(Here is the official Smackdown news realease!)

Four Quilting Heavyweights Face Off to Fight Alzheimer's

(Burton, MI)–October 12, 2009 In honor of National Alzheimer's Awareness Month four small quilts by world renowned quilters Hollis Chatelain, John Flynn, Becky Goldsmith, and Sue Nickels will be auctioned to benefit the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI). The no-holds-barred, knock-down, drag-out, head-to-head, quilt-to-the-death (not really), grudge match will be held November 1-10 in the AAQI "Smackdown Auction Arena."

The 10-day online silent auction is all about bragging rights—and raising awareness and money to fight Alzheimer's disease.

The World Quilt Federation Smackdown quilts will be shown prior to the auction, for the first time anywhere, at the International Quilt Festival (IQF), Booth #4660, in Houston, October 14-18. In a gutsy move Smackdown promoter Ami Simms (a.k.a. Founder and Executive Director of the AAQI) will allow the Smackdown quilts to be purchased at the IQF. Each quilt carries a price tag of $10,000.

"I'm fully expecting all four quilts to be available for the November 1st auction," said Simms, "but I'm pretty sure the George R. Brown has a defibrillator on site just in case."

A Viewers' Choice component to the “Smackdown” will also be offered. Anyone wishing to support the work of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative can make online donations to the nonprofit in amounts as little as $5 beginning immediately, assigning their donation to one of the four quilts. One dollar equals one vote. The quilt amassing the most votes will win the Viewer's Choice Award. The Viewer's Choice Award donations have no bearing on the sale/auction outcome whatsoever. (from Becky – If you are there, please vote for me:-))

About the AAQI
The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (www.AlzQuilts.org) is a national, grassroots charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. It auctions and sells donated quilts sponsors a nationally touring exhibit of quilts about Alzheimer's. The AAQI has raised more than $316,000 since January 2006. Ami Simms of Flint, Michigan is the founder and executive director of the AAQI, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation operated entirely by volunteers. She is a quilter. Her mother had Alzheimer's.

*The World Quilt Federation is totally fictitious. Any similarity to professional wrestling is obviously intentional and all in good fun, although the winning quilter will receive this cute belt.

This was also posted on Weird Friends. I may need to add dots to my winter gloves. But I think I'll skip doilies on my furniture.

Hobby Lobby put their Halloween stuff on sale this week. We have a party coming up on the 30th so I went to find party decorations. I admit to being drawn to sparkly, tacky stuff. Here's what I found:

They are a sort of mylar sparkler with little pumpkins. I admit that bunched up and hanging on the wall they looked pretty pitiful. But they were cheap! I bought 3 stems, 2 of which are in the vase…

I also bought those glass spires (50% off!) and a variety of other goodies. I'll share the details when I get back from both Quilt Market in Houston and a teaching trip to California. I hope you have time to get out and find your own Halloween goodies (on sale!) soon.

…from Weird Friends. This isn't a blog, it's a tumblr. It is to blogs what twitter is to email. As near as I can figure out, people post photos with almost no text on tumblr. The theme of Weird Friends is sort of about fiber art. You have to wade through a variety of photos to find the gems like this…

I love the idea of that intricately painted backdrop for a studio photo. It's like an old movie backdrop. There are four of them from Philip Kwame Apagya. 

This is one of a series of fashion shots on October 5. Fashion is so strange!

I have no idea why I like this one.

Have you ever heard of Slinkachu? He does street art installations in the UK and Europe. These images are from his blog Street Art – a tiny street art project.

He sets the tiny people and their props in place out on the city streets, photographs them, and walks away. Sometimes they stay put for a while and other times they disappear quickly. I have to admit that if I came across one these I would be very, very tempted to take it home with me.

They are just too much fun! Read Slinkachu's blog to see more photos and read more about what he's doing. He has a new book out that looks truly wonderful.

Doesn't this make you want to pull out your modeling clay to make little people!

How's that for a shameless plea! Ami Simms is going to hang the four Smackdown mini-quilts in the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative booth at Festival in Houston. You will have an option to buy any of the four Smackdown quilts rather than waiting for the auction or you can vote with a dollar for your Viewer's Choice. Vote early, vote often! All money raised goes to Alzheimer's research.

John Flynn showed his 2-sided masterpiece on his blog last week. Here's the back of his quilt – amazing isn't it!

But no matter how wonderful the other 3 quilts are, I still want you to vote for my quilt :-)! As a reminder, here's my quilt:

On a serious note – Ami has done amazing work raising money for this cause. I am just happy to be a small part of it, as are Hollis, Sue, and John. I wish I was going to be there at Festival to see the activity in the AAQI booth. Please go by if you go to Festival.