Hey everyone! I hope the weekend treated you well. It was much sunnier around here than it was originally forecasted to be, but the air was chilly and the wind was strong, making being outside still not that great. I spent Saturday at The Gathering wrapping up the Tulip Festival Retreat which was a huge success! Everyone who attended left with some really neat projects and of course, more friends than they had when they arrived!
I did my best to stay home Sunday to catch up on a few random things around the house…and of course to get some much-needed rest. It’s always so nice to spend time at home – even if it’s just for a day! We all need time to recharge from time to time – even me… though my husband and my staff would tell you that I’m not great at “doing nothing” for very long. LOL!
As you all know we had another busy week last week here at Primitive Gatherings, and an especially exciting day on Thursday. If you were lucky enough to catch, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ that day, you got to see Nick and I present Kevin and Audra from the Hogs for Heroes Organization with a check for over $43,000! You read that right. I am so proud of the fact that currently, we have raised now over $43,000 between private donations, our 2021 “American Quilter’s Stitch Along” fundraiser, and our latest online auction! This is truly an amazing accomplishment that would have been impossible to achieve without all of you. I know I’ve been saying it a lot but I simply can’t say thank you enough! …and to think – my original goal was only $25,000! I should have known we’d far surpass that. Like I told Kevin and Audra, there’s no better group of people to ask for help from when you want to get something done than my fellow quilters.
I was also hugely honored to give Kevin and Audra their own “American Quilter’s Quilt“ that I personally stitched, as a symbol and reminder of everything they do for WI veterans. These two wonderful people not only have impacted my life in a positive and inspiring way, but they have dedicated their lives to helping the people who deserve it the most – our veterans. Kevin and Audra continue to selflessly give on a daily basis to the men and women who sacrifice themselves in order for the rest of us to live our lives freely. They may not realize it and probably don’t agree, but Kevin and Audra are heroes too! If you’d like to watch the replay of this well deserved check presentation, you can do so by clicking HERE!
I still get goose bumps when I look at these photos! Such a phenomenal number makes me so proud and happy, but mostly it makes me want to do more! As many of you already know I came up with another way to add to our efforts in helping raise funds for Hogs for Heroes. My goal is to produce and collect as many Flag blocks as possible by June 15th, 2022, which will then be used collectively to create a future project that will generate even more funds for Hogs for Heroes! 
If you would like to participate in raising funds for Hogs for Heroes by making and donating blocks to this charitable mission, click the link below for the pattern and instructions to get started! One is great but if you feel like making more we’d love it!!! We only have about half of what we need for this project so far, so don’t wait – we need you! Please send your finished piece(s) to us no later than June 15th, 2022. We’re super excited to get started on the final project, so if you can get your blocks to us earlier (June 1st, 2022 would be ideal) that would be even better!
Once you’re ready to submit your donated pieces, please package and send your blocks to:
Don’t forget tomorrow is Tuesday, which means “Shop Talk with Shelley“ will be LIVE at 9AM CST on my “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ YouTube Channel! Shelley will be talking about a few quilts she recommends for wall décor, hot tips on cleaning and organizing your sewing room, some of her favorite current wool projects, and Memorial Day hours (we will be CLOSED!), so set your reminder!
How are you liking “Shop Talk with Shelley?” What are some of the things you’d like her to cover in the future? Do you have a favorite segment? Let me know in the comments! As always, leaving a comment both here on my blog and during LIVE shows earns you a chance to win a prize! Lucky winners this time around are: Cynthia R. and Jeanne B.! As always, I am not posting last names or email addresses for everyone’s privacy, so if you think you’re one of these lucky winners please check your email! You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received an email from her. She will use your email address to confirm that you are in fact the winner (in the case that there is someone with the same initials, she will determine the correct person with matching email credentials)! If you’re not a winner this week, keep trying – you could be next and I sure hope you are! ~Lisa
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