Every year I go to 922 Grove St. in Appleton, behind Memorial Florist on Hwy 47, just outside of Menasha.  I love the service and the unique evergreen decorations they have there.  Dave and Debbie Korth, along with their son’s, Craig, Jeremy, Chad and daughter Sheena and a whole bunch of grandkids help them with their business.

There are tons of trees to pick from, but I am really picky…I always want a tall tree that they can lop off the bottom, so I have lots of space to hang my ornaments….I never used to buy a real tree, but I figure they are cut and someone should use them, so I buy one…I love the smell in the house.  The trees I get from them never loose a needle…even when i wanted to save the tree and have all the needles fall off so just the branches were left, well it never happened that tree went to Chicago with me in April when we published our Christmas book, we put our Christmas Tree Skirt and all of our ornaments in the book on it…it looked the same as in December, just a little stiffer…besides the tree, I buy a hanging ball of evergreens for the shop, kind of like a hanging basket of evergreen, see them below…Debbie makes special order bows for me, I go in and pick out what I want and she does them up.  Here is Debbie at work….

Here is A.J. loading the cut off branches from our tree…below is the beauty after cutting off the bottom, now it is the perfect size, not too fat, nice and slim and lots of room for my homemade ornies..

The shop is now decorated with Debbies bows and the hanging evergreen ball, just in time for Christmas Open House tomorrow.  Hope you like our new parking lot!

Just after we were making cookies, our swags that will hang from the lights on our garage along with 4 more matching bows for the garland, were delivered.  They turned out GREAT! I can’t wait to hang them tomorrow.  

Mom and I made 12 dozen cookies for Open House tomorrow..

Here are the FREE-patterns that we are giving away with any purchase at our Christmas Open House on Sat the 28th of November.  We also are giving away our coupon book…I have finished them up today and they have lots of good deals.  If you miss out on Open House you can purchase a “coupon” book for $10.  This quilt called I’ll be home for Christmas finishes 33 1/2″ and was a blast to do.  I have some buttons to put on the gingerbread man.  This quilt will not be quilted in time.  We have had a death in our family and you are going to have to forgive me for not getting it all done.  I have made the pattern for this quilt a little different.  I have used photos to show step by step how to make these blocks…let me know if they help or if I should save my ink…we will be taking orders if you would like a kit for this little quilt.  They will be $70.  Ther are 53 fabrics in this quilt.    You also will get a kit for this pincushion for purchasing at our event.   Thank You, Joanne for stitching this little pincushion.  I would not have gotten it done.  The last free pattern here is a simple mat that can be used all year long, add a candle and it makes a great gift.  I am home all alone.  Nick is hunting… I didn’t think I would miss him so much…I need someone to tell me to go to bed and when it is time to eat.  Maybe that is why i could get this quilt done…no interruptions…but it is a little lonely.  See you all on Saturday!

Here is my latest Christmas Open House quilt.  I bring home a half yards of all of the reproduction fabrics that come in the shop…these are my bennies of owning a shop…anyway…i never get to use them because I have to always use the shops fabric and make kits…so guess what…for this project I am going to use them… my drawers are overflowing so I need to make some space in them…I have picked 13 reds, 13 tans and 13 green for the 13 pieced blocks.  I made 2 sample blocks from my scrap bin to make sure my directions are right. Now I need to power sew half square triangles.  3/4″ finished.  Thangles are a must for this small piecing.  Do not try it without them.  You would be very disappointed.  Beside I think it took me a half hour to sew all 260 or so for this quilt, now the trimming, pressing and peeling the paper will take a few hours.  The blocks are 4 1/2″ finished.  I am making the blocks scrappy.  My sample block was made only using 2 fabrics… this looks ok, but i really like how the scrappy ones look…3 done 13 more to go…in the 12 snowball blocks will be little christmas appliques, with some embroidery work too…I will start them tomorrow.  I got up early today  and loaded Amalie’s Quilt and got a good start on it before my morning work out with Sargent Brenda.  I quickly finished it after I got back…it turned out great!  Got the binding on and we have quilt group tomorrow.  I will get the hand sewing done there…

Getting carpeting on Thursday in the 3 bedrooms that used to be the boys.  So I have to get all the stuff out so Jake can come tomorrow and rip the old carpet out.  I love it when everything is done, not this mess inbetween…I must have sewn a lot today as I am using my mouse on the computer I am reaching for my sewing machines foot pedal with my foot??? think of how good we would all be on our computers if we had a keyboard, mouse and a foot pedal..we would all rock!…all for now…keep stitching everyone!   LB

