Thursday, December 2, 2010

The Pops are here!!


Not the Boston Pops, though that would be rather cool…the new Bali Pops have finally arrived and the new “flavors” are really, well, yummy. So there I was yesterday, minding my own business when this rather large box appeared at our back door delivered by UPS Santa and his helper elf (yes, they have helpers this time of year). Now if I’d thought fast enough I would have taken my camera out and snapped a photo, but I was too excited and ripped right into that big box which contain 12 smaller boxes…which I ripped into as well…what a mess, but a colorful mess. Okay, so then I spy yet another box…this one is from Timeless Treasures. I had a feeling I knew what was in that box too so of course I ripped into it!! More batik strips!! Tonga Treats in six fabulous color groups…happiness is!


When I get to the shop today I promise to snap a picture of the rather pretty (if I do say so) display and post it here for you, unless of course you beat me there first and see it for yourself.


Thursday, October 28, 2010

We have a special guest coming in November!

Mark your calendars…for November 20, 2010, 11:00-1:00pm.  We are very excited to have Marci Baker from “Not Your Grandmother’s Tumbling Blocks” fame stopping by the shop.  She has a new book out “ABC 3-D” which many of you have seen and admired.  From this book and others she has published, Marci will show you just how easy her method is for constructing these quilts.  She also promises to have many of her samples to share.

ABC007               You may remember my sample from years ago…love, love, love this quilt!           IMG_1836   

Now I’ve started another one (Honeycomb Waffle, Too) from the new book, so I better get moving if it’s going to be ready for Marci’s visit!!

Thursday, October 21, 2010

The simple 9-patch is good!

Wow….has it been almost 5 months since I posted anything?  Where did the summer go…oh let me guess between two very special wedding quilts, preparing for the Shop Hop, weeding, raking up acorns…again and again, still loving my new clothesline and trying to keep up with our “celebrate summer 9-patch challenge” it simply evaporated!!

So now the newlyweds are honeymooning, the Shop Hop is a happy memory, the weeds are pretty much dead, raking is still ahead…again, and I still love my clothesline!  So I thought it about time I show off those terrific quilts from the 9-patch challenge!!

 

 

What will next summer bring?

 

until next time……………..

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

It was on my to do list…really!

At the beginning of 2010 I started a monthly quarterly to do list instead of making those new year resolutions that I never seem to remember.  Some really exciting things on my list:

  • thin out cookbooks (like I really use them)
  • clean out under the kitchen sink (does Murphy’s Oil Soap go bad…it has a Bradlees sticker on it)
  • strip wallpaper in kitchen and paint
  • make new curtains for the kitchen
  • clean out my clothes closet…way too many sweaters which are not conducive to hot flashes!
  • organize quilt closet…and quilt piles…and more quilt piles

Apparently I was sitting in the kitchen when I started this list…anyway, last week when I was asked “So how many quilts have you made?” I decided it was time to skip right to “organize quilt closet” and at least I would have an idea of how many I still have!

So I took everything out of the closet (did I mention it’s a rather large closet) as well as all those various piles…in the bedroom…sewing room…and separated them:

  • top quilted and bound
  • top quilted not bound
  • top only

Next step, since I have this terrific new clothesline, I began to hang the quilted and bound ones out 3 at a time, took a picture, hauled them back in and organized them further:

  • ones for that “just right” special gift
  • ones I really use
  • ones I can’t possibly part with…ever
  • ones perfect for our QFC program
  • ones that need to be washed

Two hours later…I was tired…and not finished!!  So now I have a mostly organized quilt life, but I haven’t counted yet…that will come later, much later :)

Here is just the tip of my iceberg……………

IMG_1827 IMG_1831 IMG_1835 IMG_1839IMG_1844 IMG_1847 IMG_1851 IMG_1854 IMG_1858 IMG_1862 IMG_1866 IMG_1871 IMG_1875

How goes your iceberg??

Friday, May 21, 2010

Got Zippers?

We sure do!!  Thirty-six wonderful colors to choose from…terrific for all those bags we all love to make.

And they’re only .89 cents!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Look what just arrived….

 

Now don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Quilt Sampler

It’s May which means the Spring Quilt Sampler is here!!  These will go fast so reserve yours today.

Fabric is also arriving by the truck load.  Just in time for graduation, wedding or new baby quilts.

Breeze

Very summery “Breeze” from In The Beginning.

Or how about something for your summer place…by the shore…that you might have one day :)

Beachcomber

“Beachcomber” from Clothworks.

It sure feels like beach weather today!  Enjoy…

Nancy

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Lady Bugs, Red Barns and a Public Service Announcement

 

Lady Bugs or red barns…you be the judge!

I say lady bugs! 

Apparently I have something against putting eyes on faces!  I say they have their heads turned (being shy lady bugs) so you can’t see them…and I’m sticking to it!

