inspiration during your Friday moments!!! Em

Making progress.....

Rolling along as Roxy takes the helm. Thank you, Green Fairy, for your inspirations with quilting designs. I began to enjoy the quilting when I let the perfectionism go........Happy Thursday! Mom and I are off to Port Gamble to a quilt shop, ferry at 2:30 and I am so excited. I can imagine some fun with be had! And yep, 2 days!!! until Gwen Marston. I will post pics friends! Em

Seems only natural....that pebbles and tidal designs on the beach would....

Be happy dancing people when the quilt is turned on its side. Not done purposefully but I am excited with the happening. Wishing Green Fairy was doing her own magic with this quilt, but knowing that I will get it done, off I go to quilt some more.

My sister's "visual aid" for her class she is teaching this Friday at Quilt Beginnings in Columbus. This is her pattern and so cute! To hear the delight in her voice as we talked about the success of her first class she taught a couple of weeks ago on the Mariner's Compass, I wish I could be there for the class this week. She is such a sweetie and her quilting is amazing!

Monday's Mantra.....Row row row your boat....or is it the question, "What floats your boat?"....the ebb and flow of the tides.....and of course a favorite of mine...The ripple effect...And while on a easy river paddle, what better than a hot dog for the picnic....Mom's current quilt is the red and yellow quilt taken from the book photographed on this post from the pattern, Dancing Squares. Mom loves hot dogs so she and I have decided to name her quilt Mustard and Ketchup with relish on the side since one of the yellow squares will be a green POP!.....How do you like Noah's assistance with my Umbrella Girls quilt, he went to my garbage can and picked out the tiny yellow scraps to make the tennis shoes into stilettos...He is a funny little boy. Happy Monday, friends. In 6 days, 6 days.....Gwen Marston and a room full of quilters, CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!! Love, Em

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm! mmmmmmmmm, Good! "M" is for....Mom, Muertos, Moving in, Me, Mayhem, hmMMMMMMM!

Me oh My! Mom's the word.....and having raised a wonderful son who I did not carry for 9 months but carried through 15 years of his life so far....Mom means so much more than just what Hallmark writes in the middle of a card. I CELEBRATE the women who are moms in every nuance and essence of those three letters. And a special hug to ladies who dreamt of being a mom and experienced heartache month after month....With every holiday comes 2 sides....and for special sisters whose Mother died this past winter, thinking of you on this holiday weekend. May: Matriarch Month! Love from a woman whose new bestfriend is an umbrella, Em

Huffing and puffing....I forgot to look up!

The moment I saw this boardwalk at the beginning of Sunday's mountain bike ride at Duthie Hill, I thought....Jean Wells and her book,Intuitive Color and Design. And that was where the thought stayed, in the middle of a plank floating on the boggy waters......beyond this pathway, all guts and a lot of huffing and puffing!

"Noah and Sean, let me go ahead so that I can photograph you as you come down the boardwalk...." I love comparing the top boardwalk that I met at the beginning of our virgin ride to this mountain and then this photo of Noah leaving the park on the boardwalk. Initially, there was only the unknown and nature at its naked raw..... and leaving, memories and real stories of my family's mayhem. If you were to ask me a regret I have from my younger years.....that I did not train and go to the Olympics in mountain biking. It is a passion of my mine that so many people know little about......

Do you see what I see with the theme of this blog post in mind? I bought this fabric last week imagining it to become a part of a quilt with a bird theme....birds of a feather....but instead, tread of bike tires in the mud of Duthie.....and how fun that the bike tread is skewed hearts hooked! Oh the metaphors when one chooses to look and see and play with ideas!

My boardwalk planks are cut from a fabric that was aspen trunks. Little too light in color I realize so I tried to darken with the tan quilting thread. Initially I was disappointed because the planks look like a spine to me. But then....gotta have a backbone to ride the mountains so it seemed to work out for me. I am one who does not like to unpick my quilts so a good spin is a relief for me.

Finished piece......and the story behind the title of this post. The theme of this art piece is, Along the journey don't forget to look up, there are treetops if you take a moment to enjoy them. There are not any tree tops in this piece because I was so focused on breathing and picking my line since it was technical and my first time to this park that I never looked up, just at the trail or my surroundings eye level. While quilting last night on the porch, a friend of mine who has had quite a journey with drugs and alcohol and is now sober and completing college, texted me and I realized this piece was meant for him. He commented at one moment in the conversation that he could not wait to finish school and get on with his goals. I asked him to remember to look up during this final year and see the tree tops!.... Love, Em

How did I do, Miss Green Fairy?.....

This patriotic dolly quilt is complete minus binding and what a wonderful piece to practice with Roxy. If you are new to this fmq thing, have you found that fabrics that can guide your quilting with echoing is helpful. It sure is for me. The Green Fairy quilted a flag for my father a couple of years ago and I did my best to try and remember ditties that she had quilted in the stripes. I also used her idea for gettiing a the puffy trapunto effect by using double battings. Now for the fun part...shopping at a fabulous moms-and-pops toystore in my neighborhood for the doll. I could get used to this non-career thang! Happy Wednesday, nor more wilderness but a whole lot of celebrating still! Em

Not sure what to title this.......maybe stash and stuff.....

