Hi Bellaquilters, hope this newsletter finds you all with a giggle in your heart. I’ve had a giggle moment kind of a week I must confess. In fact, I believe this year of 2008 is shaping up to be a giggle moment year for me. I find myself laughing lots these days. I guess this is a consequence of having a lot of quilting friends who also love a giggle. I’ll explain what I mean by “giggle”.

Yesterday during a hand piecing class, I showed the students how to create a “knot free” method of storing the over dyed threads we’re using. These gorgeous threads tend to get into a knotty mess that is difficult to unravel. Anyway, I took a new skein off the shop shelf and used this to demonstrate the method and at the end of the lesson took it and another couple of items to the counter to purchase. At that moment I was distracted by another customer and finally when I returned to the counter I couldn’t find the skein I’d used and wished to purchase. I hunted high and low, in all the rooms of the store, in the loo & bathroom, moved bolts of fabrics that I’d been looking at – all to no avail. At last, one of the ladies asked me what I was looking for. I said the skein of fabric that I’d used during class and three of the ladies chimed in unison “it’s on your shoulder”. …..That’s a giggle moment.

In keeping with my giggle moment – my article that was posted on Sunday is a very funny article. It’s a Horoscope (read Horrorscope) for the quilter on retreat. Another quilter who enjoys a giggle is Helen Evans and she graciously gave me permission to reprint this article for your enjoyment. Hope it gives up a giggle for you. Here’s the link: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art435.asp

Now especially for my newsletter subscribers I have some exciting news. Since I’ve taken on the Editor role for Quilting on BellOnline, I’ve had many, many requests about the final 10 state blocks for the USA published over time on the BellaOnline quilting website. I’ve explained to each enquiry that the original author had not finished this series and was not probably going to any time soon. Well, I took a great big leap of faith in myself and have taught myself HTML (very basic) and have been able to create the first of the 10 blocks that are outstanding. It’s the Rhode Island Block and it will be posted next Sunday the 27th July. I’m so pleased with the resulting webpage – please give me your feedback on the format on this block’s instructions. I’ll be relying on your opinion when creating the other nine blocks. Drop me an email and I’ll respond to you as soon as possible.

So finally onto my little gift for you this week. In keeping again with the giggle thing, here are a few quotes on the topic of laughter from famous and not so famous human beings. Enjoy.

I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. ~Woody Allen

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle

I've always thought that a big laugh is a really loud noise from the soul saying, "Ain't that the truth." ~Quincy Jones

Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails. What puts man in a higher state of evolution is that he has got his laugh on the right end. ~Max Eastman


Stay well and happy everyone, speak with you next week.
Cheerio for now


Judie Bellingham, Quilting Editor
http://Quilting.bellaonline.com

One of hundreds of sites at BellaOnline.com