Modern sampler - a charity quilt

I have been on the hunt for a modern sampler layout. I really do not love sewing sashing through a gazillion blocks and though it works for a number of layouts, I'm tired of the traditional sampler. I've searched all over for new ideas, but not seen many options.
But at the same time, I had all these sampler blocks that I'd used for practicing my Seams Perfect Bee blocks each month. They were so bright and garish that I had to find a way to settle them down.
I finally decided on grouping them all together in a clump and calming them down with lots of old white (a paisley screenprint on white someone had given me years ago) fabric I had around here. I used it all up and needed a little more design, so I added the red stripe to even it out.
A friend (Tanya) from my guild has been urging us to make a few quilts in red, white and blue to donate to the Wounded Warriors organization - they ship quilts to war zones and welcome wounded US soldiers in hospitals with these special thank you friends from home. I love that idea, so I decided to use this for that cause. My other guild buddy, Ramona, gave me some leftover Ty Pennington Ivy fabric to back it with and I spent my LAMQG Weekend Sew time this week basting this quilt. I used my new extension table that I got for Christmas last night (thanks to my in-laws!) and practiced my stippling. I'm not winning any awards with my stippling, but I believe strongly in the proverb that says, "do not despise the day of small beginnings" - we all have to start somewhere, right?
Well, it's done now. And I feel good knowing some service person somewhere will know they are appreciated for what they have given.

There is beauty in the broken

Having spent a lot of this year very broken and searching for visual imagery and art to help me express things, I constantly have my eyes open.
I love urban settings. I have a love for buildings and architecture, too. Maybe that goes back to my days working with architects and designers among the architectural gems of Chicago. And I've always seen beauty in ruins. Maybe that goes back to my love of Greek history and my summer of archeology in Israel. Ancient ruins are obviously beautiful. But so are modern ruins. Over and over I've found myself stopping and turning around when I see abandoned, neglected or ruined urban buildings. I run back to them with my camera and snap pics. I can't explain why.
Last week, I passed a factory that was being torn down. I probably have passed this factory a couple thousand times in my life. It was always old-school and fascinating to me - I think they made aluminum cans there... But last week, I turned the car around, parked in a local parking lot at a nearby business park and walked a block back to get these pics. I don't know why, but I needed to capture this beautiful destruction.
Maybe it's the job of an artist to see these things. Maybe it's weird to look at something being destroyed and to see beauty in it. Maybe it's just me, looking for things that are beautiful in the ashes. It's not solely related to my recent adventures. Don't we all wonder what things look like at their core?

Be•loved

These two gifts arrived in the mail on Saturday.
The first is a mini-quilt in my favorite color by a guild/bee friend of mine, Jennifer. The bag has a "Happy Birthday, Liberty" label on it. It feels so nice to be thought of. I treasure everything my friends make for me and I love this.
The second is a valentine made by my amazingly thoughtful friend, Anita. We used to be able to get together often for coffee back in Chicago, but now we just are penpals... I have handmade cards from Anita all over my house. I think I've posted every one she's sent. She also has the incredible knack of knowing how much glitter to use on something so that it looks sparkly and exciting, while maintaining a strong sense of design.
Mail is so fun. I love my friends.

13 years ago today

13 years ago today, this beautiful man asked me to marry him. I said yes, but I had no idea how happy he would make me back then. I chose him because of his integrity and sense of humor, but he's so much more... Jay is the kindest, most patient man I have ever met and my best friend and I have been married now for 11.5 years. I would pick a day with him over a day with anyone in the world. He's thoughtful and generous, a great dad and so tender and romantic. I've also seen a bold and brave side to him as we have had to step into tough situations recently.
We actually marvel at how the past few years have drawn us closer than ever. We have been through things so hard that I never could have imagined them as part of my future... But we have stuck together like crazyglue and this man is (in my humble opinion) the best this world has to offer.
I'm so so so happy you asked me, Jay.

Libby Dibby sighting

We went to a gorgeous wedding this weekend on the beach in Malibu. (I promise there will be more pics)
For me, it was really funny to see a woman I didn't know wearing one of my skirts. (that's never happened before! Even though I've sold over 1200 skirts, you would think I would run into someone besides close friends or family wearing one, right?)
Anyhow, I tried not to stalk her, but we ended up talking because she recognized me from the show where I'd sold it to her years ago. It's funny that I was stalking her for this pic, because the wedding photographer kept stalking me because she wanted pictures of my foot tattoo (which kind of got awkward after a while).... Still, it's a fun picture to share, because I've really been hoping for this day!

