CQMagOnline January 2012 is out!

The oldest online CQ Magazine, CQMagOnline, has just published Vol. 11, Issue #1. Woo-hoo!  You can check it out here:

http://www.cqmagonline.com/Volume11/Issue01/index.shtml

I am doubly excited because not only is Cathy`s Crazy by Design a sponsor of the issue, but I have an article in it.  This issue it is The Inspiration Corner, Focus: Hearts.  I hope to have more of these articles on varying subjects as catalysts to spark ideas and creativity in others.   Exploring themes has always been one of the things I like best, so why not share?

I have been busy creating postcards for our Crazy Quilting International Postcard Swap.  All I have left to do is bind one with a zig-zag stitch. But that means changing the thread in my sewing machine, so lazybones here decided to come blog instead, LOL.

May your weekend be wonderful!

Hearts RR Work & Carefree Highway

While on vacation, I had plenty of leisure time to stitch AND I brought along Gerry Hookstra's incredibly lovely block for the Hearts II Round Robin we are in together for CQI. It was hard to take that first stitch, especially because of the meticulous piecing and beautiful fabrics with which it was made. The first person to stitch on a block usually sets the tone, and Gerry's lovely heart block deserves the finest stitching and embellishment. Intimidating!
The four corners of the piece had equal triangles, and I figured that each lady working on it could take one. Because there is a central heart in reds and the larger, outer area is gold (you'll see the full block below), I wanted to add a red floral motif to bring them together. That is also why I did the seam embellishment in golds - to enhance the seam but not to compete with the motif or the heart. Then I did some work in the center heart:

The trim is vintage, as is the little red montee at the top of the feather stitch heart. The heart bead was a recent purchase at a newly-opened bead store here in town. Here is Gerry's block after my work was completed. Isn't it classy?

And now, some pictures of our recent trip to Arizona as promised (or threatened, depending on your perspective, LOL). Our driving route from the Salt Lake area to Tubac, AZ (south of Tucson) took us down through Utah, over to Las Vegas, over Boulder Dam, along the Carefree Highway, and down through Central Arizona (and then Phoenix, Tucson and finally Tubac).

Does the name Carefree Highway sound familiar? You may remember Gordon Lightfoot's song about the highway. It was written after he spent some time in Arizona back in the seventies.



We snapped some pictures of the lovely saguaro cacti along the route. It was a beautiful, warm day! Truly carefree for us!

And finally, we got a kick out of this "stop" sign at our hotel in Wickenberg, where we stopped one night. Wickenberg is still a quaint "Old West" town!

Until next time,