Happy Valentines!!!

Well, it's hard to believe that we are already into February!!! We just got back from two weeks traveling in Oregon! Naturally, I visited several quilt shops along the way. I will give you a short list here, just in case you find yourself traveling in Oregon. I know I didn't get to all stores available, but here goes.

We landed the first evening in Bend, Oregon. Got in late, so we hit the bed, but up bright and early the next morning. We had to see Mt. Bachelor for the ski fanatic in my hubby. That was way too much snow for me!!! Just notice how high the snow is near the truck!!!!

 Now, you can't go to Bend, and not go to Sisters, Oregon! And I had my second visit at the Stitchin' Post! So much fabric, classes and outstanding art quilts on the walls. It was hard, but I only bought a few pieces of fabric/threads. I knew I still had two weeks ahead of me!!!!

These fabrics will do wonders in my Under The Sea projects. Be sure to visit their web site and Facebook site!
From Sisters, we headed over to near Eugene, and then down Freeway 5 to Medford, Oregon, which is only about two hours from the California border. In fact, when we went a little south to Mt. Ashland, we could see Mt. Shasta from where we were!

I visited a wonderful quilt shop in Jacksonville, Oregon, that had hundreds of beautiful quilts for sale!
Country Quilts, and lots of small gifts ideas for your quilting friends!

Then in Ashland, Oregon I came across Sew Creative, where I was greeted with such friendliness from Jeanette and Mary. I didn't meet the owner, but these two ladies were so helpful. They loved my artwork, and had some crazy quilt books in the store! And look at the Kaffe Fassett fabrics I bought. They had the whole collection, and it was really hard to hold back!

Then latter in the day, back in Medford, we found Cottage Quilts.  Carolyn McCray, the owner, is a crazy quilt enthusiast, and she fell in love with my work, as I fell in love with her store!!! And I fell all over the ribbon embroidery she has stocked.

I have a huge stash of ribbon embroidery, but I have to have some of these colors.  At least, now I know where I can go back for lots more!!! Thanks, Carolyn for your warm hospitality! California sisters that we are, I will be back!!!

The next day, we took a trip to the coast, only 2 1/2 hours away, but you end up in the tip of California!
  South Coast, Oregon is so beautiful, and now one of my favorite spots of the West Coast! I visited Country Keepsakes Quilt Shop, and I was thoroughly impressed with the whole shop and the reception I received from Laurie Mitts. She really has a very active store set up for retreats and teachers! I will be back, Laurie.

Then it was time to hit the road for Depoe Bay, on the coast, where we were going to be staying for 8 days. WorldMark Depoe Bay,  is set along a beautiful spot on the coast.

We didn't have access to walk the beach, as you can see, very rocky. But it was wonderful listening to the surf day and night!

 Yes, it rains a lot, but not necessarily all day, sometimes only an hour and then the sun would come out. Best of all, the temperatures were in the 50's or more!

 Our view from our room. We purposely chose the first floor, so we could walk out of our room and feel the spray from the surf!

It was amazing to us, to see green grass in January/February!!! Not possible in Idaho!!!
In Newport I found a couple more wonderful fabric stores. Quilters Cottage, is another wonderful shop. Monica gave me another wonderful reception and has taught Crazy Quilt classes herself!
Here's a couple she has in her shop:

The next stop found me at Quilter's Cove and Holly Nevins was fun and friendly and had some wonderful sea fabrics! She has a wonderful online store here: https://www.quilterscove.net/shop/

One event I would miss, by having to go home, is the Quilt Run 101!!! As you can see on their home page, there are a lot more quilt stores than I even got to!!! Which is another reason for another trip to Oregon!!!

Although I wasn't focused on bead stores, and had seen some on my travels, but I only made it to one! Beluga Beads has a wonderful large inventory of all kinds of beads!!! And they do shipments, so be sure to visit their website!

I have been working on my CQJPChallenge 2015, a Peacock theme, all year. I took the last four blocks with me to embellish.  I didn't get them finished, but I did get some stitching in.

And here are the four that I still need to finish!!!

Well, thanks for visiting, and check back for pictures of finished blocks!!! Be sure to click on the highlighted sites to go to their websites and look for them on Facebook!!!

 

  This piece is one that I crazy quilted, and my good friend, Nicki Seavey embellished...hanging on my front door this month!!!

October 31, 2015  

Happy Halloween to everyone!!!!

 Well my last crazy quilt class has just finished and it was another wonderful experience for me and the students!  I always get to the classroom early to set up before everyone arrives.

Table is set up with lots of fabrics for them to choose their own colors...

I use my heading for my blog on the screen to greet them as they arrive.

 

Lots of new faces this year, along with a couple that joined the class from previous classes!

I change my table displays each week to show them what I work on!

 Showing students what RR work looks like from others on Crazy Quilt Divas!

A couple pictures of me demonstrating stitching!

Carolyn, below, took my class before, and acted as my facilitator for this class. This is her second block she did on her own. I think she has a great eye for color!

 Rita below, did really well and enjoyed learning all new stitches!

 Jackie, also did really well, but she didn't want her picture taken!!!

Diane was a returning student and I would say she is hooked on crazy quilting!!!

Roberta, another "don't take my picture" gal, showed a knack for creativity also!

Debbie, filled her square, and I would say that smile says she is happy!!

 J'neane is quite the accomplished quilter and showed a true knack for crazy quilting!

 Valerie with great concentration, did a marvelous job on her cq square!

 Wendy, studying her block did some beautiful stitching!

J'neane brought a quilt she had made to share with the class on the second week! Absolutely beautiful! and thanks for sharing, J'neane!!!

 

Well, it was a great class, and it's always sad when the four weeks zip by!  But I have set up a Marshall Library stitching day for the 19th of November, noon to 4pm....see all you wonderful stitchers there!!!

I spent the whole day cleaning and organizing my sewing room and now I am ready to get caught up on several of my own UFO'S!!!!!

Thanks for visiting!!!

September 14, 2015

Well, I picked up my items from the Southeast Idaho State Fair yesterday! I am still overwhelmed at winning five out of five ribbons!!!! This is the first time I have ever entered anything in to a state fair. Many thanks to my hubby for "insisting" that I enter something!!!!

 I made this last year, 2014; my mother painted all her life, so I took one of my favorite beach pictures; photographed it, and printed it on fabric. I then crazy quilted and embellished around it. It took 4th place in Hand Embroidery/Wall Hanging category! 

 Made in 1999, Evening Star Designs pattern and cq fabrics; Purple velvet is from a recycled bathrobe. Entered in East Idaho State Fair, 2015; category: from recycled materials; 4th place.

Made this in 2002; Called: "A few of my favorite things" made for the Quilting Arts Calendar of 2002, but didn't get chosen; Entered in East Idaho State Fair, 2015 and placed 4th in the category of "combined pieced/ and appliqued wall hanging".

Entered in the East Idaho State Fair, 2015 in Bags, Clutch, crazy quilted category, 4th place! Made in 2001!

I started cq in 1997; had only done a few stockings, when I made this in 1998! Entered in East Idaho State Fair, 2015; category: hand embroidered clothing, vest; Took 1st place, prize $5.  

Here are some close ups:

Well, you can bet, I will be entering again next year!!!! Thanks for visitng, and keep stitchin'!!!!