My Auriful BOM, finally finished!!!

My Auriful BOM, finally finished!!!

My jewelry is on Etsy

A friend of mine, Marie Kuhlman, is selling my jewelry on Etsy!  Here are a couple of samples...

Please stop by and check them out, as well as her crafts, and soon to be coming is my hand dyed fabric!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/My3Pieces?ref=shop_sugg&show_panel=true

Love always, k

We have a winner!

We have a winner!  Number 37:

  

JanaramaApril 15, 2014 at 7:12 PM

Love your pincushion and the meaning behind it. I'm a new follower via email.

ReplyDelete

I have emailed you also.  Please send me your address so I can send off the prize...

Thanks everyone for participating.  I hope all of you enjoy my posts.  I try to post when I have something new and / or thoughtful to add.  

love

Superpower Revealed and a Giveaway!!!!

Today is my day to reveal my SuperPower, in the USA, it is also Tax Day, but my Superpower has nothing to do with taxes...  bear with me for a moment while I tell the story about the SuperPower.

 First of all, this is a SuperPower Reveal, and also a stitching hop, and so the first thing I need to do is reveal my newest stitching that reveals a bit of my superpower:

Yes, I stitched a pin cushion which is a crow holding a star.

Now, crows are all about mystery and stars are about a bit of light in the darkness, and so a crow holding a star is about bringing a bit of light into the mystery of life and the world.  So, I see my SuperPower as bringing a bit of light into the world through my colors (black in the crow has all the colors within it), my quilts, my fabric dyeing, and my jewelry making which I have not done for a while, but it is time to get back into it, and my love...

It is also time to reveal my giveaway, to show I am bringing a bit of Love and Light...

Notice the "Tree of Life" growing in the heart in this panel.

Quilt labels or possible block components on the bottom of the panel.

Layer Cake of 42 10" Squares in the "Love is in the Air" fabric line.  

A beautiful "Love" 22" panel with several love "notes" that can be used in quilt squares as well as for labels on your quilts, and a Layer Cake of 42 10" squares.  The fabric line is called "Love is in the Air" by Deb Strain for Moda.  You will have enough fabric to make a wall hanging or small lap size quilt with the 22" by 42" panel and the Layer Cake.

To Win this Giveaway, all I ask is that you follow me by email, or bloglovin, or Google + so that I can continue to reveal my SuperPower to you over the next weeks, and leave me a comment telling me that you are now a follower.  If you already follow me, just leave me a comment telling me that and I will enter you also.  Easy peasy, just comment on this Super Power blog that you are a follower, and you are entered, and while you are at it, see what my SuperPower is being revealed on my fellow bloggers during this blog hop by following the links below, that is, after midnight eastern time on April 15:

TUESDAY APRIL 15

A Geeky Crafty Life
Thimblemouse and Spouse
How ART you?
Sew Golden A Chance
Just Because Quilts
DMC-Threads

I plan to check them out...  Love always, k

The Saga of the Design Wall

 So, what is a design wall?  Well, first of all, you know that a quilter needs his/her space, right?  I have taken over all of what once was a dining room and a big room in the basement.  Why?  Because a quilter has a bunch of stuff.  This stuff is not all fabric.  It is sewing machines, cutting boards, big tables to hold quilts as they are being quilted, other big tables to provide space for making quilt sandwiches (not a food group), and for me, an area by the laundry room downstairs for my dyeing studio (yes, we call them all our studios).

My dining room sewing table, design wall behind.

So, in my dining room where I have my sewing machine and big quilting table, I decided I needed a design wall.  A design wall is a place where you can put up blocks you have made and easily move them around to make the quilt design, hence design wall.  The blocks have to stick and be easily moved around, so I went on a quest to find out what people made design walls of.  What I found out was that blocks stick magically to batting, so the outside of my wall I made of batting.  For the inside, I went to Menards and bought two one-inch sheets of insulation.  So, since my wall was a standard height, I took the insulation and covered it, only to find out that "standard" is not standard, you have floors and rugs and ceiling treatments that make when you cover the "standard", you get a bit of a tight fit, as below:

About a six inch gap!

