I'm up to my ears!!! I'm preparing to vend at the Kaleidoscope of Quilts this weekend (see this blog post) and typically the IHAN® store does not put prices on everything so I'm writing as fast as I can. If you are local...I sure hope you will come to visit : )
Please forgive me if you have seen this already. This is the very first time I've ever copied a e-mail and posted it to my blog....but I just could not help myself!
When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.
Christmas, yes it is still up here at IHAN headquarters. Last Sunday we finally wrapped up celebrating with family and hopefully by the weekend we'll have our decorations taken down. Notice I say hopefully. Something always comes up and last Friday was no different. A group of gals were meeting to make a Mandala Wall Hanging and my girlfriend, Diane, was demonstrating and teaching. How could I pass that up?
Choosing fabric became quite the adventure for me. I wanted to use Aboriginal Fabrics by M & S Textiles but I couldn't find more to go with what I had. Then I thought about using Patternista by Paula Nadelstern and I could not find enough coordinating fabrics locally.
The neat thing about Cheryl's ruler is that it comes with a free pattern on the back...can you say BONUS :)
This is how far I got in a 4 hour class. I thought I did pretty well considering that included cutting out my fabrics. Once I put the Mandala in the frame I realized the stripe section that I used emphasized the orange. Sort of clashing with my border. When I got home I took my stripe fabric and color copied a variety of sections so I could preview the combinations before making another Mandala.
Believe it or not, each of those sections are different and bring out different colors. I decided to go with a smaller bird for the center as well.
I believe I have settled on the dark red spiral in the center. Now I just need to re-cut my fabric and make another Mandala. No worries, I will find another fun fabric to use the Mandala with the orange emphasis. Unless of course someone says that it is just perfect for something they already have and I'm likely to pass it along :)
It has been awhile since I posted a Flamingo Family update....so here you go :)
As I was driving home the other night I passed this house. What a gift it is to everyone who drives past. A labor of love that has been shared with those of us who drive past....I'm very grateful!
In those few extra moments I get to stitch, I've been working on making these kitchen towels withHoliday Recipe Towels (they come on USB).
These designs are by Lunch Box Quilts and from the moment I saw them, I just knew I had to make some for gifts. I'm learning quite a bit using my "new to me" embroidery machine. I know many gals who have asked Santa for an embroidery machine and I just hope those reindeer have been fortified because those machines are heavy!
My girlfriend, Diane, made these beautiful gifts for me. The towel is absolutely beautiful isn't it? I can only hope to be as proficient one day as my friends are at machine embroidery.
Speaking of proficient, look what Karin sent to me recently:
Do you remember the Fall Machine Embroidery Hop? If not, you can see the post HERE. The design is from Marjorie's online store, Shop.B-Quilts.com. I choose the Turtle Design to make mug rugs for my co-workers for the holidays and then promptly broke my hand and couldn't make them. I'm all better now so I'm planning on making them each a mug rug for next to their bed. Every night they take a glass of water to bed so a mug rug will come in very handy.
Karin always does such a lovely job. If you have not seen her Etsy Shop, Sew-Write Creations, you really do need to go see the beautiful things that she makes. Karin also does custom orders and I've had the pleasure of seeing the appliance covers she has custom made for some of her customers. They were absolutely top quality.
A Flamingo Update:
I know these photos would be much more fun if taken in the dark so you could see the lights, but then the flamingos don't show up as well. You'll just have to use your imagination.
The Flamingos are being kept busy as you can see. For those who would like to send the Flamingo Family a holiday card, you can Click Here for their address :)
Recently I saw this quote and thought it was wonderful....so I thought I'd share it with all of you.
Rewind to Thanksgiving....our youngest daughter is here...and I was jumping for joy when I heard what she wanted for Christmas....a Sewing Machine!!!!!
Over Thanksgiving weekend Maddy asked could I help her make a Christmas Stocking for Abby, her significant others daughter. My reply, "Well of course...when do you want to start?"
I did the big time Happy Dance :)
I've never made a stocking so we just decided to build it from the ground up. We traced the shape of a stocking onto paper and started interviewing fabrics. Maddy's initial idea was to make a crazy patch stocking, sort of traditional, with Abby's name across the top. Much to her surprise, I introduced my new embroidery machine to her and the ideas didn't stop...LOL.
The stocking quickly went from traditional to wild and fun. Here are a few photos of the process (not necessarily in order) :
After completing the ME design of her choice and embellishing it....we bagan interviewing fabric and trim combinations.....
So very far from traditional.
When I told Maddy she could use anything she wanted and it could look like anything she could think of....well...traditional quickly went out the door. She was absolutely thrilled when I told her that it was only a Christmas Stocking and if she doesn't like it when it's done...ya just make another one next year...no big deal! Maddy was beaming....oh the freedom that gave her....Let the Fun Begin!!
I think we went through every bin and drawer looking for fun combinations. My advise to Maddy was...you'll know it when you see it and don't stop until you see it. I also suggested we take photos of the different arrangements as the photos provide a different perspective somehow.
After going through all my fabrics I got frustrated and called Waldo and asked could we come over and search her stash.
Success! Waldo had this plaid that Maddy loved and some cute hot pink trim too. She was so excited to show off her first creation.
Maddy quilted the fabric and did all the sewing. I operated the Embroidery Machine and she choose all the colors.
And then she added some bling.
I was tired and called it a night when Maddy ran back to the sewing machine and made her two children a little holiday bling:
Annie, Maddy's youngest "child" is now sporting a holiday collar sleeve.
Naturally, she couldn't leave out her son...LOL
Maddy was so excited and proud of herself. What a joy it is to see the next generation embrace stitching :)
Oh yes...I almost forgot....the Flamingo's also celebrated Thanksgiving:
One more thing before I close- HELP NEEDED! Our oldest daughter, Krista, has sent me an e-mail requesting help with her Disertation. She is working on her PHD and needs some folks to fill out a survey. Here is her e-mail:
Could you forward this survey to some of your friends (and ask them to pass it
on as well)?
I need married couples living with their spouse who have NOT had a head
injury.....it would be even better if they were married to someone who
has had a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury...including concussion) at some point in their lifetime....but not
necessary as I need control subjects too. Realistically it takes about 15-20
minutes.
I need at least 20 more participants or I risk not being able to move on to
internship!! eek!!
This is not the best photo...I snapped it on my IPhone last night....yes...last night. I am the new adoptive parent of this amazing work of art and I am just over the moon with joy.
And this beauty will be hanging in my living room, properly, as of now it is just put over a piece of wood and propped into place. I've got to get the right hardware to hang it. I have always loved Susan's work and now I'm the proud adoptive parent of three of her pieces.
Do you have a favorite quilt or textile artist? Have you checked to see if they sell their work? You may be surprised to learn that many of the artists work that you love sell (are will to allow adoptions) their work.
A Hand Update
WARNING: If you are squimish and don't like skeletons except at Halloween....don't look below.
Instead
of answering each of the kindest e-mails inquiring about the healing
process of my hand, I thought I'd just do a little show and tell.
This happened on October 25, 2012
Surgery was on November 2, 2012
The Doctor put 5 screws and a metal plate into my right pinky finger and now I'm bionic!!!
I just think it is the coolest science....being put back together. I'm
still having physical therapy and it is not completely healed....but
I'm certainly on the come back trail :)
The Flamingo Family is gathering food for their Thanksgiving Feast.
And all this time I thought they liked shrimp....silly me. Pumpkin just so happens to be my favorite too. I wonder if the Flamingos have a good pumpkin pie recipe?
