Surfin' Sunday - All about Courage....

Hi, all!

Today's Surfin' Sunday is going to be a little different - all about courage.  All week the news shows have been remembering the events of ten years ago, and telling us amazing stories of courage.   

Susan Retick (far left) speaks with women in Afghanistan

One that really stuck with me was the story of Susan Retick, who was widowed on 9/11.  Family and friends immediately surrounded her with love and support, as was happening all around the country with people affected by the tragedy.  But Susan Retick saw beyond her own personal tragedy - she realized that if she was only able to make it through her trials with the love of family and friends, how did other widows - and particularly those in Afghanistan, where life is horribly difficult for women in the best of times - make it through such a tragedy?   Out of this was born Beyond the 11th.  In just eight years, Beyond the 11th has raised more than $1 million.  The funds have been passed on as grants to organizations in Afghanistan helping women learn a skill or trade, such as DOSTI, a soccer ball manufacturing business started by two Afghan women which now employs over 400 people, many of them widows.  

This ability to see beyond her own little world speaks volumes to me - courage beyond belief.  When asked about what she thought her husband would think of what she is doing, she said, "I know he wouldn't have wanted me to respond with more hate. I don't want Dave's memory to be about hate and anger and terrorism. I want it to be about this phenomenal human being that he was. And I can't think of a better way to carry that on than with the work that we do."  If you want to see more about her work, you can check out this website.  Watch the promo video for the documentary - it's worth the time!

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On another front, I have a friend who is taking a very courageous step in her life - she has decided to take her love of fitness and start a business encouraging and motivating people to make their lives better through fitness training.  She's also one of the funniest people I know - and we all know that humor makes exercise so much better, don't we!  I'd like to talk her into starting a fitness class for quilters, but I'm not sure we'd be willing to stop sewing long enough to work out, and sweat on the quilts might make them a little less desirable!!  But who knows, maybe we can work something out!  

Anyway, she has taken another step out into the great unknown and started a blog called Sister Chicks Guide to At-Home Fitness :o).  It is billed as a ...Calorie-Free, Fat-Free, Carb-Free Zone. Click all you want on this page... it's good exercise!  The title of the first blogpost I saw?  "If I Throw Up On Your Floor...."  Just one little story from an exercise class, but very indicative of Tonya's humor!  Go check out her blog - if you are at all interested in a home exercise program, or just feeling better in general, I think you'll enjoy it. She's trying to get fifty followers by Monday, and she's only six away from that right now.  Follow her for a while and see if you don't enjoy her wicked sense of humor!

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And it's hard to think about courage without thinking of the upcoming movie Courageous.  I'm also reminded, as we honor the first responders to 9/11 on this 10th anniversary, that Courageous focuses on police officers and their service.  The movie opens on September 30th, and I would really encourage you to go - take your family, especially your husband - it will speak to you in ways you can't imagine.  I've seen it twice already and it was better the second time.  Here's a trailer for the movie...

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But what discussion of courage would be complete without the first place most of us probably heard of it?  Please enjoy this little video which should bring back many memories.....

(sorry about the quality of the video - it was the only one I could find with an embed code!)

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Have a courageous week!

Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - featuring 100 Quilts For Kids!

Hi, all!


Sunday again - with a blessed overcast sky and cooler temperatures for us here in Middle Tennessee - hooray!!  We'll actually see highs in the 70's this week - a lovely foretaste of fall for us to enjoy....


Today I want to give you all a heads-up about a great charity quilt challenge that will be starting very soon....

This is such a great event - between September 15th and October 15th, you make and donate, in your area, quilts for children.  Your choice of charity, your choice of quilt - and such a great cause!  This is the second year for this event, sponsored by the DC Modern Quilt Guild and  Kate of Swim, Bike, Quilt.  Here, in Kate's own words, are the details of the event....

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Please join the DC Modern Quilt Guild this fall in our second annual charity event, 100 Quilts for Kids. Last December, guild members and quilt bloggers generously (and quickly) made and donated over 130 quilts to children in our own communities during the holiday season. I was so inspired and impressed with the generosity and efforts of many of you, and was grateful to be a part of the tremendous potential for good that exists in the quilting community. This year, we hope to expand our efforts, inviting quilt bloggers and Modern Quilt Guilds to join with us.  Instead of frantically sewing charity quilts in November and December, this year's quilt drive will take place from September 15-October 15, after the lazy days of summer and before the rush of holiday preparations begins!

DETAILS AT A GLANCE:

Make a baby or toddler sized quilt--finish a WIP, try a new pattern, find a use for extra blocks from virtual bees, or start and finish a new quilt)

Donate your quilt(s) to an organization in your community--consider donating your quilt(s) to a local foster care program, domestic violence center, homeless shelter, children’s hospital, or local military family support organization, or to an organization such as Project Linus or Margaret’s Hope Chest

Donate your quilt(s) from September 15-October 14, 2011:  Let us know you donated your quilt (and where you donated it) by sharing a link to a blog post or picture on flickr at one of two linky parties. (You can also email me a picture of the finished quilt and I will link up for you).  

