Tea in the Rose Garden + Kate Spain Giveaway Winners

The first thing I need to do here is perhaps apologize to my friend France, whose very lovely mug rug pattern Tea in the Rose Garden I have used in a way she may never have foreseen.  Those of you who know France must admire her elegance and poetic way of expressing herself as much as I do.  (And if you don't know her yet, she has a wonderful blog here.)  France, I hope you don't mind that I've embroidered a colorful word on this little quilt.  

So I want to make it clear that this is NOT what France embroidered on her mug rug pattern.  She has the words "Tea in the Rose Garden" or, in French: "Petit napperon Le thé dans la roseraie".  The reason I thought that France's pretty pattern worked so well for this is because it contrasts so much with the phrase I used, thus making it more humorous.

This is still a work in progress.  It's for my friend who has been battling dire health problems for far too long and sometimes just doesn't feel up to explaining everything that has been going on.  She will immediately recognize that it is for her, because we've been joking around about this phrase lately.

I'm spilling the beans a bit early because I need advice on how to quilt this.  How in the world do you quilt something with embroidered details?  Any thoughts?  The whole piece measures only 8 x 10 inches.  The embroidery is a whipped back stitch, so it's raised up a little.  Bear in mind that I'm not good at embroidery and this is the best I've ever managed to do.  I used the Crafted Applique method for the teacups and rose and it worked like a charm.

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Happy Mail!

Recently, a surprise arrived in our mailbox for me.  It was from my friend Preeti Harris, who blogs at Sew Preeti Quilts.  She's just such a complete sweetheart and I've been so glad that we've become friends.  Thank you Preeti!

Three FQs, beautiful variegated thread and Mysore Sandal Soap, which smells so divine!

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Giveaway Winners!

Here on BuzzinBumble, I had a giveaway during the 12 Days of Christmas in July Blog Hop.  It was a really popular giveaway and I can see why.  Thank you everyone for your participation and for all the wonderful comments!  I managed to reply to everyone, unless they were a no-reply commenter.  So if you didn't hear back from me, that is why.

Three lucky commenters won this terrific Kate Spain panel from her North Woods fabric line. 

The winners were drawn by the Random Integer Generator.  I had to redraw for one of the winners, because number 83 turned out to be my daughter Alina... which wouldn't be very fair, although I loved her comment.  

So the winners are:  # 50 - Selina, # 41 - Nancy, and # 100 - Susie.

I'll be in touch with all of you!

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Modern Mermaids Thread Catcher, Book News, and QAL Blocks

Modern Mermaids Thread Catcher Set

Modern Mermaids is a thank you gift I made for Heidi of Red Letter Quilts.  Heidi is a swimming coach by profession and loves the water, so that was my inspiration for her thread catcher.  The bag turned out a bit bigger than I intended.  I loved the Heather Ross "Calypso Mermaids" Munki Munki fabric so much that I wanted to show it off. 

Modern Mermaids thread catcher bag closeup

Modern Mermaids pincushion - I like to stuff a pincushion with sawdust,
 packed in tight, so that it is firm and nicely weighted.  

Modern Mermaids Thread Catcher Set - assembled

Modern Mermaids Thread Catcher Set - hanging off the edge of the desk

Modern Mermaids Thread Catcher - weighted hanger thingy, along with starfish stick pin

To weight the hanger thingy, I used three metal pieces known as tie plates (structural straps for lumber),  I wrapped them in batting and put them in a sleeve with a strip of velcro on the side that hangs off the desk.  The bag is then detachable.

3 1/8" x 7" tie plate

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Publishing News on my Book!  

This morning, in my inbox, there was a wonderful note from Christina Cameli of A Few Scraps.  She and I do QSI (Quilt Scene Investigation) for each other, LOL.  

Well wow wee did she have a big surprise for me!  My book is now listed on the AQS website!  I knew it was going to be worked on by the editorial team soon, but they got a lot further than I realized. 
Thank you for alerting me Christina!  You are a total sweetheart!  

