Holly Blog

246...Favorite Things…New Fabrics & the Kitties

The kitties love nothing more than a photo shoot in the studio.

We were in a rush, since several of the quilts were planned as Christmas presents.

Maggie is the Tortie, and Bennie is the Tuxedo.

So many things to show & tell ...

Make sure to see the two new FREE patterns made with the Sunrise Studio 1 fabrics on the FREEBIES page.  Just click on the sidebar icon on the upper right.

Can't wait to tell you more about the design process I went through to develop this new pre-engineered line.  It started as one idea:  Easy-to-Make Scallop Borders ... and very quickly thereafter, my mind was racing with possibilities...

It's good to be back ... Happy New Year.

Still uploading lots of things to inspire you, so come back soon.

Holly.

 

 

 

245...My Favorite Things...Pam Kitty Coffee & More

Pam's been over for coffee, and the whole gang has been out in the garden for our little Pam Kitty Photoshoot extravaganza...

The Cup & Saucer quilt  (aka Tea Time at Nana's) that I designed for the April/May 2013 McCall's Quick Quilts came back since my last post.  I am happy to report that the quilt is cleaner & brighter than the photos in the magazine...in Pam Kitty's Colors that you have come to know & love...

Bendito is omnipresent when Pam is at the house.  Like so many cats, he's got to be the center of attention.  That's me trying to take advantage of Benny's coloring -- as he just happens to go with the quilt.

The treat is in the red circle...

This is El-Chubbo trying to get a treat that landed on the chair...Is it me or do those little paws in mid air make you laugh too?

Et Voila'...mission accomplished.

If you are looking for the fabrics for this quilt, I think that they may still have some kits left at Fat Quarter Shop, if you click here.

Here are some darling (if I do say so myself) little detail shots of Nubin Jensen's quilting...A lot of care went into all of the different quilting patterns & thread colors used...

Love the little curly q's of steam coming off of the cups...

 

There's even little cup shapes quilted in the checkerboard corners...crazy about it...

And before I forget...

Without further ado...

The winner is...

The very sentimental...

Drum roll please...

Beverly whose hubby Dennis, gave her the same heart necklace...twice.

LOVE.

;o)

H2

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

My Favorite Things...243...Teacups, Teacups, Teacups!

Under the category  "Just can't get enough of those LakeHouse Teacups"  -- here's a close up...

A "Six Pack"...

Et voila', the finished quilt...

We posted the fabric swatches for this quilt on FaceBook...so I thought it was only fair to post a shot of the finished quilt.

I've blogged about designing this quilt before...if you want the pattern...click pattern

For the kit (if Jennifer has any left) click kit

For Penelope 4, 5 or 6 swatches click below:

Penelope 4

Penelope 5

Penelope 6

And of course, if you've made anything with these Penelope 4-5-6 fabrics, I'd love to know what y'all are up to.

Back to the drawing board...Fall Quilt Market is just around the corner!

;o)

H2

 

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Things...242...Pretty Pictures taken in a Secret Garden

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I thought I'd show you all some pretty pictures taken by none-other than our fabulous "resident" blogging queen aka "Pam Kitty" (& photo-savant) Pam Vieira-McInnis, at a secret garden that I stumbled upon recently here in Marin County CA.

This is the new "Scrap Happy Basket Quilt" (designed by yours truly).  The New Applique' Pattern for it which BTW uses fabrics from my new Penelope 4 -- 5 -- 6 collection (that has just been delivered to independent quilt shops near you), has been written & published by our friend Jennifer Bosworth over at Shabby Fabrics.  Psst: if you haven't heard the good word...Jennifer writes a great pattern!

Here's a little close up of the quilt...

I just LOVE all of the fabrics in this quilt...the colors are OH SO HOME DEC!  IMHO, all of the prettiest colors for a warm & inviting home.  I think Jennifer might even have a few kits left, too...? Check her stock, by clicking here. 

On another note, on the home front today, things started off with a splash.  I was brushing my teeth when "El Bandito", my Milo rescue kitty (the only truly clumsy cat I have ever known) fell in to the toilet feet first while trying to jump up on the bathroom sink (trying to get a better look sniff at what he thought I was putting in my mouth (mint ice cream -- whatttt ?).  (This would also explain the times in recent months that I have sat down on a less-dry-toilet seat in that same bathroom...)

