One Plate Tuesday 3

Here is this weeks China Plate, it is white with gold on the outer rim and black details.

Cheers,
Carolyn

Canada Post finally goes back to work!!

Thank the heavens, Canada Post is finally going back to work!! Its been almost a month I think? Feels like forever, but tomorrow the Canada Postal service will be once again delivering mail.
I wonder how long it will take them to get caught up? I wonder how high the mail is stacked up at the sorting buildings and at the border?
 Darn - I hoped to build a large box to collect all my squishy packs I should be getting. Gonna be a busy evening after work for me! hee hee

I cannot post pictures - other then my one plate Tuesday posts as I did them all up ahead of time - I am not going to post new posts until I can add pics.
Anyone else having these issues with Blogger? I cannot stay signed in to Google if I want to leave comments, and I cannot upload video from my computer. It is getting pretty frustrating. If any of you know any tricks to make Blogger work again - please share in the comments... .. er, if you can comment. ha ha As I know I am not alone in the blogger not letting you comment problem =)

Cheers,
Carolyn

Knit your own dog??

I was just roaming around, reading my fabulous blogger reading list and I got to Dee's post - you know my friend Dee whom is having the give away and is one of super talented quilters I only wish I was. Well, Dee from Bitten by the Quilting Bug has a post up with a website review. You can view that by clicking here. 
Not even 1 minute on this site and BAM, I find this awesome book!!

Problem! I cannot knit!! I totally want a little Luigi (one of Lucky's many nick names).
I mean come on, how cute would he be?

Just look at that face!! Doesn't he look like he is grinning? Not a real grin, but like when you make that fake grin, like no really, I don't mind doing this awful favor for you. ha ha
Cheers,
Carolyn
OH, any one who can knit, if you are interested in making your own dog, the book is on sale and everything. You can find it by clicking here. Don't forget to check out Dee's post for the site review.

A New Chapter

I think I mentioned how for the past two years I for some reason kept thinking I was 34 and my husband had to keep telling me that no, you are 32, and then 33. I thought maybe something pretty good must be coming in my 34th year for me to want to get there so quickly.
Well so far, things have been pretty good. I have made so many great blogging friends, I have created some really nice blocks for my quilting bee and I am enjoying quilting more then I ever have before. I feel like I have really come into a great balance of life, work and hobby.
And now, work has gotten even better to. It would appear that in my 34 years I finally find my career path. In another couple of weeks time, I go into the media department at my work as an Online Media Buyer. Cool huh?
Check out my new card:

Can you tell how big it is? Work gave it to me and then all my colleagues surprised me by rushing my desk and cheering. It was really nice and I really appreciated it. Not too sure what I will do with my huge business card, but I love it all the same.
I wonder what else is in store for 34?
Cheers,
Carolyn

One plate Tuesday 2

Here is this weeks China plate. This one is soft pink with the gold details, tea cup size.

Cheers,
Carolyn

Give away going on over at 1 Choice 4 Quilting

I found this give away this morning when I was reading blogs instead of sewing. ha ha, bit of procrastination going on to sew the pieced border for this custom quilt. I really need to plan better. For the amount I am being paid for this quilt, I should be doing straight strips, not pieces that take more fabric and time. Silly stubborn me wanting it to be pretty. That and that is what I drew on the sketch that I presented before I allowed myself to get swayed into lowering the price to half. Eek, I need a backbone!
I cut out 358 - 4 1/2" squares last night. I will show you pics soon.

Back to the reason you are reading this post. There is an awesome give away going on at 1Choice 4 Quilting. They are giving away a fat quarter bundle of strawberry fields and your choice of solid to go with it. That is not all though, they are also giving away a Moda Home Collection bag and they hint that it may not come empty!!
To enter the give away, click HERE.

They have a 20% off sale right now to I noticed. I have not looked yet, but you know that I will =)
Cheers,
Carolyn

Give aways to check out + one tutorial you do not want to miss!

Good Morning,
 I have found a couple of give aways you may want to check out.

There is a fat quarter bundle from Green Fairy Quilts.

