244...My Favorite Things...Hearts A Plenty!

It's been so long...and just when I thought things couldn't get any crazier, things did...so it's wonderful to be back.

The Sweet Little Words Quilt from the March/April edition of McCall's Quilting was just returned to me.  It was so precious, I had to call Pam and have her come over to see it in person and snap a few shots to show you...The Pam Kitty Love color palette is positively radiant!

Kudos to Pam Kitty for her lovely, seemingly effortless photos.

Here are some close-ups of Nubin Jensen's delightful quilting...

And a big shout-out to Fat Quarter Shop's Debra Taylor, for her lightning-fast precision piecing...

Hugs all around for all you gals, it takes a dedicated & experienced team to meet the time demands of quilt magazine projects!  In case you haven't actually seen the magazine article, the Sweet Little Words Quilt is being offered as a kit (with two different border color options!).  To see the kit info, just click here.

In addition to all of the quilty-love excitement, there's been friends visiting from out of town, we've been putting the final touches on the Sweet Things collection, had several bouts of frozen pipes at the studio, and our mascot -- a Border Collie/Terrier mix who demands (seemingly endless) hours of exercise on every chilly day we have.  I could go on, but let's get to the really good stuff...

Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who is a renowned chef from Berkeley California, says that the secret to being a good cook is knowing how to shop (for the best quality ingredients).

People often ask me about my design inspiration & secrets...Yes, there are tales of travels, flea markets & tiny one-of-a-kind boutiques, on quiet, tucked-away-streets in Europe.  More often than not, inspiration sort of "bonks me on the head" while I am walking down the street minding my own business, and *poof* something catches my attention out of the corner of my eye.  Or like the other day, at a little mom & pop store called Andy's Local Market near where I walk my dogs.  Getting a morning coffee, and what did I see amongst an adorable display of Valentine's Day trinkets & treats...?

Naturally, I thought of Pam, & our recent Pam Kitty Love collection...called her immediately.

We came up with the idea to offer all of you a chance to win your very own Pam Kitty Love LunchBox...

So here's the deal...Tell us a wonderful Valentine's story...it could be true romance...a tale about the power of love, or a rom-com, like a first date story that went awry, or a true tale about one of your most beloved & favorite critters.  Make it good, really, really good...and then tell us your story in our comments bar...and we may pick you!

The deadline is Thursday February 14th

The winner will be announced on Tuesday February 19th

Be there, or be square.

(Or keep carrying your lunch in a boring paper bag to work...)

*<:@)

H2

PS~Pam, this one's for you WoOoF!

PPS  thanks to Goji, for being such a willing subject

:oP

 

 

Comments

[pam]

That is just super cute with Goji and the cookie!

[Holly]

We got the cookie at Bette's to go in Berkeley!

I think that means "you're it" on the dog cookie thingie- LOL

H2

[Sharon Yeager]

I LOVE that lunch box.
I wish I had a sweet Valentine story for you but I don't. LOL.
Although it is my favorite holiday ever. Does that count?
Love PKM and Lakehouse fabric.

[Kate]

How I Met My Husband

I was in sixth grade and my best friend and I were at a basketball game. Her cousins, Bill and David were there with her. We all went down to get refreshments and then things got out of hand. The boys began collecting empty Coke cups and throwing them at us.

My friend and I ran into the girls' bathroom and stayed there the whole game because every time we tried to open the door, the boys would throw cups at us. We filled all the trash cans in the bathroom with Coke cups. My friend tells me that I said to her, "I'm going to marry that boy."

I don't know which boy I meant, but fast forward to my junior year and a new boy came to school. It was my best friend's cousin and when I saw him, I was entranced.

At the first football game David sat by me and the next Sunday we went to a movie. We have been together ever since for 45 years. I still love him as much as the first time I saw him.

[Linda]

My Sweet Valentine Story is of my dear granddaughter Amy and her then future husband Tad when he invited her to a lovely park with a flowing brook and vine-covered arched bridge and proposed to her! What a beautiful flower-scented night it was for them!
HAPPY VALENTINES TO ALL!

[Debbie Johnson]

LOVE the Valentine lunch box!!!
LOVE PAM KITTY!!!
I don't have a special valentine story but my husband of almost 35 years never forgets to show me how much he loves me. He gives me a dozen roses every week, all through the year. He stops at the market every friday after work and picks out the prettiest ones they have.
I am very loved (and spoiled)!
Happy Valentine's!
Debbie

[Tammy]

When we were younger my husband was in the Navy aboard a submarine. It seemed like every holiday he was at sea. He used to allways seem to have flowers delivered to me on the holidays. This one Valentines Day I didn't receive any flowers at work and they weren't at home waiting for me either. I figured he forgot or couldn't afford to send em. And I was sad ..The worse valentines ever...Well low and behold they came the next day. When I got home from work that afternoon the florist came to deliver them and apologized that they were to have been sent the day before but they were too busy... Well I did get my beautiful flowers and that made me so happy to know my hubby hadn't forgotten me. What a cute giveaway. Thanks for the chance to enter. conn_and_vans_mom(at)yahoo(dot)com

[Puddytatpurr]

Cute lunchbox - I'm off to check out that quilt!

