Evening Edition, Free Kindle/Nook Book!

I am facing 10 days of bliss being home! I fly to Iowa on the 30th ---you know what Iowa means? CULVERS CUSTARD! I’m ready – bring it on……

But for the next 10 days I have plans to clean this house top to bottom and empty out some neglected closets and drawers –MINMIZE, MINIMIZE, MINIMIZE! Spring always does this to me, I guess they call it Spring Cleaning for a reason, right?

I’ve got some things to list for the first Saturday in April’s Yard Sale Saturday – I know that is over Easter Weekend, but if they don’t move to someone else’s home in April, half my work will be done for the first Saturday in May!

But for this evening I’m gonna take it easy ---and I wanted to pass this freebie on to those Mystery Lovers amongst us who happen to love a heads up on a frree kindle and nook book.

I’ve gotten emails about how I find these --- the answer is simple. And I’ll repeat it again--- go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble and type in “free book” and tons of stuff comes up. Of course you’ll get titles like “how to manage your 401K” “Lets talk second mortgage” or “20 reasons to cremate or bury” and everything else in between. It takes time to read book descriptions and reviews to find something that sounds good enough for me to want to read it.

The way I look at it is this – if I find a freebie that I’d like to read, I figure someone else out there might want it to so I post it – no strings attached. And the reason I say “Grab it now!” is because what is free today might not be by tomorrow and I have no control over that. It is what it is!

Fever Moon (Main/UK), by Carolyn Haines, is free in the Kindle store and from Barnes & Noble.

Book Description:

Set in New Iberia, Louisiana, during World War II, Fever Moon begins when Deputy Raymond Thibodeaux discovers Adele Hebert covered in blood and hovering over the brutally eviscerated body of Henri Bastion, a wealthy plantation owner.

In the aftermath of the murder, Adele claims to be the loup-garou, a legendary Cajun shape-shifter that traditionally takes the shape of a wolf, and panic ensues in this small town that already has been living under the pressures of wartime rationing and poverty. Raymond is determined to restore order, but to do so he’ll have to prove that Adele isn’t a murderer or a monster.

In this dark and swirling literary thriller, Carolyn Haines tells the story of a town that is caught up in the frenzy of a murder and a killer who feeds its terror to suit his own purposes.

Get the free ebook from Barnes & Noble.

Calling Doctor ----- WHO!?

Wanda brought some show and tell to class on Thursday --- and I made her bring it back to the next class on Friday, because her quilt is SO NEAT!

Wanda is also the sweet gal who gifted me with the neat seam ripper/tweezer combo the other day --- love love love it!

She is an admittedly avid Dr Who fan ---and I have to admit that I’m pretty clueless about that show, though quite a few friends are into that one ---and then the OTHER half of my friends are into the Downton Abbey series, and I just don’t have a whole lot of time to keep up with anything so I’m stuck in reruns of NCIS and CSI ---

Wanda even explained how the blue of the borders represents the color of the TIME MACHINE.

TIME MACHINE?! Man, I am SO out of the loop!

When I first read the saying on her quilt, I thought she was talking about Dr. Seuss! --- didn’t he just have a birthday? LOL!

Dr Suess, Dr No, Dr Who --- Calling Dr Love! ((Okay, now get THAT song out of your head, am I showing my age yet?!)) And how about Dr Doolittle? :cD I'd like to travel with Dr Doolittle in my dreams come to think of it!

I love how the uniformity of the light sashings between the small crumb blocks adds some unity to the chaotic piecing. Her fabrics were so fun to look at --- little bits of everything!

And didn’t she do a great job on her Word Play letters? ((Tonya I hope you are catching this post!))

Can you see the quilting in the border? It’s perfect ---she used an edge to edge design called “circuit board” FUN!

If you haven’t picked up a copy of Word Play Quilts yet ---and you want to learn how to do the lettering, I have copies available HERE. I love what adding words to a quilt does ---don’t you?

Thanks for sharing your quilt, Wanda! Love it to pieces and back!

I Would LOVE Your Vote!

In this season of political ramp up ---this is a much more fun kind of voting!

Last year, because of your taking time to vote ((Vote early, vote often – is that how it goes?! LOL)) I was honored with the Teacher of the Year award for 2011.

