2012 Christmas Quilt Show

I have entered this One Block Wonder Kwilt
 in the 2012 Christmas Quilt Show. 

Thanks Michelle, for  coordinating this effort! 

It is another great way to share our creative spirit!

Hop over here, to the Quilting Tutorials Blog Spot 

to see the show.  Good luck to all who enter in winning

some wonderful sponsor prizes!  

I will be posting a lot of my holiday quilts 
and other decorating ideas during

"12 Days of Decking My Halls"

The fun begins this Saturday, December 1st
Sign up as a follower so you don't miss a post! 

12 Days of Decking My Halls...

The 12 days of Decking My Halls will begin
 this Saturday, December 1st.

But while you wait....I'll give you a little tease 
and ask you

What does a Christmas tree say about you? 

Are the trees links to your past? 

Do they represent a passion, a hobby, theme?

 White lights or multi-color lights?  

Do you have one tree or many?
Artificial or real?

Christmas is my favorite season and 

I am a Christmas tree fanatic.  Over the past 12 years

there have been as many as 15 trees, of varying sizes
in my home during any one Christmas season. 

I'm the gal who takes a week of vacation to deck my halls!  

That being said...I am going to share some of 
my holiday creations with YOU!

My trees will go from this...

to this!

You will see ...
Theme Trees

Favorite Holiday Collections

Fun Vignettes

Outdoor Decorating Ideas

and, of course

HOLIDAY QUILTS ! ! !

It will be a Kwilty Pleasures Christmas from me to you!!

A quilt full of presents seems a perfect way to begin.
My BFF, Shirley, and I have been friends since 3rd grade. 
I made this quilt for her last year and named it...

"A Friend is a Present You Give Yourself"

PS I will also announce the winner for my
Holiday Lane Pillow "Giveaway"on Saturday!
You still have time to enter. "Follow me" 
over here and leave me a comment for that contest!

See you on Sunday!


 

          

Sunday Snippet - A week of numbers!

My week was all about numbers!



I hit 100 followers on Google Friends Connect and
that doesn't include those of you who follow by email.
For me and my blog...it is a milestone.  
I appreciate each of you..thank you! 




I won 2 give away prizes this week while blog hopping. 
A pattern from Linda  at Buzzing and Bumbling blog
And "pinsies" from Karen at the Selvedge blog.
Proof positive that persistence on entering give away...works!
Thank you ladies!

I  finally felt like sewing so I pieced 3 baby/toddler quilt tops.  

Fabric was flying thru my fingers and Ber-nee-nee, 

my Bernina, was so happy to be stitching away.

Here they are...

Kwilty Pleasures was a stop on Madam Samm's Holiday Lane Pillow blog hop this week.  If you missed it...hop here and take a peek. Still time to enter the give away for this Moda Charm Pack! Charms and Rectangles for this one!

I have slowly and I mean SLOWLY started my holiday decorating. 

THE BAD NEWS is because of my foot surgery I am not putting up all the themed trees and vignettes I usually do.  

The GOOD NEWS is because I had so much "down" time
I have written "12 Days of Decking my Halls" posts.  
Stop by beginning December 1st and 

see a theme, an idea or just a decoration that might
work for your holiday decorating.

I just signed up to be a part of a Blog Hop Party sponsored by quiltinggallery.com that will begin on December 10th!
  It's their 5th birthday and you are invited to hop around
meet new bloggers, find creative ideas, enter contests. 
SLOW down during the holiday madness and just hop!

But the highlight of my Kwilty Pleasures for the week!

The Ohio State Buckeyes "beat" that 
team up north to go 
UNDEFEATED 

                      

I am so proud to be a Buckeye!

Sew, any numbers turn up in your week?

Holiday Lane Pillow "fight" and Giveaway

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!  

Anyone up for a PILLOW fight?  

Think of it...hopping up and down on a bed, 

screaming and giggling 
feathers flying everywhere! 

FUN - FUN - FUN

Start here and  "follow me" down my Holiday Lane!  

You will see my pillow but don't stop at the houses...

go to the end of the lane for

a chance to win my GIVE-AWAY.   

A Moda "Ready, Set, Snow" 42 pack of charms!  

For my pillow, I pulled all the fun fabrics from my Christmas stash!  

I don't do much applique...so this was a challenge.

Perfect pillow on the bed in my guest room.  

Flip it over and the back is all decked
out with Holiday trees. 

 

Since I am recovering from recent foot surgery
 and couldn't get out to buy stuffing or a pillow form, 
the pillow is stuffed with left over scraps of batting.  

I had to figure out what to use for the snow.. ah-ha 

cotton batting sewn down with free motion quilting to 
keep it from sliding off the rooftops!
And look...the background fabric looks like it is snowing!

The folks on my lane like to decorate so check out 
the glass beads used as white lights along the rooftops.

And here is a close up of the embroidered chimney smoke.

And there you have it..my Holiday Lane Pillow.

You have chances to win the Moda 42 charm pack !
 Become a new follower and let me know that ...
and/or tell me if you have been in a pillow fight. 
...give me the FUN feathery details!

