Smokin' Hot Ideas- When that certain special someone or more than 1 someone comes into your life- CELEBRATE!

I was perusing blogs tonight and am so fired up that I probably won't sleep tonight or wake up every hour wishing I would get up and cut some fabric. The quilt talent I have found is so beautiful and humbling and such a rush, I GET SO AMPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was discovering new blogs and visiting my friendly favs and I found a touching post by Erin at her blog The Patchwork Place. I don't know how to link it but it is under "blogs I follow" and I encourage you to go there to celebrate her energy! I don't believe in chance, instead some cute wonky Mary Lou angel whispered to me :). It was titled Distraction and I still didn't realize the content until, POOF, there was my name. What a wonderful soul and I celebrate you, Erin! I noticed you visited me 4 hours ago so I hope your children will participate in the games celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr Day.

Celebrating sledding, smiles and the love that the "Napkin" lives amongst!

If you recall the good-bye party a couple of weeks ago when the "Napkin" departed to my sister's home to live, this is the love that it gets to witness each day as it decorates their home! I should have sewn in a secret spy camera so I could always be a part of their lives :). My sister , top photo, is with "Babe" as Coulson is nicknamed. Sharon's quilt is the one we are so excited to unveil from Judi's. Happy Sunday and may the week be full of celebrations!!!!!!!!!!

It's official!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RaeAnna is a quilter!!!!!!!! I celebrate her cut out top!

Games for children......Celebrating......A Man that Died for his dream and everyday people making a stand...

I have been quilting and thinking of tomorrow's holiday and humbly thinking of Martin Luther King, Jr and of his greatest sacrifice so that the above embrace is "more than a dream" or aspiration.

Games for children.... Let the fun begin....................

Time to CELEBRATE beauty of children and their wisdom....If you know of children who would like to participate, please have them visit the site or forward the games so that they can participate. Games will end 9:00 pm Utah time tomorrow.

1. first game is: How many words can you form out of "Martin Luther King, Jr.". 2 different winning categories: Will be a contest for children k-first grade and then 2nd grade and up. Please email the number and it will be based on the honor system. Winners will be asked to submit their words to help with spelling and typing skills.

2. second game is a craft project with the theme "I have a dream"....no right or wrong project so please let your child or the child free create what the child thinks of when hearing/ reading this title. I ask that a photo be taken of the craft project and submitted under "comments" Winner will be chosen Tuesday morning.

3. third game: Share with me an instance of when you, the child, stood up for something or someone you believed in even if you were scared.

Have fun and I look forward to celebrating your sweet entries! And to all you parents to whom your children have proclaimed boredom today, POOF!, activites to busy them and allow for some quilt time :).

Stage 3- Outer borders on and some silliness stitched in.....

Having so much fun with this quilt and not pressuring myself to finish in a quick timeline as I have done in the past.... I included the bottom photo because it is my silly side. Aaron's wonderful girlfriend, Melissa, is a phenomenal cook so I placed the chef fabric in his "tummy area" and the "beer" as the finish upper. Didn't initially think of including these "hunks" so I am grateful I have slowed the creative process to allow for some inspiration! Gotta have some silliness in it right?

I can't stop celebrating Lee Webb's gift!!! You won't believe this.....

I have yet to see a mountain lion on my wilderness vists, but Lee has an eye for them and here is a photo from a couple of years ago. While the horses from yesterday's post are expectantly looking forward to an unveling of a quilt from Judi and my sis, this lion is seeing if it is on the other side of the mountain. May the spirit of the Sabbath be yours today.

2nd round of editing.Celebrating RaeAnna having just bought all her sewing necessities and about to begin her first quilt. Join if you would like!!!!

Finished pinwheel sweetie, let's begin!!!

To begin, fold your fabric matching the selvages which are the finished edges of the fabric. Match the selvages and if the edge of the fabric is not even, we will even it up.

If your left edge is not even as it is folded, cut 8 1/2" strip. Then turn the strip so that your newly cut edge is on the 8 inch line and cut which will make your strip an even 8" strip.

Unfold your eight strip. Cut off the edge of the strip because it is selvage and usually has an odd lock. Then using your ruler cut two 8 inch squares.

You need two of these 8 inch squares for each pinwheel block

This fabric is used as the larger triangle in the pinwheel so you cut in half yielding 2 triangles from the square. DO the same with the 2nd 8 inch square so that you have 4 triangles for each pinwheel block.

Lay out your triangles to envision the pinwheel :).

Now for the smaller inner triangles that make up the remainder of the pinwheel. Repeat above steps to get 8 inch strip of fabric.

Layout strip of fabric

Cut one 8 inch square that will become 4 triangles for this pinwheel block.

Becoming smaller................... corner to corner like you did the the brown square.

Then cut from other corner to corner yielding 4 small triangle. Can also pretend that you are creating a fabric railroad crossing sign :)

triangles after being cut.

repeat steps earlier with brown and white fabric for the final triangles. 8 inch strip.

Unfold 8 inch strip

Cut one 8 inch square.

Corner to corner and then other corner to corner to make 4 small triangles.

Creating the railroad crossing sign...

