I do believe our drought is over.....

But old man winter is hanging on for dear life.

It's cold and rainy in this part of Missouri but at least it's not snow.

My bleeding hearts and daffodils are greening up

as are Aunt Odell's poppies

Grandma Laird's (Audra's) iris and my lillies.

And just before this last round of rainy days started, Pep and I got some Romaine Lettuce and Swiss Chard planted.  Pep makes the BEST Caesar's salads - can't wait.
I also got some weeding done.  In the bed with the Bleeding Heart there are Hostas still to come up and I hesitate to do anything till they pop out.  Just kills my little OCD heart not to be able to get to those weedy things - weeding is fun at this time of year.  Not so much later :)

And while it's not quite time yet for bees, we decided to put Honey Bee on sale for you this week.  Truthfully, I'm not quite up with Alma Allen and her bees.  I like them in the garden in small numbers and inside the skeps on a quilt.  :)

And while I'd like some warmer weather, it's still nice to be able to sit inside and be cozy while I quilt.  Have a great week ladies.

I think it's finally here - cross your fingers

Yesterday was warm and it was supposed to rain last night.  After church and lunch I went to the loft for a little sewing and then came to the house and got out our seeds. 

We had tilled the beds last fall so after just a little work with a hoe I had rows of radishes, spinach, 2 rows of Mesclun lettuce mix and a row of Black Seeded Simpson lettuce.  There's also a short row on the left end between the perenniels of mustard spinach - like spinach but a little spicier.  We grew some last year and really liked it.

There are also 2 rows of sugar snap peas in a different bed with a little fence to grow on.

At the right end of the bed are some of Grandma Laird's (Audra's) iris.

And it did indeed rain last night.

Hopefully the drought is over here.  The pond is starting to fill.

When I posted the sale on our Farmer's Market kit last week, I forgot to show you pictures of the quilting.

I mean, just look at how Lori's awesome quilting highlights the applique.    Anyway, the kits will be on sale until Wednesday.

This is a picture of the first 2 blocks and the sashing and borders of Spring Break - the BOM kit that started in March.  We're shipping the Sashing, Borders and Binding this week along with the kit for the 2nd block. If you pay with Paypal be looking for an invoice this week.  It will be awhile before you use it but if I don't get it now it will be gone when we need it.  At this stage Moda doesn't reorderso when the fabrics gone, it's gone.  Also a note that the first few blocks are small for the price but the later ones are HUGE so we just even out the cost over the months.

Pep and I looked this morning and even with the rain, our seeds aren't up yet.  I know they mostly say 7 days but it's been 18 hours.  Sheesh  :)

So I will content myself with my beautiful Amaryllis.

And of course, sit and stitch.

Keep quilting ladies.

Slowly - but Surely......

We're still in the warming up phase of spring here in Missouri.  Easter Sunday was beautiful - wonderful weather, good church service, lots of good food and family.

I didn't let the boys ice the lamb cake because I was afraid they'd break off the ears but they got to put the coconut and jelly beans on.  Good memories.  I remember putting the coconut on lamb cakes at Easter when I was young.  

Pep remembers going with his mother to the bakery before Easter every year to pick one up.  We both spent part of our childhood back East.  His mother didn't like to cook - mine did.

The garden is really starting to green up.  We are soooooo ready for green instead of white!

And speaking of green, Farmer's Market is on sale this week.  You can stitch some green and save some green :)

AND AGAIN..........

We seem to be having trouble with our email. Some - just some - are not getting through.

My son says we live in a communication black hole up here. Tori and I check the email at least twice every day, Mon-Fri. If you do not hear from us within 2 business days of sending the email, here's another option.  Go to our store.  On the left hand side of the page, at the bottom are the words "Contact".  If you click on the word it brings up a form to fill out and will send us an email.  Those emails usually get through.  You can go to the store by clicking here.   

Or call. 816-632-7632

And that brings up another issue - the phone. If you call and the phone rings and rings and rings and no one answers it doesn't mean that we're not here when we say we'll be, it means we're on the phone. Why in God's name Centurytel decided to do away with the busy signal is beyond me.

Enjoy your week and keep stitching.

And Linda - please look at the comments on the last post.  

Virgil on the way out - Tulips on the way in.....

I knew the winter snowstorm had a name - it was Virgil.  Hmmm....  