The teaching itself IS the award for me. Spending time with quilters all over this country and many other places on the globe is an honor and a privilege --

So when I got the following nomination announcement I cracked up! ((Maybe it’s like AARP? You have to be 50 to be eligible?!)) The announcement went like this:

You have been recognized for your contributions in making our world of quilting so wonderful, having been nominated by quilters throughout the world for the 2012 Golden Quilter Awards. Like the Oscars, we hope you are honored to be nominated as you are truly appreciated for your talents and contributions.

The specific category you were nominated for is: Most influential person in the world of quilting to-date, aka "Lifetime Achievement"
Fellow nominees for Most influential person in the world of quilting to-date, aka "Lifetime Achievement" include:

Alex Anderson
Jinny Beyer
Barbara Brackman
Karey Bresenhan (IQF, Quilts., Inc.)
Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day
Nancy Crow
Leah Day
Jenny Doan
Fons & Porter team, Marianne Fons and Liz Porter
Carol Breyer Fallert
Linda Franz,
Diane Gaudynski
Harriet Hargrave
Bonnie Hunter, Quiltville
Bonnie Lehman
Nancy J. Martin
Ricky Tims

LIFETIME ACHEIVEMENT?! Okay, you are done now – let’s put you out to pasture…LOL!!! Darlene at Sew Cal Gal assures me if I win that I do NOT have to wear the honorary grey wig – :c) But do you see this list? Wow, these are my quilting Rock Stars ---and there is my name, right above that other really famous Bonnie!

And then a day or so later – ANOTHER announcement showed up:

You have been recognized for your contributions in making our world of quilting so wonderful, having been nominated by quilters throughout the world for the 2012 Golden Quilter Awards. Like the Oscars, we hope you are honored to be nominated as you are truly appreciated for your talents and contributions.

The specific category you were nominated for is: Best Designer
Fellow nominees for Best Designer include:

Allie Alller, (Allie's in Stitches)
Paula Barnes, Bonnie Blue Quilts
Jinny Beyer
BlackBird Designs
Lisa Bongean Primitive Gatherings,

Karen Brow, Java House Quilts
Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day
Cluck, Cluck, Sew
Carol Doak
Jenny Doan,Missouri Quilt Co
Amy Ellis, Amy's Creative Side

Joanna Figuora, Fig Tree Quilts

Susan Garman
Sandi Gervais, Pieces from my Heart
Julie Herman, of Jaybird Quilts
Aneela Hoey of Comfortstitching
Bonnie K. Hunter,Quiltville
Linda Franz, Inklingo
Susan Brubaker Knapp of Blue Moon River
Sandra Leichner
Gloria Loughman
Patrick Lose
Judi Madsen (Green Fairy Quilts)
Jenean Morrison (Freespirit Fabrics)
Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie Quilts
Angie Padilla (Angie's Bits & Pieces)
Pearl P Pereira, P3 Designs
Erin Russek
Pat Sloan
Sweetwater
Thimble Creek Quilt Shop
Anne Wiens, Sweetgrass Creative Designs
Pat Wys,Silver Thimble
Edyta Sitar, Laundry Basket Quilts
Sarah Vedeler

The article for this announcement is found at: http://tinyurl.com/6ozogn3

This is some really stiff competition, and I am so tickled that many of you thought enough to nominate me!

And now that you have – gone this far to nominate me for these wonderful awards, would you take the time to go VOTE For me? The voting goes through March 31st ---and I’d so appreciate your vote!

Thanks Everyone!

Now where is that grey wig?!

Karen Combs --- Stolen Quilts! Pass The Word!

This blog network of ours seems to have become an avenue for getting info out on stolen quilts.

While I am so glad to be able to help, each time I post something about the ever increasing numbers of stolen quilts I feel sicker and sicker ---who is next?

These are the quilts of Quiltmakers that I have admired and revered for years and years. It’s making me second guess the way I travel with my quilts to the point where I feel like I am bordering on insanity.

I’ve been asked to help spread the word in hopes that we might find some leads in finding Karen’s quilts.

