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The 70273 Card Shop Is Now Open for Business

December 9, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

I know, I know. I’ve been promising holiday cards, and here they are – at last. With the help of The Engineer and Chloe Grice, I’ve created an assortment of digital and print cards. And every block in the Christmas tree design was created by our own Deirdre McConathy. And the words came from y-o-u. Over in Facebook land, I asked you to share some of your favorite greetings, and I’ve used words from Ada Hewell (wave to the nice readers, Mom), Peggy Franke, and Patty Nies to craft an assortment of holiday greeting cards. So once again: collaboration gets the job done!

The cards come in all denominations: some are ready to attach to an email; some are postcards to print for those who have just enough time to sign their name; and some are notecards for those who want to include a little note. All can be printed from your home computer and are free to use.

Donations not required (but they are appreciated and can be made using the Donate button in the sidebar on the home page.)

Help yourself to any or all of these specially-designed-and-ready-to-go birthday and Christmas cards and feel free to send others over here to help themselves, too.

Click here for digital postcards.
Click here for printable postcards.
Click here for printable notecards.
Click here for digital and here for here for printable birthday cards.
Note: Cards may appear blurry because I enlarged them for a better viewing experience. They’ll print clearly, though.

More cards coming for other holidays and special days, so check back often by clicking the link to The 70273 Card Shop in the sidebar 70273 Project Directory or using the pull-down menu at the top of your screen. And hey, thanks for helping get the word out about The 70273 Project.

~~~~~~~

All designs ©The 70273 Project, Inc.

Une Autre Lettre de Mon Amie Katell Renon

December 7, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Dear Jeanne,

Here as well as in all Europe, we have begun to decorate our home in red and green. This Tuesday is St. Nicholas’ Day, a millennial celebration, one of the most long-awaited days for children in Northern and Eastern Europe. They will receive candies, chocolate, and other presents from the great-grand-father of Santa Claus of December 25th.

Dearest Jeanne, do you want some chocolate and candies from us, just as if St. Nicholas was coming home today?

Well, what would you say to know that as many as 40 new Makers offer 129 blocks to Le Projet 70273?

Our dear newcomers are:
Brigitte Balaguerie
Jeannine Baltieri
Francoise Bediee
Helene Berretta
Maryse Brus
Annie Cathala
Marie-Paule Celma
Marie-Jo Dimas
Paulette Dubiau
Renee Durand
Jacqueline Egea
Chantal Eschalier
Anne-Marie Esteban
Felicia Eychenne
Yank Flandey
Dolores Juarez
Aline Lopez
Daniele Martinez
Catherine Moliet
Martine Paulmier
Francoise Planques
Henriette Scriva
Marie-Christine Secco
Jeannine Sutra
Michele Verguet
and 15 Anonymous Makers.

All these dear quilters make their blocks for the commemoration of the 70273 victims. These blocks will all be pieced, quilted, and displayed in Lacaze on June 25, 2017.

On a top being sewn, a Santa Claus from Jim Shore is perfectly at ease.

Soon we will send you photos of the tops made with these blocks! A total of 6 are being made or quilted in Occitanie. We hope to be able to show at least 20 quilts in Lacaze on June 25, 2017, so let’s keep on making blocks!

Your faithful friend,
Katell

~~~~~~~

It is such a delight to receive your letters, Katell, and while you know how much I adore chocolate, I’ll gladly take the blocks instead. Please tell the good quilters in Occitanie that on behalf of the 70273 people we commemorate, I am deeply grateful to them and to you for all the time, energy, and expertise you invest in The 70273 Project. You can find more from Katell in her previous letter, on the Clarions Page and on her blog.

Weeks 41 and 42 in Review (Nov 21-Dec 4, 2016)

December 6, 2016 / jeanne / 2 Comments

Things got a little bogged down what with Thanksgiving and The Season kickoff with all the falderal and hoopla, plus I got a little panicky about a few things – mostly how on earth will I keep up with everything and not overlook somebody’s beautiful blocks or count them twice, leaving us holding a big empty bag next October – which required some sit-down-and-think-time, so I’m late with these posts. But I’m ready now, so without further bandwidth, here are the highlights from the past 2 weeks:

WEEK 41: Nov 21-27 , 2016

Thanksgiving week here in the US, and we spend it with Nancy, my mother, and our daughter – and, regardless of where you live, I spent it with you, too, as I do every day, sending out my gratitude that y’all stand with me, helping commemorate these 70273 people.

Alida Palmisano mentioned us on her blog . . . twice. You can find us here and here. (If you’re a journal junkie like me, keep a cloth near the computer to clean off the drool as you read about her journal.)

