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Monday, April 30, 2012

A Free Kindle Book as I PACK!


I’ve done as much as I can today.

Invoices are done.

Book orders are out.

Laundry is washed

Chiropractor appointment of COURSE has happened ((And there are less and less jelly beans in that jar!))

Bank run has been made ---

The potatoes for dinner are in the oven. Steaks will soon be on the grill.

More books need to be put in the car – I’ll do that in a bit.

I’m dead on my feet and I bet I’ll be in bed by 9pm ----

I still have NOT written my Yard Sale Saturday post, but pics are on my phone and I hope to get some time to list my stuff before Saturday, but I’m just OUT. OF. GAS!

I’m packing a couple of projects --- this is a van trip so I can take bags and baskets of projects, so I think this means that the Nearly Insane thing is going. The little white FW is going because it needs to be run some more. And then I’ll switch to the black one so they each get equal opportunity to stay RUNNING.

I’m hoping to hit the road by 8am and drive myself about half way tomorrow…I need to be in Poughkeepsie by 5pm on Wednesday. I’m hoping this leaves me some exploring time to hit some more antiquey places --- you never know, right?

So --- just in case you don’t get an update from me in the morning, it’s because nothing happened between now and then but SLEEP!

Here’s the book I just downloaded:

Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson is free today in the Amazon Kindle store, and has received an average user rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars based on 59 customer reviews. As of this posting, the book was free in the Amazon Kindle store.

Category: Suspense

Book Description:

This homecoming wasn’t what she expected . . .

Jobless, homeless, and broke, Camden Bristow decides to visit the grandmother she hasn’t seen in years. But when Camden arrives in Etherton, Ohio, she discovers that her grandmother has passed away, leaving her the 150-year-old mansion on Crescent Hill. The site of her happiest summers as a child, the run-down mansion is now her only refuge.

When Camden finds evidence that she may not be the mansion’s only occupant, memories of Grandma Rosalie’s bedtime stories about secret passageways and runaway slaves fuel her imagination.

What really happened at Crescent Hill?

Who can she turn to for answers in this town full of strangers?

And what motivates the handsome local Alex Yates to offer his help?

As she works to uncover the past and present mysteries harbored in her home, Camden uncovers deep family secrets within the mansion’s walls that could change her life–and the entire town–forever.

Sounds good to me! Double check before clicking that it is still free ----

Have a great evening, everyone!

Enough Whining Fixed It! ((And things to look forward to!))

Or maybe it was winning the jelly beans contest that kicked that slide show thing back into gear.

I prefer to think that something was just going on with Sky Drive ----But, whatever it is…..it is working for ME now, as it is for many others, so if you were unable to view the Smith Mountain Morning class pics from yesterday’s post --- click HERE and please try it again!

Things on the Calendar coming up to remember:

THIS Saturday is the first Saturday of MAY. That means YARD SALE SATURDAY! Are you with me? Please leave a comment below if you plan on listing things.

As for me….I’ve only got a few things as I am leaving in the morning for a driving trip to New York State and you know what my last 10 days have been like --- go go go go go! So a few things to clear out, but if YOU have lots, I’m happy to be the hosting spot of the linky so that others can shop your stuff. I just want an idea on participation. So…let me know if you are playing along!

Some other exciting posts are coming up ----and they are both blog parties with PRIZES!

My buddy Pat Sloan has a new book coming out, it’s called Focus On The Center, 8 New Looks for Medallion Quilts ----and I’ll be participating with my post going live on May 2nd. Yes --- that is THIS WEDNESDAY – and I’ll already be on the road to NY, so I’m writing that post today to go live then. Exciting stuff, and great prizes, so you will want to come back for that.

ALSO ---

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The one we’ve all been waiting for…..

100 Blocks by 100 Designers volume 5 by Quiltmaker Magazine is about to hit the newsstands! My participation goodies arrived in the mail while I was gone and I tackled them yesterday --- you won’t want to miss this issue, it’s FABO! ((Yes, and those jelly beans are quickly decreasing in volume now that my son has discovered them! ))

I will be participating in the blog party on May 4th! FRIDAY! Lots of prizes involved in that one too…and you get a sneak preview of my block…..and what hasn’t happened before for me EVER is the fact that I actually have a FULL QUILT to show you, because this one will be in the next book out in July! You can get your blocks started with the release of the magazine, and then those blocks will be ready to set in a quilt when the book comes out. So DEFINITELY come back FRIDAY.

