Happy Monday To You!

Happy Monday to you!  It is a Happy Monday for me because I'm heading over to the Quilt Foundry to do some stitchin' and I can't wait :)  My Birthday present to me.  Thank you to everyone who remembered that yesterday was my big ole birthday....48 never looked so...well....lets just not discuss it...LOL.

 On the "Flamingo Front" the babies seem to be doing just fine.  You'll see them in the far left of this photo...still in their nests.  The other siblings had a game of pick up basketball over the weekend.

Ya all know who this is, right?

 Yes...it is Ami Simms!  She was at the Toledo Gathering of Quilters, last week on Thursday.  I have not had the pleasure of hearing her speak before and everyone I know says, "don't miss her."  So off Waldo and I went to the meeting.  Ami is everything people say she is....genuine, warm, funny, kind and colorful.  I loved here jacket.  It is her pattern, Rag Fur Jacket.  She said the one she is wearing in this photo is 6 or 7 years old....and look how good it looks.

Ami's program was, "How NOT to make a prize winning quilt."  I can vouch for her....she definitely knows how to do that well.  So much of what she said resonated with me and my start with quilting.  I also made a baby quilt and every single corner is mitered differently.  I had no clue....but I sure was proud when I was finished.  Oh the freedom we allow ourselves when we just "do it."  I'll tell all of you what I was told, "if you get a chance to hear Ami speak....don't miss it."

Ami is the founder of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.  Did you know that you can make a quilt that is 9" x 12" OR Smaller....but absolutely not bigger....and donate it to the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative and they will sell it to raise funds for research?  Sooooo....while you are practicing a new skill, making a teeny tiny quilt that is embellished with beads, or you've never made a small quilt...you may just want to head over here and read all about it. 


Remember last week when I was busy embellishing everything?  I decided to embellish a few straight pins....for no other reason that because I could.

 I cracked up when I saw these femo heads on the end of my straight pins.  It gives new meaning to quilting with your friends :)  I thought the thread spool was cute too.  I stopped at three...I didn't want to get too carried away you know.


My co-workers were invited to a birthday party on Saturday.  The little girl who's party they went to just so happens to be a little girl that I  adore.  The boys gave her their gifts and I wanted to give her something special....so this is what I made for her:

I used Sarah Vedeler's Hearts Machine Embroidery Design.   I really like all the choices I have on that CD.  I think the birthday girl is such a Star, so I chose the heart with the star in the center.

Hearts by Sarah Vedeler

Tajiana's favorite color is green so I made sure that the fabric was green and I used 7 or 8 different shades of Floriani thread for the design.  Her name had to be hot pink....after all...she just turned 9.

After I did the machine embroidery, I added some bling with my new Professional  Touch Crystal Applicator.    I think the crystals added a little zip and besides....I had to have an excuse to use it again right?  I inserted the design into a Quick Stitch Desktop Organizer.  Tajiana can either use it for pencils and pens or she can keep it in her bathroom for her tooth brush and tooth paste....or where ever she wants.  When she opened the package...she had a big beautiful smile on her face....that's all I needed.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend as well.  Happy belated National Quilting Day and St. Patrick's Day too....I was just too busy to blog...I know you understand.

Smiles,
Kelly

National Alzheimer's Awareness Month - November

I recently had the pleasure of talking with Ami Simms on the phone (lucky me:).  She was telling me packing for Quilt Festival and some of the things going on at the  Art Quilt Initiative.  Next month is National Alzheimer's Awareness Month and I thought folks might want to check  out Ami's Blog and her Facebook page.  Below is a video of some of the quilts that will be for sale in Houston at the International Quilt Festival.  Warning-the photos move fast....put your coffee down and breath....it is worth it trust me :)



Oh I just loved seeing all those quilts.  Can you imagine 1,000 of them?  I wish I were staying for Quilt Festival but I have to get home to the monkeys/co-workers :)

Not going to Quilt Festival in Houston either?  You can still be a part of the action!!!

At the end of November, Ami will have this collectors pin for sale on the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Website .  There are earrings available too.  What a great gift to give for the holidays to the Quilter in your life with everything!!!  (we all know a few of those :)

"1,000 quilts, lapel pins, and earrings — we have no shame when it comes to trying to relieve you of your spending money when the cause is fighting Alzheimer’s. This is a vile disease that affects 5.3 million Americans and we can only raise awareness and fund research with your help." (copied from Ami's blog with her permission)

The World Series Quilt Challenge is in full swing as well.  You can root for your favorite players...just click here :) 

I won't be staying for Festival....booo hoooo....so I guess I'll have to get my pin on the website too.  Where do you put your pins?  I put them on my camera strap and on my guild badge holder. 

I can't say enough about Ami's work/dedication to raising awareness and funding research for Alzheimer's.  Go over to her blog and the Art Quilt Initiative Website and see for yourself.  Ami is proof that all it takes is one....one person to make a decision.....to do something good.....to inspire others.....and that one persons work begins to touch the lives of others and then an entire legion of people are working together to make a difference in the lives of others....and in Ami's case it touches those with Alzheimer's and those who will have Alzheimer's in their lifetime.
Smiles,
Kelly