Making Things Simpler Is So Complcated

I have a new toy!  Its called a WACOM.  Why Wacom?  I have no idea, but it is one of the coolest new computer tools.  Well, let's just say it's new to me.  Finally, when I am designing new patterns,  I don't have to draw with a clumsy mouse or, as I called it,  "The Brick".   Over the years I have been somewhat animated (surprise!)  in expressing my feelings to my husband  about the difficultly of using The Brick to draw.  But he was listening and helped me to select the Wacom Cintiq and now I can draw with a pen on a computer tablet.   This is SO sweet.

But we do have a new problem and that is me learning all the new software that came with it.  I don't care what they say out in the computer world, but these people that are supposed to be teaching us how to use computer stuff do not speak English.  I  have now watched dozens of tutorials to come to the sad conclusion that I am still missing something.   But no,  it's just the way they speak.  Their language sounds like English but I have never heard those words before.  I can't even find them in the dictionary, not to mention the shortcuts like cntl-click and alt-shift.  WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT!

 The computer world is in their own world.  They have truly forgot that they are selling there products to people like ME!  So speak to me. Now I have to buy another book on the secret code of how to speak Nerd. Thank God my son is a linguist.

Do you how to zip and unzip a file?  Trust me, it is not anything like zipping up your skirt.  Do you have any ideas how to defrag your computer?  Or even what a frag is?  Do you know what VGA and DVI cables are?
I didn't think so.

The first tutorial I watched was this fast talking guy who speaks so fast you can't even write it down. I had to watch it 3 times to get what he was saying, which was nothing.  The reviews on his presentation mirrored my feelings exactly.  Of course he took offense and defended his delivery.  Then their was the "Earring Guy," as I like to call him, who is way to old for wearing earrings.   His tutorial gave me the impression he was saying, Hurry up and learn this, you are wasting my time.  I have a pilates class in an hour.  I am sure he has to go interface with his peeps who also wear earrings.

Next on my list is this pleasant female voice.   Maybe I can relate to women better than the guys.  NO,  she is also from this strange world. She kept asking about opening a practice file and nobody could find the practice files.  This was in Photoshop and every one was still looking for the practice file when I gave up.  She was also in a hurry and had to run to meet someone and interface after she picks up the kids form day care who all know also speak the techno lingo at their preschool in the Silicon Valley.

 Isn't there any one who speaks computer to the regular people like an  artist/mom/dyslexic?  Help!!!

Then the door blows opens with a bang.  A gust of wind blows leaves into the hallway with a whoosh.
Behind the sunlit shadows, is the outline of a MAN.  He is wearing flip flops and shorts that show off his great tan legs.  He approach the computer slowly.   He motions for my chair.  I jump up quickly, tossing my foo-foo pillow aside.  He asks for a cool drink.  It's early in the morning, so I fix him a cooling iced coffee.
I can tell this is going to be a HOT day.  The lone stranger starts to work his magic.  I here the click, click, clicking of the key board.  Its been about 15 minutes and then I hear him say I fixed  it!  My heart skips a beat.  Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What has he done?  No one knows.  But he spoke in a patient, soft voice, speaking clear English.
He showed this artist how to work her new toy.  As he stood next to me I felt my heart beat fast and my face get hot.  I quickly ask him to stay for dinner.  But, no.  He has others to save.  He drives way from my house on his trusty stead, The HOT HATCH, to his real job.  I know my computer world has been set straight.
At least for for today.  Tomorrow, who knows?

The Art of Weight Loss

 

 Marcia, Jan and Cindy 1974

or 

Mindy Jacqui and Cynthia 1979

The frustration with trying to lose weight is about to do me in.  I am exercising and really eating the right things but for the last week nothing, I mean NOTHING has happened except I have watched some really funny YouTube videos while on the treadmill and learned some new ways to enjoy celery. Yummy.

Last night I was watching Entertainment Tonight.  Can you tell Joe is out of town?  There was Marcia Brady proudly showing off her new body. She is the same age as me and down to 113 for a photo shoot.  I have never been 113.  She has lost 50 pounds.  She was so happy because this was the same weight she was when the Brady Bunch went to Hawaii and Bobby found the scary tiki  that put a curse on the Brady family. Don't act like you don't remember.  So there she was in her new skinny body.  I need to know how she did it.  After the show suckers me in for almost an hour I NEED to know how she did it.  Here I am, on my diet, working hard to lose 1 pound only to gain it back.  What is her secret?  The show is back after 45 commercials, one which was for Jenny Craig.  I am on the edge of the sofa, waiting and...............

