So here it is - the magazine debut I've been waiting for

It's here! The magazine I have waited 2 years for. Quilts and More Fall 2013 with my quilt in it! I found my copies at JoAnn.

"Add It Up" is a jelly roll quilt of my own design. Beautifully quilted by Nancy Troyer, long arm quilter and former Pensacola resident. I am going to have to mail my quilts to Kansas from now on!!!

The magazine chose this name, which is fine. Its part of the process. I originally wanted to call it "Tesla" because of the positive and negative images the blocks create. (I may still call it Tesla when no one is around.) There is probably some copyright issue with that name, so I didn't suggest it to them.

Have you designed a quilt? You can submit your ideas and photos to magazines, you know. You could be published too. Don't be shy! Show the world how creative you are.

I have not decided what to do with this quilt yet. I give away quite a few of my creations, but I think I am definitely hanging on to this one. Who knows? I may be a quilt teacher someday. I'd like to be able to show this one in person.

Not the greatest quilt photography here, but this is another recent creation. It is the first quilt for my new granddaughter, Lily. Most of the fabrics are from the Full Moon Lagoon line, but they blended really well with some leftover Parisville pieces, and some others in my stash. The more, the merrier.

The blocks are based on ones I've seen by Kate Spain and Carrie Nelson. Again, quilted by Nancy Troyer. Who also has a new granddaughter, Grace. I'm waiting to see what she's made for the newest member of her family.

Quilts don't have to have tiny pieces, or complex design. They can be large blocks, one block, two colors only, whatever you want. Step up to your design wall and start making something that YOU like. You never know where it might take you!

399 days

I counted. That's how many days between yesterday's post and the previous one.

In that time I had 2 birthdays. I had foot surgery, I started a part time job.

We lost my grandfather. His ashes are being interred today, as a matter of fact. In California.

My grandmother became a widow and then became a great, great grandmother for the second time. Because my daughter gave me a new grandchild (a girl!)

A corrupted file took another computer, Lyme disease took our escape artist dog. R.I.P. Junior Nincompoop.

I made lots more quilts and pillow cases, and pajama pants (for Tyler.) I forced my husband into a semi-technological life with an Android phone. Begrudgingly. Now he doesn't put it down. Falls asleep with it in his hand.

We got a pool and a new roof. I started teaching quilt making to one student, watched my favorite long-arm quilter pack up and move to Kansas, got my first quilt submission published in a magazine, and joined a church. That sums it up pretty well, I think.

Do you recognize this face? He is getting so tall. He starts preschool next week! Tyler is off the charts for height, and smarts, of course. He may be the teacher's assistant after one day! This is the happiest, nicest, most loving little boy you will ever want to meet.

He wants to learn to play every musical instrument he sees, and is getting drum lessons after church. Next is the guitar. He has amazing rhythm and learns quickly. A natural.

Most importantly, my BooBoo is now a big brother! He has a new daddy. He has his own whole family.

Life is good.

This is Miss Lilyana. Lily Bell to me. Or Princess. Healthy, beautiful. Growing like a weed. She rolled over to her back at 2 weeks old! Tyler's voice is her favorite sound (and he does love an audience!)  I think she's in a hurry to catch up to him.

I love this picture. Such intense eyes. What does she want to say already? This little one is going to redefine the term "Daddy's Girl."

So, that pretty much sums up the past year's headlines for us. Pretty normal stuff. No hurricanes, no other types of disaster. Lots of rain, though. It is Pensacola, "the second rainiest city in America." We got about 25 inches in just this past month.

We are hoping for a really cool Winter. As in jackets required. It will be a nice change.

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More than a year later...

Hello, people! It has been a long while, hasn't it? Life gets so busy. Sometimes you just have to give up things for a time. Like blogging. And reading blogs. But I have not stopped making quilts and other sewing projects. And I sure have not stopped being a Nana.

I have lots of news, but first up is the announcement that I have a quilt being published in the next issue of Quilts and More magazine!!! The Fall/Winter issue!  I am SO excited.

This is the cover, so you know what to look for at the store. And below is my quilt, "Add It Up." I used a jelly roll of the Coquette fabric line by Chez Moi, and Bella solid in white. I made the original version of this quilt more than 2 years ago. And it is one of those happy accident stories. I made some Nine Patch and Rail Fence blocks, got distracted, and then a few weeks later I got back to making them again, but without looking at the completed blocks. I had reversed the color order! I played around with the layout of the 2 sets of two blocks and this is what I designed. Do you see a positive and negative image in the arrangement? Fun, huh?

 “Used with permission from Quilts and More® magazine. ©2013 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.”

This design would be a great way to use up those 2 1/2" scrap strips that you have leftover. These colors are very feminine, but I could easily see this in Christmas fabrics, or manly colors - maybe with a dark solid instead. 

I hope you will check your quilt shop or book store for this issue. There are always so many fun projects in every issue of Quilts and More, you are sure to be inspired.

I'll be back soon to catch you up on my life this past year.