Help! Questions for a New Adventure

If you read my blog, chances are you know these two and how much I adore them.

That's Brady Bug and Maya Grace better known here as the Terrible Twins, my two rescues.

Yesterday I received an email from a rescue group on the mainland asking me if I was interested in being a vendor at a craft show they are holding. Down here I donate quilts for auction and bake dog biscuits  but I've never been a vendor. 

But, how could I say no? Look at those faces wondering if I'll help others like them for the holidays.

So in my usual seat of my pants style I said of course I'll be there. Here's the problems, I have no idea what I'm doing, I'll take some baby quilts and wall hangings, stockings with machine embroidery on them and candles. I make candles for gifts so that's easy and I can have the embroidery machine running while I do other things. 

They supply a 60" round table so how do I do displays? I will have walls behind me (corner) so I can hang the quilts, but on what?

What do I need to take that I will never think of? I know to take change, do I need bags and where would I get them? 

Oh, did I mention that it's a week from tomorrow? LOL. I need your knowledge and advice. Even if you've never done this, what do you think I'll need, any ideas are appreciated. 

I probably should be looking for help saying No, but my heart led the way on this one and really it's an adventure, it's on the mainland so if I fall on my face, who cares? I'll probably meet some amazing, crazy people just like me. 

Look how happy it made Maya.

If you'd like to know Maya and Brady's stories it's here:

Pets on Quilts 2011

Later gators,

Dana

Free Motion Quilting Challenge November

November's Free Motion Challenge at SewCalGal's is by Sarah Vedeler, yeah, don't you love her style and the quilts she designs?

Her choice of free motion is one of my favorite "go to" designs, spirals, I really like the motion they give a quilt especially pinwheels.

That said, this month's challenge should have been a piece of cake, or pie this time of year, but nooo, I've never done them in a row like that, it was difficult and I think I concentrated too much on trying to make them perfect.

I wanted to do a pretty design that I've seen other people doing, it would draw your eye away from the imperfections :), but my machine is giving me fits, lots of tension problems. In about a week his chariot (van) will appear in the driveway and whisk him away for a week in the spa, let's hope he comes back less grumpy, I've been whispering to him about all of the new machines coming out and how good I've been this year, I think it's making him more ornery, he takes after me. 

Later gators,

Dana

Christmas Quilt Show 2012

It's that wonderful time of year for the Christmas Quilt Show. This year it's being hosted by Michele at Quilting Tutorials. 

I call this Sunset Frolic and it's inspired by a pieced quilt I saw in a magazine years ago when I first started thinking about quilting. 

As a child I always thought the North Pole had to be the best place on earth, I mean come on, flying reindeer, singing elves making toys, Santa, who has to be the best boss ever, so here's my idea of what sunset at the North Pole looks like.

After piecing the batiks for the sky, I appliqued the reindeer and trees, then made the lace snowflakes to add a little dimension.

I free motion quilted more snowflakes scattered all over

The reindeer have scarves added (it's cold up there) and each scarf has a different pattern sewn on to it.

Santa's sleigh is parked to the side ready to be loaded on the big night.

This quilt was a lot of fun to make and decorate, I got to be creative with my free motion quilting and now I have one more wall hanging for Christmas decorating. 

Thanks so much to Michele for hosting this awesome show. You can link up until Nov. 30th. and jump over anytime to see lots of beauty and inspiration, grab a cup of hot cocoa before you go and you have a great way to unwind this time of year.

Later gators,

Dana

35 Years! How Did That Happen?

He kept asking,

I kept saying no.

Then one night he asked again and I said "yes, if we all wear hats",

there was wine involved.

Everyone expected a barefoot beach wedding, we got married in a church for our parents and we all wore hats.

The pictures have turned sepia without Photoshopping.

I love my little brother's face in this picture, his rebel sister does good.

10 years later here's my favorite picture of the two of us, because it's our first picture of the three of us :)

35 years with my best friend, my love, my partner. Ups and downs we held hands through it all. 

I love you David.

Dana

Check This Out

The FMQ Challenge at SewCalGal's for September left me fascinated with stencils, so I took advantage of the sale she offered and ordered a bunch and made a Carpenter's Star quilt just for them. 

I used two different stencils on the open white blocks.

I used half of the larger stencil for the triangle edges.

I just drew the corners, copying the larger stencil since it wouldn't fit no matter how I turned it, it's not as uniform as the stencil, but I'm happy with it. I darkened this picture so it was easier to see, of course I noticed the dog hair after taking the picture. The terrible twins are always involved in picture taking.

For the colored parts of the stars I just used a free motion leaves and vines all over pattern. I've seen beautiful feathers in those places but I wouldn't let myself by a feather stencil since I am going to conquer them in free motion. 

I'm amazingly proud of how this turned out, even though a little voice in my head says I cheated, but those voices also want me to eat cookies, so I ignore them :).

Later gators,

Dana

Foto Finish Birds

Todays optional theme for Foto Finish at Cat Patches is birds. The hard part for me is picking just one, there are so many beautys out there. This is from one of our annual visits to the zoo.

Gorgeous right? I especially like the one white feather peeking out like his underwear is showing. 

Now fly on over to Cat Patches, look at the beautiful pictures and join in, it's always fun.

Later gators,

Dana

New FO for October

Usually when the New FO party at Cat Patches rolls around I get to feel like an overachiever, I have finished quilts to show. Not this month. 

First I made this

After last months FMQ Challenge I became fascinated with stencils so I made this to quilt with stencils, unfortunately it took almost a month for them to arrive, so just a quilt top to show.

Then I needed to make a baby quilt, but when putting the blocks together I didn't like the intensity of the colors for a baby, so it morphed into a twin quilt, which I am seriously procrastinating quilting. 

Then I made the baby quilted I needed with the same fabric, I seemed to have an obsession with this fabric.

Nothing got quilted this month and now I have the hated pile of UFO's. 

I made a ton of Christmas stockings, I like to put candy or small gifts in them. Some will be filled with homemade dog biscuits for the terrible twin's friends. 

I did spend a lot of time on the phone with family and friends in the northeast. David and I both have family who live about 60 miles inland from Atlantic City. All are safe and accounted for, but it's not fun being on the other side watching all of that unfold and yes Mom I know how it feels now. 

Why not hop on over to Cat Patches and check out the other FO's and think about joining in, remember it's all about starting something, you don't have to ever finish it :)

Later gators,

Dana