QUILT BLOCK - Spiced prints!

Spriced Prints! How's that for the name of a quilt block? Being an author of fiction, with a vivid imagination, I'd probably change it to SPICED PRINCE!

I come today - almost dreading what I am about to say. Doing this blog has been great fun. As you've probably noticed, I haven't tried to teach you some great writing secrets I've learned on my way to the publication of nearly 30 fiction books now......I haven't tried to give you long speels to try to get you to buy my books. Nor have I bored you with a whole lot of other things. I love color. To me, it sets the mood for the day when I jump out of bed in the morning. I must have color surrounding me at all times - for excitement, challenge, and an all over good feeling. That's why I decided to use the colored quilt blocks on my blog, as well as a few of the pics of the Tatouage I'm using in my home, AND the purse cookie jars. I hoped the seeing of those colorful items would set the mood for your day, too!

Well, while this has all been fun, it has been time-consuming too (when I should have been writing *sold* books). SO _ _ _ this blog is going on a *Summertime* hiatus. I hope to have it up and running again in the fall. IF you would like to be notified when I get it started again....email me: joyce@joycelivingston.com or leave a comment here on this blog. Otherwise, I do hope you will check back to see when I do start it again. What will I be putting on that blog? Who knows? I guess you'll have to come and see. I haven't fully decided myself.

It's been great having you visit. Meantime, I do hope you'll come by www.joycelivingston.com. No guest book for you to sign, so you won't have to feel like you need to leave a message. Have a great *what is left of summer*! See you in the fall, probably about the last of Sept.

Much love, and thanks for stopping by,
Joyce Livingston, author

Today's QUILT BLOCK - Mariner's Compass

AH, one of the most popular block patterns ever! But an absolute Nightmare to create. Points, points, points, plus getting that perfect unpuckered center! A real challenge, sometimes, even for the advanced quilter. But, thanks to someone inventing *paper-piecing* and other simplier techniques, blocks like this one are now more *doable* than they were years ago, probably when this old block was made by someone's loving heart and hands. Try to visualize it in an entire quilt of blocks, or in the colors you like best. What would we ever do without our imagination?

Did I ever mention I try to put at least a mention of a quilt in my women's fiction books, as well as my Heartsong novels? Some of my published books are even centered around quilts, such as Lucy's Quilt (an Historical), The Baby Quilt, and others. Both of the books titles I mention were voted #1 Book of the Year by the Heartsong readers. Everyone loves quilts!

Have a wonderful Saturday (and weekend).
Hope to see you back again soon!

Joyce Livingston, author

Quilt Block Lone Star and Cookie Jars

Hi, again!
At the left, you will see one of the pics I had hoped to share each day with those who visit my blog. It is a pic of just a few (4 and one half of the 5th if you look closely) of my *purse* cookie jar collection. I had planned to show you one each day, as well as other pics of my condo as I am redecorating it. In the works is a major bathroom renovation which will be happening over the next month or so. BUT - - - so far, only 6 people have emailed me that they are interested in home decorating and would like to see the pics. SOOOOOOO - I have decided not to do it. But - - to give you an idea of what I had in mind, I put up this cookie jar pic. I have found most folks have never heard of these cookie jar purses before, but everyone who comes in my house goes gaga over them. 'Nuff said!

Today's quilt block is Lone Star, a very popular block long ago, as well as now. Isn't it beautiful? It's fairly hard to piece, for a beginner, but if you are careful, it can be done. The results are well worth the effort.

Thanks for stopping by - - - hope you'll stop back soon!
Joyce Livingston, Author

MY amazing MIRACLE! plus Quilt block---

Isn't this a great block? Not for beginners though. The piecing is fairly complex. But, if you're brave enough to try it, it would look beautiful in just about any color combination. It's called LANCASTER.

Okay - - now for my miracle story!

A little over a week ago, I was rounding the corner, running as usual, ready to go downstairs to check the email on my desk computer. But as I turned the corner, I also reached down to pick up the new bottle of Windex I'd planned to carry down to my furnace room, BUT - - - as I did all of this, something happened that happens probably only 3 or 4 times a year. I SNEEZED!!!!! BIG TIME!!!!!