Oh, that's her secret.  Why didn't I think of that.  It's so simple. She got a personal trainer,  has a chef to cook all her food and she must have money, or is getting some, because she can work out 2 hours a day.   And after 8 months she dropped 50 pounds. You go, girl!  We will all just go out and get personal trainers.

OK, so I sound a little angry,  it is really just disappointment. You know how I feel?  I hope you do.
There is not one woman alive that doesn't, after the age of 40, have trouble with her weight.  I look back at photo albums of me just 5 to 7 years ago and see I was 15 pounds smaller and can't believe how good I looked but how fat I thought I was at the time.  That is sad.

Learning to be content with one's self is an art form and I would like to master that art. I have a successful career that is more than I could have ever dreamed of.  My son is prospering in his adult life and my husband, my sweet husband, looks at me like I am the hottest thing going. Thank God, I haven't gotten him those new glasses yet.

So it's just me that is getting in the way again!  So this is my plan for just today:  I am going to think like I am strong, thin and young.  Go and get my manicure and even a tan.  Because tan fat is always better than white fat.  One day at a time.

But first I have to do 35 minutes on the treadmill.  That is also part of the art.

My first Flowers (SNOW) on the Lake!

I think I am a pretty good driver. I have good reflexes, great depth perception and can spot a cop from a mile away. OK, the cop-spotting is debatable but nothing could have prepared me for the drive up to Lake Tahoe last Monday.

Joe and I watched the weather channel the night before and saw a chance for snow. Great! This is our first art quilt retreat,  Flower on the Lake,  hosted by Joe and I.

The last weeks have been a little stressful, with the retreat in jeopardy, not because of weather but because of low attendance.  I have been traveling TOO MUCH and missed the deadline to cancel, so the retreat was still a possibility. At the last minute, Joe made a deal with the conference grounds to let us come, even thought it was just 8 of us with 16 rooms booked.  In fact, as other groups had canceled, we would be the only people there.

So we made our way up the hill in a pouring rainstorm that turned into a snowstorm at  Kyburz (a small town on highway 50 that is essentially 3 buildings and boasts a sign reading Welcome to Kyburz and below it Now leaving Kyburz ).  My Tahoe is 4 wheel drive but I have never used it and don't even know how to use it.   Joe is in his turbo GTI with no chains.  He can go really fast, but where we are, in the weather there is, nobody is going fast. So he follows me into Tahoe.

I kept noticing that all the snowplows where going the other way.  At one point the frost built  up on my window so much, that I couldn't see. I had to lean over to the middle of the window to see the road. 
How are my girls going to get up here?  One is flying in from Canada and one is coming from Red Bluff.
So far this is looking like, as Will Ferrel said in Anchorman, a "Poor choice."  The snow is falling heavier and the wind is gusting as we arrive to check in.  The temperature is 28 degrees and dropping.

Two of my students have already made it here.  OK, I now officially have my first retreat.  We unload our cars and check out our lakeview rooms to see nothing but a snowy white blanket covering Lake Tahoe. This is not starting out so good.  I set up and started to worry about the other travelers. How are they going to make it up here?  I call Miss Canada, her airplane is delayed and she is stuck in San Francisco until midnight. I then start calling all the other campers to tell them about the snowstorm.  Too late. They are already in it somewhere on a snowy road. I say a little prayer.  Then the door blows open with a bang and in walks Deb.  I can see that she is smiling, which is good,  I think.  She starts to tell her horror story of white out conditions and not being able to see the road.   I start to freak out.  She almost went off the road and had no idea how she got here,  her visibility was near zero the whole way.  At one time she screamed "Jesus, take the wheel!" just like the song. If the song was screamed.  Very loudly. She just happened to put her chains in her car at the last minute.

Its now 5pm and the girls were to be here at 3pm. The door opens and in walk 2 more snow bunnies laughing and letting out a sigh of relief.  They tell about their scary trip with their noses pushed up against the window, like two far sighted little old ladies because they can't see a thing.  We were in hysterics by now. Now we are just waiting for miss Red Bluff.  I call her cell,  she picks up the phone, and before I can get a word in I hear her say, in a loud voice, "I Don't Do Snow! " Me neither, I say.  She says she'll see us the next morning. Sounds good to me.

So the six of us look out the windows to see nothing, and I mean nothing, but white.  The snow storm has turned into a blizzard. Great.  Joe is on the road somewhere trying to make it down the hill in a sports car that is meant for anything but what he is currently in. Then the door opens again and it's snowy Joe. Thank God!
He was turned back and now wants my SUV to try again to get home. Great! now I am stuck in the snow with a car I can barely get in and out of.

