Earth Day...Free coffee at Starbucks

Bring your own or a Starbucks travel mug and receive free coffee or tea today! Only at participating locations....and check what time it ends. For more info CLICK HERE.

Haute Handbags Spring 2011 ~ Mumm Pouch by Stephanie Kimura

Well....Stampington outdid themselves with this issue of Haute Handbags. I especially love the Spring issue because of all the brilliant colors and artful styles apropo for celebrating the coming of Spring and Summer. The issue is out on the stands now........if you live in an area where it is not available.......then buy it HERE.
I'll also have the metal frame used in the Mumm Pouch for sale in a few days....watch for it here.

Here's my "Mumm Pouch" on page 94 (above). Elegant morsels made with vintage Chirimen Kimono textiles. Use fabrics from a skirt your Grandmother wore....a great way to keep a connection to her (also a great gift to the bride in your family).

More instructions on page 95 and free pattern on page 96 (below).

LOTS of great Artists in this issue......here is a peek......

I am a sucker for RED!





Tornado Watch today....here in Stuart, FL

Wow...I looked at the weather map and it's a BIG one. The wind is blowing like crazy.

A Letter From Sendai

A letter from a friends friend:

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you.

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.

We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on.

But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun.

People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled.

The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

With Love in return, to you all,

Heather Forman demos for the Art Associates of Martin County

Heather Forman gave a great demo for the AAMC. This is one of her surface design textiles. It was held at the Women's Club building and the setup with the mirror above the artist was great.

Please join the AAMC...they have great events and they serve a delicious punch and cake!

These ladies (below) are all fabulous artists and members of the AAMC. Lois Looby and her friends.

Hier Katze, Katze

My cousin is living in Germany and met a cat that lives in the neighborhood. She called out, "Here Kitty, Kitty" and the cat ignored her. So she spoke to the cat in German, "Hier Katze, Katze" and the cat came right over.

Wishing the people of Japan hope, love, and strength....

Sakura (Cherry Blossom)

In the Japanese culture, the cherry blossom represents the cycle of life and how our lives blossom and fall. The blossoms represent the beautiful but transient nature of life.

Leslie Peacock...3rd Place WINNER in the Mid Atlantic Quilt & Wearable Art Show 2011

This jacket is named the "Jacobean Garden" and created by Leslie Peacock in Arizona and her email is carousel01@earthlink.net if you have any questions or wish to buy her jacket pattern. This is a quote from her:

 “Jacobean Garden” began with the floral batik fabric and was the challenge fabric for the 2010 Innovations Quilt Show.  The floral fabric reminded me of some Jacobean designs I had purchased through Embroidery Library and soothe jacket design was born.   I love to embroider designs on my garments and I combined various designs and decorative stitches to create the designs on this garment. I used quilting techniques including Seminole piecing to complete the design.  Decorative stitching was used for the “quilting” and the batting is Hobbs Silk Batting. The pattern is from my “I’m Wearing My Quilt” Pattern Collection, #1007.  I used Hemingworth embroidery thread for the embroidery designs as well as the decorative stitching

Quilted Purse...Quick, Quilted & Cute...by Stephanie Kimura

This is one of my favorite bags to make. It's fast to finish and cute to boot. All these fabrics came out as a "collection" which always makes it even easier. There is a magnetic snap closure inside near the top and a zippered pocket for valuables. I always make a roomy pocket to fit my wallet...so that's a pretty big zipper! The shoulder strap can be shortened to fit on your shoulder if you like to wear your bag right under your arm. I never understood that (except if you live in NYC). I love shades of blue, green, and dark brown together. Use fabrics you love and make purses in all the colors you love! I'll have some tutorials soon! Spread the word....tell your friends to sign up on my Google Follow!

I will be having some contests but you must be signed up on my Google Follow!

YouGoGirlJupiter.com Event.....Please support us....

I am selling tickets $10 or $15 for two tickets to the YouGoGirlJupiter women's charity event.  Email me to reserve a ticket....they'll be ready in a week or so.....I will mail them to you.....ASAP...Click here

Empowering women to create healthy, successful & balanced lives.

THE 4TH ANNUAL "YOU GO GIRL!" women's charity event will be held APRIL 7, 2011, 2:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Frenchman's Reserve in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Once again, proceeds will benefit the treatment of women's reproductive cancer at the Ella Milbank Foshay Cancer Treatment Center at Jupiter Medical Center.

55 EXHIBITORS! I am an exhibitor

Wine Tasting * Mini-Massages * Light Refreshments

Ladies Tea * Happy Hour * Cooking Demos

Booksigning * Ballroom Dance Exhibitions * Silent Auction

Goody Bags distributed to first 250 attendees! Over 400 attendees last year!