Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Spring Time.....New Purse Time....and Moon Music Time!!:)



Remember that apron I made for work using "Authentic"....well I had a bit of it and Don's black Levis leftover and thought they would make a great bag.

My online pal Amy blogged about this great DIY Bag Lover site that has all kinds of generously donated tutorials and I found a shoulder bag tut by Melissa on her blog "Tiny Happy" and cutting commenced!

A back pocket from the Levis here, a watch pocket from same pants there, a zipper, large button and green flower lining fabric there and WhoooHoooo....new Spring bag!


Inside there are two side pockets and a zipper pocket for my wallet.


The big Levis pocket will hold my cell phone and I put some of the black denim on the bottom so I don't have to worry too much about it looking grungy....now I need to clean out my old bag...Ugh!

This past Friday we headed over to The Döner Bistro (where Maria works) to eat some great German food and listen to some fantastic music ala Moon Music. My good pal Mary Alyce is in the center....we have know each other since our kids were in Preschool together!:) She is an amazing singer as are her fellow band members. Thanks for a great time.....hope you all play there again soon!;)

And then there is this picture...my mom-in-law decided we girls needed something to keep us warm, hence the Snuggies and our best three-headed Smurf impression.... Maria and my nephew think we look good?;o
~d

Sunday, March 28, 2010

A Calendar for The Cure!

I know you all have seen this quilt before but now here is the middle of its story....it will soon be in a calendar that is now for sale and all the proceeds go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Here is a rough draft of the profile that will be included on the month with this quilt...

“Pink Fairy Tales” Created by the Old Red Barn Quilt-Along. When we asked Dana Bolyard if she would make a quilt for Simply Pink, she recruited 53 quilters from around the world to pitch in. The result is an astounding five pink quilts! “Pink Fairy Tales” was pieced by seven of those quilters, and quilted by Dolores Goodson, whose mother and mother-in-law are both survivors! "

The other quilts will be in the calendar too....if you would like one here is the link to the order form. The deadline for the first printing is April 1st...hopefully there will be another printing in case you miss this one.

These lovelies will also be auctioned off in the Fall...I will let everyone know as soon as I hear the details.



We have all been touched by this...please help find a cure.
xo
~d













































































We Came, We Saw, We Shopped!!

Morning….early morning….5:30 AM early morning…I was out on the road to meet up with Dena and then head up to Lancaster, PA for the AQS show and our first meeting with Heidi and Tracy…new pals from the ORBC.

Sending out our love and appreciation for Dana and the whole Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along community because without ORBC we wouldn't have been here together enjoying some extraordinary stitching and of course...fabric shopping!
It was amazing...just like when I met Dena for the first time, meeting H and T was like meeting up with old friends, no awkwardness or embarrassed babbling...just four old pals getting together to see some amazing quilts and hopefully get some new ideas.

Tracy and I showed the proper tummy rubbing technique on Little "E" and whizzed through the convention room OOooooing and Ahhhaaaing all over the place....then onto the real reason we were here....fabric shopping!
After the quilt show we went to Intercourse, PA to continue the fabric shopping mania but first we needed to refuel so we went to Stolzfus Meats Deli for some fortification and then off to Zook's Fabric, The Old Country Store and several other shops.
A Quilter's favorite word "SALE"!!;)

Tracy and Heidi doing their best Vanna White impression!
My haul.... Flat folds $2.29 per yard+ off the bolt $3.49 per yard+ Kona solids $3.59 per yard= 38 yards of fabric for less than $3.oo per yard and Happiness!!
Dena, Tracy and Heidi....thanks for a fantastic day of fun, friendship and fabric! <3 :)
I still think Dena's idea of a ORBC retreat is an idea that needs to be cultivated!! Who agrees with me?:)

And to top it all off...Dena and I arrived back in time for me to see the West Virgiania Mountaineers beat Kentucky to make it into the Final 4 for the first time in 51 years....since Jerry West was on the team...and would you believe his son Jonnie is a member of the team!:) Sounds like a good luck charm to me!:)


~d










Saturday, March 20, 2010

Another Fun Day at Work...

The first thing we do at work is fill orders. I love that job, it is so fun to see what everyone is buying around the world and I do mean around the world because Webfabrics ships everywhere!! Well, the first order I was given was a rainbow bundle of batiks. We didn't have any more so I had to make one....of course while making one I had to make five more so we would have them in the shop! Needless to say I worked on that one order all morning.....

