Happy Birthday Charlotte!!!

Happy Birthday to my beautiful daughter Charlotte! Actually her birthday was May 13th, and she and her husband and her stepson were in Hawaii enjoying some time off and a nice vacation. Just can't let it go by without wishing her a wonderful birthday month! Besides, I had to brag a little!! She is the BEST!!!

Spring Market!

While I was in Utah a few weeks ago, I saw this quilt in the Corn Wagon Quilt Co. store and fell in love with it. It is made completely of Kaffe Fasset fabrics which I love. So I collected more pieces to add to my collection so I could make my own version, but definitely with Kaffe Fasset fabrics. The pattern is called Cinnamon and Ginger by Allison Designs, and I am going to make my border in the shot cotton instead of a print. So here are the fat quarters I've chosen so far, and we shall see how it comes together, but I really liked the dark blue/purple shot cotton for the background. I'm so happy to have a bit of a break from Spring Market quilts, that I hope to sew up all kinds of quilts that are on the shelves waiting for me, and this one is high on the list!!

I am actually even finding time to read books and plant flowers, a couple of other favorite pastimes of mine. Right now? Life is good. Time on my hands is a good thing!!

It has been over 100 degrees for days, and little Roxy, who isn't so little anymore has had enough! We got home from a morning walk and she plopped down with all legs spread on the cool tile floor to cool off! She is a real mess!

This is the finished quilt I called "Earth's Windows" by a line called Mendicino by P&B Textiles. I'm anxious to hear what response it got at the show.

I'm going to share some exciting news I received 2 days ago about the next 3 quilts I designed for Benartex. They were all picked up by magazines from Spring Market. That has never happened before, and I'm excited to hear more details. But thought you might enjoy seeing them here for a sneak peak.

This one is from a line called Memoirs of a Geisha,

Flower Show 3,

and my favorite, True Blue by Eleanor Burns for Benartex. I got so inspired by finishing up all the quilts that I decided to change my sewing room up a little. Well, maybe alot. I had this extra couch that was in the den before we turned it into my husband's poker room. It stayed in the living room all winter, which made it nice and cozy, but I was dying to get a feeling of extra space in the living room for summer. So I had this wild idea that it should go into the sewing room! I got out the good old tape measure and before you knew it, my couch was standing on end because it wouldn't get through the door otherwise. Yes, I did this all by myself, because well, when I get something in my head, I just can't wait!!! It's not a real heavy couch, and with lots of manuevering and leverage I managed to finally get it into the right spot, and there you can see that I have my own couch for stretching out and doing hand work right in the sewing room! When I told my husband what I was up to all he could do was laugh on the phone.

I think he knows by now that where there's a will there's a way!!

So here it is and I love it! Couldn't be more perfect! Roxy is still not so sure!

See you soon. Keep quilting!

I'm Back!

I went to the mail box yesterday, to find my newest Hancock's catalog, and while browsing through the pages last night, I found two of my Benartex patterns! I was so surprised and excited to see them there! These patterns will be shown at Spring Market too, and you can order them through Hancocks now. You just never know what will happen next!
You will find these on pages 96-98. I included a copy of the front of the catalog so you can know which one to look for.

With Spring Market almost here, I am done with all the work, but for one more quilt to finish when the last piece of fabric is due to arrive today!!! I just have to finish piecing an almost completed top, quilt and bind and ship directly to Pittsburg! This last one is a last minute quilt to be sure, but it will be one of my favorites in the show. It's for the new True Blue line by Benartex, designed by Eleanor Burns. I went on an unexpected trip to Utah for 4 days last week, and many of my friends helped me out so I could go. I'd been working many hard and long hours for weeks and the break was just wonderful. I don't know what I would do without such wonderful friends. True friends are surely hard to find, and I am so grateful. My husband John pitched in too, helping with the house and laundry, (yes, I said laundry), he is a real KEEPER!!! After so many 2 am nights, I never thought I'd catch up on my sleep again, but here we are, so close to market and I can give a huge sigh of relief that it is almost over! This was really rewarding though, as the designs keep coming, and I'm excited to say, I think I am starting to improve. It feels good.

Here is a sneak peak of some of the blocks that are being finished today into a complete quilt. I love this blue/yellow colorway in Eleanor Burns newest fabric line. Again, it is called True Blue, and I'm seeing it on magazine pages already.

Here is the newest edition of Fons and Porter, and when it came, I found that my latest design for Quilting Treasures was already being published. They are selling this kit in the magazine, and the pattern is free on the http://www.quiltingtreasures.com/ website, just go to free projects.

