The Tale Of The Red Basket!!

In a land far far away, there was a gorgeous red basket destined for great causes! It sat all empty and lonely until one day a group of quilters got together and decided to fill it with wonderful things!  These things came from all over the world to be joined together for one great cause!

The Cause:  Ronald McDonald House Charities

The How: Through this Raffle

The Why:  Because Quilter's have hearts as big as Texas itself!

Please take a look at the Raffle post below this one... We would love to have each and every one of you join us in this fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House of Springfield, MO!  These fundraisers started out on the HGTV Quilting and Needlework Forum several years ago and I am now expanding them on to my blog so my friends here can join in as well!  There is strength in numbers right?

I wanted to start this post to show photos of the offerings coming in for the basket as I receive them.  Photos of finished quilts will also be put here as they come in.

Would you consider sending something for our basket?  Or possibly signing on to make a quilt?  If we have an overpowering display of offerings for the basket, there will be more than one basket.

Here is the first basket and the offerings already inside...Will you help us fill it to overflowing???

 I think someone is going to win an awesome lot of goodies!!

BTW: (When you see a nickname in parentheses after a given name, that is the person's nickname on the HGTV Forum)

THE BASKET!

Compliments of Kathy (shawkl)

                                                  Compliments of KayLin

The money in the sock is a donation towards postage to winners.  if you would like to send in any amount towards that with your donation to the basket or possibly your quilt, it would be greatly appreciated.  The empty sock will be in the basket with the goodies for the winner!
                             
                                Compliments of Linda Otvos



Sponsored Giveaway - Quiltboxes!!

AND THE WINNER IS!!!!!!..................

Before I post the winner I wanted to say that I went ahead and put everyone's names in the hat if you at least visited Dave's store and came back to let us know which of his beautiful boxes was your favorite.  There was some confusion on the comments in the beginning so I do not feel right penalizing anyone who may not have left a comment.  There were only 3 bloggers who did not post that they visited his store so they will not be eligible for the drawing.  Please, any time you enter a drawing make sure you cover all of the elements to entering so you are not left out.

And something else... This is about the winner...

This person won something on my blog a few weeks ago and afterwards she asked that I not allow her to win again in the near future....  WELL... I put all of the numbers into Random.org and guess who's number came up!!  YEP!! ....HER'S!!! ......

SO!... I hit the generator one more time and guess who's number came up again!!!!!  YEP!!!!!  HER'S!!  It IS meant for her to win this beautiful box!! I could not hit that generator button again after it claiming her twice in a row!!

SO! Without further adieu!!!

SEWCALGAL!!! You are the lucky winner of Dave's beautiful box!!! 

And an FYI: The numbered spot where SewCalGal's winning number was is due to Jodi letting us know that SewCalGal sent her over!! Jodi is not a blogger but she loves reading them!

Congratulations Darlene!!!  Please send me an email with your mailing info and I will send it over to Dave!! :)

I would love to introduce you to Dave of Quiltboxes!!

Dave Grunenwald, MFA, honed his wood marquetry skills over 15 years of restoring highly inlaid antique pool tables. He now turns these talents to creating beautiful wooden boxes in the same fine woodworking tradition. He maintains a studio in a former 1880's blacksmith shop in Upstate NY.  You can view his pieces for sale by following this link: Quiltboxes.

He has taken some of the best-loved and most interesting quilt blocks from past centuries and translated them into finely crafted wooden boxes, using beautiful and exotic veneers to reinterpret the designs. Each box is unique; no two are ever just alike.

He handcrafts each box from premium cabinet grade Baltic birch plywood, so the inside reveals the delicate grain of the white birch. He cuts the quilt block design, by hand, to showcase the lush variety of natural colors and grains in the veneers, which often include spectacular bird's eye, burl, curly, dimple, flame, quilted or other figured woods.

These pieces evoke the comfort of cherished heirloom quilts, as well as the timeless strength of fine hardwood furniture.

Dave owns a blog so that his fans can follow along as he creates his new masterpieces!  Please go over and visit and tell him hello!  he will be glad you came!

He has graciously sent me a beautiful Bird's Eye Maple Tumbling Blocks box for me to use as a blog giveaway for my readers! How exciting is that!!

I can see all types of uses for this box but if it were mine, I would have to display it on my mantle for all to enjoy!  It is so beautiful!

So here is what you need to do to sign up to have a chance to win this gorgeous box!!

Go to Dave's blog and comment on one of his posts and let him know how excited you are to have a chance to win one of his beauties! You have to click on the title of the post you want to comment on and then once the new page opens, scroll down and you will be able to leave your comment.

Also, go to his store and come back and tell me which box is your favorite!

You have to complete both parts of the sign up to be eligible...

Extra chances.... Blog about the giveaway on your own blog and come back and post the link in a new reply and you will get an extra chance!  For every person who signs up and tells me they came via your blog will earn you even more chances!!

I will give the box away on Wednesday, March 23 at 12:00 noon Eastern time!

