Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS

I received an e-mail yesterday about a really great quilting challenge, and I think it’s definitely worth sharing. Here is the press release:

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. (November 9, 2009) – As every caregiver who helps take care of someone living with ALS knows, leading anything resembling a normal life is nearly impossible.

Kathy Thompson of Virginia Beach, Va., believes in accomplishing the impossible and has done so on numerous occasions for The ALS Association.

A mother, entrepreneur and advocate for The Association, Thompson not only is helping her daughter-in-law Joy Thompson take care of her son, 35-year-old Josh Thompson, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2007, she also is trying to make a difference in the lives of tens of thousands of people just like him.

Thompson has launched a new fundraising campaign during National Family Caregivers Month. The goal of the “Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS” contest is to increase awareness about the disease, raise funds for The Association’s global research program through an online raffle and auction of the quilts, and “warm the hearts and laps of ALS patients.”

The Thompsons have received help from patient and family service staff members of the DC/MD/VA Chapter.

“We are so thankful to Kathy Thompson and her family for all they have done to raise awareness of ALS,” said Ken Nicholls, executive director of the DC/MD/VA Chapter of The Association. “This campaign will not only help fund important research, it will be a continued source of warmth for our patients. Quilters are a caring group and we are thankful that so many have expressed an interest in contributing their art to brighten the life of our patients.”

Individual quilters as well as groups of quilters have until July 30, 2010 to submit their quilts. The select quilts will be sold in an online raffle and auction beginning next August. The quilts that are not offered online will be distributed by The Association to people with ALS and their families. Other quilts will be featured in a traveling tour.

“There are going to be many beautiful quilts,” Thompson said. “Quilters of all abilities are eligible to participate. Some quilts may be more beautiful than others, but every quilt will be made with love and care for an ALS patient.”

All participants are eligible to win prizes including batting, fabrics, patterns, quilting DVDs, gift certificates, magazine subscriptions and sewing machines. In addition, thousands of dollars in cash and prizes will be given for the best themed quilts, most quilts submitted by individual quilters and most quilts submitted by groups of quilters.  

Thompson is the owner of Quilters Dream Batting. The company was founded 15 years ago and does business with 5,000 retail stores.

“We are so active in the quilt industry,” Thompson said. “Quilters are so generous. We wanted the quilters to be aware of ALS.”

Thompson received positive feedback about the contest in Houston last month at an international quilting industry show. She was not prepared for the some of the comments she heard.

“What was interesting to me, and sad at the same time, is how many people’s lives have been touched by ALS,” she said. “When we were going from vendor to vendor to pass out our flyers asking them to join us as sponsors, it was quite surprising to me how many people would say, ‘Oh, my friend has ALS, my aunt has ALS, and my pastor has ALS right now.’ One person lost her husband and mother on the same day.”

Thompson hopes that people with ALS will appreciate the fact that someone made these quilts especially for them.

“We are asking the quilter to attach a note of introduction and well wishes with the quilt,” she said. “The quilt and note will reassure people with ALS that they are not forgotten and that there are people out there thinking of them. This will raise their hopes that awareness is being raised and warm their hearts and laps by receiving this special homemade gift.”

In 2008, still reeling from the shock and devastation of her son’s diagnosis one year earlier, Thompson and her family decided that the best way to honor Josh Thompson was to raise awareness, money for research and reach out to help ALS patients.  

Thompson, who lives just six blocks away from her son, and her family assembled the largest team to participate in the Virginia Beach Walk to Defeat ALS, The Association’s national signature event. Nearly 8,000 people participated on the JT Walk team and raised more than $600,000.

Josh Thompson, once a world class surfer is paralyzed and needs a ventilator to breathe. He recently was released from a hospital after surviving a bout of pneumonia.

“It is heartbreaking,” said Thompson. “It is heartbreaking to have someone you love so much and was so strong and athletic to need you to take care of them. That aspect of it makes it emotionally difficult. It is physically difficult.”

