Happy Birthday Martha, I'm Trying To Be "A Good Thing" Too!

Today is Martha Stewart's 67th birthday. Happy Birthday Martha!

I thought of the day I met her many years ago. I wrote about it on my blog last year, but today I think it's ok to repeat some of it:

"Many years ago, I got to meet Martha Stewart at a book signing event at the South Coast Plaza, not far from my home. I took my daughters with me. They were so little then. Anyway, as we waited in the long line, anxiously hoping to meet Martha, Daughter #1 was standing in the path where Martha was to come through. Suddenly Martha and her entourage came through and Martha had to ask my daughter to move. She put her hand on her shoulder and said, "Excuse me, dear." My little girl looked up and saw Martha face to face and said she wanted to scream.

When my daughter returned to the line where I was, she was so excited to tell me what had just happened. Two rather 'flamboyant' interior decorators, who were in line behind us, heard the whole story, screamed and said my daughter should never wash her shoulder again! Now those guys were taking it a bit too far! We were fans, not psychopaths! LOL"

Here are my daughters pictured below on the day we met Martha Stewart. They are riding the carousel at the South Coast Plaza.

I had Martha sign a copy of her Gardening book, a huge coffee-table-sized book full of information on gardening and packed full of beautiful photographs of her gardens. Martha wrote, "Happy Birthday, Vivian." It really wasn't my birthday, but in order to justify the cost of a $50 book, I told my husband it was an 'early birthday gift.' I think my birthday was about 6 months away!

This past week I thought of Martha as I was getting up earlier and earlier in order to get things done. And I was going to bed later and later each night. Pretty soon, I was running on 4-5 hours of sleep...just like Martha Stewart! I don't know how she does it. Today it caught up with me and I have trying to make my Sabbath day a Day of Rest!

I continue to be a big fan of Martha Stewart and am currently listening on my iPod to an audio-version of her book, The Martha Rules. I'm enjoying it very much.

So why have I been so busy? One day I drove about an hour away to a longarm machine quilter's studio in her home to teach her my freemotion techniques. It went very well. The next day I worked all day long at a local quilt show, here in Yorba Linda. And I worked on lots of quilts...of course. Seems like the last quilts I've done are all kids quilts. Take a look at some of them. Below is a printed panel of fabric, surrounded by some cute borders. That's it. So simple and cute:
As you can see, I attached my customer's prepared binding for her. She can do the hand-stitching part. She says she enjoys doing it. Not me!
And check out this darling cowboy quilt. I put a nice simple star in each block. The thread was Perma Core's "Dyed Natural." And in other parts of the quilt I used a beautiful primary-colors spool of King Tut thread.
Here's another simple little quilt:

I did freehand swirls throughout.
Just a couple of simple borders and it's simple and cute!
Believe it or not, I used the same spool of King Tut thread on this one as I used on the one previously.
And here are more for your viewing enjoyment!

Aren't these soccer girls darling?
One version in blues and the other in pinks.
I just did simple freehand loops and hearts throughout.
Wow! Still more? Yes, it's another cowboy quilt.

Simple patchwork with random squares of this lovely flannel fabric. I did a "continuous curve" technique, sometimes known as the "Terry Twist." I think it gives the quilt some movement.
And check out the backing fabric. It was a beautiful Michael Miller fabric.
And lastly, a darling daisy and ladybug quilt.

Aren't these applique daisies cute?
The ladybugs were embellished with tiny little buttons. I had to be careful quilting around them with my longarm.
My friend Suzanne, who pieced most of the quilts I just shared with you, is an awesome quilter! Don't you agree?

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Have a good rest-of-the-weekend! And if you can, have Martha call me so I can wish her a proper Happy Birthday wish from me to her!