Curved away from the wall!

Should be flat against the wall!

So, down to the cutting board, remove the spray-basted batting and do what I should have done in the first place, measure and cut the board to the proper height.   Well, I almost got it right; styrofoam is hard to cut with a kitchen knife so what you can't see is that there is a gap and the board is a bit wonky, but I am happy!

I now have my design wall in my design studio and am as happy as punch!

What is my Super Power? And, what am I going to give away?

I haven't been around much lately.  I have had camera and time issues, but I am back and commit to you I will post as often as I have something interesting to say.  Frankly, I have several posts I want to do stored up in my brain.  I will get them down on electronic media in the very near future.  I almost said down on paper, but we don't use paper much anymore, do we???

I am also participating in the SuperPower Blog Hop.  I really am happy to share my superpower, but you will have to wait to let me expose it!!!  Here is the schedule and my day (Sew Golden a Chance) is Tuesday April 15.... OH NO, that is TAX DAY!!!!  Well, I hope everyone is done with their taxes so that they can be seeing what superpower is in the stitching hop.  Hope to see you then!

FRIDAY APRIL 11

Just Let me Quilt

Meadowbrook

Living with Purpose

The Quilting Queen Online Blog

Words and Stitches

MONDAY APRIL 14

It Seams To Be Sew...

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Bumbleberry Stitchn'

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Jane's Quilting

Secretly Stitching

TUESDAY APRIL 15

Beaquilter

The Distracted Domestic

A Geeky Crafty Life

Thimblemouse and Spouse

How ART you?

Sew Golden A Chance

WEDNESDAY APRIL 16

krislovesfabric

My Addiction to Quilting

Needle and Hook

Sew Incredibly Crazy

Lixie Makes It

Seams To Be Sew

THURSDAY APRIL 17

Kathy's Quilts

Made by Me in Red

life, quilts and a cat too

Val Spiers Sews

Quilt Doodle Doodles...

Quilting My Way-5th Generation Quilters Blog

FRIDAY APRIL 18

Late Night Quilter

Just Keep Swimming

I Piece 2-Mary

The Fuzzy Hat Quilter

Kids and Sewing

Sew many yarns

MONDAY APRIL 21

Malini's Quilting Adventure

Pig Tales and Quilts

My Stitchin-n-Stuff

pieces by polly

Buzzing and Bumbling

QuiltnQueen

Sew We Quilt

Creatology, the winner of my Kona Snow, wrote:

Hello Kay:

Thank you sew very much.  I received your package today.  This Moda Snow Jelly Roll is fabulous!  I am honored to be the recipient. 

Blogging has been such a blissful journey for me.  Finding like-minded souls and an incredible amount of inspiration is amazing to me. 

Thank you sincerely…sherry

 So, betcha can't wait to find out what is next...  Well, it has to do with my Superpower, and yes, another blog hop where I will reveal just what my Superpower is!

Now this is going to be a fun hop because everyone is going to reveal their superpower on the day of their hop!  So, mine is a secret until then.

Please join me on this great hop.  All my followers, new and old (age never counts) will be eligible for another great drawing that is all about my super power.  

I will be posting what I have been doing as soon as my husband gets back from a business trip.  He took my precious camera with him.  So, I will have a lot to post soon!  Love always, Kay

We have a winner...

Drum Roll, Please!!!

Number 40!

Hi, You were the 40^th person to comment on my blog during the “Hugs and Kisses” Blog Hop.  Random Number Generator picked #40 and that is Createology. 

You win a jelly roll of Kona Snow.  To claim your prize, please send me your snail mail address…  thanks again for following me.  I sent you an email also.

Thanks to all the new followers.  I will do my best to make all of my posts interesting and relevant.

love always, Kay

My Day is finally here!

For the Hugs and Kisses Blog Hop that is...

And here is the block I made.  I made it to match a quilt top that I finished this month.  First the block:

I think this will be a coordinating pillow.

