Amy Butler... Love

When Amy Butler's "Love" collection was initially released I liked it... but I didn't Love it. I bought a bit and stashed it away. Little by little my "Love" collection has been growing throughout the year. Until this week the only think I had made from my "Love" stash was a bag.

Birdie Sling

Photos of my "Love" Stash...

sunday stash week 5

sunday stash week 9

sunday stash week 10

sunday stash week 18

sunday stash week 30

sunday stash weeks 38 & 39
A few weeks ago I splurged and bought the Amy Butler sheets from Bed Bath & Beyond. It's rare that I buy things just to buy them, besides fabric, so I decided it was time to treat myself.

They look great with my pillow I received from the Pillow Talk Swap.

by MichelleSews

I could talk about the sheets all day long. They are 100% Organic Cotton, 400 Thread Count and by far the best sheets I've ever owned. After getting the sheets I decided I'd take my "Love" stash and make a queen size quilt for my bed to match. Then I just had to decide on a pattern...

About a month ago I saw Moda Lissa do a tutorial with some new rulers. They are called Leaves Galore and I knew right away I wanted them!

 Once my rulers arrived I wanted to start cutting! It didn't take long before I put my "Love" project and ruler project together and drew up a sketch. I have 90 large 8" Leaves cut so far... I'll show you a progress picture once I start sewing!

© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

canon or nikon?

that is the question.

i'm ready to get a digital SLR.

i've been ready...

but canon or nikon??

brad uses canon

pioneer woman uses nikon

sus uses canon

camille uses nikon

jared uses nikon

alissa uses canon

joanna uses nikon

amanda jean uses canon

modalissa uses nikon

angela uses nikon

vanessa uses canon

lauren uses nikon

i currently have a point & shoot nikon.

which replaced my point & shoot canon.

my original film SLR is a canon...

so i don't know what to do...

you have to watch this video.too funny.





& tell me.what do you use& why.no just cause answers allowed.

an early birthday present!

the ups man is starting to get used to coming here all the time..

but this week he came when i wasn't expecting him...

and he brought me an early birthday present!!

the kit from rouenneries by french general!!
thank you thank you!!

i was in heaven...
so what did i do??
i tore it open & start cutting all the pieces out..
wouldn't you have done that? ;-)
now i should have been working on all my wips..
& projects with deadlines..
but hey you gotta do something just for you every once in a while!!

i did sign up for jacquie's joy in the new year challenge...

it's all about finishing wips to start 2010 off fresh...
i admitted 14.
really i have more... but some are barely started.. or have major roadblocks.. the 14 are ones i think i have the chance of finishing by the end of 2009

so back to my birthday... is 25 days away!! {dec 1st if you don't feel like doing the math}
and i know it can be hard to shop for people sometimes... so in case you were wondering what i wanted... here are a few ideas....


1. Dyson DC25 All Floors Vacuum - Iron/ Satin Yellow
hint hint.. mom & dad... if someone gets me this i can stop borrowing your dyson all the time... hint.. hint...


2. Rowenta DZ9080 Advancer Iron
i knew it was going to happen soon... and it did... my iron died... so i really need this... borrowing irons isn't fun.


3. June Tailor Cushioned Quilter's Square'n Blocker
because as you can all see in my tutorials mine has been used & abused.. and has stains.. and while i do have an ironing board i love this because it fits on my sewing table...


4. Quilting for Peace: Make the World a Better Place One Stitch at a Time (Hardcover)
because it looks like a good read... and since i don't work at a bookstore anymore people can buy me books again!! {ISBN-13: 978-1584798040}


5. Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing (Spiral-bound)
same reason as #5... {ISBN-13: 978-0470259269}


i'm sure there are more things... but this is just a few i know i want...
;-)

fyi...
december rocks.
my birthday..the holidays.. end of year..
all that good stuff...
but it also means that i don't like january..
because then i have to wait an entire year for my time again...
just thought you'd like to know...

--

a few things going on in blogland.

carolyn has another giveaway over @ quiltmaker

vaneassa of v&co in competing in so you think your crafty

modalissa blogged about the challenge over at fabricmatcher for november

alissa & kristen are getting published! their book is going to be about their block party quilting bee... and they have turned block party into a quarterly quilt along.. and are starting it off with a giveaway

and...

my 100th post giveaway is still going on..

hunky dory!

hunky-dory

hunk⋅y-do⋅ry

 [huhng-kee-dawr-ee, -dohr-ee]

–adjective Slang.

about as well as one could wish or expect; satisfactory; fine; OK.

or... hunky dory is the new line from chez moi!!!



remember when i met modalissa?
well we got to talking... talking led to designing...
& here is the quilt that I ended up making for Moda!!




