Homeless Teen Quilts, TX

One of the blogs I follow is Debra's Design Studio. She has committed to making quilts for homeless teens in TX. When I 1st decided to make a quilt there wasn't anyone to help me. I went to a big box fabric store, it may have been a Joanne's. I bought a starter kit, cutting board, ruler, rotary cutter and a beginning to quilt book. I didn't know anything about perfecting a quarter inch seam, how to design a quilt, nothing at all. I did most of it wrong. Cut my squares using the cutting board as the guide for the size. As you can imagine the quilt didn't come out like I envisioned. For about 10 years has been sitting in a plastic box waiting for it's moment to shine. When I found Debra's blog I knew where this quilt top needed to go. With great glee, I boxed up the top, extra blocks and another quilt top I had created as a Mystery Quilt project New Year's Day 2008 and sent them to Debra. Look what she has created!(Top 1 on the frame, Top 1 completed, Mystery Quilt completed) New homes for quilts and blocks I would never use - it's a wonderful feeling to assist in this worthy project. If you have UFOs, orphan blocks please contact Debra - she can sure use them.

Barack Obama, George Bush, The Change

I have read so many blogs today that are thanking God we have a new president and change has come. Not one blog has expressed any good sentiment about Mr. George Bush. I am also pleased we have a new president. I am grateful our democratic process works, that we the people have the right to chose who will lead us. I pray the new president leads us well.
I want to be at least one blogger that thanks Mr Bush for his service to this country. Did I agree with all he did? No. Only time will tell us what kind of president he truly was. I was taught not to judge without walking in someone else's shoes. We don't know, what President Bush knew as he made his decisions leading our great nation. Remember the people once elected him too, twice. Our nation has not been attacked since 9/11. Has Mr Bush kept us safe, without us knowing all that he did to keep us safe? Probably. For that I am grateful. The presidency is a difficult job, one I would not want to take on. Have you noticed how each president ages so quickly? President Obama will too. Does this mean I am bashing Obama? No.
I took lunch today with a number of nurses and residents in a nursing home. We sat, all of us white, and tears were in more than a few eyes as we watched the inauguration. Hope is what we talked about, hope is what we crave. Hope that President Obama will also be able to keep us safe, that he will be able to make those hard choices that are going to come his way. Will the American people agree with all he does? No, but we need to give him a chance and the time to let hope come to fruition. Farewell Mr Bush, Welcome President Obama.
Please tell me what you think.

Baby Shower for Baby Mac

My DIL sent pictures of the baby shower yesterday. I wish I could have been there but it's just to far for a quick trip. Looks like they had a great time.

The presents.
















Someone created a cake with baby items and a monkey. What a great idea.























Then showing the quilt I had done for Baby Mac.























The last pic is of a knitted outfit by Baby Mac's other grandmother.

Road to California Quilt Show

There is no picture to pique your interest in this post, you will have to click on the link provide to see some AWESOME quilted EYE CANDY. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and it is certainly true in this case. Words do not do them justice. This link will take you to The Road to California Quilt Show winners. I have been hearing about the progress of the Best in Show, Grape Harvest, (1st picture) and Best Group Quilt, Queen Mary (15th picture down) in one of my quilting groups. Marilyn and Lynn are certainly 2 very talented ladies. Congratulation to both of them. In addition Sharon Schamber took the Best Large Quilt category with Spirit of Mother Earth (9th picture down) She has a detailed view of part of this quilt as the header on her website. Congratulations to her as well. I hope you enjoy looking at all of this eye candy. Please let me know what quilts you like the best and why by adding a comment.

Cold Weather Quilting

As the north and even here in Western NC it is COLD. This morning, actually it was yesterday morning now, we had the coldest temp I can remember in our almost 8 yrs here in the sunny south. It was 4 degrees F. Apparently by the time I got up we were having a heat wave, it was up to 5! We moved south to get away from this kind of cold. We are blessed compared to those who are really up north. My nephew in WI was commenting on the snow they had been having. When I let him know we had snow as well he was amazed, didn't think we got the snow. All in all, I'm glad he is up there experiencing the cold and snow he is and I am only temporarily in the cold, arctic blast. My heart goes out to all enduring this brutal cold. Some of my ancestors come from MN. I was thinking about how they survived this type of cold in the 1800 and earlier 1900's without the conveniences we have today, central heating, running water, well insulated homes. I am grateful to be living in these times.

