Here’s wishing all of you a restful, and relaxing holiday with family and friends. I love this time of year because there’s just a little joy in the air……but the “restful and relaxing” thing I’ve yet to master!

This year here in Washington State we are truly buried in snow.  The photo above is right outside my studio door…we live in a wooded area and probably have about three feet on the ground. Of course, with all the plowing my DH has to keep doing, we have mounds that look like mountains! The trees are beautiful……like they’ve been frosted in blobs of marshmallow cream!

Nothing to do but enjoy its beauty. I hope your day is full of the same. Well, maybe not the snow….but the time to reflect and enjoy.

Here’s another shot……believe it or not, that’s the table and chairs on the deck off my kitchen. Lunch, anyone?

All my best for a blessed Christmas….and a fabulous New Year to come.

Here she is….my second Paintbox bag….and she now belongs to Sandy from Lake Jackson, Texas.

Her new owner, Sandy, saw my original Paintbox bag on my blog a few weeks ago and emailed me to ask if she could purchase one. So….that officially made me in the Bag Business!!  I’ve decided each of them will have the name of a very stylish, artsy girlfriend…..Clarice being the first.

Here’s a closer look at some of her finer features….. same mixed fabrics, stitching and design elements as my wall pieces…but with a new twist.

It’s been great fun making the bags and adapting my Paintbox designs to this different format.Many of my friends have heard me dream about being a bag designer (I often say I’m just a frustrated wearable artist…..!) so dabbling in this has been very rewarding. I’m seriously thinking of putting my own, original bags on my website for sale…..but it will take me a little while to get a few made to offer. Unfortunately, my plate is always pretty full.

When January rolls around (very soon) I have a lot of work waiting for me….fabric, books, teching etc. but I’m going to try working it in.

I love handmade items and for years made most of my gifts……until my hobby of making stuff and quilts became my profession! Now I don’t have as much time to do it for the fun and satisfaction……and I do miss that. Maybe adding art bags to my bag of tricks will give me that same satisfaction.

One thing about this creative business…you never know just what will come around next. One thing usually leads to another, and you have to be thinking all the time about what opportunities are next…….

Enjoy your bag, Sandy….and thanks for being my very first bag cusomer!!

It wouldn’t be the holiday season without our annual girlfriends’ party.  Here we are…..toasting the New year…or whatever!

It’s the time of year to gather and enjoy the company of friends and family. I especially count myself lucky to have such great girlfriends as I’m sure many of you do as well. We’ve been friends for years, and each year we have more to share. It does make me ponder about how you build this kind of friendships……I think it takes time, shared experiences, being there for each other, and sharing lots of laughs.

True, long-lasting friendship is one of those thing you have to invest in to get a return. You know….giving before you get. That’s something I’ve learned over the years as many of my dearest friends have been part of my life for a loooonnngg time. Girlfriend friendship can be an incredibly enriching part of life. There’s that sense of honesty and support that true friends share that makes life a little sweeter. It certainly does for me anyway.

My girlfriends here are all very creative….and many of us work in the world of art or design. That’s a fun bond….but I don’t think it’s necessary to share that kind of link. Mostly, you just have to appreciate your differences and enjoy your shared interests. Hey, we have some pretty rousing political discussions…..to say the least!!! We’re not always in agreement……

Enjoy the season……and take a little time to spend with your girlfriends.

So…..did that photo and price get your attention? Can you believe the Bali batiks are $1.00 a yard……all you have to do is visit Bali for the super-sale price!

Not a problem. As I’ve mentioned in earlier posts, I’ll be teaching on an exciting textile tour to Bali in May…..AND, the last I heard there were just a couple of seats left. If you’re pondering it, I wouldn’t wait too long……

Check out the itinerary and details on the website of World of Quilts Travel which is sponsoring the tour…

http://worldofquiltstravel.com/BALI.htm

It promises to be something very different than home….and that’s something I always enjoy. And then there’s the shopping…..I’m planning on taking an extra suitcase for fabric!

Maybe I’ll see you then! The snow is falling right now here in Washington State…..and the thought of Bali sunshine sounds divine!

Think about visiting next August. The weather should be great, the sights – fantastic as always, and we can visit the Festival of Quilts!

And just how am I going to do that…..you may be asking yourself. Welllll…….think about coming along on the tour I’ll be teaching on next August…which will visit the Festival of Quilts in Birmingahm, London, the Cotswalds and much more packed into nine fabulous days.

The tour is sponsored by Sew Many Places, a very popular tour company with quilters…and to quote the Wall Street Journal (always fun to quote on my textile blog!)…..

“Sew Many Places is a global and upscale tour company for quilters.”

It can’t be said much better than that! For more information on the tour, visit their website at

http://www.sewmanyplaces.com/tours/england_0809.html

You’ll find the itinerary and other enticing bits of information…..plus the important details like the price! (which is very good!)

We’ll be visiting one of my favorite places in London….the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). Ironically, when I was going through my photos of past trips to post, I found this one of my sitting on the steps of the V&A a few years ago, studying the map of all the goodies inside. What a glorious assortment……garments, jewelry, pottery, sculpture, textiles….and the list goes on and on AND includes a great bookstore.

If you’re a reader of my blog….you know that I LOVE to travel and am up for going just about anywhere; HOWEVER the UK is truly one of my favorites. My husband’s brother lives about an hour from London, and we have the opportunity to visit there pretty often. Combining teaching with a visit there is my idea of a perfect job! I particularly love the contrast between the sophistication of London….with the story-book charm of the villages in the country side. And….one of the best parts……they speak our language! (pretty much anyway) Of course, not speaking the language is absolutely no reason to hold me back from a travel adventure, but I have to admit it’s kind of nice in the UK to be able to easily ask directions to the nearest Starbucks. (Ok, I admit it…..not even in England can I drink tea. I’m a Northwest girl….and a coffee addict!)

I’m very excited about visiting the Festival of Quilts. For those of you who may not be familiar, it’s become one of Europe’s most popular and respected shows. I’ve never been there….and I’m very excited to soak it all up. 

 There’s nothing like a visit to another culture to totally inspire and motivate us. There’s so much to see and remember and bring back to our own work. I am a passionate believer in travel as background to good work. I would love to have you along on the trip……I hope you’ll find out more and see if you can make it happen. I know you won’t be disappointed.

So……Cheerio…..(I’m not sure they REALLY say that  but it sounds good!)