There is so many exciting things happening lately. This one is top secret until May 15th. This is a sneak peak of what's coming, but I can't tell you yet or I'll have to kill you!!!

The quilt on the longarm is for Benartex and will be showing at Market too. It is an oriental line called Memoirs of a Geisha. Beautiful fabrics, and a totally new design.

I'm sending a snapshot of a quilt I am really excited about. This is Mendicino line by P&B Textiles, and I call it Earth's Windows. It is NOT your Grandmother's attic window design. The only reason I can show you the quilt in progress is because it is at a distance, and you just can't get the effect without seeing it all at once. The borders are not on yet, and I'll send finished pics of these after market.

This is a quilt shop we found on our way to Salt Lake City, Utah. It is in Springville off of I-15, and is called Corn Wagon Quilt Co. This is one of my favorite shops, but we hit a bunch of them, further north. Pine Needles, and Quilts, Quilts Quilts, Etc was another favorite. Even The Scrap Apple in St George on the way home. I'll have to show you the bounty in my next postings. Utah was beautiful with blooming tulips everywhere you looked and snow capped mountains, and blooming trees in purples and pinks. The weather was wonderful and cool, and honestly, it has taken me 2 days just to reacclimate myself to the desert! It will be in the 90's today, and I'm thinking " Wait---it's only May for cryin out loud"!!!
These tulips were so beautiful and in all kinds of colors all over Provo and Salt Lake City. We went to a Women's Conference at BYU and it was fabulous. I loved every minute of it. My friend Tina invited me along and we had the best time, taking classes, eating, quilt shop hopping, eating, sleeping and shopping. Did I mention eating? The best food ever. Now I am going to have to make up for lost time to get in shape for my son's wedding!!! I have 6 weeks! Yikes!

Here is another shop we enjoyed called Elaines Quilt Shop outside of Provo.

The UPS man just arrived with my overnight package. I must now get back to work!!! Only one more!

Missed you all! Keep quilting!

Working on Spring Market!!

I miss you all so much, but am so busy working on the Spring Market jobs. I still have 5 more quilts to complete by May, so time is of the essence and I really would like to be blogging and visiting all your sites!!!! Miss you guys and love all your stuff, I will be checking in on you as soon as I'm able. Just trying like crazy to NOT STRESS and work steady, get the jobs done and be a happy girl!!! LOL!!! I'll send you some sneak peaks real soon so you can see what I've been up too. I have been working on some great projects so stay tuned for sure!!! I have an attic window that is definitely NOT your Grandmother's attic window!!! I am so excited about it and getting such great responses already!!!

Hugs to you all, I'll be back soon!!!!!

Let's go Sailing!!!

I can't think of a better thing to do today, than to go sailing out on the warm ocean with the breeze in my hair, watching the sunlight glint off of the water and smelling all that salty sea air. I grew up on the coast, sometimes I really miss it. The moist air, the sun on my skin, the sound of the waves and the seagulls overhead. Sounds like heaven right now!!! I found this picture today and it just took me back. Instantly. I always thought I'd like to retire in Moro Bay. They have a great quilt shop, so with all the beautiful flowers and green grass, why, all I'd need is a picket fence!!!
But since we live in the desert instead, we have great sunsets and a different kind of beauty on the mountains and on the desert floor. I like it here too, just need to see that ocean once in awhile.
The trip to St George, UT was a great success and the weather was wonderful. It was a really relaxing day which I was in desperate need of, and Roxy just makes me feel like I don't know how to relax at all! Look at her, paws were crossed before I got the camera and she doesn't have a care in the world!!!! LOL!!! But back to St George. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Bear's Paw and starting hopping from quilt shop to quilt shop and mostly just looked and admired, but I found a few things too that I had really been searching for. A great sale once in awhile didn't hurt either!!!

I found the prettiest panels by Quilt Soup, and the grand daughters have a birthday coming up, so, well they just seemed perfect. I got different borders for each (they are twins) and I hope I get them done in time for birthdays, but if not, there is always Christmas!! They will be 9 this year and the sayings were perfect.

I absolutely love Fig Tree everything, so I got their newest book and some patterns. I have so much fabric I've been saving to make with patterns from Fig Tree, and can hardly wait to get started. I promised myself I'd finish some BOM's first.

I discovered today that P&B has my Sophie's Squares quilt pattern up on the site now!! This is the quilt before I sent it off. If you go to http://www.pbtex.com/ and click on free patterns, it is one of the first patterns there!!! This was such a fun little quilt to make. Cheerful colors.

