The Gathering of Quilters Guild

This past Thursday evening was The Gathering of Quilters Guild Meeting. It was a potluck meeting. I wish every meeting was a potluck meeting. There sure were some excellent dishes and lots and lots of deserts. Good food, good company, quilt talk....couldn't ask for much more....other than my girlfriend Rosemary.....I'm sure she could ask for more....like that I get gas before I agree to drive!

Garnett Smalley, owner of Cotton-by-Post (Alisa Craig, Ontario Canada) was the speaker for the evening. He brought several Irish Quilts to show/tease us with before his show. He also shared a bit about his previous shows from Africa and Russia.


This is the information about the show:

October 19-24th are the dates of the show and there are many classes being offered as well.

Photos below are from his show/tease at the guild meeting. Thank you Garnett for your permission to publish these photos!!!

There was a description and story that goes with each piece. I did not take notes or get the details of each of the stories. I'll just tell you that they were interesting and enjoyable to hear. The last one I remember .... this piece represents fish crates....this is what that person sees in their part of Ireland...lots of fishing crates. I thought it was really neat. I think Garnet said it has fishing net on it too.

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour....

Smiles,
Kelly

Jelly Roll Week Giveaway Alert

Visit the Missouri Star Quilt Company's blog.....hurry....don't blink or even take a breath....click here so you too can see the hub bub going on over there. I'm thinking positively that I'm going to win the jelly roll of my choice. You too can think positively and win a jelly roll of your choice :)

Good Luck and Enjoy the read....it's fun and interesting.

Winning Smiles,
Kelly

Roc-Lon Challenge Winners

Marsha Randles was chosen by Rockland Industries as the first place winner in the Multi-Purpose Cloth Challenge. I thought it would be fun to show you photos of Marsha with her piece and her prizes. She was so thrilled.

Blogifers meet Marsha....Marsha meet the Blogifers!!

Marsha with the prizes from IHAN.

Close up of the center...Marsh has woven cloth in the center of the sunflower.

The stained glass work was great. She did a lot of cut work to make this come out so beautiful.

The Blogifers Viewers Choice Prize went to Diane G.

Blogifers meet Diane Giveins....Diane meet the Blogifers :)

Did you know that I Have A Notion now sells Roc-Lon Multi-Purpose Cloth?

Smiles,

Kelly

FYI..."Blogifers" are the interesting people who follow my blog.
By the way, Blogofiles are people who peep at other's blogs. There is a huge difference. ROFL

Want to be moved?

I can't find the way to embed this video yet so I'll let you click here to see it. It is from the Green Fairy Quilts Charity trip 2009. Judi and Clint just got back from Romania. Though you might be moved....I certainly was.

I just want to share with all of you how I got involved raising a little bit of money for Judi and Clint. It was totally by chance that I saw a "giveaway" notice someplace and it was for a jelly roll and a pattern. It looked nice so I entered the giveaway. Someplace I saw the "Green Fairy Charity" on her site or blog...don't know which. I was curious so I clicked on it. I thought it was nice...and nothing more....until I saw that 100% of the donations go directly to the people and children in Romania. Before that time I had never seen a charity where 100% of the money went to the people/purpose it was being given to.

I e-mailed Judi and asked if it was indeed true...were they a registered charity and did 100% of the money go to the purpose stated. She said yes and showed me where the registrations for the charity were documented at the State and Federal levels.

Then I asked how she got started and were they involved in a larger program of some sort. Judi said she was watching Oprah one day and Oprah said you can make a difference just do what you love....or something to that effect. Judi likes to quilt so she started there. Now there has been two trips to Romania....and it was that simple. Not easy at all....but certainly simple to do what they love and to offer those gifts to others.

I was already planning a garage sale to reduce the clutter around here. I had the idea to ask other folks if they had a box or bag of unwanted items they could donate it and I would sell it at the garage sale. I just e-mailed neighbors and friends and asked them to send the e-mail along to anyone they thought might be interested. The things that were donated raised 572.00. It was simple.....just an idea....not easy....but pretty darn low tech and simple.