Its been awhile since I have posted…took me this long to get my s&*t together.  I basically took the last two weeks off, after being gone for 3 weeks for Houston and DesMoines. I think I needed to decompress…so this week things are getting back to normal…I am getting ready to decorate for Christmas..yah..Christmas…I figured I didn’t get to do anything for Fall-I bought 2 pumpkings-so I am going all out for Christmas…Robin my sister-in-law painted my living room.  I know I could paint it myself but you see…she is a professional, and also I am stimulating the economy by paying her to do it…she also painted my kitchen ceiling and hallways while I was in Houston…so I puttered around while she painted…I am going from cranberry to what I would call dark butterscotch…when it was wet it looked exactly like butterscotch pudding, but when it dryed it was a little browner…here is Robin in action..the ceiling was actually cranberry too…don’t ask why???…

I will do an “after” when it all is put back together and the couch comes in…I gave the boys the brown leather furniture for their pad…See those chairs in my hallway…great for sewing…straight backed and comfy…

so this is what I worked on…inbetween watching Robin paint.  Nothing too intense just a few shop samples of someone else’s patterns for our Christmas Open House the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The quilt, Jules made this sample from Little Stitches, She just let me quilt it…it is my first fussy free-hand on the longarm besides meandering…pretty scary!  

                      Now I have to do our own FREE PATTERNS for the Open House…I have some really cool ideas…so look for those in my next blog…I am making BBQ Ribs and Twice-baked potatoes for supper…I am starving!

Civil War Tribute

Honoring the upcoming 150-year anniversary of the American Civil War.

Create a reproduction quilt that recalls the drama of this significant era. The Civil War Tribute Collection by Judie Rothermel encompasses the historical accuracy and current appeal for which Judie is well known. Highlights include an antique toile-inspired design and a commemorative print denoting key battle locations and leaders, depicting both southern and northern points of view.

 The program runs from January through December, 2010.  

The finished quilt is 100” x 112” so it will fit any size bed—a double-size bed will have enough available to cover the sides of the bed and the quilt will also comfortably fit a king-size bed.

 

Monthly patterns will include the following:

• Detailed cutting and piecing instructions to make the blocks needed for that month;

 

• Historical notes about key battles in the Civil War including source material and quotations from prestigious university librar

ies including Duke University, Notre Dame, and others;

• A swatch chart so you can identify the fabrics used in the blocks.

If you sign up to receive our monthly kits, you’ll also receive generous cuts of fabric to make the block sections each month. By the end of 12 months, you’ll have all the fabrics needed to complete the top and binding  The price of the pattern and exact fabrics to make this quilt is $24.00 plus a minimal shipping to your location.

 Pattern only will be $60.

Make sure you have this special fabric for the backing of your Civil War Tribute quilt. A gorgeous, intricate scenic print with drawings of soldiers and generals and war scenes along with battlefield listings and quotations. A mini-history lesson on one piece of fabric! Beautiful colors of deep red, soldier blue and tan are the perfect complement to your quilt top. You’ll need 9 1/4 yards of this regular width fabric for your back. Order backing when you sign up for BOM and receive 20% off.  This special goes for any kit you order in our shop if you buy the backing at the same time.

It is nice to be home from Houston, it is fun to go, but always nicer to come home.  We have been home since Monday and now tomorrow (Monday) we leave for Des Moines, IA, for our last show of the year.  Nick & I are going alone, so hopefully it won’t be too crazy in our booth!  Our booth will mostly be the same as the last one, with a few new things the girls at the shop  finished while we were gone to Houston.

Here is a photo of our booth  …lots of stuff in there.  We basically had a few days to restock and get back out.  

Before Market opened Tina was able to get a hair appointment in the big city, to get her new “look”.  She is too busy dyeing wool to go before we left.  Here is her before and after.

 A little wine to sooth her before and Oooola..la…look at her now!   Since I would not leave WI with out my hair done…I had a nice facial……no pictures of that! Please…

Here are a few of my favorite quilts from the show in Houston..              

                                                                                                                                                                                       THIS ONE MADE ME SMILE!                                                                                                                            I LOVE THE BIRD BORDER-ANTIQUE QUILT

I LOVE THE LITTLE ECHO QUILTING ON THIS FEATHER QUILT DESIGN.  I TAKE PICURES OF QUILTS FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF REASONS. I ALSO LOVE THE HALF LOG ANTIQUE QUILT BELOW.  NOTICE THE QUILTING IN THE LIGHT PART…  

HERE IS A CLOSER SHOT.

LOOK AT THE LITTLE BLOCKS IN THIS QUILT BELOW…HOW COOL ARE THEY…LOVE IT!

