Second Garden Walk

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday was another banner day here... Sunny and 75!!  Another walk in the garden was called for because different things were in bloom.  I LOVE this time of year.

Look at the color of this gorgeous tulip in my garden... there is a quilt in the waiting!

My lilacs are blooming and they are soooo fragrant!  I have three different varieties too.  This one is your regular old run of the mill lilac... simply stunning.  The last time I showed these beauties, they were just buds... click here to take a peek.

Remember the last walk through my garden?  Remember the height the peonies were?  Now look at them!  They are taking off.  Click here to see the last photo I took of them.

My dark, dark purple lilacs are just about to bloom.  These sit on a different side of the house than the first photo.  Those lilacs sit on the south side, which explains why they are blooming right now.

My pink azaleas are now in bloom!  Glorious!!

I am tickled pink that my cherry tree is blooming.  It suffered a bit of damage from the October storms.  The shape of the tree is somewhat of an L right now.  But I am okay with that because it looks just beautiful!!

This is my Kerria Japonica, the cultivar is Pleniflora.  I love these little pom-pom like flowers. This plant has grown so much over the years and graces the end of our driveway.  Nice to come home to when we are out.

Don't you just love this time of year???

Until Next Time...

Second Garden Walk

Between Heaven and Texas Blog Hop Tour... Giveaway and Star Tutorial

Hello Everyone,

Today is my day to introduce to you, my good friend, Marie Bostwick's newest book...

Between Heaven and Texas.

But along with that there are some other goodies too.  With each stop on the tour you will receive a new block to make.  The one below is mine.  

I call it Top of the Rainbow. 

 Note the similarities in the colors to the quilt on the cover of Marie's book!!

You can download the PDF for the star here.

Now onto the book...

Marie's book is just fabulous!  And this is not a biased statement.  I have read all her books from the Cobbled Court Quilt Series as well as this book too.  This book is sort of a prequel to the Cobbled Court Quilt Series.  The main character is Mary Dell, who was featured in her previous books. 

You will come to love and know Mary Dell so much more intimately in the book.  Learning more of her background and where she comes from just endears her more to you.  That said... I am keeping my mouth shut on the rest of the book.  I want you to read it for yourself... you will love it!!

Don't forget to visit all the other blogs for your chance to enter a book and also to grab some wonderful FREE star tutorials.

Oh... so one more thing.  I have been friends with Marie for quite some time.  I think I first met her in 2007 in the local quilt shop that was open at the time in my town.  Marie lives very close to me, so I do have the opportunity to see her.  

But each time she has a new book come out, I either go to her house or she comes to mine and I interview her on my podcast.  This book was no different.  You can hear her on my podcast...

You can listen on your computer by clicking here.  Or if you prefer you can download it from iTunes and listen on your iPod or other MP3 device, by clicking here.

Here are all the stops on the blog hop.

Monday, April 29 – Marie Bostwick
Tuesday, April 30 – Michele – Quilting Gallery
Wednesday, May 1 – Bonnie – Quiltville
Thursday, May 2 – Pat – Pat Sloan
Thursday, May 2 – Kim – Persimon Dreams
Friday, May 3 – Melissa – Happy Quilting
Saturday, May 4 – Jo – Jo’s Country Junction
Sunday, May 5 – Wendy – Ivory Spring
Monday, May 6 – Victoria – Bumble Beans Inc.
Tuesday, May 7 – Vicki – Quilting Lodge Blog
Wednesday, May 8 – Melissa/Jake – Generation Q Magazine
Thursday, May 9 – Jennifer – Sew Hooked
Friday, May 10 – Jackie – Canton Village Quilt Works

You can download the PDF tutorial for my block by clicking here.

or Find all the stars here with direct links to each Blog Hop post.

Want to help out a great cause while enjoying the great free patterns from Marie’s Blog Tour? Make an extra star block and donate it the The Linus Connection! Any and all 12″ star blocks are welcome!

Jennifer from SewHooked has been an active volunteer for The Linus Connection for over 10 years. To date, she has made and donated approximately 300 quilts and blankets since 2002, many of them made from orphan blocks donated by quilters from around the world from generous quilters like you!

The Linus Connection is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Austin, Texas whose mission is to make and deliver handmade security blankets for children in crisis situations in the Central Texas area. The blankets go to children in hospital emergency rooms, in crisis centers, in foster care, battered women’s shelters, to any child who is in need of a little extra security in their lives.

Contact Jennifer for mailing information at sewhooked@gmail.com or visit The Linus Connection blog to find out other ways you can help!

Now it's time for a giveaway.  One lucky reader will win a copy of Marie's book.  Just leave a comment on this blog post and tell me your favorite book.  The giveaway will be open until May 12th at 11:59 PM CST.  Good Luck! 

Don't forget...There's also a bonus giveaway if you complete the quilt top using the designer’s blocks and upload a photo to our Flickr group by September 1, 2013.  You’ll be entered to win an audio version of Marie’s new book. This version is due to be released sometime in September.

Best of luck to everyone!!

Comments are now closed.

Until Next Time...

