Flamingo Update & More : )

 Yes, the Flamingos are alive and well.  They are there every day but I have not been in a mental space to stop and take any photos....until yesterday!

Apparently momma flamingo is taking care to watch over her baby flamingos as they swim :)

 photo credit click here

I'm up to my ears!!!   I'm preparing to vend at the Kaleidoscope of Quilts this weekend (see this blog post) and typically the IHAN® store does not put prices on everything so I'm writing as fast as I can.  If you are local...I sure hope you will come to visit : ) 

Please forgive me if you have seen this already.  This is the very first time I've ever copied a e-mail and posted it to my blog....but I just could not help myself!

 When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.

I loved this and I hope you enjoyed it too.

Smiles,
Kelly
 

IHAN is Vending and Jean Overmeyer is Teaching....This Week :)

 The Kelidoscope of Quilts!!!
 Quilt Show, Classes/Lectures, Special Displays and Merchant Mall
where IHAN will have our first vendors booth.

Hosted by:

 The Glass City Quilt Commission

The Exhibition Center at Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter

7060 Sylvania Ave.

Sylvania, Ohio  43560
July 19th and 20th
10AM-5PM both days

One of my friends, Jean Overmeyer, will be teaching a class on Saturday.  You won't want to miss it....trust me!

I know you recognize her from my previous posts.  She is my extremely talented quilter friend who started as a traditional quilter and has transitioned into a wonderful art quilter.  Jean will be teaching a class I've taken from her and loved:

  Expressions of the Heart

Saturday, July 20th, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Cost:  $40     Number of participants:  12 to 24

Expressions of the Heart Saturday July 20, 10AM-4PM.

Here are some samples of Jean's "Expressions of the Heart" design.

Jean has personalized this design by writing or stitching a person's name, wedding date, birth date etc...in the center of the heart. 

"Jean Overmeyer has designed this project and developed this workshop specifically for the Kaleidoscope of Quilts XVI Quilt Show.  The class is for students who would like to make a simple, but jazzy, art quilt.  Students will learn to use decorative threads and yarns to enhance a design, as well as, couching fusible appliqués on a provided pattern.  Optional beading, free-motion quilting methods, and alternative methods for finishing the art quilt will be taught, to provide students the opportunity to express their own unique preferences on a pattern designed by Jean.  The techniques learned in this class can easily be applied to other patterns/designs."
 Source: GCQC.org

  

 Click HERE to register :)

IHAN will be vending at the Kaliedoscope of Quilts on Friday and Saturday from 10AM-5PM.  so please come by and introduce yourself.  If you would like to pre-order something prior to she show, you can e-mail me at IHaveANotion@yahoo.com and I'll have your order ready to be picked up. 

 

We will have tons of quilting, sewing and machine embroidery notions as well as  a huge variety of specialty threads and embellishments to support Jean Overmeyer's class, Expressions of the Heart.   I hope to see you there.

Make sure you stop by and see some of my other friends who will be vending at the show too:

Patsy Thompson - Patsy Thompson Designs

Lisa Spalding - The Quilt Foundry

Marcia Derse - Marcia Derse Fiber

Smiles,

Kelly

Rose of Sharon Quilt & More PA

The last blog post I shared a few photos of Eleanor's (my girlfriend) Rose of Sharon quilt blocks. There are several of us from the PA Tuesday applique group who have the book but she is the first that I've seen to finish so many blocks.  I bet many of you also have this book:

Rose of Sharon Block Book

By

Sharon Pederson

These are Eleanor's blocks.  She laid them out on her bed and I tried to get a good overhead photo but that wasn't possible.  You'd think all quilters would have a sun roof over their beds so we could open it and stand on the roof to shoot our photographs....but no...giggles!

Eleanor is very good...or should I say...excellent with colors.  She doesn't need the fabric with her at the store either....she just knows what will coordinate and what won't.  Amazing!

All needle turn applique....impressive aren't they?  I'm with MJ, if I just had a kit I'd start the project but I just need that jump start.  Know what I mean?

If you like having additional color and layout options, there is also a Rose of Sharon DVD.  There are over 200 printable blocks on the DVD. What color combination would you choose?

Smiles,
Kelly

More "Barn" Quilts of PA

 Ok, so know you know I'm not really fishing on my family vacation.  What I have caught is several new "Barn" Quilts in PA that I've not photographed before. 

 All of these "Barn" Quilts are from Stephensville, PA.  I got lost trying to find a strawberry farm and past Camptown, PA and kept going.  I'm so glad I did.

