LaVieEnRosie

I want a mulligan...

It's a golf term for a "do-over". 

I really goofed.  Not everyone realized that I was seriously teasing about the ladies at That Patchwork Place being worried about book sales.  They like the book!  They're excited about it!  Heck!  Some of them have already started making quilts from the book.  They like the quilts that much.   

If they hadn't liked the quilts and the book, they could have pulled the plug on me. 

After yesterday, they might still do that... I'm kidding!!

My problem is simple.

I'm not much good at blowing this sort of thing.

I've been accused of playing things close to the vest, or keeping things secret, but that's not it at all.  While I can talk about quilts 'til the cows come home, it's another thing to do that self-promotion thing.  Maybe the reason I was so terrible at the clarinet was that I don't like blowing my horn.  Or maybe I don't like blowing my horn because I was such an awful clarinet player.  Whatever the case, I just don't like doing it.   

Instead of trying to joke my way around telling you about my upcoming books and the really cool contest that That Patchwork Place has devised, I should have just told you about the quilts.  Have you seen them yet? 

Officially Sanctioned Sneak Preview 

You're going to want them.  You're going to want to make them.  They're that much fun to make ~ and they're that wonderful.  You're going to want the book!

Why?  Because you get 24 projects ~ all of which can be made in a single day.  The quilts are the perfect "retreat projects" ~ pack your layer cakes and charm packs, a little bit of yardage, the book and your tools.  That's it.  No boxes and bins of fabric required.  By the time you get home, you'll have at least one quilt top.  Maybe two! 

How do I know this?  I went to a retreat a few years ago and I made three Schnibbles in two and a half days.  (Actually, three and a half.  Hat Trick was half-done when I got there.  I made Bennington and Gazebo while I was there and Center Stage was only missing the outer borders when I left.)

Oh goodness... will you look at this?

 
Can you believe that she gets into this position a lot?

Goofball.

One more thing ~ Monday!  March 1st!  4:00 pm EST!  Pat Sloan's Creative Talk Radio.

When?  Monday.  March 1st!  4:00 pm EST! 

What?  Pat Sloan's Creative Talk Radio!

Why?  Moi!  I'm going to chat with Pat about quilts, sewing room redos, books and blogs. 

Where?  HERE!

Do you have a question you want to ask?  Pat has a call-in segment or you can leave a question on her blog ~ Pat Sloan's Corner.  Or you can leave a question on the Radio Monday page ~ Pat's Corner ~ Radio Monday.

Whew!  Did I forget anything?

Oh... did I mention that there will be prizes after the radio show?  Leave a comment on the Radio Monday blog post about the show sometime before March 5th and you could win a prize. 

Until later...

Written by...

It seems like they're letting everybody write a book these days. 

I am not sure why I put off doing this kind of thing but I think one of the reasons is that it never seems real until I actually have the [magazine - book - whatever] in my hands. 

Several of you already know this.  Some of you even e-mailed me to ask about it when you saw it on Amazon or elsewhere. 

I have a book coming out this year.  A couple of them, actually ~ one with Leisure Arts and one with Martingale ~ better known as That Patchwork Place. 

From Leisure Arts ~ Spice of Life Quilts. 

Like the other books I've done with Leisure Arts, this one is a compilation of previously published patterns except that it also includes a quilt I did several years ago for American Patchwork & Quilting's online class.  It's one of my favorite scrap quilts and there are two versions of it in the book. 

I couldn't remember which projects were in the book, or even how many there were, but I just read the little blurb-thing on Amazon.  There are thirteen projects, including True Blue, Ginger Belle, Double Duty, Home Sweet Home, Whirligig, Elizabeth, Raise the Roof, Jellystone, and Going Buggy. 

That said, it's a bit deflating to see that I've already been discounted on Amazon.  Marked down.  I think I know how Bette felt... please tell me you remember the line from Ruthless People where Bette Midler laments she's been "kidnapped by K-Mart". 

That's due the middle of May.  But in late April, this is coming...

 
It's from That Patchwork Place ~ Schnibbles Times Two.  

I have been asked if the book is a collection of new quilts or a "best of" compilation of my Schnibbles patterns.  The answer is "both". 

We took twelve of the existing Schnibbles quilts and resized them for Moda's Layer Cakes.  Each Layer Cake quilt has the same number of pieces and blocks as the smaller quilt, but the pieces and blocks are bigger.  So instead of a wallhanging or table topper, the quilts are throw, lap-size and even bed-size.  Each of the big quilts is made with two Layer Cakes and some yardage ~ it varies depending on the quilt project from 1/2 yard to about 2 1/2 yards.   

