Northwest MUSEUM OF ARTS AND CULTURE-SPOKANE WASHINGTON

Below the photo was taken from a landing...all of the quilts together were breathtaking and wonderful in every way......

Well, today was a lovely day for Kathy and I. We set out to visit our local Museum and see the quilt show and painting display we had heard so much about. It was wonderful and after about three hours, we walked out to the parking lot filled with colors, designs and ideas. We went to dinner and talked about the quilts and the paintings we had trouble interpreting. It was great fun and we are proud of our Museum. If you live anywhere close to Spokane, I would suggest you come and see this wonderful show. Well worth the money. The gift shop is one of the best I have seen. Aren't the gift shops always a highlight?

This is by far my most favorite quilt and it is inspiring in that I am going to add some of these things (wheels) to my current quilt I am doing. Such fun and will be so much fun to teach. I actually did these a few years ago and now I can add them to a story quilt!

Kathy and I agreed that our favorite part of this show was the crazy quilts. I think for me it was because it was the closest of any of the quilts that came to a story quilt. I am so inspired and full of ideas for story quilts now that my book is in full production that it is hard to think of anything else. I just wish that some of these quilts from the late 1800'2 and early 1900's would have had stories of people in them. Think about this please. In 80 years, what will people know about YOU from your quilts? Please do story quilts to tell the world about YOU and who you love.

Below are cigar bands...what fun to read what they say.....

OK, so in many of my three to five day classes, I give out tiaras. I often call us "Hoochy Mamas" after the piecing technique I teach by the same name. I was excited to see these Hoochy Mama's on the cigarette silks below. Aren't these fun? I have some of these and they are just shredded from time and the silk rotting. I adore the images.

Vavavoom!

Possibly my Grandfathers dream girl....or yours too...............

Below is just a portion of this huge and wonderful quilt!

Below is the beginning of another fabulous crazy quilt....so much detail and so many wonderful tidbits to look at.........

A cool horseshoe for luck....this was the best I could do for a photo but look at the thread work!

These flowers below were fabulous...all beads and threads...............

This gives you a good perspective of the blocks....and the fabulous quilt!

If this isn't ART, I don't know what is!!! You must see this show!

I know this next photo is a little blury but keep going......

I would love this quilt to hang in my house...wouldn't you? It is just spectacular!

Stay tuned for more from the Museum coming up this week...... Please add your comments, they encourage me to keep taking the time to blog.....

THE MAGIC OF THE FLOWER POWER BOOK AND WORKSHOPS-YOU SHOULD SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW!

The quilt in the background is one of my Flower Power books-this Seattle lady is trying to hide perhaps from the camera....it is a cool quilt!

This bird I made is HUGE and too big for any of my quilts......

The fabric we used in this flower power is awesome and still available in two colorways on my website at Marylouquiltdesigns.com

I teach the Hoochy Mama/Flower Power classes for shops and guilds...watch my schedule on my website-it is ever changing and growing....I'd love to meet you in this fun workshop

There are millions and flowers and variations of flowers and these make awesome quilts!

For a Big Smile check this out-it made my year and I am still dancing long after it is over!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ3d3KigPQM

Brevard and Ashviulle North Carolina- Spring and Beauty have Arrived!

This photo was taken at Jean's house (she and her husband love bears) when we went there for her home made ribs and sweet potatoes....Ann brought a strawberry pie-it was Spring there for sure!

A darling bird from the Flower Power book-these birds make everyone smile and hey, plaids can't be beat!

Brevard is known for it's white squirrels...I never saw one, so I think it is a legend

What is better than the sites and smells of spring? Did you know that Spring is the favorite of people? Followed by Fall, summer and then winter....

Here is the day we did the Hoochy squares...it is always fun and I never tire of these blocks and the lessons on color and your fabric stash and what it is missing....loved that people commented on learning about fabric and choices....

Here I am above in the photo

And below, I took the photo...fun fun group of nice ladies!

This is a talented and fun guild-they did a challenge called Black and white and read all over

Above was lunch the first day with an awesome coleslaw recipe- I am going to share it this week...and deviled eggs! It tasted like summer....and dill pickles my favorite!

I see Amy's influence everywhere I go.....

I loved this fun sailboat quilt!

Isn't this portrait quilt super? I am a long way away when I took these or they would be sharper...I took a photo of my "Chicken Soup" pattern that Marti did and it was so cool but my photo did not turn out-Marti please send me a photo to brag about you and your shop!

Aren't these samples awesome...each and every quilt was superb! This is a talented group!

This was a doorway that was painted and I thought it was cool....

I have many many more nice photos of my North Carolina adventures...please check back this week for more photos that will inspire!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!! FLOWER POWER SAMPLES FROM NANCY-AREN'T THESE FUN???

On the Road to Asilomar-will load photos as I take them

Please reread some of my older posts as they are fun too and consider buying raffle tickets-the show is in Post Falls Idaho at the OLD CHURCH which is now an ART conference center. The date is the middle of April, I have to get my calendar which is packed...stay tuned and I will post this when I get back. The size of the quilt is a lovely wall size....it is not a bed quilt. Just the right size for any wall. That's why I wanna win it too.

How is this for a Mary Lou raffle quilt????

The wonderful quilt above is selling raffle tickets. I am going to put how to get some on here soon. It is a wonderful size and the details are terrific! The leaves are all dimensional, feet hang down below, faces are painted beautifully, hair has great details, the quilt is pieced and buttonholed, all with many of Mary Lou's fabrics that hse has designed. It is signed and has a nice label on the back. I want to win this! Wish you could see it in person, it is fabulous! I drew out the design and the Art Textile Guild here in town mae it for their April show. I LOVE it. I can't get the bottom photo to turn right...sorry. You have to see this in person to realize the wonderful of it...so many details and fun.