Here's more pictures taken by Auntie Pam, the day of our photoshoot last week of Bandito...

Is it just me or does that little black chin make you think of C Everett Koop...?

LOL

;oP

H2

PS, Pam Kitty will be making a table runner from blocks using the Scrap Happy Quilt pattern (in yet another bee-u-t-ful Penelope colorway...I'll announce the specifics of this VERY SOON!  OH & YES, you heard it here first:  there will be another FQ bundle giveaway too!

 

My Favorite Things...241...Winners!!!

Two Blue Lovers:

Linda, whose email starts with:  ljfrasier@

Mary ann, whose email starts with mascanlon@

Two Pink Lovers...

Tanya, whose email starts with:  trdelgado@

Karen, whose email starts with:  kutie@

Two Red Lovers:

Judy, whose email starts with:  jlblvn@

Anne, whose email starts with:  bennetta@

Ladies, pls email your postal addresses to Frankie at:   [email protected]

congrats!!!

My Favorite Things...240...French Blue

I have a few quirks about color.  Some of you may have noticed...I prefer my Yellows a little bit Peachy, and my Blues a little bit Peri, like this wonderful door I spotted on the Left Bank in Paris.

Is it just me, or are the blue & white enameled building numbers the cherry on the sundae?  I just love the attention to the small details that to me are oh-so-French.  So that's why the "French Blue" (aka Peri) was in the Penelope Five fabrics...it's simply one of my favorite colors, and I try to use it whenever I can.

What's your favorite color, and where do you remember it from?

Leave me a message and you will be eligible for the Penelope 456 Fat Quarter Bundle Drawing. 

Here are the details:  one comment/entry per person on this blog, entry period from now until next Friday July 13th (!) then we will draw six names and give away the six sets of Penelope Fat Quarter bundles.

Back in two shakes.

H2

PS:  Welcome Shabby Fabrics fans! 

Great News!  Jennifer Bosworth of Shabby Fabrics will be writing & publishing all of my new quilt designs...Find out all about it by clicking here.

 

 

 

 

My Favorite Things...239...Furry Friends

Are you feeling the love???

H2

My Favorite Things...238...Chalk Drawings on the Sidewalk

People ask me alot "What inspires you?"  Almost anything, anywhere.

I saw this recently while walking the dogs at a nearby school after hours.  The campus one of those idyllic California schools that are so very special.  Lots of gardens & outdoor space, covered walkways between small buildings, artwork hung in the classroom windows, courtyards filled with flowering plants, grassy lawns, sunshine and the evidence of kids & creativity blossoming everywhere.

This little drawing reminded me that I used to love to color up a storm on the sidewalks when I was a kid.  It makes me so happy to see a spontaneous use of color...

Summer is officially here...what inspires you?

:o)

H2

 

 

My Favorite Things...237...Roses from the Garden

These SweetHeart Roses remind me so much of the lush flowers in our Penelope series...And by-golly, it's that time...Penelope 4 5 & 6 are being packed & readied to leave our warehouse on the East Coast as I write...

Even better, I have done a few new designs that can use any of your favorite Penelope Fabrics...(1,2,3,4,5 or 6...) These quilts weren't in the latest Penelope 4, 5, 6 sales booklets, so your LQS hadn't seen them until last week in Kansas City at Jennifer's booth...

That's the Big News...Jennifer Bosworth of Shabby Fabrics has graciously taken on the writing & publishing of my quilt designs.  This is a huge relief to me on so many levels...writing patterns has always been a challenge.  I've received my share of hate mail over patterns that took me weeks & months to conceptualize, write, check, re-check & re-check again...And when I am writing patterns, I am not designing fabric & quilts...Of course those of you who have seen how Jennifer writes a quilt pattern or her beautiful Block of the Month programs...know why I am clicking my heels!

Thank you Jennfier for freeing  me up to do more of the projects that I have been thinking about for years, but haven't had the time to focus on...I am chomping at the bit to do my first Block of the Month...I can't wait.

Here's the first two of my quilt designs that Shabby Fabrics Pattern Company will be publishing that use new Penelope Fabrics.  First, the "Teacup Star" quilt...

 

Second, the Scrap Happy Baskets quilt...

Lots more on my favorite Penelope fabrics, projects & people too, coming up...

Back soon...H2