Between Heaven and Texas Blog Hop Tour... Giveaway and Star Tutorial

Oh My Gosh... OMG!!!

Hello Everyone,

On Saturday, I taught the second to the last class of the Glacier Star Technique of the Month (TOM).  But what I really would like to say here is that I am just sooooo impressed with my students.  This is a wonderful group of ladies.  

They are dynamic, funny, accomplished, and just plain fun!  I really enjoy teaching them.  What I am most impressed with is ALL the color combinations that they had used for their Glacier Star Quilts.

I would like to share a few here, but I do have a full album to view by clicking here.

This one above is Lisa's.  She had the most completed because she is super excited about this quilt and I LOVE her enthusiasm!

This is Gloria's version.  I really like the greens and purples, they work so well together. She and Anne drive all the way from RI to take the class.  They are a super pair.

This is Anne's version.  She was having some neck problems during today's class so, she took it slowly, but managed to accomplish a bit.  

The classroom was buzzing all day and the design walls looks gorgeous!!!  This is a view from one side.

A view from the other side.  Don't you just love seeing all the quilts on the walls?  I know I do, it just makes me want to sit down and sew.

My students are also very hip and cool!  They come dressed to impress and aren't afraid of color.

Even the bottom of her shoes are colorful!

Here I am with this fabulous group of ladies!!  I just adore you all!  Thank you for being such a wonderful class to teach.

Until Next Time...

Oh My Gosh... OMG!!!

My 2 Baby Sisters

Hello Everyone,

No, I don't actually have 2 sisters... I have 2 brothers.  But My 2 Baby Sisters is the name of a new pattern/project that I started yesterday.

I am super excited about this one, for multiple reasons:

1.  I am using Kaffe Fassett Fabrics

2.  I am using Black and White Fabrics

3.  I am making a new Judy Niemeyer pattern

Three things that I absolutely adore!!!

Let's take the tour...

I started by pulling these fabrics from my shop.... Swoon!!! LOVE color!!

Did a bunch of cutting, and...

Voila!! This is not the layout, but I had to see how the pieces would make a LeMoyne star.  Fast and easy to paper piece... Wait until you see the rest of this quilt!

But I have to start sewing...  Hurry, Hurry!!

So, do you like using brights coupled with black and white fabrics as much as I do??

If you haven't tried and are interested you can find Kaffe here, Black and White here, and My 2 Baby Sisters here.

Stay tuned for more to come!!

Until Next Time...

My 2 Baby Sisters

It Is MY Month... YAY!! Come and Get Your FREE Aurifil Block of the Month!!

Hello Everyone,

I am so excited it is MY month for the Aurifil Block of the Month!!

I created a special block from Art Gallery's fabric line Rock and Romance using Aurifil Thread, just for you!!

But you also have the opportunity to get to know me a little better...

Nope this isn't the block, it is actually the very first quilt I made.  Yup that is right... take a look at those calico fabrics.  Whew, so glad that we are past those.  Although, they really did serve a purpose.  I no longer own this quilt.  I gave it to my college roommate after I made it.

How many of you still own your first quilt?

I bet you are wondering what this has to do with the Block of The Month?

Well, Pat Sloan interviewed me with some fun questions and I answered them all!  There are some great photos too.  You just have to pop on over to the Aurifil blog to grab the PDF for the Block of the Month and you can read the interview too.

You can also read about how Pat and I first met... face to face... funny!  

But the best part is grabbing the Block!  I named it Rock Around the Clock.  

I hope you like it...  You must watch the video too!  Classic!

Just click here to read the interview and grab the PDF.

Until Next Time...

It Is MY Month... YAY!! Come and Get Your FREE Aurifil Block of the Month!!

Spring Time In My Yard

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday was a glorious day here and I couldn't resist going outside and taking some photos of everything blooming.  This is a wonderful time of the year, with signs of life everywhere!! 

So come and join me for a pictorial tour of my yard in bloom.

I have two colors of Hellebores growing in my garden and they are looking beautiful!  This is the white one.

Here is the cranberry color.

Our flowering plum tree is looking pretty good.  I am quite surprised too as it was heavily damaged by the storms late last year.

Lemony yellow daffodils.

This azalea is my favorite color, pink... hot pink!!

Close up of the gorgeous blooms.

The vinca is blooming with periwinkle flowers.

White and yellow daffodils.

My star magnolias are not only in full bloom, but they are so fragrant I wish you could smell them through the computer.

My oh my... look at my weeping cherry tree.

Check out the blue sky!!

Even my lilacs are starting to bud!  Yippee!! I can't wait for them to bust open.

Look here... my peonies are pushing up through the mulch.

What is this??? Hmmmm... my daylilies have been someone's salad.  

Every year they get gnawed on, but this is why we have so many daylilies, they are hardy and bounce right back and bloom.  So the deer can go ahead and have some salad if they like... no worries here.

Look a next in our Fringe Tree (Old Man's Beard).  It is a little too high for me to take a pick.  I had to zoom in to get this shot.

A really great shot of the Hellebores.

As you can see I enjoyed the day!!  Isn't springtime glorious?  

What is blooming in your yard?

Until Next Time...

Spring Time In My Yard