Monday, February 28, 2011

10 Things About Me...

I am a pretty private person- I keep a lot inside, and open up to very, very few people (like, 2). Most of the time, I am a fortress. But occasionally there are those times that I let way too much slip out- and terrify myself. One of the things I am trying to do is be a more open person. So in the next few weeks, I will be revealing a little more of myself to my readers- some of it will be light and silly, and some deeper (this will be difficult for me- so please be kind! I know you will be.)
This week, we will be keeping it light and silly. Here are 10 things you may or may not know about me (in no particular order):
1. My favorite color is red. I also like variations on red like pink, coral, and sometimes orange.

2. I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate. Love to eat it, but hate that I can’t seem to eat just one.

3. I married my college sweetheart and my first & only love 21 ½ years ago at the age of 23. So now you also know how old I am (that’s a freebie).

4. When I was 10 my favorite show was “Quincy” starring Jack Klugman, and I wanted to be a medical examiner when I grew up.

5. When I was 13 my favorite movie was “Indiana Jones” and I wanted to be an archeologist when I grew up.

6. My favorite thing to do on a Friday night is to order Chinese takeout or a pizza and spend the whole night on the sofa watching movies with my family. (I don’t mind doing that on a Saturday or Sunday night either.)

7. I sing on the worship team at my church every Sunday. After 3 years of doing this, I can finally sing solos without feeling like I am going to pass out from nerves.

8. I have 2 daughters, ages 16 and 20, whom I adore. I can’t believe what beautiful, talented, smart, funny girls they are, and how blessed I am to have them.

9. I often wish I’d had just one more girl. 3 daughters would be extra nice.

10. I don’t like coffee. I wish I did, because I feel like I’m missing out on the whole “Starbucks Experience”. Tea just doesn’t seem the same, and I feel like there’s a big “coffee club” that I’m not a member of…

So those are a handful of things about me, maybe more than you ever wanted to know- ha ha! Is there anything you’d like to know about me or what I do? Leave your question in the comments, or just send me an email, and maybe (if the answer won’t embarrass me too much) I will answer it in a post someday.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Please Join Me...

On Saturday, February 26 at 2pm.
I will be doing a presentation on fabric and quilt design, and displaying some of my original art work.

1438 Kings Highway
Swedesboro, NJ 08085

 Hope to see you there!


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Just Yummy!


My daughter made these Almond Sunflower cookies this weekend, and they turned out really delicious. They are from Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery. Don't they look like something you'd see in a bakery window? The book is from the year 2000, but I think you could probably find yourself a copy if you wanted to.

The house is still a wreck. The kitchen is painted, but the oven we ordered is on backorder- which means everything else has fallen behind schedule. Hopefully, we will get the ball rolling again in the next week or so. In the meantime, I still have piles of stuff everywhere. The kitchen is usable- thank goodness- but it's not pretty! I will be glad to get everything put back together.

Monday, February 21, 2011

A Totally Vera Day

I splurged this weekend. I was at the mall and walked by the Vera Bradley store. I have never been in a Vera Bradley store in my life. I've seen the bags and accessories in other stores, but I was really never interested in them. But this time, the store just kind of sucked me in. Like a tractor beam. And as my husband says, sometimes the only way to disengage the tractor beam is with a credit card. Hmmm.

Often I walk around stores and just get overwhelmed because I want everything, so I end up leaving without getting a thing. But I kind of gravitated to one and I found myself with this in my hands


And then, oddly enough, I found the matching wallet.
I didn't feel too bad about the wallet- the one that I was using was about 12 years old and I got it for $8 at Kmart. So I figured I was due for a new one. (Wow- I just realized that comes out to less than a dollar a year, less than a penny a day- no, I really don't feel bad about a new wallet at all!)
BTW the purse is the Julia bag, the pattern is called Sittin' In a Tree. Can you see the little birds in the pattern?

I took my new purse and wallet to church yesterday, and then realized I was wearing a Vera Wang top from Kohl's. So it was a totally Vera day.
Now I feel like I am a little more ready for spring. C'mon c'mon c'mon Spring! We are patiently waiting!

While visiting the blog of my friend Brenda at Acorn Quilts (and if you like the shabby chic and cottage look, you will love Brenda's site- pop on over for a visit right now!)  I found this blog called (in)courage- an encouraging and thoughtful blog for women. A good way to start your week.

Friday, February 18, 2011

And the winner is....

Carolyn M. from Texas! Congratulations, Carolyn! Your package is on its way.

So the office and studio are cleaned up and looking great! The problem is.... I almost hate to start a new project because I don't want to mess everything up again! (Same way when I clean the kitchen- I don't want anyone to even walk through it- I want it to stay clean for at least 5 minutes- can anyone else relate??)

This week I have been putting the finishing touches on some projects for my upcoming book with Kansas City Star. The project samples will be shipped out next week (more holding my breath and lots of prayers until I find out they got there safely! btw- the artwork arrived safely in NYC- thank goodness!)
I still have a little time to work on artwork and illustrations for the book. But I will be hunkered down in the studio, drawing and painting, over the next couple of weeks.