 Love, love, love that "Quilt" Barns are popping up everywhere...on the side of garages, houses, and even as stand alone signs in the yard. 

 And the view....it is amazing as well....mountains, trees and blue sky. 

 Fortunately my PA Tuesday Group met last week and MJ and I were able to attend. This is an applique block that Eleanor is working on.  One of the things I admire about this group of women; they teach one another and share tips and ideas.  I've always liked how they mark blocks with a thin overlay of interfacing.  Marking on the interfacing keeps the background block from needing to be marked.  An excellent way to check placement.

Eleanor is a very gifted quilter and this is just a tease.....I'll show you the rest of the blocks in the next post....and I just may share soime pix of the co-workers fishing too.

Smiles,
Kelly

"Going Fishing" and Needle Turn Applique

It is the week of the 4th of July, if you've been an IHAN blog follower for a few years, you know what that means!  Our annual pilgrimage to Wyalusing, PA.

I'm working on a moldy oldy....a needle turn applique project that I started at least 3 years ago, no kidding.  It was lost for awhile and then it laid on a table for at least a year.  While packing for our trip I saw it and noticed it had a needle and thread and some thread in it so this is my car project.  I'm so glad that the green piece was basted to the black fabric, otherwise this would have been a hopeless endeavor (thanks to MJ who told me to do the basting!)

How many UFO's are too many?  I think I have enough UFO's to last me until I'm 200 years old.  Perhaps it is time to get realistic and either finish them or hope a "magic sewing Genie" ends up in my Christmas stocking!

Hope you are having a wonderful weekend and all is well with you and yours!

Giggles and Smiles,
Kelly

Bloglovin, trying something new :)

 Ok, call me silly, but this is what the Bloglovin Help said to do, so I'm giving it a try :)

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Have you started using Bloglovin?  So far, it has been easy....for me....that's new!

Smiles,
Kelly

The Quick Ripper Product Review

I noticed The Quick Ripper recently and decided to give it a whirl.  You know I am in love with my Famore Seam Rip but I wondered if The Quick Ripper would be handy for taking off all those small threads on the back of my machine embroidery. 

Any idea how difficult it is to hold an I-Phone in one hand and use The Quick Ripper with the other hand?  Suffice to say, it was a bit of a trick.  I was able to take those small threads off by keeping The Quick Ripper parallel to the piece.  The threads were shaved off in a jiffy. 

 It also removes seams and serger threads.  

AND....it trims up those fuzzy edges on fabrics, loose threads on raw edge applique too :) 

The teeth on The Quick Trimmer and very fine and it catches the threads very well.  The AA battery is included as well as a small brush to clean out the teeth.  

If you were hoping it would remove Machine Embroidery Stitches on the front of a design like I did, well, it doesn't do that....darn!

I think The Quick Trimmer is a handy tool and it is reasonably priced in my opinion :)  

How is that for getting back to work?  

Smiles,

Kelly

On An Average Day

Yesterday was an "average" day in my life.  The co-workers and I had to go to get some groceries last evening.  We went to Meijer, a large, we have everything type of store.  The co-workers were begging to go to the electronic department first (and if you can believe it, they also ask if they can go there and be alone while I shop!!!  They are 9 & 10...NOT!)  I decided to get their mind off of the electronics department I'd haphazardly walk through the book and magazine section.

It worked too :)  It wasn't but a minute before they were looking at books and finding something interesting. When I turned my back to pretend I was interested in something....I found something interesting.  This is what I saw:

The magazine section at Meijer on Central Ave in Sylvania, OH.  There are titles above the magazines as you can see....."Men's Interest,"

"Special Interest," (I'm not being ignorant when I ask, what is special interest, am I?  Honestly, I didn't get that part.)....and then there is:

"Women's Interests."  Silently I asked myself, Really?  This is 2013....and there are still labels for people's interests?  And....who are the "Special Interest" people?

Typically I experience myself as a human being  first, before I think about weather I'm male or female.......so I "guess" I'm glad someone else it thinking about what I'd like given I'm a female.

While the co-workers were thumbing through things about Star Wars, I flipped open "Quilt Life" by Alex and Ricky to see what is going on since I've been away from my normal quilting world.

You know I cracked up laughing when I opened to this page, "The Perfect Play"...Fabric, Football....and Jerry Joins the Quilt Life. 

Perhaps Meijer's needs to know that there are men that love quilts and quilting, sewing, thread work and plenty of women who are body builders and those that really know about computers...or at least this has been my experience.

That is my average day....what is your's like?

Silly Smiles,
Kelly

Feels Like It's Been Years!

