Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

From my Sonoma Rose Pin

To my Sonoma Rose book

autographed by Jennifer Chiaverini of The Elm Creek book series

of which I have all so far (I think)

Plus Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

I was reading at Fiona's Blog BubzRugz that she had started Sylvia's Bridal Sampler Quilt and thought 'I think I've got that book too'

so ferreted around late one night, found it and got all excited to use my collection of 

Civil War and Reproduction Fabrics

Within a few days I had made up Chimneys & Cornerstones using mainly the Fabric Collections for a Cause - Hope, and Love along with the bottom centrepiece which (I think) is Mountain Creek Quilt Museum 1850 for Blue Hill Fabrics

I'm also lucky to have these two fabrics, Elm Creek Quilts - Gerda's Collection

 by Jennifer Chiaverini for Red Rooster Fabrics

These were bought a few years ago in Numeralla whereby a lady was selling her Mother's Collection of fabrics which filled a 2 or 3 bedroom house!!!

Maybe this was all meant to be

But I had no idea it would be now

6 and a half weeks before my Paris/Latvia trip

Phew........talk about a distraction!!!!!!!

Never mind, my plan is 1 block a week and at this rate it will take me 2 years and 8 months but I reckon it will be closer to 3............

So let the sewing begin

To see updates of the other gals' blocks visit Fiona

Happy Sewing and in my case add Happy Packing and Getting Ready for my Trip

Dzintra xo

Sonoma Rose...a new book and pin!!!

Very excited over here...

a little while ago I saw on Facebook that Jennifer Chiaverini was giving away an Elm Creek Pin to the first 100 people who responded...

I thought, why not give it a go!!!

Jennifer responded to me and I ordered her latest book Sonoma Rose and blow-me-down...I received a pin all the way from The Next Chapter Book Shop in America...

Sonoma Rose...As the nation grapples with the strictures of Prohibition, Rosa Barclay lives on a Southern California rye farm with her volatile husband, John, who has lately found another source of income far outside the federal purview. Mother to eight children, Rosa mourns the loss of four who succumbed to the mysterious wasting disease that is now afflicting young Ana and Miguel...

~from book jacket~

Now I have my very own first edition of Sonoma Rose complete with Jennifer's signature...

How awesome is that...I'm really going to enjoy reading this book!!!

I really enjoy reading all of Jennifer's books...but must admit I am a bit partial to Anna in her kitchen (The Quilter's Kitchen) at Elm Creek!!!  Gotta love that she made patchwork biscuits to take for an interview to become a tutor and ended up being a Cook in the kitchen...how I would love to work alongside her!!!

Happy Reading...Dzintra 

OPAM (One Project A Month)...September 2010!!!

Can't believe how quickly September has come and gone this year...with 2 more projects for OPAM completed...how I have loved this little challenge...

I can honestly say I have never finished so many projects before in this amount of time!!!

Thank you so much to Peg and Kris for hosting this!!!

First off I started with this gorgeous fabric sent to me by my dear blogging friend Simone

together with these fabrics...

and stitchery...

made into a Sewing Companion...
this wonderful little companion was a project by Fiona from my local Needlework Group!!!

I had these little velvet baubles and I couldn't resist using them on the spine!!!

I love to add extras if I can to any projects...

As Coco Chanel once famously said...(as you walk out the room take one thing off)...Less Is More

Less is More is a 19th century proverbial phrase. It is first found in print in Andrea del Sarto, 1855, a poem by Robert Browning

I'm a bit the other way...as you walk out the room add something else...More Is More ha ha!!!

Amidst all this Mr Armchair putting together my new sewing table purchased at The Craft and Quilt Fair...

I think I'll do a separate post on this another time...

the inside...

The blue felt is a start to another project from my Group...a little pincushion!!!

And here it is all done Yay!!!

If I can I like to sign and date all my work...

And I can't seem to get enough of the Elm Creek novels lately...
have just finished The Quilter's Kitchen by Jennifer Chiaverini...
I wouldn't mind getting into the kitchen with Anna and cooking up some meals for those Quilters!!!

Next I'm ready to start The Lost Quilter and have ordered The Quilter's Holiday!!!

Dress rehearsals are in full swing for Cabaret...

(put on by our local Amateur Theatre Group, The Bay Theatre Players)

will post some pics up next post...

and I'm starting to believe there really is such a place as The Kit Kat Club...

complete with Sally Bowles!!!

What good is sitting alone in your room

Come hear the music play

Life is a Cabaret old chum

Come to the Cabaret...

Lyrics by Fred Ebb