Celebrate the Season

This has been around for a few years, but I still love it - Enjoy!

A Fairy Tale about the Tooth Fairy Pillow

A 5 year old grandson lost his first tooth and Mom said "Gee, Grammy, it would be wonderful if he had a Tooth Fairy Pillow to put the tooth in and for the Fairy to leave him money. Gee, Grammy, think you could make one?"
Well, the kind and wonderful Grammy said "OF Course! We have to protect those little bitty baby teeth, they can't get lost under that pillow - and the ADORABLE Grandson needs a place for the wealthy Fairy to leave A LOT OF MONEY".

So the Kind and Wonderful Grammy thought,, what kind of pillow would work? For some reason Grammy kept thinking "round",, ( where did that come from?) She thought and thought and was just having a really tough time creating something in her mind that could equal the importance of a lost tooth.

So retreat came and that was a project that Grammy took. She had a small round pillow ( see there's that ROUND" thing again ) and brought some bright fabrics. She knew that Retreat was the perfect place to be inspired and creative and imaginative and make the best Tooth Fairy Pillow ever!

It wasn't working.

The Kind and Wonderful Grammy just couldn't get it right. She sewed the pocket crooked, the letters for his name didn't show, the fabrics clashed. She even sewed the pillow cover closed before the pillow was put inside ( oh my! )

The Kind and Wonderful Grammy shook her head, admitted defeat and cried. Her Adorable Grandson needed a Tooth Fairy Pillow! He depended on her! So she went home from retreat with a not-very-good tooth fairy pillow
( it doesn't even deserve to be in capital letters :( - sad sad Grammy )

When the Kind and Wonderful Grammy gets home - much to her dismay she finds out that the Adorable Grandson LOST ANOTHER TOOTH!! She is going to have to give him the tooth fairy pillow ( that she is not proud of ) afterall!

"NO! I will make a much better pillow!" says the Grammy! and she proceeds to find other fabric and then a design ( it's a miracle ) pops into her head! A four-patch! "I can print his name with the computer and put a picture of a fairy on it!", says the Kind and Wonderful Grammy, wondering why she didn't think of this first.

She finds football fabric ( the Grandson is a football fan! ) and something to coordinate with it, she gets out the printer fabric and makes a template and VOILA! the middle square is done!

She cuts the squares, sews them up quick as a wink, cuts the back, designs a little envelope

with a little snap to keep the itty bitty tooth inside and hold the money that the WEALTHY TOOTH FAIRY will leave and presents it to her Adorable Grandson.

The Adorable Grandson thinks it is cool.
The Adorable Grandson's mother thinks it is wonderful.
The Adorable Grandson's father nods his head in agreement

And the Kind and Wonderful Grammy is proud.




( and at $5 a tooth, the poor Tooth Fairy will be broke )

Christmas Retreat

Our bee Christmas retreat was the first weekend this month - I always call them my "Eating, Drinking, Sewing, Eating" time with the girls. It's always so! nice to get away and be with good friends. I will say,, we have some of the best cooks! A great chicken casserole on Friday nite, delicious breakfast casserole on Saturday morning, wonderful tiny ham/cheese sandwiches for Saturday lunch and the special pizza catered in for Saturday dinner. YUUM! OH! a delicious chocolate angle food cake ( hand made, too! no box was this one! ). and a to-die-for chocolate sheet cake that I might as well have plastered on my thighs. I sure I'm forgetting something - but trust me,, I was NOT hungry! This is why I have so much trouble loosing any weight :)

So in between the eating, talking, eating, wine-ing,,what was everyone working on, you ask?

I played all Friday afternoon on a tooth fairy pillow for my grandson - didn't like it didn't finish it at retreat. That's a story for another day. Then I pulled out a paper piece project ( tan/green/red stars, got tired of that, SO I had a tan, brown, beige Turning Twenty quilt that I had already cut out and finally! found something fun to do. I'm happy with it! I have already gotten the backing out and I think I'm going to do some straight line quiliting in some sort of a pattern ( yeah, that made a lot of sense, didn't it )

This is the beach quilt that we had the swap on ( was it this year or last? ). This is so cute,, there is a little bush she made to fit in a space,, great idea!