Got those dates down? That’s Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday that all have things going on here at the blog….it’s a very busy week at Quiltville!

And for those who asked….here is a pic of the thread cabinet in its new location:

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This is the right side of my sewing corner ---and I love that the cabinet is the perfect height to get my compu-quilter monitor and keyboard at a more comfortable level for me to stand and work as well as providing me with awesome storage space! I completely cleaned out a 3 drawer plastic thingy – and this looks so much better. There is lots of room to spare, and some kind soul even cut white felt cubby liners to fit the drawers….I just LOVE THIS!

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A bit blurry, but you can see how nicely everything is going to fit….I’ve got bobbins sorted by machine types….extra machine needles, tools, gadgets and must-haves! And can I secretly admit this? ((to all 22,000 people who read this blog daily..LOL!?)) It has that old antiquey smell the same way my featherweight case does. I know some don’t like it – but that’s the fragrance of HISTORY folks! I’m one who loves old musty drawers and cases and thinking about the life this cabinet has had –and now it’s here with me!

iPhone-o-gram! I won, I won, I won!!

I just walked into the chiropractor's office and was greeted by whoops and cheers!

Y'all!! I won the guess the jelly bean contest! I guessed 1246 and there were 1247 in the jar.

This means I also won the garden tote full of goodies!!

Oh happy day!!

Antiquing My Way Home!


Somewhere around 11:30am yesterday I hit the road south, headed back towards the North Carolina State line -----

I had a massage appointment scheduled for 4:30pm ---and called home ((As soon as I reached a place where I had a phone signal!)) to let everyone know I was on my way.

Turns out --- there would be no one home to meet or greet me –Jeff was off with friends and DH was playing golf and wouldn’t be done until after 6pm.

Well, okay then! Why drive out of my way to go home and THEN back to town to make my massage appointment at all? No one would be there to miss me ----and I was in a BROWSING mood!

First off, let me say that I did NOT win my bids on either the juki sewing machine or the tiny cake stand/basket quilt – I was out bid on BOTH of those items –they went higher than I was willing to pay, but I feel good that I did my part to drive the value up for the winning bidders!

I suppose that was my impetus for wanting to wander and see “what else” I could find myself in trouble with.

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Turkey Tracks!

I love the name “Turkey Tracks” better than I like the alternate name of “Devil’s Claw” The only thing I like with the word DEVIL in it is Deviled Eggs – and I’m not sure why that is called Devil anyway! Deviled eggs are HEAVENLY!

I love the blue and red alternating sashings in this one --- very fun! They wanted an awful lot of money for this one, and it wasn’t that old or in very good shape, and it had these black canvas headers machine stitched to the top and bottom ….who knows what for? But still ---

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Some mighty fun blocks!

In fact, I want you to keep this block in mind --- I have a post coming up in about a week that will reflect back to this post, so just remember, I’m whetting your appetite here!

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Another plaidy one! I do love the background fabrics mixed with those comfy plaids.

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I rounded the corner to find…..THE GENERAL!

And all I could think of was the song from “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby ----

What can you do with a general
When he stops being a general?
Oh, what can you do with a general who retires?
Who's got a job for a general
When he stops being a general?
They all get a job but a general no one hires

Which would be about the right age for this General who is a Japanese Singer Knock-Off from around 1950 something!

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No, The General didn’t come home with me either --- but his scrolled face plate is dang handsome, isn’t it? Something is funny in the world of antiques when they think a machine like this should sell for as much as a featherweight in mint condition. Sorry Sir, but you’ll have to be adopted by someone else!

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There were some other machines --- toy ones!

I already have one of these, in much better condition --- but I still gave it’s hand crank a whirl! I would have loved to have had one of these when I was a little girl!

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And the dream of having a Minnesota Treadle goes on ---but I don’t have room for it --- I’ve already got 3 treadles in the house. I petted her, gave her hand wheel a turn and moved on ---

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Oh, this beauty! It’s a New Home with a gorgeous paint job….