So here we are, stuck in a snowstorm, can't go anywhere.  We are sitting in a beautiful, warm room with a lot of fabrics and sewing machines.  Aaaahhhhhh  There is no better way to spend a stormy day than to be surrounded by fabric, sewing machines and chocolate.

I can't wait for next year!   Picture taken by Jacque Moore.

Oh, Paducah!

I just got home, 2 days later than scheduled, from Paducah, Kentucky. But, do not worry or fret for me, because I just hit the jackpot and I never had to leave Kentucky.  I had an impulsive moment and acted intuitively for the first time in a long while. Those days of having to get home to the kid are behind me and now I have freedom I never had.  Maybe the empty nest is not so bad after all.

I flew into Paducah on a very small plane, which I love.  The plane was full of quilters and one poor traveler that had no idea what had just happened to him.  You could feel the excitement in the air as we landed at the  very small Paducah airport. We were met with AQS signs and a welcoming committee wearing red coats, right there at the airport.  Impressive.  I also meet up with 3 other teachers on the same journey.  They were Esterita Austin, Bonnie McCaffery, and Lyric Kinard. WOW!  What a creative bunch and, to top it off, they are really nice people. We all hit it off, and did what teachers always do when they arrive in a new venue.  We started worrying about whether or not all the class supplies we had shipped to Paducah had made it.  They had. 

The week was full of hectic running around - trying to find the right bus, would it be here in time, and how do I get this big bag back to the hotel?   We hauled big bags all over Paducah with achy feet and tired arms but it was all worth it because our students make it so much fun. They were hungry to learn and seeing them get it is such a joy.  I love my job!  But the true adventure was just around the corner,  disguised as the trip home.

We arrived at the airport on a rainy afternoon to make our separate ways home, and find the airport full of quilters. I'm glad I have a seat, but the plane is late and there are storms all over the place. Chicago has big delays and that is where we are all going first.  So we talk to the other quilters, meet some new friends and just wait. I start to get a little goofy while we wait, which is what I do best.  I mean, I'm good at getting goofy.  I am not a good waiting.
Oh, did I mention that we were hanging with last year's Best of Show winner at AQS and Houston, Mariya Waters, from Australia, who was there with her sweet husband?  Her quilts, yes, I said quilts, were bought for a lovey sum by the AQS museum.  It's just another day at the airport.  I got a cute shot of these romantic Aussies. Mariya is very witty and quite a hoot!

I will use this to blackmail her later.  I'm guessing that was her husband, but who knows?  I was still giddy from PADUCAH! So we wait and wait and then we wait some more. Then the gate agent announces, again, that our already late plane is going to be overweight and the carrier will be asking for volunteers to take a later plane. They will be giving a round trip ticket on United anywhere in the lower 48 states, along with a hotel room and meal vouchers for anyone willing to take a later flight.

,

A light bulb goes off in my head.  Maybe I should stay and get the ticket so Joe and I can take a fun trip. I just missed our 28th anniversary being in Paducah.  No, I can't do that - it's crazy.  This idea is too impulsive.  I need to get home.  Or do I?   I call Joe to tell him what's up. He says go for it.  So, I told Lyric I was going to stay.  She was also calling her husband.  She wants to give the ticket to her husband who wants to see his brother-in-law in Utah for a boys' adventure.  He has been home with their 5 children. Yes, I said 5.

She decides to stay, so we walk up to the agent and tell her that we're in.  We both know that just our suitcases are heaver than most. It's one of the fun aspects of being a quilt teacher, always having overweight baggage. The airlines must love us. We hug all our new friends good bye and promise to stay in touch, which I know we will.

Now our new adventure begins.  It's Lyric and me and 2 other gals, Terry from Florida and Karen from Michigan, our new traveling companions. We know they are nice people because they are quilters.

We decide to take advantage of the extra day in Paducah and start plotting the plan for our next day in the taxi on the way to our new hotel. There were a lot of things I didn't get to see because I was teaching or sitting on a bus most of my time here. So we meet in the lobby the next morning and take off for town. Karen knows where the bus stop is and we wait in a misty rain. I am sure this is not going to be a good hair day.  We board a city bus/taxi.  First stop, the artist studio of Helene Davis.

What a treat. She showed us her house /studio/ dyeing room, which Lyric and I were lusting over. It's decked out with 4 washing machines and 2 dryers. I bought some of her beautiful shibori fabrics.

