Monday, October 25, 2010

Where does all my time go?

There's so much I want to do and not near enough time to do it.  No matter how well I manage my time, I still don't feel like I'm accomplishing enough.  I am constantly pulled back and forth between the things I need to do...like cooking and cleaning...versus the things I want to do...like watching my favorite tv shows. 

And when it comes to quilting, what projects I work on is no exception.  Right now I have three need to do projects and a few gazillion want to do projects.  I can't show you "need to" #1 right now because it's in mid-finish mode and not quite ready to be shown.  But here are my other two"need to do's"...

Here's "need to do" #2, a Lilly Apron in Prayer Flag fabric by Arpil Cornell.  This is a sample for the shop that hopefully will be done tonight.  I think the fabric is just perfect for this project.


"Need to do" #3 is a mix of Minnick & Simpson, Three Sisters, and other fabrics found around the shop to make this Lost Ships quilt from Kaye England's book Scrappy Patches, Pinwheels and more!  This quilt will become a quilt kit for the shop so stay tuned.



Now for my "want to do's"...or at least my most recent additions to the "want to do" list.  While at the shop last week, I came across this fantastic book...Star Savvy Laps from Fats by Ellen Replogle!  I can't believe I had never come across this book before.  It's awesome!  And what's best about it is all the quilts are made from fat quarters.


Here's are two of the projects I have already decided that I "want to" make!  First is this beauty...Star in a Star.  For this quilt I selected a combination of Maison de Garance by French General , Park Avenue by Three Sisters and other miscellaneous prints.


Next is Star Whimsy...when I saw this quilt in the book, I immediately knew I wanted to make it with Barbara Brackman's new fabric line called Arnold's Attic.  It was just meant to be.


I actually have several more projects that I'd like to do in this book but for right now two will have to do. 


So now what I want to know for you is...how do you fit it all in?  How do you have it all without losing your mind?  Do you ignore your household duties?  Do you make your family fend for themselves?  Do you give up television...or maybe a social life?

I'd love to hear how y'all do it because I could use some help...SERIOUSLY!

P.S.  I'm heading to Quilt Market in Houston on Thursday.  Anyone else going?

Friday, October 22, 2010

118 fabrics & 5,543 pieces later...

...the Elizabeth Crockett quilt is complete.  I'm calling it "Ode to Elizabeth".  To help me show off my new beauty, I hired four "models."  They were slow to start...not really interested in "the process."  They just wanted to lay around...must've had too much fun prowling about the night before.



Then when they finally began to stir, all they wanted to do was play.

    


I was only able to get one usable shot!  I guess that's the risk you take when you "hire" models.



In the end I had to go home and put up the drop stand to get a shot of the quilt. 
Without further ado, here is my "Ode to Elizabeth."


Thursday, October 21, 2010

A Giveaway Worth Checking Out


Green Fairy Quilts is having an awesome giveaway
Go check it out and be sure to tell Judi I sent you...purty please.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Book Giveaway Winner!

It's time to announce the winner of the Big Book of Scrap Quilts giveway! 
The random number generator has chosen...




Congratulations Becky!  Email me with your mailing information and I will get it out to you the next mailing day.

For those of you that are still interested in this fantastic book, you can find it at Amazon starting at $16.79 and if you check your local JoAnn's you just mind find it there like I did.  I promise this book is worth every penny!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Woot Woot!


211 Followers!!!


I can't freakin' believe it!  When I decided to participate in the Fall into Fall giveaway, I figured I get a few new followers but I never imagined that I'd double my followers.  Y'all rock!

In celebration of reaching 200, how about another giveaway?  Y'all aren't sick of giveaways yet, are ya?  I know I'm always game for a giveaway!

Here's what you have a chance to win...my all time favorite book...


320 pages and 75 patterns of SCRAPPY goodness!  Here are just a few of the patterns in this book
...all of which are on my "to do" list.


 
This giveaway is open to current followers ONLY...you 211 Blogger Followers to be exact...including you international gals!

If you would like a chance to win, simply leave a comment on this post letting me know you'd like to own this book...'cause I don't want to draw the name of someone that doesn't really want this most fantastic book.  I'd also love to hear what you love about scrap quilts!

I'll select and announce the winner this Wednesday!  Good luck!

P.S.  If you're looking for the winners announcement for the Fall into Fall Giveaway, go here.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Trick or Treat!

A show of hands...how many of you followed the Fall-O-Ween Blog Hop? 

I had a great time visiting each designer's blog.  And there were sooooo many cute freebies generously given out during this blog hop that I almost couldn't decided which to do first.  In the end I decided to go with Linda Lum deBono's Trick or Treat wallhanging. You can find the pattern here.


As you can see I made a few changes to the original design to really make it mine.  I remove the large cornerstones and added more small squares, placing them  into a Trip Around the World arrangement.  I also used colored button for the center of the eyes instead of the black applique centers.

Over at Flickr the designers created a group for people to post pictures of their projects made from the freebie patterns.  You can check it out here.

Well...back to cutting out the Luna Note quilt.  Have a happy happy happy day!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Where to start...

There's so much to talk about today!  I apologize in advance for lack of theme here.  If I weren't so lazy I'd make seperate posts for all the different things I want to share today...like I said...if.

Anyway.

First, my Fall into Fall Giveaway post has reached 285 comments as of this morning!  That's just 15 comments away from a 3rd giveaway being added.  I've been working on putting the giveaway prize(s) together so stay tuned. 

