Evening Edition! Quilt in the Mail & Free Kindle Book!

Remember me bopping to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” through my ear buds while sewing hexies in the Quad Cities airport yesterday?

Was that only YESTERDAY!? It feels like a week since then!

And now I feel like quite the zombie myself – but in a very good way. I took some time out today to go run some errands, made it easy on myself and did the drive –up banking instead of the walk-inside kind, and then I set off for a much needed massage.

Sometimes – you just have to schedule it in and stick with it..and schedule the next one when you are done ---- because if I don’t have one on the calendar, I can’t ever seem to find the time to put it there ---I keep putting it off.

90 minutes of bliss mixed with a bit of deep tissue pain – I’m still having nerve pain down the back of my right leg ---it’s combination muscular, and combination chiropractic – so I’ll be seeing the chiro on Monday.

I’ve done laundry. I’ve tackled backlogged emails and worked on the website and got the calendar back up to date. And yes --- I opened up the calendar for 2016 because things are filling that way.

I cleaned my kitchen! I moved some stuff off the dining room table….

The best part of the day came when I opened this box!

My friend Debi knows how I feel about vintage quilts, even the non-perfect well worn ones ----because THOSE are the ones I love the best! She’s moved recently, she’s whittled down, and changed her decorating scheme in her house, and when it came time to find a new home for this baby, she thought of me!

I love how this one is quilted, can you see it in the solid blue squares?

Thank you Debi!!

Doesn’t it look great hanging over my railing? And do you see how green things are getting down south here? Sad story --- the plot of thick woods behind mine --- across the creek…have all been felled and sold off for wood! I am SO SAD. Mostly because I love the thick dense woods and the birds they provide a place for…but also because where I couldn’t see houses before because of the thick woods --- now I can. :c( It looks like they’ve planted again, but I doubt they will grow fast enough to give me the seclusion that I like!

Not to mention now I’ll have to be extra careful going out to that hot tub on our gazebo because now it’s in plain view thanks to no trees down there :c/

So on to the freebie….of course it was the title that grabbed me. How could it not with the word THREAD coming first?

Thread of Hope by Jeff Shelby is free today from the Amazon Kindle store, and has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 49 customer reviews.

Category: Mystery

Book Description:

If someone took your child, how soon would you stop looking for her? If someone accused your best friend of a terrible crime, when would you stop defending him?

Seven years after Joe Tyler’s daughter Elizabeth was abducted, he hasn’t stopped looking for answers, and he hasn’t forgotten the friend who stood by him as he lost his wife, his home, and his career in his search. Now he’s been brought back to San Diego by the news that this friend has been arrested for beating up a teenage girl—a girl not much older than Elizabeth would be now.

Joe is convinced Chuck Winslow is innocent, but Chuck is in a coma and can’t explain what happened. And the more Joe hears about what Chuck’s been up to in the years he’s been gone, the less Joe recognizes his old friend. To find out the truth, he will have to face his ex-wife, his former bosses, and a hometown full of wealth, lies, and illicit privilege. When Chuck’s accuser goes missing, Joe must decide where his loyalties truly lie.

Jeff Shelby is the best-selling author of The Noah Braddock series (Killer Swell, Wicked Break and Liquid Smoke) and has been compared by reviewers to Harlan Coben and Robert Crais. In Thread of Hope, he delivers a gut-wrenching tale of painful secrets and even more devastating truths as well as an exploration of how a single thread of hope can keep one man going.

I just picked it up --- double check it’s still free for you before clicking. By morning it may be free for “prime members only” I don’t have control over that – I just pass on what I download for myself thinking someone else might enjoy it!

Have a great Thursday evening, Everyone!

On News Stands Now --- GIVE-AWAY!

***Update!*** This drawing has CLOSED! Congrats to our winner, Susan Torrens!

My issues of the latest Quiltmaker Magazine May/June 2012 were here on my counter waiting for me when I walked in the door yesterday afternoon!

This is such a wonderful issue, full of summery quilt ideas --- and this issue comes with an “EXTRA BONUS” There is a double sided pull out of quilting motifs PERFECT to fit the quilts in this magazine, or to add to your collection of ideas for the quilting on future quilts!

