Wordless Wednesday - EARLY

Resolutions?

Did you make any resolutions for the new year?  I didn't bother this year, seeing as where I didn't keep even one from last year!  I am hoping that I will do a couple of things this year, but I'm not calling them resolutions, that seems to doom me from the start.

One thing I'd like to do is NOT wait until the absolute last minute to make class samples . . . (ok, so far that one isn't going so well . . .).  This weekend I had FOUR, yes FOUR projects that needed to be finished - three for classes and the fourth is the shop hop quilt due on Monday.  I actually finished one class sample Wed morning, and whipped off the remaining two today.  I'm ready for tomorrow - phew!

The shop hop quilt, well ok, it's not going to be finished by Monday but in my defense the fabric for the center of the blocks only arrived yesterday.  I'll get a couple of blocks done Sunday morning but there is no way the whole quilt will be finished and photographed by Monday.

So why do I do this to myself?  I knew about those class samples for at least a month.  Is it true that I really work best under pressure?  Maybe.  Am I just a procrastinator at heart?  Probably.  Do I just like to torture myself?  Maybe!

I'm heading to Massachusetts to see Mom next weekend so I don't have any class samples due for then.  The week after I'm heading to FL with Karen Montgomery to attend Kaye's College so I won't have any class samples due for then either.  Wanna put a bet I'm sewing frantically the week I get back on a class sample instead of doing it between now and the time I leave for FL?  Although there is that shop hop quilt that needs to be done . . . . .maybe a FIRM resolution would work?????

2012

Another year gone and a new year begins.  2011 saw our James marry his Stefanie, our Jeremy ask his Stephanie to marry him (she said yes!) and our Sara give our grandson Nathan a little brother, Colin.  We were busy this year . . .

2012 we are looking forward to a nephew's wedding in May and Jeremy and Stephanie's wedding in September.  The outlaws of Jim's family (that's all us in-laws) have decided that we're all going to all the nephew and nieces weddings where ever they are since it's the only way we get to see each other all in one place!  I hope Stephanie warns her family about our crazy one.

From my family to yours - a safe, healthy & happy New Year!

Handmade For The Holiday 2 - French Bread Christmas

Looking for a quickie hostess gift and you did the wine bag last year?  How about a simple table runner?  Wrap up homemade cookies or a bread in this table runner, wrap with a pretty bow and you have a wonderful gift that any hostess would love!  Written by Susan Fuquay, she writes that this project will take you about an hour. I did a little bit one morning and then finished up then next morning so I'm not sure how long it took me but it was a QUICK project. We have a kit with pre-cut strips, so it's entirely possible to finish in an hour.  I used the Christmas Stonehenge fabrics from Northcott and this will give any room a bit of glitz and pizazz for Christmas!  Click here for the kit.

I free motioned holly and berries down the center but this would be a good project to practice your straight machine quilting too.

Want to add a bit more to the gift?  Riley Blake has a great video on how to make quick hot pads.  Make a coordinating hot pad to go with the table runner!  Click here for the video.   and here for a kit.

I'll be back in a few days with some other projects you still have time to make for this holiday season!

And don't forget to email me to be put on our "Stuff Your Stocking" email list!  Starting December 6th, I'll be sending an email at midnight for with a link to that day's special.  You can shop online, send me an email, call the shop to order or stop in and tell us to "STUFF YOUR STOCKING!" with that day's deal.  We'll keep a bag for you of the days you decide to purchase and at the end, we'll have it ready for you to pick up or we'll mail it to you on our way home on the 18th.  Specials are only good from midnight to midnight, so don't miss out!  These will make great gifts for sewing/quilting friends or for you!  Email me by clicking here.

Wordless Wednesday

It's Almost Time!

Are you sewing like crazy for Christmas?  Or are you done already?  (HA! That will NEVER be me!) Or are you like most of us, still trying to dream up things that you can make up quickly that look like you took forever to make?  (That would be me!)  I'm sewing some secret things for Christmas this year which I can't post about because certain people read this blog and my secrets won't be secrets anymore.

Next Saturday I'll be hosting two HANDMADE FOR THE HOLIDAYS events at the shop (click here for details) that will give the locals some good ideas of things there is still time to make and impress your gift recipients but for all of you out in blogland who can't make it, I thought I'd give you some ideas too.  So check back over the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting different ideas that maybe you could use.  I'll include links to our website under the pictures so you can quickly get started because after all, it's getting down to the wire even if we don't want to think so!

Cash & Carry

Teenagers are probably one of the hardest groups to buy a gift for.  Who knows what they really want and if you do know, how the heck do you afford it?  So we end up going with gift cards which just don't seem personal.  The card itself isn't but what you're giving them is time, time to wander the shop or the mall or an opportunity to go out to eat and not have to beg for money to do it.  So, wrap that gift card in something they can use.  Girls are easy, can they ever have enough little purses?  Here's a really cute little purse that's quick and easy, and hey, you'll have enough time to make one for yourself too!

Boys - ummm harder but everyone can use a pillowcase.  We have great kits for pillowcases and the pattern is free when you buy the kit.  Younger teenage boys you can use a sports or car motif, we have quite a few of those, just pick something out from the novelty or boys section of our website, tell us to make it into a pillowcase kit in the nots section of our web site.  Pillowcase kits are $14.99.  Older teenage boys - black, anything black, or fiind out the color of their room or their favorite color.

I'll post every couple of days with more ideas.

Wordless Wednesday