It's New Year Eve's Day!

I awoke early today, (anything before 8am is early. lol) at 6am got up and dressed for the day.  New Years Eve Day!  What plans do I have for today.  Well a lot I guess.  1st is to do some general house keeping.  I like to go into the New Year with a tidy house if I can.  I remember my Dad telling me that on these Special days in our lives how we approach them and how we travel through our day is how it will be all the year long.  to me it means a tidy house tomorrow, means a tidy house all year long, money in the bank, means money in the bank all year long.  Friends and family, means friends and family all year long so I will go into the new year happily knowing I have family and friends to surround me, a tidy house to enjoy with my friends and enough money to help me enjoy the coming year with my plans for vacations to see family and enjoyable time with friends.  So on that note I will say:

 'HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL & 

MAY IT 2015 BE A YEAR OF BLESSING!'

Wishing All my Quilting and Sewing Friends a Happy and Blessed New Year!

May many Blessings be yours in this coming Year 2014!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to All my Friends and Family - Nov 2014

Hi, it's been a while since my last post.

a finished quilt for Grandbaby Amelia

Wow, Hard to belive it's Oct 3rd already.  my last post was almost 4 weeks ago.  September was a busy month with meeting, quilting and doing some polymer clay things.  I continue to work on my quilting studio and just got my bookshelves in place with the help of a friend, my jewlery making/polymer clay station is operational, and I bought a small table for cutting which will become my ironing table as soon as I get a 6' table to replace it. Things are running smoothly, I have been busy quilting tops for my great grand babies and for bags of love.  Thursday I went to the French Broad Quilting Guild meeting at the Cherry Pit in Sivierville.  We got a lot done, it was a good meeting.  today it was a gloomy/slow day and I did take a nap in the afternoon.

It's been hectic around here these past few weeks

In August I helped out at the Jefferson City Fairgrounds and entered some of my projects and won some ribbons.  How fun, this was my 1st time entering things in a fair and a great learning experience.  I also enjoyed working with my FCE group to volunteer at the fair, we had a good participation and won $200 for our group. 

 I got a Blue Ribbon for my Mini Easter Egg quilt, my Gingham Kitchen Towel and 9 Patch Pot holder didn't get a ribbon but it looks nice in the display area.

My Thanksgiving wall hanging got 3rd Place. 

My Beaded Butterfly Pin got a Blue Ribbon too.  I'll have to take a better picture of it since it did not show up well in the case. 

 I won this great pr of Socks at Holloway's Country Store in Cosby TN a couple of weeks back by commenting on their Blog about what type of quilting Block "Knocked my Socks Off!"  - it was the pinwheel block.  a very simple and humble block but set it off with a log cabin block alternating rows - Wow! These socks were designed by Maria Holloway herself.  I had so much fun going down to pick these up.  Marie just had gotten in a new shipment of fabric so I was able to take a peek before they put it out on the shelves... "my idea of FUN!"

My winnings -Quilters Socks designed by Maria Holloway of Holloway's Country Store in Cosby TN

My quilting and sewing arts studio is taking shape.

My studio is Finally taking shape. It has been a long process but with the help of a friend the three bookcases I had purchased at a thrift shop were moved into place. I am unpacking my books and magazines to place in thier designated Homes. Quilting and sewing to go in the bookshelf by my quilting/sewing table, my other books for doll making, jewelry making, photography, polymer clay and art in the bookshelf by my designated work station for that. The shorter bookshelf will hold supplies for sewing & quilting, the closet will hold my fabric and larger items & the hall closet  is designated to scraping & card making supplies. All my boxes with supplies are in the center of the room waiting to be emptied and placed into their designated areas.  Now all I need is a table for my work/cutting station and a tray table to hold my custom made ironing board (at the moment I'm using two empty storage containers stacked together with my board plopped on top). Lol - whatever works. I'll take some photos later to show mmy progress.  Below are my begining, with my sewing machine table at the early stages.

"Rock my Socks" off!

Today i went down to pick up my prize for commenting on Holloway's Country Home - Blog Holloway's Country Home Custom Handmade Quilts; "Socks" designed by Maria Holloway herself.    I choose the color green.  The question was what kind of quilting block "Rock your Socks off?" - my answer was Pinwheels.  I really did not think pinwheels did it for me until I saw a quilt hanging on the wall of a quilt shop in Elk River Minnesota that I visited with friends.  the quilt was the Perfect Palette Designed by Angie Roberts the owner of  "The Noble Quilter"The quilt pairs log cabin blocks with pinwheels units in soft cocoa browns and Teal. (the pattern is featured in the Spring/Summer 2013 Issue of Quilt Sampler)

Maria has designed a new  Applique Quilt quoted from her blog.   "Maria is always designing new quilts.  Actually her newest release can be seen on p. 55 of the September issue of American Quilter.  It's a beauty that features the AQS 30th Anniversary Dogwood Fabrics and original artwork from one of Maria's friends in the Gatlinburg Arts & Crafts Community."  I had rushed over to take a peek at the quilt and it is a beauty! 

