Randomness...

Hello Everyone,

Just a few little notes of randomness...

This is me... I sometimes wear many hats and love everyone. Here are some that I am currently wearing:

Mom

Wife

Quilter

Long Arm Quilter (find me here)

Online Quilt Shop Owner (find me here)

Designer (find me here)

Blogger (find me here, here, here and here)

All of which I love! Wait, I said that already. These are only some of the hats that I wear. I would love to know how many hats that some of you wear and which are your favorites?

Yes, there are NEW batiks in my shop and more being added almost everyday. But the best part is that they are ALL on sale for $7.50 per yard through April 1!! Now is your time to stock up! Just click here to start shopping.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Sunshine here, but cold. They say that it is Spring, but I am not sure that I believe it yet.

Until Next Time...

Randomness...

Testing... 1, 2, 3... Testing...

Hello Everyone,

I am so excited, I am testing a new little something, that you will see at Quilt Market! I am having tons of fun.

These are my trimmings. I don't know why, but I love these! I know I have said it before too. I just wish I knew if there was something I could do with these trimmings. Do any of you do anything with your trimmings? I would love to know.

Here is a little sneak peek at what I am working on, can you see my color scheme here. Loving it!! Plus the fact that they are Kaffe fabrics is even better! But that is all I can show you right now, so make sure you stay tuned.

Speaking of staying tuned, the newest episode of my podcast is now available on iTunes for download or you can click here and listen right from your computer. Remember they are ALWAYS free!

I think you will like this one too. I discuss working with silk fabric and silk threads. My hope is to inspire you to try it for yourself. Let me know what you think and if you have ever worked with silks yourself. Enjoy!!

***Please VOTE... I am so honored, I have been nominated as one of the best online quilt shops AND one of the best long arm quilters for SewCalGal's Golden Quilter Awards!! Please take a minute to go and vote for me in both categories, if you agree. I would be humbled and honored to win in either. Thank you for your support! You can click right here to vote. Thank you!***

Until Next Time...

Testing... 1, 2, 3... Testing...

Tour Ireland Book Winners

Hello Everyone,

I thought you might like to know who won this wonderful book!!

The two winners from my blog are:

Barb from Bejeweled Quilts By Barb

And

Kim from Pokeytown Kim

Congratulations, ladies!! Just send me your addresses so that the books can be sent to you!

Remember if you didn't win, there is still time to get this lovely book for 25% off by clicking here.

Until Next Time...

Tour Ireland Book Winners

Immaculate Inspiration... Process

Hello Everyone,

When at Victoria's house, for her retreat, she had given each of us a little piece of some fabric that she designed on Spoonflower. It was a Virgin Mary (Lady of Guadalupe). So after finishing my paper piecing, I decided to play with her.

I took a dive into the scrap bins, not literally though. First bordering her with black fabrics to frame it up.

Being the bright lover that I am, I decided to go with brightly colored fabrics. Since Mary was hot pink, one of my favorite colors, that would be my jumping off point.

I pieced fabrics randomly, varying widths, into strips. using lime green fabrics as cornerstones.

Then I used another round of black background fabrics with brightly colored dots or motifs on them. Once again lime green for the cornerstones.

Then I needed to decide on the next round. I figured that free piecing would be fun and would be a perfect compliment. So, it began. Lots of brightly colored fabric, cut, sewn, cut again, and sewn again. Voila... two sides!!

Then to make a top and bottom with the same technique. But take a look at the cornerstones now...

Still lime green, but a little zinger of black fabric cut into them. Doesn't this piece go well with my fun pink LL Bean slippers? I love those slippers, very comfy!

So there you have it... I have officially named it "Immaculate Inspiration". That is really what she was and is. Now to quilt it and then bind it. Most likely the binding will be a fun black print too.

Until Next Time...

Immaculate Inspiration... Process

Did Someone Say Paper Piecing?

Hello Everyone,

Back in November, I had the opportunity to take another class with Judy Niemeyer, whose work I really admire. You can read about it here and here.

I took two classes and one of them was the Seasonal Table Runner. I really need to put something new on my kitchen table and thought this would be perfect. But I hadn't been able to get back to it until last weekend at Victoria's. Here is a chronicle of what is done...

The above photo is the three different components in the quilt. All the batiks were chosen from batiks in my shop. You can find them here. Even though they look quite Christmasy, these are my kitchen colors.

Thought you might like to see the back too. Judy's patterns ALL come with ALL the papers you will need to make the quilt. No photo copying needed!!

Here is what all three components look like when placed together.

Then the entire piece!! I love it, but I have to fix one thing before joining the components, bet you can't find it!!