....but it was sooooo much fun!
Happiness in a rainbow bundle
of batiks!!:)
Here's a look at my lastest mini...this one is 6"-11" made for my partner Naomi in the Mini QT Swap....that's a new name, it was called the 6"-12"mini quilt trading swap...a bit of a mouthful so they changed it....get it? "QT"....cutie!;)
But I think I'll be resting my sewing hands for a few days....did some pruning for the first time this year...didn't wear gloves.
~d

Thursday, March 18, 2010

My Sewing Machine has been Happy and so has my Mailbox!

Slate is happy too!
My mailbox is happy because I received a package from my pal Marguerite in England...I won her generous giveaway and this is my looty!! I plan on using the panel in my next quilt and the bookmark is already in my latest read! Thanks Marg!! xoxo :)


This is why my sewing machine is happy...
Last month I started working at Webfabrics and I like to keep a pen and wee notebook with a cutting measurement cheatsheet so when I, for example, cut 1/3 of a yard of fabric I know I need cut 12" and to put .333 on the label. I didn't like keeping these in my pockets so I decided to make myself an apron. I bought some Authentic canvas and cut up an old pair of Don's Levis for pockets and now I'm like a mama kangaroo with plenty of pocket space for everything. I have enough fabric leftover to make myself a bag....that will save me from buying one!;)

I also finished my Pac-Man quilt....so called because some of the big circles look like Pac-Man eating the little circles. This quilt is Round 4 of the Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along and was lead by the lovely and talented Heidi.

This is the back, used two of the squares I didn't use on the front here. The binding is a lovely green flower....


...that goes with the little bit of green on some of the appliqued circles....you can just see a bit here.





This is a better photo...Slate is pointing to the bit of green on the quilt. He is helpful like that!:) My first foray into the world of applique wasn't too bad...now if I muster up the courage to try paper piecing!;o


But for now it is time for Round 5....
Pinwheels!
~d













Saturday, March 13, 2010

WVU...2010 Big East Champs!! Wish We Were There!!


WhoooooHOOoooooooo!!! The Mountaineer Basketball team is the Big East Champs for 2010....bring on the NCAA Tournament!!


This young man in the #1 was the MVP of the tournament. Senior Da'Sean Butler had the winning basket to beat Cincinnati 54-51, the winning basket to beat Notre Dame 53-51 and the winning basket to beat Georgetown 60-58!! There is some major celebrating going on in Morgantown!!






Last April we were lucky enough to be able to attend Maria's Puppetry Class final performance. It was highly entertaining. One of the students in the class was none other than Da'Sean himself...can you pick him out in the picture?;) Maria is just to the left. I need to get her to upload a video of her final project so you all can see it....needless to say we were very proud!!

Country Roads never sounded sweeter!!
Go 'Eers!!
~d




























Never Was a Mailbox So Stuffed!

This was a most delightful day for checking the mailbox. It was stuffed to the gills not only with six, yes six, credit card offers, several bills and two local newspapers but also with two lovely packages. One for me and one for Maria!

My package was from Kate who was my secret partner in the Doll Quilt Swap 8 and some fantastic extras...stay away from my notecards Maria! This wee quilt (18"square) is not to be believed, the colors, the textures, the quilting, the curved binding all done to perfection and it is already hanging in my bedroom! Thanks sooo much Kate!!
Maria's package was from the ever adorable Lynz and her Chookie. I will let Maria tell what she received...so heartfelt and perfect Lynz and Holly....so perfect! But also in this package was a gift for me! Chocolate bunnies and a Loud Shouty Mummy Mix cd!!:) Ah...new quilting music...and that is an empty wrapper...Yum! THANKSSSSSSS!!




In Lynz's last post she has lovely photos of her home all spiffy and ready for Easter...I got to feeling guilty because I haven't put anything out so I dug into the dark recesses of our closet and pulled out a few things. James made the paper egg at the top of the tree in '92!! My only other concession to Spring is replacing the dark handtowels over our glasses and spices with pastel plaid ones. See the cookie jar with the yellow lid and blue truck? Don and I bought that a week after we were married. I treasure it!;)



Not only am I receiving wonderful packages I am sending things too. I made 9 of these itty bitty squares for the 6"-12" mini trading swap. This group swaps out mini quilts and 3.5" squares once a month. You can sign up every month or once in a while...no pressure!:)
This month nine people signed up for the Spring Fling 3.5" swap and we all agreed to make one for everyone then when we have all of our squares we can make a mini sampler quilt. Great idea!!
In that same swap I signed up for the 6"-12" mini quilt. You are given a partner and it isn't a secret this time. But I don't want her to see what she is getting yet...so her mini is peeking out from the other three I made just for fun!:) I don't know if you can see from the photo but the centers are x-stitched. I love making small stuff!

