New Post Isn't Showing Up

I've been told by quite a few people that my latest post "I Am So Humbled" isn't getting out to people! I'm also not getting the comments sent to my e-mail! What's up with that?!?!?!? :/ I'm sorry . . . I'm not ignoring you!!! PLEASE go to the post "I Am So Humbled" on our Phoenix Quilts blog and see what we've been doing! It's so exciting around here! Hopefully, this post will go through!!!

While you're on our Phoenix Quilts blog look around a bit! We've added some new things, especially the information under the "How Can I Help?" and "Press Release" tabs. Check out the "2012 Donations" tab, too! The quilts, quilt tops, and fabric being sent in are amazing!!! THANK YOU!!! :o)

Hugs!

I Am So Humbled

What a whirlwind couple of weeks it's been!!! And it's not slowing down (which is GREAT)!!! =D I've been going through such a roller coaster of emotions! The generosity of so many people has brought me to tears many times as I see the beautiful quilts, quilt tops, pieced quilt blocks, and fabric you are sending to Phoenix Quilts, along with your kind words. :`) You'll never know how many lives you will bring comfort to because of your sacrifices. I wish I knew how to say in words what I'm feeling so strongly in my heart! All I can say is, "Thank You so, so much! I appreciate you and everything you're doing!" =D

Here's a few things that I haven't posted about yet from the last couple of weeks (You're gonna love this!) . . .

I got to meet one of my quilting idols, Melissa Corry, from Happy Quilting! She donated 8 beautiful quilts! She's as awesome in person as she is on her blog! :o)



Then I met Marion in Payson. She contacted me and told me she had 21 quilts to donate that she had gathered from various friends . . . When I got there she gave me 47 quilts!!! Totally AMAZING!!!



I started receiving quilts in the mail July 3rd. We have now received 127 completed quilts, 60 quilt tops, and 218 beautiful blocks and fabric to make quilts with! Unbelievable! =D

On July 5 and 6, I went to St. George to a "quilt-a-thon" at My Lazy Daisy. They donated the fabric and batting and we were able to complete 27 quilts!

We made "rag" quilts (at least that's what I call them). For each block the fabric is 10" square and the batting inside is 8" square. For a lap-sized quilt we made it 6x6 blocks. For a baby-sized quilt we did 4x4 blocks. We just sewed an X through the "block sandwich" (top, batting, back) and then joined the blocks together, wrong sides together. We snipped the seams, then washed and dried the quilts. No quilting or sewing bindings on! Simple and done! =D Think about how your quilt shop, bee, guild, church group, or neighborhood friends, can organize something similar! Here's a closer look at some of the quilts we made:

Then Dana Brooks, one of the co-owners of My Lazy Daisy, brought out some quilts from her "stash" that she had previously made and quilted!

I wish you could see in person all of these quilts I'm receiving every day! I am so impressed and amazed with all of the time and talent you are all putting into each quilt you are donating!

Yesterday I picked up 10 more quilts from Marion in Payson and 15 quilts from my cousin, Jen Stemmons. AWESOME!!! =D

If you want to see a "Quilt Show" go to Phoenix Quilts and click on the "2012 Donations" tab to see some of the fabulous quilts being sent in! I'm not done taking pictures of all of the quilts, so check back often to see what people are doing!

While you're on the Phoenix Quilts blog, if you would like to help us spread the word even more, click on the "Press Release" tab. It has an article you can put on your blog, send to your quilt guild, local newspaper, radio station, put in your church bulletin, or have your city put it in their newsletter! I appreciate you bloggers writing about Phoenix Quilts on your blog and using our button! People that have lost their homes to these awful wildfires need our help to bring them a little bit of comfort during this tragic time in their lives.

Thank you for all you're doing!!!

Hugs!

I'm All Caught Up . . . Almost!

