Announcement!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Life as Process
With the kids being home for the summer I don't get much time to sew. I have lots of ideas and desire but not enough time to sit and focus. No complaints, just a fact of life for now. Boy I sure do have lots of projects on my list as soon as Sept. comes around. Both boys will be in school and I'm hoping to get into some of my larger projects.
My mind is not in the blogisphere lately. My dog Bear is not doing well. We plan on taking him to the vet to be put to sleep on Friday. He has been my dog since before I met Rick or had the boys. He has always been a special part of my life. I'm sharing this so folks aren't wondering why I'm not writing about stitching. So if I miss a post or two....you'll know whats up.
If anyone is inspired to share something totally cool, new, something that is on your mind, a good joke, some interesting photos, sewing stories......just e-mail it to me and I'll post it on the day's I'm feeling poopie. Sort of like a substitute blogologist/bloggifer/blogerator or something :)
A little story for ya:
I have a dear friend who had to put her dog to sleep and she called me from her car on the way home from the vet. She was crying and feeling terrible. I said, "So you are telling me you just killed your dog and you feel bad? I'd feel bad too!!" She started laughing and told me she was glad I had not lost my sense of humor.
Have some fun today.....and leave a few chores undone!!!
Kelly
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Bias Tape Maker by Simplicity Update
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Cedar Canyon Paintsticks were at Quilt Market in Pittsburgh
I bought the DVD for Paintsticks called, " Paintstick Inspirations with Laura Murray " and I love it. I'm a visual learner so DVD's have always been one of my favorite ways to learn new techniques. It is also a way to get the TV to myself. My boys don't want to watch "grown-up TV".
Life had been full with the start of Summer. It feels like I go from sun up until well after sun down. I've been doing lots of planting in our yard. Rick & the boys have put in a garden. The boys have a full time job of chasing away the bunnies that come to eat their garden.
Have a great afternoon.
Monday, June 15, 2009
And The Winner Is........
Thank you to all who entered. Thank you for reading this blog and for your continued support. I'm having fun and I hope you are too :)
Kelly
Great Week
I went to some garage sales on Friday morning and Saturday morning. I got some great buys.
I fell in love with these dishes the minute I saw them. They have never been used and there are 16 place settings, two platters, two serving bowels, two sugar bowels & creamers. Guess what I paid?
Then I found this quilt stand in the box....unopened. It had never been opened and it required assembly. The stand is made of oak. What do you think I paid for it? I checked on line and it would be 49.95 plus shipping if I were to order it.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Giveaway Ends Tonight At Midnight CMT
Friday, June 12, 2009
Blog Followers Sale- 10 Olfa Rotary Blades
If you want to take advantage of this offer you must enter your order via e-mail to IHaveANotion@yahoo.com and not through my website. That way I will know you are a follower of my blog.
If you are not a follower and would like to be....click on the Follower button on the right hand side of my blog.
Smiles,
Kelly
Black Swamp Quilter's Guild Meeting Last Night
Last evening the Black Swamp Quilters had a meeting in Bowling Green, OH. Kathy Green and I have been talking about going to their meeting for awhile now and we finally went. I had such a good time and was so pleased to meet so many great women. We were greeted so warmly and lots of gals came up and welcomed us. I'm definitely joining this guild and I can't wait to go back :) I felt like I was back in PA again :)
There are many talented gals in this guild and their quilts were all really great. Three in particular struck a cord with me personally.
This quilt is really amazing. Jennifer Moilock (I pray I'm spelling her name correctly.....if you click on her name you can see her blog and more about her wall hanging) made a portrait quilt for her parent's 50th wedding anniversary. What an incredible gift to be able to give her parents. Her mother was there last night and she is in the picture with Jennifer. Isn't this something else? The pearls sparkled and the veil was just a great addition. The sentimental value of this quilt makes it uninsurable I'm sure!!!
Jennifer with her mother, Rita, holding the portrait of "Ron and Rita Trumbull"
PS....Black Swamp Quilting Retreat Announcement
Thursday, June 11, 2009
New Addition to the Family and More Information about the Bias Tape Maker Machine by Simplicity
Here she is....I've named her "Hot Stuff Harriet." Her birth mother was named Westinghouse. She may just be too hot to handle!!! I got her from the Salvation Army for a mere 3.00 adoption fee. I plugged her in and she got hot fast....and no steam!!! I'm thinking she will be great for pressing cottons. I've always wanted one like this and I'm thrilled I found her tonight. My grandma had one that she heated on the radiator and she had the water in a shaker bottle. I treasure those memories.
