Closing Soon - Hurry!

My friend Chris, at http://welovequilting.com/blog/ has her July giveaway going. It (and July) will end SOON. So go HERE to enter.

The prize this month is a SURPRISE. Don't worry though, Chris loves to give good prizes. I rarely enter "surprise" drawings, but for hers I will.

ABCs of Me

A - Age: old enough

B - Bed size: Queen cause I don't have room for a king

C - Chore you hate: mopping

D - Dog's name: no dog.

E - Essential start your day item:Coffee - black and HOT
F- Favorite color: blue

G - Gold or Silver: silver

H - Height: 5' 7"

I - Instruments you play: human voice, piano, guitar, pennywhistle, harmonica (hey I didn't say I play them well!)

J - Job title: Emergency Preparedness ASAII

K - Kid(s): not me, baby, I love to hold other folks babies, but I am not spreading my seed! LOL

L - Living arrangements: in my own little corner in my own little house.

M - Mom's name: Maggie

N - Nicknames:Blue Gene

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: only when staying with someone else.

P - Pet Peeve(s): rudeness

Q - Quote from a movie: Yeah, what are you suppose to do with them the rest of the 23 hours and 45 minutes of the day? (Grease)

R - Right or left handed: right but kinda ambi

S - Siblings: 2,(one deceased)

T - Time you wake up: 5:30 to 6 on workdays and 7:30 on weekends (weekends vary widely!)

U - Underwear: yes please.

V - Vegetable you dislike: cucumber (unless it is pickled)

W - Ways you run late: hitting the snooze button, reading the internet

X - X-rays you've had: spine, mouth

Y - Yummy food you make: Spaghetti

Z- Zodiac Sign: Libra -sing of the scales - balanced or unbalanced

Creativity and Spirituality

I love this and wanted to share it with some of you who are very special to me. It happens that I was looking for a quote on children and art (by Picasso-and I found it) but I also found this quote by one of my favorite authors. I hope you find it as special and heart-touching as I did. I do not claim credit for writing this. I am only sharing it. If the author wishes it removed, I will do so if the author lets me know. (I sadly can't give the author credit as I don't know who it is.) I don't mean to offend anyone who doesn't believe as I do. If you are offended,I am truly sorry.


Madeline L'Engle is the Christian author of a Newberry Award Winning children's novel entitled A Wrinkle in Time. In her book, Walking on Water, Madeline explores the connection between creativity, and spirituality.
"In prayer," Ms. L'Engle says, "as in the creative process, these two parts of ourselves, the mind and the heart, the intellect and the intuition, the conscious and the subconscious mind, stop fighting each other and collaborate. God is constantly creating, in us, through us, with us, and to co-create with God is our human calling."
I believe that! In a way, we are all artists. It doesn't matter what our medium is. Creativity exists for the gardener and the cook, as much as it does for the painter, musician, or writer. The process of making art, at its best, takes on the quality of prayer. Creativity is a spiritual experience. We lose track of time. We feel the power from God that is greater than ourselves. It is a labor of love.

A poster in an Oak Hill art classroom reads, "A man who works with his hands is a laborer, a man who works with his hands and his mind, is a craftsman, and a man who works with his hands, his mind and his heart, is an artist."
As artists we strive to put our every day selves aside and listen closely to the heart. Then, and only then, can the unseen part of ourselves become manifest in our work, and the work take on a life of its own. How can art take on a life of its own? It's a mystery, but it happens. Through regular practice, and a willingness to let go of the need for absolute control at all times.
Being a beginner as an adult can be intimidating. Maybe you're an engineer, or an architect, a lawyer, or a dentist. You dream of doing something more creative, but you're afraid your beginning work might look a bit childish. Consider the words of Pablo Picasso who said, "All children are artists, the trick is to remain artists when we grow up." Notice Picasso's work becomes more childlike as he advances in years.
Scripture tells us to retain our childlike qualities. Although Matthew 18:3 is not specific, we often consider those qualities of which Jesus spoke, and try to cultivate them in our Christian lives. Spontaneity, compassion, trust, and love are all positive childlike qualities; so too, is creativity.

Pincushions anyone ?

