daybook ::28::

for today :: August 17, 2010

outside my window. . .   cloudy & a bit muggy. Storms expected this afternoon . . .

I am thinking. . . of all the projects I need to work on using my computer. . . with the threat of afternoon storms - I need to get them done this morning. (& ever since a neighbors house was struck with lightening, with the big storms - things get unplugged around here!)

from the kitchen. . . so far coffee, with cinnamon added to the grounds . . . yum. (Dad  doesn't like his coffee that way, but he is traveling this week - so I get to enjoy some flavored coffees!)

I am wearing. . .  jammies still. . . got working on the computer before I even got dressed! (need to get on that!)

I am creating. . .  4 new designs - all at the same time (I usually start & complete something before starting the next design - so this is something new for me) . . .  (& #5 project is waiting in the wings!)

I am remembering. . .  Mom

I am reading. . .  'The Postcard' - by Beverly Lewis

I am hoping . . .  to get a lot done this week! I really want to be ahead when it comes to getting things ready for Fall Market. . .

I am hearing. . .  Bailey wandering around. . . looking for his best morning napping spot. . . 

around the house. . .  fabrics, fabrics & more fabrics! 

I am going. . .  to get things ready for some new website pages (including some Durham bundles!)

one of my favorite things. . . pulling a just finished quilt out of the dryer after it's been washed for the first time. . .

a few plans for the rest of the week. . . lots of time in the studio, playing with fabrics & threads! (bliss!)

from my picture journal . . .

. . . when I was in junior high (middle school) - I cried over the fact that I had freckles. . . thankfully as I grew up I came to love my freckles. Many years ago, on one of my parents trips - my Mom found this sign & gave it to me. I love this little plaque in all of it's homemade-ness, & it sits on the window sill in my bathroom. . . reminding me to love the way God created me, . . . & reminding me of how much my Mom loved me & cared about how I felt about my freckles. . . These days - I see my hundreds of freckles as a reminder of my Mom's love.

Hope you have day realizing how much you are loved!

♥ Bren

… waiting

I've been playing with the 'preview' half-meters of the fabrics from my new fabric line, 'Georgia Lou'. . . & I've been trying to be very careful of how I use them. . . so I decided to make a bunch (324 to be exact) of half-square triangles. . . (yep, I know, I seem to be on a half-square triangle kick. . .) 


Here's some that make me smile. . .

. . . Don't they (Lecien) do amazing detail work? 

For this line - I wanted the fabrics to have the look like they have been around for awhile. . . like they've been washed & hung out in the sun & the fresh air to dry many times over. . . & like they've been well used & loved over years. . . & I'm quite happy with the results. . . (I tell you more about that process soon!)

As I work with the fabrics. . . I find that although it is my line & I have seen it all the way through. . . when I start to create & work with it. . . there are many, many moments of bliss, when I just can't help but fall in love with them all over again. . .

Then. . . there is the caring detail that a wonderful artist at Lecien did for me. Because this line is named for my Mom. . . & pansies were one of her favorite flowers . . . with a couple of the prints that I had, I sent in some photos of pansies & asked if a couple of flowers could be changed into pansies. So,. . . every once in a while I get this . . . 

. . . & I can't help but know how incredible a privilege it is to get to do what I do, & to work with a company that does things with such grace & such an amazing caring touch.

Earlier this week, I got word that my bolts of my new fabrics were on their way to me . . . I've been tracking them. . . & know that they arrived in LA & were in customs for a couple of days. Then I checked this morning & it said they had left the customs 'inner office'. . .  (hmmm. . .  what does that mean?!?)  . . . so hopefully they are on their way!

 . . .  I can hardly wait!

♥  Bren

… Stitched in Time

The last of the new quilt design patterns that are ready to ship is 'Stitched in Time'. Just like the others I've posted in the last few days, this one has a couple of options. For 'Stitched in Time' those options are in the size of the quilt as well as type of border style. 

For those of you who like to add a bit of appliqué - there is a simple appliqué border option. . . & for those of you 'piecing only please!' folks. . . a pieced option as well! . . . & honestly, I can't decide which one I like better. . .!


For the appliqué (larger quilt) option, I used my Durham-Anew fabrics, & for the pieced border (smaller quilt) option, I used (again) Kaari Meng's (French General) Lumiére de Noël (Moda). . . can you tell I just love that line?! Both fabric lines are currently available & I will have kits of the Durham-Anew version available on the website by next week.

Well. . . I'm off for today. . . Bailey & I got up before the sun rose - (while it's still a little bit cool!) & went of a good long walk. . .  & now I really need to et to the market. . . my cupboards & fridge are looking pretty sad. . . (with the exception of the supplies needed for making mochas. . . lol!)