You know how I ended up at Salvation Army on a Wed night? Well....in my efficiency I filled in my calender for an entire year the dates of my quilt guild meetings and my needle guild meeting. Only problem is the needle arts guild meets on the third Wed and not the second. Oops....what is a woman to do when she knows the kids are being watched? You guessed it....go shopping.
I've gotten several e-mails asking questions about the Bias Tape Maker Machine and the Rotary Cutting Machine both by Simplicity. I'm waiting to hear from Simplicity about replacement blades for the Rotary Cutting Machine. The tips for the Bias Tape Maker are reportedly being released in Aug and will come in the following sizes: Flat Fold: 1/8, 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1 1/4, and Quilt Binding tips will be 2 1/4 and 2 1/2. When the are in I will post that information and the prices.
Thank you for all the nice e-mails and comments. I'm so glad that people enjoy what I write. Many nights I just want to go to bed but I stay up and write my post because some gals say they read blogs with coffee in the morning. I used to spend a crazy amount of time reading blogs....now it is much reduced because I'm writing one!!!
Smiles,
Kelly
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Checker After Market Open House - 2
So do you want to meet Ruth? Are you curious? No?....Well you are boring and and no fun and you need to go back to the television set. Yes?....Stay right here.....the mystery is about to be revealed.....but first....a little background:
Have you ever called a business and felt like you were just another stranger that is calling with a question. The person answers your questions but seems disinterested or just matter of fact? Then you make a call and a kind person who genuinely seems to care answers and helps you out?
I called Checker about an order I placed and spoke with Ruth Lofton. You would have thought I was buying something from Ruth personally. She could not have been more friendly, kind and cheerful. I was so delighted I asked for her name so I could ask for her the next time I called. A few days later I dropped off some cookies for her. Ruth Lofton you ROCK :)
I asked if Ruth was in and a gal took me into the back offices and introduced me personally. How nice was that? It was an absolute pleasure meeting Ruth. She is just as lovely as she sounds over the phone. Her desk is cheerful and she has some great family photos too. What a great lady. It is the people who always make the difference when it comes to business transactions. Who wants to buy from a cold voice or a recorded one? NOT ME.
Later I stumbled upon a nutcase with a vacuum cleaning the carpets in Checkers display area. I asked her what in the hell she thought she was doing vacuuming during an Open House and could she put that noisy vacuum away. She told me to shut up....she was testing the vacuum to see if indeed it was worth the purchase price. That woman even took the thing apart to see how it collected the dirt....she wanted to see for herself how much of the dirt it actually picked up. Then a gal cut up some thread and threw it on the floor so this lady could test the vacuum on thread. I must say it did pick up all the threads easily. Can you believe the nerve of some people?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Creative Grids Square It Up Or Fussy Cut Rulers
As most of you already know....I'm the type of person who wants to see and use things to see if they are worth the hard earned money.
Below you will see some pictures I took on Friday of Penny using her rulers. I personally was sold....definitely worth the money. Besides the fact it can be used for fussy cutting....it is a regular ruler so you can just buy one and not two :) You have to love that!!! I do.
Penny is demonstrating how she made centered Prairie Points using this ruler. I'm sorry the picture is sideways....but you can see what she is doing here. (apparently not sorry enough to go back into my photo editor and fix it for you....who said that?....my thoughts are being channeled by that genie again)
Monday, June 8, 2009
PS about Giveaway
Kelly
Quilt Market Giveaway
However, I'm not one to say I'll do something and then not do it. No way, no how, nuht uh....however that sound is spelled :)
This book will be given away to one lucky winner chosen by the random number generator. The book, "Piecing with Pixels" by Sandra Hart & Gudny Campbell is signed by Sandra Hart. I received this book from Checker Distributors at the Quilt Market in Pittsburgh. Mary Hart demonstrated how she uses her own unique images to make beautiful quilts. The book will teach you how to use your unique images to make your own quilts. It is full of excellent illustrations and photos. The retail price of this book is $26.95 US. I will be shipping it to the winner via USPS media mail.