Like I said before, I promised myself to to finish up some work. I actually spent time this weekend working on a quilt I've been trying to finish for over a year. I'm getting very close! I hope I like it when I get it all put together, as there is alot of green going in between the blocks!

These are some of the green panels that go with the blocks! Amazing, they don't even look like they belong to the same quilt!!!

Tomorrow there is much to do, and darn it, sailing is not going to be on the list!!! But I hope to get alot done and get one step closer to finishing the work for Spring Market. More fabric is also on the way, so I'm going to do my best to take it one day at a time!!! Famous last words. So happy sailing and keep quilting!!

Sneak peaks at new market stuff!!

Well, I got two tops completed today, and they are ready for the longarm room. Roxy and Peanut were helping me out today in the sewing room, and they had plenty to say about what was going on in there! The wind was blowing like crazy today and they stayed inside for the most part! Usually their backs are turned to me while they look out the window to see who's walking by!

I have some sneak peaks of blocks to share with you, the blue with the African ladies are doing their wash, and this is the cutest line called Labor of Love by Quilting Treasures.

I have a couple of blocks to show you from the Sketchbook collection by P&B Textiles also. These blocks are easy, and would work great with any line, but I love the bright colors of them. You know me and color!! I love pastels, but I always seem to go stronger and stronger in my fabric choices.

This next picture shows a beautiful quilt made by my friend Karen, and she asked me to longarm quilt it for her. That fabric was just georgeous and I love the Storm at Sea blocks. She added sashing, so I tried to make each block stand out. Isn't that border fabric just to die for? And blue and white ALWAYS works!!

Tomorrow I am headed to St George with friends to eat, shop, visit and just get away together, imagine that, a real day off!!! Should be fun. I'm anxious to see what's new in the quilt shops right now, and enjoy good food with friends. I'm saying my prayers also for my dear friend, whose husband is having major surgery tomorrow. I pray that all goes well, and she knows who I'm talking about. So on that note, I will end this for now, and talk to you soon. I saw a really great quote today that I will share with you,

"Any day spent quilting is a good day"

Spring Weather is here.

It is suppose to be in the 80's by tomorrow and I have all the doors and windows open to enjoy the great fresh air. Here are the slackers of the household, enjoying a beautiful spring day, snoozing. Hmm, that use to be my quilt, but then who's really noticing that?!!! Roxy is getting older, which really hasn't changed her puppy ways too much, but she does enjoy a nice afternoon snooze!

Peanut doesn't want to feel left out of course, so she decided to join in on a rest from the tough dog life she leads. Are we spoiled or what?

I'm sure many of you know about the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, which of course I love and have read all four books twice so far. Yes, I did say "so far". This is her latest book out, called "The Host". I love her writing, but I have to warn you, it is tough getting started on this one, but once you get through the first few chapters, this book will hold you like a vise while you read. I am about 3/4th of the way through, and I'm enjoying the story so much. Very suspenseful love story, but nothing so far like Twilight. The Twilight DVD comes out this Sat. I already have one ordered. I use to tell people I never read anymore, but Stephanie's writing just grabs me and won't let go. Have any of you read it yet?

Well, in my last post I said I want to make a table runner once a month. So far, I have the fabrics and the ideas, just no sewing in the works yet for me. Lots of company projects are just getting in my way!!! I planned to sew this weekend, but the weather was just too nice, and I couldn't stay inside. This line is the new Fig Tree line, and when you go to Moda Lisa, listed to the right on my favorites, you can get this free pattern, which is the one I'm going to use for this tablerunner. The line is called Pastierre, if I spelled that right, and I love the colors as usual. Joanna at Fig Tree just has a way with color, doesn't she?

This is a border print I discovered in a shop last month and I decided to make a simple table runner out of it using the border stripe to do all the work for me!! I love the bee hives and birdhouses and these colors will look great in my great room, no pun intended there!! LOL!!!

Do you remember those watercolor quilts we all use to make? I loved those things, they were great for scraps too, but took a long time to lay out. I think it was worth the effort though. This is one I did that I love to have out in the spring. It suppose to look like a flower box under a window.
Years ago when I thought I couldn't quilt, because of my RA, and I didn't know about longarms back then, I taught tole painting classes and this is one of the few pieces I have left. I brought out some of the Easter decorations since Easter is less than a month away!

I tried again, to turn this pic, but with no success, so forgive me for the sideways glance, but these are wool felt eggs that I machine embroidered for Easter. They were alot of fun to make, and if you have any embroidery software, you can come up with your own designs and just stuff an egg!!!!

Yes, Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill, I do love bunnies too. This is an old favorite that comes out for Spring. It just wouldn't be the same without her!!!

Until next time, keep quilting!