Link-Up #1: September 28-30 here at Swim, Bike, Quilt
Link-Up #2 October 12-14 at Aunt Spicy's!

Prizes!  To encourage quilters to participate, and to say "thank you," there will be goody bags and prizes associated with each link-up party. We will also randomly draw numbers for a list of grand prizes on October 15, here, at Swim, Bike, Quilt. New this year, there will be a reader's choice prize: I will pick my ten favorite quilts, readers get to vote, and whoever wins will get a prize. And it will be a good one :)

Sponsors Needed: If you are interested in sponsoring the event/donating a fabric or quilting related prize, please let me know!

Thank you in advance for participating. I would love your help getting the word out, and have a few fun giveaways to encourage you to do so (click here for information). Just copy and paste the code below and paste it into your sidebar, or blog post. Thanks!

Note: Information on 100 Quilts for Christmas, our 2010 event, available here. A big thank you to everyone for their efforts last year, and thank you to everyone who has already helped me out/let me talk their ear off about 100 Quilts for Kids. And finally, thank you to my sister-in-law, Amber Blakesley, for designing the logo and button! 

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Our local quilt group will be making quilts to donate to the local Downs Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee.  I hope you'll find your own group to donate to and join in - it's a great way to share your skills in a charity drive and make a difference in the world!  

And if you need some ideas for simple quilts for the purpose, you might check out some of this eye candy....

There are directions for this quilt
on Kate's blog....

And here are more charm pack quilts...

And some beautiful quilts that have already
been linked up to the Flickr group!

So many quilts - and so many needs!  Won't you join in?  Hope to see you there!!

Hugs!

Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - with something a little different!

Hi, all!


I want to do something a little different this week for Surfin' Sunday - because I get to do something a little different this week!  On Friday night, I get to go to a movie premiere - a very special movie called "Courageous".   

You may remember reading a little bit about this movie here before - it's been a large part of my husband's work life for the past two years or so.  And it's wonderful to see it about to come to life for everyone else!!  The movie opens in theaters on September 30th - I highly recommend that you go see it with your family.  It's awesome!


Here's a clip from the movie....







And here's a video of Casting Crowns singing the movie's theme song....







You can discover more about the movie on the Courageous website.  I hope you'll also take time to go see the movie!!  You won't regret it!!


Hugs!


Sarah

Are you a quilter who reads or a reader who quilts?

Hi, all!  Today we're doing something a little bit different - my friend Miki Willa is guest posting today, to tell us about something she is starting over at her blog.  

It sounds like a great idea, and lots of fun - check it out!!

 

There are things that go better together than a good book and a quilt.  Unless you add chocolate, but that is another story.  Hi.  I am Miki Willa from Miki's Fabric Creations.  Sarah has generously allowed me to be a guest blogger today to talk about a new online group I am hoping to start.  Read on if this sounds interesting to you.

Do you, like me, really enjoy a good read, but also love to spend free time quilting?  Often, when I am reading these days I begin to picture a quilt that might show what I am experiencing in the story.  Recently, I found a a like-minded group of quilters who have a great wet site, Cover to Cover.  They have been meeting together for ten years and creating beautiful quilts. They are doing just what I would like to do, except I would like to do it online.  Here is some of what I envision:
Who:  Anyone who loves to read, discuss books, and quilt
What:  Create a group who will select a book, discuss it, then each create a quilt of any style that is their own impression of some aspect of the book.
When:  Time lines for reading and discussing the books would be determined by the members.  Cover to Cover averages six months per book/quilt.
Where:  I would set up a blog where we could discuss the books and post our quilt ideas and WIPs.
Why:  I really enjoy the online groups I belong to.  It would be great fun to share ideas about books and quilts.  This would be a great opportunity to learn new techniques, meet new quilters and readers, and express ourselves in a different way.
To get the ball rolling, I am having a fabric giveaway on my blog.  Hop on over and become a follower and leave a comment about why this group sounds interesting to you.
Thank you again, Sarah, for allowing me to post on your blog.

Thanks, Miki, for sharing this great idea!  I hope all of you will go over and check out Miki's blog - if you've never seen it before, you'll be amazed at all the inspiration you'll find there!  And this would be such a great way to explore another side of quilting - give it a try!!


Hugs!


Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - featuring Pickle Dish!!

Hi, all!


This Sunday I'm very pleased to introduce you to another lovely quilt blogger - Lesly from Pickle Dish!

Now, I found Lesly's blog very early in my blogging days - she used to have an amazing close-up of a quilt on her header, which showed me that stippling didn't have to be teeny-tiny.  So when I was getting ready to do my first free-motion quilting just about a year ago - and I was terrified, because I'd never done it before and didn't have anyone to ask about it - I e-mailed her to ask her if she could give me any tips about how to proceed.  We passed several e-mails back and forth, and with lots of encouragement from her, I FMQed my first quilt!  Having done many many more now, I think she can take lots of credit for getting me well started!


