Kalahari Quilts

I have the COOLEST thing to share with you today. I've been sitting on this for several weeks now just trying to find the right time to share it with you.

It all started with the Quilters Books and Bindings Blog. When Miki posted about the challenge to read The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency and then make a quilt that was inspired by the book, I did what I am always prone to do. I went googling. I had this vision of in my head of a rainbow bargello quilt with a Giraffe and a tree in the foreground. You are not going to believe what I found:

Guess I am not going to make that quilt. But then I just had to stay and look around a while. Let me tell you about Kalahari Quilts. The business was founded in 2006 by Jenny and Danny Healy. Since that time, Danny has passed away, and Jenny is left alone to raise two young children. Her shop is her income. It is the only quilt shop in Botswana. Her quilts are famous..and even made it into the No. 1 Ladies movie. 

Her work is absolutely wonderful.  I just don't know how finds the time to do what she does. 

I am sure necessity drives her.

Jenny Healy has a blog that you can find Right here.

I would take some time and browse her blog and her website gallery.

Everything is just beautiful.

So, what am I doing for my challenge quilt?

Well what do you think all those African Ahhhh's are for, anyway? LOL

You make me feel like Dancing!

Stephen and I dance to this song...this version of this song... several times a week. It's an absolute hoot to watch, so get up and dance a few steps. Perfect for exercise if you are joining us for Annie's On my Weigh :

Why do you make me feel like dancing? Well, cuz I love you guys! And you are so loving and giving to me! I feel so bad that I didn't do a good job of sharing all the Christmas gifts that I received. I had an entire memory card that got wiped out before I uploaded the photos--but here are a few gifties that I can share:

Birthday gift from 'that guy who hangs around my daughter'

Win plus a bit extra from KatieQ

Stephen stocking from Patty at Granma's Charms

Day planner from my sis:

Charm pack from Wanda:

I am linking up with Marcia's Minutes for Me Party.

You can find it Right HERE.

For sure, find some minutes for YOU this weekend.

Maybe you could dance a bit? 

Ahhhh 11-- The Kite Flower

This week I could hardly contain my excitement to share this with you. I have completely fallen in love with kaleidoscope fabric. In fact, after making this week's ahhhh, I spent some time googling around and now am hoping to get my hands on MORE, MORE, MORE. I want more!! This is exactly what I've been talking about when it comes to patterns. One thing I want to create is hexie patterns with kits using kaleidoscope fabric...someday :)
Don't know what kaleidoscope fabric is? Well, I had this piece laying around for several years just waiting on the perfect project:

I only showed a small piece of the fabric to show you where I cut out this weeks hexie pieces from.

Here's my little kite:

And here is this weeks Hexie

(It's not crooked. I just am.)

Isn't that star in the middle so cool?

You will hopefully be seeing much more kaleidoscope fun in the future.

At the minimum, you are stuck seeing this fabric each week until I work through this half yard of fabric.

And of course, my African kite flower which I am equally in love with:

(I need to get these African ones done for a challenge!)

And finally--an easy one for you to draw up this week:

Pin It

So Long, Farewell!

No, not to me silly. To Stephen! He told me that he is too big a boy now to be blogging his adventures on a quilt blog. You'll see a button on my side bar that looks like this:

Click on it (on the left side bar) and you will be whipped away to the many adventures that await you!

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I received a nice email from someone that found my FPP tute, and she wondered if I had a flickr group to share items made from my patterns and tutes. The Ahhhh group has been adjusted accordingly (to be an all inclusive Hillbilly group) and can now be found on the left side bar as well. If you have any photos of items made from my patterns, tutes, or schemes and have a moment, I'd love to have you post them there. Thank you kindly!

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Speaking of the FPP tute, here is a photo of Raelynne, the recipient of the heart quilt.

Raelynne has Leukemia. She lives alone but has two sisters that come and help on occasion.

She was very blessed by her quilt from around the world.

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My Dream.

Every year about this time I get the hankerin (some Hillbilly lingo for you) to attempt my little business again. This year the hankerin is a bit larger than other years. We have decided that it is time for my husband to quit his second job. His working for 60 plus hours a week is just too much--for him, for me, and for our little boy.

Many have asked...how in the world with 4 blogs, and homeschooling now 2 boys (yes, Stephen has begun even at this age) and running a home. So, since I've had many ask via emails, I'll give you more details on the how. (more about quilts in a moment)

Well--the extra blogs are a way of keeping my life streamlined. 

Stephen's blog is my alternative to scrapbooking. Easier. Print a book at the end of the year. Done. (But I'll make it fun for those of you that like his adventures.) Even if you don't stay and follow let me know what you think of his bloggy look.

The book blog--I often read during the mid of the night when I can't sleep. If I read a book, I'll blog about it. No hurry. No demands. Just my own personal quest to get good books blogged about.

The Bible Study blog--I have help for that one!

Then there is this blog. I want to keep learning and doing and teaching. And I am really really hankerin (there's that word again) to design my own patterns (using ahhhh's and some other things up my sleeves) and I want to sell kits for those patterns. What do you think? Do you think I have a shot at it? 

Well, even if not, it will be so nice having my husband home on the weekends. I'll just have to buy a little less fabric, thread, needles, batting...but so worth the trade! 

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See you Thursday for Ahhhhh day!

Burning the Midnight Oil

For quite sometime I've wanted to be a part of project quilting. 

I love the challenges. I need the boost because I really rely to heavily on patterns.

I have always wanted to make MY OWN creations. 

This time around I am very much hoping that I get to work on every challenge. But even one here and there will be fun. 

The first challenge was Architectural Elements, but was pretty open other than using a photo for inspiration.

There were so many way cool buildings to choose from. 

First, I loved this one and thought about weaving a quilt:

Then I decided maybe I would do a whole quilt with all different types of shoes and the people that live in them:

But then decided I wanted to go Kansas City style, and since I love to read, thought I would use the Kansas City Public Library for inspiration:

But, sadly there is only ONE week from the time the challenge is issued to have a quilt completed.

So I had to go with something much more simple:

BORING!

But that's ok, I did at least have some good ideas for the other quilts. 

And this one I dressed  up a bit. 

I got to thinking about how often I work late at night, 

so I designed this and named it,

"Burning the Midnight Oil".

I embroidered a little clock in one of the windows:

Not bad for my first challenge.

Still wish I would have had time for my other ideas though.

There's another challenge starting Sunday. I can't wait to see what it is. I may not have time this time with some orders that I need to get done, but we'll see. I may not be able to resist either. I've been wanting to do these for so long! Just click on the Project quilting photo at the top to go visit Kim's Crafty Apple and join us.

Oh--there's some great prizes each time too!

Here's what I won the last go around:

It's a pattern to make several zippered bags. With step by step zipper scare proof instructions.

Yippee!! Now that I needed! 

(I will certainly find time to try these soon. I've been wanting to made zippered bags for so long!)

You can find the pattern At Studio Cherie