“You have a grown adult who needs to be moved or relocated to have his physical needs met and that is challenging for the caregiver,” Thompson continued. “At the same time, I treasure every moment that I get to spend with him. I certainly wish that it was not under these terms.”

Thompson said her son is very enthusiastic about her fundraising efforts. He enjoys watching television, especially sports, and always has company.

“He has two beautiful sons who keep him entertained,” Thompson said. “He also has friends and family members who visit him. He has a lot of support for a terrible situation.”  

Quilts should be sent to: “Hopes and Dreams,” c/o Quilters Dream Batting, 589 Central Drive, Virginia Beach. Quilts need to be submitted by July 30, 2010. Each package of Quilters Dream Batting contains a flyer about the contest.

For more information about the “Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS” contest and to download flyers and entry forms, visit the “Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS” Web site by clicking here. Advance discount tickets for a drawing to win the best themed quilt also can be purchased on the “Hopes and Dreams Challenge for ALS” website. During National Family Caregivers Month, two tickets can be purchased for $10. The regular price for a ticket is $10.

To become a fan of the contest, visit the “Hopes and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS” Facebook page by clicking here.

 For more information about National Family Caregivers Month click here.

If you get involved in this wonderful program, please share in the comments! We’d love to hear all about it. Now get quilting!

 

International Quilt Festival 2009

Fearless Leader and I flew out to Houston veeeeery early Friday morning to attend the 2009 Quilt Festival. It was my first show (and first plane ride) so I was really looking forward to it (the show, not the plane ride).

Before I came to work at Create & Decorate, I worked in promotional advertising, and I always thought trade shows were wonderful opportunities to meet people in person, which in turn, I think, helps build better working relationships. FL and I were excited to meet designers that we have only corresponded with by e-mail or talked to on the phone, and to hopefully meet some new people as well.

There were so many wonderful things to look at! Not just beautiful quilts, but embellishments like ribbons and buttons, fun fabrics and wools, punch needle and rug hooking items, woven baskets, and jewelry.

I couldn’t take many pictures inside the convention center because designers were strict (understandably so) about their items being photographed. And okay, I kept getting distracted and forgot to. But I did manage to snap this picture (with permission) of part of a booth that was set up in a pretty cool way. They sold embellishments, jewelry, and odds and ends, and everything was arranged in color hues, which I love. This was the neutral section, my favorite:

The city looked pretty at night.

Also, our hotel room had a great view, and here is the night sky we sat and looked at for a long time (and I mean a long time: we had been up for 19 hours and were so tired that after the show, we plunked ourselves down and didn’t move for about an hour and a half. We are so awesome.)

We were hiiiiigh up!

On the way to dinner Friday night, FL and I came across this interesting (or strange, maybe even scary) chandelier in the hotel. I just had to share. Who dreams up this stuff?

Good morning, Houston! Even tired as heck, we could still appreciate a beautiful sunrise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a little park across the street from the convention center, so we snuck outside for a bit at lunchtime on Saturday. It was 75 degrees and wonderfully sunny, so we wanted to soak up as much Vitamin D as we could. (Give us a break; it was 36 degrees and snowing/sleeting when we left the big NJ. Gosh!)

The convention center looked like a cruise ship...

Buh-bye, Houston.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since all the exhibitors were so darn creative, it was really neat to see how all the booths were set up, and to see all the beautiful quilts that, really, are works of art.

We did meet some new designers and will hopefully be featuring them in the magazine soon, so keep your crafting eyes peeled for that.

Did anyone else attend the show? What did you think? Please share!

Tuppence, tuppence, tuppence a bag

As a child, one of my favorite movies was (and still is) Mary Poppins. I would watch it all the time, sing along at the top of my lungs, and try to speak in a crisp British accent, just like Julie Andrews. I even begged my mom to buy me a carpet bag so that I could carry around a magical tape measure, a lamp, and a potted plant. (I also wanted a traveling cloak in the worst way, but, umm, that’s another story for another day.)