Here are a few examples of the beautiful quilts you can see on her blog....

This is her new header photo - after she
inadvertantly threw away the first one I saw!

She was judged the overall winner of The Naked Bed Challenge
with this beauty!!

And look at this spectacular English-paper-piecing!

I love the color in this one - calm and peaceful,
but never boring!

And just to show that her talents aren't limited
to making quilts, check out this bag!

She wrote a lovely blog post on her typical day here that will give you an idea of her life.  It's also got some really cute pics of her family and doggies!  I hope you'll check out her blog and spend some time there - Lesly is a talented, generous, friendly quilt blogger and well worth getting to know!!

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And just a reminder - next Sunday is the end of the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge!  

Be sure to come back and see the beautiful quilts 

created by the 49 participants in this challenge - 

they've worked hard for a great cause!!

Later!

Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - Featuring Vrooman's Quilts!

Hi, all!


Here it is, Sunday again - and I've got a fabulous blog to share with you this week!  Please meet, from New York state, the lovely Sharon of Vrooman's Quilts!!

Sharon is a prolific and very talented quilter, who writes a very entertaining blog!  Here are just a few of her beautiful quilts....

Not only talented and prolific, she's amazingly generous.  She's participating in the Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge, and has created these two beautiful quilts, which will be sent to Romania to be given to orphans there...

....and she's sent several boxes of fabric and these beautiful quilt flimsies to our quilt ministry to be completed to help fill our needs here!

She's also helping to host a fun one-time linky party - Crafter's Campfire!  Here's what she's written about it...

CRAFTER'S CAMPFIRE on Saturday July 23.

 For those of you who would like to share 

your camping or travel favorite craft of choice.

 Maybe a picnic or campfire recipe, too. 

Just think - no long car ride, no bugs, no worries 

about the weather, no loss of sleep, 

and in-door plumbing!!! 

Lots of time to plan and think about it. 

If you can't be there in person, set up the day's blog 

with a little info to share. 

We will have Mr. Linky set up ahead of time so you can share your blog, craft and recipe. 

So be sure to hop over and check out Sharon's blog - I think you'll love it!! 


Hugs!


Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - Featuring Swim, Bike, Quilt!

Hi, all!

It's Sunday already!!  And I've got a really neat blogger to introduce you to today - 

Meet Katie from Swim, Bike, Quilt!  Katie quilts and blogs from Virginia, near Washington D.C.  I've loved her quilts and blog for a long time - here are some examples why....

Do you see the frog prince in the center of the stars?

I love this flying geese collaboration with her sister-in-law...

Inspired by a peacock....

Isn't this a great doll quilt?

I love the color play in this piece!

And this is one of her
Summer Skill-Building projects!

But I really got to know Katie last year when she co-sponsored the 100 Quilts for Christmas challenge.  If you didn't get a chance to participate last year, you really missed out! 

This year, they've changed it up a little bit, calling it the 100 Quilts for Kids charity challenge, and the submission dates are from September 15th to October 15th.  You make quilts for children in your local area, then submit pictures of your quilt to be included in the count for 100 Quilts for Kids.  In addition to that great feeling you get when you do something for someone else, there will be prizes and goody bags for lucky participants! 

You can read about 100 Quilts for Kids here, and you can grab the button to put on your blog here...

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.swimbikequilt.com/p/100-quilts-for-kids.html" title="Swim, Bike, Quilt"><img src="http://i1188.photobucket.com/albums/z420/swimbikequilt/100quiltsbutton2011.jpg" alt="Swim, Bike, Quilt" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I'm planning to participate this year, and I hope you will too!  


Be sure to hop over and check out Katie's blog - I think it's one you'll really enjoy!!


Later!


Sarah

Surfin' Sunday - Featuring Annie's Ruby Slipperz!

Hi, all!


Well, it's the first Sunday in July - I hope you're enjoying a wonderful holiday weekend,whether you're in Canada or in the U.S.!  It's been hot here, but the weather has been clear, so we've managed to get out on the boat a few times - hooray!!!


This Sunday I've got another great blogger to introduce you to....

Annie of Annie's Ruby Slipperz!!  A big fan of all things Oz, she has a truly interesting blog. Not your typical quilter's blog, you'll find fascinating trivia, a weekly Monday Mystery and giveaway, and lots of fun and friendly chatter!  


Occasionally she'll show a pretty quilt...

But even more than that, she's an awesome encourager!  She  has held a monthly challenge called F.Y.P.C. - Finish Your Project Challenge!

June's challenge just ended, and I haven't heard if she's going to do it again in July - just check out her blog and see!  She has a great prize for one of the people who turn in pictures of their finishes to her.

All in all, she's got a very interesting blog that you ought to check out - you never know what's going to be there, but it's always interesting!  Drop in over there and check it out!!

Later!

Sarah