IPhone-o-gram! Blooming Beauties!

I just went and sat blissfully on my front porch swing while taking in a phone call. Oh MY but things have exploded into spring while I've been gone!

Southern California was cold, wet, rainy and dreary much of the time I was there, so this explosion of spring is just what I need to welcome me home!

Readjusting the Body Clock!

Why is it so hard to switch time zones?

It takes me a good 3 to 4 days to get back normal, and let’s just say that after leaving California --- I’m STILL not there yet! Maybe another day or so.

My body wouldn’t let me get to sleep last night til well past midnight-thirty----and then I slept like the dead until 10am!

10am?! Could that be right? I looked at the clock, and then double checked on my cell phone. I NEVER sleep this late! But wait – it’s not that late according to what the body says, it’s only 7am on the west coast --- and so goes my day, a bit behind, but hopefully more well rested and able to tackle all that lays before me today!

This “Zooming by” picture was taken as I leaned back over the seat, catching it quickly through the back passenger window --- it’s the classic LAX of the Los Angeles airport. I’ve seen it so many times in movies and TV shows ----Love seeing this photo with the tail of the plane visible too!

I took this photo out one of the long windows as I walked the corridors of LAX before boarding my flight. Doesn’t it just look…..okay, like maybe the JETSONS should live there? LOL!

So as I put my life back together here, I’m sure there will be more California pictures to come. The ones I really wish I could post never got taken……because my PHONE had to be off while we took off, and that view of the California coast as we crossed out over the ocean, and then turned to come back toward land to head east was just BEAUTIFUL. But they are all in my mind because “All electronic devices with an on/off switch must be completely in the OFF position during take off and landing, NOT just in airplane mode.” And I was a good girl this time, honestly, I was!

This was my night glimpse of downtown LA as we drove from the airport toward Burbank and to my hotel that first night ---I love night time cityscapes! Again, not easy to get good photos from speeding vehicles, but I’m gonna try anyway!

How different things look in the daylight! OOOOOooooo – PALM TREES! I love seeing their rounded fluffy tops above long tall trunks just dotting the roadways. The very round tall building on the far left in the above photo….is the closest one on the far right in the night photo above –the one with the blue lights.

And this my friends….is the beautiful blue sky above urban sprawl as we neared the airport…can you see the buildings of downtown far off in the distance in front of the mountains? What a beautiful blue sky to fly out in ---dang, I sure wish I could have gotten pictures of that coast line!

So I’m back on the treadmill of getting things back NORMAL. Oh the to-do list is so long, but I’ll tackle one thing at a time. Book orders of course, those are #1, and then the FUN PART – the graphics are all in for the next book and I get to go through those and make sure that they are all what I want. They are due back on Thursday, so I’ve got today and tomorrow to get through those ----the timing works perfect.

I added about 100 hexies to the hexie project this trip – not as much as I hoped, but my eyes were tired at the end of each day and I just couldn’t bring myself to do more --- photos of that to come!

And with that I’ll send this off and get the day going ---

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

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!