The book has a total of twenty-four projects, two for each design.  The thing I like best about the bigger quilts is that so many of the fabrics that don't really work for some of the small charm pack quilts are perfect for the big quilts!  I already have a list matching Layer Cakes with projects that I'm looking forward to making.

(Making mental note... Get some of Kate Spain's 12 Days of Christmas Layer Cakes.)

I wish I could say I thought of the idea for this book.  That would be Lissa.  Yeah, her.  That Lissa.  She had this idea ~ she gets lots of them and I think it is safe to say that they are all good. 

Martingale got a little worried about the book.  Publishing a book is expensive!  And I'm kind of an acquired taste.  They put their heads together to come up with a plan.  So they took a page out of my book... well, not literally... just figuratively.  It was decided that a contest was the way to go!  And if you had a lot of fun along the way, so much the better! 

The thing is, Martingale came up with a really amazing contest!  The First Ever World Schnibbles Challenge!  (Not really... I'm teasing!)

Okay, that's not the real name of the contest.  It's pretty simple ~ Schnibbles Contest.

Here's what you have to do. 

Buy the book. 

Make any project in the book ~ big or small ~ using a current Moda collection. 

Finish the quilt ~ that means quilted and bound ~ by July 31st, 2010. 

Find a participating quilt shop ~ I would do this part before July 31st ~ and take the quilt to participating quilt shop by closing time, July 31st. 

Quilt shops don't have to do anything to participate ~ no sign-ups required.  They just need to sell the book and Moda charm packs and Layer Cakes.  Then they hold a shop contest to pick their favorite quilt from all the entries.  A picture of that quilt will be sent to Martingale.  An esteemed panel of judges and quilt experts... okay, four judges and me ~ will choose three winners.  Sometime around September 15th, the winners will be announced and here's what they'll win ~ what YOU could win:

• Third Prize ~ 3 months of prizes
• Second Prize ~ 6 months of prizes
• First Prize ~ 12 months of prizes

Months of what? 

Oh come on.  You know I love drawing out the suspense...

Each month, Martingale will send you copies of their new releases ~ about a $75.00 value.  And Moda Fabrics is going to send you a box of brand new fabric ~ about a $100.00 value.  And what does that mean?

• Third Prize ~ a total value in prizes of about $500.00
• Second Prize ~ a total value in prizes of about $1000.00
• First Prize ~ a total value in prizes of about $2100.00

Pretty cool, huh?

I'll send you something too.  I don't know what it is yet... okay, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. 

That's why they call it a "surprise." 

But it will be good. 

I promise. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Uh oh... I think I goofed!  I was teasing about the reason for the contest and in the process, I think I may have given some of you the wrong idea.  The lovely folks at Martingale have been amazing.  They were incredibly patient with me while I got over some "I'm a professional author and I have to be serious!" nervousness!  The idea for the contest came from them and when they asked Moda if they were interested, Moda Lissa jumped for it.  Great minds and all that.  So please forgive my failed allergy-related, fuzzy-headed attempt at self-deprecating humor.  :)   

The things I learn from quilters...

I was trying to protect you.

It's the only reason I didn't share the cookie recipe.  Butter = calories.  Brown sugar = calories.  And cavities!  Besides, you might not even like cinnamon.  And pecans.

I tried to protect everyone in Dade City by eating as many of the cookies as I could but they didn't want to be helped.  So don't say I didn't try.  If you insist on making and eating these cookies, don't blame it on me.  It's your fault entirely. 

The cookies are called Hermits.  I just might be the only person my age who had never had one.  So thank you to Sandi from Dade City for helping me see the Hermit light.   

 
Molasses, raisins, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar and all sorts of other goodness.  Soft.  Chewy.  Spicy.  And very, very easy to make.  Seriously, how did these ever escape my notice?   

Sandi's Hermit Cookie Recipe

The batter is divided into quarters that are then shaped into logs and baked.  The logs flatten out and after they're cooled, the logs get cut into strips/bars.   

 
And just so you know, I think it is my duty to sample every dessert, treat, cookie, candy and/or snack a student brings to share with the class.  (Though it once meant having to sample five different kinds of deviled eggs... I haven't eaten a deviled egg since.)  And Fluff.  Fluff is big in Alabama.  Did you know you can make it in green and pink?  The things I learn from quilters!

I learn lots of new words... skosh, smidge, titch. 

We all know what this means...

 
Unfinished Object.  Unknown Fabric Object.  Occasionally ~ Ugly Fabric Object.

What about this one?

 
Sable Quilter ~ Stash Accrued Beyond Life Expectancy.