Well, the snows are finally melting...because now it is raining!! But that's ok, we can finally see the daffodils poking out their green shoots.
And when it rains....kitties get cozy and snooze!
Ahhh...happiness!!
~d





Friday, March 5, 2010

Pink Fairy Tale for Team Tiara

This is a masterpiece created by a group (Old Red Barn Co. Quilt-Along) created by....Dana!! Our faithful leader was asked by Team Tiara if she could make a quilt for their "Quilts for a Cure" project. Dana put the challenge up to us asking if we could donate squares for her to make a quilt or two...well...those donations swelled to SIX quilts! Dana is one smart lady and after piecing two of the quilts realized that she needed a little help from her new friends and I was one of the lucky people who received a "Quilt-in-a-Box" in the mail. Fifteen awesome squares, batting, backing and fabric for sashing/binding. The squares were joyfully donated by Heidi, Caron, Brittany, Donna, Tracy and Ms Stephens.
I had an odd number of squares to work with so I put one on the back and I also used part of a duvet cover I bought on sale from Urban Outfitters for the backing....I still have enough to make a couple more lap quilts from that duvet!:) Yes, we still have plenty of snow on the ground!




I did some wavy line quilting down the middle and on the sides but didn't want that on the awesome corners so I....I can't believe I did this...but I outline the corner squares! The binding is lovely white dots on black...perfect to frame this quilt.
Some of the donated quilts will be photographed for a Quilt Calendar and in October all of them will be auctioned off on ebay and all the proceeds will go to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Research. Now it is time for me to pack this quilt up and mail it to Texas.
I am honored to have been able to help out and I do so in honor of my mom and mom-in-law who are survivors and my new pal Lynne of Oz who is knocking that crap out of her system right now!! YeeeeHaaaaa!! And thanks to all my fellow quilters at ORBC....you all ROCK!!:)



They think they own our road...I think they are right!:)
~d


Monday, March 1, 2010

"Just Dandy"

"Just Dandy" by Ruth Powers of Carbondale, KS (41"x41")...one of my favorites.

The weekend didn't start out that great (see past post) but Saturday morning dawned clear and full of potenial. My mom, sister and I went to our first quilt show in Hampton, VA. I was basically overwhelmed. I didn't really know what to expect...and I was not disappointed!:)

What made this show extra exciting was the fact that the quilt shop where I work was one of the vendors. Carly was kind enough to give me a pass and the first thing we did on entering the show was go see Webfabrics' setup. WOW!

Talk about impressive! Carly has these wonderful black metal shelving units, the tops were filled with 1/2 yard and FQ bundles, the bottoms were covered with baskets filled with yard cuts of basics, blenders and collections. I was in awe! Especially since I knew Carly brought all that down in a very large van!:)

And every time we walked by the Webfabrics spot it was always crowded with very happy customers and a very happy Carly and Nancy, Carly's helper extraordinaire! That's them above the K. Fasset sign, helping their adoring customers!:)
But the best part of the weekend, other than being with my mom and sister at our first quilt show, was meeting Greta (Gretters_h on the ORBC Flickr group) and her parents! Dana...look how many people your quilt-along has brought together! Greta's dad was nice enough to drive us all to lunch...lucky man with all those women...or should I say brave?!:)

We all chatted and got to know each other a bit and yes Greta...you can call me Dee!:) Greta gave me a lovely gift you see it there on the left...can you believe that paint-by-numbers fabric? Awesome!!:) And Meadow Sweet....I know a certain store that has some of that very fabric...now I have an excuse to buy some!!:) And my sweet mom bought me a couple of quilt pins for my soon to be made apron for work....I need the pockets!:) It was such a fun day! Thanks all!!

Sunday was extra special too because my husband and I headed to Richmond to spend the afternoon with our son. Sure do miss that kid!:) When we got back home I made this little quilt from some Moda Marbles and Mate Dots (10"x 12") to hang on this cool magnetic quilt hanger we have at work....sure hope Carly likes it!:)



And the tomato
cherry tree is still
going strong!!
~d