Not my normal color palate...

I have a dear friend who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in the past few weeks.  She just began THREE YEARS of chemo.  It hurts my heart to know a little of the things she will experience.  My mom had chemo during my Senior year of high school, so I have been there a bit.  She is a survivor and has such an amazing attitude.  And I believe in miracles, so I have faith all will be well.  For Christmas, her family wants to surprise her with a "box of hugs" for each month.  They asked friends to participate in the fun too.  I immediately knew I had to make a quilt.  It just hollered at my heart and head!!  

After several calls, I found out her favorite colors are autumn colors.  I go for more happy, rainbow jewel tones, so these were not in my stash.  After several trips to get Kona solids, some beautiful prints, and a couple etsy orders (I am still waiting on 4 solids), I am almost ready.  The creme is the background and the vintage butterfly sheet will be the back!  I usually wait til I have the top pieced to pick a binding- I'm just weird that way :).  

As much as these are not my normal colors, they are gorgeous and I can hardly wait to see it come together!  I hope those last few colors get here fast because this has to be done by the 20th!  I'll be doing some fast and furious sewing :)  Love it!  I am so glad that I know how to make something that can give her a hug on a day she may need it!

Delighted, Seriously!!!

Yes, sir ree, bob!! I was able to be Delighted!, completely and wholey, this Wednesday! It was Amanda's (http://www.thequiltedfish.blogspot.com) Launch Party, and I got to help! It was a dream come true! These ladies felt like coming home to kindred spirits- they all wrapped their arms around me and took me in. I asked questions and they got to know me too. I told Miss Amanda my dream and she told me to "Do it!" Not an ounce of hesitation or doubt in her voice! I wish her voice was in my head- well, now it is! I have that memory, and it will stay strong! She is a marvelous example of following your dreams and making beautiful things that brighten the lives of so many!!
Every table and window seat was decorated to the hilt! If I could decorate my house this way, I'd be in heaven everyday! All these boys around here would pass out though- teehee! It was so very ME and so very gorgeous! I love her style, the way she makes things feel, and the vintage-y goodness that was there!

This was the old timey candy tables- real live pulled taffy, in colors matching Delighted!, of course!! :) Other treats, and even a wroght iron ferris wheel with little seat cushions made from different Delighted prints! Ouuuuuu!!!

This is the window seat I got to decorate! She told me to make a "picnic", so I did! The old soda bottles she found were the perfect addition to the basket, blanket, flowers, and Delighted!! We had just gotten everything set up when the sun started setting. The light came in the room like in this photo, and it was truly magical! The whole room was full of sunbeams and just glowed! Definitely pure inspiration!! :)

Another window of fun! Miss Amanda appliqued this pick up truck with her fabrics and I fell in love with it! Such stinkin' cute-ness :)

The room from one doorway- you can barely see the row of large pom poms we hung from the ceiling and had huge bows at each swag! It was perfect! I couldn't have imagined more fabulous decorations- It made the evening a dream! So many people came and visited and enjoyed! There were incredible foods, a photo booth :), make and takes that were beyond cute!, necklace designers, fabric giveaways, and so much more!! My Mama came with me- I told her she had to come and see what my fabric craze is about!! It was so fun to have her "see" what my quilting side is like :). Thank you Miss Amanda for letting me help- it was an honor and priviledge! I am grateful to call these ladies friends- and hope to hang with them much more in the future!! So, the moral of the story is, Delighted! Everything about this fabric is wonderful, starting with the lady who designed it!! Grab some up quick- and make something beautiful- it will make someone smile :)

Sewing Summit Part 2

Two posts are just not enough, I may need more :) hehe!! I wanted to start with some DEAR friends I made! I didn't get a picture myself, so I had to swipe it from Kaelin. It's amazing how there are just some people that you feel like you've known them forever. This happened quite a few times this weekend! Such amazing ladies :)

This is one of those sewing heroes of mine that I couldn't believe I actually got to meet! It's Miss Jeni from http://www.incolororder.blogspot.com! Wow- I had to pinch myself :). I got to go to her class too- The Art of Choosing Color! It was a great class and she was like Santa Claus to me- let me tell you why... I keep a Christmas Wish List of everyone in my house. I always stick a very few things on for myself just in case hubby *needs* ideas. :) The top thing on my list for this year is a Kona Color Card. It has been on my list since the beginning of the year. I just couldn't swallow getting one- too many other things we needed more :). Well, at the end of Jeni's class, she thanked us all for coming and she also thanked Robert Kaufman. We were all a bit confused and then she said that without them, we wouldn't have so many amazing colors to take home. Before she got to the end of the sentence, I had figured it out. I even whispered to myself, "If she gives us a Kona Color Card, I think I'll freak!" And ya know what?? She pulled out a handful of Kona Color Cards from a huge box and started passing them out. I almost passed out!! I had to get a picture with her and tell her she was my Santa! She's so sweet! Thank you again, Jeni!!!
This is one of my top 3 all-time mini quilts, and I got to see it in REAL LIFE! Swoon :) Wow- and what's even better is that I got to take a class from the lady who made it :)

