Pocatello, Idaho - Charlotte Fire

Today Todd and I are headed to Pocatello, Idaho, to take quilts to those who lost their home to the Charlotte fire! I'm so excited! It's weird . . . these quilts kinda feel like my "babies" . . . I've tried to take such good care of them . . . it's almost sad to see them go! I'm so happy that they'll finally be where they belong, though! :o)

There are a couple of gals in Pocatello who have also been collecting quilts from local quilters so I'll be adding 20 quilts from Phoenix Quilts to the 46 they already have! In a couple of weeks they are going to have a "tea party" for everyone who lost their home and will be distributing the quilts then. I'll ask them to be sure and send me some pictures so I can post them on my blog!

Thank you so much for all you're doing to help!!! :o)

Hugs!

It's a Small (Quilting) World After All!

Today I got a quilt top in the mail for Phoenix Quilts clear from Australia!  And yesterday I got a quilt and a fat quarter bundle all the way from South Korea!  The world is full of such great people!  THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!  :o)

Hugs!

Interview on ksl.com

It's here! Click HERE to see the story about Phoenix Quilts on www.ksl.com! I'm so happy!!! :o)

Hugs!!!

My Days

Sometimes "life" gets in the way when you've got other plans . . .

Wednesday - Went to Provo and Orem to pick up quilts and fabric for Phoenix Quilts from three different people!  So generous!!!  Entered things into Phoenix Quilts database for a while . . .

Thursday - Spent the day at the hospital with my daughter who has a terribly painful kidney infection.  So, so sad.  :(  Drove to Nephi to pick up 30 quilts being donated to Phoenix Quilts by My Lazy Daisy!  Stayed up until 2:30 a.m. trying to get caught up on Phoenix Quilts stuff.  Went to bed before I finished . . . :/

Friday - Got paged out for an ambulance run at 6:00 a.m. (I'm a volunteer EMT).  Tried to get caught up on taking pictures of quilts received for Phoenix Quilts (got about 1/2 way done before I got too hot and tired - what a wimp).  Made final plans for delivering quilts in Pocatello, Idaho, next Friday (August 10)!  Three grandkids came to visit for the weekend (ages 3, 2, and 5 months) while their parents go to Colorado for a little get-away trip!  Took some pictures for KSL to add to the story they're writing about Phoenix Quilts (it will be on www.ksl.com on Sunday afternoon).  Tried to stay on top of the pain and nausea my daughter is experiencing.  She's still so sick . . . :(

Saturday - Go to the 1/2 marathon, 10K, and 5K races (as an EMT, not runner!) up Fairview Canyon.  Played/changed diapers/chased/had a picnic/changed more diapers/laughed with grandkids until their bedtime!  Answered a few e-mails about Phoenix Quilts.  Daughter's kidney pain is spreading to her tummy now.  The doctor called tonight to check on her - we'll see how she is tomorrow to decide what direction we should go with this infection.  Wrote a post to update blog!  Too tired to upload quilt pictures.  :/  Started a load of dishes and clothes.  Too tired to do any more cleaning even though house is a mess.  Maybe another day . . . ??? :/

Feeling a little blah right now . . . Sorry about this lame post . . . I just needed someone to talk to . . .  :/

Interview with KSL

Today I was sooooo nervous all day! I had a phone interview about Phoenix Quilts with a reporter from KSL this afternoon!!! KSL is one of the major news stations in Salt Lake City. They report the news online (www.ksl.com), on TV, and on the radio. They are going to post the story from the interview online this Sunday afternoon as their feature story! I'll write a post with a link to it as soon as it's there! The reporter, Stephanie Grimes, was so AWESOME - I didn't need to be nervous after all! :o) We talked for 30 minutes all about Phoenix Quilts and what we're doing! I can't wait to see how she writes the story! I'm so excited about the help this will give Phoenix Quilts!!!  Woo-Hoo!!! :o)

Hugs!!!