Smiles,
Kelly

Bias Tape Maker Machine and Rotary Cutting Machine By Simplicity NOW AVAILABLE

Breaking news.....we interrupt this regularly scheduled program to announce that the Simplicity Bias Tape Maker Tips are NOW AVAILABLE in the following sizes:

3/8" Single Fold Tip
1/2" Single Fold Tip

3/4" Single Fold Tip

The replacement blades for the Simplicity Rotary Cutting Machine are also NOW AVAILABLE.

Straight Blade

Small Wave Blade

Large Wave Blade

CLICK HERE TO ORDER NOW

We return you now to your regularily scheduled program already in progress.

Roving Reporter Smiles,

Kelly

Amy Butler Spanky Name Badge Challenge WINNER Photos!!!

Meet Janice Pope....IHAN's Spanky Name Badge Designer!!!!

Janice won all these lovely things from Amy Butler Designs. Her name badge was selected and she is making 6 badges for the Amy Butler Design group to wear in Houston at Quilt Market.

Thank you Amy and Mallory for the wonderful gifts you have sent and for allowing me the opportunity to host the challenge. I had a ball.

Smiles,

Kelly

Toledo Needle Arts Guild "Get It Finished"

Our last meeting was the "Get It Finished" entries. I think Nikki Belitz had almost two entire tables full. Her work was not only beautiful but very festive. She loves Halloween and she allowed me to photograph some of her Punchneedle to share with you on my blog. I hope to get the pattern authors correct here:

The first two, Autumn Gathering Bags are from Stone and Thread.

This is Two Birds on a Branch Pincushion by Kindred Spirits Designs.

This is Boo Kitty by Theresa Kogut Inc. Theresa happens to be in our guild too. You have to check out her site...she is a very talented artist. I love the frame on this one too. Nikki really finishes her work beautifully.

Meet Wacky Witch by Pine Mountain Designs. Now this is what I call a celebration of Halloween :)

Night Watch by Threads That Bind. The colors in this piece really pop. Nikki does a great job of mixing her threads too.

Mini Pumpkins was designed by Barb Kemp of Hooked on Rugs. I just so happen to have Barbara's book, Punchneedle Embroidery, on the front of my website too. She has some wonderful designs.

This one is Harvest Home by Pine Mountain Needle Works.

Star Pumpkin is a Chessie & Me pattern by Linda Lautenschlager. I'm working on putting her link in here. When I hear back from her, I'll add the link.

Cat in the Jack is the title of this one. It is by Brenda at Country Stitches. Brenda has a blog that is fun too.

Every one of these were done by Nikki....isn't that amazing? For me it is. I'm hoping she enters these in our Needle Work Exhibit on Sept. 25th and 26th. Otherwise I'll finish up some of mine and people will have a shabby impression of how wonderful Punchneedle Embroidery can be. She has so many more that I did not post.

Nikki, Thank You so much for sharing your beautiful work with everyone. I love to show other people's work because I believe it inspires others to try something new and/or inspires them to continue to create.

Smiles,

Kelly

PS....Starr....better get home from the lake...we have lots of lessons to get me up to speed :)

Summer Fun / Terrror

The boys are back in school now. But before they went, we decided to squeeze in some last minute summer fun.

Our neighborhood has an Annual Labor Day Picnic in the commons area. This year there were some additional categories of fun: Men's Cake Decorating Contest, Pie Baking Contest, and Children's Cookie Contest. We entered something in every category.

Rick made the cake below using one of his mother's recipes. My nephew, Nick, decorated the cake. I thought for sure they would win first place....but not this year. Isn't their cake interesting? In case you can't tell what is on that cake...I'll tell you...a golf ball, a golf tee, a TV remote, a flashlight, screws, bolts, batteries, drill bits and a screw driver. It was put on 4 Woodworking magazines and then C-clamps were used to bolt it to the table. Cute ay?