Winner for the charm pack give-away 
will be drawn on Dec 1
ARE YOU A NO REPLY BLOGGER?
Please make sure you check your blogger profile 
and check the email box so I can see your email address.  
OR leave your email in your comment box. 
I cannot contact you without an email 
and you loose out on blog contests. 

Please visit my neighbors as you stroll down  
the other Holiday Lanes today.
Rest your weary head upon all the lovely pillows.

Friday November 23

Sunshine Reflections

Free Motion by the River

Sew Mollie Sue, Quilt Much?

I Like to Quilt Blog

Briarside Lane

Ariane's Quilts

Meadowbrook

Buzzing and Bumbling

Mice in the Mix

Kwilty Pleasures (that's me)

Cherry Blossoms

Many thanks to Pauline,  Quilt N Queen, for all the snowballs thrown to keep us tracking down Holiday Lane!

To Madame Samm at Sew We Quilt for yet another fun hop.

And to Jill for providing the pillow pattern. 

May your next Kwilty Pleasure be a PILLOW-FIGHT!

Sunday Snippet - Paint Chips Reinvented

Paint Chips..not just for wall paint anymore!

A search on PINTEREST shows endless ideas
on how to use paint chips for your next creative outburst! 

Being a fabric-holic I want to share with you 
3 Paint Chip "QUILT' challenges 
I organized and/or participated in.  

Basic rules are set by the Challenge Coordinator.

Decide on categories (i.e. wall hanging, purse, other)
Finished quilt size,

Number of  additional "colors" that may be added 

to the "paint chip colors"

Include something to "tie" the challenge together.
(i.e. an applique design that has to be on each entry)

Select a date for the reveal and list the
categories that will be on the voting ballot like...

Viewer's Choice - quilt
Viewer's Choice - bag

Best use of Paint Chip Colors

Put a paint chip along with the challenge guidelines
in a sealed  envelope..
Participants draw an envelope and the fun begins.

Why not charge participants a small entry fee or run a food drive. Have some fun with the challenge AND help your community.  

Here are my finished Paint Chip Challenge projects.

 First  Challenge

I added pink and gold to the green paint chip colors. 

Echo quilting was the right choice here.

Added some beads to spiff it up a bit.

This challenge needed a "hand" applique n the design.

Look closely...find them?

BTW - this was my first "art quilt" and my design.  

Award - Viewer's Choice - 2nd place

 Second  Challenge

Guidelines were about the same...

Added greens/browns to the pink paint chip colors

All entries in this challenge had to have the same "leaf" applique.

Used some metallic threads to quilt the flower

Sparkly yard provided dimension for the flower's center.

Echo quilting around the flower and meandering on the border. 

This was my 2nd "Art Quilt"
Award - Best use of Paint Chip Colors

 Third Challenge 

My most recent challenge had a WONKY twist to it.

Home decor was a category...

Click here  to see the Columbus Modern
Quilt Guild winning projects and there is a tab that shows the
WONKY paint chip rules/guildelines. 
  The competition was fierce and although my pillow did not win
My prize was seeing the excitement from
everyone who participated.  


My first WONKY Pillow

Challenges are fun and always get those creative juices flowing!

If you belong to a quilting group why not give a "Paint Chip Challenge" a  Kwilty Pleasures  try.

Black Friday - A Blog Hop Funday

One week from today is Black Friday 
which traditionally kicks off Holiday Shopping. 

But this year it is MY DAY to host a stop on the

Holiday Lane Blog Hop.

Pattern is by Jill Finley from Jillily Studio Designs
and will be used by all hop stops.

So Many Holiday Lanes - So Little Time!

Although the fun begins on Monday, Nov 21st
Please take a stroll down my HOLIDAY LANE on 
Friday, November 23rd !
 Then enter my contest for a 
 Kwilty Pleasures Give Away!  

Sunday Snippet - A Mystery of Wonky!

Take a Mystery Quilt and a WONKY Paint Chip 
and what do you have?
Two great quilt challenges!!!

First up...The Plaza Quilter's Mystery Quilt Challenge

 Red Rooster Quilts and Quilt Beginnings  both donated 
$50 gift cards for the finale
 so a HUGE thank you to these shops 
for the continued support!

The Mystery Quilt clues began in February and
every other month the participants received a "clue".
Along with the clue showing them 
how to make a  "unit"of the quilt top,  
I provided a demo showing the pieces they would
be cutting and how to sew them into the units.  
As clues were completed, participants were entered into drawing
for tools that would help the quilter make the blocks!
I wanted this to be a SUCCESS!

By the 4th "clue" participants could FINALLY 
see what the finished top would look like.
The challenge ended in late October...
here it is my finished quilt top.  

and you can see here, the Mystery Quilt Challenge 

was a huge success.  Here are some of my favorites!

Then I challenged the Columbus Modern Quilt Guild
 to a Paint Chip Challenge.

Each participant drew an envelope 
that contained a paint chip
from the local big box hardware store.
This was my chip and fabrics 
pulled from my stash for this challenge. 

Being a "MODERN" quilt group this challenge 
had to have a WONKY theme.