Ann Grasso gave us an Encore for my guest blog post AND she listed us on her Creative Collaborations page. If you ever doubt that there are good people out there doing good things, drop by this page and feel better.

All four of these links have been added to the Clarions page. If you read about The 70273 Project in a blog post or if you pen a post about us, please send me a link so I can add it to our Gallery of Support.

mailcallweek41jpg

Thanks to the creative generosity of these good people:
Angela Rybarczuk (Channel Islands, UK)
Janet Hartje (MN, USA)
Jo Cook (IA, USA)
Julie Spiess (IA, USA)
Faye Cook (AUS)
and one Anonymous Maker (IA, USA)
our block count now stands at: 6179!

WEEK 42: Nov 28 – Dec 4

A few health concerns have kept me moving more slowly through this week, on top of dealing with the loss of my granddog and the illness of my four-legged Phoebe, and all the things that are an inherent part of The Season. I continue to get lots of emails and notes from people who are just finding out about The 70273 Project, raising their hands to send financial donations, make blocks, piece, and/or quilt. It’s all quite wonderful, you know.

A huge thank you to Frances Holliday Alford for her ongoing financial support. Frances not only makes art, she supports others who are making art. Get to know her via this magazine article. (And yes, she mentioned The 70273 Project in her interview!)

Another huge thank you to another financial donor who wishes her to remain anonymous. Your generosity is muchly appreciated and has already been put to good use.

I’ve streamlined the cataloguing process (yes, again – it’s getting better and better, trust me) – I’ll tell you all about it later – and tweaked (read: improved) my journaling process. I’m a lifelong documentarian kind of girl, y’all.

The 70273 Project was featured in a lovely multi-page spread in Fayette Woman Magazine. The ink hasn’t yet dried on the current issue, and as soon as there’s a link up, I’ll let you know so you can go enjoy a read of this beautiful magazine published by my talented friend, Joyce Beverly.

Alida Palmisano made some more blocks and encouraged her readers to do the same.

And thanks to these generous creatives . . .
Ella Andrews (Channel Islands, UK)
Sue Harris (Channel Islands, UK)
Lorraine Whiting (Channel Islands, UK)
Debbie Burchell (Toronto, CA)
Alida Palmisano (MD, USA)
Jeanne Huebert (CA, USA) (Lovely name, don’t you think?!)
Pam Patterson (TX, USA)
Diane Dresdner (VA, USA) (who included a note saying “This is my first batch!”)
Frances Holliday Alford (VT, USA),
our current block count is . . . 6394!

Thank you for continuing to make and send blocks, even though I’m sure there are many other things begging your time and attention.

~~~~~~~

I try to remember to post links in the Facebook group and on the Facebook page, but it doesn’t happen automagically which means that sometimes . . . okay, many times . . . I forget. Y’all don’t want to miss the things I’ll be revealing after the first of the year (trust me on that!), so take a minute to subscribe so you aren’t left out.

Kindness, a Cornerstone of The 70273 Project

December 2, 2016 / jeanne / 2 Comments

Blocks made by Chloe Grice and her sister, Kat Andrews. Photo by Chloe Grice

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters
and purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

~~ excerpt of a poem by Naomi Shihab Nye

December’s Adventure: Family Quilts

December 1, 2016 / jeanne / 2 Comments

Quilt top made of blocks created by Chloe Grice and her sister, Kat Andrews

It’s the most wonderful time of the year when we make a special effort to gather with people who are special to us (well, most of them are special to us, anyway), so I thought what better time to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our loved ones and work together to create something meaningful and lasting. Something we can visit together years from now and remember when. Something future generations can see and feel a sense of roots and connectedness. Our Adventure for December? Make an entire quilt with blocks made by you and your relatives – Family Quilts for The 70273 Project!

Kitty Sorgen’s Family Makes Blocks on the Deck

Here’s all you need to know:
~ Same block sizes and design guidelines apply.
~ Everybody who makes a block must complete and sign a Provenance Form . Folks can remain anonymous, if desired, but I still need their name for the ultra-private-nobody-sees-but-me database.
~ There’s no maximum or minimum number of blocks that must be created (though remember: we’re aiming to get all 70,273 blocks completed by October 2017).
~ And there’s no maximum or minimum size the finished quilt must be.
~ When piecing and quilting, please use only white thread in your needle and/or bobbin, and please do not quilt over the red X’s. You can quilt all around them and right up to them, just not on them. The binding (or facing) and backing fabric must be white (we use bleached muslin), and there must be a 4″ hanging sleeve made from the same fabric used on the back of the quilt and attached to the top edge of the quilt, leaving a 1″ gap between the side edge of the sleeve and the side edge of the quilt.

Laurie Dunn’s Adorable Grandchildren Make Blocks at the Beach

Now here’s where I’m streamlining things a bit for you.

For several reasons, I still want to know who made which block, but instead of scanning or snapping a photo of each block and emailing it to me, here’s what we’re gonna’ do:

~ Once the blocks are made, write the Maker’s name on a piece of blue painter’s tape (make sure it’s dark enough and legible enough to be readable) and stick it somewhere on one of the red X’s. There are other ways to attach names to each block – you can write names on a strip of cloth and safety pin it to the block. Or you can use one of the little tagging “guns” to attach the name. If you use tape, though, please use the blue painter’s tape and make sure it’s stuck down tight. (Note: you can make collaborative blocks with family members: You lay down one red X and ask a Special Someone to lay down the other red X. Just be sure to include both names on the id tag.)
~ This id tag remains on the quilt until it lands in my arms (along with the completed Provenance Forms) where I will take what I need, create the quilt label, and remove the tape.
~ If you’d take photos to send along to me, I’d love to profile your family. And for those wishing to remain anonymous, feel free to grab and wear the nearest lampshade.
~ If you want to make blocks but don’t feel comfortable with the Piecing and Quilting part, you might ask around to see if there’s a willing quilter in your community (if so, be sure to give them the specific instructions as outlined above) and if not, just send me the blocks along with the completed Provenance Forms to me, and some generous, big-hearted person will finish it for you. If you do send me a completely finished quilt, please be sure to let me know who did the Piecing and who did the Quilting.

And that, my friends, is all there is to it.

So when That Uncle gets on your last nerve, go make some blocks.

And no, you don’t get to wish he lived about 76 years ago.