To match my Dogs and Cats Companions quilt (fabric by Laurel Birch)...

And be sure to visit the rest of the blog hop on today (see the list below):

Feb 18th

Lady Lana

www.itseamstobesew.blogspot.com

Lady Judy

www.frimart.ch

Lady Shanna

http://ssparrowinflight.blogspot.com/

Lady Amanda

amandamurphydesign.blogspot.ca

Lady Kay

www.sewgoldenachance.blogspot.com

Everyone who follows me today will have a special chance to win a gift of a jelly roll of pure Kona Snow.  Just jot me a message below to let me know you followed me and I will enter your name into the basket!

Happy Mom (and Grandma)

Smiling Mom and Grandma!

 Have you ever seen such a happy camper?  I am smiling like there is no tomorrow...  Well, I had the most wonderful weekend.

My son Tony, Jackson, Me and Kathy (my daughter Andee is taking the picture).

I got to spend Sunday afternoon with my wonderful son, daughter, daughter in law, and grandson.  I treasure every moment I spend with them.

We went to a children's play area by my house (too cold for outside) and Jackson just had a ball (quite literally)!!!  

Also, my stepdaughter (on the right) competed in varsity gymnastics at South, while only 12 years old.  This picture was in the Star/Tribune, the Minneapolis paper on Friday, itsn't it neat?  She and a friend were jumping past each other on the uneven parallel bars.

A wonderful weekend...  love always, Kay

February Goal, A Lovely Year of Finishes, PRACTICE

Well, it is February, and as usual I am behind in my BOMs and other things that I need to work on, well need is a strong word, want to work on is better.  I told myself I would not get behind this year, but now I am taking a dyeing class and it takes me a day to get ready for class and then a day to wash and sort the fabric that I dyed.  No complaints, mind you, but the class is taking a lot of time.

Aurifil January BOM

So, for my Lovely Year of Finishes February goal, I am going to complete my February Globetrotting BOM, my Aurifil BOM, and catch up on my FMQ class with Leah Day, the Building Blocks BOM.

Globetrotting January BOM

Now, frankly, the FMQ with Leah Day is the most important to me.  I really need to do this free motion stuff to where I am satisfied.  I have tops to quilt and I have plans for an entry in May to a show, but if I can't get the FMQ I am sunk.  So, I need to practice, practice, practice.  That is a goal, but not a visible one, so I will do the visible and then also do the practice to get better.  Love always, Kay

Lovely Year of Finishes

Guess what?  I only put one block down for my finish for January because of my carpal tunnel surgery.  But, I went all the way to doing the sashing and finishing the entire quilt top!!!!!

Here it is:

2013 Sugar Block Club.  My Dog Sadie loves it also...

So, there it is, my January, all 12 months done and top finished for Sugar Block Club 2013.  Onward to more Lovely Finishes for 2014!  Love always, Kay

What I did this week...

I dyed my own fabric.  I am so happy about it!

Two colorways of rainbows and a pastel

A bright rainbow

A bit darker more fallish rainbow

And pastels from the brights

 Aren't they fun?  I can't wait to do more.  Love always, k

Blog Hop Coming Soon... I need to get my quilt done!

I am participating in the Hugs and Kisses Blog Hop and my day is February 18th.

The project is a secret, but it will be fun!  Please pop by on the 18th to visit.

Globetrotter and Aurifil blocks completed

I am doing two BOMs this year, one is called Globetrotter and it is a special quilt designed by super quilter Pat Sloan.

This is a big block, 24", and is the medallion for the center of the quilt.

I thought this block with all the different prints was a bit busy, but I do like it.  I am not sure I would change anything, just worried that it is a bit busy.  The fabric is mostly from the Nordika collection by Jen Baker.  I really like the feel of this fabric.  It is way different than most.  It has a softness to it and feels almost like a stretch knit.

 This is the January Aurifil block.  It is designed by Bridgitte from Zen Chic.  I really like the modern colors I am using.  It will be interesting to see how the blocks come together as the months roll on.

The fabric is all from my stash and I like to use stash fabric for all the BOMs.

