I have another quilt show coming up in Lancaster PA this week (Wednesday to Sunday). Tomorrow (Tuesday) hubby will go up with me to set up, then we'll come home and I will head up on my own on Wednesday and stay through till Sunday. Hubby and kid(s) will visit this weekend (it's about 75 to 90 minutes from our house.) If you are in the area and would like to stop by (free admission!), click here for directions and details. This is a great show- lots of wonderful vendors.I have been putting some quilt kits together; finishing up some pins; doing inventory on my "wares"; getting tables, tablecloths, props together (the family room is now officially an obstacle course)- ah, the glamorous life of a vendor! My favorite part of doing shows is meeting interesting and wonderful people who share my passion for creating. Also, it's great to get input as to the kinds of designs and colors that customers are interested in. And, there are some vendor friends whom I only see once a year at this show, so I'm sure it will be fun (and exhausting).
The past couple of days have been spent dying wool. A messy job, but I love looking at the spectrum colors of beautiful wool when it's done. I don't use recipes for the dye, I just kind of dump it in and see what happens.... sometimes the color comes out kind of, well, odd... but usually they are pretty... of course, the photos don't do the colors justice. This wool will make its way into some more pins and kits for the pins, which I will sell at my next quilt show.The daffodils are blooming now, adding some much anticipated color to the garden.
Tonight we are headed to Philadelphia to see a new musical based on the tv show "Happy Days". Can't wait- it was one of my very favorite shows when I was a kid, and I'm looking forward to seeing The Fonz dance and sing, along with Richie, Joanie, Potsie, Ralph Mouth... (post note- I just found out his name is actually Ralph Malph- all of these years I thought it was Mouth- cause he had a big mouth- ha ha) I hope my daughter enjoys it- she has seen the show just once or twice on Nick at Night. I also used to ADORE Laverne and Shirley- remember Lenny and Squiggy? So funny. And I remember my friends and I used to do the opening little number from the show on the school playground- 5,6,7,8, Schlameel.... something, something incorporated... Maybe someday they will make a Laverne and Shirley musical, I would love that.
I wish I could say that the quilts below are mine, but they are not. They are the creations of my friend Brenda at Acorn Quilt & Gift Company. The top one is called Betsy's Closet, and the one below is Benji's Pockets. I happen to know that Betsy has already sold out once and pre orders are being taken for Benji, so if you love them like I do, get yourself over to the Acorns website and place your order! All of Brenda's work is gorgeous- you are guaranteed to LOVE IT!!!! (I am a big fan, gush, gush.....)
And since I am gushing, I wanted to share this book with you that I got a couple of months ago- it is simply gorgeous. I love the projects and the photography- such a feast for the eyes. It is called With These Hands and it is by Maggie Bonanomi. I highly recommend this one, especially if you like primitives. Even if prims aren't your thing, you could certainly work up these lovely projects with pastels for spring.We will be going to Dave and Buster's tomorrow with our daughter and a couple of her friends to celebrate her 14th birthday (which was actually way back in February, but we are little behind around here....). We'll have lunch and then set the kids loose in the game arcade. I don't consider myself to be a violent person, don't even like violent movies, but.... I do enjoy shooting zombies at the arcade. There, I've said it. Please don't hold it against me. I'm really a very nice person....
Ok so just a quick update on what's been going on around here.... Photos above from my booth at the quilt show that I did this past weekend. It was a pretty good show, had pretty good sales (Millie pattern was popular!) and picked up a couple of wholesale accounts... Met Marisa from Purplelicious, she makes super cute and uber cool accessories like headbands, belts, keychains.... AND she will do custom orders for special colors (like for cheerleading or sports teams) and Greek letters for sororities. Check out her blog here and her Etsy store here. In the studio today I am working on some embroidery and making pins (see giant pile of wool below- Kim, I will probably need to order some more soon!) By the way, we are now up to 53 sheep that we have donated through the sale of our wool pins! Wahoo!!!
Well that's my Wednesday in a nutshell. So much to do, so little time... Hope yours is going well.
