I Went, I Saw, I Shopped

A girls' gotta shop! Of course I was focused on Quilt Soup at

Road to California... and I have another pattern or two to

add to the collection.

My other favorite shop was Honey Run quilt shop from Chico.

They are in the current issue of Quilt Sampler magazine! The next issue of Quilt Sampler that comes out in May will have a pattern in it from Quilt Soup that Barbara did for a store in Utah-- they will be featured in it. She did a pattern for another Utah shop last fall as well.

And while I'm on the subject of Quilt Sampler... In Between Stitches in Livermore will be featured in the May issue also! They have a great shop-- congratulations to them!

(And here I am with a gift certificate on my desk that I haven't spent yet-

what is wrong with this picture?)

So here is the tip of the iceberg! NO, really I didn't get much but

I really love this new Crabapple Hill Studio pattern.

If there was a chance in_____ that I could get it done for the wedding (in June)

I would love to have it there. I am slow at embroidery though. Gran, any tips???

The wedding for Todd & Jill will be outdoors and will have a old fashioned feel to it.

There will be bales of hay with quilts spread out over them. The gifts to those who attend the wedding will be homemade jam made from fruit picked at Jill's familys' ranch.

Wouldn't this quilt be sweet there?

Here are a few other souvenirs...

I didn't get as much done over the weekend as I had hoped for.And what I did get done, I can't show you.

I did work on my Schnibbles... because next Monday is the new parade for A Year of Schnibbles. For those of you who are making your Schnibs 'o month, I hope you are enjoying Madeline! I really loved that pattern and I love seeing the ones that have finished so far! It's hard to say but I think I like the February Schnibble pattern just as much!

So since I am picutreless for what I was able to accomplished over the weekend, that leaves me no other choice than to give you a photo collage of more of the Road to California quilt show. I hope you enjoy it!

A Quick Note

Just a little fly-by note to let you know that Sandy of Sandy's In Stitches is having a 1 year blogaversary! Which includes a giveaway! I really would love that pattern... you have to go see and wish Sandy a happy blogaversary!

Intermission, Then Part II of Road to CA.

While we were down at Road to California we stopped by my moms for a quick visit before Day II of the show. She was showing my friends some of the quilts I had made and these had escaped my hands ( years ago) before I could take any photos of them.

My mom loves Hawaii and her garden is all tropical flowers, so I usually make her quilts on that theme. So, Beyond the Reef is a great place to shop at Road to California.

Here is a photo of our class with Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup at the far left. My friend who went with me, patty, is front & 2nd from the right.

Did I show you this picture of when I was doing my homework?
Funny story... but you can kind of understand why I need a class!

I sewed right through my finger! Crimmini! Someone handed my a band aid right away and disinfectant. Women are so prepared... do you think they have done this before?

So on with the show...

Who doesn't love to color on the sidewalks with chalk?

It brings back memories... and so does this quilt:

Do you suppose that the quilter had scary dreams while she was making this?

These are so fun... they take a picture tear it a part and give each of the women in the group one section to make... and whala!

A New York Beuaty. I have this on my list of

"I'm going to make one of those someday":

There were so many wonderful quilts there.

But I will wait to show you a few more pictures of them next time.

I have been so busy catching up this week... the price I pay for the get-away!

So, I hope I get to lock myself up in my sewing room and be creative... I need to at least work on my Schnibble! How about you?

Oh, the Things You'll See:

It has taken me a bit to get back into the routine after my little getaway! I had work to catch up on and my son from Chico came this week to visit... I haven't even turned on my sewing machine since I got back... but I have to tell you...

the Road To California convention...

oh my goodness yes, I had a fabulous time!

The show, the shopping, the laughing... it was all non-stop from sun up to way way past sunset!

This is Part I in the series:

So where to start... the show and then the shopping!

This was the best I could do to get a photo of this incredible quilt.

I had to take 3 pics to get the full panorama.

It's a miniature depicting a past road To California quilt show.

The actual quilt was probably 2' x 10'. Just amazing!

I love the ocean so I am going to start off by showing a few of the amazing quilts

that are in a coastal theme.