I entered a low cal key lime pie. It took first place. Don't be too impressed please....there were only two pies entered. LOL

Aaron and Zach's cookies are to the upper right. They made sugar cookies and they looked just like a 5 and 6 year old made them. Very sweet indeed.

The Sunday prior to Labor Day we took the boys and my nephew, Nick to "Cedar Point Amusement Park, Roller Coaster Capital of the World." There is a story here....when isn't there a story?

Nick is 14 and he had his first summer job this summer. He took several classes and worked hard all summer. With school looming he was feeling the stress. I asked my sister if I could take him to Cedar Point for a day of fun to remind him that being a kid is about fun too....not just hard work. She hesitated thinking it might not be fun for a 14 year old to go to Cedar Point with a 5 and 6 year old. I assured her there would be lots of opportunities for Nick to have 14 year old fun too.

Rick, Nick, and Aaron rode the log ride and got soaked. Zach was too little but he stood on the bridge while the boat splashed down into the water and he got totally and completely soaked. He was laughing and squealing the entire time.

Mommy barely squeezes into the Jr. Gemini for a coaster ride with the boys.

On the subject of roller coasters. Riding a roller coaster is next to sucking on a poison dart in my book of things to do. I might rather walk on busted glass....honestly. I hate them and always have. They terrify me. So when I invited Nick I thought Rick would ride them with him and I would take the boys to Camp Snoopy. Those good plans went right into the toilet. Rick rode the Tilt-A-Whirl with the boys and got sick. He did not want to ride another ride all day. Where does that leave Nick? This kid needs fun....I sware I only rode those ugly beasts out of the love for my nephew. I was there at his birth (his brother, Stephen, too) and I love them dearly and I guess this is my way of not letting him down.....I was tortured several times during the day.

This is the Power Tower:
"You can't miss Power Tower: four 240-foot-tall towers topped with connecting arches. Two of the towers blast riders UP, while two will thrust riders DOWN -- all in 3 seconds at more than 50 mph!"

I'm afraid to say I rode this very gruesome ride. I had my choice of being ripped up into the air or dropped down. I let Nick choose. We were taken up, up, up into the sky....dangled for 30 seconds....then dropped completely to the ground. Yes I hated it....but I have to admit it ended rather quickly and the pain passed just as quick. I survived....barely.

(the following pix were all "borrowed" from www.CedarPoint.com.

This is the Wicked Twister
"It's the tallest and fastest double-twisting impulse coaster in the world. It's two twisting towers reach a height of 215 feet and the coaster careens down the track at a top speed of 72 mph." Yes I did this too.


Top Thrill Dragster-
"Keep Arms Down, Head Back, and Hold On!"

"Get ready for the ride of your life. This amazing speed machine is one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters on Earth. Climb aboard unique dragster-style trains and inch forward to the starting line. The engine revs. Your heart pumps. The tree lights count down to green and you're launched to speeds of 120 mph in less than 4 seconds.

The rides just getting started as you climb 420 feet into the air, crest a massive hill and spiral 270 degrees as you speed towards the finish line. The entire experience is over in 17 seconds."

I got in line to ride this with Nick and it was closed (Glory!!!). Nick kept saying it only lasts 17 seconds you'll be fine. Those would have been the longest 17seconds of my life. I'm so glad I did not have to ride that one. Nick rode it later in the day...two times and once sitting in the front!!! Can you say, "INSANE?"

Millennium Force
"Consistently voted the "Best Steel Coaster in the World," Millennium Force broke TEN world records when it opened in 2000.

Riders climb the 310-foot-tall lift hill smoothly and quickly and dive towards the earth at an 80-degree angle at speeds of 93 mph! It's all speed and airtime as Millennium Force hugs the ground, climbs onto an island and twists and turns as it flies towards the station."

