CELEBRATING....Charlotte, Women, and Mother's Day with GODWINKS!

Glory Glory to Woman on this Sunday Celebration!  This beautiful sculpture is in the Kayenta Art Village that I wrote of this week for the sidewalk artistry....I love the hearts and the circular motion of the women.. When I think of today's holiday, Mother's Day, I think of all the happiness and sadness and ambivalence that can be the spectrum based on each woman's experience in this life....And the ticking motion of life's clock...

Sometimes being a mom and having a demanding career and strong sense of independence as an individual...It can all knock my world upside down!

Or make me feel like I am floating on water....My all time favorite photo of me and my oldest on Christmas morning a few years back...Boy do I miss this kid who is now my near-21 year old Kid....

Mom, LOVE YOU!!!!

What glory there is in being a woman! and I love the pics of Mary being supported by a child...is it literal or reminder that a child's heart and soul is a foundation for being our true potential?

Today I celebrate in this post the LOVE from my family and from CHARLOTTE!  I received a package of incredible overflowing love and GODWINKS this week from her and I have waited for the moment to POST when I was inspired to do so....YEP, this morning was the moment I was waiting for!

I include the gifts together in the picture because of the marriage of my family in my home and in BLOGLAND as an uplifting experience of support and giving...All about what mothering is!

This past week my mom and sis were in Paducah and it was planned I would be there and then it did not pan out...Hard to receive texts from my mom of different photos and wanting to be with her....and if you note on this gift from Charlotte who lives across the ocean...The fabrics are from PADUCAH!  as though she knew.......  and how cute is this little mouse she has drawn on the love note?  I am excited to play with it as a quilting pattern with Roxy....

Note that the Folklorico small print fabric is in the corner and from Charlotte.  A week ago I went shoppign and randomly chose this large panel of fabric for a southwest future project.HMMMMMMM..same line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Do you think the little birdy in the flowers whispered to Charlotte?  Thousands and millions of bolt of fabric and we chose from same line....

I bought this teal batik yesterday for an enlarged future project...The breathtaking batiks Charlotte mailed to me are going to be an enlarged quilt piece of this sweet book mark that encourages me to BELIEVE.....I am excited to put my spin on it!  And underneath the fabric...a book, YEP, CHARLOTTE SPOILED ME!!!!  I am going to incorporate the book's wisdom in posts on my blog, PERFECT material!!!

And as I BELIEVE in life and CELEEBRATE the book mark....I am working on a wonky border for my BOO-LIEVE Hallowistmas block....Look how fun the orange and yellow stars fabric at top of quilt go with it and it is a fabric from Charlotte. 

I missed the detail that applique cannot be part of the block swap for Tonya so graciously she let me know and now the block is going to be a part of my 2011 Memory quilt with this block representing Mother's Day 2011....Little random but what is my focus for today's holiday!  My favorite is the mummy escaping the gravestone and Santa asking us to Come and Adore Him from a selvage....  BOO-LIEVE will be in Unruly Lettering in Celebration of Tonya!

Happy Woman Mothering and Mother's Day!

Love, Em

The CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG! Stephanie, you are my CELEBRATION today!

Sometimes I am simply speechless and Noah looks closely at my face knowing that I have tears in my eyes.....TEARS OF GRATITUDE AND JOY!!!!

Stephanie has gone above and beyond the CATty request to create a Monet block for my children's quilt...She created a bag to match with golden butterflies!

......and it is going to sound silly but a favorite detail of the gift is the button on the zipper-pull that reminds me of a lily pad...The care to detail speaks of the caring person she is!!!!!! 

She and Lynn and Caroll did the cat blocks for a personal assignment they are doing together with design and color, to be  the recipient means so much!  My litter of kitty blocks is nearly complete!!! WAHOO!!!!

Kitties coming and going, to me and to the kids...

I just had to place Miss Monet on a sitting rock in my backyard  bordering the pond! Stephanie has posted a wonderful note on the process of creating this lovely piece and I encourage you to go and enjoy the inspiration.  Her blog is posted below.  This cat block is amazing in that her beading work is mond boggling how time consuming it appears and such a fun embellishment.  I now realize how time consuming a little block can be and I am so grateful that no longer is a quilt measured by its size but its detail and heart sewn into it.   

I hope you have enjoyed this fun-ness...Now head on over to visit Stephanie at her blog, http://peasinapod.typepad.com/ to CELEBRATE HER!!!!!