So I know the title now: "Crafted Appliqué: New Possibilities"  You can go and take a peek at it if you like, by clicking on the link. They did a really nice cover with my picnic cooler project "Hello Mr. Ranger, Sir!"  I hope they keep this cover, but it might change by the time the book comes out on April 12, 2016. 

Crafted Appliqué: New Possibilities

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Americana and Midnight Mystery QAL Progress

I've completed this month's blocks for Deana's Americana quilt along, row three.  I'm not sure what size I want to make the quilt, so have not sashed and sewn the blocks together or appliqued the cute birds on yet.

Americana - My Country Tweet, Tweet, Tweet, row 3

I also completed step one in the sewing for Cheryl's Midnight Mystery quilt along.  If you are interested in joining in, you could catch up with this one for sure!  
I never did show what fabrics I chose, because of a fabric buying oops when I mistakenly ordered the home decor weight.  

Parson Gray fabrics:
A - Vagabond Street Fair in night
B - Curious Nature in sand
C - Katagami Star Crossed in steel
D - Curious Nature Starcomb in silver

Midnight Mystery Flying Geese

It is a lot of fun doing quilt alongs.  Not only do you get to try new-to-you things, but you learn a lot by seeing how other people go about constructing their quilt designs!  

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This week I'm joining the party at:

Connie's Linky Tuesday at Free Motion by the River

Val's Tuesday Archives (Tutorials this week!)

Lorna's Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Ida's Perfectly Pleasing Pincushion Parade

Sarah's Whoop Whoop Party at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Ramona's Giveaway and Deana's Americana Row Quilt Along

Hello Everybody!  I'm mostly sharing news and counting blessings today, but hope to get back into the swing of blog hopping as the week progresses.

Ramona's Wonderful Giveaway - a spool quilt with booty & booties!

To celebrate receiving the One Lovely Blog Award, Ramona, of Doodlebugs and Rosebuds, held a giveaway for this beautiful spool quilt in Kaffe and text print fabrics and I was the super lucky winner!  She then surprised me even more by hand knitting a darling pair of booties and including sweet flower market fabrics and ribbon, along with a lovely note.  Ramona is an uber talented and productive quilter, a gifted knitter, and a whole lot of fun to get to know!    

To say that I was thrilled is an understatement!  The quilt looks so perfect on our kitchen table.  Thank you, thank you Ramona - you are a sweetie pie!

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Deana, of Dreamworthy Quilts (aka Daughters of Dorinda) and the DOD Mystery Blog, has begun two free quilt alongs: The Spring Row Quilt and the Americana Row Quilt.  You can find out more by clicking the link on my left sidebar.  Both QALs are still close enough to the beginning that it is not too late to join in the fun.  Deana does an amazing job with her quilt alongs!  I've admired her Americana Quilt for a long time and could not resist it when she offered the chance to sew it along with a group.  Last month I completed the blocks for row one: Firework Stars.  They look complicated, but Deana explains her paper piecing very well and they are not difficult to make at all.    

Firework Star blocks - Americana Row QAL

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Oh Baby!

We've had a lot of excitement this last month, and that is mainly because Jim & I are going to become grandparents for the very first time!!!  Our daughter Kaitie and her boyfriend Zak are expecting a baby girl in early January.  Our whole family looks forward to knowing Eden James Ward and we already love her, even though she has not made her appearance yet.  

Jim is Italian and for a long time now has looked forward to being called "Poppa" someday.  The kids were asking what I would want to be called for Grandma, so I told them I could be "Lolli".  That way together, Jim and I can be "Lolli-Poppa".  Hee hee.

Kaitie sent us one of her ultrasound photos and added a little something below it.  I don't know... do you think we may be a little too much into Harry Potter?   Bwah hahahahahah! 

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Calling all pet lovers!  