And it's time for me to admit something.  I am completely overwhelmed by the shear number of comments that have been left so far.  It is my greatest desire to answer each of you back personally but I'm not sure if I have to stamina to do it.  So I hope you will forgive me if you don't get a reply back.  Just know I wish you the best of luck in the draw...and will happily respond to your comments left on any other post.

Now I want to show you a Schnibble I finished this morning.  Here is Darcy made with two charm packs of Renewal by Brannock & Patek.  Renewal has to be my favorite B&P line that they've designed.  I can't even begin to count all the yards I've bought of this line.


For those of you that have been following me for a while...remember my Snowmen A to Zzzzz?  When I last posted about this WIP...January 26th!...I had completed A, B, C, D, E & F, G, and O.  Well I finally pulled it out again and managed to get another block done yesterday evening.  Here is H is for Holly...


Onto new projects...the ADD in me LOVES starting new projects!  Here are the fabrics for a project that I'll begin cutting today...a mix of Luna Note by Three Sisters and others from around the shop.  These lovelies will become another Carrie Nelson quilt...one from Miss Rosie's Spice of Life Quilts.  Can you guess which one?


Now for the project I'm most excited to start!  A while back Jill of The Quilt Rat posted about dying black and white prints...an idea that would never have occurred to me...not in a million years.  Well after a exchanging a few emails back and forth with Jill, I'm taking the plunge and going to try it.  I and my BFF Donna, together, purchased a bunch of fat quarters and 28 different Jacquard Textile Paints.


The plan is to dye this weekend in the backyard while the weather is still warm here.  We're still in the mid 80's here.  For those of you that might be interested in trying this out, Jill also has a great tutorial for gradated dyeing.  It's worth checking out.


Ok...I'm off to start cutting out the Luna Note quilt and to start putting together my braid quilt.  I've been dragging my feet for two weeks now and that braid quilt NEEDS to be completed...for my sanity. 

Stay tuned.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

A visit to the Town & Country Quilt Show

Good day everyone!

Before I talk about the recent show I attended and all my fantastic finds that day, I just want to say "WOW"...197 comments so far on Friday's giveaway post!  I am completely overwhelmed with happiness and the thought of responding to each of you personally.  But if you'll be patient I'm going to try. 

I've also decided to add to the giveaway by putting together another package of goodies for a second winner!  And here's where you come in.  If you were to hand select a giveaway just for you, what would it be?  What do you like winning?  Handmade items, precuts, patterns, fabric yardage?

I'll give y'all some time to think about it and comment on this post the things you'd like to win.  Then I'll do some "shopping" in my quilt room, using some of your suggestions, and come up with giveaway prize #2.  If I reach 300 comments, I'll add another giveaway prize and so on.


Now onto to the quilt show I attended on Friday.  It was a small show but there were some real gems I'd like to share.

  

This first photo is the guild's raffle quilt and I just loved it and it was hand quilted!  Picture number 3 is a quilt that has been on my To Do list for some time now.  Maybe I'll get to it in 2011.  Pictures 4 and 5 are of a quilt that's nine-patches finished at 1 1/2".  It was amazing.  I would have lost my mind piecing all those tiny blocks!

Also at this show was a quilters' yard sale put on by the guild members.  And searching through their stuff I found these gems!



I couldn't be more excited about these finds.  Picture #1 is of some Aunt Martha's quilt patterns.  I didn't even know they made them.  The magazines in picture #2 are from 1977 and 1979.  The Quilter's Newsletter Magazine was a whole 35 pages!  I just had to buy them because I thought they were cool and let's be honest, they are a little bit of quilting history.  One in picture #3 is from 1973...I was 3 when it was published!  And the last photo are patterns from one of my favorite designers Lori Smith of From My Heart to Your Hands.

And lastly, I couldn't leave the show without some new embroidery patterns from my favorite designer Meg Hawkey of Crabapple Hill Studio.  I can't wait to do Hocuspocusville for next Halloween.


Well I'm off now to do some quilting.  Hopefully I'll have something to share within a day or two.  Don't forget to leave me a comment about the things you like to win in giveaways.

Ciao y'all.

Friday, October 1, 2010

Today is the Day!

Comments are now closed.  

Congratulations to

Kristy of Lovely Linen Bee
Weatherbee of A Needle Pulling Thread
Deb of Deb's Doodling
Kim D. of Live Well, Love Much, Laugh & Quilt Often 

Thank you to everyone who participated.  I wish I could have given each of you a prize.


Good day ladies and gents.  The Fall into Fall Quilters Blog Giveway is finally here! 
For my giveaway I'm offering Strip-Favorites by Suzanne McNeill, 8 Fall fat quarters, and an assortment of 10 Fall pictures squares cut from a panel.


Everyone is eligible to win. There are two ways to get a chance...
  1. Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite favorite thing about reading blogs is. 
  2. Become a follower and leave a second comment telling me you've done so.  If you are already a follower just leave me a second comment saying so.
Check back on October 15th when the winner will be chosen via random number generator. 

NOTE:  Please make sure that I have a way to contact you.  If your a "no reply" person and I cannot email you, I will have no choice but to select another winner...and I really don't want to have to do that.

Now I hope y'all are comfy and have some snacks and your favorite drink near you because there are 142 other bloggers and 8 quilt businesses lined up for this two weeks of giveaway mayhem!  To find them simply click on the scarecrow on my sidebar which will lead you to all the other blogs.

Good luck to y'all!  See you on the 15th...or sooner.

EDITED TO ADD:  I've decided to add to the giveaway by putting together another package of goodies for a second winner!  If I reach 300 comments, I'll add another giveaway prize and so on.