Sharing another blog site with you.

Posted May 11, 2011 By FairyKateH

This is not on the topic of crazy quilting, but if you have a daughter, you have SO got to see this list.  If you like my brand of humor, you will LOVE this post.  Just thought I’d share.  More crazy quilting blog posts will follow.

http://www.mommasaid.net/mommablog/2011/05/10/10-things-teach-daughters/

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     On the eve after of such a momentous world event, I thought it
appropriate to reflect upon the commando raid that caused so much
celebration in America.  I feel numb with the news.  Finally after all
these years of searching and millions of dollars spent finding him,
the mastermind of 9/11, Osama Bin Laden — was “taken out” almost
quicker than the events that unfolded on that momentous day almost
ten years ago.
 
     I’m not saying I don’t appreciate the effort made by so many men and
women over the past ten years to capture the mastermind of 9/11, but
the death of anyone (no matter how heinous his crimes) is not cause for
celebration in my books.  I am merely saddened by the events that led up to
the whole cataclysmic event. 
 
     This brings me to the reason I decided to write this post.  I discovered a
bunch of patriotic fabrics today with which I had intended to make a memorial
crazy quilt of the 9/11 event.  Did anyone else actually make a memorial
quilt–crazy OR sane?  If so, please share “links” to any photographs you have
online.
 
     I had the best intentions of making a crazy quilt dedicated to the
chaos of it all, but felt so overwhelmed by the event I couldn’t do it.
I even stopped doing something else I loved for several years afterwards.
Before 9/11, I loved to write creative stories . . . to entertain people with
my humor.  It “literally” took years before I could write again and share my
stories. 
 
     Maybe this is truly my first step towards normalcy in almost ten years.  I’m
enjoying writing and sharing my humor again and I hope to share much more
of it with you over the coming years.  (You know what?)  The mere thought
of getting back to normal makes me smile.  If you already know me, then watch out. 
 
     (Mental note)   I envision my sense of humor as an “8-cylinder engine” that’s
only had three pistons working for a long time.  All I need is a few good “backfires”,
blow out the crud that’s accumulated over the years of non-use and WHAm…I’m
BACK in true crazy quilted–and creative “working form”. 
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Buttons and Spagetti Sause

Posted April 27, 2011 By FairyKateH

            I’m really pumped.  Let’s talk about spaghetti sauce and buttons.  Huh?  What do spaghetti sauce and buttons have to do with each other?  Absolutely nothing, but as you get to know me through this blog, you will discover this is how my mind works. 

            One of my biggest pet peeves about using shank buttons on crazy quilts is the instability of the button.  If you are going to hang the crazy quilt on the wall, the button tilts unless you support it some way.  I’ve tried several different methods to prevent “button tilt” on crazy quilts but I’m very pleased with myself because I dreamed of an idea while on the plane the other day.

            In my dream, a giant shank button danced on long, chorus-girl legs as a long piece of luscious, white lace wound itself about the button’s middle.  The lace tightened around the shank till it resembled a ballerina’s tutu.   GGGrin!  Well now, you say . . . I guess with dreams like that, it explains Kate’s weird sense of humor, but hey…that’s what makes us interesting as individuals. 

            So my idea is . . . what IF I was to cut a small piece of lace which has a flat edge on one side.  (Use six inches minimum.  Eight inches would make a fuller “tutu” or circle when you get done)   Sew the ends together.  Gather the flat edge up fairly tight so it becomes a rosette but leave a small hole in the center of the circle.   Nestle the shank button in the middle of the hole and the gathered lace will help support the edges of the button. 

            I sure wish I was at home so I could experiment and show you pictures.  Ah well, just thought I’d share my wild plane ride-driven crazy quilted dream.


P.S.  I bet you thought I’d forget to tell you about the spaghetti sauce lessons, didn’t you?  It tasted wonderful.  My meatballs, mwah!  (she kisses her finger tips)  I always wondered how they made such uniformly-sized, handmade meatballs.  It’s all in the wrist action.  GGGrin!

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Welcome to my Crazy Quilted World

Posted April 24, 2011 By FairyKateH

I’d like to welcome everyone to the “Grand Opening” of Crazy Quilt Academy.  Be sure to check out the tabs at the top.  I have a great surprise for you hidden somewhere on my blog, but you have to find the treasure hidden there.

