International Quilt Festival Houston 2008

Here we are!!!

We actually both got into a Make It University Workshop TOGETHER! Virginia is on the left and I'm on the right. You have to put your name in the jar in advance and then you have to be present 15 min. before the class starts to see if they call your name. What are the chances we would BOTH get in!!! Well...we did!!! Yeah us! We signed up for Pokey Bolton's class. She is editor of Cloth, Paper, Scissors and Quilting Arts Magazine. She is quite lively. ha! And to do all she does...that's a good thing.

Below she is showing one of Virginia's "spreads" that she made in the class. Pokey liked it! I bet it shows up on the Quilting Arts blog... you can get there by clicking on her name the first time it appears in this post. She has a lot of pictures from Quilt Festival there, too.

Here is Lisa Engelbrecht writing my name! She painted them on canvas in caligraphy for us .... just a little give away.

I'll put up more pictures soon.... maybe even later today. I simply must work on the card deck for awhile. And Silver Bella is almost upon me..... I will BE THERE in less than two weeks!!!!!!

Happy Halloween!

International Quilt Festival is here!!!

Remember these pictures from last year? Below are some fabric inchies.... I wish I could make fabric inchies as well.....

And I loved this "Imagine". It has some metal in it. In case you've forgotten...Virginia and I bought some metal at a great booth so we could do stuff like this. Fortunately ... in our great wisdom that we've attained in going to this event for over 20 years, we split a package. I still have done zero with mine....and I'm betting Virginia......

I always LOVE the journal quilts!!!!

And I threw in a flower quilt from last year for ya. Wonder what we'll see this year!!! Stay tuned. We are going Thursday!!!!!!!

Remember you can click on the pictures and see them larger! We are going to the Cloth, Paper, Scissors area, too... to swap our ATCs!!! They always have a great swap going! Speaking of Cloth, Paper, Scissors..... have you seen the latest issue? Remember all those bottles I bought in Warrenton???!!!!!!

Christian Card Deck

As you probably know if you come here often, I moderate a yahoo group called Christian Paper Artists. We have produced two decks since 2005 of playing cards with scriptural themes. The picture above shows some of the cards from the 2006 deck and below you can see the packaging and back designs of both decks. We have them professionally printed. Below is one of the cards I've made for the new deck we are in the process of publishing. The theme of this new deck is Love! If you would like to have one of these decks, just email me or leave a comment and way for me to reach you and I'll send you my mailing address so you can send payment. I know, I know....one day I'll do an Etsy shop and have paypal - but for now you would have to send me a check, cash or money order. The decks will be $7 each if you get in on our initial order - which means you need to let me know by Nov. 3!!! Anyway... they are so much fun to do and make great gifts for those of us making them.

Annaglitter

Anna sent me this "just because"!!! She was in the glitter house swap, too....but we were all assigned someone to mail to. She made an extra for me, because she is a giving person! One of the most giving people I've ever known. She is so special!! And if you would like to see the chandelier on the inside of the house Carla sent me...I added pictures here: Carla Henderson's Glitter House

Pink Artists Project Wraps Up Phase I

The Pink Artists Project is finished!

We raised $3,028.34 for Susan G. Komen for the cure.

If you contributed money to the Project you were automatically entered to win the doll we made or another prize. I won a prize! I won these beautiful earrings by Cheryl Strait! I do love them!

Glitter Houses...more!

I was in a glitter house swap on Christian Paper Artists. We made our house by a common template and mailed it flat to our assigned person. I got mine last week. I love it. I absolutely adore it actually. I have a real obsession with the house shape. It has something to do with my childhood and it's all pretty deep..... but for now let's just say that I reallllly like little houses. Above is the inside of the house Carla Henderson sent me. She does not have a blog...but she should.

Guess what I didn't take a photo of? The blue glittery chandelier that hangs from the roof inside!!!!! I'll do that soon and upload it. My BFF Anna made me a glitter house ...just because... and sent it to me. It is DARLING. I will take pictures of it and put those up soon, too. Gotta spread the blogging out ya know! P.S. Here is the chandelier on the inside:

Dirt Diva Party

Well, all of us actually showed up. Six Dirt Divas in one spot doesn't happen too often.....so we try to get it photographed for historical reasons. Luckily, my daughter came by to borrow clothing for a Halloween party and took this shot. Yes, she borrowed something of mine. hahaha However, it is something that I wore on stage a couple of years ago when performing All That Jazz and Rollin on the River before a medical convention. Really peaks your interest doesn't it!!! No, there are no pictures....that I know of.

And, yes, we try to wear crowns as often as possible.

In case you are wondering....from left to right starting in back is Olga, Nancy, Lori, me, Melinda and Connie.

Connie is wearing a t-shirt that says "Queen Grandmother"! She will have the first Dirt Diva grandchild in April!!! And Connie considers herself the Queen. Soooooooo.....

Autumn colors and pic for Amanda

Maybe I should've cleaned off the island a bit? Oh...well...this is how I live. I've made myself decorate a bit. The Dirt Divas are coming this afternoon for a birthday celebration. We missed celebrating one in September and then we have one turning 60 on Saturday! Don't you love hanging out with older people, I do! hahaha

Here is a better shot of the candle with the "girls" on it. Eeeeeerrrrie girls! I love em.

Amanda and my daughter, Deb, both seem to have issues with body parts. Here is a pic of my babydoll head in the dining room - displayed under glass! She is so sweet...I think I'll dress her up all the time.

