Yours, mine, and ours

I love seeing your versions of my designs!

Donna Reed from San Tan Valley, AZ  sent me a picture of the quilt she made from my Welcome Home book published by Kansas City Star.  She says, "I've wanted for so long to make a saltbox house quilt, now it's hanging up at my house !  Yea.  Thank you so much for the designs, loved the houses.  I did change it somewhat, hope you don't mind." 

 No, Donna, I don't mind at all if you change the pattern.  

That way, it becomes your own.

And it looks gorgeous!

Lu Ann Leonard wrote, "I love your book, At Home with Country Quilts (published by Martingale) and decided to use one of the patterns to make a wedding quilt for my niece and her new husband.
I chose to make "Starry Nights in Winter", but made it one row longer. Instead of doing appliqué the whole way around the quilt, I chose the appliqué for "Scrappy Squares". This also worked well, because it had hearts in the design. Anyway, they loved the  quilt and I thought that I would enclose a few pictures (I apologize for the poor lighting). Oh, and I hand quilted it! Yikes! Finished 2 days before the wedding :)"
 

 I love how Lu Ann combined two of my patterns into one quilt.

Didn't it turn out great?

What a labour of love and a wonderful gift to the newlyweds!

Keep those pictures coming!

They inspire me to keep doing what I do.

Thank you all!

Odds and Ends

Lately I've felt like I'm in a bit of a slump.

Maybe it's the time of the year, I don't know,

but inspiration for new projects isn't striking.

What to do?

Well, I guess I could clean up some of my odds and ends

left over from other projects.

So I found some sample blocks I'd made for my first book for Martingale.

This one was from "Prairie Stars".

I made the sample block into a little pillow.

I took my sample block from "Tulip Time",

added some wool applique and embroidery 

and made a little table topper.

 This block was from the cover quilt.

I added some handquilting and binding and made a...
could be a pot holder or a candle mat.


 I had a bunch of strip sets from
(no idea where).
Made them into a double nine-patch block, stitched and bound it.



This was my finished version of "Autumn Equinox". 

My first try at the patchwork center didn't turn out quite like I hoped but
I couldn't bear to throw it away.
So I added a different border and machine quilted it. 

I think I'll keep this one for now. 

The other odds and ends will go to "Creekside Home Decor",

a local shop where I sell things on consignment.

Still waiting for inspiration

but now I've got a bit more space to work in when it (eventually) strikes!



Blog Tour and Book Giveaway - Week 8

Welcome back to our blog tour and book giveaway!  Hasn't it been fun?  I'm a little sad that today is our last stop--I'll just have to write another book so I can do this again!

 

Haven't found out yet who won last week's giveaway but congratulations!  Michelle will let me know as soon as she draws the name and I'll get the book out to you asap!

Today we're heading across the country again--this time to West Virginia,

home to Jeni Gaston, Judy Williamson and Gretchen Streeter, the supremely gifted sisters and co-creators of "Primitive Quilts and Projects" my favourite quilting magazine.  I'm so glad someone finally decided to publish a magazine specifically for us primitive quilters!

In addition to publishing this wonderful magazine, they are co-owners of the Woolen Willow quilt shop, pattern designers, wool dyers, you-name-it!  A visit to their shop is definitely on my bucket list.  I'm so happy that in their extremely busy schedule, they found time to post about my book on their blog!

If you're one of my followers, go over to their blog and leave a comment for a last chance to win a copy of my book.  Good luck everyone!

I'm thrilled that they've asked me to design a pattern for the spring 2013 issue and to be in the company of the many talented contributors to their magazine. Just look for a pattern with lots of prim houses.  Here's a teaser--

Hope you'll like it! 
Thanks so much to all of you who've been a part of this blog tour!
We couldn't have done it without you.

Loving the Creative Life

Can it possibly be April already?

Time is flying and I feel so very blessed to be able to spend my days doing what I love.
This past week I've been making all kinds of fun things to sell at the Vintage Market coming up in June and on consignment throughout the year at Creekside Home Decor here in Abbotsford.

Here's a sampling of what you can expect to see.

Of course, there'll be an assortment of penny rugs,

make-do's and pinkeeps,

fabric-covered boxes and grungy jars,

cloth-covered journals,

shabby signs,

puzzle balls and old-time pincushions,

and a few things to make you smile.

If you see something you like but can't make it out this way to shop, I'm always happy to custom-create for you--just give me a call!

Martingale Photo Shoot

My second book with Martingale is due out next June!

A few weeks ago, I received a letter from them saying they'd like to start photographing the quilts in their offices in Bothell, WA, (about 2 hours south of where I live), and they wondered whether I'd be interested in having some of my primitives used as props in the photos.  Well, yeah!

So I sent them photos of some of the stuff around my house, like this:

They emailed me back with their choices.
I  loaded them into my car, drove down this week, and brought them into the studio.

Lights,

camera,

action!

My quilts were waiting in line...

for Brent, the photographer, (aka "the quilt whisperer") to work his magic.

Sometimes other equipment was used to give the desired effect.

A tripod was used to adjust a quilt, just so.

And sometimes a quilt needed a quick pressing.

After seeing all the work involved in getting the photos just right, I'll never look at pictures in quilt magazines and books the same way again!

(No wonder my recipes never look like the photographs!)

So when my book comes out next summer, check out the props, as well as the quilts!

The quilts were photographed in a day (which I'm told is pretty fast)

and the next morning Regina (the production manager) and Brent worked on some cover shots.

In between, I had time to wander the offices.
Even the lunch room has quilt designs on the floor!

Halloween pumpkins were parked in the aisles.

Who wouldn't love an office with beautiful quilts around every corner?

Look at the machine quilting on this one!

It was so much fun to visit there again!
Thanks, Martingale, for being such a wonderful company to work with.

It's here!

Haven't received my copy yet
(thanks to striking Canada Post)

but Book #2 is published!
Here's the cover:

And you can get a sneak peek by clicking on this link:
 Welcome Home.

I'm a very proud mama!