My Entries into the Jefferson County Fair won ribbons!

1st Place my Mini Egg Quilt

1st Place My Beaded Butterfly Mask

 Wow! how exciting Six of my 12 entries in the Jefferson County Fair took ribbons this Year.  This is the 1st time I've entered anything into a fair... 2 took 1st Place Blue Ribbons, my mini egg quilt and my Beaded Butterfly pin, I received a 2nd  Place Red Ribbon for my Leather Cord Beaded Ceramic Flower Necklace.  For 3rd place I had 2 White ribbons, one for my Thanksgiving Wall Hanging and One for m Kitchen Towel and Pot Holder Set.  I also placed fourth with my Spring Postcard Mug Rug.  This is the one I used my wedding gown lace in.  Wow!  How fun... I usually don't enter into the fair but I was inspired to this year after working at the fair with my FCE group taking entries in.  I enjoyed seeing what everyone was entering so I decided to give it a try.  I'll take better pictures when I pick up my items this coming Sunday. 

3rd Place My Harvest wall hanging

4th Place my Postcard Spring Mug Rug on the Left.

this is a clearer picture of the Mug Rug that won 4th Place

A close up of the piece of lace from my Wedding Gown

French Broad Quilting Guild - my second meeting

I was excited to go to my second meeting of the French Broad Quilting Guild, we met at the Methodist Church in Dandridge today for a sew-along session.  Loved the pattern we are doing.  It's called "Inlaid Tile" a strip piecing quilt designed by Mary Ellen Hopkins you can find one of her many books here,

"It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt Book"   

  we each brought along our fabric, 4 coordinating colors of our choice to make into this quilt.   I had fun choosing my fabrics so today I cut them out, made strip sets and now am ready to piece them together.  I didn't realize I had her book till I just looked it up on Google.  :) So now I'll have to unpack it. 

The ladies also shared thier Pizza Blocks of the Month.  Wow such pretty colors and beautiful workmanship.  I'm so glad I'm a part of this group here in Tennessee but I do miss the ladies from Hudson Heritage Quilters and my own Tuesday quilting group at the Point with Frank, Gwen and Katherine back home in Hudson Wisconsin.  

# 10

 Theses are the Pizza Box - Block of the Month that 10 of the ladies of the group participated in.  They are just so beautiful and the workmanship is exquisite.  These pictures do not do them justice... Enjoy!

#1

#2

#3

#4

 # 4 & 5 - there are 2 complete set of blocks on this couch

#6

#7

#8

#9

 

Im Home from Vacation!

The Middle Fabric is my choice to cover my kitchen Chairs and bench seats. 

I just returned home from my vacation to Galveston Island Texas with my grown kids and grandkids.  I had a wonderful time there, our vacation beach home was beautiful, I loved the Decor, and I enjoyed sitting on the porch listening to the sounds of the waves as the tides would come in and out in the early morning and late evening.  Needless to say I did not do a lot of quilting or sewing while there, I didn't even bring a needle or thread with me.  An to be sure as soon as my granddaughter Echo came she brought me her Big Stuffed Bear that needed repair.  I had to tell her that grandma couldn't fix him till she got some thread and a needle.  Well to the rescue comes my youngest daughter.  she picked up a sewing repair kit from a motel she had stayed at.  So mr Bear did get a repair with hugs and thank yous from Echo.... my only sewing on the lovely vacation I'm happy to report.  On the return trip home I did make a stops at local quilt shop in Baton Rouge Louisiana, "  The Red Stick Quilt Shop", my GPS led me to their old address so I called them and found them - a lovely shop full of "Goodies" - lots of eye candy - for a quilter that means "FABRIC - FABRIC - AND MORE FABRIC! They had displays of all sorts.

