Christmas Gift's: Naughty and Nice

Here are some pictures of a few of the nice things I got for Christmas. Above is a very pretty ceramic Pink Bunny. For obvious reasons I got that gift. Thank you Lori!


Here is a very cute gingerbread house that I got early in December as a gift. I was hoping it would last for a couple of years, but the first day, I had a four year old eat one of the gum drops. Apparently he just couldn' t resist! Thank you Dixie!


This came in the mail yesterday! It was all beautifully wrapped in the most beautiful pink sparkly wrapping paper! I wonder how long it took to gather that many wonderful pink and brown things....Thank you Miss Carole!


Ok, this picture I am doing on the sly! I gave these pajama's to my two oldest boys for Christmas. Of course they only wore them long enough to take the picture...HA! Who in their right mind makes blanket sleepers large enough for grown boys to wear? When they returned them the next day, the girl asked why they were returning them. My oldest held one of them up and said, "Isn't it obvious?". Okay, don't mention I posted this picture or I am in really big trouble!

TTYL,

My Christmas Donut

When Judith Baker Montano was here for the retreat, she taught a crazy quilted Victorian Christmas Wreath. I remember she called it a donut...well now I know why. That thing was really hard to sew together and even worse to stuff. After all of that, I was told by one family member who shall remain nameless, that it looked square. Well, I am leaving it. I am a big perfectionist, but that wreath(donut) will never be round! I am enjoying it anyway....

Finished Valentine Crazy Quilt Squares

Some major progress has been made on our Valentine Crazy Quilt that we are donating to the MCC sale in April. This crazy quilt has 14 small 10 1/2 inch squares surrounding a 20 x 30 inch large big piece. Here are the five finished ones I have and the other squares are still out and about among the 7 of us working on the quilt. Enjoy the eye candy and I'll keep posting finished squares as I get them.





Talk to you later!

My Funny Job!

My job as a crazy quilt teacher, is sometimes interesting. What is always strange to me is when everyone else is busily working on Christmas stuff, I am working on spring stuff. That is always so that the projects I am going to teach in the spring are ready to go. The other side of that is, in May, I am working on Christmas stuff while everyone else is working on flowers and summer stuff. It's just how it is, but sometimes it is hard to work on Christmas stuff while you are out lounging by the pool!

Anyway, the picture above is stitched on a project I will be teaching in the spring...so enjoy even though it is Christmas!

Christmas Gift Idea's

If you are looking for great Christmas gift idea's for your favorite crazy quilter, here are two great idea's. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am involved in making a crazy quilt for the MCC sale every year. To raise money to make the next quilt, we sell calendars featuring pictures of the quilt. This calendar features the 2009 Crazy Quilt, but it is a 2010 calendar. We would really appreciate it if you would buy one to help us out! As you know, a crazy quilt is not a cheep venture! This year's theme is a Valentine Crazy Quilt.

Another great idea would be Judith Baker Montano's new book Fibreart Montage. When she was here in November, she sold all 36 of the books she brought! It is an amazing book that is oversized and is spiral bound so it can open flat.

Both of these items are available on my website, www.valeriebothell.com.

Thanks so much,

Odd's and End's

Here is something I pieced today for a customer. I just love to piece around pictures like this and I can hardly wait to see what she does to embellish it. I think she is giving this to her friend for their 65th wedding anniversary.

Here is the same piecing method I have used to go around this picture. I did this one several years ago. Can you guess who it is a picture of? Your truly of course!
I have had some comments about the fact that everyone is thankful I got a new camera so they can actual see the photo's I take. Ha! Well I thought I would show you a picture of my camera, because of course, it is PINK! Did you know they make pink camera's? I really love it and it was made for especially bad photographers like myself!

TTYL,

Victorian Stitchery Retreat Part 3

I think this will be my last post on the retreat and then I am ready to move on to some other things going on around here! Pictured about is a crazy quilt done by Claudina Hruby..I think it is just gorgeous.

This is a picture of the 1st place winner of the pansy contest I had. It is a beautiful purse done by Heather Brighton of Canada. I just love everything about this purse.
Here is a picture of the 3rd place winner of the pansy contest. It was a cover for a photo book. I think it was just amazing and was done by Sherry Johnson. I don't have a picture of the second prize winner, but it was a beautiful mussie tussie done by Chris Norris.


Here is a picture of myself with all of the three teachers! This picture was taken the last day after it was all over, hence I may look just a little bit tired. All in all it was a wonderful time and I am already looking forward to next year with only 11 months to go!