I SHOULD HAVE CROPPED THIS PHOTO…BUT THIS QUILT HAS EVERYTHING..

I LOVE SCRAPPY QUILTS…HERE IS ANOTHER ANTIQUE QUILT.  WE MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE SOMETHING LIKE THIS…ONLY A LITTLE MUDDY-ER.               ALL FOR NOW…TAKE CARE AND SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YA!

boy it has been a busy week… i just finished doing the dishes from the Monday Night football game…I know I shouldn’t admit that, but that is how busy I am…it is Wednesday night… i am running brochures for fall market in Houston, trying to pack, can’t leave any dishes in the sink…and oh yeah..take the garbage out…just too much stuff…laundry…don’t leave anything in the washer..hey minnesota…i hope you go to the Superbowl!!!!!    Can’t forget to pack some sewing for the airport and hotel…think i have to check 2 bags…too many brochures and samples that i have loaned out and did not get back in time to make the trailer…speaking of trailer, Hubby is in Houston, watching the Yankees by himself in our Hilton Hotel room.  did i mention i finished that quilt!  As the crow flies….see all  those lines…that is hand quilting! all 66×66 inches of it…Now really it wasn’t that bad, i just think i can alway do one more thing…I got up at 4:30 am today to finish binding!  I did treat myself with a massage at 10am, for getting it done! and to get all the knots out of my neck and back…as i sit here i actually am sore in my back where she was working them out..first time that has happened.  I am a little bummed about going to Houston for only one reason.  I started working out 2 days a week with Sargent Brenda show here below…( I made her flex for my photo)  I work  with her on tues. and thurs..I have had 4 sessions so far and survived…I want to keep going, even though she made me almost pass out the first session, guess you have to eat before your go work out…who eats at 7:30am??? But anyway… I am pretty serious about getting another 20lbs off.  I did 2o last year after Houston, so I am starting earlier this year, because it is going to be harder. I also go to kick boxing on monday and friday and on sat or sunday I will do Flow which is Yoga/Pilates/ti chi class…i love this class you don’t move off your mat hardly but i sweat just as much. So in Houston, I have to try and workout as much as possible…yah right!  Its always a challenge, but hopefully I can do it…the Sarge, gave me a little w/o to do in the Hotel gym….anyone want to join me??? I let you know who joined in…I will try to blog while in Houston..let you know what is going on NEW in the quilting world. My plane leaves at 6:15..way too early to have to get up for that…

"Sargent" Brenda...oh how i would kill to have arms like this...

A couple of weeks ago, Carole dragged me out of the house to visit a new store that one of our customers, Sharin Lauren, opened up.  Sharin’s husband does concrete counter tops, in the lower level of the barn…  It was totally amazing.  I loved the outside gardens with it’s beautiful water falls and inside was full of home mades, funiture, lots of home dec and much more…so- here are my purchases…the bag…i am assuming the fabric came from our shop..but it is just nice, sturdy and short..so my stuff doesn’t get lost in it..it also has lots of pockets…it was made by Kerry’s Kreations, I think it is Kerry Olsen,who I think is Sharin’s sister…but anyway the bag was  worth every penny I paid for it and i don’t even lie when people ask if i made it…Nope..i bought it!…I want to see if I can get her to make me another in black..i think i know where I can get some fabric for her to do it in…then, of course a treat for the birds in the garden..a new birdhouse.  Here is their address:  Natural Encounters   2002 N Lynndale Dr    Appleton, WI 54914    (920) 731-2500

Here is a photo of the outside of the building…great huh! then a shot from up above looking down on the store….go visit…hwy A (Lyndale Ave.) in Appleton.  It is set back off the road.  You will see a house with a gazebo and this is in back of it… I will get the address and post it later..

still..hand quilting..the trailer is packed, Nick will be leaving tomorrow morning…i will be flying with this quilt and its patterns!  Oh well…it just didn’t happen the way I planned.

As i am trying to get all my quilts done for market and knowing my deadlines before the trailer is leaving, my very talented friend Carole told me she would quilt this little vintage tulips for me.  I gave it to her on wednesday and it showed up today (friday) with the  most beautifullest quilting on it, better than it deserves. I could not ask for a better friend, someone who truly cares about me and my mental health. All i can say is WOW!  ps. I know most beautifullest isn’t a word but it is for this…vintage tulips has 4 1/2″ blocks so it is little.  Hope you can see the quilting…now i have to get the pattern done!

Quilt number 3 for market.  Finished it today.  Made from my new line of fabrics with a little wool circle and star in the cornerstones.  Now time to write the pattern. I also am STILL quilting  As the Crow files…fingers are sore…later