And......

HAPPY SATURDAY! 

Love, Em

For the Friday Finale....Charlie and Christ......

Thank you, Tonya Unruly Quilter, for this fun creative exercise.  This very large block is for Tonya's project of wonky houses that marry the 2 holidays, Christmas and Halloween.....I used the BLAH fabric for the WAH WAH WAH noise in the Peanuts comic strip and of course,  I GIGGLED OUT LOUD when I realized that CELEBRATE was on my cartoon panel!!

How appropo that while creating this block tonight the WORD PLAY book by Tonya would come to my doorstep....I LOVE THE CONNECTIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Karen, the book is yours and on it way very soon! Thanks again for playing in the giveaway this week.

And with this final goal met for the night...Nighty night!

love, Em

Today is the day I make blocks for other's projects....Nice to have the time!

So this is the Chapter 2 of my blog post from the other day when a man said to me.. "I would not normally see those 2 food combinations together...and I responded...I am not your normal lady...."

Well....this is today's unusual combination....And I am so excited to be contributing!

Victoria at http://bumblebeansinc.blogspot.com/ requested people creat 6 1/2 " blocks using certain color schemes.  I got scared today when I visited the blog and these gorgeous blocks were the ones submitted so far...Out of my comfort zone...SO...she assured me to do my thing and HENCE!!! Do you think it will fit in...only with V's talent will it be able to meld into the quilt....

Chapter 3.....

A second block for the quilt for Victoria...We are supposed to note where we live on the block and so I decided to put a bunny on to represent all the little Peter Cottontails in my neighborhood...May be stretching it....

Love, Em

When I think of Freddy Moran....I think of.....COLOR! HOUSES! Stephanie!

Roxy let me know last night that it is all fun and dandy to show off her stickers of CELEBRATION but the true asset of hers that has never been unveiled is her single beautiful magical foot....SO....drum roll...

Something special about gardening for a friend!....Even if it entails simply decorating flowers and foliage and my nails don't get mud under them!

My first introduction to Stephanie's blog Kwiltzbystephanie.blogspot.com was a post encouraging me to combine words to make a new word for the upcoming 2011....JUBILANCING was mine and to this day I still let it roll off my tongue at times to remind me of....

I was driving down the highway of Blogland the other night and visited Stephanie and let out a giggle of delight as she had posted a CELEBRATION of Freddy Moran and her love for this quilter icon. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Freddy and I LOVE LOVE LOVE making wonky houses...well, I had a little ditty in the closet waiting for inspiration for the gifting and POOF! 

Stephanie, I hope you enjoy this art piece that signifies the neighborhood of Blogland that encourages friendship, inspiration, and daring to try and try and try again with technics that are new or challenging...A little ruffly curtain...it mimicks the joy I have of leaving my window open and peeking out the window as I stitch with Roxy...

Little peeks of mine and Roxy's love that we have stitched in the piece....

Thank you, Stephanie, for your love for life, CELEBRATION of the heart rock and your FABULOUS uplifting and inspiring BLOG!  The back of the quilt has apples to apples....I like to think that we are more similar in our styles than different.....

Drop by and Celebrate Stephanie!

Love, Em

Surprise art everywhere at my favorite art village! WINNERS announced!

Nana Girl, Yorkie Mom and Jennifer B....

Do you find yourself in this wonderful story mural?  Look really closely for the ones smiling big....

YOU WIN BOOK of your DREAMS!

Scrumptious orange cactus blooms....matched the warm caramel sauce that my bread pudding swam in for lunch today...A gentleman giggled at me and said, "Lager and Bread pudding for lunch...not the usual choice of pairings..." I giggled and assured him I am not the usual lady!  Something about treating a Thursday like a vacation weekend day!!!!

Sidewalk art from a festival a couple of weeks ago.... I LOVE LOVE LOVE Kayenta Art Village!

looking into her eyes.......the beauty of one artist's vision to see much more than pavement...

Love, Em

wonderFULL wednesday! GIVEAWAY- what book have you dreamt of winning?

If these little "messenger pigeons" could bring you any quilt book, which would you choose? 

 I am off to the woods to see patients today and will see many birds along the way.....Leave me a comment of your book of choice and tonight when I arrive home there will be a drawing for 2 books because there are 2 birds....!  Good luck!!!!

Love, Em

What will the mailman bring you today....Sometimes the suspense of strolling to the mailbox is the most fun!

This morning's mailbox...and every morning's mailbox...

