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Drum roll please...
So here she is, my little muse for my favorite new quilt...none other than the Fat Quarter Shop's "little-girl-in-residence": Emma Jolly. Check out the little gingham-covered toy basket...it does my heart proud!
On that note...have a relaxing weekend.
Back in two shakes...H2
Once again...Some of you will remember the Sneak Peek of a darling baby quilt (yes, I will say so myself) that I mentioned right before Fall Quilt Market on Holly Blog...if not, click here.
My friends with subscriptions are writing to say that they have just received the new McCall's Quilting April 2008 today, we have another quilt to share with you.
As most of you know by now, I don't get out much...(and oddly I don't have any magazine subscriptions either!*) So you guessed it: I haven't seen it.
So here's my design sketch...Sorry gals, but I just couldn't help myself...
"Prairie Points again" (said with a very whiny voice!) I am just smitten with this little sampler quilt. The kits are available from Fat Quarter Shop. I want an adult sized one for myself! I am on such a pink and pastel jag...and I don't know why!
Oh, and under the category "don't believe everything you read", let me make a special point of correcting the misinformation in the magazine: our "always-quilting-ever-faithful-friend-of-LakeHouse" aka Kathleen Nitzsche is actually the gal who pieced the top and folded prairie points for us...(and in a huge hurry right before market, I might add.) Our Cheryl did do the quilting...It was pretty much the most precious baby-bunny themed quilting I've ever seen. Glad to put that in print here and now, so that credit is given where it is due. We've had issues like this before with other projects in magazines, and people really do get upset about it.
As long as we are on the subject, in case you've ever wondered...people who design quilt patterns and fabrics for a living MUST have people to help them out. I don't know if you all have thought about the timing on these projects, but almost every editor I have ever had the pleasure of working with, "needed it yesterday". They are under more time constraints and pressure than I am...(and I am a total slave to this entire ball of wax: blogging, fabric design, quilts, ya da, ya da, ya da...I really do I look forward to designing every morning...but I can't possibly make every quilt that we need to support the all of the fabric lines I design.
Meantime, my muse for the Emma quilt? More on the little "pink-cheeked-doll-baby" who inspired me quilt coming soon...
Back in two shakes...H2
*But don't feel too sorry for me. Manhattan has some of the best magazine stands and shops that you could ever imagine...I have been known to spend hours at a time picking out irresistible magazines from all over the globe.
Ladies,
It's been a l-o-n-g time since my last post. So much to do and tell, but so little time to do it in...
So without further ado, here are some of my favorite pics from my recent Arizona trip...
Here's Cindy Taylor Oates at her lovely home, in front of her display cabinets. We both have an affinity for "old stuff", like group photos, unusual sewing machines, neat things with original typography and the like...my mouth watered at some of her juicy tidbits...
Loved her little pink chairs too, oh-so girly!
Cindy had Precious Penny and I over for a delicious lunch...yummy southwestern style chicken soup, avocado and orange salad, a delicious sweet corn souffle, and some ab fab smoked ribs made by her sweetie-pie husband William. I've asked CTO to post some of her recipes...but haven't had the time to go blog reading in weeks...So we must all make sure to check in and see what's she's put up on her new blog.
Here's a couple of close-ups of Cindy's vignettes...
Simply Cindy!
Alas, I spent 3 days and 3 of the most comfortable nights in recent memory (on the world's best bed ever!) with Precious Penny & her also-sweetie-pie husband, Bob while I was in Arizona. We also went model house hunting with Jill, who is Penny's wonderful friend & sister-in-law. My favorite models were at Fulton Ranch in Chandler, AZ...right up until I realized that the neighborhood that these almost million dollar houses (don't believe the prices on their website!) were back-to-back with the loading dock of the local Loew's! That really bothered me...am I nuts, or what?
It was great to spend time with them, soaking up the sunshine and the local color. I was so happy, well fed, relaxed and "at home" with B&P&J that I completely forgot that I needed to document my trip...the shameless-blogger-in-me forgot to take pictures! I will tell you this, Penny has her house decorated in a cozy & comfy way. Lots of quilts, yummy paint colors on the walls, really nice overstuffed furniture and an adorable new kitchen that the also-very-handy-Bob just remodeled for her.
I took a little side trip to visit of my favorite quilters down Tucson way...Brenda the "big nut" from Little Acorns and her now famous side kick Bailey...
I've got two words to describe Mr B: "love monster".
Thanks so much to everyone for taking time out of their busy schedules (and bustling pattern businesses) when I came-a-calling in AZ...
