Where did September go?

Wow... I swear it was just Sept. 1 (my sister's birthday) and here it is at the end of the month already... and this has been a crazy - busy month.  It appears as though October is going to be the same!  Vicky, Heather and I are putting the final touches on our new quilts, writing up the final changes on our patterns, and this week... we will be setting up our display for the Marcus Fabrics booth.  

We do them at home first... then take pictures.  Then when we get to the show - it's up in a jiffy!  As least that is the plan.  Of course... it always has kinks in it... ALWAYS!  We have come to expect that.  We'll post one for you when it's ready!

We are also working on two other lines of fabric - I sure hope the Marcus gals love them.  We sure do!

Yesterday I decided to watch TV all day with my hubby!  It was so great to catch up on programs I hadn't watched in a long time - NCIS... OMG!!  Plus we saw the first show of the season.  Then.. we watched tons of new ones that we really, really liked!  Ironsides, BLACKLIST (this is the bestest of the best)  Blacklist Video Preview... plus several others (can't remember all of them at this early moment of the day).  PLUS.. we caved and rented World War Z.  I LOVED IT!  It certainly kept you on the edge of your seat.  I know it sounds hokey... but I thought it was so entertaining... and who wouldn't with Brad Pitt!  World War Z Video

While watching TV - I finished up a good portion of my new strawberries that I've designed.  These little fellows I began at the Camp Blanding Retreat.  They are so easy and fast to make.   The ones in the basket will eventually go on the small wooden spools and or the pin cushions.  They are made from red suede fabric with beads for their seeds and wool for the leaves.  

I'm making them to sell... then I'll be adding a pattern to the website.  They are so precious and make for wonderful little gifts for YOU or your friends.  I love the strawberries just plain in the bowl...then when you have a gift for one of your sewing friends...tie it on the package!  I'd much rather have a strawberry than a bow that you end up throwing away.

B-a-a-a-d Girls was awesome this week!  We were few in numbers (vacations, Quiltfest show...).  However, these girls turned out some awesome pumpkins!  I think they were a hit...everyone loved making them and they were so darn cute.  Vicky even made her pumpkins with the seams to the outside and I loved them!  Then she went home and made some more... look at this cute little spider she stitched on her white pumpkin!

PLUS... she went out in the yard and found some real sticks to use as her stems.  I had made stems from wool for the girls... but these are even better!  Now all she has to do is add her leaves (I have them at my house...) and they are good to go!  I believe she's making some of these for one of our friends as a surprise... but I can't tell you who that is... or it wouldn't be a surprise!

NEW FABRIC RELEASE!!!

New Aged Muslin - OMG... I am so much in love with these muslin colors... for all of you primitive lovers... these will be right up your alley.  They sent us a fat quarter of each and I'm dying to make something of them.  it's on my TO DO list as soon as I finish up everything we need for Houston Quilt Market.

Shot-Cee - This cloth is fabulous!  The only place I've ever seen it before was when Kaffe Fassett made it to go with his different collections... we had it at the OGC and people loved it.  I especially love the way it is made.  Go to the link above and read all about it and see the gorgeous colors Marcus has designed.

Bordeaux & Sienna - Paula Barnes - Red Crinoline Quilts - a NEW reproduction line from Paula Barnes!  They were working with this fabric at our Camp Blanding Retreat and it was fabulous.  Rich colors - wonderful prints!  Of course... Paula's fabric is fabulous!

American Gothic - Pam Buda's new line of fabric that I love, love, love!   The line is full of blacks, creams... and some of them have just a hint of red.  OMG!  They are so pretty.  I can't wait to see some of her quilts at market!  You can order from her website:  Heartspun Quilts

Well...that's it for the day... it's time for me to get on my other computer and get busy on those pattern designs!

Everyone take care... keep those machines humming and those needles flying!

Gloria

It's almost time.....

Yes.... it's almost time to hook up with 165 quilters and head out to Camp Blanding for another fun and wonderful quilting retreat.   My Sale Room goodies are all packed and priced - all of my other supplies are packed, now I just have to decide what projects I want to work on... (that's the hard part) get them packed and I'm ready to go.  We're going to look like the Beverly Hillbillies in our van!  But...it's all GOOD!!