I collect quilting designs. You never know when you are going to need them, or when just looking through them leads to the inspiration on how to best quilt that project.

My Addicted to Scraps column is always a surprise to me. I never know what they are going to choose for where, because I send a whole year’s worth in at once – and then the “powers that be” decide which block I’ve sent in will fit which issue best. So I quickly have to get into the magazine and find my page --- it’s like Christmas!

OH! They chose "THIS ONE!" I've been waiting for them wondering when it will show up!

I love this block --- I’ve named my version “Whirly Girly!”

I consider myself a very traditional quilter ---and taking a traditional block with a very MASCULINE name, like “Propeller” and doing it in the shades of spring --- pinks, greens, red ---gives it a “Girly” feel that I like! This reminds me of the flowers that were waiting for me in my yard when we pulled into the drive yesterday --- my azaleas are blooming!

The gals at Quiltmaker took my block and worked up a sample layout:

Do you see how you can get a secondary pinwheel design if you set them block to block? The center bars of the block become a sashing! It totally changes the look! You can also set this block with an alternate block, put it on point, sash it – the options are endless. You don’t even have to do it scrappy. Pick a color scheme ---

Check out the previous “Addicted to Scraps” blocks by clicking HERE!

Would you like to win a copy of Quiltmaker’s Magazine May/June issue? I have one extra copy! Leave me a comment below--- I’ll draw for it on Saturday Evening. And if you can't wait that long --you'll find it on news stands near you NOW!

Remember, if you are commenting as anonymous, or if you have not made it so your email address is accessible when you comment, you NEED to leave me a name and an email address in your comment to be eligible.

And speaking of this Saturday! It’s the first Saturday of the Month which means --- YARD SALE SATURDAY! I will have a few things to list. Those who want to join me, write your blog post with your items, and come link it to mine Saturday morning. I’m going live at 7am eastern time. I know it’s the day before Easter for many of you, but let’s see what we can pull together! Any questions? Just email me!

Nothing Runs Like A Deere!

It’s well known that Moline, IL is the world headquarters of John Deere & Company. Everywhere you turn, there are things in “John Deere Green”!

And for tractor enthusiasts, there is the John Deere Pavillion where you too --- can do what you always wanted to ---- climb up into the hugest combine you’ve ever seen and see what it feels like to be at the wheel of one of these babies!

When DH and I were first married, he worked on a large production farm up in Eastern Washington State ----but 30 years ago they didn’t have cool combines like THIS ONE!

I know the back light from the window makes it hard to see --- but there I am….ready to roll! This thing is so high tech --- it’s got an ipod dock…awesome! I think I could get tractor-giddy just the same way I get sewing machine giddy!

At this display you can try your hand at driving straight rows…..HA!!!! It’s not as easy as it looks! But you know what? This combine comes complete with GPS “Auto pilot”! It will drive the straight furrows for you, and navigate the terrain via satellite --- SO COOL! ((And good thing too, because I had the crookedest furrows EVER!))

Hey, Baby, wanna climb up into my big green tractor?? *wink wink* LOL!

I really enjoy the old ones though --- these little bits of history that changed farming in such a big way for the “average” farmer. What was previously done by horse and lots of man power --- was now done by machine. It really did change everything. I think I learned more about tractors than I ever thought I’d want to know ----but OOOOHhhhhh don’t you love that John Deere Green all shiny? :cD And the yellow too!

At the gift shop across from the pavillion there were displays of John Deere toys that made me remember my boys when they were little – I would have snatched these right up for them ----or more like, let them choose ONE EACH ((And sneakily buy the second one and stash it back for Christmas as a surprise ---)) Being a mom of boys, this is the kind of shopping I loved to do best with them. I don’t know what it’s about to have to buy pink and frilly things ----

Look! It says SALE! I almost bought one for myself --- -just cuz!

This was one of the fun things that I get to do when I travel ---if it weren’t for this visit, I’d never have been able to sit in a huge combine, or read about this bit of history and how it impacted this lovely town on the banks of the mighty Mississippi, or understand that HERE was the best place for this company in its early day and age because the river was a main means of transportation for the company as well. Freighting up and down the river was a very important part of everything.