And don't forget while you are on his blog to use the form in the right hand top corner and sign up for his personal giveaways too!  You can also "LIKE" him on FaceBook and  "FOLLOW" him on Twitter if you like!! :)

I WON SOMETHING!!

I never win anything but today I received an email from ACCU-QUILT that I had won one of their Go! Baby T-shirts!!  NOW all I need is the GO! Cutter to go with the t-shirt!! :)

How happy would it make you to have one of these in your sewing room???  I would be deliriously happy!!

                                                 Would you rather have the GO! Baby??

or the GO! Cutter???

                                                               or the Studio Cutter???

I can see a use for all 3!!!! :)

Pickled Okra!

Who likes pickled okra, raise your hand?? :)

Winnings In The Mail!

Just wanted to give a shout out to Debbie and Leslie that their blog winnings are in the mail!  Sorry for the delay but I know you both understand about my granddaughter!

And how about another awwwwww.... Audrey took her to the dr. this week and she has already gained from 7 lb 11 oz up to 8 lbs. 5 ozs!!   She was only a week old that day!!  She is a little piglet!!

I don't think I have ever mailed anything to Jersualem but today made it official... I couldn't believe how cheap it was to mail Kathy's book straight to Debbie!  So be on the lookout for this awesome CQ book!!!

For those who still want a copy, head on over to Kathy's shop.. shawkldesigns.com and get your copy!

Here is the candle mat and candle going to Leslie!  She won my runner-up prize from Lisa's One World One Heart giveaway!  I have not shown a photo of her winnings so here you go.... And by the way... I was in JoAnn's one day and found this One World button!!  PERFECT for the occassion!

Sponsored Giveaway! Kathy Seaman Shaw!

Emilee Claire decided mamaw needed to come to Alabama to welcome her into the world so this drawing was on hold until this morning!

I took the time to go over to Kathy's blog to see if you all completed that part of the sign up and I was HAPPY to see 100% participation!!!  You readers rock!

I used Random.org to determine the winner and "DEBBIE" is the lucky winner!!

This is the winning comment:
Debbie said...



Thanks for hosting Kathy, Thearica. I'm a steady reader of Kathy's blog, so I appreciate her long and interesting article here. Kathy's book has been on my wish list, so this giveaway is great!

For those of you who did not win, I will tell you that the book is definitely worth buying!  I bought the first copy!!  and I am so glad that I did!  Here is the link that will take you to her website so you can order yours! ShawklDesigns

Hi…my name is Kathy…but most folks know me as Shawkl which is the name of my blog and my “cyber space” name on several other boards. In total, I belong to 18 cyber groups…thankfully, not all of them are very active! But since each offers me a different glimpse to a stitching technique I love or want to learn more about…I’m hooked!  And…the swaps and challenges keep me busy! Here is one of the mermaid silkies I stitched for my friend Nickilee. The sequin and beaded tail of the mother was stitched by me, as was the hair, and the baby tail was stitched by Nickilee.

  I am in my mid-fifties…and live in a tiny little town in northeastern Alabama.  My entire family lives here…all six of my siblings and their children, my mother, my two children, and my three grandchildren. So, it’s a nice place to be. I am retired and now get to call my time my own…but my family doesn’t understand that at times…LOL! Before you get too bored…let me share a photo of the second mermaid I completed for Nickilee.

 Nickilee started me on my crazy quilt journey by being the hostess of a swap of 6” crazy quilt hearts. Here is one of mine…I have come a long way since this first attempt at CQ! 

And here is one of my Crazy Quilt Blocks I stitched for my friend Susan in Texas. We are both members of the HGTV Message Board, Crafts—Quilting and Needlework.

 My stitching began at an early age…mostly to dress my dolls. I did not really get serious until graduating from high school; and mostly it was cross-stitch, crochet, and dress-making I attempted back then. Even to this day…anyone in the family that needs pants hemmed or patches sewn on their jackets…brings them to me. Wedding dresses were my job as well for several in the family…but after my niece got married and wanted a 15 foot train…I stopped doing these! I also do not sew men’s suits any longer…and hate putting in trouser zippers!  My niece has been hinting lately for a gown…but, I’m trying not to relent. Her sister was a gorgeous bride however; and I feel myself start to give in…ssshhhh don’t tell her!  Here is a photo of the last bride I dressed. I also made the flower-girl’s dress, her basket, and all of the bridal parties flowers…I’m a crafter as well as a needle-artist. 

My ex-husband was in the military and we spent a great deal of our 20+ years together in Germany and Indianapolis. During this time I was very involved with cross-stitch, Hardanger, and long stitch needle-arts. Quilting did not become a passion until the 1980’s after attending a class with a friend in Indiana.  She took me to Kaye England’s quilt shop…before Kaye became an author and well-known quilter.  A very few years later… all of my cross-stitch was packed away in boxes!  Here is a close-up of a quilt I finished for my sister, Jan…it is called Apple Bars and pattern is by Lynette Jensen as published in her book “The Thimbleberries Book of Quilts”.