Yes I rode that too!! The next one as well :(

Magnum XL-200
History. Thrills. A True Legend.
"Magnum opened in 1989 as the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world at 205 feet tall with top speeds of 72 miles per hour."

Please, Please, Please click HERE and just sit back and take a minute to share my experience. I'd like to say that was all Nick did that day....but no....he did other things that were simply unbelievable.

Typically an applique pattern frightens me.....not any more baby. I'm so glad to be alive I might just try any pattern now.

Smiles,

Kelly

Sizzling Hot

Does anyone remember this post? Well....I'm finished and I'm soooo excited. I have wanted a fall table cover for ever but I wanted to make it myself. I never made one for the kitchen table because of the boys. I fear it would be ruined in a day with silly puddy or gack. So I made this for my round table in my entry way.



This is from Lacey Hill's book, Sizzling Circles!!! It is a flip and sew so there are no bindings. Quilt as you go leaves you with the four circles then they are joined making the beautiful flower in the middle. Then I machine appliqued the leaves. I just love it.

The only problem I seemed to have was deciding on the fabric for the leaves. I have an additional 12 leaves cut out for another project. I just did not have the right green in my stash. On Saturday I went over to the Quilt Foundry in Maumee, OH. Margaret Okuley, one of the owners and EQ "Quilter Extraordinaire" was working on Saturday and she had no problem picking out just the right green for this pattern. How lucky was I to have walked in and got what I needed right away without any effort on my part? (unless you call walking in effort lol). I was thrilled. I wished I had gone there first...I would have saved some really nice batiks. Live and learn.

I did the blanket stitch by machine for the first time and I think it came out pretty good. Normally I stitch by hand but I wanted to finish this right away....not next year :)

Smiles,
Kelly

New Gadgets

If you are looking for something I've written about but don't want to have to read my entire blog....do a search (it is on the sidebar of this blog). Even if you are not looking....do a search....it is a neat tool. Best of all....it was free....just like blogger :) You know I love free stuff.

Smiles,
Kelly

Clover and Nancy Zieman

Checker 61st Anniversary Open House

Chapter 10

And you thought I had forgotten....nope....just took a little break.

Louis Carson and Nancy Zieman were at Checker's Open House. I spent some time talking with Nancy and Lou and I learned about some notions that I think are very cool. Join me on my little tour here.....

Of course I'm not going to miss a photo opportunity with Nancy Zieman.

Nancy demonstrated her Trace and Create Handbag Templates. These are definitely no-brainers. Just lay the template down, trace and sew. I instantly thought of my girlfriend who is scared to start sewing and loves handbags and my 14 year old neighbor who is in 4H. She loves to sew and with these templates her Mom and I could chat and drink coffee while she sews :)


To make the process simple, Nancy also has the Create a Strap Interfacing. You just press, fold and stitch. No kidding. It comes in 5/8, 1, and 1 1/4 inch widths. You want piping....ok....Bag & Wearable Art Piping is available too....just fuse fabric around the piping....no need to create the piping!! It does not get any easier than that!!

The Double Sided Basting Tape Nancy uses in her handbag construction really caught my eye. It is basically a double sided adhesive (very good adhesive...really sticks if you know what I mean) and it adheres to fabric, paper, plastic or wood. Nancy uses it for the construction of her handbags. I could think of 1,000 uses for that wonderful stuff. I bought 3 rolls just for myself....no kidding. When I want to put embellishments or Punchneedle on top of other creations and I don't want the stitching to show....I'm using this adhesive!!!

The Stack and Store Bobin Tower was really neat. I liked the way it holds your threads so there is no threads hanging. Click here if you want to see how it works.


Lou was kind enough to show me the "Hami-Ami" Flower Maker. I thought it was cool for making embellishments.