I couldn't straighten up - at all! That has only happened to me one other time in my life, many years ago, and the circumstances were just about the same. That time, it lasted nearly a week. "Oh, no! I don't have time for this!" I cried out to God. But - I stayed that way inspite of my cry - for 3 days! I had to either be upright on my feet, or lying flat in bed. And getting up or down - was miserable! I even tried tilting my laptop up against my knees when lying down so I could work on my current WIP (work in progress to you non-writers), and that didn't work at all. There isn't much you can do lying down. It was difficult to even read. And standing? That was even worse. Every step I tried to take sent a shiver of pain coursing through my back muscles. BUT-----

FINALLY-----The Lord healed me! How? I was doing nearly the same thing again, but this time in a very slow motion, and painfully. Turning to go down my stairs to check my email, WHEN - - I sneezed again! Big time!

KABOOM! The pain was gone! Immediately! All that was left was the tiniest twinge when I twisted to one side, and that was very slight. I laughed outloud. Only God could have thought to heal with the very thing that had sent me into pain and isolation in the first place. A SNEEZE! Like I said, that has been over a week ago and I'm fine! No pain or aches whatsoever. But I'll tell you one thing - if I ever feel a sneeze coming on - I'm going to stop deadstill in my tracks, face forward, and let her rip! No bending! I don't want to go through that again. Each time I think of what had happened and how I was healed, I have to laugh and look upward, praising God. Does God have a sense of humor or what? I LOVED WHAT HE DID! Don't you?

Thanks for stopping by! And don't forget, if you are interested in seeing the redorating pics of my home, leave me a message on this blog or email me at: www.joycelivingston.com. Otherwise, I won't post them.

Joyce Livingston (who daily praises God for his blessings)

I"M B A C K!!!!!!

I'm finally back! I'm sorry for not blogging for several weeks but LIFE happened! VBG! You know about that, don't you? We all have LIFE happen and change our schedules. After visiting with my son and his family at our cabin on the lake, I came back home, took one look at the walls I wanted to paint and went for it! I knew if I plowed right back into blogging and my writing committments, I'd never get it done, and those walls were bugging me, to the point of distraction.

In fact, I've had so much fun decorating my condo (been in it for about 7 months or so now), that I'm considering adding pictures of what I've done to this blog. SO . . . . . if you'd be interested in seeing what this eccentric romance writer has done to the first 3 rooms she's redecorated, just leave me a message. I'm doing my home in *slightly Victorian* and I LOVE IT! And I have a number of photographs I've taken of it. I even added a HUGE mosaic marble tile floor to my kitchen. It has such tiny pieces you'll be amazed! And ... I bought it on Ebay!

Okay, now for the old quilt block of today. It's called Navajo tulips, Isn't that a great name? Makes you wonder who thought it up! Love the colors, how about you?

Tomorrow's blog will feature a miracle that happened to me last week! A true miracle from God, and it really shows He has a sense of humor. Do stop by!

Joyce Livingston (who is embarrassed about being gone so long from this blog!)
My women's fiction book, THE WIDOWS' CLUB is still in stores and I have another book out this month, SAN DIEGO! Check it out! Both should be in stores everywhere, as well as a few of my Heartsong novels .

BE BACK IN A COUPLE OF DAYS!

Sorry, no blogs until probably Thursday, July 6th. All because of my birthday which is Wed, the 5th. I've gone out of town to spend some time with my youngest son and family.....which is another of my birthday presents! My official birthday celebration began last Saturday and is still going on. That's the nice part about having a birthday fall each year so close to a holiday! It goes on and on and on! The pic was taken on a Hawaiian cruise.....love the dress but never get to wear it! Couldn't resist adding the pic!

See you Thursday with another quilt block and another Tatouage!
Have a good and safe 4th!

Joyce Livingston, author

Quilt Block #27 and more Tatouage

Yes, this is Tatouage. Sorry the pic didn't come out as large or clear as I'd like. This is actually about a 7' tree. Of course you put it up in sections, but what a great addition to a plain wall. And the nice part? You don't have to dust it or clean it like a silk tree. Get tired of it? Paint over it and you'll never know it was there.



Today's old quilt block is KANSAS DUGOUT. A little more difficult to piece but not really that hard, especially if you've learned the newer techniques crafty quilters have come up with. Short cuts, if you will. Great color combination, don't you agree?


I hope you're enjoying the old quilt blocks and the pics of Tatouage I've placed here.

Stop back tomorrow for more additions!

Joyce Livingston, author
Latest book, THE WIDOWS' CLUB in stores now.