Fun News of This and That

I got my bundle of love from Cyndi in the mail this week!

I had won a bundle of fat quarters of the yummy Sew Cherry fabric...

but that's not all!!!

Cyndi, from Bluebird's Wing is always so sweet... she included an assortment of Kate Spain

desk items and a cute lunch tote that it all came in. 

Thank you so much! I feel so lucky!

Then today at my lunch time I received this little package of goodness:

 

Here is a slightly blurry picture of a layer cake group from

Me and My Sister designs. I get to start working on a

shop sample using this group and the pattern you see here!

Lucky me again!

Of course, it will have to wait a tiny bit...

I do have a certain Le Petite project to work on this weekend...

because we are just days away from the first of September when we will be having the

Le Petite Parade of "George"!!! And I can tell you... George is lookin' gooood!

(edit: oops, I meant August)

But there was one more thing I had wanted to tell you that was both new and fun...

hmmm,

did I already tell you???

It had something to do with bundles of love... packages of goodness...

oh,

I know...

(little block made by Marby, the owner of the Wooden Gate)

I'm going to be a grandma!!!!!!
Lucky me!

I Made it Back... and it Really Was...

...a "Sweet Retreat"!

I want to tell you what an incredible time I had...

but on the other hand I don't because you will all want to

go to this retreat next year and then there won't be any room for me!

But, I do have to say that I loved being spoiled for 3 days.

It was like being at a 3 day tea party!

And somehow I managed to learn how to applique too!

Verna of A Vintage Spool and her fabulous assistant, Pam

 put on a wonderfully girly weekend with lots of fun events jam packed into it. 

The picture above is a sampling of the decor and the candy,

and eye candy that was always well within reach!

I was able to meet some great women and form some friendships, each one of them made

the weekend extra special! I actually met someone who reads my blog. Miss Janet!!!

That is us up in the corner!

Also a friend of Lisa's from Stashmaster blog...  Kay. And

 Kay has a blog too! We were table mates along with Kristy and Lois-

I just loved these ladies!

(note to LeAnn: you should have come!)

Aside from quilting, there was shopping. I got to explore

Wooden Gate quilt shop. Those gals were great and the shop has wonderful displays.
I love this shop.

... and then there was more shopping! Not fabric but a super cute

store that made you feel like you walked into a boutique in Paris.

Obviously Verna knows her way around these places and directed us, with

discount coupons in hand, to the cream of the crop-shops!

There was show and tell from Verna's veteran attendees!

More shopping... at In Between Stitches (love them) and there was "Sweet Retreat" gifts too!
If  you look closely... near the bottom left is a little sample of
my applique handiwork! I did it! I actually did it!
I'm not sure if it was the special appliquers fairy dust that Verna sprinkled me with or
if she was just an excellent teacher.

Don't tell me that there is no such thing as Applique Fairy Dust!

I Got The Golden Ticket!

(photo from Pottery Barn)

I won't be needing this over the coming weekend!

Back on Mother's Day these wonderful children of mine got me a

special present....

a quilting retreat weekend with A Vintage Spool, Verna Mosquera!

Her work is just beautiful and I have collected her patterns nearly ever

since I started quilting... the only problem is

I never have learned to do the "A" word.

I have a big fat fear of it!

Applique? 

 I am considering it an applique boot camp disguised as

Sweet Treat Retreat...

it just lures you in doesn't it?

I am imagining Willy Wonka and the Oompa-Loompas ...

lots of fun and eye candy.

Well, we will just see about that!

I did take a lesson before by Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup.

It apparently did not sink in well.

So, I'm giving it another try... because Verna's patterns are wonderful and I want to be able to make them along with my patterns I have collected from Blackbird Designs, Acorn Quilt Co. and various others.

This is one of Verna's patterns, Primavera.

then there is this one, that was offered by Fat Quarter Shop.

And this one, her newest creation, Sugar Kisses!

I hope she's patient and the other kids don't laugh at me!

I am heading out to the Bay Area for my Sweet Retreat!

I will be spending the evenings with my son and DIL-- even better!

The gift that keeps on giving! woohoo!

Wish me luck!

Have You Had Your Quilters' Vacine Yet?

I caught a cold at the end of my stacation and I haven't kicked it yet.

 I did work on my Simple Things quilt along this weekend. Yeah!
I think I am ready for borders now. That is how my weekend started.

And then I decided to put some bindings on a couple of quilts

that have been waiting for-ever to be finished up.

