Sunday, September 30, 2012

... first pumpkin to the leaf..

to see the whole schedule check it out by clicking the picture :)
Let me just start by saying a big THANK YOU to Cherry for hosting this blog hop &
 to  Mdm Samm for everything she does here in blogland :)
October 1st Blogs are:
I love Fall.. Its my favorite season. It's when it gets cooler,
 we still have our warm days here in Minnesota but it's not melty hot.
 There is a crispness in the air, you can almost feel the chill of winter.
AND my favorite holiday is just around the corner...
How I love curling up with a good book and a cup of hot tea..

Now on to my block...

My block is called.. ".. first pumpkin to the Leaf.."
I designed it myself.. 
I plan on making a few more blocks and making a table runner.. 
When I get the whole project complete I'll post the instructions..
Bear with me.. things around here have been a bit crazy.. 
Our cake artist went on maternity leave last week 
Sew, I haven't had time to sew.. 
Plus... 
I'll have some GREAT news coming hopefully this week sometime
sew, stay tuned..

Now.. On to the Giveaway.. :)

I've included 3 chunks of FALL fabric (2 of which I used in my block)
 and a really cute pack of Mary & co. sticky notes

How to win:
Chance #1: Comment telling me what your favorite memory of fall is?
{Mine is making houses out of the fallen leaves (we'd take the rake to make the rooms.. then make our beds and couches out of the leaves).. when I was younger}
Chance #2: Be a follower  (new or oldie but goodie)
but, let me know please in a separate comment, please..

Gizmo & Rosie will be picking a winner on October 11th.. :)

**If you are a NO-REPLY BLOGGER.. PLEASE leave me your e-mail address**

Didn't realize that the pups have never seen pumpkins.. 
Here's Gizmo checking them out..
Rosie just sat and barked at them..  


Happy Stitches~



and remember...





blue screen of death..


As we were informed by the guy from best buy..
The notice I received yesterday was the blue screen of death..
Our laptop is now in the hands of the Geek Squad guys at Best Buy..

I need to learn to back up our files..
There is really nothing on there of any REAL importance..
Mostly, just pictures for this blog..
But, they are on my online album so they are safe..

I hope we get the laptop back sooner.. rather than later..
I miss its speedy & movable qualities for I feel chained to the desktop in our not sorta clean office..

:)
Happy sewing~
 Laura Ann

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Busy.. busy..Busy bee..


I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately.. cause, I've been a busy little bee..
 
Our cake decorator at work went in earlier this week and had her baby.
Which means more hours for me..
(not a bad thing)
And, I have the weekend off!!
Sew, maybe on Friday AND Saturday I can get some sewing done..
 
Sew.. I wanted to also share with you that I'm doing another fabric scrap swap..
This one is just the USA.
I figured why not?!? It's kinda cool to get fabrics from another state or country.. :)
Who knows what I'll use them for..
The possibilities are endless..
I really want to make
 the scrap vomit quilt
OR
OR Doodle Stamp from Quilt Doodle Designs

Decisions Decisions..


Sunday, September 23, 2012

...and the winner is...

 
 
Today, was the first day in a long time that I had a day where we didn't do anything & didn't have anywhere to go.. I worked of course this morning making our fried rolls & cake donuts..
I enjoy it for the most part but I'm a baker at heart.
Gizmo & Rosie have been just antsy today...
I'm thinking it's because they know they need to pick a winner for the dots on dots blog hop...
 
 
Sew, after a much needed rest I got the numbers ready and
Gizmo drew  the winner...
 
While Rosie cuddled with Brian..
 
Sew.. the Winner is...
 
Lisa said "The cupcake is darling and your blog is so colorful! Love it! Would love your mug mat it is so cute. It would look nice in my house "
 
Congratulations Lisa!!
Your prize will be added to my pile to be taken by mail man and shipped tomorrow..
 
