HOT Give Away!

Jalapeño Jelly

 My home smells of yummy Jalapeño Jelly.  I love this sweet & spicy treat this time of year.  Have you ever had it?  I know its GREEN, and that deters so many from trying it, but I just can't get enough.  I usually serve it as an appetizer with whipped cream cheese and wheat crackers, which is sooo gooood!  But just the other day, I tried someone else's recipe and they mentioned that its also a great glaze for chicken.  Hmm, I'm gonna have to try that.

As promised... I'm holding a giveaway today!  One 4 oz jar.  Comment on this post for a chance to win!  Leave your comment by Tuesday at 8 p.m. (PST).  Be sure your email address is listed on your profile so I can contact you for address info.  Winner will be announced and contacted on Wednesday morning.

  You got to be in it to win it!

Lindsay

(psst...its my 1st giveaway!)

Finished Top

I've all but finished but one gift on my Christmas shopping list.  Man, that time really flies by after Thanksgiving, doesn't it?  

I did however finish my sister Monika's quilt top today.  As I shared in a previous post, I picked the Aviary 2 in Safron by Joel Dewberry for my sister's Spanish style home.  My favorite print is the Wood Grain.  Most love the Sparrows.  They are cute too, but I'm partial to real modern prints.  I may just have to order me some more, maybe in Yellow.  My sister chose the quilt pattern, which is called 5 & Dime by All Washed Up, available here.  

To be totally honest, I didn't follow the pattern to a "t".  Sadly it didn't allow for directional fabrics, which I feel a little lame in admitting, but I didn't catch it sooner.  So, I had to add a top and bottom border to get the same size quilt.  Now my sister will probably never notice the faux pas one bit.  But between you and me, I'm slightly annoyed.  Shall I list them, or just let your eye catch them?  Hmm, we're all friends here, so I trust your sensitivity to a beginner quilter such as me.

1. The Damask in Saffron is going the wrong direction (hence the "not catching it sooner" part)

2. The top and bottom borders are pieced.  I did do the best I could here with what little fabric I had left.  If I'd planned this out better and not cut the focus vertical strips earlier on, I would have avoided this issue all along.  I had read some tutorials in piecing a border with short strips by adding corner blocks etc., but nothing looked right with this pattern.  So I did the best I could in lining up the twigs.  

3.  Color matching, as stated in this post.  I really need to get over it.  I know it looks fine.

Hope I can move on and not let all these bug me every time I see this quilt at my sister's house.   

Sorry, again for the poor photo quality.  A new camera is on my Christmas Wish List and my birthday list in February.  Here's hoping.  

On a happier note:  my next post will include...A GIVE AWAY!!!  

XO,

Lindsay

:: Obsess Much? ::

YES I do... the moment I enter a fabric shop my eyes immediately scan for Reproduction prints.  I don't know what it is about them, their cute little flowers, the geometrics, the colors...  Honestly, I could go broke collecting them.  Most shops only have a small selection though, and not many coordinates.  I have a lavender stash I'm spending oodles of time trying to make plans for.  Sigh. 

While scanning over pics on the internet for ideas, I realized I still have quite a few projects in my shop.  Last year they sold like mad at Christmas time.  Great gifts for the ladies both young and young at heart.  So, here is some eye-candy for those that love reproductions to. 

My 'I Heart Play Dates' Quilt

I Heart Play Dates - Doll Quilt

Mother's Apron Strings - Butter

Mother's Apron Strings - Blue Bird

Summer Cottage Quilt

Mother's Apron Strings - Fresh Fruit

FYI: these are all available in my shop and are ON SALE for the Holidays.  

For an additional 20% off use coupon code:  BabyJesus

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Lindsay

Lies we believe.

I don't and wont normally post about randomness, but this hit me today and I really wanted to share it.  Hope it touches your heart and helps put perspective on ads you come across.

XO,

Lindsay

Next Up

Today I want to share my next project with fabrics with you.  When I saw this FQ bundle last year, I thought, oh my sister is gonna want that!

Aviary 2 in Saffron by Joel Dewberry

She fell in love instantly when I sent her the link.  So I made a deal with her.  You pick up the tab and I'll make you something special.  These colors and prints compliment her Spanish style home so well. The quilt pattern she chose is really simple and wont require much cutting so this should be a quick one.

I needed a few more FQs though to break up some of the busy prints and bring out some of the colors, so we went with these Kona solids:

 

Kona solids from top to bottom: Champagne, Aloe, Tangerine, and Cinnamon.

Matching colors online is too tricky for me and I'm that anal that I really want them to match.  So I went to Flickr and found women that had used this line of fabrics and asked what solids they used.  I'm very happy with the first three.  The last one, the brown one, not so much.  I guessed on this one.  Next time I'm going with a chocolate color.  Cinnamon is a little too red, but my sister doesn't mind at all, she likes it.  So we are moving forward.  

XO,

Lindsay

FMF RePrints!?!

In case you don't follow the Flickr group: Flea Market Fancy { Freaks } or DS (Denyse Schmidt) Quilts Collection for Fabric Traditions, this may be new News to you too!  There is going to be a reprint of some of the Flea Market Fancy prints.  I have a feeling they are going to go really fast too.  But here they are and is one place you can buy them and here is another you can put a deposit on them.  Apparently they are due out in February/March and not at JoAnns.  I'm actually glad about that.  Glad because this is one of her signature lines and although I'm so enjoying the prices at JoAnns of her newer prints, I'm glad that Denyse doesn't completely "sell out," if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I'm so excited to see this, I had to share.  I can't wait to get more of the grey/yellow ones

and purchase for the first time all the other ones:D

XO,

Lindsay

:: Its Official ::

My Happy Front Door!!!

I've unpacked my fabric + sewing boxes, which means...we are all settled in.  Yippy!  Well, I am at least.  My husband still has a few more to unpack in the office/sewing/guest room.  It felt so good today when that last box of mine disappeared.

Twas a Happy Thanksgiving yesterday.  My favorite holiday was a smashing hit.  It was my first time hosting a holiday and I truly enjoyed every minute of having my home filled with both our families.  Although I could have done without a trip to the ER in the morning which postponed dinner 2 hours.  Our sweet little Jack fell in the backyard and gashed his eyebrow on a retaining wall...thankfully we talked the ER doc out of stitches. Super glue to the rescue!

Today, Black Friday,  I'm devoting my day to potty training.  I find it relieving to not go out in the craziness of the shopping day.  How about you?  Do you prefer to wait out the MAD RUSH or do you join in the holiday cheer immediately after Thanksgiving? Or are you busting out the Christmas decor?  My sister's family tradition is a turkey bowl,  I hear thats quite popular too. 

Well now that I've enjoyed my Thanksgiving left over Sandwich (and thought of Ross on Friends echoing: "You ate my sandwich"),  I'm feeling rather grateful.  Yesterday,  I found many things to be grateful for, and today even more.  God is so good and He makes all things work together for our good.  The more I focus on the good things in my life the better I feel.  Gratitude is a great thing to practice.  I love this season because it always puts me in a posture of humility.  We have so much, and it is so easy to want more than we need.

Once this potty training is tackled I've got a short little list of to dos:
Finish wood furniture in living room
Begin on my sister's quilt (more to come with this)
Purchase Daisy Mae by DS Quilts at JoAnn's
Destash in my Etsy store: Simply Mae Shop


Thank You for your visit on my blog today,
Lindsay