Next stop was the tea shop, Serrina Tea (get it?), for lunch.   Bad news!  It had a closed sign in the window. I think I saw Lyric stomp her foot out of disappointment.  Then the door opened and out came about 15 or so Coast Guards. We sort of stood at attention. I then shot out proudly that my son is a Marine.  They shout back Semper Fidelis! They ask me if I know what that means.  Yes, I tell them, "Always faithful."  Then they ask me if I know what their motto, Semper Paratus,  means.  I say  Always hungry?  and they all laugh.  There motto is Always ready and they ARE!

While I was teasing the Coast Guard,  our new friend Terry had slipped into the tea shop and was inquiring about lunch. A small detail like a CLOSED sign does not stop Terry.  They invited us in and we had a private lunch and tea that was fabulous.  After lunch the owner showed us the ballroom upstairs with it's beautiful tin ceiling tiles. They are renovating this 1800's house that used to be the Elks Club during Prohibition, so you can guess what the elks where brewing down in the basement.  It was awesome.

But we are not done yet.  After lunch we walked the 6 blocks to Carol Bryer Fallert's Studio and Shop. We have called ahead and she invites us over.

She takes us on a tour of her house, studio, classroom even her to-die-for bathroom.  She has a collection of art quilts by some of the best quilters in the world  hanging all over her house.  It was amazing.  I loved the ceiling in her living room the most.

We are all looking at each other and are feeling the same thing. We can't believe we are doing this.  It's so unreal. Then, to top it off, she asked how we were getting back to the hotel.  We said,  the bus. She said Oh, no you're not.  I will take you back to your hotel.  So, we all hop into her minivan and - yikes - Carol Bryer Fallert is driving us home. I know, couldn't you just die?  As we floated out of her van, not one of us felt the ground under our feet.

That night we had dinner together and all knew we had just had a special day that we will never forget.

We talked like we had been friends forever, which was really nice.  I have been reliving that day since I got home. It was definitely the best part of my trip.

But it made me think about how many other wonderful experiences we are missing because we have to plan everything down to the last detail.  We make lists and MUST stick to the list.  We even get mad if the plans on our list get changed.

But, maybe next time your plans get changed you can try to look at it as a gift.  It might just be an opportunity to experience something new that you  might otherwise have missed.  Don't be afraid, take that chance.  Without taking a chance,  I would have missed a wonderful gift, wrapped up in an extra day in Paducah.

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Ogallala Quilt Festival

How can I tell you about some of the nicest people I have ever met in a town that, well, I have to face it, is hard to describe. But I just had one of the best trips of my quilting career.

It starts out with me flying into Amarillo, Texas on a very windy day.  I later learn that is normal for this part of the country. I land and meet my hostess and helper, Rosemary and Beth, holding up my book so I can't miss them. The first thing I notice as we make our way to Dimmitt, Texas,  yes,  I said Dimmitt, TX. What  do you mean, you have never heard of Dimmitt? You really need to get out more. The first thing I notice is there are no mountains. It is as flat as a pancake.  No mountains, not even a little hill.  It's hard for me to know where east and west are because the sun is straight up. This is called West Texas or the Panhandle of Texas. It's so cool, nothing like being in Houston.

As we drive to Dimmitt, about an hour away, the girls give me the lay of the land and an overview of the weekend's events at the quilt festival. I notice some ominous dark clouds, off on the right.  OH, NO! I think to myself, this is TORNADO country!

I can handle earthquakes, but I have no idea what to do if there is a tornado. So I try to act casual and ask the girls, "If there was a tornado, would you show me what to do?"   They both laugh and tell me, "we haven't had many tornado around here lately."  Which, I find out later, is not the truth.  As we are driving, Beth, from the back seat, tells me, "See that pile over there? That is where a tornado touched down and what is left of a mobile home."   I tell Rosemary to pull the car over - I have to get a picture of this.  I take my photo and get back in the car to the giggles of the girls and Beth telling me now. "Oh Melinda, that was just a pile of junk! They laugh again. (picture below)

There is one stop light in town and everybody drives only American made vehicles, mostly big trucks or Chevy Suburbans.  There was not one self important Prius driver in the whole town.

The Ogallala Quilt Festival in held  in this very small town. Being located between Amarillo and Lubbock,  it is also within traveling distance to New Mexico.   Quilters came from all over Texas to enjoy this fun festival.  This is their 13th year and it keeps growing bigger every year. They invited me back in 2008 to be there featured teacher this year. Quite an honor. Next year they will have Paula Nadelstern.
I taught 3 classes and did my lecture on Friday for at least 300 people. After my lecture they had a quilt auction with a real Texas auctioneer who talked so fast it made  my head spin.  It was so fun.