Alas, I never got that carpet bag. It haunts me still. Anyway, I received an e-mail from a company called Radley London and they were featuring their new (drum roll, please)…carpet bag, the Haymarket!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary Poppins’ carpet bag it’s not, but I like it. It’s chic and different-looking. It still has a bit of that traditional carpet bag vibe, but updated and bohemian. The colors are wonderful, all rich and Autumnal, and the large hobo shape would fit comfortably on your shoulder. I always like to have at least one accessory that is a bit different than what everyone is carrying around, and a bag like this could fit that bill. And while it probably wouldn’t hold a floor lamp, it looks plenty roomy enough to fit all the essentials. Maybe even a small dog.

It really is a lovely bag; however, if I’m being honest, it’s costs quite a bit of tuppence (i.e. way pricey). But hey, sometimes we all need a bit of a splurge. You don’t even have to buy it, really, to be inspired by it. And who knows, maybe you crafty people out there can use this bag as a jumping-off point to create an even better, even more carpet-y, even more Mary Poppins-y bag that is practically perfect in every way. Just cheaper.

While the boss is away…

So I had a couple of editor-free days while my fearless leader was out of the office. (She lets me do whatever I want when she’s here anyway, so it’s not like having her gone means a big party. Really, it just means there’s no one to talk to or laugh with.)

But anyway, since she was gone, I felt like I could take a few minutes and play instead of work. Faber-Castell sent me their Getting Started: Mixed Media & Collage kit from the Creative Studio, and this was the perfect opportunity to try it out. I’m always a sucker for a kit. (I apologize now for all picture quality; it’s the best I can do with a cell phone.)

 

Unfortunately, I took it apart before I took this picture, so it looked much more neat and tidy when it got here. The kit includes 12 fully illustrated instruction cards, 1 pencil sharpener, 2 ART GRIP Aquarelle Watercolor Pencils, 1 PITT brush pen, 1 jar of Gesso, 1 white craft glue (in a squeezy pen container), 20 sheets of assorted design paper, 7 greyboard surfaces in assorted sizes (one side is textured and the other is smooth), 1 foam brush, 2 rubber stamps, 1 stamp pad, 1 plastic screen, and 1 small piece of lace.

Now, I appreciate art in all forms, love it in fact. It fascinates me. However, my creative medium is writing, and that’s pretty much what I’m good at. Anything else just makes me feel nervous and inept. But, when I received this kit, I thought, hmm, this looks like something I just might be able to do. And it looked fun! The papers were really pretty and I just got so many ideas as I was looking through everything. They included some basic instructions and some ideas, but the vibe was pretty much “Here’s some stuff to get you started. Have at it!”

Since I love to sing and I saw the music score papers, I came up with this idea:

I guess it could be an ATC, it has the right measurements. I covered the smallest piece of greyboard with Gesso, then scribbled with the brown and blue watercolor pencils. I then wet the foam brush and blended the pencil—that was really cool. I felt very Monet doing that. When that dried, I added the words “Sing your song” with the brush pen. Then I glued on some pictures and let them I dry. I roughed everything up a bit, stamped in a few places, then added a few pieces of the plastic screen. I added a few more swipes of Gesso then “aged” it all a bit more with the brown watercolor pencil. It’s not going to be hanging in a museum any time soon, but I like it.

My second attempt was this:

 

I want to travel, and Paris is at the top of the list, so when I saw the Eiffel tower and the map of Paris, I was inspired. I used the next-to-largest piece of greyboard and added a layer of Gesso. I colored over all the Gesso with the brown watercolor pencil and blended it. Once that dried, I added the papers and the words “dreaming of adventure.” Then I added some more Gesso and covered those spots in some blue watercolor pencil. I also added some blue watercolor pencil to the Eiffel tower picture and I really like how that turned out. I was a little more free form with this one, and just kind of did stuff without thinking about it, and I like how this one turned out as well.

And I guess that’s a big part of being creative. Just doing things that inspire you. It really doesn’t matter if no one likes them. If they mean something to you, then it’s all good.

There are still lot of things left in the box, which means plenty more opportunities to be creative. Maybe I’ll hand it over to FL so that she can try her hand at it. And then I can take a day off and let her play while I’m gone

Click here for more info on Faber-Castell, and to view their other product offerings.