Our resident free motion quilter was hard at work on a "Take Five" quilt that she made. Someday I'll get enough confidence to do a big quilt - she had a few tables all arranged to take the weight of the quilt which made it easier ( she said - still looked hard to me! )

A couple of views of progress and VOILA!!

I love this fabric collection I'm not sure what it will be ( she could send it my way! I'll make something from them )

and I covet these blocks,, so pretty! and if Santa brought me an embroidery machine, I could make pretties, too!

This is a Patrick Lose pattern that I wish I had,, isn't this just as cute as can be! I just love doing fusible applique. I call it "fabric by number" ( like paint by number ?? ok, I'm weird ), but it's so fun!
She sewed them down and then she is going to quilt over the top to secure everything. I might just have to go get that pattern!

Doesn't this one just make you want to fly right down to the beach! ( for those of you already there, can you see me stick my tongue out at you?? )

The sandels and beach ball are buttons! this is a kit complete with the cool hanger with the shell - Santa are you listening??


We had a Pillowcase Queen this weekend, too. She had a mission to make 30 ( yes 30! ) pillowcases for family. It takes me months to make ONE ! I left before she did, and at the count I had, she was dang close just a few shots of what she was doing. The creme and blue poinsettas here are my favorite.

A baby alphabet quilt that is getting the binding put on, I'm not sure whose heart quilt this was, I turned around and VOILA! it appeard on the wall. springy! I liked this one and the different fabrics used - tres modern!

the big squares below was finished but I asked her to hold it up so I could take a shot,, beautiful!

and this one is MINI -- Yes! a MINI, about 12 inches square. wow,,, blows me away.



I hope you all have Happy Holidays! And if the little elves show up and finish projects for you - I'm jealous!

I got myself an early Christmas present

I’ve been wanting a laptop for a long time – was too cheap to go buy one, just couldn’t justify it to myself.  After all, I have a great desktop that I love, does everything and more!

But, I wanted a laptop, to go with me where ever I went, to indulge myself infront of the television ( just what I’m doing now <vbg> ) to take on vacations, retreats and just anywhere I darn well wanted to go.

I did it!  Ordered a Dell on Sunday night and brought it home on Friday – that’s just slick!  Of course I didn’t change a thing on it or ask for anything special.  It’s basic black, 15 inch screen with Windows 7.   So far, I’ve spent two evenings playing with Windows just trying to figure that out!  It is a bit different from Windows XP.

Enough geek talk – just wanted to share my happiness.  Maybe now I can post more stuff to the blog! In fact, that is what I’  or not,,  new laptop means more play time on the computer !! 

Thanks for indulging me!

How did YOU spend Black Friday??

It's wasn't Black Friday at my house - I'm in the RED!

Thank goodness I'm off tomorrow cause I need a day of do-nothing but what I want to do - phew! Thursday I cooked my 3rd ( yes, third! we had to have seperate meals to accommodate everyone cause sons had to go to inlaws, and brothers had to go to inlaws) Thanksgiving meal, entertained in-laws, outlaws, and others.

But Friday, oh my!

So who else hit the Joann's sales?? I have always said that there is nothing I need bad enough to get up at an unholy hour and go shopping, so why was I at Joann's at 645?? just to get some of that flannel that was on sale ( like I needed it, yeah, right.). Of course, silly me, I thought that the 20% off EVERYTHING coupon meant 20% off E-V-E-R-Y-thing... but oh no! not the flannel. It was a special sale doorbuster. Did you get caught thinking that it was, too?

But still, how can you complain about $1.29 flannel?? tirane asked me to get her some baby flannels ( she's going to be a new grandmom!) and since I was going anyway I said SURE!. BUT, a good friend, a superb friend, would have gotten herself up and out and met me there - ( dig dig poke poke - see my big grin! )
I will complement the staff at my Joann's, they kept the cutting table moving so I was in and out in about an hour - not bad for 56 ( OMG! 56 yards! ) of flannels. I want to use them for kids quilts for the backs. tirane got about 15 yards of this ( whew! I feel SOOO much better )

BUT - that's not all -- are you ready!

THEN I went to my favorite discount fabric store - I met tirane there ( it was 10am, LOL, she was awake ). They were having a 25% discount on everything, ( this time it really was EVERYTHING) so I left there with ANOTHER 50 yards of fabric - all mine! Yipes, Cripes!! Done, no more fabric buying for me!
( jus tto make myself feel better, some of this was only $1.75/yard and it is all name brand cottons )


My name is Beth and I am a Fabriholic. Hello, Beth.

