Veteran’s Day
November 11, 2009 in Books, Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting Today we honor our Veteran’s and we have the perfect quilt to make for a special Veteran in your life. It is actually called “Veteran’s Lap Quilt” and can be found in our newest book called “I Care with Quilts.”
This book was created because the most giving and caring people on the planet are quilt makers. Quilters are always looking for opportunities through their craft to support people who are in need or lend a hand to support a cause that is near and dear to their heart.
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Harvest Table Decor
November 4, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting
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Mad Hatter Vintage Flea Market
October 9, 2009 in Creativity, Decorating, Friendship, QuiltingI got to attend my friends Flea Market Sale this last weekend and it was so magical! Gladys and Celia (mother and daughter) are both so cute and have such a magic touch when it comes to turning their flea market finds into true vintage treasures.
Even though it was their first event they had an enormous turnout to the Five Mile Grange which was decked from top to bottom with antique linens, jewelry, furnishings, seasonal decorations, mirrors, vases, pillows, signs and so much more. Everywhere you looked your eyes were delighted by sparkles and glitter and twinkling lights.
All seventeen of their hand picked vendors wore fun hats and were all just so darling – just like all their wares.
My other good friend Lynn prepared delicious homemade soups, tarts and scones to keep our tummies happy while we shopped. So yummy- The pumpkin soup was delish! I can’t wait until their next event!
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Fright Night is Near!
October 1, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Holidays, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting
Only 31 days until Halloween! Fright Night has always been one of my favorite holidays. I love the cast of characters that includes jack-o’-lanterns, playful ghosts, haunted houses, cats and bats. The spooky frights and fun-loving delights of the holiday make decorating for Halloween especially fun and with my new Spooky Town Fabric Collection for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, you’ll be able to scare up some great decorations and costumes in just a few hours.
The collection includes pillow, apron, placemat, and treat bag panels as well as a great collection of glittery and ghostly coordinates. The panels make for fast sewing and we turned one of the pillow panels into a great door banner. So, sew up some fun before the bewitching time is here!
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Sunny, the big fluffy Puppy
September 26, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Pets, Quilting, Staff
Carolyn and her husband recently adopted a darling apricot-colored Labradoodle. While leafing through a magazine one day, Carolyn came across a photo of a woman sitting on the steps and a fluffy, soulful, floppy-eared dog had his head in her lap.
That’s all it took, she was hooked. Once they determined that the dog was a labradoodle, Carolyn’s husband, Nick, went on the hunt for their new puppy and they had the joy of being involved with their puppy from birth.
All their dogs of the past have been named after bears—Grizzly, Kodiak, Bear—so keeping with tradition Sunny is a nickname for Sun Bear.
He sure has the sunny disposition that goes along with his name. So sunny in fact, he charms himself out of being in trouble every time he unrolls the toilet paper or sticks his head in a trash can looking for goodies to chew.
Carolyn loves him to death, and when he’s done some kind of dirty deed, she laughs and says, “It’s a good thing he’s so cute!” I used to say that about my son when he was a toddler too!
Sunny has been an inspiration for all of us so we designed a dog bed, blankie, and even a pillow with his name on it featuring one of my new fabric collections for Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores---appropriately named “Junkyard Dogs!”
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Red Barn Sale
September 10, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Decorating, Gardening, Quilting, Staff It's that fun time of year, when all the local artisans are coming together to sell their creations and flea market treasures. Carolyn, Jackie and Lori have all been buzzing over the last few weeks about plans to display their wares for the Labor Day Sale. Of course, there were several late nights, pulling it all together and getting everything done in time.
Jackie and Carolyn teamed up under the name Glass Garden and made beautiful glass bricks with seasonal mosaic designs. They also covered garden pots, windows, birdhouses and even a wine keeper with colored glass. Lori is quite the jewelry maker and set up her table showcasing her lovely necklaces, brooches, bracelets and earrings. Despite a couple of storms threatening to blow them away, the event was a success for all.
Coming Oct 2 & 3, another good friend is putting on the Mad Hatter Flea Market at the File Mile Grange in Spokane. What fun!
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Can I get your Recipe?
August 30, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Quilting, Recipes Whenever I make my (almost) Homemade Salsa, I get yummy responses and inquiries about my recipe. I almost prefer they don’t ask me, because then I have to reveal my shortcut, cheater secret and they realize it’s not exactly homemade.
The cheating part is that you start with a jar of your favorite prepared salsa (or whatever is on sale!)
Chop up and add fresh avocado, tomatoes and cilantro. (In my opinion, all that chopping qualifies this recipe as almost homemade) Squeeze the juice from a fresh lime and stir. Lime is the secret ingredient that makes it taste fresh and tangy and keeps the avocado from turning brown. Now don’t let anyone spill on your new Salsa Tablecloth!
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Back to the Lake
August 26, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Quilting This is the time of year when they are shoving Back to School down our throats and all we want to do is spend more time at the lake! So instead of filling a back pack full of school supplies, I think I’ll fill my Nap Sack with sunscreen, bug spray, a water bottle, a juicy novel, and a comfy quilt to sit on and head out to the lake one more time.
We’ll love fall when it’s here, but it’s still August – let’s enjoy the end of our summer!
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Perfect Picnic Cloth
August 6, 2009 in Crafts, Creativity, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting
Around here if you want to have a picnic, you’ll need to do it before noon or after dark or you and your meal may melt from the heat. But maybe it’s perfect conditions if the air conditioning is cranked to stitch up this beautiful tablecloth. A simple plaid in the center that is bordered with strip pieced squares set on point is a classic look that will dress up any gathering whether you’re inside or out.
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Garden Fabrics Galore
June 7, 2009 in Crafts, Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores, Quilting Are you in the mood for Spring and some Glorious time in the Garden without getting any dirt under your fingernails? Take a gander at my new collections of Spring Garden Fabrics.
“How’s it Growin” is printed in lovely soft shades of sky blue, fresh greens and a very sunny yellow palette. In addition to Garden Labels and a Word layout with lots of fun garden phrases like “Bless this Dirt, Planted with Love, Happy Thoughts Bloom in my Garden, Everything’s Coming up Daisies, you’ll also find a fun vine pattern along with coordinating flower and garden tool tosses.
“Teatime in the Garden” combines two favorite pastimes ~ Tea and Gardening. The periwinkle, yellow, orange and green color story adds to the serenity and sense of well-being that these two themes bring together.
Inspect the fine quality of the printing in the close up of the frog sipping his tea while propped up to a pot that reads “Not Easy Being Green Tea.”
Who doesn’t love herbs? “Herb House” is done in Lavenders, leafy greens with a touch of brown and ivory and features all our favorite herbs planted in pots and with the all important markers.
If you see something that tickles your fancy, please make your way over to JoAnn Fabric Stores to add these to your fabric collection.