Also, I want to thank everyone who visited during the Dots on Dots blog hop.
I thank you very kindly for your wonderful & sweet comments.. 
I hope you'll be joining me for the 'Leafs me happy" Blog hop coming up in a couple weeks..
And for the 'Wicked' Blog hop near Halloween..  I'm cooking up something
 very Bewitching for that hop.. I can't wait to show you!!
 



where's my mailman???

 
Sew.. Just an FYI to those of you who I owe packages too..
 
I have a pile for my mailman (husband) to take down to our post office..
 
I haven't forgotten about anyone..
 Your packages are coming..
 
Soon.. I promise..
 
 
 
 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The only good kinda vomit.. is Scrap Vomit

The only kinda good vomit is scrap vomit..
 
I ran across this link off Quilt Doodles today. I have been working on my Leafs me Happy & Wicked blocks/ blog posts today..
Sew.. I took a break between the two to look at the blogs I follow and saw Quilt Doodles..
 
 
Gnome Angel is hosting the swap.. I had a giggle a bit when I saw she has 2 groups:  Aussies or All Others. I figure I can fussy cut 49 2 1/2" square and ship them out.
And how cool will it be to get scraps from somewhere else in the world?
 
Hugs & Stitches~
 Laura Ann


Saturday, September 15, 2012

...Moving Day...

Today,  Is moving day for my In-Laws..
Today, has been a long time coming..
 
They have a beautiful apartment in a senior home waiting for them. My sister in law, Amy & Kathy, my mother in law took a load of kitchen stuff up there yesterday..
Bill (my father in law) & Kathy are going to LOVE the change.
 
It's going to be weird for Brian and I not to have his parents so close. Only a 40 min drive.
But, it will be OK..
Now we really need to make it a point to visit. :)
 
So, this is the reason I haven't been able to get into my sewing room..
I've been working on my 'Wicked' Blog hop block..
It's going to be TWITCHY once I can get it finished.. :)
 
&
I want to finish the project Sister C has asked me to do for her..
 A Christmas version of her 'Laundry Day' Pattern.. :)
Plus,
the pups like to run around.. so only today will the be in their kennels for long.
Just long enough for us to get Bill & Kathy moved.
Maybe we can eeek a trip to ikea in too ;;)
 
Happy Stitches~
Laura Ann
 
 
 


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Wow... 3 years already

 
Today, I married my best friend.
A wonderful man who doesn't complain much..
Ever loving..
 
Wow.. I can't believe its been 3 years..
Wow..
 
It seems like just yesterday I was freaking out about getting married..
Who'd have thought...
 
I met my husband 5 years come October 2nd.. We met on an online dating site, I went on said site to take my add off (after many months of trying and a few dud dates I was sick of trying)
And there was a message from Brian. I remember his headline well..
"Baker looking for his L(oven)"
I replied back and we met on Oct 2nd.. All I really remember about the date was thinking ...
"Wow.. He's short''
But, not in personality..
 
He proposed to me on Thanksgiving. We'd only knew each other for 6 weeks.. but, when you know you KNOW..
 

My sisters and I..
I had fun over the months before the wedding sending them the tackiest bridesmaid dresses I could fine.. One even had a window for the baby bump if one of them got prego..
 
My best girlfriend Amanda (right) and Brian's best guy friend, Mark (left).. She's 5'3'' and he is like 6'8''... We looked like a heart beat at the alter..
 
So here's to another good year..
 
happy Anniversary honey Bunches!!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Dots on Dots Blog Hop


 
I was inspired to do this block in a bakery where I'm the head baker and moonlight dount fryer. I make the buns & breads. Muffins and brownies.. :) Sew, I was looking around work one day trying to figure out what I was going to do for this blog hop.. An it hit me.. I'd do a cupcake.. 


These are the fabrics I pulled out of my stash..
I've learned to 'shop' my stash..
** The fabrics I used, I had in my stash. I had gotten them from Keepsake Quilting many years ago**
 
 
First, cut one 6 1/4" x 6 1/4'' square or one (med pink) strip that is 4 1/4" x 2 1/4" strip & (light Pink) strip 6 1/4" x  2 1/4". 

