Category Archives: Just For Fun

The Idaho State Fair…

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Before I left Boise, I got to spend an evening at the Idaho State Fair with Patty, Marsha, and JoAnn. They go to the fair every year and know what exhibits to visit and where to find the best fair food.

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Let me just say that the corn on the cobb was mighty fine but my favorite fair food was the Tortato made from Famous Idaho Potatoes.

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Imagine a deep fried spiral-cut russet potato. That’s a Tortato. Just looking at the picture makes me want another one. Why are these not available everywhere? On the other hand, maybe it’s good that they are not to be found in Sherman, TX.

We visited the flower show. Isn’t this an amazing flower!

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This sunflower seemed to glow. Both of these flowers had ribbons.

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We saw all kinds of needlework on display and I got so busy looking that I forgot to take pictures. We visited the Guinea pigs and rabbits and then we hunted down dessert: caramel apples for Patty and Marsha, a candy apple for me, and an apple dumpling for JoAnn. Too busy eating to take a picture.

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We did not ride any rides but they sure were pretty against the clear blue sky.

I can’t remember what this guy was selling, but his Minions were pretty cute.

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What is Yazzii?

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If you get my newsletter, you know what a Yazzii is. If you don’t get my newsletter, a Yazzii is a kind of organizer that is perfect for quilters. Here’s a video showing the Petite Mini Organizer.

Click here if you don’t see the video.

If you are interested in a petite organizer, click here. If I’ve sold out of the color you want, email me. I don’t know when my supplier will have more in stock but I’ll start a list and let you know when they come in.

And (you heard it here first!) after I sent the newsletter, I got requests for the Large Mini Organizer that is about 4″ wider than the petite organizer. You’ll find the large mini organizers on the same page. If I run out, I’ll order more.

And, it gets even better! You can personalize your Yazzii with a wool applique block! Susan Buntz was kind enough to share this photo of her very own Yazzii organizer. Isn’t it cute!

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I leave town tomorrow to visit the Quilt Crossing quilt shop and the Boise Basin Quilters in Boise, ID. If you are in the area, I look forward to seeing you!

Where does the time go?

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If you are old enough (I am) and/or are a Grateful Dead fan (Steve absolutely is) this is the song that comes to mind when you read “where does the time go”. Go ahead and tap your toes!

I got home from vacation, and home from teaching in Pennsylvania, and now am getting ready to go to Boise to teach at The Quilt Crossing and for the Boise Basin Quilters. It’s good to be busy, but it is hard to get everything done that I’d like to do — writing blog posts, for example :-).

I have taken photos that with the intention of posting them. There’s this one of an iguana on St. Maarten. I really miss these guys!

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And there’s Barbie! She belonged to a little girl who played with her (all day long) at the pool. Barbie struck a number of poses and many would have made great photos but the little girl would just not have understood me stalking her doll. This was the best I could do, Barbie sunbathing.

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[The photo I missed was Barbie in plank position next to the pool while several of us ladies did water aerobics. Barbie looked very strong.]

Lastly, let me share this. I can’t remember what airport I was at when I took this photo but I know that I never want to fly on ‘rabies’ air :-).

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Until I write again, happy summer stitching (unless you are on the other side of the planet, then it would be happy late winter stitching)!

I wonder what it says?

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My book, The Quilter’s Practical Guide To Color, has been reviewed in a Japanese magazine. How about that! ColorBookReview-Japanese

As far as I know, the book itself is still in English which says to me that there must be a whole lot more Japanese citizens who can read English than there are Americans who can read Japanese. I cannot read Japanese but I’m hoping that the review is full of kind remarks :-).

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It’s time to celebrate!

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This weekend, March 18-20, is International Quilting Weekend and The Quilt Show is hosting a party! You can win prizes and see all of their shows (over 200!)  for free at TheQuiltShow.com. Look for me in shows 611 and 1704. Remember that all the shows are free, all weekend long.

There are $11,000 worth of prizes at The Quilt Show party! Click the image below to enter the drawing.

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And don’t forget to spend time quilting this weekend too :-).

Spring sprung while I was gone!

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I don’t know how others manage it, but when I’m on a teaching trip I just don’t seem to be able to post as much as I’d like. Or at all. I did post some photos on Instagram and facebook so if you follow me there, you saw my students hard at work as well as some of their blocks. Let me just say that the Academy of Applique in Williamsburg was a blast! It was a rare treat to be among so many appliquers!

I came home to redbuds in bloom. They look like they smell pretty, but they don’t smell at all as near as I can tell.

I also came home to the news that someone filed a fraudulent tax return using our numbers. Deep sigh. I had gotten a letter from the IRS before I left that made me think that this was happening. I found out today that yes, indeed, our numbers were compromised.

After some searching I found the phone number to call and the nice lady pointed me in the right direction. Steve is on spring break so he ended up taking over, calling the FTC, checking our credit reports, notifying the Social Security Administration and I’m not sure who else. So far everything else is in order (yay!) but it means filing a paper return, with extra forms, and a longer wait for it to be processed. I am thankful that I don’t have plans for our over-payment from last year.

I think that this has become a common enough experience that dealing with it is getting easier. That said, we are lucky to have found out early, before the hackers got any money from the IRS, which is different from the ‘iris’, which was also blooming in my yard today :-).

And lastly, I am going to be giving a trunk show lecture at 11:00 AM Friday morning at the Dallas Quilt Show. I don’t know that I have ever pulled so many quilts out of my closet at one time. There are so many that I won’t be saying much about any individual quilt or we’ll be there all day but I do think it will be a good showing of Piece O’ Cake quilts. If you are interested, I hope you can come!