.My shutters in the laundry room have "relaxed" and so I use this Valentine's mailbox from Noah's 3rd grade year to prop it open...I like the idea of it being empty and wondering what the day will fill with it as the sun rises each morning...

Lynn at http://alamosaquilter.blogspot.com/ created this Matisse block for my cat quilt I am creating for a school in Indiana...they don't know it yet so will be a fun surprise.....The background periwinkle fabric is gorgous and such a dramatic interp... Thank you, Lynn, so much!  I appreciate that you and Stephanie used my quilt as your project for last month's challenge and means a lot!  I hope that you are getting your LOOT IN THE BOOT prize anyday!!!!

And today Caroll's lovely package arrived in the mail...OOH OOH OOH!....

It's KEVIN!!!!!! Ok, just looks like him!   Caroll at http://westmighquilter.blogspot.com/ , I am CONFIRMING i received the love and am smiling big!...Please look closely at this block because it has 2 separate blues and it is so subtle that it reminds me

why seeing a quilt in person is so amazing!  Touching, smelling, LOVING!!!!!! it.

Because of Caroll sharing my quilt project, Lynn and Stephanie jumped on the wagon...Stephanie's will be arriving anyday and i CANNOT wait!!!!  And so Caroll and Lynn, your kitties are now together side by side! 

This is a block for the cat kids quilt also.   This the litter so far and I can't help but love that Kevin is CELEBRATING the quilt....I would normally not welcome cat hair on a project but in this case, seems apropo...KINDA like a PAT THE BUNNY book....

Seven weeks ago when Izzy had her kittens, One was born and then she waited for about 2 hours before birthing 4 more.....And to think Sean thanked God for blessing him with only one.....He should have knocked on wood as an AMEN!....

So it is with the cat blocks from dear friends....I started with one KITTEN and now they continue to arrive at my home and the litter increases!!!!!!  I have about 3 more coming and then...YEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Piecing begins...Stay posted...

My brain is on fire as I opened and photographed the quilt blocks today....  Yep, just like the birthing process...there is a lot more then just a kitten in this package from Caroll..... 

(notice that on the zippie bag I added the date she mailed it and the contents..)

Fortunately, no after birth... a "JUST DUCKY" card and MUG RUG..

The Ducky card is a cartoon of a TEACHER just chillin'....a sort of, "Hell, I don't care" attitude...or IT'S a FREE FOR ALL as the Year comes to a close or...."I'm flying by the seat of my pants for today's classes..."

Have you ever found that when you let go of the reigns and GO FOR IT...how fun it can be and the surprises that can come from JUST WINGING IT?!.......

The mug rug is fabulous because it is "SOMETHING FROM NOTHING...."  I love how one side is a blank white canvas for my coffee and the other side is a drawn/ sewn in mug by her hand and a HEART!!!!!!  She could have put anything and this is what she chose..LOVE IT!!!!

Blank Canvases....

Well, then I think of Victoria's project of making a block...SOMETHING FROM NOTHING....

or Julie and her White Coat Project...All the different interps of the creative processs!!!!

And Caroll...This is me in the same bag as the gifts, dated today with a smile of gratitude and joy and THANK YOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the part of the post where you should not try this at home....

Stonehenge....Are you familiar with the word and what it means?  If not please Wikipedia....The famous painting that Caroll interped in her Van Gogh Cat blockabove  seems to mirror the stony miracle of Stonehenge..HMMMMM...Caroll, did you notice the selvage?

And now I am off to jump rope with Noah and Sean....

Jump for joy....Jumpy....Jumping through hoops..

TOO fun on TOOSday..

Love, Em

It's a jungle out there....the front door that is...The babies are explorers now!

Patch welcomes you to my home....and a final CELEBRATION of Ewok #1 who moves in a couple of hours to a new home...Soon to be at 3 babies......

If he could narrate a story...He'd tell you that the artwork on the walls is a CELEBRATION of Moab where Sean proposed to me and Zion's masterful face. 

 Once a house...Now a home....I had a moment of nostalgia as the kittens explored the front yard for the first time and amazingly I had a moment where it was 6 years ago and I was seeing the house for the first time...

There is something so uplifting for me when creating in my home of warm yellow plastered walls and rich browns of woodwork..Blue doors, they absorb the blue of the world so that we can keep it from seeping into our hearts...  Sadness is a welcomed emotion that allows for bounteous hugs and comfort but the BLUES are not my friend...SO many years the doors did not absorb it and my heart did....And now...A nice little way to enjoy a beautiful color....Yellow of the sunshine with hints of blue sky..fortunately the thunder clouds stay away much longer then they used to....