Well, Virgil is fading fast and we're already seeing green in his wake.

Both the spring bulbs

and the beeskeps are on the south side of the house.  These pictures are from last year but except for the patches of snow there are signs of spring everywhere.

This is Tulips and Leaves (and Stars and Bees) and it's going on my couch for Easter.

I thought I'd take a few pictures of Lori's awesome quilting

since the quilting never shows up on the patterns and people quite often ask me for quilting ideas.

I am sooooo ready for tulips and soft spring days.  This has been quite a winter.

Tulip and Leaves is on sale all week for 15%off.

One Note - an important one if you've emailed us in the last week.  Our computer and our internet have been down since about last Thursday - maybe Wednesday night.  We couldn't get emails, nor could we ship anything.  We finally got things fixed last night and are up and running again.  And this morning when Tori went to check the emails, there were about 10 of them - for 7 days.  Think we lost a few.  If you've sent us an email recently and we haven't replied, please send it again.  You gotta love computers and the internet.

Hope you have a great Easter with lots of family, friends and good food.

And stitching, of course.

It's Spring??????

Last Wednesday was the first day of Spring.....

Well, here in North Missouri we had a Spring Snowstorm.  I can't remember it's name but it has one.

And although I am absolutely ready for Spring

 

the snowstorm was breathtakingly beautiful in the 

garden ...........

(Bonnie and Camile left their mailbox at Market and we believe in reuse as well as recycle.  It now holds garden tools and hose ends.  Thanks ladies - love the color, especially here)

and in the

 brooder house for the baby chickens soon to come.

Hunny came out and played and played.

Spike stayed inside where it was warm and slept.  :)

You can't see it but that black bird in the tree has a red wing.  Red winged blackbirds are spring birds around here.    

 There were 4 of them.  Pep said he could just hear one of them saying "I wanted to wait but nooooo.....we had to leave early!"

And doesn't the color of the cardinal just match our Amaryllis in the window.

(I wanted to get a picture of them today against the snow but the snow outside was too bright for my camera and you couldn't see the color of the flowers.)

Pep and I get each other 3 Amaryllis for Valentines Day each year.

So while it's Winter outside - beautiful though it may be,

It's Spring inside.

I've changed all my quilts.  This is Ring Around the Posie - one of my favorite Spring and Summer bed quilts.  You can get the pattern for it in Country Quilts for my Soul or we have the kit on special this week.

Now I'm going to stay inside and stitch on a quilt called Snow Day for spring Market.

Stay warm and keep quilting ladies.

Happy Almost St. Patrick's Day

First we need to announce the winner of the Notions Blog drawing.  The random number generator chose Bonny who said that her favorite notion was:

My favorite notion is a Pilot Frixion erasable pen! These are great to use, just draw on and iron off - works like a charm when embroidering, or marking a quilting pattern on your quilt top. Just hit a warm iron to it and the marks come right off!

Wow!  I've never even heard of one.  I'll have to check with Moda and see if they carry them.  Bonny I sent you an email but just in case I'll tell you here to email Tori at janpatekquilts@yahoo.com and give her your shipping information.

Thanks to all of you who commented.  It was very interesting to hear about all the different notions that are our favorites.  Wish you all could have won.

And tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day.  If you're on our email list you've gotten notice of our St. Patrick's Day sale.

This is a picture of my brother Jim, my sister Nancy and I a few years ago - Lairds one and all.  Can you tell we're related?  Scotch-Irish, you know.

And in honor of my brother Jim as well as St. Patrick, we're having a St. Patrick's Day sale on the 17th.  17% off of everything in the store - one day only.  

We sent out an email but the promo code is for some reason in teeny, tiny letters at the top.  Kelly will try to get another email out today or tomorrow.  

Anyway, be sure to use the Promo code PADDY.  

Happy shopping and Happy quilting.

Spring is only a few short days away.

Moda's Notions Blog Hop

Moda's having a "Notions" blog hop and it's really fun to read what everyone's favorite tools are.

Today was my day.

Hop on over and see what we all picked by clicking here.  Tell me what you're favorite notions are and I'll have a drawing Friday for a free Farmer's Market Layer Cake.  I just finished designing the Featured Fabric quilt out of Farmer's Market and am in love with it all over again.