And that’s it for our history lesson today --- LOL!

Maybe I need a sewing machine in John Deere Green, too?! :cD

iPhone-o-gram---laughing at myself!

Live from the Quad Cities International Airport--

I'm stitching hexies from a comfy sofa in the main area before going through security---

I just realized that I was head bopping and tapping my feet as Michael jackson's "Thriller" came on my iPod---

This is not your normal "Grannie quilter" music!! Lol!

Add this to the play list for our quilters retirement assisted living place, yeah? I can see us all now, jumping up from our machines to do "the Thriller" dance--with our walkers and canes!!

Laughing---oh I love my life!!

iPhone-o-gram! Should be packing-but---

30 minutes til I'm being picked up for the airport---can I squeeze in the piecing of just one more block??

Or maybe two???

For those who asked, there is no pattern for this quilt yet, I just started it!

I'm chuckling at the number of emails stating that folks have scoured the website and blog looking for the pattern---"Where is it?????"

It's an idea in my head right now. A handful of blocks have been made, but that's it.

I'm planning this for a future Quiltmaker magazine "Addicted to Scraps" article so the paper template for everyone will turn out the right size.

So be watching for that---probably several issues down the road. It takes many months to publish things.

In the mean time--- collect your crumbs! You are going to need them!

And I'm going to stop pecking on my phone now so I can go sew---just ONE more block!! :-)

Mississippi River Morning ---

Today is a busy travel day!

I’m being picked up at 9:30am to get to the airport --- I hope I have an easier time getting HOME than I did getting here ----but that’s small potatoes. It’s been a great time here, the memory of my horrendous time getting here is just that --- a memory.

Yesterday was the busy day – but I took time to take a walk down by the river in the early morning – there are bike trails that go all over.

This was the sight that awaited me as I found my way to the bike trails --- the morning mist hung low over the surface of the river, giving it an other-worldy quality ---I love watching the birds, hearing their cries and calls ---

I love reflections in still water!

Further down the river I caught this view looking back at the bridge that crosses to the Iowa side of the MIsssissippi--

There is one little black duck starting to make his way out there --- I watched him for quite a while – his feathers smooth and unruffled, just gliding on the top of the water, but I knew---all the while---that his feet were paddling like crazy beneath the calm surface to get him where he wanted to be.

Life is kind of like that sometimes --- we try to be all smooth and calm on the surface, but inside our hearts are fluttering, our fears are rising their taunting heads.

JUST KEEP PADDLING ON!

The trees are heavy-laden with spring blooms….gentle breezes are carrying all the petals to the ground and scattering them like snow--- within a few days there won’t be blossoms left on this tree. My allergy-afflicted eyes will be happier----but my heart will be sad that the blossom time passed so quickly.

Further down the road I made it to one of several paddle boats --- these do dinner cruises up and down the river. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

Here’s the bigger one, from behind….look at the size of that massive paddle wheel! This always makes me think of that old musical “Show Boat”.

A beautiful public grassy spot for picnicing along the river --- those purple trees are just YUMMY.

I made my way back to the hotel after my walk----grabbed a quick shower, got myself ready and head out to face this:

What was it I said about keeping calm and unruffled on the outside, but paddling like mad underneath the surface? That’s exactly how I feel before getting up to speak in front of 160 people. I hope they had as good of a time as I did ----because this was so fun we did it twice! Once at 1pm, and again at 7!

A special thank you to the quilter who gifted me with this lovely bouquet of lilacs, fresh from her yard! She read on my blog about my love of lilacs and brought them to me --- such a lovely gesture! I brought them back to my room with me and slept with their fragrance filling my dreams ----

And so --- I’m on my way back to North Carolina. Thank you Quad Cities for the warm and friendly welcome, great food, great company, and a very memorable time with the Mississippi Valley Quilters Guild!

((We are working on dates to come back in the future! YEAH!))

iPhone-o-Gram! Bite of Whiteys!

I've been told for weeks now that I could not come to Moline without stopping for Whitey's ice cream!

So that's just what we did!

After our first lecture was done we headed out.

My flavor choice?? Butterfinger shake!!

It was every bit as good as promised--I ate the whole thing myself!