Over at Jaybird Quilts there is a giveaway. The prizes are giant pincushions made by Julie aka jaybird. She will have two winners. Cool huh? Plus there is a nice link to the tutorial so you can make your own and some to give to your quilty friends. I wouldn't mind winning one. I love pincushions, which is kinda strange for someone who hates to pin anything to sew it. LOL.

So Go to Jaybird Quilts and enter.

Last chance!

Sewmeow is having her birthday giveaway and today is the last day to enter!
Go ENTER

Brief Update and a Picture

I have still been working on the same quilt - but honestly I have been rather non-productive.

So I posted a picture of my new haircut on one of the other sites I visit and was surprised that anyone actually cared. I do love my new haircut so I am going to let y'all see it too.

Here's looking at you kid!

First and Last Quilts (and in progress)

Following the blogland quilters I read, I am posting my first and "last" quilts. The last one is actually still in progress, so I am thinking it doesn't count.

My first quilt is this tablerunner that starte me quilting. I did this all on my machine and did "in the ditch" quilting. Don't go looking too closely or you will see that I jumped out of the ditch a couple of times. C'est la vie!


My last completed quilt is this one that you probably saw already.

The quilt hadn't been bound in this picture, but you get the idea anyway. Since it was finished this quilt has spent 98% of the time on my bed. I love it.

I am still working on the quilt for Dave. So just to make this a little more complete here is part of the "in progress" quilt

What do you see?

I am pulling out one of my paintings that hangs in my bedroom to show today. The only sewing I have done lately is quilting on blocks you have already seen - not exciting.

This painting is one that I eventually gave a name. The name is Morning Magic. I chose the name for two reasons. First is the image, there appears to be a tree branch with bluebirds hiding among the leaves in front of an intense sunrise. (Hey that is what I see, what do you see?)

Second reason: As this is hanging in my bedroom, I see it every morning. The brilliance of color and the mystery of the image adds a little magic to the morning.
Like all my paintings, this one is for sale. You can see this one and many more on my website GeneBlack.com

Blog Redesign

I am wondering what you think of my new blog design. I haven't decided...but I discovered that I can't get the old one back --ACK!

So tell me what you think. Stay with this for a while OR change it again?

I like help with decisions.

Have you seen the Green Fairy?

NO, I am not talking about drinking absinthe. Silly!
Green Fairy Quilts is having a giveaway to celebrate the 99th blog post. She is also showcasing a lovely new pattern or two.
You could win a pattern or a quilt or a jelly roll or tote......why wouldn't you go?
Just look!






------------>>>>LINK--click HERE<<<<<-------------

What ARE you waiting for??? GO!

Update on the winner and the "unchosen"

As you probably know, part of my giveaway involved picking the pendant of your choice. Leta picked the pendant on the left. So the "unchosen" one is now in my Etsy store.

In case you have forgotten, here is a picture of it.

The price is right and it would look lovely on you or your loved one.

((yes that was a shameless self-promotion!))

Random Winner

Hi there folks. Today is 7/8/9 and it is the day I promised to draw for the pendant.
So I went to random.org and put in the number of entries -15 counting my first comment. I hit the generate button and came up with a WINNER. I counted down the comments and number four is "lesthook" aka Leta. (yes I did count myself since I commented, If I had won however I would have clicked again!)

Congratulations to Leta and to all of you crafty wonderful readers. I am waiting for Leta to send me the mailing address so I can get her package ready to mail.

Leta picked the pendant on the left. So the other one is now in my Etsy store.

Another SPECIAL giveaway alert.

Hi folks, Ryan - another male quilter (yaay!) is having a giveaway at his blog I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts.


Here is just ONE of the prizes you could win

A charm pack from Moda's Folklorique
Go and enter and of course tell him "Gene sent me"

Giveaway elsewhere and a tease~

Sewmeow is having a giveaway- She keeps adding stuff everyday until the drawing. The drawing will be on her birthday - July 19. I am excited - Go enter!

SewMeow Giveaway


And now a tease...my giveaway is TOMORROW.

I am going - Giveaway

I am going to the beach...meanwhile go enter this giveaway
Sewmeow's Birthday Giveaway