:: puppy love

I just couldn't resist (again). . .

I'm not one to watch the Superbowl just for the commercials, 

but I must admit that I have a soft spot for the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials & was tickled today to see this commercial (early!) that will air during the game.

(If you saw last year's commercial - you will recognize the same 'rancher' guy!)

Get ready for some big-time *cute*!

(I understand that there will also be another very special Clydesdale commercial during the Superbowl. . . but I'm thinking I'll just wait to see it after the game on YouTube.!)

♥ Bren

:: a little de-stashing

Just wanted to pop in & let you know that I've  just added over 3 pages of items to the 'Tag Sale' section of the website. . . I've been doing some de-stashing & I wanted to be sure to let you know! There are a bunch of bundles, yardage & even some gifts & notions. . . I've put some 'teasers' in the photos above, but trust me. . . there's much more!

You can find the 'Tag Sale' section by clicking 'here'.

(. . . & a reminder, that if you order more than one item - if possible - we always combine them into the smallest package possible for shipping, & then we refund the difference.)

Thanks for letting me post this little website 'commercial'. . . I'll be back soon with what else I've been up to. . .

Hope you have a wonderful day!

♥ Bren

:: beautiful girl… beautiful world ::

I just couldn't resist sharing this. . .

 . . . cutest thing I've seen in awhile!

Wishing you a 'beautiful' day!

♥ Bren

:: welcome 2014 ::

Well. .  . here we are in 2014.  I am one of those that felt like 2013 went faster than I sometimes felt I could keep track of. . . but I must admit, I have been looking forward to the arrival 2014. Even though, in reality it is a new day - as in any other, somehow the freshness of the knowledge of a new year makes it a special day somehow. 

I spent the arrival of this new year - with this little face (top photo) looking up at me. 

Bailey was all set in his ThunderShirt & I had been putting some drops of the Bach's Flower Essence drops called 'Rescue Remedy' in his water for the last few days. . . (Rescue Remedy is a natural essence that helps with anxiety & they now make it in a pet formula that is wonderful. . . (a big thank you Holly  for introducing me to it!)). . . but even the smallest loud pop of a firework scares my little guy. So, he stayed on the floor (where I lay a bunch of quilts out for him. . . trying to make a snuggle-y spot for him) & this year he spent his time either peeking out from my closet - or he 'glued' himself to the side of my bed. . . where I was staying up stitching & telling him that everything was going to be alright. Thankfully, there were only a few fireworks set off in our neighborhood, & so Bailey's shaking calmed down & we were in bed by 1 a.m..  I am still getting this look every evening - as he seems to equate the 'pop' noises with it getting dark outside & it's as if he is anticipating the noise. Poor little guy. He's getting better every evening - so I'm hoping that by mid-week he will be able to settle with no fear of the fireworks.

I wanted to share with you some little pin-keeps that I made for some special quilting-stitching friends. I had a tea just before the end of the year for the four of us & had these ready for them. I had so much fun making them. I used one of Kathy Schmitz monogram wreath designs for the front, & then I made some little double nine-patch block for the back. I love how they reflect two of my loves - stitchery & quilting. . . (& rick-rack too!)  Believe it or not - I completely forgot to take any photos of the tea party. I was having so much fun making the tea sandwiches, salads, & a chocolate macadamia nut tart, that I completely forgot to take photos! I plan to do more tea parties - so I will try to do better in the photo department next time. 

I hope that you have had a wonderful start to this new year. . . & that if you are in a part of the US that is having such incredibly cold weather - that are able to stay warm. . .! (please take extra care!).

I have a few special things that I am hoping to get to share with you in the next few posts. . . & I hope that until then you know how much it means to me that you stop by my blog.

♥ Bren

... progess. . .

It's been a wonderfully quiet & peaceful Christmas around here...

I've been piecing a lot of these . . .

. . . trimming & squaring-up. . 

. . . which makes a lot of these. . .

But, when the end result are these. . . I don't mind.

(These are the star block centers... there are 36 of them.)

I finished all the star blocks for my large 'for my grandmas' quilt, & I'm going to start the cutting for the 'setting' blocks this afternoon. I'm loving the process of it all. I also finished a block for my 'Beyond the Cherry Tree' quilt (... That one has been sitting in my stitchery basket for months!), so I prepped the next two blocks.

I'm wanting to make sure that I have all the projects that I've been working on, or thinking of working on ready to go... & I have a little of everything (piecing, appliqué, English paper piecing, embroidery, & cross-stitch) prepped & ready, so that whatever I'm feeling like doing. . . It's ready to go.

