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Whatever holidays you celebrate through the year don't we always make aggressive plans for our celebration? My aggressive plans are the 80 Christmas postcards that I've been making every year for the past 5 years. I think last year I mailed them December 24th! This year ideas and time came together so that all of my cards were mailed this morning. I've done 4 designs this year. You can see the one at right on the blog here. There's also a sun printed star and zentangle cards.
Now it's time to get to decorating the house. Watch the blog over the next 3 weeks for photos of more of my Crackerbox beaded ornaments.

I love reading your blogs and Facebook feeds to see what you are doing for your holiday decorating. It all inspires me for next year so please keep the inspiration coming.

Bahamas Stash Pack

Troy - 3 yards

Norwich - 3 yards

Thrive Gradient

Shop News!

Speaking of next year, I will once again be sponsoring Angela's fun Rainbow Scrap Challenge. She hasn't posted the 2015 challenge information yet but we've been planning! She is planning a quilt project and I've created special Rainbow Challenge Stash Snacks. What a Stash Snack? It's a fun mini Stash Pack with 6 fabrics in the color of the month. I'll have them for sale each month but I'm offering the entire set of 11 Stash Snacks (66 fat eighths!) for 3 weeks at an incredible discount price. You will not only get a great collection of hand dyed fabrics you will also know the 11 theme colors for next year before everyone else.

I know that the RSC is supposed to be about using up scraps but sometimes we want new scraps and I'm happy to be able to make that happen. I can't show you a photo of the fabrics, I hope you'll trust me! The whole collection at 25% off is only available for 3 weeks so order now. Wouldn't it be a great Christmas gift for yourself?

Order yours here.

What's Going On

<div align="center"><a href="http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/field_trips_in_fiber/cross-the-drunkards-path-quilt-along/" title="Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2946/15207024787_3e6fc963c5_m.jpg" alt="Cross the Drunkard’s Path Quilt Along" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

The Cross the Drunkard's Path Quilt Along is underway. If you've ever wanted to make a Drunkard's Path quilt now is the time! Join in at any time, make any project you want. Get all of the details here. Check in each week to see everyone's projects in the link up.

Fiberart for a Cause

<div align="center"><a href="http://www.virginiaspiegel.com/FFACThe100Fundraiser.html" title="Fiberart For a Cause"><img src="http://vickiwelsh.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341c1b7353ef01bb07ba9850970d-pi" width="200" height="227" alt="FFAC100" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Virginia Spiegel is not only a wonderful artist but she is an artist dedicated to the eradication of cancer. Several years ago she started Fiberart For A Cause and has raised over $240,000 for the American Cancer Society. This year is the last year and her goal is to raise that to over $250,000!

Join me for "The 100" to be held on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. The goal for this fiber fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is to raise $10,000 in one day.

Each year the fundraiser has a different spin to keep it interesting and fun. This year she asked 100 artist to donate 100 pieces of fiber art and is asking for 100 patrons to contribute $100. Each patron will receive a piece of art. I was honored to be asked to be one of the 100 artists this year!

All the details are here. Get prepared, it all takes place February 4, 2015. I need to get busy making my piece. If you want to help promote the event grab the button code in the box under the event button.

Postcard Tutorial

As I mentioned at the top of the newsletter, I've finished all of my Christmas postcards for this year. One of the designs is this cute plaid tree. If you like this one there's a tutorial on the blog for you.

Customer Gallery

Have you made anything from fabrics that you have purchased from me? If so, you have an opportunity to win your own personal 25% discount code on non-sale items for shopping in my shop! I have a Flickr group for customers to share photos of completed projects made with my fabrics. You are welcome to share any projects in process as well but only completed projects are entered into the drawing. Each month I draw a winner from the entries for that month. The winner receives a personal 90-day 25% discount for shop purchases.The winner will be announced here in the newsletter each month. You can see all of the customer projects in the Flickr Group. All other entries for the month will receive a 30-day 15% discount!

There's nothing I enjoy more than seeing what my customers do with the fabrics. I have 2 very different but equally great art quilts to share this month.

Christine Cetrulo from Lexington, KY made Mother Earth: Her Evolving Face as a whole cloth quilt using the Thrive Gradient. Christine wins the 25% 3-month discount. I hope to have a blog interview with her soon so we can learn more about the inspiration for this piece and see more of her art.

Another gasp-worthy piece is Cross Section of a Snow Bank by Germaine Wong from Wellesley, MA. She made this with only two fabrics: Black and Blue Sky Gradients! the best part is that Germaine has a blog where you can see a lot more of her beautiful art. Germaine won at 15% 30 day discount.

Be sure to check out the other great projects submitted by customers and add yours for a chance to win the discount next month.

I'm Sponsoring

Check out these projects that I'm sponsoring this year.

Fat Quarter Drawing

Each month I draw the email names of 5 current newsletter subscribers and post them here. As a subscriber you are automatically entered. If your email name is listed below Email me with your name and address and I will send you a free fat quarter of hand dyed fabric. I will not be sending any notification beyond this so if you miss it you miss the free fabric. You also must contact me from the listed email address.

The winners of this month's free fat quarters are:

elvira@_____.ru

sherry_kehler@_____.com

mariariedman@_____.com

henrybrigitte@_____.com

michele@q____g____.com

Inspiration

I think almost all artists use nature as inspiration at some point. Today's find is a collection of photographs of agate. I think you will enjoy looking through the photos. I see inspiration for color palettes, dyeing texture and composition. Checl them out at Dataisnature.

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