Turtles are my favorite... but only followed by sea lions, whales and dolphins... ok, ok... I love them all! So here are a few pictures of those quilts:

Here are a few more traditional quilts. I have always wanted to do a Snails Trail quilt...


I don't think I will get a hexagon quilt done in my lifetime, but they are exquisite!

A Bloggette sighting:

Mystery person: probably me... everybody knows Julie aka Jaybird quilts... and if they didn't know her, they probably did by the end of the show! It was fun to meet her face to face! She is so adorable!



I had a wonderful class with Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup... and the above picture gives you an idea of why I needed a beginner applique class! But even though Barbara isn't able to work miracles, I have to tell you that it was one of the best classes I have taken at Road to California. She was so enjoyable and attentive... she was even able to make the "A" word fun!

I have more photos of the show I would love you to see... so stand by for Part II!

A Little Story (Overdue)

I was without a computer yesterday but all systems are go today!

I wanted to share a some more photos of my weekend guests.

I became associated with them through my friend Rhonda.

The story starts with Leo, who Rhonda happened to meet.

He told her about his wife who was a quilter.

Rhonda became fast friends with Leo and he invited her to come see Helen's quilts.

Rhonda ended up submitting a couple of her quilts into our local guilds' quilt show last May.

You see, Helen passed away a couple years ago.

Rhonda is now the permanent custodian of all the quilts. Some were Helen's and some were Helen's mom's quilts and also some were quilts they had worked on together.

Here is a sampling of their work.

Some were still unquilted... "works in progress".
Some were completed masterpieces.


All of them were however, pieces of their lives.

Well loved, even some a bit tattered and sometimes a little neglected.

But all are beautiful in their own right.
So, I didn't really have Helen or Glessie as house guests in a traditional way.

But very much in spirit!

But I got to have their works of art to enjoy and appreciate

for a short time.
I have more photos to share of Helen's other quilts... soon.

This was submitted with the quilts at the quilt show:

Submitted on behalf of Leo Martin

After my wife, Helen Lee, passed away I was going through some her things and found an old trunk containing several ‘old quilts’ that were Helen’s and her mother’s, Glessie Coberly. Glessie was born in 1894 and grew up in Clovis, California.

This Grandmother’s Flower Garden quilt was hand pieced and hand quilted by Glessie in 1954. My wife, Helen learned to quilt and do other needlework from her mother as a small child.
In memory of Glessie Coberly (1894-1976) and
Helen Lee Martin (1921-2008)

The Challenge

I have been totally neglecting taking "in progress" photos of my Red and White Snowball challenge quilt! I have pictures... but just never got them posted. So how about a photo of my completed rows? I am making progress on this quilt.

It does go fast and is very methodical.

First the cutting.

Make the half square triangles.

Rip out mistakes.

Do those over.

Sew the squares together for the center of the block.
Make the dark blocks.

Then whip up the light blocks.

Sew the blocks into rows...

and that's where I am!

9 of the 11 rows sewed together. 2 more to go. Then the border units.

Oh, and in case you noticed...

my red and white challenge is pink and cream.

I just had to change it up a little.

Besides, I had all of the pinks in my stash!

Now... I have to tell you a little

about my house guests that arrived over the weekend.

But for now...

I'm just going to leave you with a little

"vintage" eye candy!

See you tomorrow!

Trying On A New Look

California here I come!

Okay... I live in California.

what I mean is:

Road To California here I come!

It is now less than a week away for a girlie getaway!

A couple of friends and I are heading down to sunny Southern California to attend the Quilter's Conference at the Ontario Convention Center. I have been there several times in the past and it's always fun! My mom lives nearby, so it will be a two for one kind of trip. I might even talk her into coming to the show! I still haven't gotten her to start quilting... but shopping... what girl doesn't want to do that? This is a 4 day convention with hundreds of vendors, an amazing quilt show (that one day I am going to enter) and classes given by incredible designers!

While I am there I get to go see Barbara Jones of Quilt Soup and take a class from her on applique. I have a feeling that it is going to be a whole lot of fun...
even though it includes the "A" word!


But for now... it's almost time to start the weekend! Which will include going to the movies and going out to lunch... putting away Christmas *g* and maybe even a little bit of quilting! I hope!

