Center of the MCC Valentine Quilt

I am finally posting the large center block for our MCC Valentine quilt. I have been working on it for weeks because I kind of felt like it wasn't going to get done on time. Just like everything else, I need a break from it and I am going to send it to another member of our group today. I really love this quilt and I am going to offer it as a class this spring. Since there are 14 squares surrounding it, it may take a couple of years to do the class. I think it will be so worth it!

TTYL,

The Happiness Project

I was watching the Today Show this morning and they had a guest on who really caught my attention. She had written a book called, The Happiness Project. The general idea I had from the interview was to live for the moment and do what makes you happy. For me, that would be crazy quilting. For me crazy quilting is more than a hobby, it is a way of life. I stitch everyday. When things are bothering me, I stitch. When I am happy, I stitch. Crazy quilting extends way beyond just stitching. It is a way of bonding with others that you may have never known if you didn't crazy quilt. For me it has opened up a world I didn't even know existed.

Why don't you leave me a comment about how crazy quilting has made you happy?

The embroidery pictured above is from another spring project I am working on. If you would like the pattern for it, you may go to my website and it will be listed under freebies. My website is www.valeriebothell.com.

TTYL,

Christmas Gift's: Naughty and Nice

Here are some pictures of a few of the nice things I got for Christmas. Above is a very pretty ceramic Pink Bunny. For obvious reasons I got that gift. Thank you Lori!


Here is a very cute gingerbread house that I got early in December as a gift. I was hoping it would last for a couple of years, but the first day, I had a four year old eat one of the gum drops. Apparently he just couldn' t resist! Thank you Dixie!


This came in the mail yesterday! It was all beautifully wrapped in the most beautiful pink sparkly wrapping paper! I wonder how long it took to gather that many wonderful pink and brown things....Thank you Miss Carole!


Ok, this picture I am doing on the sly! I gave these pajama's to my two oldest boys for Christmas. Of course they only wore them long enough to take the picture...HA! Who in their right mind makes blanket sleepers large enough for grown boys to wear? When they returned them the next day, the girl asked why they were returning them. My oldest held one of them up and said, "Isn't it obvious?". Okay, don't mention I posted this picture or I am in really big trouble!

TTYL,

My Christmas Donut

When Judith Baker Montano was here for the retreat, she taught a crazy quilted Victorian Christmas Wreath. I remember she called it a donut...well now I know why. That thing was really hard to sew together and even worse to stuff. After all of that, I was told by one family member who shall remain nameless, that it looked square. Well, I am leaving it. I am a big perfectionist, but that wreath(donut) will never be round! I am enjoying it anyway....

Finished Valentine Crazy Quilt Squares

Some major progress has been made on our Valentine Crazy Quilt that we are donating to the MCC sale in April. This crazy quilt has 14 small 10 1/2 inch squares surrounding a 20 x 30 inch large big piece. Here are the five finished ones I have and the other squares are still out and about among the 7 of us working on the quilt. Enjoy the eye candy and I'll keep posting finished squares as I get them.





Talk to you later!

My Funny Job!

My job as a crazy quilt teacher, is sometimes interesting. What is always strange to me is when everyone else is busily working on Christmas stuff, I am working on spring stuff. That is always so that the projects I am going to teach in the spring are ready to go. The other side of that is, in May, I am working on Christmas stuff while everyone else is working on flowers and summer stuff. It's just how it is, but sometimes it is hard to work on Christmas stuff while you are out lounging by the pool!

Anyway, the picture above is stitched on a project I will be teaching in the spring...so enjoy even though it is Christmas!

Christmas Gift Idea's

If you are looking for great Christmas gift idea's for your favorite crazy quilter, here are two great idea's. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am involved in making a crazy quilt for the MCC sale every year. To raise money to make the next quilt, we sell calendars featuring pictures of the quilt. This calendar features the 2009 Crazy Quilt, but it is a 2010 calendar. We would really appreciate it if you would buy one to help us out! As you know, a crazy quilt is not a cheep venture! This year's theme is a Valentine Crazy Quilt.

Another great idea would be Judith Baker Montano's new book Fibreart Montage. When she was here in November, she sold all 36 of the books she brought! It is an amazing book that is oversized and is spiral bound so it can open flat.

Both of these items are available on my website, www.valeriebothell.com.

Thanks so much,