The Flannels
The Cottons

It took two shots to give the full effect!

This one is my favorite - I know just how I'm going to use this, too. The top will be solids of these colors in a rectangle in a rectangle block and then this will be the outer border. Yep, retro back to the 50's ( at least I think it's the 50's )

My name is Beth and I am a Fabriholic
Need I say anything more?

I'm so full!!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family! I'm tired ( cooked three seperate dinners this week!) I'm over full,not just full but O.V.E.R. FULL!

I think I'm going to hit Joann's tomorrow and see if there is any of that flannel left that is on sale then go to my local fabric discounter who is having a sale ( fabric warehouse and a sale -- uh-oh! I see trouble! ).

but I'm NOT cooking!

anyway, my oldest friend sent me this youtube video -- seems appropriate for tomorrow and the start of the season -- enjoy!

FOLLOW ME - Quiltmaker BLog Tour is ON!

I'm back from Houston where I had a fantastic time - and now the Quiltmaker Blog Tour is going on! Grab a cup of something you love ( Mocha Latte! YUUMM! ) and read on, my friends..

I'm hoping to win a free magazine! But if that doesn't happen, I'm a winner cause of all the cool things I've found on these web sites... life is good!







( I've got to get it together to tell you about Houston! OH MY! )

Happy Halloween! - Revised because its FINISHED!

I finished it - just like I said I would.. I thought it was neat to see the two pictures up here,, almost done and done. I "attempted" to machine quilt it, I'm not any good at it, but it will work for this. and I'm happy with the outcome!

Isn't he cute! This is from Kim Schaefer's Calendar Quilts. I'll get it quilted this week -- and hang him on my front door!
( the background really is straight - I think it must be the way I stuck it on the design wall. )
some halloween buttons would be cute in the border squares, too.. hhmm,, ideas!

things that make you go "HHMMMM"

What do you think is going in the middle?

This has been fun! I ran to the store and bought a bunch of fat quarters ( I REALLY didn't feel like digging thru the stash - lazy is as lazy does ) Cut out what I needed at bee and sewed the blocks together. Tonite I put the inner blocks and stars on with iron-on stuff and then sewed the outline with satin stitch. This is FUN!

Do I have you curious? What's going in the middle???

It's All About the Process

On one of my sidebars, I have an icon that talks about "The Process". I ran into this while I was looking at blogs and it made me think about the 'process' of making a quilt and how maybe we all don't go about it the same way.
I'm sure that the age old question of "do you start with a pattern or a fabric" has been discussed till everyone is very tired of it -- so let's skip that part. ( Just in case you might be interested, I do both! See a pattern I like, I have to find the right fabric, see a fabric I like, gotta find that pattern -- who am I kidding, I just buy the fabric cause I like it !)

In this case, it was the pattern. I was going thru my books and magazines and found an old copy of QUILTS WITH STYLE from Nov/Dec 2006 { see told you I had old stuff :) }. I must have really liked it when the magazine was new, cause I had already made copies of the paper piecing pieces ( say that 3 times real fast ).

sidebar - do you use copy paper or manila paper, or ?? to make your copies to paper piece?

So, self I say, you have the copies, you have the magazine, why not now? With a chuckle I figured that one more project wasn't going to hurt and I probably had the fabric here. ( HA! that's a joke -- Self I say, you silly girl, of course have the fabric here !)

This is the pattern, it's called Bethlehem Star and it's all paper pieced. Since this was a NOV/DEC issue, they made it out of Christmas fabrics,, nope, I don't want Christmas fabrics, but I thought a nice floral might be pretty. So I'm digging.

Do you pull focus fabric first?

While digging thru my stash, I found this piece of fabric now I didn't have any color scheme in mind, I didn't really care if it was black and white [[ oh! that might be nice ]] or if it was blue and yellow or brown and green so I was just digging until something caught my eye. This piece jumped out and said "Use me, please!".

Yes, I know, it's red, green and tan just like the project in the magazine. Maybe since I didn't have a clear color choice in my head this combination stuck and therefore, the fabric found me. But it's not Christmas! I like it, I have it, lets work with it.