On a more important note: It’s Friday, people! Have a kick-butt weekend!

A Tiny Junking Adventure

Sorry for the long distance between this and my last post. I was on vacation (though I’m using that term loosely).

Then, our company server crashed and we lost a boatload (maybe even a cruise ship-load) of information and have been working like mindless drones to make sure everything ships on time.

But I know, excuses, excuses…

So, to escape our computer screens for just a little while, Bev and I went down the road a bit to a shop called Made in the Shade. It had creaky floors (bonus!) and nooks and crannies just filled with this and that. Our main goal was to try and find some small white plates.

After a bit of wandering, a lot of laughter at some particularly odd items, and trying to avoid scary dolls (okay, that was just me—sorry, but I’ve seen the Talking Tina ep of “The Twilight Zone” one too many times), we happened upon a closet upstairs that had some sale items. Bev found this fun frame:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the somewhat cruddy quality of photos—cell phone cameras and office lighting don’t make great studio conditions. The frame is pretty cool, all rusty and swirly and old-looking. And I think the picture inside just totally adds to it, don’t you?

And only I could go into a shop loaded with vintage odds and ends and come out with this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s a giant clothespin, people! Come on, it rocks! It’s actually for my mom, cause she had just said the other day when she saw one, “That is so cool. I would love a giant clothespin.” So I gave it to her, and she was quite happy. It now rests (sans Robby P. photo) on a shelf in her laundry room.

We did hit up another shop, but to be honest, there was nothing impressive there. We did some more laughing, got a tad creeped out when we heard some guy making strange sounds, and decided it was time to go get some iced chai.

So that’s our story. What better way to spend your lunch hour (or hour and a half) than with junk and iced chai?

P.S. We never found those white plates. Guess we’ll have to go on another adventure. What a shame.

Cheater, cheater, diet soda drinker.

I guess I have to make a confession…remember my random March posting about how my wonderful editor and I were supposed to give up Diet Pepsi? Well…

In our defense, we’ve only had it, maybe, five times since that post, (not counting the time she cheated), and that was three months ago, so all things considered, we did pretty well, and I’m proud of us.

But, I realized just how happy that little bubbly drink makes my editor, So, we’ve had a few discussions, and I decreed that we could have a Diet Pepsi every other Friday (and maybe on photo shoots, too), as a treat.  Yes, that’s right, I decreed it, because this whole thing was really my idea, and Ms. Editor followed me right into it, no questions asked. So I figured the least I could do was brighten her days a little with knowing that a Diet Pepsi was at least on the horizon, cause, let’s face it, I’m just that nice.

But, if you’re smart, you shouldn’t be buying any of that, and should know that I allowed us to have Diet Pepsi again because I’m selfish, and I wanted it again, darn it! It just makes both of us smile, and life is too short to just cut it out completely. Plus, the caffeine makes us more productive! So as I type this, sipping my Diet Pepsi (with Lime!), a big smile on my face, it’s all totally worth it, fake sugar poisoning and all.

Happy Friday!

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure…or at least a museum exhibit.

If you’re looking for something a little different to do this weekend, and happen to be in the Salem, MA area, somewhat close to it, or if you’re in the mood for a road trip, then visit the Peabody Essex Museum. They have a new interactive Art & Nature Center exhibition opening this Saturday, June 20th. It’s called Trash Menagerie, and it features over thirty inventive artworks made from, well, trash. (I told you it would be different.)

The twenty-four artists featured in the exhibit use anything from piano keys and old electronic parts (not so gross) to water bottles and used cigarette filters (okay, kinda gross) to create animal artwork. One artist creates animals out of junk he found along the coast of Rhode Island, and another created a series of sweater dogs out of, you guessed it, old sweaters.

The exhibit may sound a little out there, and has a tiny “ew” factor, but the point is to “encourage visitors to see the creative potential embodied in everyday objects” and to look at the environmental impact we all have every time we throw something away. It also encourages recycling–what better way to reuse an old detergent bottle than to turn it into a fish?