Another song by Brooke Fraser. I have put the story behind this song, which is the title song of the album Albertine, below. Please read the story and then watch the video, you will be moved.
In 1994, the tiny Central-East African nation of Rwanda was devasted by genocide. Almost one million Rwandans were killed at the hands of their neighbours, friends and community leaders within the short space of 100 days.. the catastrophic outcome of decades of tension and fighting between two ethnic groups- the Hutus and the Tutsis- a confict that did not exist before Belgian colonists moved in during the first part of the 20th century and introduced an alien political divide.
My first visit to Rwanda occurred in June 2005, eleven years on from the atrocities. I visited local authorities, churches, schools, official memorials and living ones: child-headed households and communities living with AIDS, facing life without adequate medical care or basics like clean water. I met a people who are humble, joyous, diligent and in deep pain.
On the day beore I was to fly out and onto Tanzania, my friend and guide Joel Nsengiyumva took me to a village school in a district called Kabuga. He wanted me to see that Rwanda had hope- and no better way to see it than in the next generation. The kids and I exchanged songs and dances, and as things wrapped up and we were about to leave, Joel asked if we could take a few minutes and meet with an orphan whose personal history he was familiar with.
Thoughout my trip Joel had introduced me to people as a musician from the other side of the world who was going to go back to my people, tell them about the people of Rwanda and help. No pressure. That afternoon we walked across the schoolyard into an empty classroom, joined by a tall, beautiful girl wearing the school's cobalt and navy garb, where Joel's introduction was about to become a kind of commission.
Just before he shared her story with me, that of one person laying down their life for another, he uttered these words:
'You must go back to your people and you must write a song, and I will tell you what the name of the song is going to be.'
He motioned toward the girl.
'This is Albertine.'
Albertine is alive today because of the selfless, sacrifical love of another. Funny thing is, so am I. And now I want to know what it's like to love other people like that, so I have decided to spend my whole life on the experiment.
Feel free to join me. We might just change the world. -Brooke
Now that I have seen, I am responsible.... Faith without deeds is dead.....
I will be doing a quilt show sponsored by the Love Apple Quilt Guild this weekend. If you are in the southern or central NJ/eastern PA/northeastern MD area, please stop by! (Click here for map.) There will be a lot of great vendors there, as well as free lectures, door prizes, and quilt raffles. I have been very busy folding and stuffing patterns the past few days (daughter home from college has been very helpful with this!) I feel like I have to get out and have some fun soon, or I don't know what will happen! Watch out!Tillie is coming a long. A little sneak peek...
Well there are more patterns to fold... Hope to see some of you at the show. Have a great weekend (yes I know it's only Wednesday, but I am already looking forward to the weekend!)
I gave you a little sneak peek of Millie a couple of weeks ago, but she is finally really done! I just got the binding and photography done over the weekend. I love her- such a sweet little garden girl... and so wise, too... we should all remember to Bee Happy and Bee Joyful! I did machine applique and some simple hand embroidery on both the wall hanging and coordinating quilt. The border of the quilt has lots of little bees "buzzing" around. The pattern is available here on my website. It has detailed instructions for both the wall hanging and quilt.
And, of course, I am now working on Tillie and hope to have her done in a couple of weeks (I would really love to have her done this week, but I have to be realistic here....)
The weekend here was gloriously warm (in the 60's!), and managed to melt away what was left of the snow. Yippee! Now of course everything is muddy, but who cares, weather in the 60's!!!
Happy Birthday today to hubby! I won't tell you how old he is, but it is more than 30! ha ha. On the menu tonight is pasta with shrimp, roasted red peppers and goat cheese, and garlic bread. Younger daughter is sure to make a special dessert for her daddy when she gets home from school today. Tomorrow, older daughter will be home from college to begin Spring Break, so we will probably go out tomorrow night to celebrate.
Hubby takes a lot of the photos that I put on my blog, including the ones below. He has a photo blog if you'd like to take a look at some of his work. He is quite good!