The Intrepid Thread is also giving away a fat quarter bundle. You can see and enter for that by clicking here.

My friend Dee from Bitten by the Quilting Bug is doing a give away for a pattern or for 6 fat eights. She would like her follows to enter as its a 2 year milestone for her - but I think most of you my friends are also her friends too? I found Dee from SewCalGals pets on quilts competition. I thought my entry was pretty good - until I saw hers and then I knew mine was not going to stand a chance! She is extremely talented so if you are not following her - you may want to check her out! You can visit her blog ans see her give away by clicking here.

Christina from A Few Scraps has been doing tutorials on cathedral window variations. Let me tell you, this last one is something you do not want to miss! It is so beautiful - OK, well I at least think it is amazing. If you want to see it, click here.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Custom quilt progress

I have not gotten very far on this, but I have the basics done.

 Its a double. I plan on doing squares for the border and my friend wants soccer ball in the corners.

 Jada Bean likes it!

Here is that original pattern again. I need to visit the store and get some more white, red and black to do the ball and the "speed trail".
I do not think I have enough fabric for my border  *sad

This stack is only 156 - 4 1/2" squares - definitely not enough! I will figure something out. I cannot get any more of these prints, but I must have something that will work in my stash.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Page 2 of patterns from Grandmas Best Blocks book

I made up the second pattern from the book. I was not in love with the pattern or the samples, but as usual, after making it, I like it.Here it is:

 Here is the third pattern in the book - I am scared... ... may take me a bit to get the guts to try this one! It is beautiful though don't you think?

Cheers,
Carolyn

One block gets past the postal strike!

Darn Canada Post has officially locked out the union. One lucky block snuck through though, I was able to get this squishy pack in the mail the day before yesterday. Its a block that Ann made for the Lets Bee Together group. June is my month.
Here is the lovely block she made me:

Pretty nice huh!?!
She sent me this nice card:

Thank you for the block Ann!
Cheers,
Carrolyn

One plate Tuesday

I brought back some beautiful China plates from my Mom's place that she surprisingly was willing to part with. My Mom really likes to collect/keep stuff. Since its summer and I am busy doing unquilty things, I thought I would show you one every Tuesday until I run out. All the plates are tea cup size.
Without further udo, here is the first one:

I have four of these.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Quilt Show Purchases

I mentioned yesterday about my little shopping spree at the Quilt Show, well, here is what I bought. Shh Don't tell Mr. Hunter!! ha ha, just kidding - he was washing the drive way when I got home so he watched me carry my bags in. tee hee.

18 fat quarters - I have these spread out for you to see at the bottom of this post.

My friend Anna bought me this as a surprise and gave it to me at the end of the day. She is to good to me =)

This is a 1 metre piece that I just had to have. You know how that is.

A collection of 1930's replica prints - had to have!

Love how bright this fabric is.

I bought this for the fabric, not the pattern.

I cannot wait to use these since I saw that tutorial by Amanda Jean that I shared with you last week.

These are from the fat quarters I should stacked in the first picture, as are the pictures below.

What do you think? Did I do good??
I think so.
Cheers,
Carolyn

Quilt Show

I went to my first ever quilt show yesterday with my friend Anna from Quiltmom's Journey. We saw so many beautiful quilts and wall hangings - and we shopped, oh did we shop. HA HA.
Today though, I am just going to show you some of the fantastic things I saw. Please forgive my not so great photos, I was at the mercy of my iPhone as I didn't think we could take cameras in. I was wrong! Everyone had a decent camera in there but me. Oh well.
Here you go:

This was the biggest cathedral window quilt I have ever seen - 100 percent done by hand according to one of the volunteers.

You cannot tell from my picture, but the creator of this one also free motion quilted Celtic knots and ropes. It was stunning.

Can you tell how small this is? Check out the sign for it, and how it compares - they all had the same size sign. This piece was super small and the points for every corner were amazingly perfect.

Hey!! How did that get in there?? ha ha

Another volunteer told me that the creator of this quilt is an amazing artist with a button collection so large, she has it cataloged! *jealous!!

There are many more pictures, but I don't want to over whelm.
Cheers,
Carolyn