To coincide with the exhibit’s opening day, the museum is hosting the Animals All Around program. The day will be filled with hands-on activities and demonstrations, and features a screening of Wall-E, a movie about a robot who is designed to clean up a polluted and abandoned Earth. They’ll also be showing Garbage Warrior, which documents the “renegade architect” Michael Reynolds and his battle to build earthships. Yeah, I had no idea what that meant, but apparently, earthships are “long-lasting, eco-friendly, off-the-grid homes constructed of garbage.” Well, of course, how silly of me. I totally should have known that.

One of the coolest-sounding pieces is New York artist and puppeteer Chris Green’s interactive horse shadow puppet. He built it out of broken umbrellas he found discarded on the streets of NYC. Visitors will be able to make the horse form gallop across the wall.

If I didn’t have a serious phobia of touching something that potentially hundreds of other people have touched and transferred their germs to, I would be all over this exhibit. I can’t even put my hand in a bag of chips that someone else has had their hand in, so picking up garbage and turning it into art might be a bit of a hurdle for me to get over. Seriously though, if I lived closer, I would definitely check this out. It’s different, quite forward-thinking, and very family-oriented, so children can learn the importance of reusing and recycling in a fun, un-schoolike setting.

Check out PEM’s website for more information on the exhibit, as well as more about the museum and the other activities offered there. And the next time you see a beer bottle on the side of the road, turn it into a giraffe. (Beer…longneck…giraffe…get it? Anybody? Bueller?) Well, at least find a recycling bin.

Filter Rabbit, 2000, Tom Deininger, 13" x 7" x 5", used cigarette filters, ceramic form; Sulphur Blue Smeck, 2005, Michelle Stitzlein, 62" x 84" x 11", mixed junk, photo credit: Tom Little; Camel, 2006, Ann Smith, 9" x 11" x 3", used electronic parts.

 

Calling All Knitters

I received a press release the other day about this item called The Knit Kit. Referred to as the “Swiss Army Knife of knitting,” this little kit actually looks pretty cool.

Inspired by the 23 million “knitting enthusiasts” that crisscross the country, the Knit Kit is a handy, must-have tool for beginners and experts alike. It contains everything a knitter needs, all in one tidy tool—a pair of scissors, ring stitch markers, needle tip protectors, a lockable stitch counter, flip-out thread cutter, retractable tape measure, and a built-in crochet hook for picking up dropped stitches.

Measuring just 4 1/2” x 3 1/2” in size, the Knit Kit is TSA compliant, making it the perfect tool for knitting on-the-go. It’s also cost-effective, and just a plain ‘ol time-saver—no more digging around your bag to try and find your knitting tools!

The Knit Kit was introduced in January 2009, and it hasn’t taken long for it to gain a strong foothold in the knitting community, both in the USA and internationally (New Zealand, Germany, England, and France all have Knit Kit fans). More than 10,000 Knit Kits have been sold, and 450 (and growing) retailers      carry the product.

The Knit Kit retails for $19.95, and sells only through wholesale to independent retail channels. For more information, as well as a list of store locations, click here. It comes in an ivory kit with pink accessories, but a black and ivory model will be available this June. Also, keep an eye out for the new 2010 edition, as well as the Quilt Kit and the Sew Kit.

With summer right on the horizon—which means vacations, day trips, you name it—the Knit Kit would be the perfect traveling companion. Pick one up soon and let us know what you think.

Craftster: What an awesome way to wile away a Friday.

So I was on one of my usual daily Google adventures, looking up product for magazine projects, when I came across Craftster.org.  And I am quite happy I found it.

Craftster is an online community where crafters from all over the ‘net can share crafting ideas, tips, DIY projects, craft-themed tattoos—you name it. Started in August 2003, it is now one of the largest “indie” craft communities. (“Indie” simply means independent—as in indie music, indie films, etc.) I’m really digging this sight, mainly cause it’s a little offbeat—like me. My tastes are all over the place, and I’ve never been able to fit myself into any sort of category. But, I feel right at home on Craftster. People who march to their own drummer and don’t follow the herd are gonna be feelin’ this sight as well.