But don't let the one stop light and big trucks fool you, this is a very sophisticated group of people and quilters that know their quilting and are very talented.   These quilters take over the whole town and Dimmitt loves it and rolls out the red carpet.

My accommodations where awesome.  I stayed at Jon and Nicky Riddle's house.  He is the pharmacist in town and Nicky is a talented interior designer.  My room looked like it was out of House Beautiful.  I had a view of 5 horses in the pasture across form their house and I bought 2 of the cutest designer necklaces at the drug store they own.

I saw Longhorn cattle and real cowboys in tight jeans with spurs on their boots.  Every time any of the girls saw or talked about a cowboys with tight jeans they all would smile and squeal for joy like they where 18 again.  I even started to get the cowboy fever. There is something in their water.  I am sure of it.

When the locals drive through town in Dimmitt, they lift one finger up off the steering wheel when they see another car coming.  That is their wave to the other car because they do REALLY know that person.

I was driven back to the airport by Lisa, a stylish young woman.  She asked me if I had ever seen a zonkey? Nope, I had never seen a zonkey.  So she whipped a u-turn to show me the zonkey.  It's half horse, half donkey and half zebra. OK, so that adds up to an animal and a half - I'm an artist, not a mathematician. So cool.

So now, I am back in my home with green trees, rolling hills and traffic. I drive by people I will never wave at  and live on a street where I don't even know the names of the people across the street.


Thank you Rosemary and West Texas for a wonderful time.  I will never forget you!

Fabulouse Fusiable Flower Sewing Tote

It was a busy Friday.  I got a lot done. Finely! I have had many requests for a pattern for my Sewing Tote, I carry with me when I teach.  It has room for all my sewing supply's.  Plus, it looks HOT, if i do say so myself.
There is a secret pocket inside for carrying your projects, like my applique.  And it has 5 vinyl zipper pockets for you thread, scissors and lipstick.  The pattern comes with 2 Fabulous Fusible Flower designs.

This is a great place to practice your Renegade Thread Play.  I have added a lot of photos in the directions, to make it easy for you to see the, how to's, of construction.   I bought the handles for the tote, at Micheal's, for about $5.00.   The vinyl for the zipper pockets, I got a Joanna.  It's the same vinyl you would cover your table with, or in my family, Grandma Jessie covered her sofas with in the 50's.  It was real comfortable when the temperature hit 100 degrees in San Bernardino,CA.

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I also used the zippers that come on a roll.  But 5, 12" zippers in your favorite color, will work also.  The finished size of the sewing tote, is 14" x 35" open, and 14" X 20" closed,  for carrying.  The pattern will be up on my web sit today.   www.melindabula.com  click the shop.  The pattern is $ 18.00.  Hope you enjoy this as much as I do.  

My Pony Express!

Shipping and packing, shipping and packing.  That is all I seem to do these days.  I can't seem to get it right either.  How hard can this be?  Last month I sent my class supply to San Diego and they ended up in  Illinois. That was UPS's  fault.  They said, they would be there on Wednesday and they where right on that it.

They just delivered it to another freaking state!!!   

Now I have a FedEx account. This should be great. Yesterday they where to pick 4 boxes at my house.  How sweet is that?  But they never came!  So I called to find out, that I had shipped the boxes to myself!   What !! I give up.  If i'm not dealing with the airlines and over weight suits case issue.  It's that I missed the cheaper shipping price by just by one day.  Story of my life.

All I want to do is create.  But making money is getting in the way of creating.  

No wonder Van Gogh cut off his ear.

So the car is full of boxes and I am leaving for my UPS store. What was going to cost me $60 by ground, is now $200.  It is just not my day or week for that matter.  So when I get home from running the Pony Express, riding my faithful steed, Tahoe. (he has seat warmers).  I will try to make it to the studio and complete my new patterns. Or maybe, I will make a new quilt and called it, 

" More Prozac Please"!

T-Shirts Gone Crazy !

I like to wear something that I have created when I lecture and teach.  I have some basic criteria for the ensemble I wear.  First, it has to be stylish and cute.  Preferably making me look younger and skinny. That one has been a little harder to achieve lately, but I am still trying.  I figure that I can't stop the aging process but will go down looking the best I can. My mom taught us girls that and she is a very beautiful woman at 70 something and so is my friend, Peggy. She always looks HOT and is having a big birthday this year. Hopefully, we will be celebrating in Hawaii. Can't wait.