I've been playing around with some sweet new projects!!  Look at my sweet butterfly I made!  I did origami!!  

These sweet little butterflies are made from old book pages... Just wait until you see where they are going to end up!  (It's a surprise...can't tell you yet....)

This sweet thing is still in the "sewing" stage... not at all finished yet.  It still needs little black beads for the strawberry seeds... and some more surprises...  I'll show you a picture when it's finished.  The bottom portion of my pin cushion is wool.  However, to keep the cost down... I think I'm just going to have the berry be wool.  More pictures will be posted as it progresses!!!

This morning I'm cutting out a quilt kit for my pal - Wynette... she hurt her shoulder in a car accident recently and it kills her when she has to put pressure on it when using the rotary cutter.  It's one of Red Crinoline's quilts and I know that once I touch all of their fabric... I'm going to want one of these sweet kits too!  I wonder if this was a ploy.... secretly trying to get me to spend money??? hhhhmmm.... Nah!!!  They know they don't have to get me to do that... I do just fine on my own.

so... with that in mind... I'm off to get another cup of coffee and "let the cuttin' begin" !!!!  

Chat with you soon....

Gloria

A One Armed Paper Hanger!!!

Hi Everyone...!!

Yes.... I feel like a one-armed Paper Hanger!!!  However... a HUGE accomplishment has happened.  Vicky and I finished the Hampton Ridge Block-of-the-Month sample for Karen at Cinnamon's Quilt Shoppe!  WOW... I'll say one thing for Paula (Barnes - from Red Crinoline Quilts)... she SURE knows how to make wonderful blocks!  Vicky and I feel like we've earned a "hero's badge"!!  What a wonderful education you will learn in piecing and borders when you have finished this wonderful quilt!  I have a REALLY hard time trying to decide which block I love the most.

Here's the thing about sampler quilts...that sometimes we just don't think about!  Once you have finished the quilt... know it's time to pick out ONE favorite block and then use it to make your own quilt!  Or... How about just a few blocks together for a table runner!  How easy is that... you've already made the block... now it's time to use it again and again... just add a few alternating blocks and you are good to go!  TRY IT!!

If you are excited to begin this quilt and haven't signed up yet... call Cinnamon's Quilt Shoppe and get registered TODAY!!!  904-374-0532 !!

Today... I'm teaching this!!  Pioneer Braid Quilt!  it's HUGE and it's simply perfect for using up your scraps.  However, if you LOVE this color combination.... Cinnamon's has kits!   I so enjoyed making this quilt... and it's a BIG ONE TOO!  I honestly am going to make another one someday... I think I'm going for a blue, brown, tan color combination.  It's a lot of sewing... but OH SO WORTH IT and it's so gorgeous once it's quilted.  (Thanks Cathy Peters for my great quilting job!)  This photo I took right after I had it pieced.

We are now finishing up getting everything ready for our September Camp Blanding Retreat!  Gosh... I can't wait to see everyone.  It's so much "stinkin' " fun to sew with all of those gals (and a couple of guys!!!  Thanks Bruce and Michael for sewing with us!)  I feel like they are my brothers!  Bruce and Ronda just got a long arm machine and are practicing, practicing... and still practicing!  They are going to have "sew" much fun with it.  They have one just like the first one we had at the OGC!  We called her "Opal"!  She now resides in the home of Susan Rogers!  She had her retrofitted into a Statler and does she ever do GORGEOUS WORK!  

Today... I'm packing up more things for the retreat... and organizing a bit.  Then working on some new patterns on the computer (I am not a fan of this part of the process...but it must get finished!)  

It's hard to believe that in less than 6 weeks we will be headed to Houston for the Quilt Market!  We may even stay for festival!!!

So... everyone stay safe, healthy... and keep sewing!  I MUST GET BUSY!  

I'm catching up on the last season of Army Wives on Netflix!  LOVE THAT SHOW!  If you haven't watched it... you MUST.  

Chat with y'all later!

Gloria

p.s.  here are the wool pumpkins we will be making in our next B-a-a-a-d Girls meeting!!

It was the best DAY EVER!!!

Hi everyone!!!

