Happy Monday Morning!!!

This is one of those weeks where ... I'm "finishing up" - "straightening up" - and "starting up" !  Whew... !!

Yes... I'm almost finished with all of the FUN THINGS for the Tea & Stitches Retreat (Jan Vaine) that we will help with from April 10 - 13!  We have all kinds of goodies for the gals... We sure hope they will be pleased.  Still have a few finishing touches... but the majority of the work is FINISHED!

Then... I'm "straightening up" my office... OMG!  Where does all this stuff come from... ?  I know... I know... it's from my multi-tasking! I can work on 10 things at one time and along with it make a HUGE MESS.  I just had to take some pics for you... Then I will do an after Pic when cleaned up.

This would be my printer area and filing system... isn't it ever so lovely?

This is the right side of my desk... of course there is the every wonderful cup of coffee and my rooster coffee rug mug that my friend Mary Ann made me... LOVE IT!  Use it EVERY SINGLE TIME I'm at my computer... and that's a BUNCH!

This is the chair in my office behind my desk.  This is where I  pile things that end up in my office that need to go into the sewing studio... I swear these things have little tiny feet and sneak in here at night when I'm fast asleep!  No wonder I am challenged at finding things.... does that happen to you?

So... I'm getting this area all pretty and spiffy... then I'll send follow up photos!

Gotta go... my coffee is empty and I MUST STAY FOCUSED TODAY!  HA! (that's a joke)

Hugs to all....

Gloria

NEW FABRIC - Strike Offs are here!

Hi Everyone!

We are so excited... our strike-offs have arrived from Marcus Fabrics and we LOVE THEM... we are only working on a few changes... !  It will be called Farmhouse Blooms!!

These are totally different from our last line... the inspiration if from our living on the farm when we were kids... in the 50's & 60's!  Remembering all of the flowers mom grew in the yard... we decided to have some floral in fun colors... here is the first peak!  I've mixed them all around so you can see how easy it will be to make all different color combinations.  

We have the brighter side of the reds, dark blues, and yellows.... 

Then the softer side is with our yellows, pinks and greens.  We still have several more pieces we are "tweeking" but we are very happy with it so far..... we already know what quilts and projects (sweet aprons to clothespin bags... just wait!) we will be making from all of it...can't wait to get started!

Let us know what you think... after all ... you're the customer and we want to please YOU!!  Send us your comments...PLEASE be honest... we need your feedback!

Keep on Sewing!!

Gloria, Vicky & Heather

Pictures... I have pictures!!!

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Hi everyone!!


I just read Mary Ellen's blog (Red Crinoline Quilts) and I decided...she did such a great job... heck.. I'm just stealing some of her information and posting it on my blog... actually...it's not stealing... it's "sharing" !! 

Here we go...


We are all set up and everyone is sewing their little hearts out... in the front (you can't see them in this photo) we had three girls rug hooking... Oh My...were their projects ever gorgeous (Katie, Jane and Melody).  This is only about half of the room... we had 165 at this retreat... 3 men!!!  Let's hear it for the guys!!!


  See this great sewing machine????  Well... this is our friend's machine (Starla) and it's a treadle!!! It's a traveling treadle machine!  So cool.  Vicky told Starla it was her TT machine (traveling treadle)... and of course... we all had to tease her about that for some time!
It was so wonderful to watch her sew on it.  Just think...when the power is off... this chick can still keep sewing!  I was jealous!  Someday I'm going to have her teach me how to do this...!

Here we go with the sale room!  This was just the beginning of setting up... more was arriving each minute.  Then at 12:30 the gals started lining up at the door (opens at 1:00).  I'm telling you...they got some fabulous deals!  We sold almost $13,000 from this room!  Some of the gals squealed with glee when they saw their envelopes full of cash!  It just goes to show...what you no longer want... someone else does.  We will have another sale room in September...!!





Vicky had all of the attendees do something different this time.  As they finished their projects...they came up to the front of the room and we announced them to the group....then we held up their quilt, etc. for everyone to see... I lost count at how many things we saw.... it was simply unbelievable!!!  Such awesomeness in the room....such talent...it gave me GOOSEBUMPS!!



Diane Webber finished one of Red Crinolines quilts... Appomattox Courthouse!  She's only been quilting for a short time and has gone crazy!!!!



This pictures shows a sweet dog that Heather made from wool roving for one of the gals at the retreat...it's just like HER DOG!  That Heather... every bone in her body is full of talent.... (I'm so glad she's mine).



This photo is of our mohair items, mice, rabbits and specialty pin cushions.



Here is a photo of the age difference we have at the retreat.... from the young...just beginning to quilt... to our sweet Shirley that has been quilting and cross-stitching her entire life.  It's so good to see the different ages working on these fun projects!!



We had tons of quilts turned in for our soldiers that are stationed here in Florida and for their families.  Barbara Enos and Bonnie McCarty lead the pack with the number of quilts they work on each year !!!  So many gorgeous ones were turned in along with pillowcases from the guild in Gainesville - Tree City Quilters.



For our 5 day gals...we scheduled lots of demos for them.... it was so much fun sharing different techniques and projects with them.  I showed them how to make casserole carriers, Vicky showed them how to take one fat quarter and using our tumbler templates cut out tons of them at one time...large and small and have almost zero waste of the fabric!  So Cool... then Mary Ellen showed them mitered borders, Spinning Stars, Bias Square Ruler... Phyllis showed her awesome template for her star quilt...then how to make a t-shirt jacket.... all of the demos were so wonderful!!!

Then... the best picture of all.... I caught Mary Ellen taking one of her little "power naps" at her sewing machine.  Now I'm telling you gals...these work wonders when you are getting a little blurry-eyed at either the sewing machine or the computer.... just lock those elbows into place and put your head in your hands.  Close your eyes... and before you know it... you are in la-la land and it only takes a few minutes...then you are good-to-go again on the sewing or typing.  Try it.... you'll be so glad you did!  She did tell me she was happy I got the "good hair day" side of her head!!  



Ok... for today... I'm working on handmade items for our upcoming "Tea & Stitches" retreat... these are both give-a-ways and door prizes...!  I'm having so much fun making these things... I just don't want to stop.... However, I can't tell you what they are...sssshhhh...they are a secret... I don't want those gals that have signed up to know ... and I know many of them read my blog.

So... off for a fresh cup of coffee... on with my Netflix and sew, sew.... and more sew!

Hugs to all on this beautiful - SUNNY Saturday here in Jacksonville, FL.. High today 67 degrees....

Keep stitchin'  & Celebrate Handmade !

Gloria