August 27, 2008 | Fig Tree Quilts, Red Geranium Cottage, stitcheries, The Quilt Buddy | No Comments

Well, where to start…I am back form San Diego and what a whirlwind it was! It took me a day to just veg out and get back to East coast time and routine…so about my visit!

It was cool! On the first day Stefanie and I went to Temecula and met up with a fellow blogger at the Quilter’s Coop- who, you ask? Well it was none other than Red Geranium Cottage blogger, Sharon! I tell you she is one cool lady! We went to this cute little barbecue place down the road from the Coop and had a leisurely lunch chatting the whole time. I really did not want it to end!

After lunch we walked back to the Quilter’s Coop to do some shopping and sadly had to say good-bye to Sharon. It was great to meet you Sharon! You are awesome!

So we went into the Coop to drown our sorrows with some retail therapy! My how cute the Coop is- check out the loads of samples they have hanging and they have a wonderful selection of fabrics and patterns. I bought some gathered Ric-rack and some patterns from here.

Then we went onto Rooster Creek- wonderful stitchery store with some antiques and shabby chic decor products in the front. I bought some wool felt for a couple of the patterns from the Coop and a cute little felted bunny for The Little Ballerina.

Then we were off to get some Starbucks and to go home. We decided to get Rubio’s for supper. Let me tell you , if you have not tried their beer battered fish burrito…go get one…they are to die for! I dreamt about them the previous night knowing I could not get them out here on the East Coast! Yummm!

Well, I will leave you with that for now and tomorrow I will post about the second day and the Country Loft’s outdoor quilt show as well as the loot we got there! Also, here is my Hexagon progress- check out all of that Fig Tree love! : )

Until then…T.T.F.N.

August 23, 2008 | English Paper Piecing, Hexagons, Home Sweet Home, The Quilt Buddy | No Comments

I swear August sure is going by in a flash! I have barely had any major quilting time since my last post but I have managed to start yet another new endeavor- English Paper piecing. I know that those of you who also read my friend Stefanie’s blog are going “what?!” but we swear, it was not planned! What I am talking about is the fact that we are both doing the same thing (imagine that). The funniest part about it though is that neither of us new the other was doing it. I read on her blog about the quilt inspiring one of her purchase from the Long Beach Quilt show but did not imagine that it was English Paper Piecing (EPP). Then I read how it was the Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt in her post and that she bought the same size hexes as I did! I called her immediately to tell her I had ordered the same thing straight from here after reading Camille Roskelley’s tutorial on her website Thimble Blossoms.

So…… this ……

Became this….

Then hopefully I will get the inspiration for the design as I get some flowers pieced….more to follow…

I also am making huge progress on my Home Sweet Home and this is a sneak peek of it…. I have a few birdhouses to finish and then I will baste it and I have decided (since hand work is the only thing I am accomplishing this week) to hand quilt it! It should get me back into practice I think!

Well, I am actually drafting this from the plane (to be cut and pasted into a post later), as I am headed out to San Diego for an impromptu visit to The Quilt Buddy’s house. We have lots of quilting to do, shop hopping to do and of course the reason for the trip is the Cottage Quilts outdoor quilt show!!!! So excited! I will try to blog a little this weekend!
T.T.F.N.

Oh I almost forgot…in light of the fact that I managed to lug my sewing machine with me (I carried on) I would be very interested in hearing, in the comments, how people have travelled by air with their machines or if they have not. Also if you have any tips, trials or tribulations you have experienced in doing so! I look forward to reading your answers!

EDIT: This post was actually written last night. I have since arrived in San Diego safely and have already had a wonderful day here! We went to Old Town Temecula and met a really cool bloggy friend for the first time and in person, had lunch and shop hopped to a couple of awesome quilt shops! More on our cool meeting and the loot on the next post once I download the photos…but what a wonderful world the blogosphere is!
T.T.F.N.

August 11, 2008 | jelly rolls, Moda U-Piece and Plenty, Strip Club | No Comments

This past week has been a pretty busy week with not a lot of quilting happening. My parents came to visit and we celebrated Baby Son’s second birthday which was a blast! All I have to say is” pretend powers tools” and you know he was in his glory! Even though I spent some very good quality time with my family, I did manage to make a purse for my mum before she left. It is from a patten by Little Scraps, This and That flower patch and I used a MODA charm pack of “Portugal “. It is definitely a fave and I can’t wait to make myself one! Mum said she used it all day yesterday!

Then yesterday after my family departed (:( boo hoo)…I went to my monthly ‘Strip Club’ at my LQS. Susan and Doris had the cutest samples made for us this month! A jelly roll bag and table runner. Just wonderful! Here are the pics of their samples…

This pattern is by Bunny Hill Designs and is called Jelly Bags

This pattern is by Cozy Quilt Shop and is called Diamond Medley

I bought both patterns and a Jelly Roll friendly book. Lots of great projects on the horizon so I am looking forward to getting more off my WIP list! (P.S. thanks Susan for modeling the samples for me!)

Grateful for a wonderful week… T.T.F.N!