Would you agree with me that it has been too long since I have had a pic of mom's current project. Look how fun this grape block is! Mom will soon be here to my home for the month and I cannot wait!!!!! She brings out a spunk in me during visits that seems to go dormant in her absence. So fun to celebrate Mom's Day with her in person.

With a new quilt room comes a new organizing system. IKEA large bags for each color of scrap and always out begging to be used. Until I met Victoria at Bumblebeans, I threw away scraps and now...quilts are inspired by them and her and you!

"Made Fabric"....yummy peaches and the infamous names of Santa's helpers. Sighed as I stitched the fire streaks that I used in my oldest's high school grad quilt. So long ago it seems and I miss him!

Celebrating the Siamese twins. Do you see the 2 beating hearts from my Parts Department that my sis gifted 3 years ago to me. YEP! soon to thank Gwen Marston in person for her inspiration of recycling and the idea of Parts Department.

I had no idea that today's dolly quilt would be a wonky made fabric American Flag. There is a Godwink with this whispering that has yet to be revealed....Are you the Godwink as you read this blog post? Happy TOOsday! Em

The wonky, the symmetrical and the bountiful....

I celebrate ripple effects as I add this tiny strip of sea and sand. Having so much fun playing with mod wonky. Hoping to have this done for when I travel to Vashon Island this Friday for Katie Pederson's book signing and quilt exhibit at Island Quilter. I would like to ask how she would quilt it. I am thinking straight geoetric lines to mirror the design.

There are few things I have always enjoyed more than eating outside whether it be on a picnic, on a porch, camping or at a favorite breakfast spot. The beauty of living in Washington is that the temps are chilly and invite a sweatshirt and outdoor heater. Since procuring an umbrella, rain or shine (literally) I am on the porch. This morning Noah enjoyed hot cocoa and coffee and Porsche's doggy loves while playing chess. Can you see the humor on Noah's mug? Squirrel costumed as a bird so that it will be given food. I so love this and Noah giggles each time he uses it!

Douglas home made the local bird church services announcements. After days of looking and beseeching birds to come and eat from the feeders, it was a frenzy today. I joked that it was singles social today after church services. Parenting never ceases to amaze me for opps of teaching and opening channels for communicatoin. Noah asked if the mother birds in nests taking care of eggs are "single moms". Interesting to hear him ask and then we googgled and went on to have a bird study course with a lot of giggling as we made up funny jokes and also spoke of importance of loyalty to a mate. Didn't know that buying bird feeders to admire while eating meals would lead to such meaningful chat about relationships and love. Happy Sunday eve, Em

Inspired by the sea, beach and the pattern, Earn Your Stripes

I would daresay that I am most in love with this fabric clumping right now. So delicious as I create with the soft hues and as I piece I envision the spa ambience of cucumbers in water and yummy mint. Will be a throw for our living room and hoping for a weekend of play and piecing. Hope you are all well! Em

Do ever think, "I have an idea and I need to create it right now! I have 2 hours until I need to arrive to a quilters gathering and have not created my hostess gift yet. Sometimes I do not realize that ideas are sprouting up in my mind but when I enter the quilt room I go straight to a bag of scraps and there it is.....a retro fabric mimicking flapper gals sewing....HOW PERFECT for my first Rebels meeting, right? As I created this small mug rug to commemorate my first my initiation, it was fun to let my mind wander and wonder. Laughter was gathered in the reeds of the basket strip on this tiny quilt and what fun we all had! Green Fairy, your quilting of my Muertos Neighborhood was inspiring for many there. I miss you, Judi!!!!

While at Rebels, I had the fun of sitting by Patty and her gifting me this challenge fabric. Is your guess the nurse or the tucan for the assignment? I was so inspired by the meeting that I came home and pieced and played for hours and am excited to play some more today. I am discovering with the small quilts that I am journaling with them and the text fabric and applique cut-outs are entertaining for me as I recant stories that are sewn into each piece. This is a type of spoof on General Hospital meets Wild Kingdom....male birds aka doctors fluffing their feathers for the hot new nurse on the unit.....Sounds sarcastic but unfortunately all so prevalant in the medicine world.

Playing with photography as Sean and I waited in the bike clinic for the addition to our family, Scott, is the babe's new name and his 2 wheels are smooth as a baby's bottom. Just like the old days, rode 10 miles and giggled with one another along the bike path by the lake and pinched bums and kissed whenever a stop sign pops up. A type of honeymoon for us as we have been able to play together while both off work and Noah in school. A gift of 3 weeks I will always treasure and reminds me that I will never allow myself to become a runaway train in a career.

Watching a squirrel as I type.....CELEBRATING LOVE in all of its beautiful wrappings! Fur, bike spandex, girlfriend laughter and joy while shopping at local quilt shops. Happy Thursday!!!! Em