A genuine thank you to everyone who forwarded my newsletter – over 26 times – even more than last month.  It’s a great way to let your quilting buddies know about all the great color resources at the Quilts & Creativity website.  I’m really excited about the opportunities we have now using social media to spread the word and share, so let me know what social media you enjoy:  reading blogs, chatting on Facebook, reading my newsletter, YouTube – talk to me!

Stay tuned, as even more exciting stuff is coming your way.  Here’s a hint:  if you don’t use Twitter, you need to start!  It’s going to be delivering some pretty colorful results beginning March 1!  So follow me at http://twitter.com/colormaster

• New Color-of-the-Month feature offering innovative tips on color from the industry’s top quilters and designers
• My latest teaching schedule. If you’re in Georgia, you’re in luck! If not, forward my newsletter to your program chairperson
• A fabric bundle giveaway
• Chicken Cutlet in Mustard Sauce recipe

Haven’t signed up for my newsletter yet?  Click on the Email Newsletter tab at the top of the screen, and soon they’ll be coming to your Inbox automatically.  And I don’t do anything with your information but use it for my newsletter, of course.

Thank you to everyone who visited yesterday during Day 3 of the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Blog Tour.  I was so moved by your comments I selected not just one winner but two!  Congratulations to:

• Diane Muska
• Maeve315

Send me your mailing addresses to maria@colormastery.com and your issue and Old Glory will be on their way to your mailbox and sewing machine.  If you weren’t one of the lucky winners you can still buy your own copy of the special issue by going to the 100 Blocks website.

Thank you for sharing stories of veterans in your families, and the mention of two special organizations:  Quilts of Valor and Soldiers Angels.

I profiled Quilts of Valor in my latest email newsletter as I was so impressed with their mission.  They organize quilters to make tops for wounded soldiers, then match you with a longarm quilter who beautifully quilts it.  They ask you to document the making of the quilt with a journal, make a casing, and sign the quilt.  I heard from many of you who plan to use Old Glory in your Quilts of Valor.

Soldiers Angels is a tremendous organization that offers an incredible number of ways to support our soldiers.  Here are just a few ways:

• adopting a soldier
• baking homemade treats
• making blankets
• letter writing

And that’s just a sample.  You really need to visit their website to see all the ways we can serve our troops.  This war has been so hard on so few in our country – I know I will be sitting down with my own family and discussing how we would like to support a soldier through Soldiers Angels.

Now the Call for Blocks:

I would like to make a Quilt of Valor for a wounded soldier from the Old Glory blocks, so here’s the call.  Make your own Old Glory block (you will need the issue for instructions), sign it with your name, city, and state, and I’ll put together in a quilt.  I’ll make sure it gets beautiful longarm quilting, will make a journal (if you’d like to include your own letter or note please do). Send me a message at maria@colormastery.com telling me you’ll be making the block, and I’ll send you the mailing address.  Deadline for blocks:  Dec. 11.  Quilts of Valor has long been on my heart, and it will be so meaningful for a soldier to receive a message of support and love from a group.  Thank You!

• I answer the #1 question I received during my April/May book tour with a new video
• I offer exercises for incorporating the 20 new hot colors for quilters into your quilts without looking like a fashion victim.  Again, with a video (that’s two videos this month!)
• My May/June teaching schedule – sign up for a class near you and be a lifelong learner!
• Exciting news and gratitude over Color Mastery’s unprecedented second printing after only three months!
• Details about my author visits and chats to bee groups/mini-groups/book clubs.
• Recipe perfect for summer entertaining:  Five Bean Pot (it gets raves every time)

Want the Quilts & Creativity email newsletter delivered directly to your Inbox every month?  You’ll be first to know about new videos, classes, and products I offer.  Sign up by clicking on the Email Newsletter tab at the top right of this blog.  You can still see this month’s newsletter by clicking here.

My latest newsletter is out and it’s bursting with all kinds of spring goodies, including all the details on the latest Color Mastery news:  a book tour across Georgia.  All the details are in the newsletter and over at the Color Mastery blog.

Every author dreams of doing a book tour, and I can’t wait to meet quilters across the state.  That’s my favorite part of quilting:  meeting all the wonderful women (and men) who love this historical form of art, expression, and love as much as I do.  I’ll be starting in the mountains and ending at the beach.  What a beautiful state I’m blessed to live in!  And I’ll get to visit with family and friends along the way.

If you’d like to subscribe to the newsletter, click the link at the top of the blog.  You can see past newsletters in the archives.