The case was in pretty great shape too…but the price was high ----still – look at hat gorgeous decal work!

I am not sure if this was originally a treadeled machine – motorized later. Some of these with added motors don’t have belts…there are little bushing/bearing things attached to the motor that go right up against the hand wheel to turn it…..

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And of COURSE there were more quilts! The color and motion in this one really caught my eye --- it’s a 1930s….but look at that ORANGE block! Someone loved color!

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I laid it out on the floor to get a better look….what a fun quilt! The stars are string pieced on fabric foundation diamonds….there is a lot of bulk and “volcano” action going on within the blocks..

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These borders wave like the wind!

Sometimes there is a really good reason why a quilt top was never quilted….can you say PLEAT PLEAT PLEAT three times fast?! But what great blocks!

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Gotta love that orange!

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BIG HONKIN’ CHECKS!

Are these “Dan River” plaids and ginghams?

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These were just SO QUIRKY. It was fun to be able to take the time to appreciate the blocks and the creativity and free-spirited feel.

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Other things I love --- stacking picnic baskets!

Picnic baskets are fairly inexpensive and highly versatile for quilters on the go --- they hold projects and fabrics and notions --- and look cute while doing so. If you find the kind with the moving handles, they can stack ---

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I found this pretty old one……the wood is heavier split oak – it was in great condition. THIS ONE came home with me --- I love it!

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THIS?!

Did NOT come home with me! LOL!

This is a “vintage” sea diver’s helmet ---and all I could think of when I saw it was the Scooby Doo episode with the Diver Ghost….”OH you MEDDLING KIDS!” No…..the diving helmet stayed there. So did THIS:

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Taxidermied Vintage Black Tail Squirrel!?

No thank you!

I do get a big kick out of seeing what the “Wierdest” item of the day was …..and it is a toss up between the stuffed squirrel and the diving helmet ---

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This quilt immediately calmed my hysterical laughter ----OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!

What a quirky tulip! I love the little buds beneath the big tulip bloom! And can you see all that echo quilting?

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Look at the little buds in the setting triangles! I like the triple sashing too…..not to mention that “Ox blood and Teal” are just great antique colors! Did they used to be red and green?

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This didn’t come home with me either. They wanted $400, which it could be worth, but I wasn’t willing to part with that sum quite so quickly ---

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Log Cabins on benches….always nice!

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Golden Scrap Basket blocks…cutter pieces. CUTE! I love the blue background for the blocks..

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One more cool old singer --- priced rather high for the condition it’s in ---this one would have needed a lot of work, and I prefer machines that use regular bobbins than bullet shuttles ---I also would rather have foot pedal controls than knee controls --- yes, I know I can wire on a foot pedal, but still ---- I did love the decal work on this one too – even if it has had a busy life and was probably used well and often!

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And then I saw it. What I’ve been looking for at a reasonable price for YEARS. A thread cabinet! This one was for embroidery floss in its day --- and it has glass fronts so you can see what is in the cubbies. I fell in love instantly.

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See the cool logo?!

After I made my purchase I floated my way to my massage! Of course, even the receipt says “CABINET” so I’m passing it off as necessary “Office Furniture”!

I’ve cleaned out some other storage caddies and drawers and placed things in the new cabinet in its new location – I'll get a pic later, there is still organizing going on….

I got my shopping fix ---and increased and improved upon my studio storage with the addition of the picnic basket and the thread cabinet. All in all, not a bad traveling day home!

And…..should you know of anyone who happens to be looking for antique diving helmets or stuffed black tailed squirrels --- I know just where you can find them!

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Well, I’ll Be Hoodwinked!


What is the definition of hoodwinked anyway??

I got home about the same time that DH did – and he whisked me off to the Japanese Steakhouse for dinner ---

Whaddaguy!

I guess he knew that after all that rich retreat cafeteria carb overload – I needed a veggie stir fry with shrimp to set things RIGHT!

I turned on the computer after we got home and tried to see what was going on with SkyDrive ----it has not given me any trouble ever ---and

POW!

When I tried to log in to SkyDrive myself – the Windows Live service that hosts my photos and slide shows…I got this message:

skydiveshutdown

Holy. Crap-a-roni!

