Things that blessed me today and could bless you too.

These beauties are due to go on my Market quilts. I just got an order from Theresa who does all kinds of wonderful things for her community and she hires challenged adults to fill the bags. I think her buttons are out of this world and also she is a wonderful person. Go to her website at-
http://www.hillcreekdesigns.com/ You can find her buttons in any color of the rainbow....

I got this in the mail today from my friend Mel who knew I was looking for these silly and wonderful foods by Eric Carle who wrote the books I read to my kids and read to my Grandkids.

This fabric is the stuff of imaginations and everyone should have some for a story quilt.

"My wallhanging surprise from Cherise and Robyn"

As a quilter you don't get many quilts from people as a gift. My two friends surprised me with this and I adore it. If you click on the photo for a close up, you will enjoy the cute quilting that makes it even more special. Stay tuned in a few days I am going to show you an awesome angel quilt my chatroom friends made when I sent them free angel patterns . It's awesome.

AND- if you scroll down on the right side you will find TWO very important things. One is the signup for my newsletter which I am almost done with and will post this week and two is the TEACHER LIST OF BLOGS (in the little box)-These are Grand Poobahs in the nicest way and they have loads of cool things to share. It is well worth checking out what these ladies have to share about quilting and cool stuff.

I have more to share this week, stay tuned.

Teaching at John C.Campbell Folk Art School

The new catalogue is out for the John C. Campbell Folk Art School and I am teaching there in January. It is going to be a wonderful time in a wonderful place.

A FINE TIME WITH GREAT FRIENDS

Can you feel the danger I had to face when I went to sew with six of my closest friends? It was scary but I faced the terror (of this sign) anyway with sewing, chit chat, story quilts, new quilts made of my new fabrics from "HAPPINESS IS" (Benartex) shhhhh IT's a secret, gourmet cooking, learning to make notebook covers, trying out new gadgets, praying for friends with cancer who we love, fairy gifts and alot of laughter.

Our house on the ocean we lived in...

The scene out our window...the sunsets were beautiful and watching eagles fish, ospray and herons go for food each day was so fun to watch. The man next door to us took his Mother out in a row boat to get crab out of a crab pot and the Mother stood up and we watched the rescue...don't stand up in a row boat in the ocean :0) That's my advice....

This was part of our lesson (above) of how to make book covers and glitz them-they are cool!

Here is a finished quilt out of my new fabrics that will eventually go to a nice child. Love those plaids which you do NOT have to match. :0) My girlfriends had this put together in NO time.
THIS FABRIC IS NOT ON THE MARKET YET AND WON'T BE SHOWN SO IT IS A SECRET UNTIL THEY OFFER IT, FOR ONLY MY BEST FRIENDS-SHHHHHHHH

This is an adorable "Happiness Is" quilt that I am hoping that benartex will offer as a pattern to those who buy the fabrics for their shops. This photo does not do justice to this quilt. It will be doubly as delightful once it is quilted.

NO ONE HAS SEEN THIS QUILT OF THIS FABRIC BEFORE-IT IS NOT ON THE MARKET YET BUT SHOULD BE THIS FALL AROUND MARKET TIME-WHY AM I SHOWING IT TO YOU? BECAUSE I AM ONLY SHOWING IT TO MY BEST FRIENDS TO SHOW HOW WONDERFUL IT IS. I ADORE THE MANY COLORS IN THE LINE AND THE POSITIVE MESSAGES TOO-


Part of the sheer joy of traveling with girlfriends is the things you see. We stopped for lunch at this cute town and I took this photo of the ocean through the doorway with the eye of my friend helping me get it just right. :0)

If you come to Washington State on the west side you will see the wonderful artwork done by the Indians that live here. Their art is wonderful and many quilters take their designs for inspiration.

This sign was on the building we ate lunch in........

I am proud of the beauty of Washington State and when I was little my Father took us to the ocean each summer while he salmon fished...I will always have the ocean in my heart.

I bought earrings in this shop for my daughters and Granddaughter and Daughterinlaw. It is where the movie Practical Magic was filmed...I never saw the movie but there was a sign there.

This is a peek of a quilt that is going to be in my story quilt book I am working on. It is spectacular and I can't wait to see it quilted.

There were so many many beautiful poppies and flowers on the western coast of Washington. I took dozens of photos of just flowers to enjoy. Hope you enjoy this also.

Perhaps you cannot afford to do something like this for a week but if you and some dear friends wanted to get together to sew perhaps you could find a friend's house, a hotel room, a church that would allow you to use for sewing and fun. The point isn't so much where you stay but that you are with true, loyal and dear friends who laugh with you and care about you and that you can love back. This is the beauty of quilting. You meet friends and your friendship grows if you nurture it. I have become good friends with many of you and I hope for a good summer for you and for the gift of true happiness and beautiful flowers, good vegetables and fruits, great friends, fresh air and water, something good to put on your hands to make them soft and smell good, great fabrics to work with, inspiration, something good to read (including the Bible), cold lemonade, good pasta, great bread, enough walking to keep your weight in check (my battle), and something funny that makes you laugh several times a day.

Seasons of my Garden-it's a miricle I am thankful for each day

Winter it is pretty empty in my garden

Spring brings a few little plants looking for the sun....

Early summer and things start hopping and I hope for some color back there....

The 4th of July hits and the color and happiness and whimsy of my garden begins again

I have so many different colored, beautiful roses this year...like a colorwheel in my backyard!

I thought these poppies were really quite different and wonderful.

Here is one of my little garden angels hiding. My Grandkids love looking all over and trying to find them.

Hops climb around my bottle tree-more color whimsy and fun back there

The poppies were blooming by the hundreds and sadly, i took this after most of them got caught in a huge rainstorm.

Now I am waiting for my tomatoes, chard, dill, eggplant, pumpkins, squash, cucumbers and onions to come on strong....
I am on my way to Whidby Island for a week of sewing with friends.

BY THE WAY, IF YOU LIVE IN SPOKANE, I WILL BE GIVING A LECTURE THERE THE 24TH OF JULY-WANT MORE DETAILS? CHECK OUT WASHINGTON STATE QUILTERS/SPOKANE CHAPTER ON GOOGLE.

I HOPE TO SEE MANY OF YOU THERE.