I love this one ~ I was in a quilt shop in Salt Lake City before Market a few years ago when some Australian ladies came into the shop and announced that they were there for...

  
Stash Expansion Expedition.

And, just this past weekend in Dade City, I learned this...

Several ladies mentioned that they were working on their PhDs... Projects Half-Done. 

Do you know any of these kinds of quilter-acronyms?

I'm off to get a cookie and trim some half-triangle squares. 

Probably in that order.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More Quilting Acronyms ~ Please check out this post by Joanne of Splitting Stitches.  And thank you to Debra in Ohio for leaving the link in her comment.  These are terrific.

Mixed blessings...

The good news ~ I'm home.  And it's warm. 

The bad news ~ it's allergy season in Phoenix.  Sneezing.  Runny nose.  Itchy eyes.  All I want to do is sleep.

Those aren't real flowers ~ those are faux freesias from my favorite store.  More on these in a moment. 

The only good thing about being bothered by allergies is that it makes Rosie happy.  Allergy season means that there are plenty of used Kleenex around for her to swipe.  (For those of you that don't have dogs, it's a dog-thing that we dog-owners don't really understand either.)

Rosie went nuts over the treats Carol, Howie and Zach sent home with me.  She kept paying particular attention to my carry-on bag and everytime I went near it, she was right there waiting.  She knew. 

Three Barns.  It's a new pattern that will be shipping by early next week.  The fabrics are a mix ~ most of the medium/darks are from the Alliance Collection for a Cause by Moda but I added about 12 more fabrics, mostly in green because there weren't any in the collection.  It might not be historically accurate but I don't worry about that.  The backgrounds are all from my "historical collection".

The quilt gets its name from the Three Barns Complex in Sedan, Kansas, the site of a terrific trunk show/quilt show created by Debbie Viets of Lillie's Classic Quilts in Kansas.  Even though the shop is now in Independence, Kansas, I still love going there.  I taught this quilt there last August and I decided to give the quilt a name to commemorate my first "big quilt trip".

Now about those flowers... I wanted to show them to you because of the jar on the bottom.

I had this jar of old buttons.  I also needed a jar ~ or something ~ to use to hold my flowers.  I like having flowers on my cutting table as they make me happy.  Even when the flowers are faux. 

So in the spirit of Pottery Barn and their vase fillers, I used the button jar with the buttons for my vase.  It's one of my favorite things in my new workroom.

This is one of my other favorite things...

It's what I use to hold my rulers on the cutting table.  It's a mail sorter/collator. 

Though it took me a while to figure that out.  I spied this "thing" being used to hold books in a feature article in Better Homes & Gardens.  The article featured Sharilyn, a wonderfully creative artist and blogger ~ LovelyDesign.  There on the windowsill was this folding metal thing being used to hold Adelaide's books.  It was cool.  It was perfect.  Now how to find one? 

Google!  And Amazon.com!  Okay, it took me a few minutes to figure out what to call it ~ that always helps when doing a search but finally, there it was on Amazon.com., my collator!  It comes in several sizes ~ six sections, twelve sections and eighteen sections ~ and it expands.  I got the one with six sections.

One thing to tell you, it doesn't come with those black strips on the bottom.  I used some leftover black twill tape to make bands to keep the collator at this size.  When you fill the slots and put weight in there, it expands.  Because of the space I have on the table, I wanted it to stay one size so I improvised!  I also cut some pieces of cardstock to fold and put in the bottom of each slot to protect the edges of the ruler.  Finding something like this was really nice because I didn't have any sort of ruler storage that I really loved.  

But now, all of a sudden, I have too many options. 

I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday...

$11.99.  50% off. 

Hmmm...

 
What about this?

$17.99.  50% off.

Do you know what this means?

I need more rulers!

Uh... not. 

 
Problem solved! 

I'm off.  I have butter softening on the counter and I'm going to try to bake some cookies this afternoon.  Sandi in Dade City baked these for class on Saturday and they were fabulous.  They disappeared in record-time even though I tried to convince everyone that they were pretty awful... something about a nasty after-taste.  Nobody believed me.  When it comes to cookies... would you?

Me either. 

The Sunshine State?

It's been sunny... mostly.  But warm?  Uh... not exactly.

While Rosie's been enjoying the couch and a Mom with a soft-touch when it comes to dispensing treats, I've been in Brandon, Naples and Dade City, Florida. 

The locals are pretty nice.  I wouldn't have minded meeting a nice, single man in Naples ~ I saw no less than seven Bentleys in the few hours I was there though I confess that I didn't spend too much time with this fellow.

He's one of the "residents" at the Pioneer Museum in Dade City ~ more on that in a moment.