Don't forget that next Monday (August 17th) is the beginning of the Pets on Quilts Show!  So make sure you've snapped some pics of your furry or finny friends and your quilts together.  

I've finally finished Sam's "Serenity Now!" modern quilt (Previous posts here and here) and will be entering it in the Pets on Quilts Show. My mind needs rearranging.  I was so focused on getting cute shots of the quilt with the pups that I forgot to take a picture of Sam with his quilt!  :o  :(   I am hanging my head with shame over that blunder.  I'm going to have to ask him to get his roommate to take a picture for me.  

Anyway, I hope to see you all at the show next week!  This is one of the most social and friendly linky parties out there and it only comes along once each year.  I met a whole lot of wonderful people last year who have now become friends.  Jacque has lined up oodles of wonderful prizes too.  Every kind of pet counts and there is even a category for pet themed quilts, so everyone can join in the fun! 

Pets on Quilts 2015

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Sedimentary Lifestyle Quilt - a Start

The layers of color in this quilt flimsy remind me of sedimentary rock, like you see when you look at canyon walls. I love this combination of earth toned fabrics.  This is the first time I have made a jelly roll race quilt.  Aside from the fact that I won't be winning a jelly roll race anytime soon, it was quite fun to try this technique.   

Center section of Sedimentary Lifestyle quilt

 
...And no, this isn't a Norm Crosby style malapropism and it isn't supposed to read "Sedentary Lifestyle".  I was playing with the words and thought "I must live more of a sedimentary lifestyle, because everything seems to settle to the bottom."   Ba dum tss!

After testing a few border ideas, I finally found one I loved.  See the dark chocolate fabric sitting beside the left edge?  It's Kona cotton espresso and I'm waiting for more to come in so I can do a wide border around the quilt center.  I caught a major sale for that fabric with Freda Mayer of Fabric Closeouts, on Etsy.  She is having a moving sale and her prices can't be beat, plus she shipped it out pronto!  (That is not a sponsored endorsement.) 

Have you ever made a jelly roll race quilt?  I've always wanted to try one and chose the kind where you sew a square between the end and beginning of each new strip of color.  Then you fold that long row of pieced strips in half and sew the first seam.  Wow wee was that first seam loooonnnnnnggg.... 800 inches!    

I started with this Marcus Fabrics Strip It Pack, which I got on Craftsy, another great deal:

Centennial Solids - Earth - by Nancy Rink

By the time I had the piece sewn to where it was 8 strips wide, it filled the whole length of the upstairs hallway and I could get a photo.

Jelly Roll Race Midway

At that point I divided the length in four and did some intentional rearranging on the living room floor.  I don't usually work on the floor because my little helpers get a bit too excited about it.

Fuzzier than normal photo

 
I've been looking through my cherished Christina Cameli books again and hope to use one of her patterns to FMQ this when it's ready. 

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In other news, The Hands2Help Charity Quilt Challenge is over for this year. 
Sixty-seven people donated 147 quilts for charity this year!  Whoop whoop for everyone!   

Sarah, at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, puts a whole lot of thought and preparation into this challenge and makes it so much fun for all the participants!  One of the fun things Sarah tries to do is make sure that there is a prize at the end for everyone.  This is quite a feat!  If you are interested, she is looking for sponsors for next year.  I'll be sponsoring another one of her giveaways for sure! 

One of The Hands2Help yearly sponsors is Emily Bailey, who blogs at Em's Scrap Bag.  She is also the person who heads up the part of the H2H drive for Happy Chemo's charity quilts.  Emily is also known as Aunt Em and has her own wonderful pattern design business.  I was already her fan, so was pretty thrilled when I won four of her patterns!  Thank you Emily!  

Aunt Em's Quilt Patterns

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This coming Sunday, June 28th,  will be my One Year Blogiversary!  I can hardly believe it myself.  Be sure to stop by for my next post, because I will be sharing a free pattern of my own, as well as having a really sweet giveaway!

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