Their own little jungle, fun to see them meeting the outside world for the first time!  They are not so sure about the rocks under their feet but the leaves are very fun to jump up and snatch....and the favorite discovery...

That MOM'S tail is still the best entertainment!

Kicking off the week CELEBRATING MOM's!!!!

Love, em

PS...Can you tell I took the day off...So nice to have a quiet day of walking Porsche, playing with kittens and looking forward to Sean's arrival home from work travels that have been way too long! 

PSS...I miss you guys when I do not have the time to post.

2011 CELEBRATION quilt...2nd block in honor of MAY DAY!

Oh The Places You'll Go...A marvellous read by Dr. Seuss and this is my interp of Life...the people we meet while keeping my eyes and heart to heaven....

There has gotta be a GODWINK with this mini quilt that I created this past hour....nothing is sewn, just laid out and I wonder what the final product will be?.....It is my hope that as you read this post something speaks to your heart and if you are not Christian, that the METAPHORS speak to your beliefs and you HEART!!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning I awoke and wanted to add some rays around the Trinity...Created this block on May Day hence making the triangles out of miniature baskets....I have decided to create blocks that commemorate different days of this year and then piece together to CELEBRATE my 2011...May end up being mini quilts all lined up or in a calendar or.....But I am having so much fun with the idea...CINCO DE MAYO is the next one using an album cover...COMING THIS WEEK!....

Jenny, did you envision this being the first use of these fabulous fabrics you mailed me?  I know I didn't!!!!   I love the BLOG FRIENDS in the corner...and the small girl reassuring the LORAX...his eyes look so forlorn.

Last night's piece before adding the MAY DAY celebration....

Metaphors are a best friend to me and so much of my approach in life and has been since starting my nursing career 18 years ago teaching groups to adolescents in crisis...brick walls being issues that hinder living.....STONE SOUP and the power of believing....

Kevin and the Cat and I am biking by as we say prayers.....Do you think God is ticklish when getting pedicures? 

The Shack is a book that changed my life, I will never forget reading the scene of Jesus dropping the casserole and God razzing him.....Something so endearing about depicting God as a man with a sense of humor and abundance of love and forgiveness...Hmmmmm

SOUNDS LIKE PARENTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How did you CELEBRATE your MAY DAY?
Em

Unruly quilter....Skeletons....Penguins singing Christmas Carols...Yep!!! Next Project

When I tell you that I have not made a house for Tonya's next project marrying Halloween and Christmas...and you are familiar my love for making wonky houses....I don't have to tell you how excited I have been to start the fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So....

I have played with my Day of the Dead quilt adding my Christmas fabrics to give ideas of what I am about to play with.  If you double click on the photos of the quilt, you will CELEBRATE Green Fairy's quilting that is amazing....

Grim Reaper meets Penguins roasting chestnuts and Rudolph was just wants to take a break...

Tonya, I am so excited to get sewing!!! 

Can you spot the special bottle of beer in the above party?....How many of been to the Post Office lately and giggled as you saw the stamp below?....

.Making my Mark...Putting My Stamp On It....a mini project for my week coming up....

Are you ok if I introduce Monday Mantra today?.....You know me, breaking the rules when it is ok....I have no idea what tomorrow's workday holds for me so I am staying ahead of the game....

GIVEAWAY....

How do you make your mark..

I say stamp and you say....

Stamp collecting.....

Return to sender for not enough postage....

Noah thinks of the Statue of Liberty Stamp and then I think, V!

Denied.....

Approved.....

Passports....

Char's CELEBRATE stamp she gifted me.....

Stamping stomping feet....

Leave me a ditty, send me a photo, create a 15 minute project..YOU GET IT...whatever your creative brain comes up with....

Winner announced sometime this week....Don't delay in playing with me!

PS.....Jenny was the lucky winner this week of the riddle about a quilting book that collaborates 2 quilt artists using same fabric and creating 2 different quilts...

MATERIAL OBSESSION 2....It is fabulous!!!!

Thanks to all for playing with me during this giveaway and hope you have an oppurtunit to pour over this book and get inspired!

Off to play with creepy crawlies, sweet Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin Patch and penguins singing, 

JOY TO THE WORLD!!!!!

Love, Em