Can't believe it has been so long since I wrote a blog post.  I'm slowly returning to myself after the passing of my mother.  We just had her "Celebration of Life" gathering this past Saturday.  Trying to get everything in order for that has kept me more than occupied. 

 This was one of the photos used for the announcement for her gathering.....I just love this photo. 

It has been a few months since I took this next photo, but I am still tickled by these girls so I wanted to share my post and a link to their website.

Kathy and Bonnie from KPea Original

These gals were at Checker Distributor picking up some fun fabrics when I saw them.  Naturally I asked to take their photograph.  Check out their tops, they have designed and made their own tops.   How smart is that?  What a perfect way to use some of those "oh so fun" prints out there on the market.   

Today I went looking for their website and noticed it says they are on vacation until July 1.  Kids Fly Too is a website that carries a handmade line by KPea Original if you want to check out other things they have.

I'm hoping to have the energy to do some blog hopping and catching up.  Have you seen anything out there in blogland that you think I missed?  Please leave a comment and let me know about it.....I'm so far behind.

Smiles,

Kelly

Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts Book Winner Announced

The winner from the IHAN blog is:

Barb from SewInspired Blog

(Please e-mail me your full name and address....IHaveANotion@yahoo.com)

Barb you also get the 50 pre cut circles so you can immediately start making hexies when your package arrives :)

Congratulations Barb and a huge thank you to Julia Woods and Peggy Rhodes for allowing me to participate in this blog hop.  If you are wondering why I cut such a variety of fabrics to send along with the book....I would if I were you...LOL.....I make all of mine out of scraps and love the variety of colors and themes on the fabrics.
 

If you are not the winner, you can purchase an autographed copy of Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts HERE.

Some insider information :
Now that I've been in the Quilting and Sewing Notions business for a few years I have had the opportunity to learn quite a bit about how the inside of the Quilting and Sewing Notions business works.  Did you know that most authors get a royalty for each book sold?  Probably everyone knows that....but did you know it is frequently less than a dollar  and I know of people who make less than 50 cents per book sold.  After devoting numerous hours to writing and revising a book the author makes less than the publisher and the reseller of the book in many cases.  Love an author?  Buy the book directly from them so they make the profit and can continue to write and create.  Just my 2 cents :)

Oh and don't forget, Julie is giving away a Go Baby on her blog and you have 4 chances to win.  Click HERE to find out how.

Smiles,
Kelly 

Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts, REALLY....and a Giveaway too!

Welcome to the Quick & Easy Hexie Quilts Blog Hop :)

You may be thinking....quick and easy....where have I heard that before?  It is true, I'm here to tell you.....it is possible to turn a circle into a hexagon and you won't have to use a paper template.  How do I know?

I have recently reviewed a copy of Dr. Peggy Rhodes and Julia Wood's new book, Quick & Easy Hexie Quilts and I've made my own hexagons (shown above on top of the book).  These hexies are much larger than the hexagons I've been making for the past 8 years.  Mine are approximately  3/4" across and I've been using paper to stabilize my work.  I have to say, I really have enjoyed making the larger hexagons without paper using Dr. Rhodes and Julia Wood's method.

The "Florabunda Table Topper" is one of my favorite patterns from Quick & Easy Hexie Quilts.  Will ya just look at all those beautiful colors......they are beautiful!  Light, dark, print, dots, stripe, solid or floral....all of them make incredibly beautiful Hexie Quilts.

Would you like to make Quick and Easy Hexies too?  For your chance to win your very own copy of Quick and Easy Hexie Quilts please leave a comment on this post telling me what you love about hexagons. 

 

The winner from the IHAN blog will also receive 50 pre-cut circles.....oh just think of the fun you will have!

There are several chances to win a copy of Quick & Easy Hexie Quilts.  Visit each of the blogs below and leave a comment to increase your chances of winning.  One winner from each blog will be chosen on June 10th, 2013 to receive a copy of Quick & Easy Hexie Quilts.  Be sure to visit Julia Wood's blogs (see links below) before June 10 for a chance to win an Accuquilt Go Baby fabric cutter as well.

 June 3 Karen Griska (The Selvage Blog)
 June 4 Susan Cleveland (BlackberryCreek)
 June 5 Melinda Fulkerson at Melinda’s Blog
 June 6 Victoria Findlay Wolfe (Bumblebeans Inc)
 June 7 Sew Cal Gal
 June 8 I Have A Notion  (Kelly Jackson)

June 9 Pat Sloan
 June 10 Julia Wood  (Hexie Blog and Green Quilts)   

Thank you for visiting and best of luck to you!

Smiles,

Kelly