~~~~~~~

When you’re making your list and checking it twice and come to that hard-to-buy-for-person, consider making a donation to The 70273 Project in their name by mashing the “Donate” button in the righthand sidebar or mailing a check made payable to The 70273 Project, Inc. and mailed to POB 994 / Cashiers, NC 28717. A gift to The 70273 Project truly is the gift that will keep on giving.

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Playing in the Meadow on the Other Side of the Rainbow Bridge

December 1, 2016 / jeanne / 1 Comment

My boy, Kipp, rescued him from a Denver humane society.
It was between the border collie and a Corgi – he couldn’t decide.
Ultimately, Kipp chose well.

Otto was a ~~slightly~~ neurotic dog
afraid of the most, um, unusual things.

He was a mischievous dog,
though you usually only knew
he’d been mischievous
when he had this certain look about him.
Oh, he knew you were smart enough to figure it out eventually,
but he was always hopeful that once – just once –
he’d be wrong about you.

If you couldn’t find Otto,
you could bet your bottom dollar
that something resembling food
(cooked, raw, packaged, unpackaged – no matter)
had been left within, oh, 4′ from the edge of the kitchen counter.

Otto was a dog secure enough in his own manhood
to be prissy on occasion . . .
without apology.

We’re still not quite sure which one
Marnie fell in love with first:
Kipp or Otto,
but no matter.
They were a package deal
and she won both their hearts.

And though they were as nervous
as any first-time parents in the history of the galaxy ever were,
Otto proved to be a good Big Brother
to Calder Ray,
watching over him when others
well
went to sleep on the job.

Though they’ll surely adopt another furry baby
sometime down the road
when their hearts have had time to heal,
one thing is for sure:
the next Chambers canine will have awfully big paws to fill.

R.I.P. Otto.
You were the best Son Dog,
the best Big Brother Dog,
the best Granddog,
the best Great Granddog,
the best Nephew Dog,
the Best Friend
ever.

Living Gratitude

November 24, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

To all who brighten days with laughter, kindness, and thoughtfulness,

To all who spill goodness into the world at every turn and opportunity,

To all who keep a respectful, open heart to those with differences large and small,

To all who shine light into the darkness,

To all who dare to think for yourselves and allow others to do the same,

To all who help commemorate the 70273 precious souls,

Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving from The Engineer, Nancy, and me.

Une Lettre de Mon Amie, Katell Renon . . .

November 22, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Dear Jeanne,

Day and night you care about the wonderful Project 70273 and I am very proud to have joined Chloe, Cecile, Marie-Christine and all the other faithful friends around us in France and beyond!

I am Katell Renon, living near Toulouse, my pseudo is Quilteuse Forever. Everything is said, but just in case of questions about my surname, it is the Celtic form of Catherine in Brittany. Same origin as Kate, Kaitleen and so on.

To be helpful for Chloe, I gather the blocks coming from a part of my region, Occitanie (South-West France). Instead of sending all the blocks to Jeanne, we decided to make quilts with them. Thanks to Cécile Milhau, we will dispay them in a nice exhibition at the Temple of a small village, Lacaze. It will take place on June, 24 & 25 2017.