He also had the ever so incredible Protect and Grip Thimbles. Mary Jane discovered it at Quilt Market and it has been a huge....huge....huge success. I've lost count of the number of thimbles I've sold and everyone comes back to tell me how much they like them. Beware.....they seem to disappear quickly....someone asks to see it and yep.....it gets passed around and then gone!!! Truth is they are not stolen....I end up giving mine away....the person liked it so much I had to give them mine. Guess I need to carry a stash in my van ay?

Lou did not bring the Clover Mechanical Tracing Pencils. They come in yellow, silver and pink. He said he would send me one to try. I hear they are good....but I have to try it for myself. I'm still in search of the best tracing pencil out there.

That's all for now...time to sign off and get back to my sewing machine :)

Smiles, Kelly

Giveaway Alert

I thought this pix might wake everyone up (in US) this morning. Are you bright eyed and bushy tailed now? I am....I think the best part of entering this giveaway was listening to some fun music I had never heard before and seeing the graphic arts.

Click on over to Sew Fantastic and bop in your seat, enjoy the fun, you'll be glad you did.

Bopping Smiles,
Kelly

Viewers Choice for the Roc-Lon Multi-Purpose Cloth Is...

Congratulations Diane G.

You had the most votes and you win the Viewers Choice Award :)

Diane has won some Roc-Lon Multi-Purpose cloth so she can make more wonderful creations in the future. I will also be giving her a gift from IHAN as well.

I want to thank everyone who voted and participated in this Challenge. Another Special Thanks to Rockland Industries for allowing me to do this Challenge.
Three very generous women: Amy Anderson from ModPodgeRocks, Ellen Highsmith Silver author of "Floorquilts" and Shelly Stokes from Cedar Canyon Textiles and author of "Painstiks on Fabric." These three ladies did not even hesitate when I asked them to contribute to the gifts for this Challenge. I truly thank all of you for allowing me the pleasure participating.

Smiles,
Kelly

Giveaway Alert

Many of you already know that I confessed to having more scrapbook paper than any one person needs. So you won't be at all surprised to see that I found some lovely vintage embellishments over at Carol Anne's Boutique.

This is a picture of what she is giving away. If I win that collection I'm going to need to take some time off from work and start making some really wonderful cards and pages. We are talking serious addiction time here!!!

Smiles,
Kelly

Please Get Your Votes In

Votes for the Viewers Choice Award in the Roc-Lon Multi-Purpose Cloth need to be in by tomorrow, Friday, September 11, 2009.

I have only 8 votes. Feel free to vote for yourself....or someone else. You're going to cry if you don't win and you did not vote. No tissues being offered here!!!

Smiles,
Kelly

Needle Arts Guild of Toledo

Last night, I went to my needle arts guild meeting. We always have such a good time. I really and truly enjoy these ladies. There is always laughter and something beautiful to look at (other than their faces of course!!)

We are having an exhibit and I thought if you were local you might enjoy coming and you might even want to enter some of your work. You don't have to be a member to enter your work. The only stipulation for entry it your item has to be made with a needle with an eye!!!

If you are not local and want to come please call me first so I can arrange to pick you up from the airport or bus/train station personally!!!

Needle Arts Guild of Toledo
34th Annual
Needlework Exhibit

Friday, September 25, 2009

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

and

Saturday, September 26, 2009

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Toledo Lucas County Public Library

SANGER BRANCH

3030 W. Central Avenue

Toledo, OH 43606

I will be demonstrating on Friday, September 25th from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. and greeting from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. Come on over and visit with us....I promise you won't be disappointed....you might be needle pointed but not disappointed!!

Smiles,

Kelly

I Have A Notion Now Sells Roc-Lon Multi-Purpose Cloth

Well, I never thought I would be selling cloth....but I am. For everyone who asked about getting some of this terrific fabric you can now order HERE. If you are interested in other sizes you can e-mail me at IHaveANotion@Yahoo.com

Please don't forget to vote for you favorite Roc-Lon Challenge Entry. If you missed them....click HERE.

Excited Smiles,
Kelly