Guess what’s sneaking up on us??? No, not Mr. Murfee (although he might be in the planning stage), but Mother’s Day is May 12!!! It just amazes me that the special days sneak up and then fly on by. Easter has come and gone, spring is turning into the 90’s, my shorts and capris, which I remember recently putting away, are ready to come back out, sandals are replacing boots, more camps are taking over our classroom, and new and different classes are happening. It’s all good, of course, but it’s different. Now is your time to let us know if you have something special that you want us to teach, or a new technique to explore, or new products to check in to: something different to add to your lifelong learning curve!  

Spring and Mother’s Day both represent new birth to me: new flowers, spring cleaning inside and outside, newly cleaned windows that we can clearly see through, maybe a few new quilts placed around that are both lighter in weight and color, and of course new people in our lives to help us share Mother’s Day. In my case, as with some of you, it might just be a new 4-legged “people” around us, with whom we can share our love, ideas, ideals, appreciation of all the gifts they bring to our lives. Keep in mind that “gifts” can be both tangible as well as intangible, and we all had mothers, and many are mothers, and so the reality of “gifts” and all that the word encompasses, is not a new idea to any of us. So think about how you’d like to spend the day, and this spring, to bring even more joy into our lives and the lives of those around us. Because we never stop learning, everything can be new to us, so long as we continue to live in that magic land of discovery, and positively share with those around us! Thinking of Mother’s Day has made my “warm and fuzzy” side sneak to the forefront of my mind…how about you?

Now, warm and fuzzy also calls to mind the Stinknet weed that has taken over my yard, probably your yard, and everything in between. It’s that fuzzy fern like greenery sprouting the eraser-sized bright yellow flowers, that, thank goodness, is finally starting to die out. A customer/friend sent me the name and info on this invasive plant from Africa that my skin is highly allergic to and I’m going to try vinegar spray with a touch of salt to see if I can’t kill it. At least, the horse and “kids” won’t want to eat it and get poisoned. Our hot dryness helps kill it, and I’m just gonna give it a bit of a boost. In this case, I want the warm (temperature) to kill the fuzzy (weed).  

We have an Intro. To Bags class for you on Thursday, and some new fabrics that would look nice and springy for you. We have in a great new pattern for a quick and easy bag you can make that will fit over a walker, wheelchair back or a chair/couch armrest: it’s purpose is to help you or someone with mobility issues to have all their essentials and favorite things with them. It’s a saddleback organizer, loaded with pockets, allowing quick and easy access to the day’s essentials. I LOVE the idea. The pattern is not new, but the special fabrics for the bag are. In fact, we’re waiting on the fabrics to come in and hope that you will choose at least some of the project’s fabrics for your bag. QT, the fabric maker, is partnering with St. Jude’s, to send a portion of the fabric profits to St. Jude. I will let you know as soon as the fabric arrives, but in the meantime, use a different fabric for your first Sidekick bag. And why not make a quick and easy lap quilt to match the bag and give someone in a wheelchair or using a walker a certain sense of style?!?! You can get the pattern and supplies here at SVQ, and you can make your first one in the Intro. To Bags class with Lynn M.  Talk about a new twist to a new warm and fuzzy gift, to or from Mom!!! Or Dad. Or anyone, really.

To get you saving on fabric for your Sidekick bag, let’s do 20% off batiks (and we have many, many) when you give us the code BATIK20. Shop with us in-store or online…the selection is large and so are the ranges of colors. www.sunvalleyquilts.com is where to look, under the Fabrics tab at the top. Let’s also do Dots this week, with a code of DOTS20. I can just see the cutest bags using dots, and check out the Tula dots in stock while you’re at it!!! Some are even neon!  

My last and final thought to share on fuzzy wuzzy: this came from my ex-husband. Ready??? Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear.    Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.    Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?    It has more punch when you say it out loud.

Barbara and the warm and fuzzy sidekicks at SVQ

Sun Valley Quilts / 9857 W. Bell Rd. / Sun City, Arizona 85351 / 623-972-2091

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