Now on to the Public Service Announcement…there I was yesterday minding my own business sewing away when I used up my last filled bobbin.  Since I had already said (to myself) that once that one ran out I would take a moment to clean my machine.  So I took out my trusty screw driver and proceeded to take off the plate…ick…

Did some small animal nest in here?

Well I guess it’s been awhile (Marita will enjoy this)!

FELT 

Now it’s all clean…until the next time!  So take a moment today and check under your plate!!

CLEAN YOUR MACHINE!

 

Until next time…be well!

Nancy

Friday, March 12, 2010

Show Off Your Quilts!

And we did!!  Last Sunday some of the ladies from our Lessons From Mama (Atkinson Designs) BOM class stepped up with their finished quilts…so very proud!  This is a terrific sampler quilt book by Terry Atkinson that really takes you right along step-by-step. 

Stay tuned for our next “quilt show”.  Dale and her round robin group…details coming soon!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Spring, bunnies, lady bugs, red barns….

Well spring has truly arrived at the shop with fabric lines from Moda, Clothworks, Benartex and Wilmington just to name a few.  So if this winter seems to be lingering way too long stop in and take a deep breath!

Verna  Cottage Garden

Recently I have become totally obsessed with a line of patterns by Briarwood Cottage….these are the “pocket” patterns.  I’ve shown you February, March and parts of April.  Well here is my cute bunny…complete with tail (so it no longer looks like a pig with ears)!!

April Pocket

Okay, so it has no eyes yet…I’m working on it!

Now what follows April but May and here is my rendition…sweet.

May Pocket

Last (no this isn’t the final pattern but what I’m currently up to) but not least is June.  Today I’ll share my fabrics with you and try to remember to photo the finished piece tomorrow…it has something to do with lady bugs or are those red barns??

June Pocket fabrics

July is on the way…hey at this rate the year will be over in a few weeks!!  Time flies when you’re having fun and I’m really having fun with these patterns!!

Until next time……be well

Nancy

Friday, February 26, 2010

Before and After

So there I was minding my own business one day when this terrific line of fabric arrived…I had to use it but what pattern!!  Then I remembered a pattern from Atkinson Design that I really wanted to try… 

So here is the BEFORE

IMG_1639

And here is the AFTER

IMG_1665

Fire Escape by Atkinson Designs is a great pattern for fun prints that you really want to see!

Until next time….be well!

Nancy

If you sew it it will come!




I figure if I keep sewing projects for the warmer weather...it's bound to happen! Right? So I've been working my way towards summer with some very cute patterns from Briarwood Cottage. You saw the first earlier this month (Valentine runner). For March this fun pinwheel quilt with yo-yo centers! Which brings up something I've learned about myself....yes, I admit it I'm yo-yo challenged. No matter what I could not get my yo-yo to look quite right. But after much persuasion (grrrrr) I have applied them to the quilt and moved on!!
The April project is a pink bunny (or a cute pig with long ears if you don't have the cotton tail on yet!) sitting between two easter baskets. Where is the photo you ask...apparently I forgot to take that picture, but I'll do my best tomorrow.
So think spring or sunshine even!!
be well,
Nancy









Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Mother Nature

I love my Christmas wreaths...I love them so much I
leave them up well into the new year. But I figure the "red"
bow is good for Valentines Day and the "green" wreath
is good for St. Patricks Day right?!

Then driving home the other day I spotted other things
on front doors and thought maybe it was time to take
them down....but no I just couldn't do it.

Well Mother Nature took it upon herself to tell me

ENOUGH!





Saturday, January 16, 2010

Was it worth the wait?

So here is my February project...so easy as well as fast (and finished)! I had this done in no time...and have started on the next one...with pinwheels. I'm close to finshed with that one and have the fabrics for the following one...bunnies...so cute!! Let's have positive thoughts on SPRING to get us through these next few months my friends. OK I just watched an episode of Victory Garden with plantings and flowers and veggies....so I'm sooo into May (in my mind)!

I'll be back soon.

be well,
Nancy

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Something new!






I've been carrying a pattern around...back and forth to the shop for months waiting for just the right fabric. I would take it out at least once a week to see if I could find them...nope!


Then finally these from the collection L'Amour arrived and I knew I had found my match!




So what did I make? Stop by the shop and I'll show you...or wait until next time!




be well,




Nancy





Christmas Cats



For those that missed my Christmas cats from years past, my friends didn't want to disappoint this year. This year I was determined however to have lights on the tree! Rosebud felt she had to help me untangle them...some help!





If you look carefully you will see two of my friends checking out the pretty lights! Of course I had to confine them to the basement to get the lights on the tree without their assistance.











Finally another
"live" ornament
sitting
among the branches.


Well, I hope you all had as much fun over the holidays as we did with our buddies!



be well,
Nancy