While having coffee with Peggy the other day, she started telling me about this wearable art technique using 100% cotton recycled t-shirts. The book is called Alabama Stitches.  A great book, using t-shirts fabrics and reverse applique.

While I was waiting for my book to arrive from Amazon.com I started my own interpretation from what Peggy had told me. This sounded like cool technique and I was starting to getting obsessed with the idea.

The next day I was shopping with my husband for new work clothes.  He recently got a promotion. (I am so proud) and I was supposed to be helping Joe find a shirt when my mind started to wander over to the Tony Hawk (of skateboard fame) t-shirt rack.  I started fondling the t-shirts right there in public. Like you haven't done that, too!

Shopping with Joe is sometimes hard for me.  I love being with him but he is a little slower than I am in making decisions. He also likes to research, compare, contemplate and hardly every makes mistakes because he is very thorough.

My shopping style is a lot different. I like to walk fast, scan the perimeters, then get in and get out.  I know what I want and what will work so I grab it and go. Maybe I should have been a man (that would be very awkward for Joe).


So this day my mind started thinking of that wearable technique as I waited for Joe to decide if those 501s fit the same as the other 501s.  I was starting to go crazy. Back to the shirts. I grabbed a brown, a burgundy and a wine color each in XL.  I was going to try this when we got home.

You first deconstruct the t-shirt and then stencil a design.  I didn't do that on my Tony Hawk shirt, above.



The book gives you a leaves stencil design. Then you cut and reverse applique your stenciled shapes using the other t-shirt behind (above).

Then you can add beads to embellish. The Alabama Stitches technique even lets the thread knots show on the top of the work. It's so cute.

I didn't have the kind of thread they were using, so I used what I had, which was pearl cotton size 8.
It is turning out so great that I ran to Target and bought a pack of men's XL white t-shirts and dyed them cool colors and have spent the last week making these fun wearable art t-shirts that have had a mind of their own (below).On the shirt above I used some beautiful blue and turquoise hand dyed pearl cotton I had bought from Laura Wasilowski. I am ruching the neckline using more of her thread and soon going to add beads. This one has a uneven hem and cap sleeves and it fits!!!  Now to find the right pants.


I think I will teach this technique one day at my May retreat in Tahoe. If you aren't signed up yet, we have just reduced the price. This is a great deal for 5 days and 4 nights of classes, plus all meals and your room.
A single room is $550, double is $500 and a non-participating guest is $350. It's right on the lake and some rooms have lake views.  Plus, we are going to play with fabric, try some new stuff and maybe play with  beads.  What could be better?

If you are interested let me know at melbula@comcast.net.  This is a shameless plug.  You can also go to my website for more information. www.melindabula.com.

Joe's Best Friend

It has been a difficult couple of weeks. We had to put our beautiful and loving dog, Cosmo, to sleep on Saturday. It's OK, because it was his time. There is a time for everything and we knew this was coming. He was going to be 14 this year. That is a long time for a very large Golden Retriever.

I fell in love with Cosmo the day I saw him. He was the only male of three puppies. He would roll over his sisters and then look like he had just won the game. I had just had a miscarriage weeks before and was a little emotional at the time. We already had Molly (our female Golden) but when Matt and I looked at Joe, we could not say no as he was also falling in love with this fluff ball. So we paid the $350 which was way more than we had and took him home. Matt loved him and our other dog, Molly, was not sure at first, but went right into the mothering mode within days.

A new puppy is a lot of work. We were living in a new town, Folsom. We had a tiny backyard in this townhouse. We had no friends yet and all our family lived miles away.

Cosmo was a handful, not at all like the laid back Molly. He wanted and needed to have a bigger place to play. The potty training was wearing me out. By the end of the first week I was worn out. Joe came home to a crying wife, no, I was sobbing. I told him I was a failure as a dog person - maybe we need to give him back.

Joe knew I had been going through a lot with the move and the miscarriage so he bundled Cosmo up and took him back. It was only 4 blocks way so he walked back to the people we had bought him from.

I started to cry the minute they left. What had I just done? I was so regretting my emotional decision that I wanted to scream. I had lost a child and now a pet. Matt gave me big hugs and was sad, too. We waited for Joe to come back.

A few minutes later I saw the beautiful sight of my husband and, in him arms, the fussy little ball of fur who had no idea what had been going on. We rush to them and with tears kiss them both. Matt was so happy and even Molly was glad to see them. What happened? Why did you bring him back? You knew I needed him, didn't you? Joe calmly explained that the owners were not home.