I am hoping that my computer issues are resolved... well, it seems that they were more my issues than blogger issues; never-the-less. I ended up having to delete my post before last... it seems that there was a little "hick-up" there that messed up my sidebar. But I will "repost" it over the weekend because it had Bea's beautiful mini quilt in it and Patty's Winter Wonderland that was spectacular.

I am trying out a new look as long as I was in there monkeying around.
Let me know what you think!
I am still undecided. Of course I couldn't even decide on my lunch today...
so that isn't saying much!
Have a wonderful weekend blogettes!

Oh Dear I Need Help

This is a test.
I have a serious problem with my blog. When I'm composing and put a picture in... the picture only shows up in the preview. In the composing part it's just all in code. And my sidebar moved down to the bottom of the page!
Any advise out there?
I got my sidebar back but still just code for photos when composing and also on all previous posts, in edit pictures don't show, just the code.

<
We have a new Block of the Month from Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill! This is the best surprise of the new year! It's called Snowbound! It's free and as cute as can be... Bunny Hill style!

Here Are The Prizes- Are You A Winner?

I know we are getting the winners of the Year of Schnibbles Tuffet Parade posted a little late in the day today...

so if you can't stand the suspense any longer... go ahead and scroll down to the bottom of the page to see if your name is on the list!

But, if you want to see what wonderful prizes are going to be won and

if you want to hear about our great feature shops that are giving the prizes to our winners...

just keep reading.

Carrie, our Schnibble designer extraordinaire is picking two winners, one from my blog and one from Sherri's blog, A Quilting Life. She will be giving a Layer Cake to one of them and one of her very own pincushions to the other person.

Sarah from Missouri Star Quilt Co. is providing not one but two, that's 2, gift certificates for $25 to be used for anything in the shop. The picture shows tote bags from their very own pattern and it's free!

Quilters' Paradise gals have a $25 gift certificate for their wonderful store.

Kim at the wonderful Lake Havasu Quilt shop has donated a wonderful $25 gift certificate to one lucky winner. Please take a look at the shop... she is stocked up on Schnibbles patterns:)

Corrie at Quilt Taffy always puts together a sweet little prize package. I wish I could win!!!


Donna at Bear Paw Quilts, is donating this wonderful book by Patchwork Place. It's table runners and skinny quilts. (Fig Tree & Co. has a table runner in it also)!

Carolyn at Cottage Quilts is giving one of our winners a $25 gift certificate! I love options! She has about 20 different ways I could spend that in her store!

Our fabulous Fat Quarter Shop is offering our winner a $50 gift certificate/mini shopping spree to one of our lucky winners!


So, now let's see who our winners are....

Carrie's randomly picked winners are:

Sandy of Sandy's Sew & Tell blog.

and

Heather from Quilt or Stitch!

Congratulations girls! Go on over to Carrie's blog and leave your info on her post for today and she will get those goodies out to you!

Please do the same, if you are my winners or Sherrie's winners- we need your info to give to the shops!

From my parade of Tuffets Sherri has randomly picked:

Rita -no blog- won the Prize from Quilt Taffy

Marianne from D is for Dovey is the winner of the gift certificate from Missouri Quilt Co.

Regena of Quilt n Quilt Things won the Fat Quarter shop gift certificate

Lynda from My Farmhouse Window won the prize from Bear Paw Quilts

From Sherrie's parade of Tuffets I randomly picked:

Erica -no blog- won the gift certificate from Missouri Quilt Co.

Eva D. from Love To Stitch blog is the winner of the gift certificate from Quilter's Paradise

Annette from Sunshine Yellow blog won Cottage Quilts' gift certificate

and

Julie from the blog Jewels Arm Candy was the winner of the Lake Havasu gift certificate.

Congratulations everybody! Thank you for making this a fun parade this month! And thank you for the sweet comments you have made about the Tuffet parade! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

I'm looking forward to seeing the Madeline parade next month too!

One more thing...
Speaking of prizes... and in case you didn't remember.... there is going to be a drawing at the end of the year for making every one of the projects.

If you make all twelve projects by the end of the year, you're eligible. It's that simple.

The projects don't have to be finished within the specific month

and late-comers are welcome!

You still have time to catch up.