Until Next Year...

Merry Christmas Wishes

From our family to yours!

It's beginning to look...

...a lot like Christmas...

...thanks to Mary Engelbreit and her holiday fabrics The Caroler...

My Dearest Santa...

I just read on this BLOG that you are going to be making a quick stop at the Fat Quarter Shop soon. I would so love to have the L'Amour fat bundle for Christmas. Sandy Gervais is one of my favorite designers and I think she has outdone herself with L'Amour. May I please take a moment to tell you why I have had my eyes on this collection since it was first announced...

...on February 7, 1990 my sweet precious baby girl had open heart surgery. She arrived with an extra chromosome and like so many babies with Down syndrome she was born with a congenital heart defect. Her ventricular septal defect was not diagnosed until six months of age and she was quickly whisked into surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. Her recovery did not go as they hoped and therefore she spent quite sometime in the hospital. While I waited in the parent's lounge, I made a very small quilt for her using red and white calico. In the center I embroidered a heart with her name in it. We used that quilt for several weeks to cover all the tubes and wires coming from her tiny little body while she lay in the cardiac ICU.

Today she is twenty years old and this coming February will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the open heart surgery that saved her life. I would like to make her a new quilt to commemorate that day. This one will fortunately have to be a little larger than the first to cover her young adult body. I will once again put a heart in the center and embroider her name, Sarah. Our survivor.

Thank you Santa.
From a grateful mom.

www.FatQuarterShop.com

I have recently reconnected with one of my favorite sewing pastimes, quilting. The last real quilt I finished was in the early 80's. Quilt stores were still abundant in the area. Today, there are only five in Northeast Ohio and each one is greater than a forty five minute drive each direction.

So I have been lurking on quilting websites and blogs for the past month or so. I was leery. Never before have I ordered fabric over the web. Gosh, the last time I had a quilting needle in hand, the internet did not even exist. But I took the plunge. I ordered from three different retail sites. One who shall remain nameless, will never hear from me again. Then there is the...

It was the only one that arrived in a marked box for starters. And in a short three days. (You can pay extra for overnight delivery if you choose.)

I carefully opened each box, never quite sure what to expect.

Each separate item was carefully placed in a plastic bag. Free from dust and dirt. I like that.

The colorful receipt was placed in a lovely thank you envelope. I really like that.

The ultimate test for me is the yardage. In a store, I can visually verify as they cut. Let's see. I ordered three of this beautiful floral in the Nostalgia line by April Cornell. I wonder how much I actually received?

3 yards and 2". Perfect. The Fat Quarter Shop just moved up to the very top of my list. After a little further investigating I have discovered this company is owned by a husband and wife team, Kimberly and Kevin Jolly. I love when married couples work together:) Be sure to check out their blog too by clicking HERE.

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An addendum to this story. This morning I placed an additional order. Early this afternoon I received a call from Debbie in customer service. I requested 3 yards of a fabric and they only had 2 and 2/3. They allow you to tell them whether to send less than or to cancel the item all together when you order. I choose the later. Yet the amount they had was so close that Debbie decided to call to see if it would be acceptable. Now that is customer service!!!

Rouenneries has Arrived

The minute I saw a preview for this line by Kaari Meng for The French General, I suspected the coloring was going to be perfect...and it is.

French Red, Turkey Red, Roche, Oyster and Pearl.

Excellent, rich designs. To read more about Kaari, follow her blog.

So hard to pick a favorite. The bottom left corner does it for me. The French General store is worthy of a glance. For a project link, click HERE.

Honey Buns & Jelly Rolls

Happy Thanksgiving

Fall Inspiration

A Cake Wreck Delight

This would be such a perfect treat if I was to have an open house in the studio of Creations by JEllen. The cake was designed by Perfect Endings Bakery in Armonk, NY.

If you haven't yet found the Cake Wrecks blog, click HERE

The Real Purple Pincushion

Purple...beauty...any ideas what it is?

Purple Ipod Costume

Created by the ladies at Stitch Cleveland. Check them out www.stitchcleveland.com

Let the Stitching Begin...

A Purple Office

A Purpley Wardrobe

I Love you the Purplest

Lovely Lisa in Lilac

2009 Holiday Mini Swap

Treat bags are Ready...

...to go with the cards we send to those serving in the military.

Peppermint puffs are always a good choice. I especially like using the Red Bird brand as they are made in the USA and have an American flag printed on each little wrapper.

A very Successful Weekend

If you have someone in the military you would like us to send cards to please click Here for details.

Stampin' for America

There is no better way to celebrate our Independence than to THANK those who are serving our country and fighting for our FREEDOM.

Please come join me in:

Cleveland ~ Memorial Day Weekend

Columbus ~ Fourth of July Weekend

( click on image to enlarge for details)

Paper Dolls? No, just cue cards for a photo shoot using the Big Shot from Stampin' Up! and die cuts from Sizzix

(click on photo to read the cards)