And some of my WONKY FAVORITES!

See the challenge rules here on the 
Columbus Modern Quilt Guild website and 
perhaps you can use this idea 
in your own guild or quilting group.


I made a WONKY pillow!

To go with this quilt I made some time ago.

Cupcakes for Gemma

Earlier this year I found out I have a new niece...
a great-niece or grand-niece?   
Doesn't matter - just matters
that she IS! 

Gemma was 15 months old when I finally got to meet her.   
Cupcake is a key word as I describe that meeting.
She is a sweet as "cupcake", brought "cupcakes" to
the party and ate the "cupcakes" like I wish I could!
What is that in her hand?  Looks like a "cupcake"!!!

  I knew immediately I had to make Gemma

 a quilt for Christmas.  

It is large enough for her to use for several years. 

I used lots of fun "cupcake" fabrics

from Connecting Threads and designed 
made  9" blocks.

A simple meander quilting on my Bernina !

Easy Peasey!

I never like to buy fabric when I can piece a backing

from my stash.  I love this back!

I hope Gemma likes this Kwilty Pleasure and maybe

I'll get to wrap her up in it when I babysit!   

Sunday Snippet - WICKED WINNER

This contest is now closed.

I have had such a WICKED time but who knew...

• I would meet so many WICKED bloggers in just a few short days.  
• Your kindness and comments would lift my spirits higher than a witch flying past a full moon!
• I would end up with sew many new "stalkers".  
• I would receive nearly 100 WICKED comments 
•  #12 would be the lucky winner of the mug rug.

• #12 would also be a "new follower" and that person is JoyceLM and here is her comment.   

JoyceLMOctober 24, 2012 7:01 AM

Thanks for sharing your great tutorial - I have to make this. And thanks for the giveaway. I'm a new follower.

Joyce I have sent you an email so I can get your mailing address!

I am so thrilled that Wendy invited Kwilty Pleaasures to be a blog stop, a FIRST! And what about the Great Madam Samm...OZ has nothing on you my dear!     

Next up...I"ll have another give-away when 
Kwilty Pleasures is a stop on...

I know everyone has a memory of their "favorite" 
Holiday Lane....what is yours?

A Journey of Thankfulness

November is a month to give thanks for all our blessings. 
I have a lifetime of thanks but today I want

to reflect on how this 1st day of November began for me. 
AND share with you, my blogging friends
an entertaining story about my journey of Thankfulness.

I am "thankful" I have new blogging friends!

This story has nothing to do with quilting but 

to be in line with my quilting blog....

here is an autumn batik quilt I made last year!

I'm snuggled under it right now.

This morning I had surgery on my left foot 

for tarsal tunnel syndrome 

(like carpel tunnel only in the ankles) 

and a fascia muscle release.  

I have this issue in both feet,

but can only repair one foot at a time.

 

This surgery has happened AFTER 

finding a new doctor, an MRI, a nerve conduction.  

Before Dr. Berlet I had 3 months of wearing night splints 
custom orthodics, painful cortisone shots, 

6 weeks of physical therapy, steroids and pain inhibitors.

I am "thankful" for Dr. Berlet. 

I originally thought this all began in Fall, 2011 during vacation, 

You know, the extra walking shopping, sight seeing and 

taking a barefoot walk on the beach for 1/2 hour each day.  

If barefoot, the soft water/sand causes you to use 

the muscles in feet and legs differently.  Who knew?

If you walk the beach please wear proper shoes. 

I am "thankful" for the beach!

I am thankful for "wine" at the beach.

Then a good friend of many, many years said, 

"What about all that dancing you used to do".  

I loved to dance in nightclubs and hardly 

ever sat down-given the chance to dance.  

I am thankful for all the fun I had dancing with my friends!

And now for the entertainment I promised.
During my late 20s and early 30s 

I was a professional dancer and 
director of an ethnic dance troupe.
I was lucky to travel to Egypt and yep
this is me on a camel in front of the Giza pyramids.

"Raheja" was my stage name and I'm dancing  with a very sharp sword balanced  on my head at the Aegean Supper Club

in Columbus, OH

Raheja (me) was a featured "belly dancer"
at one of two local restaurants in 
Columbus Ohio for many years.
I also danced in other cities, states as well. 

I am thankful for the Agean and Fisherman's Wharf!

As a belly dancer for 15 years and instructor for 13 years
 (teaching hundreds of students)
I danced on the balls of my feet for countless hours
Yes...that dancing may be now 

be taking a toll my 60 year old feet.   

  

I am "thankful" that my belly dancing brought 
such joy to others and to my heart, soul and creative spirit!

Today,  my wonderful husband, took me to surgery, 

got me home safe and sound, picked up scripts, 

my lunch, made me coffee, and is catering 

to my every need or whimper! 

God has blessed me with a second chance 

to share a love that is second to none.  I got it "right"
 with Mr. Right, this time...my soul mate. 

I am "thankful" for Phil Gordon...the love of my life.  

Perhaps he is not an actual Kwilty Pleasure,
 but my best pleasure "to have and to hold"!

Tell me something your are thankful for.