My Quilting/Sewing Arts Studio is beginning to take shape

It will be three weeks tomorrow since I have arrived here in Tennessee.  I am enjoying this area, the beauty of nature is all around me from the birds singing in the trees and flitting from one feeder to another to the lovely Yucca plant that is flowering in my neighbor's garden, the mountains are an awesome sight as I drive around to do my daily errands, the people are very friendly.  Roses are in bloom all over along side the roads and in the gardens.  I am slowly getting things put away and working on my sewing room to co-ordinate were I want things to go.  Today my friend Valoriea and I picked up a few bookshelves and cabinets at the local yard sales for my sewing area.  Yesterday I went on a shop hop to a few local quilt shops in the surrounding area.  The Cherry Pit & Red Barn Quilts in Seviersville and Holloway's Country Home in Cosby.  I enjoyed the day out traveling the roads to these shops.  You can read about my excursion on my blog: "Creative Lady's Enthusiastic Thoughts" 

The Bags of Love Group

 Yesterday I went to my 1st "Bags of Love" Group with Valoriea.  What a lovely group of lady's who get together to make quilts with love, for children who are in need. These quilts are given to children who are taken from the homes raided by the police because their parents have been making drugs.  These children are taken away with nothing because all the belongings are contaminated.  Each child receives a large Drawstring bag with an outer pocket.  The bags include a quilt that is age appropriate, a pillow and a soft toy along with a bag of necessities, (placed in the outer pocket).  How precious to know that these are lovingly made.  The Group coordinates these needed bags with several surrounding counties Social Services Dept's and has been ongoing for quite a few years.   I feel blessed to be welcomed into their group.

Yesterday I was hand tieing this beautifully Hand Embroidered quilt.  Each block has a puppy playing in a field of flowers.  How sweet.  Each lady works on a different aspect of the quilt - Valoriea was doing piecework on her quilt, the others were stuffing pillows and sewing labels on the finished quilts and others were cutting kits to be made into finished quilts using a log cabin pattern.  Around noon everyone stopped to have a potluck lunch.  They meet every Monday.

This group reminds me of the fleece quilts we cut and tie for the Koran's every other Tuesday at 1st Baptist 3rd and Vine and the labor of love that goes into them.  I will miss my Tuesday quilting group with Gwen, Frank & Katherine and will think of them with love as I attend this new Monday group.  I encourage our other Quilter's to take time and join them, I found it it to be such a special time of fellowship for me. 

My Challenge of the Month!

Yes Notions, Yeah My Quintet Sewing Machine, Great my Brother 

I've arrived safley from Hudson Wisconsin to my new home here in Newport Tennessee.  Now my Challenge this month is to find my "stuff" in the numerous boxes that are packed and stacked in each room and determine were they will go.  I finally have my quintet sewing machine unwrapped from the safety of its shrink wrap and bubble wrap and set up and plugged in on my sewing table... now to find my other stuff. At least I have my 1st box of notions, My Singer Quintet Plugged in and my Brother Sewing Machine handy when I go to classes.  Now for all the other stuff in the other side of the room... at least some of the boxes are marked and I can find the baby quilt tops I'm working on.  well it will feel like Christmas unwrapping all the unmarked boxes to discover it's treasures...  Whew! I tired already and all I did was look... LOL

  

My Sewing Table for now!

my boxes - some I was able to write contents on and some ????  

Oh no! I found more boxes in the living room that belong here! 

Technique: Using the digital camera when laying out your quilt design.

using a digital camera to help with placement of blocks and color values

Technique: using a digital camera to aid in layout arrangement and color value of your quilt top

Today at my quilting club at The Point on 3rd & Vine my friend Gwen was laying out her squares for the "Rag Quilt" she was making.  She had laid out her layered flannel 6" squares in a pleasing pattern and asked for me to check it out.  her layout looked good but I had my digital camera with me and remembered a tip a friend had given me about color values & layout arrangement using the camera to help me see it better.  So I did take a picture and showed it to Gwen.  we both noticed that the 2 squares in horizontal row 4 & 5 (third  vertical row from the right) seemed to be almost the same color value and give the top a white patch in that area.  So we switched the block placement and as you can see in the bottom photo was a more pleasing arrangement.  The camera on your cell phone would work just as well.

Have you tried this technique yourself?  Share your thoughts about it.

switching the blocks gives the layout a more pleasing arrangement.

My Custom Bundle of Fabric From My Stash

 

My Fabric Stash Bundle of fat quarters

Well Monday March 10th just passed and I created a new  - Custom Bundle of Fabric From My Stash using the color scheme Alyssa from Pile O' Fabric has created with fabrics from my Fabric Stash.  This is the 2nd bundle that I have created using fat quarters and fat eights .  What a great way to  organize my fabric bundles and threads.  On the back of the picture I wrote down the fabric name (If known) and Threads that I have to match.  I did not find red thread to match this bundle. 

all bundled up

Pile O' Fabrics stash share bundle