I have been so busy at work that I haven't had any time this week to quilt but the weekend is here and I plan on 2 days of quilting until I drop. The newest grandchild is due in 20 days. I have already made a quickie quilt and a bunch on fleece burp cloths, sent off earlier this week so they can be here for the baby shower this weekend. I wish I could be there but am saving my time off for when the baby gets here in Feb. I wish I didn't have to chose but we live 12 hrs away so it's not possible to pop in for a few minutes. I will be making several quilts with BABY GENIUS fabric for the new baby and the twins who turned 1 earlier this month. We will celebrate their birthday when we go north, hope it's warmer by then.

I added a new feature at the bottom of the blog. If you like puzzles, scroll down and enjoy. This is one of my mini landscape quilts titled Purple Mountains Majesty. I was created from the class Mini Landscapes taught at QuiltUniversity.com by Susan Brittingham. I just love Quilt University!

Quilt Art website and mailing list

For those interested in Quilt Art you can subscribe to a QuiltArt mailing list. Here is the link to the web site. This is not a blog, it is all via email. It is free but they do accept donations to help defray the costs to keep it up and running. It is a great group of talented, sharing artists. Here is the info if you are interested in joining.

*QUILTART INFO*
Visit http://lists103.his.com/mailman/listinfo/quiltart to subscribe
or unsubscribe from Quiltart.

In the short time I have been subscribed to this list (I am on digest because they are a prolific group) I have made new contacts, and more importantly learned so much from some of the best artists there are.

Flying Geese quilt blocks

I subscribe to The Quilt Show blog. The Quilt Show is an joint venture between Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson. They are 2 giants in the world of quilting. They have great quilters as visitors/lecturers and the subscriptions are reasonably priced. Today Ricky Tims demonstrated how to create Flying Geese blocks with just 1 seam. I had to watch the video, it is so easy. I avoid flying geese because I never can get them to come out right. I am going to have to try this. I have been dreading my plan to use this block as a border on a baby blanket. Now I can go sew with no fear. Please let me know if you found this method as easy as I did.

Top Dog and Cat Names

Found a link on the login page for MSN regarding pet names. Check out the weird names people have for their pets. I thought some of our nicknames for the furry family were different. I guess our names are relatively normal. Here are pictures by my DH, Dan Houck, (see link to the right) of Nelson Rockefeller, aka Rocky, aka Full Nelson (of Nelson Rockefeller fame), on the quilt I made for DH several Christmases ago. For those who don't know The Rockefellers were big in politics and charities in NY. Our other kitty is Conway Twitty the Kitty, aka Half Nelson or Little Nelson. Little Nelson is no longer so little. Enjoy!

Please remember to take the survey - link on the right. It only takes a minute or 2 and will help me make this a better blog. Thanks for helping.

Facebook

I am slowly moving into the 21st Century. I just joined Facebook.

Quilting and Sewing for Baby Mac

I received an email from my DIL today asking if I could make something warm and soft for the new baby. She must have been reading my mind. I have a Snuggle Up pattern, from Black Cat Creations, which is both a blanket and bunting in one. I'm going to make it up with flannels instead of Minke. If it turns out OK I may try it in Minke.

I had a meeting with a local shop owner Sherry Edwards of The Salt Box. I met Sherry this fall when I decided to check out her shop. one thing led to another, you know how it is when artists get together, and a new quilting class is being born. I will create a beginner quilting class that will start January 29th, 2009. We will have the class at The Salt Box. I am EXCITED to be working with Sherry to share one of my passions.

I also found a great podcast with Larkin Van Horn by Bonnie McCaffery. Larkin shows how she beads on her art quilts. Great Podcast Bonnie and Larkin! I have taken a class from Bonnie and found it quite fun and informative. I also got to eat lunch with her and she is as great in person as she comes across in her podcasts.