In other news, the thaw continues. We got 10" of snow on Monday and the kids had off from school for 2 days- which means they have exceeded their limit and the days will have to be made up at some time, hopefully not too far into the summer.
At least it is sunny today- something I miss in the winter is not just the warm weather, but I really miss the LIGHT. I think this is the weekend that we set clocks ahead, which means one hour less sleep on Saturday night. Usually I look forward to Daylight Savings Time, but it has come early this year and I think I will miss the light in the morning- I have a really hard time getting up in the dark! Oh well, the days are getting longer which is a very good thing. And the birds have been chirping- it warms my heart to hear their song....
Keep thinking warm thoughts! Spring is on the way!
Look for the current issue (April 2009) of Create and Decorate Magazine on newstands now (including Barnes and Noble.)
It features tons of super cute projects for spring. And I don't know about you, but we could use a touch of spring around here!
Among the projects featured is my Spring has Sprung! wall hanging, which has simple machine applique, a little hand embroidery, and some buttons for a bit of whimsy....
This was a fun project to design and I hope it is enjoyed by many! I did it in pale and medium toned country colors, but I think it would also be really sweet done up in pastels...
Why not make some Orange Biscotti with Toasted Walnuts and Rosemary to enjoy with a cup of tea while flipping through your favorite magazine... I just posted the recipe on my recipe page. I came up with this idea a little while back, I was trying to jazz up a plain jane biscotti recipe that I had... I don't know why it occurred to me to put rosemary in biscotti... but they are light and tasty... I could just munch them all day long (and I have..... if you were here you could find me by following my trail of crumbs...)
I have another quilt show coming up in Lancaster PA this week (Wednesday to Sunday). Tomorrow (Tuesday) hubby will go up with me to set up, then we'll come home and I will head up on my own on Wednesday and stay through till Sunday. Hubby and kid(s) will visit this weekend (it's about 75 to 90 minutes from our house.) If you are in the area and would like to stop by (free admission!), click here for directions and details. This is a great show- lots of wonderful vendors.
I have been putting some quilt kits together; finishing up some pins; doing inventory on my "wares"; getting tables, tablecloths, props together (the family room is now officially an obstacle course)- ah, the glamorous life of a vendor! My favorite part of doing shows is meeting interesting and wonderful people who share my passion for creating. Also, it's great to get input as to the kinds of designs and colors that customers are interested in. And, there are some vendor friends whom I only see once a year at this show, so I'm sure it will be fun (and exhausting).
The daffodils are blooming now, adding some much anticipated color to the garden.
We will be going to Dave and Buster's tomorrow with our daughter and a couple of her friends to celebrate her 14th birthday (which was actually way back in February, but we are little behind around here....). We'll have lunch and then set the kids loose in the game arcade. I don't consider myself to be a violent person, don't even like violent movies, but.... I do enjoy shooting zombies at the arcade. There, I've said it. Please don't hold it against me. I'm really a very nice person....
Photos above from my booth at the quilt show that I did this past weekend. It was a pretty good show, had pretty good sales (Millie pattern was popular!) and picked up a couple of wholesale accounts...
In the studio today I am working on some embroidery and 
Well that's my Wednesday in a nutshell. So much to do, so little time... Hope yours is going well.
Tillie is coming a long. A little sneak peek...
Well there are more patterns to fold... Hope to see some of you at the show. Have a great weekend (yes I know it's only Wednesday, but I am already looking forward to the weekend!)
I gave you a little sneak peek of Millie a couple of weeks ago, but she is finally really done! I just got the binding and photography done over the weekend. I love her- such a sweet little garden girl... and so wise, too... we should all remember to Bee Happy and Bee Joyful! I did machine applique and some simple hand embroidery on both the wall hanging and coordinating quilt. The border of the quilt has lots of little bees "buzzing" around.
The pattern is available 
Among the projects featured is my Spring has Sprung! wall hanging, which has simple machine applique, a little hand embroidery, and some buttons for a bit of whimsy....