I was doing the binding work and using my wonderful little gadget to thread needles...

when I bumped it and the needle flew out.

It landed right on my lap but when I moved... it moved and then the chase was on!

I ended up searching on the sofa seat, under the seat cushion and all around...
but it evaded me. Hours passed. Afternoon turned into night.
I went to get ready for bed. And that's when I got my Quilters' vaccine!
 Somehow that needle traveled with me through the day and even when I changed for bed...
( that means tank and bottoms.. ok, truthfully, a tank and just undies- it was hot)
 I layed down but instantly assumed the Upward Plank yoga position, seen here:

I can tell you that I wasn't lookin' anywhere near as relaxed or graceful as the lady in the photo here.
That needle found just the right moment to reappear...
and give me a piercing like I haven't had since back when I had a pediatrician!
That is how my weekend ended.

I'm Back In Blogville!

Well, my "stay-cation" turned out very nice. But of course I didn't get half of the things done
that I had hoped to.
I did do the deep cleaning and yard work.
I had family come and go and more that came and went.
My favorite thing is to entertain and cook, so it was perfect for me.
I tried to get on the computer and visit blogs... and answer email but I wasn't very good at that.

I managed a couple of sewing days too. Because that is my other favorite thing to do.

This is just a block for

Dianne who is in my quilting "circle". There are 12 of us in the group. Our monthly challenge this year... (starting last month) was to put a block of our choice in a bag and we would each take a turn over the next year making a border row around each block.  I got lucky and picked Dianne's block that was red and white. I added the yoyo border to it.

This is sitting on my cutting table... and Swoon is calling to me.

I think that pattern and these fabrics might be a good match. I love the

Thimble Blossoms pattern so much when I saw it at market (in photos)

that I had to order it... the PDF was PDQ!

It was in my hot little hands in minutes!

I love that!

The other pattern that called my name was...

Vintage Dishes. I started this during my stay-cation too.
I am still working on the border... but I just love this fabric of Lori's and
her pattern is just so darn cute.
I had wanted to put together a list of goals for the month... but then I blinked and the month is nearly half over with! So of course I don't have an official list put together as of now, but I know that there is a Le Petite project that needs to get started next. Before I blink again and it's the end of this month!

Charming Girls Club May/June Finishes

Here is my snapshot of the projects I worked on and finished


in May and June. It's always fun to look back and see what I actually accomplished
the past couple of months. I am sad that this is the end of the CGC, but Kelly has been so wonderful and has  been hostessing the club for 2 years now!
 Thank you Kelly!!!
She no doubt has new things to do and share with us! She is awesome like that!

I think I will still set goals for myself each month. I kind of like my little check lists!

I am also working on my Simple Things quilt along with Kelly at Charming Chatter (who is also the hostess of Charming Girls Club) and Carol from Brown Quilts blog. That will probably be my first finish for July!

I am on a "stay at home vacation" this week and have been able to do some quilting,
have family come to visit...
along with getting things accomplished off my personal "honey-do" list.
I can tell you, I am going to need a lot longer than a week to
get all of the things done that I would like to get done.
 I just wish I had a little bit of "I Dream of Jeanie" in me...
and could just fold my arms and make a head nod and BAM,
redecorating COMPLETE!
I wonder how long it would really take to make
new drapes, make slip covers for the family room furniture
 and paint my dining table and chairs? 

My Favorite Holiday

Hurray for the Red, White, and Blue!


(images from Country Home magazine)

Have a happy Independence Day!!!

Le Petite July Winners in Red White and Blue

Thanks for stopping by and seeing the parade yesterday!

I know it's such a busy weekend!

Are you ready to see who won???

Now for our Le Petite Ric Rac/Recess winners:

First of all we have prizes from non other than Carrie Nelson herself.

Yeah!

We will be picking winners randomly on behalf of Carrie who is on vacation right now.

She will be giving away xxxxxxxxxxxxx to two people.

One winner is picked from my parade of Le Petite and the other winner is picked from Sherri's parade.

And the winners are:

From Sherrie's parade:

Sandie!

And from my parade:

Joyce

(photo swiped from Fat Quarter Shop)

You will each be getting a layer cake of Charlevoix from the queens of patriotic red, white and blue fabrics....  Minnick and Simpson. Oh, and probably a little sumpin sumpin to go with it.

woohoo!

(please go ahead and email me your addresses; I will be sending out the prizes

on behalf of Carrie also)

For everyone else who's name is chosen, please send me your address or link up with the shops from my sidebar and let them know you won the gift certificate, ok?

