TO ALL OF YOU….my best wishes for a joyous Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. I know it’s been said many times before…but it’s pretty easy to think of all the blessings I have……and it’s a great day for counting them up.

My biggest blessing is my beloved family….my husband, two daughters, Stacey and Rachel, their families….my precious grandchildren. They’re all healthy, happy, and thriving, and I never loose sight of how that is the greatest blessing of all. I might have shown you this photo before….but it’s hard to find one with them all in it! I do have two great son-in-laws and a wonderful husband….but I really have a hard time finding a photo with them all in it! I’ll have to work on that!

We’ll be spending the day tomorrow with family and friends….but it’s a day that reminds me very much of all those Thanksgivings past that I spent with my own parents. Both have been gone for several years…..but I especially miss my father the day before Thanksgiving because he absolutely loved the ritual, and ordeal, of chopping all the goodies and making the dressing for the next day’s turkey.

And, believe me, I wouldn’t do it any other way. There are lots of corners I cut when it comes to cooking….but I would never buy the already stale bread crumbs for stuffing. Absolutely not. I do it the way he and my mother did it…..spreading out all that fresh bread around the kitchen to let it get stale…then chopping it up for their yummy dressing.

I still use my mother’s dressing recipe…..and I have it on a page or two that she typed for me probably 25 years ago. Oh yeah, they always had a house full of people and a huge stuffed turkey….so they mixed it all together in a plastic garbage bag! And, naturally, I do the same!  It’s an honor to do it their way….and I can still see them putting it all together.

SO….with that little bit of nostalgic rememberance….I wish you all the best of holidays tomorrow. Enjoy and count your blessings…..and eat lots of turkey!

You know how sometimes how you just feel like you need a change….something different than you’ve been doing….or something just for fun or exploration? 

I don’t actually get that feeling often. Usually I’m neurotically compulsively driven toward a multitude of goals at once (not always a good thing…) but lately I’ve been wanting to do something just for me for awhile….thus…..ta, da…..the Paintbox Bag you see above.

I’ve always been a bag lover…….one of my past hobbies was to buy bag patterns. Notice I didn’t say…MAKE the bag patterns. Just buy them. I notice bags, buy bags, drool over bags….even actually make bags at times. I decided to combine my favorite textile art series, Paintbox, with my passion for bags….and here’s the result.

Ironically, I wasn’t thinking I’d necessarily make more, but I went into a local gallery today…and the owner loved them and wants me to make some for sale! Goes to show you never know.  I’ll make a few for sale…….but it was a little labor intensive (translation: it took a lot of time) to be profitable! But it was fun and that counts for something!

Selling larger pieces of art is a challenge right now as you can imagine….so maybe this is something to think about.

Doesn’t every studio or sewing room need a resident cat? Well…..I have two……Jack and Jelly. Named by my granddaughters as you can tell!

 Here you’re seeing Jelly lounging on one of my (precious!) Paintbox quilts. He’s quite at home in all the corners of my studio…..including curling up to sleep in the fabric piles.

There’s something kind of cozy and comforting about seeing one of them comfortably lounging as I work……until they pounce at the sewing machine as I’m stitching! Then it’s outside they go for a little excercise!

As you know, I’ve been holding workshops in my home studio for the past few months. They’ve been going very well….and as a teacher, it makes me feel great to see how everyone progresses when they are in a class of three for several days.

I’ve worked out dates through September 2009….plus done a little revising for workshops in the early part of the year.  Give me a call or an email if you’d like to chat about it….or check my website and blog for  more photos.

Here are the dates and workshop titles..

Jan. 22 & 23                        Design First I

Feb. 18, 19, 20                    Creating with Collage

March 12 & 13                     Putting on the Glitz

April 1, 2, & 3                       Creating with Collage

May 28 & 29                         Design First 1

June 11 & 12                          Putting on the Glitz

July 22, 23, & 24                 Creating with Collage

August 27 & 28                     Design First 1

September 17 & 18              Putting on the Glitz

Would love to have you. If you’d like more information on prices, accomodations etc, just email me and I’ll send it all to  you.

Lots of very nice projects and people were part of my recent teaching trip to Florida. Doesn’t this one capture the essence of Florida…..it does for me!

I taught in both Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda…..and it was a delightful treat to have a little warmth and sunshine in October since I’m from the wonderful state of Washington. Warmth and sunshine is not usually part of our landscape this time of year!

Classes primarily focused on using specialty threads, raw-edged applique, and color blending. Here’s a quick look at some of the projects and students….

I’d be proud of those projects too!! Don’t forget to click on the photo for a larger version…..you can see them a little more up-close-and-personal!

They may look like they’re working hard…..but I know they’re really having fun!

More looks at the stitching projects where they experimented with the often-feared metallic threads! They learned using them was a piece of cake once I taught them the tricks.  I love teaching that…..everyone is so excited about the results.

And speaking of a piece of cake……I was teaching on my birthday….so we celebrated with cake of course. Since, after all, it WAS my birthday, I had more than my share!! A great ending to a very enjoyable trip.

And this will be my first year as an exhibitor at this annual show in Spokane, Washington.  Three Peppers  above is just one of my pieces that will be for show and sale.

 Even though it’s my first time, this juried show has been a part of the regional art scene for years. In fact the  official description is the 26th Annual Sale & Exhibition  of Fine Contemporary Crafts. The dates are November 7-9.

 I’ll be showing my fiber art pieces…..both large and small. And speaking of small, I’ve done a number of little….like realllllyyyy little….pieces, just in case that’s what people are interested in.  Like, 3″ x 3″ fiber pieces mounted on canvas…..I have a great photo on my camera and promise to add it to my blog soon. Tonight, I’m too tired to download. Too many late nights in the studio getting ready for the show.

 If you’re in the area, I know there will be lots of wonderful artwork to enjoy….and, of course, purchase if you find something you can’t live without. Hopefully!

 For more information, check out their website at www.inlandcrafts.org

 Hope to see you there. I’ll be in booth 124! Come by and say hello…..and bring chocolate!