[Cecilia]

When we (my husband and I) were in college, he had to pay for all of his tuition, books, dorm, fees by himself. He worked three jobs and went to school full time. For our very first Valentine's day, I didn't expect anything because I knew that all his money went to school or living expenses. Well, he had convinced one of the security guards to let him into the library, he set up a romantic candle lit dinner for us! It was crazy but very thoughtful. He had a picnic and flowers for me. I will never forget!

[Laura]

I don't have a Valentine's Day story but I do have a story about one of my favorite critters. Back in 2003 I was living in southern CA and I decided that I wanted to get a cat. I figured there must be dozens of cats on craigslist that needed good homes so that's where I started my search. I responded to a few listings and waited to hear from any of them. One gal responded and said she had 2 cats, under a year old, that she was looking for homes for. So on a Friday afternoon I drove out to Burbank to pick up my feline friend. Of the two, my Harry, came right over to me when I bent down and kissed my nose. That was it. He came home with me right then. 10 years later and multiple moves including a couple cross country drives, he's still one of my best buddies. Life is just sweeter with kitties.
P.S. I LOVE Pam Kitty Morning and Pam Kitty Love! I think I'm just biased to anything "kitty" ;)

[Mary Saxon]

Our first date was nearly our last, and for three hours I hoped it would be. On a double date with my husband's brother and his girlfriend, we drove 150 miles to an Eastern Maryland beach. My husband drove and I sat beside him, both of us embarrassed by the vicious arguing from the backseat. Neither my husband nor I shared one word. Blessedly we arrived at the beach where we separated, the still-bickering couple going north, while we walked south until coming upon a washed-up cable spool. Perched side by side, with only waves and seagulls as witnesses, we found our voices, and forged a relationship that has lasted 40 years.

[Luba]

I love the Lunchbox! I love Pam Kitty Morning and Pam Kitty Love.
I do not have a special Valentine's story. When
hubs and I first got married 43 years ago, we chose not to have just one day of the year to show love but celebrate each day with love. I cannot honestly say that it has been like that every day after all this time, but for the most part, we have celebrated our love through the years, and that's pretty romantic for me.
Gosh I'd love to win at least one of these giveaways I've tried for.

[Debra Taylor]

So glad you like my piecing! Can't wait to do more!

[Heidi]

My beautiful Valentine story is actually not mine, but that of my In-Laws. You see, a young Naval officer, recently commissioned met a young woman and fell in love... he hoped to see her again (waaay before the digital and cell phone age), so he waited at the train station; you see, he planned to ask her to marry. He was afraid she would not be there.... alas, she did show up, and said yes! Their wedding day was June 26, 1946. Seven children, many many grand children and great-grandchildren later... the love of his life, the center of his world passes away on June 6th, 2012, the day before her 83rd birthday. We cared for him in our home for seven months, due to dementia and poor health. We were blessed to hear his stories of his Love, His wife, His soulmate. He pined for her, he looked for her; on Jan 5th, 2013, he left us peacefully and joined her!! We learned that they WERE the center of each-other's universe!

[Cynthia]

My husband gave me a typed piece of paper last week saying, "to my Valentine". It was a weekend getaway to a cute place an hour and a half where we live. We stay at a beautiful spa, he has reservations at two restaurants to eat at in the evening, and tickets to a play. Everything is planned out. What a sweetie and how romantic :).
Hope you like my story. Plus, we are sort of old, newly empty nesters :) ha ha!!!

[Kristy]

My best Valentines story is also my worst. :) 17 years ago I was working my very first Valentines Day in a florist....in no way romantic on any level! It had been a tough day of seeing the more abrasive side of "love", and it was already long past closing time. Had just had an unhappy customer bring my tired soul to tears. One last delivery, and my at the time boyfriend and I were going to take it together when....yea, you guessed it....he dropped to his knee and asked me to marry him. :) 17 years later and working a Valentines in our family's florist is still not at all romantic, but being with this guy and the 6 children we've been blessed with...well, there couldn't have been a better dream come true. :)

Thanks for the fun giveaway, love the nostalgia! Happy Valentines! Be extra nice to your florist ok??? ;) They've likely not slept in days and could snap at any minute!