Lots more exciting news when I return (finger's crossed)...meantime, this lil' pardner is
back on the "designing ranch", what with Spring Quilt Market right around the corner!
Back in two shakes...
H2
On my recent trip to Arizona, I saw MOM in Scottsdale. She took me to lunch at a nice spot in the historic area near where she lives. Here she is, fit as a fiddle at 86, sipping her peach iced tea...
Mom mentioned a recipe that she and my sisters are ga-ga for these days...It's sort of a variation on Chicago's "Garrett's" Caramel Corn, and it sounded delicious, so I thought I'd share it with all of you.
Peel & Patch Patty's Potion for Pale People...
In a large, clean brown paper grocery bag, spray non-stick Pam to thoroughly coat the bag.
Add these dry ingredients to the bag, & mix together:
4 cups corn Chex
4 cups rice Chex
1 cup wheat Chex
1 cup small pretzel rings
12 ounces Pecans
In a small pot, mix:
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark Karo syrup
1/4 cup butter
At medium heat, stir syrup mixture until it reaches a boil, and then allow mixture to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add 2-1/2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
Pour cinnamon syrup mixture over dry ingredients in brown paper bag, & mix thoroughly.
Carefully fold top of the grocery bag down a couple of times, in a neat pharmacy fold. Then scrunch the bag down onto itself to make the bag as small as possible so that it doesn't get stuck in your microwave. Note: if your bag doesn't move freely, parts of your potion will burn...and you'll ruin a lot of ingredients before you get a nice batch...
Now microwave your potion/bag for 3 minutes.
Remove bag, break up your potion into smaller pieces & re-fold your bag.
Microwave your bag for 2 minutes
Remove bag, break up your potion into smaller pieces & re-fold your bag.
Microwave your bag for 1 minute
Remove bag, break up your potion into smaller pieces.
Divvy up your potion into little tins, distribute to "Sweet Friends" and ENJOY the rest your self!
Part two of my trip to AZ coming soon...Pretty Penny, Miss Cindy, Mr. Bailey and more...
Back in two shakes...H2
As some of you already know (thanks for the notes!)...Cherry Baby has been included in the "This We Like" column in the February/March 2008 issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine.
You may remember that I said a while back I didn't design anything with a cherry on it for for a really long time. When I saw cherries, I thought of Mary's work, and although she inspired us all, I just didn't want to "monkey see, monkey do".
So doing a whole collection that revolves around cherries is a big step for me...there has been "a lot of water under the bridge" in the last 20+ years as a designer. Like Alex Anderson (six degrees of separation?), I too have fond memories of cherries from Door County Wisconsin. Cherry pie was served with almost every meal we had at a restaurant or Fish Boil, and we also bought delicious pies at the roadside stands. When I was still a little pup, my parents and older siblings helped pick cherries (on really tall ladders) during harvest time at the Ray's farm outside of Bailey's Harbor. Younger kids passed their time by playing in the barn on bales of hay with the cats and their kittens. Those are some of the fondest memories an animal lover like me could have.
Do any of you have some vivid memories of cherries in your childhood? Any delicious recipes you'd have to share?
Back in two shakes...H2
Happy New Year Everyone!
The other day I was in the car listening to WNYC, They were talking about many of the customs to bring in the New Year, all over the world. A lot were food-related, like in Spain they eat 12 grapes at midnight... what's that about? Some were spirit-related, like opening all of the windows in your house to free the souls held captive in your home from the year before. And in New York, they were activity related...like the yahoos that drink themselves silly (while freezing their buns off & while having their pockets picked) in Time Square.
Paton and I, we took the "path of least resistance". After a picnic in bed complete with some divine desserts from a favorite Japanese bakery, we cranked the mattress pad way, way up...That's when the real fun began as the kitties became heat seeking missiles under the comforter. We all started to watching a video ...and that's pretty much all I remember.
And no hang over this morning...so it's all good (more energy for other things!)
So here's a fun new project to 'whet your whistle' for the new year. (I never tire of pink, and I'm crazy for my new Floating Petal fabric.) It was commissioned by Jill Meade of Quilts & More magazine...
This sneak peak* is actually part of a room ensemble designed for a girl's room, compete with shams, dust ruffle and a really cute window treatment, if I do say so myself, it's a cutie pie!...A prize goes to the person who guesses the name on the pillow.
Today I'm making my second attempt this winter to fly away for a little R&R with some family and friends. I'm crossing my fingers as I look out again at another gray and stormy, winter's day.
Back in two shakes...H2
*Sara, I was just being "kute", peak as in high(light), get it? But thanks for asking!
