eQuilter Blog

I believe in Magic.

I believe in the Magic of the Holiday Season, because for a week or two, we allow ourselves to suspend disbelief and dream about Christmas Miracles, Holiday Wishes Granted, and the Grace of a New Year.

This may be the last year that Sophie believes in Santa, but even when she ponders the impossible logistics of Santa visiting a billion children in one night, she will still have the urge to believe in the magic of the story.

This year it wasn't magic that raised $100K for charity here at eQuilter – it was the support of our friends and customers – bringing our total to $950,000 and allowing us to believe in what is truly a miracle of a family-owned business reaching a goal of raising a million dollars to help others by Summer 2012.

In this season of giving, we know that much of the fabric and supplies you have purchased over the last several months, has gone to make gifts for others. Not just Christmas presents, but baby quilts, graduation quilts, wedding quilts, and quilts to comfort those suffering a loss.

Together we delivered 2155 quilts to tsunami survivors in Japan in July this year. (with the help of Mission of Love!) It was truly an act of Grace to put out the call, and have thousands of you respond with a selfless gift for a stranger on the other side of the world.

As we close out 2011, we are also closing out hundreds of bolt ends, discontinued and overstock items. The remaining 1800 yearend closeouts are now 45%-75% Off – our way of saying thanks for your support in 2011!

Best wishes and Happy sewing,
Paul and Luana Rubin

(photo taken at 2011 Zoolights at Denver Zoo)

Every year seems to go by so much faster than the last year, so that finally I have achieved Zero-Stress for the holidays because I just can't believe it is almost the end of the year! How can I get stressed about the holidays when it seems like it should be only October?

However I do make a list of things to do, but because that list is always so ridiculously long, adding a few things like signing Christmas cards or wrapping gifts, doesn't really faze me.

Today I had a rare moment where the house was empty and quiet (the kids were both out with their activities) and I had a chance to just crash in a comfy chair and mindlessly watch the birds at our new birdfeeder outside of our backyard picture window. It was amazingly restful and really cleared my mind. I was thinking "I should be stressed – the holidays are coming up" – and then – "I really deserve to sit and do nothing for awhile!" Creative people don't do well being busy ALL the time.

We do like to keep busy, but it is the times of doing nothing that we get our greatest ideas. When we clear our minds and relax, that's when we get the great genius inspirations. Well yes, cleaning your studio or work space can have a similar effect….but you know what I mean. Also, creative people like to have all their creative stuff out so they can look at it and think about what to do with it…after their head is finished clearing out.

This is very hard to explain to an Organizer type of person. If you have a compulsive organizer in your life or in your house…well you know what I mean. You can have a pile of fabrics or postcards or magazine articles out for months, til the whole thing gels and leaps out at you one day like Sheldon's "Bazinga!"….an Athena springing fully formed from Zeus' head.

It makes no sense but if you are a creative person, no doubt you know exactly what I mean. However my Inner Demented Compulsive Organizer is starting to whisper "It's time!"…and since we are contemplating a tree to hang our collection of eccentric artsy and travel-themed ornaments, something has to get cleaned up in order to make room for the tree.

I just thought I'd share this story, so you'd know you are not alone. *smile*

Have you heard about the new 2012 Pantone Color of the Year? I've posted a link on my brand new Facebook Color and Design fan page, and I'll write about color trends in the upcoming Midweek Creative Nudge newsletter.

If you don't currently get the Creative Nudge, be sure to update your subscription options now!

We now have all 6 of our Houston Quilt Festival videos online (thank you Bonnie McCaffery!) and if you've seen Sophie's quilt review video, you saw this striking pictorial art quilt by Nancy Brown. Sophie and I both picked this out as one of our favorites at the show. Congratulations on this beautiful piece Nancy!

In addition to Sophie's video, we have just posted the SAQA review ( "Masters 2 – Art Quilts") as well. If you enjoyed my photos from the Tokyo show earlier this year, you'll want to check out the Japanese quilt video.

Every year on my birthday, I think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year. By January 1st I come up with a list of goals – both creative and personal. So over the weekend as I contemplated the coming year, I arrived at the same conclusion that I had last year… and the year before. My biggest challenge is finding the TIME to accomplish my creative goals.

Yeah yeah, you all have the same problem and we all have the same list of solutions, but here at the end of the year I find myself wrestling with this nemesis once again. I pack a lot into my schedule as a working mom, but there is always something more that I want to squeeze into my crazy schedule.

When I was a college grad venturing out into the world, I was lucky to have a few wonderful mentors who gave me some jewels of wisdom, that I still refer to today.

The one I like best is this: Whatever it is that you want from life, give that exact thing away to others…without any expectation of return.

So when I was lonely and wanted love, I spent time supporting other lonely people.

When I was yearning for more information and instruction, I found a way to teach what I knew to others.

When I feel that I have absolutely no time at all to take care of all my responsibilities, let alone time for myself, I make a point to make space in my schedule to give the gift of time to someone who needs special attention.

As quilters, we are stitching that most precious of gifts – TIME – into our creations. Time equals Love. Our whole life might be blowing up around us but somehow we find the time to go to our creative space, and stitch the gift of Time and Love into our quilts and crafty gifts, for the ones we treasure.

And you know what? Do you know who receives the greatest gift of all at times like that? We do. The quilter. Because as we stitch, our blood pressure lowers, our heads clear, our hearts heal, and we are filled with joy when we give this precious gift of Time (disguised as a quilt) to those we love.

I've posted some photos from my trip to Vienna a year ago December…the coming snowstorm and the holiday spirit have reminded me of Christmastime in Europe, the holiday markets, Strauss' Blue Danube, Viennese coffee "mit schlag", and dancing white horses.

sharing your passion for fabric…
Luana

6 Houston Quilt Festival Videos available now!

See my photo page for travel images, comment on my blog, follow me on Facebook or Twitter for more color and design ideas. Quilt show reviews on the eQuilter Video page.