JOY!

joy

/joi/  noun: a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.      
"tears of joy"

synonyms: delight, great pleasure, joyfulness, jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, 

happiness, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elations, euphoria, 

bliss, ecstasy, rapture. 

Meet Addie, my niece Hey Everyone...Welcome to Moda's blog...I am Lisa Bongean from Primitive Gatherings...I was very excited to be asked to participate in this JOYOUS event!!!  When I think about how far I have come I can't help but be Joyful about what I do for a job and how I can help others enjoy quilting as much and I do... Not too long ago I was a single mother with 3 young boys waiting tables on weekends...I know what it is to struggle and know exactly how hard it is to make ends meet...When I look back at my journey I know I have worked hard, I have made sacrifices and figured out how to make things work.  For instance...when I was a single mother for entertainment I wanted to learn to quilt.  I didn't have much disposable income for this...so guess what happened?  Before you know it I was working part-time in the quilt shop. Then teaching classes...then writing patterns...then attended Quilt Market!  Looking back I don't think I really knew what I was getting into, but I was younger than most people who start quilting that didn't grow up with it...and not afraid... After my Dad passed in 2003 I decided life was too short to work for someone else and I decided to open my own quilt shop...what was the worst thing that could happen if I couldn't make it?  I have to get a another job...it was worth the risk...by then I was working in a paper mill making nice money and had recently married Nick... Now that I never had to go look for that job...things could not have turned out any better...Throughout almost 10 years we have grown beyond any of my expectations and continue to do so. I am blessed to have my husband, a lot of my family members, as well as a bunch of hard working, dedicated employees working for Primitive Gatherings.  Then when you think you have it all... you get a job working for Moda fabrics.  The best part about Moda is also the people...I love my Moda Family...and look forward to seeing them for sure every six months... Along this journey, I have been able to help many...I know that by doing this I have been blessed with a business that keeps thriving and I can say that what ever I have given always has come back tenfold...but this is not why I do it...it is the JOY it gives me and the surprise on their face that someone cares enough to do something for them... When I am teaching or sharing myself and quilts with a quilt guild I always make sure everyone in attendance goes home with something from me...I want them to know that I care and appreciate the fact that they are making it possible for me to do what I love...When a customer loses her home in a tornado...we sent her a bunch of quilty stuff to let her know we care...we donate 100's of yards of fabric after our yearly warehouse sale to women who make quilts for many charities...and so on... Now with being asked to be apart of this little spreading the JOY event...I want you to help me spread some more of it!!! Do you know a quilter who is down on their luck?  Maybe she lost her job and  is unable to swing buying anything new for quilting?  Maybe it is you...Is your husband ill and you need some quilty love? Have you not been able to buy yourself any quilt stuff in a long time because you are helping your grandson and his family out?  Whatever it is...I don't care...just be honest...and send me an email with the story and include your address.  We will send some love to 25  quilters who are unable spend any money on their most treasured hobby...my email is info@primitivegatherings.us I find such JOY in family, my job, my friends and of course my two four legged boys...as well as quilting and collecting antique quilts...I hope someday you feel like me and know there is nothing you really need or would like for Christmas...you have it all already...but when you go by that red kettle and drop in a lot more than a buck or more than you really can afford...there is no better feeling or gift to be had... all my best...Lisa If you are interested in more things Primitive Gatherings visit me at the following places: Primitive Gatherings       My Blog