Front door #3 - beach door

Yes, this is actually a front door I walked through today. J is a best man in a wedding at this house... His kindergarten buddy and college roommate, Tony. I'm sure I'll have some pics to share tomorrow.
Isn't it amazing that some people live like this? J and I both grew up overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Really close. Now we live in urban intense LA and its easy to forget that the beach even exists some days. But the ocean is always there. It's good to come back to places that can remind you to slow down and take a deep breath. Like a door that you can just walk through that says, "beach".

Front door #2

My friend's front door today. I texted her this pic and said, "Go Home!"
Sometimes friends just need a new bag dropped off on their front porch.

Front door thoughts #1

Today I am thinking a lot about front doors. I'm not at home and have to blog from my phone so this is coming in installments.
Door #1 - my door.
These pics were taken in 2010, by my friend Sonja (www.mikiandsonja.com). We had just lost Ace a week or so before, so though you may not see it, I see the exhaustion and struggle on my face. It's a lot like where I have been recently.
Regardless, you can also see my front door, which I LOVE. It's one of the reasons we bought this house. It's beautiful. And after we were robbed and needed to secure ourselves a little better, we added in the gorgeous wrought iron - which actually makes me super happy too. I worked hard with a guy named Jose to design a set of "bars" that would add to our home rather than detract.
The reason I got to thinking about my front door though today is this: somehow there is almost never a day where I don't find someone I like or love standing on my porch knocking on my door to come in. Yes, this is L.A. It's not the Midwest. But somehow my friends know that they are welcome to drop by. Even when my house is almost never clean (it is today because it's the one day a month that we have a housekeeper come!), there's always something going on, I'm ALWAYS in the middle of something, there's always a bit of chaos... My friends seem to know that they can drop by, get a cup of coffee or a cold Coke, and I will be happy to have them.
When we first walked through this house when we were buying it, we were looking at moving out of a dreary dark condo where we had been living. I remember imagining what life would be like in this house, with all its windows and it's big welcoming porch. Back then, with 2 small babies, it seemed really big. I remember thinking, "it will be so nice and big!" and then, it was as if I suddenly knew in that moment, ...almost as if someone had whispered it to me... I knew this: "it will never be empty. You will always have people coming in and going out."
And I absorbed and accepted that thought with joy.
And somehow my friends and neighbors have, too. Whether its funny exchanges and dropoffs with my local moms club gals, or my carpool buddies staying long to chat. Sometimes my across the street neighbor (hi, Chrissy!) pops over and stays for hours. Once recently she came - needing cinnamon while baking - and her hubby had to come fetch her to remind her she was cooking at home! My pal, Nicole, has hitched a ride to my door with the mailman (barefoot) when she got locked out of her house around the corner. There was about a year of Friday nights where we had pasta night every Friday and anyone could come. We used to have lots of parties before these past few years of foster care- maybe when I'm not quite so tired and wary of big groups, we can start doing that again. Until then though, I'm here. With hot coffee and cold Cokes. And there's usually some candy or cookies I could dig up too.
It's good. I don't think I've ever officially said, "come drop by my front door unannounced", but somehow, my friends know that they know I'll be happy to see them. Maybe not wearing a Libby Dibby skirt, but happy nonetheless.

3 out of 5 - multi-tasker totes

I think I've mentioned it here before, but when I learn how to do something, it takes me about 5 times to do it before I feel like I fully understand it (and then I'm bored!). So since I loved making Anna Maria Horner's Multi-tasker tote so much, I wanted to revisit doing the pattern, to wrap my head around it better. (it's quite clever!)
I came home and cut out two more from fabric I just had laying around. Well, they're done. I love this bag.
And I'm sure the recipients will love these ones too... Two more to go. Then I'll move onto another project. :)

By the way, these take only about 2-3 hours to make. The next two will probably only take about 1-2 hours each.

A glass half full - pretty pics

It all depends on how you look at it, right? (took these at the awards show the other night)