Back in I go! LOl It's almost like dumpster diving! rear end up, arms wheeling, fabrics are flying - got the picture!?

This is what I have picked out - for now,, cause I'm always subject to change, don't you know!

there is my focus and the pattern calls for dark and medium red, dark and medium green, light and medium tan. The gold/brown I think will be an inner border - not sure but I kept it out just in case.

I'm thinking that if I switch the backgrounds of the stars from green to tans and the tans in the stars to green it might not be quite so dark? Make the stars stand out more? Maybe a different fabric for the dark green? hhmmm might have to go stash-diving again!

The Process!
now - for some PROGRESS

and What are You! doing on the BeautiFul Saturday?

Aren't these just wonderful! The picture is from the blog Quilt Inspiration.

I'm trying to get my head to quit hurting ( no, not hungover! ) and my nose to quilt being icky - see, thought you were going to hear a good story, huh? no, just the new season sinus/cold/allergies etc.

Supposed to go to son's house today - think I'm going to postpone that until dinner, maybe then I'll feel a bit better, at least better enough to play with the kids :)

So, I'm checking on emails, blogs, etc and ran across this really neat blog called

QUILT INSPIRATION. The quilts above are featured on it. Lots of beautiful creations, tutorials, history and oh! just lots of stuff! In fact, the picture above of the quilts, I have the pattern and fabrics all picked out to make - so why don't I get busy!!

check out the blog - I really enjoyed the trip!

Other uses for Stash

We are having our house painted.
It's mostly brick - just like this fireplace - but there is still stuff that needs painted.
What color?
No paint swatches.
Husband suggested dark brown.
I prefer the color is already is, a very light creme.
We need to decide but neither of us wants to go to the paint store to get swatches.

AAHHAA!! I have LOTS of fabric, solids, in many many shades.

Instant color swatches for paint!

Gas and time saved going to store - who knows but
Brilliance - priceless.

Is your stash out of control?

Gee, a great Sunday, my plan was to stay in, not get out, stay in jammas and do what I wanted to do ( nap, sew, watch some of the new tv shows I recorded ) - husband is outside powerwashing the house so the painters can come repair and paint.. ( on a sidebar, maybe it's just my DH but if HE is doing something he always needs help, but when I am doing something he is not able/capable/absent - why is that? ) so I'm waiting on the 'YOU GOT A MINUTE?' and I'm watching Hoarders ( on Netflix, no I didn't record this ). I watch this show in the same way you poke at a hole in your tooth -- it bothers you but you just can't help yourself.

See, I have a big fear that someone will come in and point their finger at me and say HOARDER when they get a look at my sewing room! The fabric, the magazines, the bookcase, the STUFF! Forget the fabric, I've already discussed this several times ( I'm currently on a buying freeze ) but
Let's talk BOOKS! This is my bookcase - two shelves and the top - there are two more shelves and the floor in front. I will never NEVER use all these books! Some of them are old, very old, but when I first started quilting I bought stuff because it had QUILT on the cover ( have you done that?) I need to find new homes for some of these cause the bookcase is leaning a weird way and I'm sure that if it fell over, it would not be a pretty sight.

How about MAGAZINES? What do you do with your old magazines? There are some great patterns in there, isn't there? I don't have subscriptions to ALL the quilting magazines, but I have enough ( nope not gonna renew them, either - well... maybe McCalls and American Patchwork those two are my favorites ) so what do you do with the patterns that you MIGHT make someday?
I started several years ago tearing them out and putting them into the clear sleeves then into 3-ring binders. I told myself that 'someday' I'll get around to them
these are some I put in a new binder - #4 - today while watching that show. Will I ever make these? Who knows?

What I have discovered is that my tastes have changed from when I first started quilting, heck, they changed from last year! Everytime a new technique comes out, or a new style, I have to try it. That's good! It's good to try new, different stuff.
But, then I have the old stuff left.

And I'm not even getting into printed patterns! I have a drawer full of those! And I know that I have some I didn't even like when I got them!

So, tell me - where do you take your old quilt books? What do you do with your old magazines? Guess my friends are going to pick thru these books and the guild will get the leftovers. Hmm. wonder if the library wants them? Maybe a woman's shelter?

I am NOT going to be on that TV show, I don't want anyone pointing a finger at me -- but I'll keep watching it. Heck, it got me to clean up this room a little bit.