All the quilts received so far are sorted! Everything has been logged into the database! We're working on getting names and contact information for those who lost their homes in these fires! Everyone has finally been notified (thanks for your patience!) that I have received their package! Except for three - if your name is one of these please contact me! I can't find your e-mail address from the information I have on the box! *** Killefer, Sherri Raymos, and Carmen Wyant *** Thanks! :o)

I was going to tell you all about my exciting weekend, but I still have to take pics of the quilts we made. Oh yeah, plus get pictures of the other 143 quilts I've received so far! I've worked 14 hours on Phoenix Quilts stuff today so I'm going to go to bed now and be ready for a great post tomorrow and LOTS of picture taking! :o)

By the way, if you haven't checked out our other blog yet go to http://PhoenixQuilts.blogspot.com and see what's going on!  Become a follower and enter your e-mail to stay up-to-date on how things are progressing!  I'll only be posting information about the fires and quilt drive on my quilt blog for a little while longer so go sign up before you forget and it's too late!  :o) 

Thank you for all you're doing!  Please keep spreading the word!  We need a LOT more quilts to reach our goal!

Yawn . . .

New Name for Operation Wood Hollow

Thanks for being so patient with me while I've been gone!  It's been an AMAZING few days!!!  I'll write a post tomorrow about my exciting weekend, but in the meantime, please go HERE to see what our new name is!  Check out the new blog and please give me suggestions on changes or additions!  Just remember . . . it's a work in progress right now so please go easy on me!  :o)  Be sure you become a follower and enter your e-mail on the new blog to receive updates on all that we're doing with this project!  :o)  It's soooooo EXCITING!!!  =D

THANK YOU to all of you who have sent in donations!!!  Each box I opened and note I read got me teary-eyed because of your generosity!!!  You are all so INCREDIBLE!!! 

By the way, I'm still trying to catch up on all the e-mails I've received while I was gone!  Please give me a couple of days to let you know that your donation has arrived here safe and sound, and to answer the questions you've sent in!  :o)

Hugs!

I'll Be Back . . .

Hey everyone!  I'll be out of town until the beginning of next week.  For some reason I can read my e-mails but I can't reply to them! Ugh!!!  So I'll have to reply to your blog comments or e-mails Monday-ish of next week!  Sorry!   :/   Please don't give up on me!!!

I can't wait to tell you what we're doing this weekend concerning the quilts, but I don't want to until I have some pictures to go along with the story!  =D  More changes are coming Monday-ish . . . so stay tuned!!!

By the way, I have received 70 quilts so far!!!  YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!  Now we only have about 700-800 to go (depending on how much worse this fire season gets)!  =D  Please keep spreading the word and sending in those quilts!  Thank you so much for all you're doing!!! 

Hugs!

big . . . Big . . . BIG . . . Changes to Operation Wood Hollow

You are all so FANTABULOUS (yes, that's a word)!!!  :o)

Operation Wood Hollow has had so many quilts donated to it!!!  :o)

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!  :o)

So, here are the BIG changes . . .

First of all, we're going to need to change the name from Operation Wood Hollow to something else (any suggestions???) and here's why . . . Because Operation Wood Hollow has had so many quilts donated to it, my husband and I have decided that we are going to go REALLY BIG with this and help people who have lost their homes to other fires as well -- especially the Waldo Canyon fire (Colorado Springs) and the High Park fire (Ft. Collins) -- and try to give them some comfort by giving them a quilt full of love, too!  I'm obviously going to need a LOT of quilts to do this, but I think it will be well worth the effort to help someone who has lost everything!  As long as I have quilts to give, I'll be spending this summer driving to those who have been affected by all the different fires in the Western United States to show them that people (especially TOTALLY AWESOME QUILTERS!) really care about what they're going through!  :o)

Large Incident: A wildfire of 100 acres or more occuring in timber, or a wildfire of 300 acres or more occuring in grass/sage. Wildland Fire: Any nonstructure fire, other than prescribed fire, that occurs in the wildland Wildland Fire - IMT1: Wildland fire; Type 1 Incident Management Team Assigned. Wildland Fire - IMT2: Wildland fire; Type 2 Incident Management Team Assigned.

