Hi Everyone! Are you signed up to join in our Little Forest Quilt Along yet? You can still join in. We start tomorrow, and this first week will consist of getting organized, so there's still time to get in on the fun! My original post about it is here, so please go check it out and get in on it if you want to. We'll have prizes! Our first prizes will be coming up at the end of Week 1! (Well, Linda, my co-hostess on this already had one drawing for a prize for people who were signed up by a certain date. But, there are more prizes to be had. Come on in!)
Go check out Linda's (of Little Bits and Pieces) blog post about the trees. Some have wondered if they can be made without having the seam up the middle. Linda has a nice post about the idea and a link to a tutorial for doing your trees that way. As you can see from the photo above, your trees will have a wider base instead of being taller and skinnier looking. Whatever you want to do is fine!
Also, some of you have asked if you need to make the same size as in the original instructions or if you can change it to a table topper, bed quilt, etc. Whatever you want to do is fine! We're interested in seeing all the different variations you can come up with! It's YOUR quilt! :-)
Hope you'll join us! We're very excited to kick off this even tomorrow! Still working on button and stuff. More to come on that shortly!
Until next time,
Mama Pea
P.S. Weighed in the other day. Now down 32.8 pounds. I can really tell the difference now. But things are slowing down a little. I am getting little frustrated. I just keep telling myself to stick with it and it will come off!
Okay....this post is long overdue. From my travel journal this summer...
When in Logan, Utah, I visited a brand new quilt shop called My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe. I didn't realize it at first, but the store had only been open two weeks when I was there! You never would have known! It was fully stocked with wonderful fabric and awesome samples. Kris, one of the owners, and her staff, are about as nice as can be. I could have stayed for hours.
The shop had a lot of brights and modern fabrics, but also had a nice selection of "dark and dirties," too. Tons of patterns. It's a great shop! So, if you're in the Logan area, it's definitely worth stopping! And in the little strip mall where this is located, there was also a store of all hand-made items (purses, belts, jewelry, etc) that was a lot of fun, as well as an excellent bead shop. So, you can make a little afternoon of your stop. There is another very good fabric store in Logan called Stylish Fabrics, too. HUGE selection, but not the same atmosphere as this little shop. I would recommend you stopping there, too. Definitely worth spending a day in Logan to visit these shops, among some other fun things to do there. (Not to mention a drive to Bear Lake, which will take about 45 min up the canyon from Logan. Most beautiful blue lake you've ever seen.)
So, if you're traveling out that way, make sure you swing in for a visit. I didn't think to get a photo with Kris the day I was there (duh). When I came back for a second day of shopping with my friend, Jill, my camera battery was dead. So, Jill took a photo of us, but I don't have a copy yet, so I can't share it.
Kris and her twin sister, Kim, are the ones behind The DIY Dish, too. If you haven't checked it out yet, you should. You can watch weekly sewing and craft shows. Totally fun.
So, how about some personal stuff from when we were in Logan, while I'm at it? Okay.
We stayed with some good friends while we were there. One night, we were having magaritas, and my friend made a nice drink for Sweet Pea, too.
Our friends race sleds. They have about 30 Alaskan Huskies. This is Gerry. He's long been one of Sweet Pea's favorites. Sweet Pea was in heaven with all the dogs. She helped my friend feed and do all the chores every day.
A lot of animal rights people complain about how sled dogs are treated. But I don't really understand that. Our friends love each and every one of these dogs, and they are so healthy and treated so well.
Even in the summer, my friends run the dogs to keep them in shape. Here my friend and Sweet Pea are choosing the dogs who will run today. They are making the "line-up."
Each dog has his/her own harness. Here they are picking out the harnesses for the dogs who will run.
The top 8 on this cookie sheet are the ones who will run today. This way, my friend can keep track of who got exercised when. Order is important, too. Who will lead? Which dogs can run next to each other well? Who likes to follow? Etc.
Sweet Pea's job was to hold and deliver the harnesses as my friends got the dogs off their chains. The dogs are all going crazy, barking and howling right now. They are so excited at the thought of a run!
After everyone is harnessed up, they are off! The gang line is hooked up to the 4-wheeler, which is on and in gear, but the dogs pull it. They are such powerful animals. Honestly, they LOVE doing this. It's what they are born to do! See Sweet Pea on there with my friend? This was a thrill of a lifetime for her to go on the run with our friend!
After about 20 minutes, they came back down the driveway. I think they had run about 15 miles during that time.
And here they come! Oh, my gosh! Sweet Pea got to DRIVE, too! She has gotten to ride a sled with someone, too, but that only had two dogs pulling. That was neat. But I think she enjoyed this even more! She still tells me to Gee (turn right) or Haw (turn left) when I'm driving the car. LOL.
This is their other dog that is Sweet Pea's favorite dog, Skardu. She has known him since she ws born. You've seen him before. Sweet Pea and Skardu have a special relationship. He is a retired sled dog, who now lives in the house. He is 15. Our friends rescued him from the pound, and he was one of their best lead dogs of all time. Skardu is a real gem.
We had such a wonderful time in Logan, visiting our friends, shopping, and just being back out west, among the mountains. Cache Valley (where Logan is) is such a hidden gem. We LOVE it there. Sigh. I miss it already.
I think I mentioned when I was in Logan, I visited a store called My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe. I promise to get my post up about that shop today or tomorrow. But I really adored it.
And since we're on the subject of Halloween quilts, My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe just posted on Facebook that their Halloween Mystery Quilt is now available on-line as a kit. I wanted to do this mystery when they were hosting it, but you had to live in or near Logan to do it. (It wasn't available on-line.) So, I was bummed.
I asked for permission to post the photo on my blog for you. I think it's really cute! It's called "Home is Where the Haunt Is" It is a door sign to hang on your front door. It has sayings on it like "Mind your Mummy" and "Bugs and Kisses Welcome Here." Too cute.
It comes in two color ways...Dark and Dirty and Bright and Whimsical.
If you want one, you can get a kit by going to My Girlfriend's Quilt Shoppe's kits page. I'm so bad. I have so much else to do, but I really have to do this. I have been waiting and waiting for it. I don't know why I love making Halloween quilts so badly. I'm not a huge fan of Halloween. (I mean, I don't dislike it either, I just never considred myself a Halloween fan...) Maybe it's just the colors, pumpkins, and other stuff..... I don't konw. But this is a small project that I can probably pull off! LOL.
Anyway, the hop starts in October, so you have time to get some fabric and make something up. Check it out and consider playing along. I love this fabric so much! I really do! Hope to see you there! Oh yes, and there will be prizes! Woo hoo!
Have you signed up for our Little Forest Quilt along yet? We are going to start in two, count 'em, two days! So, come on in with us...the water's fine!
I had a really frustrating crafting weekend, so not much to report. I'm too busy pouting over it all right now. LOL.
BUT... Amanda Herring just e-mailed to say that she picked up her new Delighted fabric today! Woo Hoo! She is giving you a chance to WIN a fat quarter bundle of it before you can even buy it in stores if you go to her Facebook page and "Like" it.