On the website front... WOW!... Guess you liked the buy-one-get-one-free for the patterns special!! A lot of you took advantage of the PDF versions. . . But you also kept Dad & I running to the post office in the days before Christmas (& jeepers... was that parking lot ever crowded!)!

SO... Since you liked it so much (& since some of you asked because you got some $ in your stocking...) I'm going to keep the B-O-G-O free offer on patterns (including the PDF versions) going on for the rest of 2013. (So, that's until the end of next Tuesday, 12.31.2013) Happy end-of-2013!!!

 For every two patterns you purchase, we will refund the price of one of the patterns back to you. I just can't thank you enough for being such wonderful customers... & if you're like me & planning lots of projects for 2014... hopefully this can help in getting some of them started!

Hoping you are enjoying these last days of 2013!

xo,  Bren

… back to the beginning. . .

The first quilt I ever designed is 'For My Grandmas' (above). 

That was 2005 (?… I think.)

It is a wall hanging size, & when it first came out, almost immediately I got emails wondering if it was available in queen size. I was so busy making other new patterns - I never got back to it. . . until now.

I have been fiddling around with the directions & my calculator, & I'm finally at the 'testing' point. (… not to mention that because this quilt design has a lot of meaning for me I really have wanted to have it as a quilt for my bed…)  So yesterday, I started cutting all the pieces for the star blocks. It was more like cut some pieces. . . take a break. . . cut some more. . . take another break. . . (!) (For the original there were nine star blocks. . . for the queen size - there are thirty-six!) I'm having fun making it a scrappy version (like the original) - using my 'Hill Farm' fabrics. For the next few days - we are supposed to have some more rain & cool days again (& more snow on our mountains) - so it will be perfect for sewing the star blocks. . . & then cutting out the setting blocks. I've been itching to get back to my sewing machine & this will 'scratch' that itch rather nicely I think!

. . . & we've had so much fun with so many of you who have been keeping us busy buying gifts from the website. . . I've decided that I wanted to do one more Christmas special. . . so. . .

. . . starting today through December 25. . . my gift to you is. . . all patterns are buy one - get one free! (…& yes, that includes PDF patterns!)

Simply choose a second pattern (of equal or lesser value) for every pattern you wish to buy, & we will refund back to you the cost of the second pattern. You do not need any code - we will automatically refund the second pattern.  I just wanted to somehow let you know how special you are to me & how much I appreciate you!  (…& if you have ordered a pattern from the website in the last week - mention it in your order & we will look it up & will refund a second pattern choice for you.) 

I know that it seems like this Christmas season has come up so fast. . . but I hope that you will find the opportunity to stand back & enjoy the joy & the special-ness of these days leading up to Christmas.

♥ Bren ❄

… it's coming so quickly!

Just got a peek at my last post & I realized that I'd better get a new post up. . . 

. . . Thanksgiving was almost 2 weeks ago!

If you've been following me on Instagram (which I must admit - I post on a lot more frequently!),

then you've been seeing my progress on this table-runner.  It's the project that the wool club that I've had the privilege to lead this past year has been working on since September. It's called 'Seven Snowmen' & it's a pattern by Bonnie Sullivan (All Through the Night). It's all wool, & I've had so much fun stitching on it. (You can find it by clicking here.) I've put my final stitches in it - since Thanksgiving weekend. . . (I had to make myself stop!. . . I can still think of so many things that would be so fun to add!) I could see making this as a really cute tree skirt as well. . .

I know that it's been getting very busy for most folks - but I wanted to also pop in & let you know that we've gone through the last bin (I think!) of quilt show items that I had stored & have added them to the website. Some on the 'Gift & Treasures' pages, 'Notions & Tools' pages, & some on the 'Tag Sale' pages. I've priced them to move & a lot of the inventory has been getting snatched up - so don't delay! 

Also, I have added some kits & some finished quilts (all ready to give. . . (or keep!)) & they are either one of a kind - or are limited in quantity.

Also. . . a biggest news (& your reward if you read through this entire post. . . (thank you!)). . . is that we will be offering free domestic shipping for all orders over $50.00 through midnight (MST) Friday, December 13.  So for any (U.S.) order over $50.00 (before shipping) - we will refund the shipping charges! (For international customers - while I wish I could offer the same. . . for orders over $50.00 - we will refund the equivalent to what the domestic shipping charges would be. . . hoping it will help a little too!)

But remember - you must order by midnight (MST - Mountain Standard Time) on Friday, December 13.

