Happy Holidays, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year

                             

I love everything about the holidays. When I was a child we started preparing for Christmas shortly after Thanksgiving. We put the decorations up 2 weeks before Christmas and took the tree down before 12am New Years eve. Mom and dad are
gone now and  I have started a tradition of  celebrating Kwanzaa the African American holiday celebrated from December
26  through January 1.  Kwanzaa is a Swahilli term that signifies " first fruits of the harvest".


For the past several years I have joined  a kwanzaa swap by sending fabric postcards and exchanging kwanzaa blocks.
Here is the fabric postcard I made for the exchange.  A ear of corn is stenciled on felt. The  corn (muhndi) is placed on the mkeka (woven straw mat)  to symbolize  celebration of children,  community, and family.
                                                                
Kwanzaa Fabric Post Card

                                    

Over the holidays I will be quilting the Kwanzaa top I made for my neighbor and upstarting several other holiday projects.  It is never to early to start Christmas projects . I got a head start on Christmas dinner but brother and I had dinner at a friends house.  I miss dad so very much as this is our first Christmas without him. He loved Christmas and always helped out with the cooking.  I hope you are enjoying your holiday with family and friends and may it be filled with joy and happiness.

Peace, love, and art,

Angela

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Blog Hop Party Winners

The  Blog Hop Party did just what it said it was going to do and more. Michelle over at Quilting Gallery  did a phenomental job of pulling this party all together. She was the one who kicked off the party that led to the involvement of quilters from all over the world. Thanks again Michelle.

Everything came together beautifully. This was my first blog hop and in addition to 135 comments  posted and 40 new followers I loved seeing people jumping at the chance to get together and have fun. Over 250 bloggers joined in the fun  to make the party a success.

Of the bloggers participating I was pleasantly surprised to win four prizes from quilters. (will post my gifts when I receive them). Although I did not visit all the blogs I was able to visit about half of them.
I love to see people happy, embracing and getting a little something especially when it's worthwhile to the quilt community.

My giveaway journal winners (Crooked Gulley Art Quilts and Strandkorbortraum have been contacted for their address so that I can send the journals to them. Had wished I could get them off in time for the Christmas holiday. I'm waiting for a reply.  To join in the fun next year you will need to join Quilting Gallerys website and I promise you will enjoy this  as much as I did.

Peace, love, and art,
Angela

The Blog Hop Party has finally arrived. I will be offering  2 lucky winners a beautiful pocket sized journal that has a lovely quilted cover.

To be entered in the drawing leave a comment to this post by Dec. 17. Don't forget to include your email address in the post. I will announce the winners on this blog.

If you sign up to follow me and leave a comment that you are a follower your name will be entered in the drawing twice. Thank you for reading, commenting, and joining in the fun. This link will take you to the Blog Hop page where you will find a list of participants.
     http://quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/quilters-blog-hop-party/

    Update: The winners of the quilted journals are Crooked Gulley Art Quilts and Strandkorbtraum.  Sent email to  winners for address , looks like these beauties will not arrive in time for Christmas but will mail them as soon as I hear from Mary at Crooked Guelly Art Quilts and Strandkorbtraum                                               
                                              

Peace, love, and art,
Angela