Fat Quarter Shop 2012 Designer Mystery Blog Hop

Today is our day in the Fat Quarter Shop 2012 Designer Mystery Block of the Month! If you've been following along, you know we have a mysterious photo that you will have to guess about. Here it is.....

I've been following along too and I believe I have guessed some correctly, and some I am at a total loss for. I think you have it easy here. Not only does the picture pretty much give it away - I will give you some clues.

This has been in my possession for over 10 years. It belonged to our aunt Rita for a lot longer than that. It was not brand new when she got it. It is at least 75 years old and probably closer to 100 years old. I think that satisfies the "vintage" part of the category. As for modern - well I think it's still pretty chic, and will be for a long time to come - so I guess it qualifies for "modern" too. Aunt Rita probably deserves her own blog post eventually. Everyone has a goofy aunt, don't they? Aunt Rita was ours.

This is all about the 2012 BOM from the Fat Quarter shop that we designed a block for. The lovely quilt (which you can see part of at the top of the post) is made with Vintage Modern by Bonnie and Camille for Moda Fabrics.

Do you need more clues?? Well, whenever I wear this item it makes me think of this song.

Still don't know what it is?? How about this --

Make a comment below and make your guess and you could be picked to win a Layer Cake™ of Prairie Paisley II from the Fat Quarter Shop. We'll also pick a winner here and send out something. Thanks!

Laurie

Eureka!

I had an Eureka moment this weekend. Probably because I was home alone, didn't have to cook, and wasn't distracted by the obsessive channel changing of the t.v. by someone. Sometimes it must look like we have a strobe light in the house with all the constant flickering of light. Kidding.

Anyway, I was working on my project for Primitve Quilts and Projects magazine. My project involved wool stitchery, much like a penny rug - but not quite a penny rug. I've struggled with techniques to adhere the wool pieces onto the background for appliqué. I've used several techniques: pins (unsatisfactory), glue interfacings (yuck, they change the entire texture of the wool) and stapling. Stapling was by far the superior technique, but it had it's limitations and problems. A typical desk stapler has a very short neck and unless you were working on a tiny project - not good. If you opened up the stapler, I had problems with that too. Then I remembered this!

It's a stapler I picked up at an office supply store this summer to do my Hawaiian Quilt. It has a throat of about 18". Honestly, once I remembered I had it - it took less than a minute to adhere all my wool pieces onto my background. Pretty neat.

When you do a Hawaiian Quilt, you fold the top appliqué piece into 8 layers, draw your design on the top layer and cut through all. If you staple these layers together with this nifty stapler (which can reach to the center of the quilt piece easily) the cutting is fast and accurate.

If there is ONE penny rug or ONE Hawaiian quilt in your future - this purchase will be well worth it. It was around $20.00.

Remember to stop at the the blogs for the Modern Vintage Mystery Blog Hop. Today's stop is Pieces From My Heart.

Laurie

Home Alone

I'm home alone and I couldn't resist the visual reference. Bill is at a hockey tournament and Gibby and I ensconced in for a long, leisurely, weekend. I'll be starting work on a new project and I have the remote control all to myself.

Polly and I are working on tandem projects to be in Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine. I believe our projects will be in the fall issue. It's a sister act. Polly and I; Kathy Schmitz and Bonnie Sullivan; Judy, Jenifer, and Gretchen of Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine, and some other infamous sisters. It should be fun.

Polly tells me all the American Summer pre-orders have been shipped. I am caught up on all my to-do list items, except for house cleaning and I'm not losing any sleep over it.

For all you folks around the Niagara Falls area - I am going to be at Halton Quilters Guild in Burlington Ontario on March 1st. The SUV will be loaded to the brim with quilts for a trunk show. I hope the border guards have a sense of humor. How many people claim to enter Canada for one day and have 8 suitcases with them?

Have a great weekend!