Since that first class, I have made a huge variety of quilts for my family over the years. However, I have only two of my very own! …what’s wrong with that picture! I have taught quilting at craft shops, quilt shops, the Alabama State Fair, and now offer classes at the local college.  I occasionally teach a “cyber class” in quilting but mostly rely on my blog www.shawkl.com as a vehicle for me to instruct and share my stitching adventures. Would you like to see my very first quilt? I didn’t even know that attempting a king size quilt was NOT a good thing! It is horrendous…a blue log cabin and the blocks had to be at least 30 inches each…as it only took 6 or 8 (can’t remember) to create the quilt. It was tied with yarn…and after multiple washes…they looked like little balls of fur all over the quilt. I ‘graciously’ let my spouse have it in the divorce…as he loved it! Here it is on our king size bed. 

Thankfully, I kept reading and learning! After Indianapolis, we moved south to Enterprise, Alabama. I loved this as it was only 4.5 hours drive to my mother’s house! The ladies in the Enterprise Quilters Guild became good friends…and I miss them terribly! One of my most favorite quilts to work on during these years was done for our “raffle quilt” during the 2000 Millennium Quilt Show. The concept was mine, titled “Moving from the past to the future”. The idea was to create traditional quilt blocks in only dark fabrics as a background for bright stars and curved motif medallion.  We used only black, blue-black, and navy fabrics for the background traditional blocks…and bright yellow, gold, red and blue for the center medallion. I don’t recall where the star patterns came from…possibly Judy Martin or Judy Hopkins as both authors were favorites of mine during this time. The center motif was from “Curves Unlimited” by Joyce M. Schlotzhauer. The medallion and stars were pieced by me, as were some of the background blocks, the remaining blocks were pieced by other members. We all shared in hand-quilting the top. I would love to have this quilt…and have often thought about recreating it just for the fun of doing it again. 

Crazy quilting has been a primary focus of mine for almost three years now, and the reason I began my blog. I have stitched on a lot of round robin blocks and different projects in a short amount of time. In 2010 my tote bag “The Queen” won first place in the Crazy Quilter’s International Yahoo Group’s purse contest. She has over 400 hours of stitching in her…and I was very proud that she was recognized as a favorite among such great and accomplished needle-artists!

 Just recently, I authored my first book “Embellishing Crazy Quilts” which can be found at Amazon. Autographed copies are also available from my studio at www.shawkldesigns.com and   I am very excited about this book because it gives me another opportunity to share my stitching and embroidery motif patterns…and hopefully it will also entice more folks to try crazy quilting.

My second book is also in production…and I hope to have it out this spring or summer. It deals with “sane” quilting instead of crazy quilting. Plus, I also have three other book concepts that I have not started stitching models for…but they have been in my head for some time. One has been in concept for over ten-years…and the cover photo (in my head) is of a wedding gown with the train showing…and it is full of shadow appliqué flowers flowing down from the dress bustle.  The train is totally designed and about 1/3 of the way appliqued…but has been put away since my grand-daughter was born in 2003…so, perhaps I’ll be motivated to pull that out again in the next few months and complete it. My life is crazy…and my time is certainly not always my own! Here is a sample of one of the shadow-appliqué floral patterns that will be incorporated into the wedding train.

Apparently, I write like I talk…long winded! So, let me finish by saying that presently I dabble in stumpwork and want to do more of that in the coming months…and I recently got interested in learning about Brazilian Embroidery as a natural progression (I think) of dimensional type stitching. I stitch a lot these days…and quilt very little…but have several Un-Finished Objects that are long-term projects to also keep me busy! Thank you for reading such a long post! And  I hope you will check out all of my tutorials and blog posts at www.shawkl.com Big Hugs! Kathy (aka Shawkl)

Kathy Shaw
http://www.shawkl.com/
http://www.shawkldesigns.com/
__________________________________________________________________

FANTASTIC interview Kathy!!  Thank you so much!!

And now dear blogging friends!  How would you like the chance to win your very own signed copy of Kathy's new book Embellishing Crazy Quilts?

1. Comment on this post now through Sunday, March 6th,  at 10:00 p.m. Eastern time for the chance to win!!

2. Also, go over to Kathy's blog and comment on one of her many post to let her know how well you enjoyed her interview and tell her how excited you are to have the chance to win her book!!


Gotta do BOTH to enter the giveaway! :)


Good luck everyone!!!

Where I Have Been???

Hi blogging friends!!  I have been MIA again but for a VERY good reason.  My hubby and I received a call week before last that we had to make a trip back to my home state of Alabama.  My granddaughter was making her appearance almost 3 weeks early!!  So we hopped in the car....leaving a lot of things hanging in mid-air...and I am sorry about that...but Miss Emilee Claire was not going to wait for mamaw to get things taken care of...

I would love for you all to meet my newest granddaughter!!  Isn't she precious!

I will be getting everyones blog winnings together and getting them to the post office by Wednesday.  I will stick you a little extra in since you have had to wait. :)