Put them together and voila!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do this process 3 more times to yield 4 pinwheel blocks.

Sewing them together is next....................................Let me know RaeAnna when you are ready.

They are waiting for the unveiling.. ..

Lee Webb blessed us all with another phenomenal photo capturing 3 beautiful horses. With me reading The Shack, of course you can imagine what I envision. the Trinity is all its splendor....

If you remember the beautiful star quilt that I posted a while ago done by my wonderful sis, another awesom creation is coming your way soon. The horses are excited and so am I!!!!! I spoke with Judi this morning who was tickled with how the quilting was coming along. I just checked her greenfairy quilt blog but it isn't posted yet. I can't wait to CELEBRATE Sharon's talent and Judi's art!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonky- British term meaning Crazy or Dizzy....I celebrate no rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I hang these quilts I am wondering if the shop quilt posted older than this will seem like a more inviting class for people. As I was waiting for photos to upload, I read an exerpt in the "The Shack" that fits wonky to a tee.

"It was chaos in color. His eyes tried unsuccessfully to find some order in this blatant disregard for certainty. Dazzling sprays of flowers were blasted through patches of randomly planted vegetables and herbs, vegetation the likes of which Mack had never seen. It was confusing, stunning and incredible beautiful." Describing wonky quilting, human nature, garden, first time parenting...

Quilted Works mailer arrived yesterday and it's official.....

It's official, I am going to teach my first quilt class this April at a local fabulous shop, Quilted Works. I am excited because this is the quilt we are using to showcase the "wonky concept". My hope is to get some St. George wonky quilter converts by introducing the style done without a pattern and no paper piecing. I struggle with the fabric and definitely do not think one of my better projects but happy enough with it. I am going to hang some of my more favorite quilts with it so that people are not scared off with the muted colors :).......I would like your honest opinion if you would come and play with me. May be a fun vacation for you all to come and play with me in person instead of just through cyberspace.

Majestic, mysteious......The mustang

I was gifted this photo from Lee Webb yesterday. He took it 2 days ago in the upper field area. This mustang is a favorite of mine and travels with his wife and child few hundred yards from pavement. My first blessed sighting of him was 3 summers ago. I find this photo breathtaking and a reminder that the wild is still present in our world. Happy Friday!

Lady Ga Ga Celebrates the Bible.......a funny little story

If you are not familiar with who Lady Ga Ga is, Google her so you have a frame of reference. The following story will be that much more entertaining and endearing.......

Gorgeous afternoon in Southern Utah and little bursts of energy from people's hearts are flooding my soul! I picked up my Noah from school today and he put on his favorite CD by Lady Ga Ga. As we are gyrating and singing, he turns down the volume and looks me in the eyes, "It sounds like Lady Ga Ga is singing about the Bible, 'Bad Romans' even though we know it is 'Bad Romance'." I smiled and gave thanks to God that even techno-modern dance music can remind a 7 year old of the Bible and its teachings.

Knock, Knock....who's there.........

Celebrating the joy of hokey jokes that young children love to say!!!!!!!!!! Interestingly, when a 6 year old tells the joke .....the "bu-dum-bum-bum" is funny!

How do you have a party in outer space?

You "plan-et".

What a day, thanks to you all, Friends. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much!!!!!!

Hello, friends! What another wonderful day, thank you for your fun company! My cheeks hurt from all of the laughing and silliness!!!! This morning we started in an artsy-community, Kayenta, and enjoyed the meditative labrynth and java at Xetava. Arlette, Judi and Jenny, I was drinking coffee when you wrote. Don't you love the stained glass creations? My favorite is the women in the circle and i think this will be our symbol for our Wednesday travels!!!!!

And then off we headed to the red rock, sandstone and wildlife. Last WEdnesday we began with a golden eagle and today's red-tailed hawk was just as majestic. He had a sense of humor because as I was photographing him, he would hop from fence post to post....

Arlette, when I received a 2nd email it was at the time of the deer crossing, they are "mini mooses"- close as I will get to a moose in Southern Utah :).

Linz , Jenny, Tango and Bri, how about your timing with your email to me giving love to Lisa. I was in the tent with the adolescent girls giggling about made up Ice Cream that Ben and Jerry doesn't market. I'll skip the names but you can guess with them being of adolescent origin!!!!!!!!!! I love the girls with their funny humors and stinky feet! The orthodontia is sometimes a mini science experiment!!!

Tara and Ria, The final leg of my journey was hanging with funny adol boys who are coming into young adulthood. I was winding through the red rock areas picture and the reservoir when you wrote. The boys had their bows and rocks and were "busting fires". As one boy was passing he mentioned without a break, "Isn't she beautiful." I simply looked at the staff and tried to not giggle. Oh, young boys!!!!!!!!!!! and learning social cues. Began to downpour on us so we ran into a tent and the boys were being hilarious with all of the drips from the ceiling. I find them so amusing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And as I wind up our tour for today, I thank you for joining me and sharing snacks and coffee. Jenny, hope you feel rejuventated.

And....a little game to finish up this raucous fun- looking through the pictures and knowing me, Where did we eat our picnic lunch? First person to get it wins!