I looked all over to find what I had violated, of course there was nothing that clued me in….ugly fabric abuse? Slave driving my students? Too much fun to be legal?

Who knows. It gets curiouser and curiouser.

Watch – they will email me back and tell me that I have uploaded more photos than anyone has a legal right to, and they will want me to sign up for some service that costs $$$ in order to keep posting.

I can switch back to webshots slide shows…but those have a moving camera angle thing that crops off parts of the pics and I don’t like it!

But never fear --- the show will go on --- some how…

Maybe…they shut me down because….

My batting was showing too much?

LOL!

((This whole thing is EXTRA weird because others have emailed saying they get the slide show just FINE! So it is only some of us that can't see it????))

iPhone-o-Gram. Slide show issue!

For the thousand people who have emailed me or commented to me about their inability to view the slide show---

I have no answers.

I use windows live writer to write my posts. I have been away on the road with only 1 night at home in the last 9 days.

I have not changed anything---hopefully it will revert to how it was but it is out of my control---

I do know about it so you really CAN stop the "me too" mails and comments now, okay?

Love you all---carry on and go quilt something. :-)

I'm still driving home----let's just say I've been delayed by a few antique mall stops! :-)

Bonnie

iPhone-o-Gram! VCQ Closing Ceremonies!

The auditorium is filling as quilters gather for show and tell and our sad farewell!

It will be two years before we gather again but I'll be here with bells on----I've been asked to reserve space on my 2014 calendar to come teach again!

You bet! I'm ready!

Midnight Flight is bound except for hanging sleeve.

I'm in the back row with the remaining teaching staff---working in the binding of Winston Ways--only 1.5 sides to go---can I make it??

Wishes for safe travel for all as we disperse to our homes in every direction. Becky Goldsmith had to catch an 11am flight so I heard her roll out early this morning. Lyric Kinard needed to be home by noon so she is on her way toward Raleigh---

The rest of us will head out after show and tell and hopefully meet again in 2014.

My thanks to the great gals of the Virginia Consortium of Quilters for all th effort that went into the complete success of Celebration 2014!

Smith Mountain Morning at VCQ!

It felt really weird writing this title – Smith Mountain Lake is the place that gave Smith Mountain Morning it’s name over 2 years ago ---and it’s nice to be able to teach this quilt at the place where the top first came together while sewing in my room the last time I taught here!

You would think the ladies ((and one gentleman!)) might be moving a bit slower after all the crazy quilt-charged hours we’ve had since everyone arrived on Thursday --- but NO! There were no tails dragging, no eyes drooping – everyone was gung-ho to go!

I’ve shown photos of this class before. I don’t want to bore anyone with details ---sometimes I feel like a complete broken record, but I love love love when people start playing with their fabrics, show and share what they’ve brought – tell stories about the history of that piece of fabric and why they’ve chosen to finally sew it up into something --- see the sharing and swapping going on—it’s just wonderful to behold!

Several of these ladies I’ve had classes with before ---one of the Judys confessed to this being her 4th class with me ---and I was really humbled! She must be having a good time, or she wouldn’t be coming back and subjecting herself to such scrappy chaos, right? RIGHT?!

The neatest thing they do the first night here is have a show and tell of all the completed quilts that were started in classes at the PREVIOUS VCQ Celebration –2 years ago. I was so happy to see so many Boxy Stars and Pineapple Blossoms being shown ----and it hit me….we really HAVE stepped it up this year, because those two quilts were fairly simple and although fun, very BASIC ---

While the two quilts I taught this weekend…I can see that we really have stepped things up in intensity ---and they are still hanging in there!

So without further ado --- here are the pics from yesterday’s Smith Mountain Morning Workshop:

This morning is Show and Tell, and then we pack it all up and head home.

The time went SO SO SO Fast! I’ve met quilting instructors I’ve always admired, I reconnected with friends I haven’t seen in a couple of years.

I took long early morning walks, ate great food, took in the beauty of the surrounding area ---I feel rejuvenated and renewed!

And I would love to do it again if they’ll have me!

The car is packed --- when today’s closing gathering is through I”ll be on the road headed back towards home and family -----

It’s been a good weekend indeed!