Love Without Boundaries

The live auction of the quilt that many of us contributed to will be up on EBay Here tomorrow. Be sure to bid on it to help raise as much money as possible to this worthwhile cause. If you don't remember the quilt.... Here it is.

Last Week it was Susan Boyle....

But this week on Britain's Got Talent it was a 12 year old...check him out!

Has he got amazing pipes or what?

I've gone missing again!

I realize that I've been gone, but haven't felt up to blogging as it is serious allergy season here in the valley and I've been gone for 10 years and now that I'm back for my first spring, it's like I'm fresh meat to all the pollen! Yikes! Hack, hack, wheeze, wheeze, and all the lovely other bits. So, I'm out of it. This too shall pass, but in the meantime, I'm out of it.

In the mail today I got a card from Victoria of the Bumblebeans Blog. She put a picture of her Nothing but Kisses quilt that she made from 9 patches gathered from friends. I sent her some, but they were the wrong size...doh!
Anyway, this quilt will be auctioned at the Born in my Heart Art Auction. You can read about the non-profit group sponsoring this auction by clicking HERE.

The auction will be online on April 23-28, and I hope you will bookmark the link and bid up the quilt. It will help a lot of children.

I've got a couple of things in process, but going is slow. And now, I'm back to the couch!

Squishy Envelope in the Mail....WaHoooooooo!

I love it when the mailman brings me a squishy package that nearly fills the mailbox. I didn't immediately figure out who sent it....I ordered fabric and a book yesterday, but they wouldn't be here yet. I turned it over and saw that it was from South Africa, and then I remembered that Heather Moore had a giveaway on her blog Skinny laMinx. Heather also blogs for Elle Decor, S.A. and a lot of people read her. I knew there would be fierce competition just from sheer numbers, but I entered a comment and I was one of the lucky people selected to receive goodies.

I opened it the envelope as soon as we got in the door. I found a wonderful note card she had designed, a lovely velvet heart sticker she created, and one of her signature tea towels made from fabric of her own design. She has a towel she designed that has images of IKEA furnishings, so you know we are kindred spirits. I'm so happy because the red is the same as the IKEA red that is my accent color in every room. Made just with me in mind, right?

Thanks Heather for the lovelies in the mail today! I love them.

I'm always excited by the generosity of the quilt/blog community. Someone is always giving something away. Hmmmm. I'm thinking there are some things I could give too.

Stay tuned!

Just A Temporary Lull in the Action

Even though we are in the midst of a terrible drought, this week promises to be a drizzly one. When it rains, everything becomes a little more complicated here on the home front. Maya still needs to be taken out for her walks and for toiletting ~ we come back soggy and even though I leave a towel by the door we still track in.

Yesterday it was errands all day and just taking care of the "stuff" of life ~ today promises to be some more of that. Meanwhile it's wet out as you can see from this shot of the patio off of the living room.

Blocks are waiting and fabric for the next project has been pulled and is looking at me too.

I like that I have all those choices, though so I leave it out to bless my eyes.

Drizzly or not, it's good.

The first block, in the upper left corner was made by Sherri-"Sue" who works at the Quilt Shop where the quilty girls meet weekly, oooh and aaaah over fabric, pull bolts and play, plan our quilts and help each other with design issues. Sherri is calm and maybe that tea she drinks has something to do with it.

Block 2 was made by Debbie-"Sue" and her Sue is Wild (see the black and white dress) and loves travel. Her Sue is holding an actual little bitty quilt with an itty-bitty angel charm in the corner. Debbie has moved to South Carolina but still gets back to the group from time to time. I was sad to hear that she was leaving too.

Block 3 was made by Sonja-"Sue" and is probably the most traditional of all the blocks. Her bonnet is embellished with lace and Sue is carrying her fabric in an actual little basket with a little scissors charm tied on! Isn't that the sweetest! Sonja always came to our Wednesday work group with her latest project and supplies in a big basket. I remember when I wandered in to the Quilt shop on a Wednesday for the first time and saw that small group working at the tables in the back...Sonja invited me to sit down and that was the beginning.

Block 4 was made by Sandy-"Sue" and says Shrimp Boil Sue in reference to the wonderful meal that she and her husband put together for us. A traditional Southern Shrimp Boil is a layered meal of Potatoes, Corn on the cob, Shrimp, and I forget what all else. Oh my gosh, it was not only beautiful, but we hurt ourselves eating it. Her Sue has braids and a little ribbon rose on her bonnet. I love the detail!
The Center block is "Stripper Sue" and was a collaborative effort. I can't remember if it came about because I told the girls I had once worked as a stripper. (I stripped cars in a salvage yard in my younger/stronger years when work was scarce) But I love this block because it shows Sue in a whole new light. In the audience are skeletons from some Dia de los Muertos fabric I had and had shared. The stripper pole is 3 dimensional from really shiny fabric. Sue has a tattoo on her hiney that says "Slappy" which is in reference to my imaginary boyfriend, "Slappy the Bait Shop Guy".

Block 6 was made by Ann B and is all about making a home a wonderful place. We refer to her as "Martha-Sue" (she is the most like Martha Stewart) and her SBS shows all of the traditional home making things that she enjoys and does so well. Martha-Sue is my bread guru.

Block 7, was made by our fearless leader and local quilt shop owner, Tod. She chose to make a block representing Sunbonnet "Slappy the Bait Shop Guy" who featured largely in my stories about "love gone wrong" that I shared with the group. Tod is a Kaffe Fasset Groupie and you'll notice that the overalls are from his line of fabric.

Block 8 was created by Annie-"Sue" and features her love of gardening, nature, comfortable birkenstock shoes and unshaven legs (hey, I only report the truth!)

Block #9 was signed by all and reads:
"Made by the Ladies at Tod's Sweet Tater Quilts, Funeral Parlor, and Tea Room."
There is an image of the cover of the book, Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love by Jill Connor Browne which is a collection of stories that we received "readings" from. They're a hoot and are decidedly "southern".I will never forget them. Never. And just to make sure, they made me this quilt...lol.

Sun Bonnet Sue ~ Love from the Quilty Gurlz

Do you remember that lovely package I got earlier this week? It was a much-anticipated box from the Quilty Gurlz in Boone, NC. We met together every week on Wednesday and by the time I knew I was leaving, I was already sad to be saying goodbye.

They threatened me with a Sun Bonnet Sue quilt! I had let it be known during one of our meetings that I didn't care much for that much-loved iconic quilt and that I knew I'd never make one or even have one in my house. Gleefully they set to work and I got sporadic reports when I'd call back there on Wednesday! Oh, they were having waaaaaay too much fun with Sue.

I opened the box on Wednesday, while I was on the phone with them....thanks Tod, for letting us be on speaker-phone! We laughed, giggled, hooted and I knew whose block was whose even without seeing the signature.

On Thursday, I went to Tap Plastics to have a clear plastic rod made and drilled so I could hang it. My neighbors, Mike and Dana, said that they could come down on Friday after work to put it up.

After figuring out how far down from the ceiling I wanted it to hang, Mike got to work and in about 5 minutes it was up.

I think I got up 2 or 3 times last night and had to turn on the light just so I could admire it all over again. There is significance to each block. I'll share them with you tomorrow.

Thank you Quilty Gurlz ~ I love you back!