This is Miss Amanda (http://www.msmcporkchop.blogspot.com)! She is incredible and not to mention, just an incredibly happy and positive person! You can't help but smile around her! She taught the class on Marvelous Minis. I have never made a mini- besides a mug rug and my name tag- well, I guess I've made 2- so I was really excited for her thoughts also. It was a great class. I love making full quilts, but there is only so much space to display and showcase them. I really like the mini idea for some of the crazy designs I would like to try but don't have a million years to invest for making a queen size (which is what my quilts normally are :)). She is also one of the two driving forces behind the hit Farmer's Wife! At this point, my Farmer's Wife will have to be a mini :)- hehe- no, I am doing it all, it may take me a L.O.N.G time, but I will work it into everything else :). It was so amazing to be in her class too! Wow!

There were so many moments that seemed unreal for me! So many friends I met and became "real" friends with, and som many wonderful ladies that inspired me and taught me just by what they said! It was an amazing three days- I will definitely be there next year! So much to try and do-- I can hardly wait :)!!

What Can I Say???!!???

You know those times when you just can't think of words to describe something?? Well, that's how I feel about this past weekend! It almost seems like a dream, but I have the swag to prove it :). So it MUST have been real- oh yes, and some pictures prove it too. See, not a dream! :) hehe!

The sewing classroom- over 50 machines where we all sewed- just gave you goosebumps looking at it all in one spot :)

This past Thursday through Saturday was THE SEWING SUMMIT for me! Oh my wow! Just like I said, what can I say??! It was incredible!! I was soooooooo super nervous but was amazed at how beyond nice everyone was! It was surreal, walking around in the midst of these amazing ladies who know so much, challenge me to learn more, and have such sweet personalities! I was actually able to meet every single person on my "I can't believe I get to meet them" list! And what's more than that is that now I call many of them my friends!! Dear, wonderful friends! That alone would have been enough to make this weekend worth it, but there was oh so much more!

Me with Amy of www.StitcheryDickoryDock.blogspot.com and Jennifer of www.EllisonLaneQuilts.blogspot.com!! EEEPPPPPP!

When you share a love of fabric and the creations that can come with it, magical things happen. States and countries melt away, colors blend, and we all become one. From the meals where we visited to the classes where we learned to the late night laughing, it was packed with memories. I went not knowing anyone and came home having tons of friends, knowing so much more about what I love- sewing, and just having such a great feeling about the support and community that quilting is!

Me and Allison of Cluck, Cluck, Sew- oh wow!! And below is one of her free motion quilts- I only free motion quilt and LOVED this class! She's incredible- so much to learn from her!!

It was one of those weekends that has changed how I look at sewing- Miss Amanda (www.Msmacporkchop.blogspot.com- I'll be posting more about her class in the next few days too) made the comment that we can do anything!! I always knew that I could do whatever I set my mind to, but hearing her say it with such amazing conviction and excitement drove it home for me! My project list was huge before I went, but now it has been added to with things that will stetch me even more and make more sunshine in the process!!

So what else can I say??!!?? I was perfect- just what I needed to make me feel what I have wanted to be, an "official" quilter! More to come...

Quite an Honor!!

I have found some of the most amaing friends online in the quilting world! It's really fun to think of meeting some of these amazing people in 2 short months- I can hardly stand it, I get so excited thinking about it :). Well, one of those sweet, dear friends gave me quite an honor last week, without even realizing she did :). It's Miss Kaelin, she blogs over at http://theplaidscottie.blogspot.com/. If you don't follow her yet, you *need* to! She is as sweet as honey and she lives in the South (my home!!)!! She has made me almost pee my pants from laughter on more than one occasion! For real! So, the honor...

I got an email from Kaelin asking me to test her new pattern- it's the Grab 'n' Go wristlet and Coin Purse (at the time is was just the wristlet). It's available in her Etsy store now and it's a definite pattern to make- so quick, easy, and stinkin' cute!! I have never "officially" sewn a zipper into anything before so I was nervous. I ran to Joann's to get a few notions I needed (mainly a zipper ;)) and got busy! Just like she said, it takes between 1-2 hours. And just look how amazing it turned out- especially for someone who has never sewn a zipper ;). hehe!

Look at how precious this is!! And the wrist strap is detachable so you can just use it as a clutch, if you like, too!! Brilliant, I tell ya! So I have to post my sunny fun pictures of this great pattern- and when she finalized the pattern, she added a coin purse- now I can hardly wait to make that too :). So darling! I appreciate her trust in my ability and am so glad I was able to help! This girl writes an incredible pattern and she's an incredible lady to top it off :) Thanks again, Miss Kaelin! You rock!!