(if you make one square then skip this step)  Sew both the med pink & light pink together. Iron to the dark side.
Next, cut 2 strips- 1 1/2" x wof- I used a mint green cupcake print
Sew to the pink square & iron to the dark side.

Next,
Next,  cut 2 strips 2 1/2" x wof fabric for Outer boarder. I used a blue cupcake print.
*make sure you iron to the dark side*
 
 
Next, I traced the cupcake onto the paper side of heat&bond lite. Trace 1 -  cupcake liner (1), 1- frosting (2) & 1- Cherry (3). Make sure when you cut them out of the heat&bond that you leave at least a 1/4" around the traced edge.
These are the colors I picked for the cupcake. The stripe for the liner, the dots for the icing and the pink for the cherry.
Make sure when you iron on the cupcake parts on to your fabric that you iron them on the wrong side of the fabric:)
Next, cut out your cupcake pieces, following the lines.
Peel off the paper backing. You should see the shiny glue on the back of your fabric.
Arrange on your block the way you like it.
Iron.

It looked like it was missing something.. So I borrowed my sisters YO-YO maker.
The green Clover 30 mm petite small yo-yo maker. 1.2" for the finished size.  (optional)
3 1/4 inch circle
When you sew your yo-yo if you choose to make a yo-yo. You'll want to use pink or white thread. I used brown to show how you go in the u's on the outside of the yo-yo maker..  When you go all the way around then you pop your circle out of the yo-yo maker and pull on your thread.
Then, I sewed it onto my block. I like it much better. :)
At this point you can either make a few more block & make a quilt or table runner..
But, I decided I liked just a block.
 
Next, I made a quilt sandwich: Cupcake block, batting leftovers & backing (I used mint green dots)

Then, I started free motion quilting. Betty (my babylock) does such a nice job.
I always like the back of a project. If you look closely, you can see the quilting.. I went around the cupcake and wiggled the seems.
Next,  cut 3- 2" strips of the creamy dot fabric ( ame fabric I used for the icing of the cupcake)
You'll want to sew the strips together the long way. Then, iron it in half.
Start by placing the fabric along the edge of your project salvage towards the edge (folded edge towards the inside of your project. Leave about 3 inches of fabric then start sewing.  Here's how you miter the corners:
Sew all the way down to the corner. Stop. Cut your thread.
Pull your binding fabric back so you get a triangle.Then fold your fabric forward.
Line your machine up to the start of the next edge
It should look like this..
When you bind it your corner should come out like this..
*note.. I have a love hate relationship with binding.. I don't mind the hand sewing part at the end but I really don't like the machine sewing part. I've shown you what I can do. When it comes to finishing the binding at the end.. I end up cursing the project & passing it on to someone little more experienced than I.. mainly my awesome Mother..:) *
 
 
 
*tip* I've found that the hair clips you can buy at any Superstore or grocery store works just as well as the Binding clips they sell in the Quilt Shops..


Here it is finished..



I'm giving away this mug mat I made just fr the dots on dots blog hop :)
This is how I made it

 Here's how you can win:
Chance #1:   follow me (please leave me a message and let me know you have)
Chance #2: Post a Comment.
**If you are a no reply blogger please include your e-mail address**

 Gizmo is waiting for your enteries so he and Rosie can draw a winner..
the Giveaway will be closed Saturday September 22st 2012 and a Winner chosen!

September 11th

Why Knot Kwilt

Stitchen by the Lake

Beth @ Plum and June

Bacon Then Eggs

The Recipe Bunny

Sunshine Girl

Aunt Marti

The Fuzzy Hat Quilter (You are here)

Rose Prairie Quilts and Farm

Cliodana



Click on the Dots on Dots button for a list of all the blogs!!!
Thank you Corrie at Quilt taffy for hosting such a wonderful blog hop & Mdm Samm at Sew we quilt!