 

Just a few random thoughts about the “Crazy Quilt Academy” blog.  If you know me already, you know that I don’t always stay on the topic of Crazy Quilting, but I always have something interesting to say.  There will be C.Q. educational moments . . . wonderful thoughts to ponder . . . and interesting stories to read.  Oh and by the way, be sure to “sign up” for the monthly drawing.

 

Oooooh . . . man . . . I gave away the surprise, but I’m too excited not to tell.  Just remember, the sooner you sign up, the better chance you have of winning the monthly prize.

 

If I could ask you a big favor, please tell your friends about my blog and about the monthly drawing.  You do not have to be a “crazy quilter” to sign up.  The reason I ask for your help is because . . . soon, I will start the “Quilt Auctions for Charity” on EBay. By signing up for the monthly drawing, you will receive an automatic notification when the bidding will begin.

 

Thanks a bunch for visiting and I hope to see your comments in the future.

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Crazy Quilt Dreams and Happy Thoughts

Posted April 24, 2011 By FairyKateH

What is it about being at 31,000 feet that brings out the writing muse in me?  Bordem . . .bordam . . . boardem?  Where is spell check when you need it most? Oh wait!  Boredom!  (I wrote this by hand and am now transcribing it word for word.)

 

I just woke up from a lovely, “crick-in-the neck” airplane nap with visions of sugarplums dancing in my head.  (insert sound of tape rewinding here)

 

What?  Who am I kidding?  Visions of lace and buttons and beads galore lined up in my dreams like the Rockettes doing a fabulous “high-kick” Broadway show-stopping finale.  Thoughts of this made me grin just as the flight attendant walked by.

 

Speaking of flight attendants . . . (I know I was just talking about lace and buttons, but I have a short attention span.)

 

OOooh, LOOK!  Something shiny.)  Uhm…back to flight attendants.  I noticed something unusual about this gentleman during the three hour flight.  He exuded an absolute air of “joy” in his work during the entire flight.  This man loved his job and it showed.

 

His amazing attitude towards everyone on the flight made me stop him to give him a compliment which astounded the guy.  It amazed him that anyone would take the time to comment on what he considers his “every-day behavior”.   I’m just saying it never hurts to spread a little joy when you see someone going “above and beyond the call of duty” in their job.

 

I do this all the time, even when ordering products over the phone.  Many times I’ve asked to speak with the “outstanding” service representative’s supervisor so I can give a compliment.   It only takes a few minutes and causes such joy for the person who helped me.

 

Anyway, this is getting too long, so I’ll have to tell you about my vision of lace and buttons later.  I’m just about to get a lesson in how to make “real Italian spaghetti sauce” from scratch.  Sorry, but right now cooking lessons supersede any thoughts of crazy quilting.

 

P.S.  The flight attendant was so happy with his compliment, he brought me a lunch snack package as a gift.  I didn’t do it for the free food, but hey, what I’m saying is, sharing a compliment never hurts.

 

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Top Ten Signs You Might Be a CrazyQuilter

Posted August 15, 2010 By FairyKateH

10. You collected bits of lace, velvet, silk and satin for “twenty” years before you actually made a crazy quilt.


9. You’ve suffered from nightmares where you see headlines in the local paper:  “Husband Smothered in Freak Accident in Wife’s Sewing Closet.”


8. You’ve threatened to cut off men’s silk ties to build your fabric stash.


7. Your heart goes pitter-patter when someone mentions S.E.X. (Stash Enhancement eXperience)


6. When your husband offers to take you out to a romantic candle-lit dinner or a bead store, “Beads” win . . . hands down.


5. You stalk people in Salvation Army and Good Will stores hoping they’ll put those silk garments back on the rack.


4. You’ve gone to bed with pins stuck in your pajamas and found them by accident at 4:00 a.m.


3. Your husband insists on “thread-check” before allowing you to leave the house with him.  (He makes you stand with arms raised above your head rotating in a 360 degree circle so he can pick threads off you from embarrassing places)


2. You “often” feel a need to discuss the many “degrees of bling” on a crazy quilt…oh wait….look, something “shiny”.


AND the #1 Sign You Might Be a CrazyQuilter is:


1. You’ve followed someone dressed in a gorgeous outfit at the mall, contemplating how you could cut a swatch of fabric out of the back of the garment . . . and wondered if you got caught, would the acquisition of “said” material be worth jail time?

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