Things have calmed down... I can't believe it's been a week since I got home from Wisconsin already... where did the days go?  Vicky and I have been at the sewing machine madly working on the Block-of-the-Month Sample for Cinnamon's... we are ready for the borders.  It's a gorgeous quilt - Hampton Ridge.

Well...about our Wisconsin trip.... it was fabulous!  The weather was awesome and so was the company!
We arrived on Thursday and immediately left the airport and went to a local antique mall.  Needless to say...we were true antique die-hards... out of the 8 air-conditioning units only 2 of them were working.  It was bloody hot in there!  However, we kept going and found some fabulous treasures!  Then we headed to Country Sampler - it was about an hour away...  It's located in a quaint little town  called Spring Green!  The retreat house is on the second floor and the shop.... right through the glass french door!  Looking in the windows was such a joy... I felt like that old Zayre commercial...(open..open..open.... ).

What a joy all of the gals in the shop were... we had such a good time with them.  Jeanne visited with us for a short time... they have a BUSY, BUSY schedule..they were getting ready for a HUGE Wisconsin quilt show... then they have a special Christmas Open House coming up... and their wonderful Boxwood & Berries Annual Gathering.   Maggie Bonanomi and Stacy Nash are the instructors.  They design "exclusive" projects for this event.... someday I plan on attending!  It's on my bucket list!  I ADORE both of them and their wonderful designs.

Here are a couple pictures of the store!!

We learned that this old building has a sweet, friendly ghost!!  Her name is Merryanne !!!  I burst out laughing when they told me this... Merry Ann is my girlfriend here in Jacksonville.  They say she will visit the shop at night and open the birdcage doors, untie the bows of the ribbons that are around some of the quilts.  Now... here is the spooky thing... we were all getting to leave from the retreat house one morning... we have had the air conditioning on... the entire time we were there!!  All of a sudden we smelled the furnace on... you know how it smells when the heat is turned on for the first time after the summer?  Well.. we all couldn't figure it out!!  We checked the iron... it was unplugged... we checked the thermostat in the hall... it was still on "air" set at 72 degrees.... so... we went downstairs to the store to let them know... that's when we learned about Merryann!  They told us she probably did it.  I laughed... thinking they were kidding... then I looked at their faces!  They were NOT KIDDING!  However, they did assure us she was a Great Gal and very friendly.... she was a GOOD GHOST (is here such a thing... goosebumps on my arms...)  She used to live in the building.  So...after all of their encouragement ... we all felt comfortable sharing our space with her.

The store is breathtaking...it's decorated so beautiful - with every little detail perfect.  The cross-stitch she carries and the samples hanging on the walls simply takes my breath away.  YES... I did come home with some kits - you simply cannot resist!

Thank you Jeanne and all of your girls for making our stay with you so much fun!  We had a blast!

Most of the days... we were on the road - being in the country - nothing is close!  So we would drive and chat and the gals would try and sew... however, the Wisconsin country back roads are not the best!  Bumpy, hilly, CURVES... there was a stretch of the road where I could pretend to be a race car driver with all the curves and hills!  It's been a long time since I drove country roads. 

Corn... it was everywhere!  It's so funny how the different states we visit grow totally different crops.  In Washington all we saw were fields and fields of wheat... here... corn.  Now Vicky and I grew up in the country and on a farm and we've seen corn fields.  But these...there was something so different about them and we couldn't figure out why?  The rows were so close to each other... the corn stalks looked different ... such a pretty green.... but they didn't have very big ears on them... we just couldn't put our finger on it.  

Then...every once in awhile we would see one where they had chopped the stalks off and left only the bottom half standing...that was truly weird!   However... when we got home Vicky was telling her honey (Larry) about them and he told us what it was!  They were harvesting this "different" style corn for ethanol!  NOW IT ALL MADE SENSE!

Then... we saw these... hundreds of them... we drove through them ... all around us in the fields... I felt like I was in the Space Invaders movie...

Turbine windmills in the fields..... they determine the wind patterns in the fields so they know where to put them.... they go like crazy and make energy.... the energy company pays the farmers rent...

 is that cool or what!!

These are some of the wonderful pieces of work that adorned the walls in the retreat.  I sure wish I owned them myself!!

We went into this WONDERFUL Primitive Gift Store... OMG!!!  I was in Heaven!!!