Laurie

Hearts and Love

Do you have big plans? Are you making anything for people you love? No big plans here. You know, we're married and have been for awhile. There will be a small gift and cards, no doubt, but there won't be dressing up and going dancing. If I'm lucky he'll watch a romantic movie with me - or a hockey game. I'm not complaining. If I'm very lucky, there will be a romantic movie, some chocolate, and some stitching on the sofa. No, "stitching on the sofa" is not a euphemism.

I have been inundated with heart imagery. Let's all get inspired, shall we

Gary G stacked turquoise ring from Schaef Design Jewelry

19th century Pennsylvania Sandstone Trivet

Silver charm from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

I know Polly is working on a rug right now that has lots of hearts in it. I'm not working on a heart quilt - but it's a quilt with heart....

This is the Golden Retriever quilt I am making. The borders are being stitched at the moment, so it's not quite finished.

And guess what? There is a Blog Hop starting on Monday - make sure to stop by the Jolly Jabber for the start. Here is the rest of the schedule. Oh, and it's all very mysterious.

Tuesday 2/14 – Bunny Hill Designs

Wednesday 2/15 – Primitive Gatherings

Thursday 2/16 – Me and My Sister Designs

Friday 2/17 – Aneela Hoey

Monday 2/20 – Blackbird Designs

Tuesday 2/21 – Kate Spain

Wednesday 2/22 – Sandy Gervais

Thursday 2/23 – Bonnie & Camille

Friday 2/24 – Fig Tree Quilts

Monday 2/27 – Minick & Simpson

Tuesday 2/28 – Cosmo Cricket

Wed 2/29 – Sweetwater

The book American Summer is expected to land on my porch today {fingers crossed}. The pre-orders will go out immediately after that. Have a heartful weekend.

Laurie

It Helped!

Thanks for everyone's tips on the dreaded taxes and spring cleaning. It helped me. I finished my part of the taxes today!!!! Everything goes to the CPA, but all my little ducks are in a row. What a relief. As for the cleaning, well, we can't be good at everything, can we.

The 3 winners of a copy of American Summer by Polly Minick and a prop are:

Jackie B

Nancy D

Marilee

Ladies, email me here and I'll get your goodies out to you.

Bathing Beauties Rug by Polly Minick - American Summer

Besides patting myself on the back because of the taxes, I did a little cooking today. Roast chicken, and this - MY NEW FAVORITE SALAD

photo from Not Without Salt Blog

This yumminess is Orange and Avocado salad. What a treat. We'll be eating this a lot this week as avocado's and naval oranges are at their peak right now.

We'll have pictures of some works in progress this week as well as news of a new Blog Hop!

Laurie

Stuff

I have been less than inspired the last few days. It's that time of year. Working on taxes, and cleaning out stuff. The taxes have been broken down into smaller pieces, so I am fooling myself thinking it is less than a job than it is. I am about 80% finished with it and inventory. It's a dreaded, but very much needed chore. Along with paperwork, some of the year's excess gets moved to trash and recycle bins and other places. You know what that means.... we need to move some of the stuff from here - to your house. You're welcome!

Polly and I expect the shipment of American Summer books to be arriving on our doorstep any day. If you pre-ordered, your book will go out to you the same day it arrives here. We would like to have a give-away on the new book too! We also would like to send along a little "gift" with your new book. We have a few "props" that we used to film the book.

How about 3 winners..... each winner will get a copy of the book American Summer and one of these props. They include a vintage sand pail and shovel, a hand stitched beach ball made with Prairie Paisley II, and a vintage miniature beach chair. (It's pretty adorable). While both Polly and I love these..... there is a limit to our space. We are running out of it. Can you please find it in your hearts to make room for a book and one of these treasures??

Just make a comment below before midnight Saturday February 4th and you could be a winner. How about a comment on how you tackle the taxes or how you jump into spring cleaning. That would sure inspire me. And if you can't get enough of old stuff... we have an Ebay auction of some of the props from the Victory Girls book here. The quilt that is underneath it all.... well, it's from American Summer too.

It's called Summer Roses.

Thanks in advance for helping clean my house.

Laurie