The sight now has over 700,000 readers per month, and has been written up in The New York Times, The London Guardian, and Time Magazine. They have lots of great articles and tons of fun projects, including glass crafts, fiber arts, crochet, and even recipes. The site also runs the Craftster Challenge, and it goes like this: A certain item is given, and readers are encouraged to craft something using that item. They then submit their idea, and readers vote on what they feel is the best and most creative. The most recent challenge (Eggcellent Upcycling) was to be all crafty with plastic Easter eggs, and some of the ideas were pretty clever! Click hereto see ‘em! (Their current challenge is to repurpose a catalog. This will tell you more—and please, let us know if you decide to submit an idea!)

They also have a small online shop that sells cute graphic tees (my fav), pins, and tote bags.

So if you’re a hip crafter, and you’ve got a bit of a funky vibe going on, or if you’re just curious and simply love crafting, then I would definitely put Craftster on your list of sites to check out. Oh, and pay attention to the graphic in the upper left-hand corner of the page. It changes every so often, and they’re funny! Now I have to get back to work before someone realizes I’m getting paid to laugh at funny crochet-themed t-shirts.

It’s a long way from those cute, furry goats

Okay, so remember that photo shoot I blogged about not too long ago? The one where we got to play with those oh-so-cute goats? Well, we were on another shoot last week, at a different location. It was about 90 degrees, but the wind was coming off the water, and it was actually beautiful outside. We got a lot of great outdoor shots. However, being outdoors means bugs, and other creepy-crawly things. The photographer’s assistant was afraid of spiders. I’m not a fan of them either, or anything that makes a buzzing noise as it flies for that matter. And our fearless editor hates snakes.

 Soooo…I was setting up a shot, and Ms. Editor goes off on her own to set up another shot. All is peaceful for a few minutes, but then we hear her yell, so we all go running. “I almost stepped on it! I almost stepped on it!” And she’s doing a hopping dance, flapping her hands and making “blech” sounds. (Note: Editor’s reaction may be slightly exaggerated for dramatic effect.) So we look down, and what do we see sunning itself, right there on the stone path?

That’s right, this slithery little guy. “Ohh, that’s a Copperhead,” says our photographer. I don’t know much about snakes, and neither does scaredy-cat editor, but I think we are both doubtful that this is a poisonous snake. Gross, yes. Deadly, no. Regardless of the possible death factor, cell phones are whipped out and pictures are taken.

 As we stare at the snake for a few more seconds, we can no longer hold in our doubts. We ask, “Are you sure it’s a Copperhead?” “Oh, yeah, it’s a Copperhead,” confirms our photographer/hunter/outdoorsman/all-around wildlife expert. So he grabs a stick, like the 5-year-old trapped in a man’s body that he is, and starts to poke the snake. The snake, of course, does that snakey-thing, where they raise their body and up and kinda pull their head back. (Come on, I know you know what I mean.) It’s perfectly natural, of course, it’s being poked with a stick. I wouldn’t be too happy, either. So when it pulls its head back, I have a second of, “Uh oh. Maybe it really is a Copperhead, and it’s getting ready to bite us all.” And I’ll admit, I panicked. Just a little. (FYI: I don’t have a high pain tolerance, and I can’t imagine I’d enjoy the initial pain of a snake bite, and then the ensuing pain of the poison as it traveled slowly to my heart.) But after a few more pokes, it slithered off into the bushes. Needless to say, we looked down at our feet wherever we walked and avoided those bushes like the plague for the rest of the day.

 Anyway, we finish the shoot and go home. In the evening, I get a text from the editor (That’s right, people, the editor herself texts me. Although the texts are usually telling me to get her coffee and pick up her dry cleaning or take her car to the mechanic, but still.) Her husband looked at the picture of the snake and said it was not a Copperhead, and after a little Googling, it was confirmed that it was a harmless Milk Snake.

The End.

Aren’t our lives so very exciting?