{we had a lot of fun with this photo shoot!}

best of all... it will be a project sheet & a kit from moda!!

it will be making its public debut @ market... so go find it @ the moda booth!

my label...

thank you everyone for your support in getting this baby done & off to moda in time
i hope you like it as much as i do!!

& thank you again modalissa!!

i gotta tell you... concrete garden is one of my favorite quilts!

binding done!

took closer to 4 hours..
but i'm done.
300" of binding {& a sleeve}

now i'm off to ups to overnight it to modalissa
{lissa you rock!}

i pick you!

the boy has made his choices.... in a very scientific matter that involved me making a spreadsheet of all comments and points earned.. and him picking some numbers...

#7 amylouwho!! who won with her comment "Hushabye, please?"

and

#168 vicky aka laquilter!! who commented "I love pincushions, and would give one of yours a wonderful home! :) Have fun at Long Beach."

so congrats!! amy you'll get hushabye and vicky will be getting simple abundance... the crazy thing is... vicky said to have fun at long beach... and i did.. and i got to meet her! and my nephew really did pick her... which is so weird... vicky's blog is one of the first i began reading.. it was well over a year ago and she is a hoot!!

--

a tidbit of info on the bags from this year's festival... the quilt featured on the side of them.. yeah i know its amazing right...

well it is the work of the very talented Gretchen who i have the pleasure of working with and learning from! how cool is that???

the boy got a hold of one of my bags and didn't want to give it back!

he is seriously a ton of fun!!

--

so more about festival...

on thursday i took Charlotte Angotti's class "Let me Surprise You" -- her website says "Known for her humor, her way with fabric/color and her pre-cut kits Charlotte believes her hobby is quilt making and her job is teaching others to enjoy it as much as she does." and it is so true! her class was a riot and i loved every minute of it!

i was the "queen" and the first to finish a block... this of course happened because i abandoned sewing my pink and white triangles onto my middle units and rushed to make my corner pieces.. it was then a race to get it all together... after that i think i spent more time talking then sewing and i still have lots to do!

luckily i found this fat quarter bundle on the show floor and now i have lots of border and backing options!

i have to admit... i have a problem...

and it always seems to start with this ribbon.. you know... the moda kind that says "hey i'm a pre-cut... come look at me"

some honeybuns... patisserie & summer fun

some charms... strawberry lemonade & sunshine wovens

more honeybuns... arcadia.. neptune... & wonderland..

nest layer cake & jelly roll...

here is the wonderland honeybun with some yummy yardage...

and a ton of american jane.. what isn't in the picture is the 3 kits i bought from her and a few patterns... i already had them carefully packed in my suitcase before i realized there were no pictures... so it'll have to wait till i get home...

but the mother of all finds... was a full moon forest jelly roll... yes kids.. i found one... i hugged the woman who's booth it was... i think i may have scared her..

and then when i thought it couldn't get better... yardage of the owl print... i know... it was like finding gold.. i snatched it all up... it was in one yard cuts but i wasn't leaving any behind... there was a girl named michelle who spotted me and knew what i had... and when i found one more cut i caved and was nice enough to let her buy it... karma better love me one day!

so yes... i have a problem... but i don't want anyone to fix it!

i bought more than pre-cuts... i got this yummy bundle to go with my fabric from oh fransson's giveaway...

and these kits and rulers to go with the giveaway from lani @ thequiltshoppe

Jere'e is the designer behind Quilted Quickies and is a sweetheart!

and lots that isn't photographed yet.. but shoved in my suitcase... i promise to share more info once i'm home!

and then there was the ladies of beyond the reef... natalie runs the show...she blogs... she quilts... and is all in all one of the most intriguing people i've ever met... she invited me over to her house... to eat... to learn... and to play with her dog hula... before i went back to my brother's house she even made me walk the very few steps to the water and sand and made me stick my toes in... she has amazing friends... like crazy suzanne... who come in from near and far to support her and help her run the booth... i'll never forget this amazing group of people...

and last but not least... i met modalissa... yes the one and only...
i was star struck for a few minutes but she quickly made me feel at ease... she is an absolutely amazing person that is full of ideas and inspiration... i'm very proud to be a part of the moda bake shop and i'm looking forward to making more things for all of you!!