I've been visiting with the lovely ladies of the Piecemakers Guild in Brandon, Florida.  I'm sorry I didn't get any pictures of the church where we held class but I was too busy having fun with Judy, Claudia, Corky, Michelle, Nancy and everyone else who was there.  They're the kind of Guild that gives quilt guilds a really good reputation.

From Brandon, I went to Quilts on Plum Lane in Dade City to drop off quilts and check in with Donna.

 
Dade City ~ across the street from Quilts on Plum Lane.

 

The shop really is as friendly as the sign says.    

I also got to have lunch with Carol ~ the lovely lady who used to own The Good Home Quilt Co. in Orlando.  She's retired now but wait... you know all about Carol!

I met Carol at my very first Quilt Market in Houston and she was always one of my favorite people to see at Market.  Aside from being a fellow-dog-person, she's just a really nice lady.  We talked about quilting, dogs, blogs, fabric, Market and all sorts of stuff.  I still miss seeing Carol at Market but I'm glad she's enjoying retirement, having time to spend with grandkids and quilt!  Maybe I will convince her to just come to Market one day just to visit. 

Rosie wishes she would visit too.  Rosie's never met Carol but I know she loves her... and Howie and Zach.

 
On Wednesday, I went to Naples, Florida to pester Polly Minick!  Lucky Laurie, she was stuck in Michigan. 

Actually, poor Polly.  Really sweet, patient Polly.

I got SO lost trying to find Waterside ~ the place we were going to meet. 

Can I make a suggestion to the powers-that-be in Florida?  Considering all the winter visitors and tourists, it might be nice if there was at least one street sign SOMEWHERE that mentioned that US 41 and Tamiami Trail are one-in-the-same.  I suspected it was... and I eventually figured it out.  But in the meantime, I got all turned around.  A lovely man at the Third Fifth Bank in Naples saved me before I wound up in Key West.  He gave me perfect directions on how to get where I needed to be. 

Polly and I enjoyed a lovely glass of wine and visited, then headed to Sea Salt for dinner.  Wow!  Laurie picked the restaurant ~ it's one of her favorites.  I can see why ~ everything about the place is wonderful.  Thank you! 

As for pictures, all I can say is this... we were so busy talking that we forgot all about it. 

After fun and visiting, I had to go back to "work" on Thursday ~ which meant heading back to Dade City for my class on Friday and Saturday.  To have enough space for everyone, the class is actually being held in the Pioneer Florida Museum just a few blocks from the shop.  

I don't know if any of these nice ladies will be back today.

 
They spent all day making half-triangle squares and flying geese.  Lots and lots of half-triangle squares and flying geese. 

Today, they get to make a block. 

I'm such a tyrant. 

<g>

I'm headed home tomorrow ~ Sunday.  I miss Rosie.  I miss Mom.  I am hoping for some warmer weather too.  Though it will also be back to work as the covers for Tagalong will be done this week.  And the covers for the quilt we're making in Dade City. 

It's called Three Barns. 

The answers are 600, 180 and 1,981. 

Do you think anybody will be back today?

Oh well.  Just me and the alligator.  I'll let you know how that goes.

Coup d' maison...

Okay, so we waited for her to leave to actually take over so that probably doesn't count as a real coup.  And I doubt we'll go so far as to change the locks so the change of leadership is just temporary. 

But for now, I'm just going to relish the moment and enjoy the peace.  And the quiet.  I'm especially enjoying the quiet. 

And until she's back, I don't care what she paid for the new couch.  I slept on the old one and I'm sleeping on this one. 

Carrie's Ginormous Swelling Head

Girls!  Girls!  Girls!

I'm conceited enough as it is!  Just ask anyone! 

I'm supposed to be getting on an airplane in two days.  How the heck am I supposed to squeeze my rapidly swelling head through that itty-bitty door on the airplane?  Coach is crowded enough already without my ego taking up twelve rows!

I love the quilts.  I love that you love the quilts!  They really are quite wonderful and I'm glad you had fun making them ~ especially the parts where you shared and swaped fabrics and geese, and encouraged each other along the way.

But would you please stop saying nice things about me?  First, nobody believes you.  Second, you're going to destroy my reputation as a snarky #(*$#!! 

Thelma's Toulouse ~ from Cupcakes 'n Daisies.

 
Lisa's Toulouse ~ from the Stashmaster.

 Nicole's Toulouse ~ from Sister's Choice.

Aren't they wonderful?

And while we're on the subject of other folks making really gorgeous quilts, Lisa sent me a link to this beautiful Summer Wind quilt...  I don't know what Wendy is calling it but I am going to dub it "Gypsy Summer".

