Gabriel's Ark

This is one more day in our Holiday Blog Hop. I never was good with numbers so I can't remember which day except that it's the day for Tracy from Plumcute Designs. And they are. A charming stitchery with candy canes and snowflakes awaits you at her blog as well as some yummy cookies. I've loved Snickerdoodles since I was a kid.

Meantime, back here in Missouri, I'm playing with my homespuns again. This is Gabriel's Ark. Before Gabriel (our grandson who is 3) could talk, he knew all of the animal sounds. His alltime favorites were the snakes and the wolves .... but he knew them all. So of course his quilt had to be an ark. One of the interesting things about designing and running a pattern and kit business is that if you want to give away a quilt, you get to make two so you have one for Festivals and lectures and trunk shows. I'm working on his at the moment. I didn't make all of the first one so this is a treat for me. And there's no deadline because he's 3 and really doesn't have much of a concept of time. Right now, he just likes to look at the blocks and tell me what sound they make.

He wants a dinosaur on the quilt - a T-rex, or course. I told him that the dinosaur would have to be on the back because he doesn't play well with others.

This is Oscar, Brian Jr's cat who is staying with us for awhile. He makes me want to go take a nap in the sun in the garden. I may put on a jacket and go sit and stitch for awhile. Happy quilting ladies.

Oops - 4got to post the winner of the hankie!

Here's my lovely fabric again. Just had to have a picture in the post. But.....

I got so excited by the fabric that I forgot to tell Karen she won the hankie. Now she can start a hankie collection of your own. Karen, please email your info to Tara at jpquilts@cameron.net and she'll send your hankie out. Thanks for all of your comments.

The Homespuns came in!

This is going to be short because ......my homespuns got here and I'm going to the loft to play.

And while I'm up there playing you all need to quick like a very fast bunny hop over to Renee Plains blog to see her awesome angel. I want one. Of course I've wanted one of every project that's been part of this Blog Hop so far :) And I've already commented so I'm going to win the drawing for the kit. :) If not, we can always make one - the pattern's free and the angel would be a great addition to any Holiday collection. And the cookies have all sounded great too.

I'm off to the loft - will show you some blocks next time.

Getting ready for the holidays - Multitasking again.

This is a Harvest Safe. It's somewhat similar to a pie safe but bigger. I got it years ago in Jamesport at an antique shop. I didn't know what it was but I liked the way it looked. My neighbor Georgie(who was born in the farmhouse next door) knew exactly what it was. We live in a farming community. At harvest time, the men would go from farm to farm to bring in the harvest. The women would go with them and early in the morning start cooking to feed them all at noon. The food was put in big harvest safes that were covered with screen - to keep food aired so it wouldn't get soggy and to keep the flies off. After the men ate and went back to the fields, the women cleaned up and got the quilting frames out. Harvest was hard work for everyone but a great time for community.

Obviously we don't use it as a Harvest Safe but it stores all of Pep's cookbook collection , odds and ends and a lot of our holiday glassware. The good crystal stays in the hutch but the rest goes in here. Unfortunately the screen does let in dust so 2 or 3 times a year, the whole thing gets cleaned out and all of the glasses washed. I always do it before Easter and Thanksgiving.

The rest of the glasses are in the dishwasher but these are too long and get knocked around. I'm afraid they'll break so I always do them by hand. In between cleaning and letting things dry I get to sit and stitch. I'm working on my Holiday Project so can't show it to you yet but here's a sneak peek at the fabrics I'm using.

And today is Kathy Schmitz day on the blog hop. I just love her project.

This is a Moda Hankie from Market signed by all of the designers. Hop on over to Kathy's blog and come back and tell me in the comments section what her project says. We'll have a drawing Monday from the comments and send the winner the hankie.

Good luck and have a good weekend.

It's a start!

I'll explain the "It's a start" in a second but first a few witch pics from Market.

These charming witches all posed by my "Witch Is In! wallhanging.

They are:

Cindi Edgerton and Sylvia Williams in the purple hats,

Karen in the cute, perky black hat, and

Marcea in the big black hat! You'll notice in the picture of Marcea that

"The Witch Is In!" was hanging right above my chair. As we told everyone

at Market - this is not a Halloween Quilt. This is a lifestyles statement quilt :)

And back at the home front, one of this years hens has started production. The regular size egg is from one of last year's ladies, the small egg is the first one laid by one of this year's girls. It's about the size of a Robin egg. Well, as I said, "It's a Start". The kids were asking what we'll do with it. It will probably end up in a quiche or scrambled eggs. Waste not, want not. :)

Right now you need to hop on over to Cheri Saffiote's blog and see the neat things she has in store for us. (In case you're here because Granola Girl sent you from her blog last time, she apparently didn't get the correction email. I'll have all sorts of goodies in store on Nov. 29th.) See you then.

Market Pics & Blog Hop

Oh the things some people do for their friends. Raggedy Andy here is Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co. Before she got into quilting, she was a costumer. Obviously this was her idea. It turned out to be a lot of fun but waaaay out of my comfort zone. They did my first Moda interview on Halloween while I was in costume but unfortunately the sound didn't work right so they had to do it over the next day. Whew!!

My bosses Cheryl Freydberg and Mark Dunn of Moda Fabrics, a division of United Notions. Don't they look great?

And Debbie Outlaw - patterns buyer for United Notions. I had a good time taking pictures of ladies in witch costumes by my Witch is In wallhanging. I'll show you more over the next few posts - wouldn't want to leave anyone out.

But right now you probably want to hop on over to Granola Girl's blog to see what goodies she has posted. She does say that I'm the next blog on the hop but she didn't get the correction email I guess. I won't be until the 29th.

Have a good weekend ladies. I'm going to make cookies with the grandchildren and sit and stitch while they play outside in our gorgeous fall weather.

See you soon.

A Day Late and a Dollar Short - But here!

I was driving home from Quilt Market yesterday (as soon as I unpack I'll tell you all about it) but while Jenny and I were in the car exciting things were happening at home.

Starting November 2nd the Home for the Holidays Quilt Designer Blog Hop & Cookie Swap officially began!!

12 Designers
12 Exclusive Holiday Projects
12 Fun Holiday Cookie recipes


Stacey West of Buttermilk Basin has gathered 12 Amazing Designers who will share 12 Holiday Projects designed exclusively for our blog hop, share 12 awesome Cookie Swap Recipes as well as Inspiring & Creative Ideas for the Holidays with each of you! Each of the 12 designers will be posting on each Tuesday & Friday starting Nov 2nd! Please help us spread the word & share with your friends that you are hopping with us by posting the logo on your blogs, Facebook or websites ect.... You can even email them the link! Be sure to leave plenty of comments as each of the designers have taken time out of their hectic schedules to share a little Holiday Spirit with each of us! We hope you whip up lots of new project to deck the halls, bake up batches of great cookies for your family & friends & most importantly, take time to celebrate the upcoming Holiday Season!

From our blogs to you.... Enjoy & Happy Holidays!

Stacy and the {FABulous} Designers...
Brenda, Cheri, Debbie F., Kathy, Renee, Tracy, Lisa, Lynda, Jan, Tara & Debbie B.
Quilt Designer Blog Hop Line Up

You've got to go visit
Brenda Gervais - she posted yesterday and then hop on over this Friday to visit Granola Girl

This is such a fun idea and we all do thank Stacy for all the work she's put into it.

On the home front, besides hopping, I just got back from Market last night. Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co came with me (we're designing a few pattern together) and in my next post - as soon as we get the van unpacked - I'll show you a few pictures.

Right now I'm going to get a cup of coffee and sit and stitch in my favorite chair for awhile.