On this map, the red and blue dots are the fires that give me the most concern.  I just did some research (don't quote me on this!) and there have been approximately 656 homes burned so far!  So . . . if there are any of you out there that wanted to donate a quilt, but thought it wasn't needed any more, IT IS!!!  More than ever!!!

We are researching how to turn this idea into a non-profit organization so we can help people in this way every year, but we don't have time with this fire season to wait for that!  Will you help me by continuing to send in quilts while we get this officially set up??? 

Kayde Dexter wrote this on the My Lazy Daisy Blog:  "You have no idea how much that quilt will mean to them. My house burned four years ago, and while we sat there watching the firemen do their thing a good friend stopped by and gave me a little lap quilt. That quilt means the world to me and brought a lot of comfort in a time of need."

I am so grateful for each of you that have contributed to this cause!  I know the recipients of your kindness will be as well . . .

Hugs!

We're Home!!!

We're un-evacuated now!!!  =D  The evacuation order was actually released earlier this afternoon, but I've been too busy until now to sit down and take some time to update everyone.  Thank you so much for your comments and e-mails!  And your concern and prayers have really touched my heart! 

I hope you're not tired of the pictures, but I've got a few more to show you . . .



I think firemen are AWESOME!!!  As people are running away from the danger, they're rushing into it!!!  They're my favorite kind of Superheros!!!  =D







This is what has been flying over my house for the last several days!  I heard there were eight planes and eight helicoptors fighting this fire!  Kinda fun and interesting watching how they work together so well!  :o)

So anyway, things have been much quieter with the winds and fire this afternoon!  I think the worst is past us now with the Wood Hollow fire on the west side of us.  Now if the Seeley fire on the east side will cooperate and just go away we'll all be happy!  :o)

I've got to tell you all how completely AMAZED I am by your generosity with Operation Wood Hollow!!!  I knew quilters had big hearts, but you guys have gone above and beyond anything I ever dreamed!!!  THANK YOU!!!

Just a little information to try to answer some of the questions people have been asking about Operation Wood Hollow:

1.  I don't know the exact number of homes that have been burned by the fire so far.  In a few days, once things have settled down a bit, I'll be speaking with the LDS bishop of the ward where the homes were located (the evacuees probably won't be able to go into the area until Saturday or so. They're still evacuated.)  The Red Cross told me this would be the best way to distribute the quilts.  They can't give me any information because of privacy restrictions, which I totally understand.  On the  other hand, the bishop will be able to tell me how many homes were affected. I will also ask him how many people in each home (children/teens/adults) and if they are boys or girls.  That will help us in determining the size and, perhaps, the style and colors of the quilts.

2.  I will happily accept any size quilt you are wanting to donate!  Unfortunately, this fire affected the little kiddos, too.  :(

3.  I would rather not post my home address here on my blog.  If you will leave me a comment I'll be happy to give you my address in an e-mail. 

4.  I have a P.O. Box for regular mail and a street address for FedEx or UPS.  Any of these guys know where I live and will get the packages to me just fine!  I've already warned the post master to be ready for lots of boxes coming!  :o)

5.  I probably won't be delivering the quilts for several weeks.  I'll let you know when it gets closer to the time that I'll want to start delivering them.

6.  Someone suggested putting the quilt in a large ziplock bag before sending it to me.  This will help keep it clean and be easier to manage while the recipient is getting settled.  Obviously, this is your choice -- you don't have to if you don't want to!

7.  If you'd like to send anything else along with or instead of a quilt that would be great!  Anything to help these people have a reason to smile in the midst of these trials they're finding themselves in!

*Whew!*  I hope I've been able to answer your questions!  If you have others, please don't hesitate to ask!

I really appreciate everyone spreading the word about Operation Wood Hollow!  You wouldn't believe how many e-mails I'm receiving telling me they've learned about this from someone else's blog!  That's awesome!  Please keep it up!  This really is going to work!  =D

Hugs!