That Was Fun!

We all hope you had a great holiday, however you celebrate.  We all ate too much.  Well, there are a couple of folks in our family who restrain themselves somewhat and actually quit eating when they are full.  There are more of us who say "well, just one more" to servings of dressing, or sweet potatoes, or Christmas cookies!    Stern and solemn, January is just ahead, waiting for us to reform.

Here are updated pictures of John's hand quilting project.  This was early in the weekend; he has a lot more done now.  The television is right by his frame so he can keep track of all football action. 

The Road to California Show is coming up soon.  I spent a few hours today locating the merchandise boxes so we can start packing.  Templates need to be cut, John's class supplies need to organized, suitcases are waiting to be stuffed with quilts.  Important to me is that I have a knitting project ready so I won't be bored on the airplane.  Well, too bored anyway.

If you were fortunate enough to get Money for Christmas, don't forget that the free ground shipping offer is good through January 9, 2011 on Frames, Frame Kits or the Oak Frame Stand.   The discount code is SHIPFREE.  If you forget to type it in, Kate and I still make sure you get the discount.  Humans are better than computers, sometimes.  Order here!

Word is that an Arctic Front is coming with 4 to 6 inches of snow.  I know you quilters back East think that is child's play after what you have been through.  Hang in there!

Brooke

Sorry about the Snow

To the rest of our U.S. neighbors, I am sorry about the snow.  We like snow here in Montana. Our mountains could use more and I wish some of you folks who don't want it or need it or like it could send it back up here.  Please, please keep the wind, though.

This little deer, this year's fawn, really wanted to come inside with us and have a snack.  He was so cute I forgave him for eating every single geranium and petunia I put out this summer.

John is busy on another quilt for his exhibit at Road to California in January.  This quilt is about 86" square.  It fits fine in the basement so John can watch football and quilt.  He is using the Baptist or Methodist fan design which is traditional with Sioux quilters and variegated YLI Jean Stitch thread.  It is going fairly fast; he can really focus when hand quilting.

Don't forget, there is a holiday special to save on shipping of the frames, kits or frame stands.  See the website for details and the code word which is SHIPFREE.

Brooke

Fantastic News about Alzheimer's Research

Ami Simms sent out a press release on Sunday about a breakthrough at the University of Michigan Life Sciences research center.  Ami's 501(c) organization "Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative" presented the research center with a $30,000 grant earlier this year.  Quilters made this happen!    Ami's Blog

I don't understand any of the molecular this and the amyloid protein that, but I can tell this is good news.  Quilters, YES!  Alzheimer's,  NO!

Brooke

Discount Code

I finally got the newsletter out with the information about the Holiday Discount Code on either the Frame, the Frame Kit or the Oak Frame Stand.  It took quite a bit of jiggling or whatever the software programming word is, but the order form is now working.  Flynn Quilt Frame Company

Here is the discount code, good for free ground shipping on either the Frame, the Frame Kit or the Oak Stand through January 9, 2011, U. S. addresses. 

SHIPFREE 

There is a place on the same page where you put your credit card information to enter the code.  International folks will get a discounted amount off their international shipping for orders of the Frames, Frame Kits or the Stand.

You will notice that you get a 1 cent, that's right, a $.01 discount also.  That's where the jiggling came in...  Don't spend it all in one place, now.

I hope you enjoy the coming Holidays.  I'm pretty sure I know what I am getting from John and it isn't fabric.

Brooke

Thanksgiving News

Hope your Thanksgiving holiday was warm, safe and happy.  We had a small group here at Red Lodge and we ate just fine.  There were card games and hand work projects going on so everyone was pretty content and entertained.



John and his sisters also made "honey cake" which is a family recipe and tradition.  There is a special bowl and a special wooden spoon.  I don't get involved; it is a complicated recipe and takes all three of them to execute.  The honey cake is now curing in a stoneware crock; sounds like homemade wine to me.

We have a ton of snow; more came down after our company left on Saturday.  John and I were sitting peacefully at the table when we heard a low roar.  I could feel my eyes widening, wondering what the noise was and then all the snow came cascading off our new metal roof.  It was very entertaining.

I have a knitting project going and John has two quilts in progress for his exhibit at the Road to California show in January.  He is "Featured Artist" which means Kate and I are working the booth this time.  Southern California in January, yes!  One of the new quilts is in the slideshow; John has it ready to hand quilt now.  It is very colorful and will look great in the exhibit, I think.

Watch your email for a newsletter with a Holiday Special on the Multi-Frame.  I just have to figure out how to tell the software to do what I want.  We'll see. If the newsletter doesn't show up pretty soon, just call 800 745 3596 and we will give you the Frame shipping special.  Stay warm.

Brooke

From the Alzheimer's Booth

Ami Simms, our hero, posted these photos of her booth at the Houston International Quilt Festival before, during and after.  You will see John there helping in a couple of the photos.
View Photos

I stole them off Ami's Facebook page.  :) 

Ami's last post said they raised about $54,000 for research from the little quilt auction.  We bought 3 of the little quilts; I wonder where they are packed.

Teams have already formed for next year's "celebrity" faceoff.  I understand sports is still the theme.  So stay tuned for more silliness in support of a good cause.

In all the fun and the excitement of these fundraising auctions, I stop from time to time and remember how hard it was to watch my meticulous, kind, decisive mother slip away from us.  THANKS to everyone who is helping fight this awful disease.

Brooke

What Is Kate Doing Today...

Didn't your mother tell you not to put pins in your mouth?
Kate spent most of the day putting together one of her Drunkard's Path pre-cut kits.  She already had most of the concave/convex units together and is working on the rows.  The blocks are 4" square and the kit makes a 48" x 64" project.  Two kits make a queen size top.

Here is what else is going on.  John is back from Houston.  Over the weekend, he used the gasoline post hole digger to make 200 holes so I could plant daffodils.  Yes, it is late; the ground was not frozen. But I was frozen after kneeling in the snow for 3 hours.

 The very bad thing first - John hit a rock with the digger and it kicked back and cut his thumb and nail - on his right hand, of course.  So not a lot of hand quilting right now.  And I'm on my own with stuck jar lids for a while. 

The good thing is that right as we finished, the real snow started and we are going to have a beautiful view of daffodils next spring.  The deer don't eat them.

I'm so tickled to tell you that the Alzheimer's Auction raised over $12,000 for research.  Plans are being made for next year, so stay tuned.

Brooke