Lacaze is a quiet, beautiful village lost in a large forest. The Château Renaissance hosts many art exhibitions, along with the Temple.

This is our first official counting. I am proud to tell you, Jeanne, that you can add 421 blocks to your account!

Here are the kind persons from Occitanie who made them:

Evelyne Carrasco
Maïté Findeling
Brigitte Janin
Paulette Lacroix
Guillemette Marraud
Arlette Matas
Cécile Milhau
Dany Monnier
Angèle Peltot-Leccia
Katell Renon
Christiane Richard
Kristine Toufflet
Martine Toutain
Andrée Traversaz
Anne Vignals
+ 3 anonymous.

Thank you so much to each Maker!

So far, from all these blocks 2 quilts have been made, each one by one single quilter:

Quilt #23 is made by Maïté Findeling

Quilt #24 is from Cécile Milhau

One top is to be added, made by The Bees from La Ruche des Quilteuses:

Quilt #25 made by The Bees from La Ruche des Quilteuses: Andrée, Evelyne, Brigitte, Maïté, Kristine and Katell

A club from Gers kindly sent us a parcel with as much as 60 blocks, thank you all!

Made by members of a quilting club in Gers, France

Thank you so much Jeanne for this incredible Project, as much for the memory of the dear souls as for the education of people of today.

With my respect and admiration,
Katell, Quilteuse Forever

~~~~~~~

I thank you, Katell for penning this beautiful post to let everyone know about the enthusiastic commitment block makers and quilters in France brings to The 70273 Project. Thank you to all those who have made blocks and who will make blocks in the future. And last and definitely not least, thank you to Chloe, Cecile D., Cecile M., Marie-Christine, Chantal, Kristine, and so many others who reach across cultures and languages to stand shoulder-to-shoulder to commemorate the 70273 souls. It was a lucky day when our paths crossed, and I look forward to calling you “Sugar” to your face next June!

The block count has been amended to reflect an additional 421 blocks added by the good people of France, bringing our official block count to . . . 6104!

~~~~~~~

There’s a French Facebook group, if you’re interested, sitting right beside the English-speaking facebook group. You can also subscribe to the blog to stay abreast of what’s happening in The 70273 Project, and don’t worry if you don’t read English . . . there’s a translator button in the sidebar.

Week 40 in Review (Nov. 14-20, 2016)

November 20, 2016 / jeanne / 0 Comments

Well, let’s see. This week was marked by plumbing issues at The 70273 Project Heartquarters (not so fun) and getting things done (great huge fun) – like, for example:
~ I created 2 more versions of each of The 70273 Project Birthday cards, one version that can be attached to emails and another version ready to post in social media.
~ And I made some amendments to the cataloguing system for some of The 70273 Project Tribe in France. I’ll tell you more about that later.

This week I am hugely grateful to these 70273 Project Angels for their financial donations:
Frances Holliday Alford,
Tari Vickery,
and one Angel who prefers to remain anonymous.

And thanks to the beautiful blocks from these kind, creative people:
Nancy Fenstermacher (PA, USA)
Barbara Churchville (PA, USA)
Rosalie Roberts (ID, USA)
Deborah MacKinnon (WA, USA)
and
Caroline Rudisill (TX, USA)
our block count grows to . . . 5683!

Till next week . . .

~~~~~~~

Other places to gather around The 70273 Project water cooler:

Shop with Amazon Smile and support The 70273 Project.
Subscribe to the blog (where all information is shared).
Join the English-speaking Facebook group – our e-campfire – where you can talk to other members of The 70273 Project Tribe.
Join the French-speaking Facebook group – our other e-campfire – where you can chat with other members of The 70273 Project Tribe.
Like the Facebook page where you can check in for frequent updates.
Get folks to help celebrate your birthday by making blocks and/or donating bucks.
Follow the pinterest board for visual information.
Post using #the70273project on Instagram. (Please tag me, too, @whollyjeanne, so I don’t miss anything.)
Tell your friends what you want for your birthday.
And if you haven’t yet made some blocks, perhaps you’d like to put some cloth in your hands and join us.
Or maybe you’d like to gather friends and family, colleagues or students, club or guild members, etc. together and make a group quilt.

Birthday Gifts You Don’t Have to Dust, the Digital Versions

November 19, 2016 / jeanne / 1 Comment

You asked, I listened: Here you go – versions of the printable Birthday Cards that are ready to email, post to blogs, post to social media (twitter, facebook timelines, etc). And because I like you so much and don’t want you to wear your fingers out clicking back and forth, I included the print-and-mail version here, too. Guess what else: Holiday cards are currently under construction, and will be appearing here real soon.