[Pat O]

Our first date was unique to say the least! My date (future husband) learned through friends that I had dated his best friend on the previous evening (hey ... it was a busy week!). I didn't KNOW that they were best friends .... I was just dating two different guys on two different nights! Well, anyway ... come Saturday night for the BIG date and he does not show up ... one hour, two hours, almost three hours late!! By that time I had changed my clothes and was settled in with my parents for a boring Saturday night. My "date" shows up, and I found out WHY he was late. He had taken his EX girlfriend out for an afternoon at the carnival .. for spite ... because he really had his sights set on me, even though we hadn't yet dated. Three years later, we married and he blessed me with three beautiful daughters and five beautiful grandchildren! Forty-six years later, I still chuckle when I think of our disastrous but determined first date!

[Jan Richards]

My husband and I started dating right before
Valentine's Day 47 years ago. I met him earlier when he was dating my room mate Sue.
Our first date was a disaster. We had gone to a dance about 35 miles away from our university with 2 other couples. As luck would have it, someone else took his jacket from the coat rack. We had to wait for the other person to return it, this made us late for curfew. Yes, girls had to be home on a weekend night before 1 a.m. I was late and had to appear before the discipline committee to tell my story and possibly be punished with a campus...staying home for an evening checking in each hour with a discipline committee member. The group felt sorry for me and did not punish me. We married 2 1/2 years later and have 2 great daughters and 5 grandkids.

Thanks for a chance to win your fun prize.

[Sandie @ crazy'boutquilts]

Adorable quilt and what a fun lunchbox! I don't really have a Valentine's story, my hubby is sweet all year! ♥

[Beverly @ My Sew Sweet Studio]

What a sweet lunchbox and even sweeter goodies inside. I would love to win it all.
My story is that I met my hubby in 4th grade. We went steady in 6th grade and on Valentines Day he gave me an engraved heart necklace that said Bevery on one side and Love Dennis 1958 on the other. At the end of 6th grade we broke up and I gave him back the heart necklace. We went to different Jr.Hi and High Schools. At the beginning of our second semester at college, we literally ran into each other. I went home and told my roommate I ran into the man I was going to marry. Soon after we had our first date on Valentines day. When he came to my door, he had a box with the heart necklace in it. I couldn't believe he had kept it all those years. We were engaged on Valentines Day 2 yrs later and this time the box had an engagement ring. A couple of years ago, I posted the whole story on my blog here: http://mysewsweetstudio.blogspot.com/2010/02/going-steady.html
Oh and that quilt is adorable as is the whole fabric line. You girls are so talented.

[Donna]

My favorite Valentine's Day was years ago. My husband left town that morning early on business, so I figured Valentine's Day was going to be sad and spent alone, but when I got up and went in to our baby's room, I found a little present & card from our 4 month old on the changing table, another card in with the dog's food when I went to feed her, and another (somewhere I can't remember where now--maybe the fridge) from my husband. They were all sweet and appropriate cards for each of the givers--like "to the best mom" with a dog saying it, or from my son, "our first Valentine's together", etc.), and one of them contained a key chain with I love you on it. It was such a surprise (and needed) that I cried. Kind of sad that that was the best day--30+ years ago! :) Love the quilt--especially how you've quilted it on the border--adds so much--but hard to miss with the cute Pam Kitty fabrics!

[Thimbleanna]

I don't really have a good story -- just wanted to pop in and say hi! I LOVE the PKM fabric lines -- so colorful and fresh. What a sweet giveaway. Btw, I'd like to vote for Kate's story 'cause nothing says Love like being pelted by empty Coke cups LOL!!!

[Gale]

Wow this quilt is beautiful, I would love to be the winner and make it for my first grandbaby coming in June. That would make a great valentine story in 2014. Thanks for the great giveaway.

[Robin Jennings]

My favorite Valentine memory was when I was growing up my Dad never missed bringing everyone a heart shaped box full of candy. My mom always got the big box and the kids got the little box. My Dad is no longer with us, but I carry that tradition on with my son! Thanks for that chance to share that memory!

[Darlene]

Love the PKM fabrics - right up my alley. :-) That lunch box would be a wonderful addition to my collection of lunch boxes - I use them for sewing notions and such.

I don't have a cute Valentine's Story however my sweet hubby celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary yesterday (Feb 12). Wanted to get married on the 14th but it was a Monday - sigh! On our wedding day many people predicted that we wouldn't last. In fact, my own mother, stood up at the wedding reception and announced to the world that the wedding was a 'total waste of time because this marriage will not last'. We fooled her! LOL

Thank you for letting me share! :-)