Quilt Taffy has a sweet little gift certificate for a winner... which goes to:

Leah!

(FYI they just got in some hot off the press precuts from Moda Spring Market debut... limited number, so get 'em while they are availble)

A $15 gift certificate from the fabulous girls at Quilter's Paradise goes to:

Sandy F.

Bear Paw Quilts and More has a very cute little fat quarter collection of patriotic fabrics for one of our winners...

and the winner of the kit is:

Carol

Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you to our Featured Quilt Shops

who donated prizes for our winners! Please check out their stores...

they do carry the patterns for Le Petite!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Le Petite Parade and Happy Canada Day!

I can't believe that it's that time again! Summer is here and we are just starting the holiday weekend! I love the Independence Day holiday. It has got to be my favorite!

But today-- I am not forgetting "Canada Day". It's definitely a

 weekend planned around being outdoors and having barbeque's

 and sharing time with family and friends.... like Christmas without the gift wrap!

(oops, how did he get in here... no gift wrap needed here)!

To start things off though we are having our Le Petite parade of quilts.

Things get busy this time of year, so our parade is "petite", literally.

 But I know you will love seeing all of the quilts we have to show

 and the creative ways everyone made the project. Sheri at a Quilting Life has the other half of the parade going on over at her blog, so don't forget to check out everyones quilts over there too!

I have our next Le Petite project all ready to show you before the parade starts....

This is George. I really loved making this Schnibbles pattern.

It is a simple monkey wrench block with a lot of pizazz. 

I made mine with my Strawberry Fields fabric line by Fig Tree Quilts. 

This has got to be my favorite line by Joanna yet! 

Here is what you need to get started:

8 medium/dark charm squares half square triangles
32 assorted charm squares blocks
12 charm squares sashing
14 charm squares outer border
2 charm squares border corner squares
3/4 yard background

Now, let me show you the Le Petite parade. Everyone had the option of two different patterns. Option one was Ric Rac which is a Schnibbles pattern by Carrie Nelson and the second option was Recess.

It is a Schnibbles pattern also.

Here is the first quilt....

This is Recess and it was made by Allison aka CardyGirl.

I really love this pattern. I think it was a great one to show off 

this fabric group.

Next we have Recess made with Lilac Hill fabrics by

Carol C. Carol's version of Recess is so sweet!

Now we have Recess again by Carol at Carol's Crafty Creations.

I love this Sweetwater holiday fabric group, 12 Days of Christmas! Carol is trying to throw us off by not having Buster in the photo this month! However, I do like the way she has her quilt just hanging in the breeze!

Diana at Quiltecke blog made an adorable placemat!

She adapted the Ric Rac pattern and used Carrie's line of 

fabrics, Fresh Palette...... so cute!

This version of Ric Rac was made by Edith at Little Red Hen blog.

I love the rich colors here!

Eileen made Recess...there is another photo of her quilt showing a blue

border, which I think she is leaning towards, over at her blog: My Quilting Porch.

Please go take a look and see what a difference it can make!

Here is Recess, again, but for some reason this one just

speaks to me. I love the way this one looks!

It was made by Joyce at And Sew On.

Here is Recess created by Laura H.

Gotta love MoMo! It's just so cute!

WE had a little bit of difficulties with Sandy F's pictures... so I am posting them here in case Sherri didn't get the problem solved. Boy, it's always something... but I think you will agree that if this is the last quilt in the parade... that it's the best! Because it's two quilts by Sandy F!!!

Just look at what she did!

Using 77 fabrics for Recess...

and a little presto chang-o and look what she did with Ric Rac...

Yeap, this is Ric Rac! Sandy you amaze me!

The perfect flag for the 4th of July!!!

See, I told you it was a small parade... but with big impact! Thank you for stopping by to see the

quilts and a big thank you to all of you in the Le Petite group who were able to finish your quilts for the parade. I really enjoyed them all. I am so glad that we decided to go with 2 options this month.

I love the variety and since I made Ric Rac... of course now, I want to copy you guys who made the

Recess Schnibbles pattern!

I took vacation time from work starting today and through all of next week.

 It's a stay at home vacation... but I will be having family coming and going all week. I do hope to have some time to catch up on some quilt projects.

I will be taking some more time off at the end of the month to attend a retreat,

so I want to start getting things lined up and in order for that too.

Be back tomorrow for the result show = prizes!