Her own blog with the full story can be found HERE. She writes:

It is something every traveling quilt teacher fears, her quilts will be stolen or lost. Unfortunately, it has happened to me. I’m heartbroken. . . please share the images and story below. I hope they will be found.

On March 16, 2012, sometime between midnight and 6am at the Courtyard New Braunfels River Village, my rental car’s driver window was broken and my teaching suitecase was stolen. The hotel is located at 750 IH 35 North in New Braunfels, Texas. The police were called, they stated the break-in looked like the work of a professional.

It was a “smash and grab”. The vandals did not know what they were taking and it will have no value to them. It means the world to me. . .

Inside the suitcase were the quilts from my popular Patchwork Illusions class. I also lost all my teaching supplies and step-by-step demos for the class.

If you live in New Braunfels or anywhere in Texas, please check local yard sales, flea markets and pawn shops for the quilts. Everyone, please forward this blog posting to every quilter and quilt shop you know and ask them to forward it to everyone they know.

If you find one of my quilts or quilt blocks, please contact me atkaren@karencombs.com

Thank you for all your help,

Karen

Please forward this post to EVERYONE. Be watching things like Craigslist and Ebay ---let your twitter peeps know, the news groups, email lists, quilt guild members, facebook, message boards – you guys know the drill ----we have been doing this too often, and we will keep doing it to get the word out.

This is one thing we CAN NOT get numb to --- we HAVE to remain outraged with this repeated scenario and do what we can to bring these quilts back!

Thanks for all your help in spreading the word….we have an awesome network of quilters to help get the word out ---

Scrappy Mountain Majesties

Match them, sew them, cut them apart, resew them, play with them in many many different lay outs ---

Fun scrappy blocks add up quickly, and by early afternoon we were gathered round the table seeing which way each quilter wanted to set their blocks.

This is such a great beginner class ---and the quilt looks so much more difficult than it really is. You need to try this one....really you do!

Click HERE for Scrappy Mountain Majesties.

Donna sure came prepared ----look at this stack of squares all trimmed up and ready to go! Just how many blocks did she think she was going to get done in one six hour class?! LOL! Turns out she is quite determined, she wants a quilt that fits her king sized bed….and I have no doubts that she will have it done in no time……all 224 blocks required for the size of quilt she needs!

Sew, Donna, Sew!!

Take a look at how we kept busy all day long:

		Scrappy Mountain Majesties, Glendale CA 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I think I would love to make another one of these some day and try another layout myself ----This was just such a great day!

Today begins the long journey home ---I haven’t touched the hexies much since my flight landed at LAX. I’ll have plenty of time to add to it today…oh, and look look look! It’s fun to find other hexie lovers out there ---this gal caught a glimpse of mine and came to talk to me and showed me HER little hexie project using the 1/2” per side hexagons…they make mine look giant!

Look at that little teeny tiny diamond border --- WOWIE!! I just love how versatile these are and the different ways you can set them into endless designs ----will I ever go that small? Dunno! Need to finish the other one first ;c)

And The Winners Are!!!

The show is over --- it’s been a great time ---and I think I’ll be in bed by 8pm.....I am SO toast!

I know I said that I’d do the drawing tonight for the two copies of “Quilts from 100 blocks” ----and I better do so before I fall asleep!

Also -- -this west coast time thing is still throwing me for a loop, It’s only 5:30pm here as I write this – class was over at 5 – and I look at the clock on my computer and it says 8:30pm and it had me confused too! Of course, the computer says on East Coast time, it doesn’t change automatically like my phone does!

I’m waiting for the gals to get their quilts picked up from the show, and then we are off to dinner, so I’m writing this while waiting ---

Our first winner is:

Two Girls and a Garden!

They write:

Hmmm they all look wonderful! I really like the darker version of your block- its more to my usual taste.However, after really going on your blog and looking at quilts you have made or patterns of old quilts I really want to do some brighter one- with lots of yellow and blues. Such a huge step for me! Thanks for all the inspiration! I will put the giveaway on my blog.

The next person drawn is Robert – he writes:

Love the opportunity to enter your give-away. Thanks you - love all the quilts. Robert, in beautifully warm northern Iowa.