One Little Word, Believe

Responding to Pat Sloan's challenge for us to choose a word that we wish to focus our energy around for 2014.  After giving it a lot of thought (for me, more than two seconds), I decided my word is Believe.  I chose this word because of a conversation that my husband Shawn and I had last night.  He was talking about the synchronicity in the universe, the power of thought, energy, and prayer, and the magic that can only be described as divine.  A miracle happened in my life just this past week:  my son and his family came to see us after six years of separation.  I met my grandson who just turned one.  A miracle.

Kathy (my DIL), Tony (my son), Jackson (my grandson), aren't they a beautiful family?

Happy Dad and Jax

Jackson or Jax, they don't come any cuter.

So, yes, Believe is my word.  I believe in miracles.

Further, 

• I believe in my family, each and every one of them.  
• I believe that I can get better.  I am still struggling with health issues, I have a brain injury that is slowly healing, I have carpal tunnel in both wrists, and my fibromyalgia has been off the charts caused by the car accident a year ago this month.
• I believe I have a lot yet to contribute.  While I turned sixty this past October, I believe I am still a shining star in the world and I need to let my light shine.
• I believe in growth.  I believe I can grow in many ways even though I have disabilities.  I believe I can help my family grow.
• I believe in being present in this moment.  I believe in letting go of the past.  
• I believe in never giving up but rather holding the love and light and believing in miracles.

So, Believe is my focus word.  Thanks Pat Sloan for making me think of it.  love always, Kay

Looking back and a little forward...

Sew Mama Sew is having a special series on 2013 and she has invited us to play along (Sew Mama Sew Special Series).  So, I decided to do just that...

Looking back on 2013, what trends stand out?  I think the biggest trend I have seen is the return more to center.  I think the book (which I have still to read but have followed the authors) Vintage Quilt Revival is a good example of this.  There seems to be an acknowledgment of the value of using the past to create the future, playing with the vintage blocks, adding color and size and new placements to make them new.  In this same vein, I see less of the chaos for chaos' sake, although sometimes that is needed just to break free. 

Was there a personal or an industry high point?  My personal high point was the realization that I have something to contribute, and "if you build it, they will come."  Well, they have not come yet, but I am going to keep contributing.

What did you make that you’re most proud of?  I think I am most proud of the wedding quilt which was my last finish.  I really worked on doing some different quilting and was very proud of it.

I am also proud of the quilt top and back I made for Aria Lane patterns as a tester.  I am proud to be working with Alyssa Lichner at www.pileofabric.com as a tester and proofer.

Whose work inspired or awed you? What was your favorite fabric collection or print?  I have to say that Tula Pink awes and inspires me.  She has such a sense of the playful fairy.

Do you have a book, pattern or class from the past year to recommend?  I have learned the most from Alyssa Lichner and Leah Day.  Both of them have inspired me to try new things and grow.

What are your thoughts about social media? How is it going for you? What do you love or hate? What do you predict for 2014?  I myself am frustrated a bit by social media.  I have a love/hate relationship.  I love to make the blog, but as I have found in all of my work, I am not a self promoter, so no one knows who I am and so what I do is limited in terms of social media.  I wish I could be a self promoter because I turned sixty last year and I really do have a lot to offer...  but I just can't bring myself to get out there.

Who do you think will be a rising star of 2014?  I say, watch Alyssa and Leah.  I think as young mothers everywhere, they are limited by the age of their families in what they can get done.  But I think those two are on the brink of rising to the star status, and they deserve it.

January, A Lovely Year of Finishes

I am going to start January with a small goal, mostly because I am laid up still with a cast on my right wrist from carpal tunnel surgery.  My January goal is to make the December block from Amy Gibson's 2013 Sugar Block Club and at least get a plan for putting it together.  Here is the earlier blocks:

While this picture only shows 9, I do indeed have 11 done but my camera is somewhere unknown and I am trying to dig it out.  I will find it by the time I need to post my success.

So, there you have it, my first 2014 goal...  Love always, Kay