So if you would like to give this one a try, you can purchase her patterns by clicking here. I know you will love them.

Also, if you have a minute, I am a guest blogger over at Victoria's today!! Go check it out and leave me a comment... I love them!!

Today is the LAST day to enter the GIVEAWAY for Pat's Sloan's beautiful new book. Just click here for the details.

***JAPAN - Please consider helping those in need. Stephanie has put a call out, I donated and would love it if you can too. Just go to Stephanie's blog and get all the details.***

Until Next Time...

Did Someone Say Paper Piecing?

Let's Get Our Green On, Tour Ireland, and Have a Giveaway!

Hello Everyone,

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Although I am not Irish, I sure could use a little green around here!! When my friend, Pat Sloan asked me if I wanted to review her newest book, I couldn't wait. This book is the perfect thing to whisk you away on a trip to Ireland. Very green too!! Not to mention the fact that there are wonderful projects from Pat in this book.

By the way, St. Patrick's day gives you a great excuse to turn some of your food green with food coloring and also start a new green sewing project! Dive into your green fabrics now and show us a little luck of the Irish.

So, let's take a little look at this book.

First off, it is sort of like a travel guide and project book all rolled into one. By the time you are done reading all about the stops that Pat and her group of quilter's made on their trip to Ireland, you really want to sit down and work on one of her projects. But more so, you want to go visit Ireland.... with Pat!

The book is fabulously written with gorgeous pictures and a day by day journal of the places that they visited and activities that they participated. The photos are fabulous!! Don't you just want to kiss the Blarney stone now! So, Pat did you kiss the Blarney stone?

Just look at the beautiful landscapes of Ireland, the buildings, flora, and fauna are well documented.

And they even had time to photograph Pat's quilt projects right there along their route in Ireland. How cool is that?

Don't you just love some of the projects?

But that is not all... Pat has two videos that you can watch about her trip!! Just click here and here to see all the fun!

I hope you have enjoyed your little peek into Pat's fabulous trip and have gotten a little green today! But that is not all!! There will be TWO winners of her book here and on every other blog that is featuring her book today. The giveaways will be open through Saturday when we will ALL draw 2 winners each.

So if you would like a copy, leave a comment here for your chance to win and then visit all my other blogging friends and leave comments there for additional chances. Here is the list:

Leisure Arts Blog

Pat Sloan

A la Mode Fabric

Mrs. Schmenkman Quilts

Me

The Happy Zombie

Crazy Mom Quilts

Pam Kitty Morning

Enjoy hopping around and good luck in the drawing!

Also, if you don't win this wonderful book, Leisure Arts is offering 25% off through the end of March. So now you have no excuse to put off that trip to Ireland!!

Just click here to go to their site!

***This giveaway is now CLOSED! Thank you to all who entered***

Until Next Time...

Let's Get Our Green On, Tour Ireland, and Have a Giveaway!

NY Beauties

Hello Everyone,

Knowing that many of you have read lots about our retreat over the past few days from all of our blogs, I wanted to do one more post that I know you ALL could appreciate.

We had a bit of a show and tell and I am going to tell you these ladies are just sooooo talented!!

First up, Andrea...

Her beautiful Rose quilt made as a wedding gift! If you are going to the Empire Quilt Guild show in a few weeks, keep your eye out for this one you may just see it there... wink, wink.

Karen had made this quilt as part of an AQS challenge... New Twist from an Old Favorite. She did a fabulous job and even has the piece count on this one!!

Bonnie shared her needle turn mosaic tiles. I was just enamored by them, simply gorgeous.

Oh, and what a treat this was... LeeAnn brought her beautiful Eyelash quilt with her. Let me tell you, it is so much more beautiful in person.

And Victoria's beautifully bright Star Splitter quilt is just one of my all time favorites! I love it! Keep your eye out for this one at the show too!

Helen brought along 3 quilted garments. She layered them on her body and with the help of a little music... they came off one at a time. The first one was a gorgeous Asian inspired vest.

The second was a beautiful reversible batik vest.

The third was a gorgeous crazy quilt vest complete with very meaningful embellishments.

Jessica had this jaw dropping star quilt. It is all English Paper Pieced and done so impeccably. Simply stunning!

Kim was channeling her inner Bard Owl... don't you think? How cute is this? Love it... hoot, hoot.

So there you have it a parade of NY beauties. Come back on Thursday for something extra special!!

Until Next Time...

***Don't forget ALL Art Gallery Fabrics are on sale for $7.15 per yard through March 18. Just click here to see these gorgeous fabrics***

NY Beauties