. . . Hoping this will help a little to help make your holidays a little brighter!

Have a great rest-of-the-week & for the majority of the US residents. . . stay warm!  ❄

♥ Bren

…my Thanksgiving wish. . .

Although I may not look as cute. . . this will be pretty much my role this weekend!

Usually Thanksgivings have been pretty quite around here, with it being just Dad, Bailey, & me. . . but this year we will have the pleasure of my niece & her family (husband & 3 littles - 4 years & younger!) are traveling from San Diego & blessing us with joining us as we count our blessings!

Dad is so excited they are coming. . . & I'm sure that Bailey will love having a lot more activity going on (. . . backyard buddies!) My niece has a couple of craft activities planned for them to do - so you know that I'm over the moon about that!. . . (in fact - I know that I have a bunch of boxes of crayons & color books I need to go find!) They will only get to be here for 2½ days. . . so we will make the most of it while we can. (After all - there's all of next week to recuperate!) :o)

So, while I'm thinking about all the blessings God has blessed me with,

please know that I count you as one of those blessings. The fact that you check in to my little blog from time to time means so much. . . I'm so very honored & thankful for you!

As the 'holiday' season gets started - whether you are celebrating the American Thanksgiving Day or not - I pray that you will be filled with the wonder of all the blessings, big & small, that grace our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving!

♥ Bren

… finishing & starting. . .

Thought I'd give you a look at my progress on the snow-people table runner. . . as it's getting close to the finished stage. I'm almost done with stitching the border down & then it will just be adding a few final touches & I will have this ready for decorating the house! I usually wait to start with decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but since Thanksgiving is so late this year, I've decided that I'm going to start decorating this weekend. Also, since being on Instagram (& following others). . . I've realized that most of the folks in other parts of the world have started decorating for the holidays! So, since I haven't added much to my autumn decorations for quite a while (need to work on that!),  I'm thinking that the white pumpkins that I have out can be incorporated nicely with some Christmas touches. . .

So with all the stitching that's been going on. . . I've discovered a new favorite. . . Dove Dark Chocolate Mint Swirl pieces.  Oh. My. Yummy-ness. I'm hoping that these are not seasonal as I'd love to keep them around all year 'round. (…& don't they look right at home in my aqua Ball jar?!?)

The other think that I've been busy with, has been cleaning out my office. I have 'straightened-up' in there over the years (I can be a 'pile-r'. . .), I have never done a big clean-out in there since I moved my office into the back bedroom almost six years ago. So, it was due overdue. 

My thought was that it had to be thorough. . . & it was …every drawer, every file, every cubby kind-of-thorough. It took me 3 days, & to be completely honest - I still want to spend another morning to finish up a few more things. I took a photo of it when I was midway. . . but I'll save it for when I take the 'finished' photo.

With going through all the items in the office - I found a couple of boxes of items that I had pulled for my website, but they got buried . . . so now that I've done the photography & listings. . . I wanted to let you know that I've also just added pages (several of them!) of items (fabrics, kits, notions, tag-sale items) to the website! Also, we've added another colorway to the 'Remember 'Whooo' Loves You' special order quilt options. We're having so much fun with making these & if you've been thinking about having one made - to be able to give for Christmas. . . it's looking like the cut-off date for that will be mid-week next week. (Unless we get more that we expect & then it will be sooner.)

. . . & then there's my little guy. . . doing the thing he does best - wondering when I'm going to go to bed - um, supervising.

Hope you have a great week.

♥ Bren

… I'm so pleased. . .

Some of you know the history behind this little quilt design. . .

(for those of you who don't . . . you can read about it here.)

It has become one of my all-time best selling patterns, and time & time again, I have been asked if I was ever going to sell the sample quilts (nope. . . they're all spoken for). So, what we have decided to do. . . (just in time for the holidays. . . or for any other reason as well) is to make as many of the 'Remember 'Whooo' Loves You' quilts as we possibly can. (I'm getting nervous putting this out there!)

We will be creating the quilts & are taking special order deposits on the website for the quilts we have in process. There you can see the fabrics we are using & can claim one for your own to keep or give to that special little one! I have set up a 'Special Order quilt' page on the website - where you can see what  colors/fabrics are being offered at this time (& get in on the introductory price!).

If you go exploring around the website - you'll find there are a few new items on the 'Gifts & Treasures',  'Kits',  & 'Tag Sale' pages as well!

Okay. . . that's it for today. . . I've got some stitching to do!

I'll be back with some more fun items soon!

♥ Bren