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Twenty-Five Days of Heartwarming Memories #10

Holiday photo by Sewisew - Share your holiday quilts or holiday photos HERE.

We bought our artificial tree for $29 20 years ago. Every year, Samantha tries to talk us into getting a new bigger tree. And every year Josh says he likes the old tree, it's sorta like Charlie Brown's. I don't think it's THAT bad. But it's our tacky Christmas tree and I like it, so we keep it. Robbie Joy Eklow from Third Lake, IL.

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Twenty-Five Days of Heartwarming Memories #9

Photo by TQS member daisyleigh- Share your holiday quilts or holiday photos HERE.

In my small town of Ashland, OR Santa arrives the day after Thanksgiving during the Festival of Lights. Main Street is closed to traffic and we stand bundled for the cold to await a parade of magical lanaterns, caroling, reindeer and other holiday surprises, Finally Santa arrives and goes to the balcony of Alex's restaurant and a count down begins. At the magical moment a switch is flipped and the whole downtown of Ashland is filled with twinkling lights to begin another fantastic small town Christmas. I am grateful for all my family, friends and loved ones that I get to share this day and many others throughout the year with in my small town. Katie Gomez from Ashland, OR.

Purchase Ricky's New Christmas CD here.

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Twenty-Five Days of Heartwarming Memories #8

Quilt by TQS member ritzy - Share your holiday quilts or holiday photos HERE.

In the little village of Sheldon, Illinois, every year the mayor and village board, and Mr.Liebenow (who owned the big garage at the end of Main Street.) They would invite Santa Claus to come. Of course, all the kids in town were there. I still picture Santa arriving in a horse drawn sleigh. They drove it right into the garage where all the children were waiting in antiscipation. We were out of the cold. Santa and his helpers passed out stockings of candy,apples, oranges, and nuts. What a delight for all the children. We would sit on Santa's lap and tell him what we wanted for Christmas. We usually received a coloring book and crayons too, and then we would walk around the corner to the movie theater where we were treated to a free Christmas Movie. Oh, What wonderful memories. Thanks for letting us bring them alive again. - Joan Sweeney from Sheldon, IL

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Paula Nadelstern Fine Art Prints

"White Dots, Gold Points" "Dancing Feet"

Every so often an opportunity comes along that is just too good to miss; and we wanted to be sure to share it with you.

For the first time ever, Paula Nadelstern is offering a limited edition of signed Giclee fine art prints featuring the twelve signed kaleidoscopic patchwork blocks created for her American Folk Art Museum exhibition (as seen in Episode 508). These stunningly gorgeous prints, produced on Daguerre canvas, measure at the original twenty-inch square size plus a two inch black border, and are suitable for framing or stretching. Each of the signed and numbered prints have all of the tonalities and hues of the original fabric blocks. Limited to 100 of each design, they can truly be considered collector's items. Order your own piece of fine art here. Better hurry, though! We know that they will sell out quickly.

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Win an AccuQuilt GO!

Quilters love new and cool tools, and what quilter wouldn't want a chance to play with the hottest new tool on the quilt scene today--the AccuQuilt GO! Small and portable, the GO! gets the cutting chore done in no time flat. Well, TQS is giving you a chance to win one of your very own, and there are no strings attached. (Well, maybe a couple!)

1. You must be a TQS member (Basic or Star).
2. Only one entry per member allowed.
3. You must enter to win by sending an email to go@thequiltshow.com .

It couldn't be simpler...but don't wait! You must submit your entry by 12:00 midnight PST on December 28, 2009. The winner will be announced in the newsletter January 4, 2010..

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We Still Can't Get No Respect!

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Twenty-Five Days of Heartwarming Memories #7

Quilt by TQS Member MaryRinWI - Share your holiday quilts with us HERE!

I remember one Christmas growing up that was my favorite! I was ~ 7 years old, and my little brothers were 6 and 3. My parents pulled the family together during the autumn months and told us that it would be a "special" Christmas and each of us would be working with one of my parents and making each others very special Christmas presents that year.

Over the next couple months, I worked with my Mom and made my brother Matt a magician's black hat. (He was an aspiring magician at 5 years old!!!) The hat had secret pockets inside and was made with an empty gallon container that had once held ice cream, a sturdy cardboard brim and all covered in black polyester.

Both of my brothers worked with my Dad and made me a two story doll house - ALL handmade, cut from wood, including a stairway to the second floor, a Christmas bulb coming out of the ceiling for lighting in each room, a carved fireplace in the living room, and even pictures on the walls. I so enjoyed the process of making the gift for my brother, and that doll house was my favorite gift of all time. And the ANTICIPATION over those fall months knowing what I was making for my brother and wondering what was in store for me. WOW!

It wasn't until decades later that my parents told us that money was so tight that year, that they were not sure how the bills could be paid if they did not take "drastic measures".....and that's why is was a "homemade" Christmas...... What an incredible gift that year of financial hardship was..... it gave me my favorite Christmas memories! - Mary Kay Runyan from St. Paul, MN

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Sunny CA

I guess you could call it sunny CA- but from SNOW in the bay area yesterday to a hard freeze last night (that's our fountain) - we do seem to have wacky weather going on. What's going on outside your window today?

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"Rose of Sharon"

Photo by Gregory Case Photography Click picture for short trailer

Join us in Episode 512 as we present clever ways to help you using a variety of techniques. Sharon Pederson demonstrates how to use a "road map" to create a quilt block. (You can trust Sharon: she teaches Machine Applique for the Terrified Quilter!) Ricky shares ideas for building a design using die-cut templates, and we take a road trip to Robbi Joy Eklow's studio that will open your eyes to a special way of designing. Click here to watch the Show.

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Twenty-Five Days of Heartwarming Memories #6

Show and Tell Quilt by DestinDeb

In Septermber of 1990, within a year of a total house fire, we moved halfway across the country, throughly confusing our 3 and 6 year old children.

Then came the capper, their father was to report for Desert Storm (the first) and would need to leave on Christmas day! He and I conspired to move 'Christmas' forward just a bit. After decorating the tree and putting the family gifts under it, we went out for the evening.

It was cold, much colder than southern Louisiana here in Tennessee, BUT the lights at Opryland Hotel winked more the clearer. And we wandered inside amid the animated scenes and the dancing fountains and the huge tree filled atriums all decorated for the holidays, We ended near midnight with cocoa and pastries from a little shop, and then back out into the cold and drove home. When our daughter turned on the llights at home, SANTA had been there!!

The next day the kids and I drove north to visit my Mom, while Mike headed south to join his New Orleans Reserve unit. We have visited the magical atriums every year since, and still marvel at the sights. And still remember that first desperate 'early' Christmas.

PS. when the kids suspected just 'who' Santa 'was' we would invite 'those' friends to join us in the pilgrimage and SANTA still came!

PPS. Last year, Mike died during the summer, and we did not go out to see the lights. Instead we went to see, listen/feel to Trans-Siberian Orchestra. The kids are now 23 and 26. But I still felt the lure of the lights. Karen from Madison, TN