Things are CRAZY AWESOME around here!

WOW!!! What an exciting week it's been! I first want to send out a HUGE thank you to my INCREDIBLE husband, Todd, for surprising me and taking me to Park City, Utah, for a couple of days! It was so nice to get away, just the two of us!

Well . . . we did find a friend to hang out with for a minute or two! =D

This is Main Street in Park City. It's definitely not as busy in the summer as it is in the winter, which was really nice for us! On Main Street they have lots of cool shops (pretty expensive, though!), but the thing we love the most are the art galleries! We spent our time in the ones that have the most fabulous photography! Such amazing talent! Obviously, I'll never have any of my photos in a gallery! Especially with my silly camera phone pictures! :/

I liked this sign's message! I didn't even notice what kind of store it is, but the sign made me smile! Isn't that what life is all about? Actually "Livin' Life" instead of just sitting on the sidelines and watching it pass us by! Love it! =D

OK . . . now for the other part of my week. You're not going to believe this!

Last Saturday (July 21), I spoke at the Salt Lake/Ogden Longarm Quilt Guild to tell them about Phoenix Quilts and to ask for their help in quilting some of the quilt tops I've been receiving. I had no idea what to expect -- how many of the tops they would help with -- but they took ALL 60 OF THEM!!! I couldn't believe it!!! =D I really shouldn't have been surprised, though . . . I've found that quilters are the most generous people I've ever been associated with!!! Thank you so much!!!

After the meeting, my new BQFF (Best Quilty Friend Forever), Barbie Mills, and I went out to her car because she had something she wanted to show me . . .

You see, Barbie contacted me a couple of weeks ago about wanting to help with Phoenix Quilts. She told me she would arrange to have me speak at the Salt Lake/Ogden Longarm Quilt Guild. Then she suggested getting in touch with Riley Blake Designs in Salt Lake City, to see if they would donate any fabric to Phoenix Quilts. I forced her to I asked if she would call them, and she quickly said, "Yes"! She also offered to contact Winline Textiles to see if they would be willing to donate any batting. What they each donated was what she wanted to show me in her car . . .

There was HUNDREDS of yards of fabric in there that Riley Blake Designs donated and a 30 yard roll of batting that Winline Textiles donated!!! =D TOTALLY UNBELIEVABLE!!!

This is me -- after doing the happy dance and stuffing everything into my car -- giving a great BIG shout out to Riley Blake Designs and Winline Textiles to thank them for being soooooo generous!!! THANK YOU!!!

You ought to go over to Barbie's blog, The Quilting Mill, and you can read more details about the part she played in making this exciting day happen! You need to check out how creative this gal is! Everything she touches turns out amazing! While you're there, become a follower, enter your e-mail to receive her blog posts (you won't regret it!) and give her some comment love thanking her for all she's done for me and Phoenix Quilts!

I'm still receiving several boxes everyday with all of the beautiful quilts, quilt tops, and blocks (fabric and money donations, too!) you have made for Phoenix Quilts! THANK YOU for all you're doing to help!!! We still need a LOT of quits to reach our goal of 849 quilts (so far), but I just know WE WILL DO IT!!! =D Our next delivery of quilts will be to Pocatello, Idaho, on August 10th! I'm so excited!!! =D

Hugs!!!

Exciting news . . .

Hi everyone! I don't have time to write now because I'm on my way to go on a surprise get-away with my husband for a few days! I asked my husband to stop at a McDonald's so I could write and let you know there are some VERY exciting things that have been happening, but I just don't have time to write about them now!!! :/

When I get back (either Friday or Saturday) I'll update the quilt numbers in the right sidebar (they are way off now!) and I'll write a big ol' post about what's been happening!!!

My kids at home have been telling me we're still receiving packages everyday, so when I get back I'll be sure to let you know if yours has arrived!

Thank you for everything you're doing!!! Keep spreading the word and keep on quiltin'!!! :o)

Hugs!!!