Yummmmmmy!
Bonnie

Holy Cheddar Bowties, Batman!

Kelli brought along her leader/ender bow-tie blocks to work on in between other things this past weekend!

I feel put to complete shame!

I don’t know if you can tell that they are assembled into semi-blocks here in the container

((Insert personal thought --- don’t you LOVE snap ware?! :cD))

There are over 1,000 bow-ties in her quilt. I’m at 200+??

Man.

I am SUCH. A. SLACKER!

Here we are in April ---- I issued the challenge last July from Sister’s, Oregon ---how far have YOU gotten? Our 1 year challenge will be up by the time my Sisters trip rolls around again!

That gives me 3 months to buckle down more on them ----

Scrappy Mountains in Moline!

Day 3 of workshops with the Mississippi Valley Quilters ----This has been such a great visit ---several of the ladies are INSANE enough to tackle 3 consecutive days of workshops, willingly adding not just one, but THREE UFOs to their long lists of current projects and challenges --- you just gotta LOVE that kind of determination!

Today we also had several quilters who were new ----they quickly set up their machines in the empty spaces left by those who had to go back to work on Monday morning –it was like changing of the quilt –guard!

Some of the" new" arrivals are SO dedicated --they were at a Quilt Retreat all weekend....but came to join us on Monday! I wonder if they even unpacked their cars? LOL! Now THAT is some dedication too!

It gave me a chance to meet some new faces, and to reconnect with some familiar ones who I’ve spent time with elsewhere in other parts of the country ---they traveled in to spend time with us!

And then there are the workshop-crashers! LOL! ((Okay, Michele, just so you know that I am a big tease, and sometimes I tease and want you to know I am because I don’t want you mad at me!))

Here, let Michele tell you her story herself! It’s priceless!

So now I’m hoping I’ll get to pop in on Dan and Michele during breakfast at the hotel this morning because I’m not being picked up until 11am for my first of 2 lectures today ---I get time to PLAY in the morning! ((I already feel a walk along the river in my future for tomorrow morning as well ---))

And then there was Shirley, who brought along her sister --- Shirley came to my classes in Venice, FL in January! And she brought me a picture of the two of us together that I get to keep. Now this is funny—pay attention ---

Look at my outfit above…..this is what I wore yesterday. Now look at my picture with Shirley in January ---

The woman must think that I never change my clothes! LOL!! And it’s true when I say that I get home and wash the contents of my suitcase and pack it right back up again…what works on the road works on the road, and it only changes when the seasons get hot or cold…I think it’s time to go shopping for some more variety in my teaching attire!

Here I am with the two sweet sisters ((In the same outfit I wore in January in Venice FL!)) who also spirited me away for an impromtu tour of the magnificent Butterworth house! So now I can say that I saw more than just the “Garage!”

Oh, I have laughed so much over the past 3 days that my cheek muscles hurt!

So let’s talk about a more serious thing. PLEASE be careful when rotary cutting. I know during class time that cutting space can be limited. Table heights vary, and lighting can be different than what we are used to in our own work spaces.

We had one Oopsie that ended up with a quilter having to be run to the emergency room after a rotary cutter got the better of her finger.

The other quilters around her were quick on their feet! There WAS no bleeding on the quilt! And a strip of muslin was found to wrap her finger which impressed the medical staff at the hospital to no end…do NOT wrap a cut with a tissue or paper towel – you’ll get paper debris in the wound…..grab a strip of muslin….. much cleaner than tissue!

4 stitches later, she was back in class. What a trooper! And this mishap does have its upside --- seems she MUST refrain from washing dishes for at LEAST a week……poor thing! :c)

Come along and see how we busied ourselves all day ---

		Scrappy Mountain Majesties, Moline IL 2012 VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

I’m really looking forward to the two trunkshows today ---I expect this guild to continue to be a lively bunch and I’ve really enjoyed being a part of things here.

In between the two meetings we have some time to run around ----I’ve been told a stop at Whitey’s for ice cream is a MUST when in Moline ---so that is on the agenda, and I think I need to hit the John Deere Pavilion to see all the vintage tractors, don’t you? I need a picture by some good ole John Deere Green!

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!