How can you win this book?
Go to www.IHaveA-Notion.com and look around. Leave a comment on this post about three things you don't have that you would like to have. That is one entry. If you post about this giveaway on your blog (e-mail the link to IHaveANotion@yahoo.com) that is 2 entries. If you purchase something from the website between 6/8/09 and 6/14/09 that is 3 entries. So that is 5 chances to win this book. The giveaway begins on 6/08/09 and will end on 6/14/09 at 12:00 midnight CMT. Every entry will be assigned a number and the winner will be chosen by the random number generator.
Good Luck!!!......Kelly
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Genie's Granting Wishes Right Here and Now
Here is a closeup of the quilting that was done on the quilt. Look at those yummy colors and prints. Who ever created this fabric design must have been channeling my inner floral genie.
Click here and a genie will grant you a free pattern of "Folklorika".
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Slashed Squares and Bias Tape Maker by Simplicity
I recieved permission from Lynne to post about her beautiful quilt. She has a great tutorial as well. A little about Lynne:
My name is Lynne and I live in New England in the USA. I've been sewing
since 5th grade and making quilts since college. I love working with
abstract shapes and color. I love strip piecing. I'm trained as an artist,
and I love the graphic quality of quilts. I'd rather take the time to make
something beautiful than buy something ugly. My companion is my tuxedo cat,
Millie, who has her own blog at darlingmillie.blogspot.com.
Left over fabrics from finished projects would be great with this pattern too. I was thinking about this in a miniature wall hanging using some fabrics I have left over from my circles quilt. I never know what to do with those left over blocks. This would be a great wall hanging and a nice reminder of the larger piece I have made.
Friday, June 5, 2009
The Sound of Music
Delight is the only word that expresses my feelings when I saw this video. How nice would it be if every few days something like this happened? I would feel like I lived in Disneyland. Perhaps we should choreograph something like this to entertain our friends and strangers too.
I know...like "Stomp"....a bunch of us Quilters and Stitchers could get our notions, sergers and machines lined up and percuss them to make our own music. How fun would that be? Anyone interested? We'll set up at your house...not mine :)
Smiles, Kelly
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Fun stuff I found today
The MagPro incorporates a powerful magnet which securely grips metal items such as scissors, pins, needles, rippers, rotary cutters, blades, etc. Attach the bar to the wall most convenient for you & your tools will always be accessible. Mounting hardware is included.
Checker is having an After Market show on Friday for all the folks who were unable to attend Quilt Market in Pittsburgh. I went but I'm going on Friday too. They are going to have some demonstrations going on and I want to see more of those Creative Grid Rulers. I have found that every time I see a tool demonstrated that I learn so much that I did not know previously.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Rotary Cutting Machine by Simplicity
Hot Notions: Thimbles, Jackpot Scissors and Needle-Grip-It
First: Protect and Grip Thimble by Clover
I've blogged about this previously. Here is a testimonial:
Hi, Mary Jane, Okay. You are going to have to have to pry that wonderful thimble from my dead body!!! That is THE best thimble I've every tried. I will get it back to you next week if that's okay. I can see where it would be an advantage to having a couple of them. I just think that Clover has the best products!! Thanks for letting me borrow it. I will treat it kindly. :) Talk to you soon. Dori (partial re-print of e-mail with permission of sender)
Kelly,.....By the way, did I tell you why I like this thimble so much? I have arthritis in my fingers and when I put on a thimble, it
hits my knuckle and my finger swells something awful. The thimble doesn't fit all the way to the tip of my finger because of it hitting the knuckle. I've tried several different kinds and they are all very uncomfortable. This is the first one that I've tried that works perfect. I bet it will be a big seller. Take care. Dori (from e-mail with permission of sender)
I have sold over 21 thimbles in the last week. That is amazing!!! Clover will be thrilled that they are getting such positive reviews about their new thimbles. I had other e-mail testimonials but I deleted them in error. If you have something you would like me to share...please leave a comment on the blog or e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com.
Second, 4 in. Jackpot Scissors by Simplicity