Today it is supposed to be 70 degrees!!!! Woohoo!!!! I will need to get outside for a bit- maybe go for a nice long walk.... it's been a long time since the weather has cooperated. Have a wonderful weekend.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Don't you love it when you put the finishing touches on a big project? I put all of my paintings and artwork for my next fabric line in the mail the other day, bound for New York City. While it's a weight off my shoulders to get a big project done (and within my deadline! yay!), I always say a prayer when I "release" it to the folks at the post office... and then let out a big sigh of relief when I get notified that the package arrived safely. I insure it, but it is really priceless- if it gets lost or damaged, I can't just run out and buy new art! I'd have to re-create it (and I don't even want to think about that!)
And once a big project is done, I like to clean out the studio- because it usually a total d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r. This time, cleaning out took 2 days- yeah it was a big mess. And speaking of messes, this is what we are living with now:

(A good excuse not to cook for a couple of weeks). But it is going to look great when it's done- can't wait. We have been talking about re-doing the kitchen for years, but I couldn't face the mess Now we are finally doing it. The blue wallpaper is gone (it took 2 days to remove), and I didn't shed a single tear. This week we have to get a new oven, and the painter will be here to paint a lovely shade of green (we chose the one on the right). In the meantime, stuff is piled everywhere...on tables, chairs and floors... I am trying to pretend that I don't really live here, I'm just visiting some really bad housekeeper... (oh yes that is my Valentine's Day tree in the background- guess that's gonna have to come down soon!!)

Giveaway winner for our Just-Because-We-Love-Ya Sale and Giveaway will be announced Friday. Stay tuned.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day

Sending lots of love your way- Happy Valentine's Day!

 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Don't forget our sale runs through tomorrow February 15- get 20% off all patterns, fabric and kits. When you place an order- you are entered in our giveaway. Thanks to everyone who already placed their orders, and good luck in the giveaway!!

Friday, February 11, 2011

In The Studio Today...

Carpel tunnel syndrome is setting in..... cutting and folding stacks of fat quarters....

And spending way too much time on the computer. Painting for next fabric line is done, but I will now spend literally days hunched over my keyboard, laying stuff out and coming up with different patterns for coordinates. This is the fun part... until about the 4th day, and then I decide that I never want to look at my Photoshop program or my computer screen again....

You still have a few more days to take advantage of our big sale- 20% off all patterns, kits, and fabric (including fat quarter bundles) until February 15. Click here to visit The Noble Wife online shop. And when you place an order- you are automatically entered in a giveaway for great stuff. What kind of stuff?? Great stuff- you'll just have to wait and see.

Busy weekend planned. Kitchen is torn up- in the middle of remodel! so lots of eating out- I can't decide if that makes me happy or not. Photos of kitchen mess coming. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Sweet 16

Happy Birthday, Daughter. How did 16 years fly by so quickly?
You truly are sweet, and such a joy in our lives. We love you!


There's still time to enter the GIVEAWAY and take advantage of our big SALE- 20% off all patterns, kits and fabric. Click here for giveaway details.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Get Thee to a Gym!!

REALLY gotta hop on the treadmill. Saturday we went to a church Valentine's Dinner at a nice restaurant. Then, last night, we were at a party at our friends' house- something about a football game??? I don't know, I'm just there for the food.
I was asked to bring dessert. My contribution:

Don't forget, we are having a BIG SALE and GIVEAWAY still going on- click here for details.
(And thanks to those of you who have already entered and placed your orders!!)

It is supposed to go up to 44 degrees today, so hopefully the mountains of snow will met. And I hear birds chirping- could Mr. Groundhog have been right? Early spring??? Oh happy day!!
(And a shout out- Happy Birthday Jeff! Publicist Extraordinaire for The Noble Wife)

Friday, February 4, 2011

Friday Fun

 Don't forget our BIG SALE and GIVEAWAY going on now! All patterns, fabric and kits are 20% off, and there is a giveaway- place an order to be entered!!

If you want a good chuckle (and who doesn't), go immediately (well, read my post first, then go immediately afterwards) to this site: Cake Wrecks. It is a site dedicated to   
"any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons." The writer's (Jen Yates) commentary is particularly funny.

My daughter told me about the site awhile ago, and it is hard to believe that there could be enough hilarious photos to fill a website- but, by gum, they've done it!! It had me laughing out loud. A lot. A few examples:

There is even a book, filled with the best of the worst.

Happy Weekend!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

SALE! and a GIVEAWAY!! (Because We LOVE YA!)

 I am so humbled that so many of you stop by my blog and are interested in "little ol' me" {because I really don't think I'm all that interesting :) }... I am so blessed to have a job that really very rarely feels like work at all, because I love it so much. I am grateful for all the people that I've "met" online, and a few of you I've even gotten to meet in person, which is especially wonderful. So in celebration of the warm and gooey feelings that are so appropriate at this time of year, we are having a big SALE.

Now through February 15, all patterns, fabric and kits on our website are 20% off. And I will throw an extra little goody in with every order. AND, hold on to your bonnets, I will have a GIVEAWAY too.... If you place an order between now and February 15, you will automatically be entered in the drawing for a giveaway (Prize TBD, but retail value of AT LEAST $30). One entry per person.

 So, a big THANK YOU, from the bottom (and top and sides and everywhere in between) of my HEART for your loyalty and kindness...

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