Hope you have a great day. . . & I'll be back soon with another sweet little announcement/intro!

♥ Bren

… Pathways & Crossroads

For part 2 of the new designs features. . . we have 'Pathways & Crossroads'. This design is based on a vintage block & setting design & again, I have three options / sizes for you to choose from. . .

I used Joanna's beautiful 'Fresh Cottons" (Moda) for the large version (it's about 80"x 80"). I used all but the coral fabrics & I think it gives it a beach-y, breezy feel. It's currently on my bed & is a perfect coverlet size. . . 

The wall size, table-topper size is out of my Durham - Anew fabrics, & the table runner is out of Lumiére de Noël by Kaari Meng / French General (Moda)

When it was photo-shoot day, everything in the living room gets moved over to one side - as there is a wonderfully large & tall wall space behind the sofa & is perfect for 'hanging' the larger quilts for photos. . .

. . . & of course, Bailey is right there  going for a ride  helping with the furniture moving. . . (actually , thankfully everything slides quite easily. . .)

. . . & of course, you-know-who takes upon himself the role off  'assistant' to be sure things are 'just-so' for the shoot! . . . & of course his suggestions are always so helpful. . . (except for the one that thinks he should be in each of the photos!)

Thanks Bailey!. . . you were soooo helpful!  . . . & made the photo shoot so much fun! 

♥ Bren

… Floye's Garden

My original plan was to come home after Spring Market & finish up the patterns for 3 new designs within the following week & get them to the printer so that they would be available by the end of June. . . but after getting that cold/flu at Market, & being on cold medicine for weeks. . . I found that I could not even focus enough to get the patterns finished. So, I had to focus on getting better & now. . . after a bit of a delay I am so happy to say that there are three new designs ready to ship!

The first is Floye's Garden. . . & I must admit, I had so much fun designing & making these. . . for so many reasons. For me, 'Floye's Garden' is a tribute to my Grandma Floye's flower garden that graced the entrance to their farm. The pattern includes instructions for the design to be made as an appliqué quilt (I did the sample one using linen & wool) as well as an embroidery little quilt. . . all dressed up with buttons & scallops. There is even a punchneedle project thrown in. . . just for fun!

All the new patterns are up & available on the website . . . & I'll be back soon with the other two new designs!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

♥ Bren

daybook ::27::

for today :: August 3, 2010

outside my window. . .   the morning sunlight is peeking through the oak tree into my bedroom, making the prettiest patterns all over the quilt on my bed. . .

I am thinking. . . of what order to do the errands I'm doing this morning. . .

from the kitchen. . . so far coffee, some scrambled egg-whites w/ sharp cheddar cheese right after I finish my post. . . & butter to put out on the counter for cookie baking later. . .

I am wearing. . .  pink tee & brown shorts . . . (will be changing before errands though!)

I am creating. . .  lots of yo-yo's & some quarter square triangle blocks (not for the same project. . .)

I am remembering. . .  how fast the summer goes by. . . (if I was still teaching - I would have to be back at work this week. . . eek!)

I am reading. . .  'Persuasion'  by Jane Austen 

I am hoping . . .  for my new fabrics to get here quickly!

I am hearing. . .  the birdies. . . especially one who seems to be giving me the 'what for' for letting the bird feeders go empty. (we have to when there is so much rain. . . but I will refill the finch feeder later. . . persistent little buggers!)

around the house. . . wool piled on the breakfast room table. . . all ready for delivery this morning!

I am going. . . to deliver a bunch of wool to a couple of local quilt shops, make the pieced quilt blocks for a new quilt, & start baking some cookies for a friend who is having a ton of folks come into town for a wedding.

one of my favorite things. . .  Clover's yo-yo makers. . . they make yo-yo making so much easier & fun!

a few plans for the rest of the week. . . lots of time in the studio - & getting the website updating done (finally!)

from my picture journal . . .

I'm a softie for baby swans. . .

♥ Bren

… a bit of wool

I twittered a promise the I would post a photo of the wool I was dying over the last two days. . . so here it is!

This is 27 yards (or 54 half yards - as I dye them) . . .  The bottom few (the brown & red) are some custom colors that I dye for a local quilt shop who has been ordering wool from me since I first started dying wool - about 5 years ago.  . . . & most of the rest is for another local shop. I also dyed 9 yards earlier this week (for an order) - so that makes about 36 yards all together. . . (whew!)

. . . & just so you know - I will be making some special little woolie bundles for the website. . . & for those of you who will be at Fall Quilt Market. . . I will doing Sample Spree & will be bringing wool!

. . . gosh. . . I'd best get busy!

♥ Bren