Congrats to the winners! I’m contacting you via email to get your snail mail addresses and these magazines will be mailed off to you this next week as soon as I can get myself home and to the post office --- AND ----give myself one well deserved Jammie Day!

And for those who couldn’t read the words on the M&M package yesterday – here is a blown up version for you. When I send via iphone-o-gram, that is live from my phone and the pics aren’t as nicely cropped or biggie sized as I can do them from the computer – so this should help!

As for me --- I ate them all --- all at once…LOL!

Gifted Gadgets!

I can’t get enough of looking for and seeing all the cool accessories that quilters bring when we gather!

One of my jobs when teaching a class is taking on any un-stitching that needs to be done so that the students can continue to make progress --- not feel like they are going backwards by having to rip out should the need arise ((And it arises --- we all know it does!))

I had asked if someone had a seam ripper I could borrow to help unsew for a student while I was walking around the room --- I tend to talk and walk and seam rip at the same time. I bet you didn’t know that was a well honed Bonnie Skill!

Wanda handed me her seam ripper….and…OOOOOOOOOO!! I need one of these!

Slide the little bar --- out comes the ripper part! No cover to lose!

But LOOK! Slide the black bar the other way ----tweezers on the other end!

Not to mention it’s PINK, Y’all! PINK!

I looked all over the show to see if I could find a pair of my own just like this ---no such luck. So guess what Wanda did at the end of the day? Gifted them to me! Isn’t that sweet? I’ll think of her every time I use them, and the fact that she so freely parted with them just touched me deeply.

Speaking of seam rippers --- I had a student in class yesterday who had one that just would NOT cut the thread when I was trying to help her unpick. I asked how long she had had that seam ripper --- "OH, since JUNIOR HIGH!" LOL!! I’m not sure on this gal’s age or the year that she was in Junior High School, but I am pretty sure she is at least a few years older than me. The older I get, the harder it is to judge people's age -- but let's say she is MY age -- I started Junior High in September of 1974. That's one old seam ripper....

We held a funeral with a moment of silence for her 40 year old ((At Least!)) Seam Ripper.

If your seam ripper doesn’t easily slice the thread --- it’s time to let it go. That blade in the curved edge should be nice and sharp --- it’s like a rotary blade. They get dull ---and then they are seam pickers only, not seam rippers and it takes more than twice as long to fight with the seam to get the un-stitching job done.

Treat yourself to a new one. Throw the old one away. Keeping it is like holding on to a ball point pen that no longer writes just because it might start writing again at some point down the road if we wish it too hard enough! ;c)

Just a Lil’ Bit Star Struck!

Full class, full day, full of laughter, full of machines humming –all while it poured outside and was completely nasty.

I completely forgot it was St Paddy’s day until Melinda brought in our little mascot!

It may have made it a pain for people to get to the show, but once they were here – and all of the “class stuff” was out of the car, in the class room and everyone was drip drying, we agreed that there was NO BETTER PLACE to be on a day like this!

The show is humming along, and today is the last day. I took some time to walk the show yesterday, but it was hard to get pictures there were so many people standing in line in front of the quilts.

I spent quite a bit of time at he scissors/gadgets booth! Every kind of scissor and implement under the sun ----I may go back today with some thread in hand to see how things cut – that’s the crucial point for me. It matters not how cute things are, but that they make a good clean “Non frayed” cut on the end of the thread so I can get it through the eye of the needle.

This pair? It’s for trimming bird beaks and talons. see how blunt those points are? As in --- WHAT POINTS?! I want to know if the circular part will cut thread cleanly. with those blunt tips, these should be safe to fly with --- but who knows?

Little bit blurry, I got too close --- but se the circular part? It’s bladed on both sides ---so back I go with the thread today!

These little cute plastic things are touted to be totally TSA proof. They were only $3 but I want to go back with thread today to see if they cut too. If they mangle the end of the thread, I don’t care how cute they are!

So let’s get onto the class pics, shall we?! I tell you—some of these gals are dedicated! I’d had them for 3 days in a row by this point, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know each and every one of them a bit better! Enjoy the pics ----

		Star Struck, Glendale, CA 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

Have a great Sunday everyone! I’m off to get this last day started! Should be fun --- we’re doing Scrappy Mountain Majesties today!