Again, I burst into tears and knew that Cosmo would be mine forever and, of course, Joe would be, too. We all hugged and kissed. So that is how we found Cosmo 14 years ago.

Saturday we had to say good bye in the vet office. The vet said she would give us a few minutes to say good bye. As Joe stroked Cosmo's head, Cosmo lifted up his paw to "shake", as if to say It's OK and and put it in Joe's hand. Cosmo had not done that in years. It was like he was saying good bye to us, too. When the vet said it was time to go, Cosmo jumped up, bad hips and joints and all, and walked away without a limp or a stumble with the vet assistant . Joe looked at me with tears in his eyes and we both knew Cosmo was ready to go, too.

What comfort it was to have those little gestures that we knew where not normal for this sick dog. God has a wonderful way of preparing us and giving us comfort in this normal process of life.
So this blog today is for Cosmo. The animals in our lives are true gifts from God. They comfort us when we have hurts and losses. They love us unconditionally. They don't judge us. But, unfortunately, they are in our lives for such a short time. He was, however, in our family's life when we needed him the most.

Now Matt is grown and gone, Joe has a new position at his work and I am traveling the country teaching. How different things are from that day I cried when I saw Joe walking back with Cosmo in his arms. Thank you God for that sweet gift.
Doggy heaven is full of comfy sofas that mom doesn't make you get off of.

California School of Fuse

Whenever I teach my fusible technique I inform my students that they are now in the California School of Fuse. This is not to be confused with the prestigious Chicago School of Fusing. We are two difference birds even thought I may have taken (stolen) the idea from the Chicago gals. We don't have a glee club or a fight song, yet, but we are working on that. We do have a short bus called a Tahoe.

The mindset of this California School of Fuse is simple. Just like in the state of California, I will show you what I like to use and why, and when class is over, you will go home and do what every you want, whether the majority votes on it or not. Because this is California. I guess I am making fun of my beautiful state and rightly so. We are the land of fruits and nuts and that is just at the Capitol.

I am always amazed as I travel up and down this wonderful and crazy state that the quilters are all the same and wonderfully bonded together with a creative passion that makes us a family.
Californians are a little in their own world, to say the least. We are an adventuress and creative state. Which sometimes make me and others here a little frustrated.

California is made of and was discovered by immigrants and pioneers all looking for a better life. Whether they came across the borders or left the Midwest during the dust bowl or were looking for gold in the hills above my house, we come from a hardy bunch of settlers. Just like the wonderful quilters I meet all over the country.

So to commemorate the official opening of the California School of Fuse I have designed a fabric label for the back of your quilt. If you have taken one of my classes, you can now proudly, or not so proudly, display this label on the back of your fusible flower quilt. This label states that you have graduated from the CSF and that you know how to use scissors and and an iron. You have stepped outside your creative box, colored outside of the lines and will use only the colors that thrill you. If you have taken one of my classes you now belong to this creative (sometimes a little wacky) group of fusible pioneers we call The California School of Fuse.
If you would like a label for you flower quilt you can send $3.00 for postage and handling to:

Melinda Bula
Chancellor of the
California School of Fuse
3221 Woedee Drive
El Dorado Hills , CA 95762

If you would like to go to our official school training camp you can email me at
melbula@comcast.net for information on
Flowers On the Lake, May 10-14 at
beautiful Tahoe Lake .

Creative Block

I have been feeling really creative since I got home from my travels last week. The only problem has been I can't figure out what I want to create. It feels like something new is brewing but it's just having trouble coming to the surface. So today I tried to help it along but ended up played around with my knitting and read my new book, a mystery called Shadow Of the Wind. I have even been finishing up some of my new pattern designs and a new book idea.
But this overwhelming urge to make something NEW keeps poking at me. I love this creative, psyschotic passion, but I am also so frustrated by it that I want to scream.

Today I sat in the studio just thinking, touching fabric, pacing, then I succumbed to the dreaded straightening of the studio. I know...what came over me?

There is a fine balance between working at what you love and trying to make a living at it while trying to always stay true to your artist self. I try to schedule my diverse alter egos. One week I'm the savvy business woman, hopefully wearing Prada (in my dreams, it's more like sweats and a tee.) The next week I am the melodramatic, moody artist that wants a gun for Mother's Day. But nobody in their right mind would give me. What about the Constitution?!?

So it has come to this. I don't think I am alone with this creative frustration as I sometimes see my students dealing with this tender artist frustration. It's normal, I think, and it is supposed to be frustrating. If it wasn't, you would not appreciate the moments when the true gift of creativity just flows.

