It’s a new year…thank goodness! The last few have been a bit crazy, both from really bad things and really good thing. Regardless, it has put me behind, very, very behind in some cases. But, as the fish, Dory, in the Disney movie Finding Nemo says, I just keep swimming. This post is a bit long, but one of my resolutions for this year was to post here more often!

I just returned from 2 weeks in NewHampshire, getting my son settled in to a new team where he will finish the hockey season. After his original Junior Hockey team had to fold in late September, we kind of gave up hope that he would play this season. When a last ditch round of emails brought in this offer from a very prestigious team, we got really excited. Things are looking up for the new year already. Trevor makes his first start in goal on Sunday. Tomorrow, Sarah and I head out to drive his car across the country to him, so we will be there in time for that game. Might be a bit crazy, but it will be great memories for us to make.

First, payment for the storage for my website is coming due. I once again wrestle with the strong desire to keep the videos free for anyone to view and the need to pay a pretty big amount to store these videos. Last year many were generous to help me out to cover the always rising expense. There is zero obligation but those who wish to contribute may do so here.

The cost of storing the videos has gone up. Those who wish to donate to keep the viewing free for others to enjoy may do so here. I don’t want to charge everyone to view the videos. This seems to be a fair way to allow those who want to donate to do so. You can choose the amount you want to donate. Thank you!

Its hard for me to ask but I really don’t want to move into making it mediatory to pay to view what I have ALWAYS kept free to anyone. Thank you in advance for you generosity! My next order of business for the videos is to have the ones that are now only up in the schedule to be under the Archives tab as well.

Now for the fun stuff!

While I was gone, I was able to get at least some work done and started a new album series. Check it out below:

Do you like a mystery?
My dear friend Joy is a member of several book clubs. Everyone in the group reads a book and they discuss and share afterwards. That sparked an idea for me, along with something I talked about doing for years.
When I was teaching quilting, I loved teaching mystery quilts. With these classes, you would get a Supply List and Cutting instructions, choose and cut out your supply choices and in class you would receive your assembly instructions. You don’t know what the quilt looked like till it was done. Lots of fun! I have wanted to translate this to paper for some time.
I decided to combine the idea of the book club and mystery quilt and the Mystery Book Club was born.
With this class series, you will receive the instructions to create FOUR mini album with 5 pages each. The pages will be a larger format like people seem to like these days, around 8 x 10. At the end of the six months, you will have page instructions for 10 vertically oriented pages and 10 horizontally oriented pages, that you can mix and match and use for new projects. You have the option to sign up for the entire six months or ala carder for each individual album. At the beginning of each book, you will get the supply list for the entire book and the cutting instructions and video tutorial for the first page. Each week, you will receive the instructions and video for the next page, until the book is complete. You can choose the binding method you prefer to use or you can use the one I will be using in the sample.

Here’s a breakdown of how you will see receive the information to complete your albums:
Week 1
Class – no class
Available to download – supply list album and instructions for first page.
Week 2
Class – embellish Page 1
Available to download – supply list album and instructions for second page.
Week 3
Class – embellish Page 2
Available to download – supply list album and instructions for third page.
Week 4
Class – embellish Page 3
Available to download – supply list album and instructions for fourth page.
Week 5
Class – embellish Page 4
Available to download – supply list album and instructions for 5th page.
Week 6
Class – embellish Page 5
Available to download – no download
Week 7
Class – no class
Available to download – supply list for second album and instructions for first page.

The schedule will continue like this for 6 months. There are two extra Fridays during this 6 month period that will allow me some flexibility in the schedule.
There won’t be kits for these albums right now but maybe in the future. This is a great way to use up your stash and share with others what your book looks like! I will try (but won’t promise) to do a Digital Paper for each book.
You can sign up for the 6 month series or you can do so ala carte. I already have the first few pages done and ready and will have the rest done in advance so we stay on schedule. I’m super pumped about this. As a bonus, it is delivered entirely electronically so it doesn’t add to my shipping back load!!

This series has started but you can jump right in and get caught up in a flash! Both the individual first album or the six month subscription is up in the shop.

I have also been trying to think up a project we can do when I get back to fill in while I get the next project shipped out. Needed to be something that is electronically delivered. Hmmm, I thought, what about a paper appliqué. I then had a brainstorm, I have a quilt pattern series that I designed in 2008 (Yikes, has it been that long?!?) that would translate perfectly into a paper appliqué series. The quilts were 24″ square so it is an easy reduction to half that at 12″ x 12″! Perfect!! This is a series that I called Angels of the Elements: Air, Earth, Fire and Water. They could be done individually or hung as a group. The same for the paper version! We can do one per quarter, though if I can’t them done sooner I will. We can start with Air now, then do Earth in theSpring, Fire in the Summer and Water in the Fall. (I already have wheels turning for a series of Fairies based on the seasons. Ahhh, too many ideas, too little time!!) I am going to put up the first Electronic kits tonight. You can get just the first one now or order then entire series. I am taking this along to work on during the trip and will have it ready to go and we can start it when I return! Feeling much better about having something to do while I work on gettting the next kits and the backlog out again. 

These are photos of the original quilts. the Paper Applique panels will be very simila. they will be done in the same process as the Owl and the Macaw. You can just cut out the pieces after you print or you can use the templates with papers from your stash.

Feeling good about this a a project as well!  Things are taking a turn for the good!Heres the link to the shop:  https://lauradenisondesigns.com/shop/

My main focus for the coming weeks will be to continue to get the back log of kits shipped out. I beyond appreciate the patience everyone has shown these past few years as the good and bad circumstances of my life have taken a huge toll on my schedule.

Laura