 
Wendy ~ Wendysquilting.  That's her blog.  

I'm off... I need to go share my brilliance and genius with the masses.  

Or finish packing.  It's one of those.   

A dollar short...

I know.  I'm a day late. 

I wrote that I would be back last night but after three hours sleep, Inventory, Dr. House and Jack, I was whupped. 

The other part is probably true too as I think I have about four dollars in my purse right now.  Which isn't quite enough for a Triple Venti Cinnamon Dolce Latte... except that a friend gave me one of those black Starbucks cards which gives me a discount.  Hmmm... I just might need to take a "coffee break" of sorts.

But only after I finish here. 

Today ~ yesterday, actually ~ was Madeline Day!

What an amazing assortment of quilts ~ I love them all!  You probably knew that I would love all the quilts made with Rouenneries.  I really liked that fabric when I first saw it but it's one of those collections that is even more wonderful made up.  And isn't it amazing how different some of them look just by using a different border or selection of prints?  Some look more red while others seem to  be a little more pink. 

I also love all the beautiful pink and red, red and brown, pink and brown and pink and pink quilts.  And the Kansas Troubles quilt and the quilt made with Primrose Inn, they're scrumptious.  And red, blue and white/tan/gold... just gorgeous.  They're all wonderful, enough so that I want to go back and make one just like all of yours!

But seriously, some of you are making me look bad.

You're quilted and bound. 

I'm quilted and clipped. 

That's Sunday Best on top ~ with a little more than half of the binding done.  Madeline in the middle ~ clipped.  And that's Roundabout on the bottom ~ binding attached. 

I'm a little bit behind... so what else is new?

While I was taking picture of my still-needs-binding-but-not-any-more-binding-clips quilts, I ran across a couple of Layer Cakes that need a new home...

 
Gloria?  HookedonQuilting Gloria?  Your beautiful little Madeline was on Sinta's bevy of beauteous quilts.

Sandy?  Miss Crazy'boutquilts Sandy?  Sherri showed your pretty pink Madeline in her lovely little quilt show. 

If you'll both leave comments here, I'll e-mail you and get your mailing address so that there will be some Oz in your future. 

I also promised a picture of the last two "Fall" Schnibbles that are coming soon ~ by the end of February.  I finally came up with names for the two little quilts. 

The first is Oso ~ Spanish for "bear".  I thought I was making "T"s, my Mom thought they looked like Bear Paws. 

They probably would have looked more like "T"s if I had kept with the original setting I had in mind but I liked this better. 

And then there is Tagalong.  It's spelled differently on the pattern cover right now but that's going to be changed.  Did you know that "tag along" and "tagalong" have different definitions?  I didn't.  At least not until I looked both words up just to clarify the meaning.  I like the way Tag Along looks but Tagalong is the meaning I need ~ a person or thing that follows the lead of another.  In this case, Tagalong follows in the larger footsteps of Tag Sale.

 
The color on this cover still needs to be "tweaked" a bit as the "red" in the Martinique collection isn't quite this "red". 

Two more things to tell you about while I remember...

First, have you signed up for the Fat Quarter Shop's 2010 Mystery Designer Block of the Month?  Or is it 2010 Designer Mystery... it's one of those.  Designer Mystery!  That's it. 

Did you notice that "moi" has done a block?  It's pretty cute... if I do say so myself.  And I will.  The fabric is also terrific ~ 12 Days of Christmas by Kate Spain.  

And then there's this little contest coming up that I think you need to know about.  In fact, I know you need to know about it!  The first few details will be coming from Martingale/Patchwork Place sometime this week in their monthly newsletter.  More information will be announced later this month so that shops interested in participating can plan accordingly.  But don't worry, I'll make sure you get enough details about what's coming so that you can (1) convince your local quilt shop to participate, and/or (2) find a shop that is participating!  What you need to know right now is this ~ Schnibbles and great prizes. 

I think that's it.  I'll be back later this week ~ please note the lack of specificity as to when.

But I'll be back before I leave for Florida.

*************************************

P.S.  For those of you making Sunday Best, there is something that needs to be corrected or clarified.  I was so busy trying to make sure I didn't forget anything, I wrote the "total" number when I should have been thinking of "each".  As in, how many squares do you cut from each charm square so you have a total of 2.  

Cutting Instructions ~ #1.  The very last line... cut 1 square -- 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" -- from each charm square.  Just one.  You need 2 total squares, not 2 squares from each charm square.  Since you're cutting 1 strip, 1 large square and 1 big square from each charm square, you'll have a total of 64 of each piece.  32 sets of 2 matching pieces.