Ms. Sharky, my college art teacher, explained to me that you have work at being creative. You learn to not wait for the perfect mood, but discipline yourself to create something every day whether you want to or not, because that is when you might have the perfect moment. OK, I might have over embellished it a bit but she was right.

So by the time Joe came home from work today, I had started a new art piece. It's a landscape (really, it's a seascape and maybe a new technique or pattern for my students). I may teach this on the Hawaiian Cruse this fall but it had to start with just playing around which meant just doing something and see what happens.

A few tips to jump start your creativity when you've hit the wall:

1) Feel and touch your fabric, even if it means just straightening your fabric drawers. You'll find new colors you didn't know you had.

2) Work with what thrills you today as tomorrow it may be something different. And that is OK.

3) Immerse yourself in the colors you love and the subject matter you love. That is sure to inspire you.

4) Allow yourself to say I don't like that and I don't want to finish it. It is more important to have the inspiration moment because that can lead to something great than to finish something that is just not working. The new project might be the stepping stone to the next great idea.

So for now, I just made this Hawaiian Sunset from a picture I took on vacation in Maui in 2003. Its not the big one I feel brewing inside, but it makes me happy for right now. Tomorrow, who knows.......

World of Warcraft?

I am not really happy right now. The day has started out with finding out someone has been using my credit card number to play over $1,000 of video games in the last 3 days. From searching the web we came to find out that this is a common rip-off. Then you start to think, where have I been and who did I encounter that looked me in the face and said I want to rip her off? Was it in a quilting shop or one of the restaurants or hotels I was staying in over the last week? The problem is that this is the 3rd time since I started teaching that I have become a target of thieves. You would think that being a quilter is a safe and sweet, even grandmotherly pursuit. The crooks know their audience and they are out looking for a victim. So this is why I am spending time writing about this. I want you, my blogger friends, to get a heads-up and not trust anyone, grandmotherly or not.

Last year it was a girl asking me for private lesson that her wealthy father was interested in. Then last month, some guy supposedly from Australia wanting to purchase 30 of all my patterns, about a $3,000 order. Thank God my husband is smart.

And today, this rip-off. The internet is a wonderful invention but there are crooks around every corner, in most political offices and even living across the street. How does one grow up to become a thief? Having no regard for others or their own family and even their own children?

May God help us.

Just Playing Around

Today was dyeing day. I am hand dyeing and making fabric packs for my upcoming Flower classes at Road To California, a big show, and Quilting in the Desert, a retreat in Phoenix. All are in the month of January, of course. This is my first time to teach at Road and it is quite an honor. This is my second time at The Desert which is also a great venue. The Snow Birds from all over the country and Canada come to get warm and have fun being creative in the Phoenix sun. I know it's a busy life, but I love it.

So I get out the big rubber gloves and the face mask, that has been known to scare the UPS driver. I prepare the fabric and watch color happen. What a life! But there is a new technique which is really very cool and I want to try. It's called Shibori.

I have no idea how it is done, but want to do it and I am not one to wait to take a class. So I spent a week trying to find out how to do pleated Shibori . But finding out information on this ancient technique has been quite tricky. I have gone to the web, then tried youtube. I talked to a creative textile artist friend of mine who was most helpful. I think this is an ancient secret that no one shares lightly. I hope I am worthy.

So I decide to just jump in and wing it, like I do most stuff in my life. Sandy (my textile artist friend) gave me some good ideas. So I decide to be a big girl and just do it! It's only fabric, we can get more.

Creativity is experimenting. Making something from nothing or, like I do most of the time, fixing your mistakes. It's not about knowing everything about a certain technique. It is about doing it!

Well, I just unwrapped my experimental pieces, just like a mad scientist or, in my case, the nutty professor. What a wonderful surprise. It worked. They are so beautiful and shiny with these little folds that shimmer. What was I afraid of?
The only problem is that nothing is quite big enough for a scarf. I love it anyway.

Then I tried my hand at dyeing silk ribbon to make knitted silk scarves. Don't tell my friend Peggy but she is getting this peach colorway. So much fun and turned out great.

Last night as we again watched Breakfast at Tiffany, one of my favorites (Joe almost made it to the end of the movie this time), I wrapped the silk ribbon back onto its spool. I call it therapy.
Here is the pink ribbon scarf I have started and hope to have done for Road. Now I just need something to wear with it. Or do I ????? What would "Holly Golightly" wear with it? Something black, of course and with some great shades. By the way, Joe informed me today that "That movie is so sad " and that Micky Rooney was so stereotypical and that he wouldn't be able to get away with that today. My man is deep, when he's not SNORING!