So was everyone else...she is also a Rug Hooker and she had the most gorgeous wools!

Then we traveled to a few other quilt shops... this is Mill House Quilts!  I was so proud of my daughter Heather... here was her quilt hanging in their store - Chip Off the Olde Block !  They were selling kits.  I met the owner and she told me it was simply one of those quilt styles that made you feel warm and fuzzy and she loved it.

 Another quilt shop.. Village Creek ... we were so excited... we didn't even know they were there!  So... in we go... and we had a blast!  Vicky and I felt like rock stars... they had heard of Olde Green Cupboard Designs.... thanks for such a great welcome and such a great time!  You rock sister... we loved visiting with you!!

Then... we couldn't be in Wisconsin and not visit with Lisa and Nick from Primitive Gatherings!  We gave her a call.... she invited us for breakfast at their lake house!  So... we got in the car early the next morning and off we went!  What a fun trip... seeing the countryside... Lisa fixed us french toast, sausage, fruit... and we got to see their sweet lake house... OMG... it was so pretty out there.  I would give my eyeteeth to have a retirement home like that someday.  Our grandparents lived on the lake and we LOVED it.  Even the puppies had grown... they were so sweet... Thanks Lisa and Nick for a great trip.

Then.. it was just a short distance to the shop... here are Katie, Vicky and Denise...getting ready to go inside.  They have their thread boxes... to make sure if they pick any projects - they have the thread to go with it.  (isn't that smart thinking?)  Well... inspiration was everywhere and we left the shop.. helping the economy of this little town too!

This was the project Lisa was working on when we visited with her at the lake.  She was finishing up the Summer Block of the Week for her shop.  Isn't it fabulous?  Simply breathtaking in person!

*********************************************************

Then... on to one of my favorite shops.... 

Wow... Julie was there (the owner) and she was so much fun.  Poor thing... we were all so excited to be there...piling things on the counter... signing up for Buttermilk Basin's Calendar Block of the Month... asking her questions... I'm surprised we didn't make her faint!!!  

Then...she too was getting ready for the Wisconsin quilt show and we got to see some of her new quilts she was taking with her.  They were fabulous.  It was so funny... when we were all done shopping... (even though we didn't want to quit) everyone said... "we don't want to leave...can we just stay here all day?")

What a BEAUTIFUL store...   Thanks Julie for the great time!  Love you and your wonderful creations, fabric and store!

**********************************************************

Then.... it's all about the "curb shopping" !!!  We left a HUGE antique mall and here on the corner on the curb was tons of wonderful "stuff" .  We made Denise get out of the car and inspect it.  Wow...she found a bag full of beautiful handmade pillow cases... you know the kind with the embroidery on them and the sweet crocheted edge!  This house was for sale so we're sure they just cleaned it out and dumped the remains on the curb.  LUCKY US!  Good job Denise... you are the "Curb Queen" of the trip.

However, Vicky and Katie were the dumpster divers!  They really weren't looking through the "icky" garbage... this was the cardboard recycle bin and we needed boxes to ship home our treasures.  They found them... we packed up our boxes... and they arrived at the house yesterday!  All 5 of them!  We hauled them from our retreat room (down a HUGE flights of stairs) into the car... and then to the local hardware store - that's where the UPS office was.  We were there when they opened and the guy waiting on us (who had a very grouchy personality... I might add!) was a bit shocked to see us that early (8:00 am).  Then you would have thought I asked him for a pot of gold when I asked to borrow a handcart!  Geeze Louise....

So... after our box delivery ... it was off to the airport we went...heading home!  So Sad to leave!

It was the BEST DAY EVER!!!  That was our saying at the end of each day!

Good times, good friends, good shopping, good food, good laughs, and GREAT antiques!

Ahhh.... simple things to make our life happy!

Oh... I almost forgot... Wisconsin is known for CHEESE... and this little fellow was adorable!!!  Cheese curds... do you have any idea on how much they squeak in your teeth when you eat them?  HA!!

Take time to have fun with your girlfriends.... it's so wonderful!

Memories... you know... it's all about making wonderful memories!!

Thanks Vicky, Denise and Katie...for the great memories!

Gloria