B Day

B day for a Bellaween peek. I love these little girls. This is not a great photo...but I will try to take a better one later. I did the Bellaween E-Zine with Teresa McFayden. Lots of good stuff there. You can still order it! And.......I finished washing all those bottles I bought at Clutter in Warrenton a couple of weeks ago. I have two shelves full!!!!!!! I can't just keep these there - what am I going to do with all of them?

Also while in Warrenton we went to Theresa's booth Garden Antiques Vintage....and she put a photo of Melinda and I on her blog...so scroll down til you find us. It's actually a decent shot of both of us - although I look like I have a stiff neck - I'm sure it was my rotator cuff injury resisting the junk I was hauling. It's hard to be me.

Breast Cancer Art Doll!

Tomorrow night is the drawing! So if you haven't entered..you better hurry. Just go to the web site...link just here to the left. There are LOTS of prizes!!!!!! And...you are contributing to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. You know you want to!!!

Country Living and Silver Bella!

I suspect you already know that Country Living has an article on Silver Bella in the current issue...since everyone that reads my blog is very "with it," but JUST IN CASE .... I thought I'd mention it. It's the November issue, which I have not yet received - being a subscriber and all. Remember when the point of subscribing was getting your issue FIRST? What happened to that? Silver Bella is the paper arts event that I go to in Omaha in November! No, pictures of me from last year didn't make the Country Living article - I don't know why!!! If you click on the Country Living link above....you can see the pictures that are in the article....I mean - if you can't wait to get your own copy and all.

French ATCs

Got a few things done today while painters were in my house. (we had an ac leak a couple of weeks ago......ceiling repair!) Anyway.....Anna is hosting a French ATC Swap on Christian Paper Artists. I only had to make 5, but got carried away. I'll use the others for either RAKs on the CPA List....or I'll trade them at the International Quilt Festival in November - The Cloth,Paper,Scissors area! I also completed my ATCs for the "fat ATC book" that Gina Grable is hosting for Silver Bella. I mailed those today. The theme is 'feathered friends'. Gina will put the books together and our little swap group of 20 will get our books on Swap Night there in Omaha! So above is a teensy, tiny peek. I also made this for a friend. He is saying "I can't keep my heart in my chest!" Then I couldn't find anything long enough to mail it in!!!! I will though.....wonder who will get it? Maybe someone that LOVES Halloween that I know and love!

Remember - you can click on photos to see them larger!!!

Warrenton WrapUp!

Finishing up the Warrenton photos. Here are just some shots of SOME of the stuff I bought! We were only there just over 24 hours. Arrived Thursday by noon and left around 2 on Friday. Next time I'd like to be there longer! Maybe I can just stay and my friends can come and go during the week as they can! I seem to be the most time flexible!!!! Be sure and check out the links in the previous posts....they continue to update their blogs and they have the BEST photos of the entire event. Next time I DO want to make it to the Marburger field... and sounds like we need to be there for preview days!

Warrenton, Texas

I really don't know where to begin here.... but I shall just jump in. Here are a couple of shots from Theresa Cano's booth. Below is a windblown and sweatin me with Theresa! I could've lightened that shot up...but it didn't improve MY looks, so it's not happenin.

Below is Renee Jackson's booth. I ran into Lauri Evans somewhere on Thursday and she gave me her moo card and told me where to find doll heads at Bar W field. I have to tell you that you simply must go visit Lauri's blog (and LuLu's) for the best stories about Round Top and Warrenton! They are too funny and great photos. Anyway...back to the doll heads. I think I know which blog is Renee's, but I want to be sure before I give the link. So if anyone knows for sure, will you send it to me. I think it's a junkqueen? Anyway, Renee's doll heads were not exactly what I was looking for...but I did find one that cleaned up very nicely!!!! See below. She's sitting on my mantle. I'm sure my daughter will have a fit and want it moved because she just doesn't "get it". Fortunately, she doesn't live with me anymore. ha! I LOVE my doll head! I'll put up some more shots tomorrow!

Let's bottle this stuff!

Melinda and I in the "photo booth" at the Junk Gypsy Prom on Thursday night! I'm in the vest. Yes, our pink hats (we bought there) have lights on them! Click on the picture for a better look...it's a bit blurry... I'll see if the one on Melinda's camera came out more clear. P.S. Got a better image off Melinda's camera - at the top. I got a few bottles!!! Need some? Yes, I bought them and the tin they came in as one lot! I also bought some individual bottles the day before. We had a great time!!! I'll get more pictures put up in the next few days!

Junkin!

I'm gone to Round Top and Warrenton, Texas!!!

Entertain yourselves by looking here:

Curious Sofa

and at these Silver Bella bellas' blogs:

Carol at Raised in Cotton is in the current issue of Romantic Country Homes! Starts on page 76.

And there is an article about the Antique Fair in Texas (where I'm going) by Heather Bullard in there, too.

Just in case you haven't been to Karla's before (another Silver Bella)... visit here:

Karla's Cottage

I'll have lots of pictures to show you in a few days!

And what did you get today?

The marvelous mailman brought me a package the other day from my dear friend, Nathalie!!! She sent me some of her newly found vintage wallpaper that I was silently coveting. She knows me sooooooo well. And then...there was this glorious, beautiful bottle of vintage glitter!!!!! And some purple tulle (for Halloween she said) (why does she limit me like this?), and an OLD red bird, an OLD green Christmas bell and some little green trees for me to use with my glitter houses!!! Life is good!

Thank you, Nat!!!