A Joyful Obsession...

I was really busy yesterday! I finished the Williamsburg Consort pillow project, so I'm set to go to Virginia now. (Well, except for packing, cleaning the house before we leave because I don't like coming home to a messy house, and last minute errands.) I'm happy with the way it turned out, and hope that this, too, will generate more for the scholarship fund.

I shipped out some orders and my September ATC for the Blissfull ATC Swap group, and then late day, I got a phone call to tell me that the quilt I made for our master bedroom is quilted and ready to pick up. I'm not sure I'll have time to bind it before we leave on our trip, but if I do, I'll photograph it on our bed for you.
I finished this project, too. I can only give a peek right now. I will be shipping it out today, and hope that my Victorian Cuff Swap partner likes it. Once she receives it, I promise I'll show you the entire finished cuff. It's going to a new blog friend living in England, and goodness, I sure hope she loves it!
One of the comments I received yesterday on my giveaway post was this one from Lisette:

Ok, what would I like to see in a next entry. I would really love (t0) hear why you are so crazy about the acorn.

Hugs,
Lisette

Thanks for asking! I've always been a country girl, preferring a quiet woodland path of a nature walk to the hard concrete sidewalks and noise in town. I always found myself gravitating to the oak trees on my explorations. I love their size, majesty and beauty. They convey feelings of age and protection to me.

When I conceived my design business, Brynwood Needleworks, Kes' grandmother, Bryn was the inspiration for the name. Memories of those oak trees with their acorn treasures inspired one of my requirements when I hired our friend, Bob Fehring (who owns Artel' Design Studio in Waupun, Wisconsin) to design my logo.That was in 1989, and since then, I can't pass up anything "acorn" without considering whether or not to add it to my collection. Even the real ones that are regularly sent to me from my blog friends are prized gifts . I add them to a beautiful, big vase in the studio where they are precious reminders of old and new friendships. My friend, Michelle Palmer, coats hers with gel medium to keep them dark and shiny. I think I'm going to do that, too (after I get back from my trip).

So, Lisette. There you have it. My explanation for a joyful obsession...just one of many collections! Thanks again for asking!I'm overwhelmed with your kind comments and entries in my 500th Post Giveaway! I have been reading every single comment and want to thank everyone for your lovely words. So much so that I have another surprise for you...

If, in the course of doing this giveaway, we reach 500 friends (followers), too...I'll add a second drawing for a second lap quilt! I'll chose another fabric collection and post it tomorrow - just in case.

So, if you haven't done so yet, and you're so inclined...please share my giveaway on your blog. Not only will you earn another chance in the drawing, but if we get to 500 followers, you'll also earn a second opportunity to win a lap quilt. hee hee Are you happy yet?

The Last Project For Williamsburg...

Our friend, Ellen D., joined us for dinner last night, and we had a wonderful visit. It was so nice to have her here with us. She's such a delightful lady, and Handsome and I both love her.

I did have time to get some sewing in earlier in the day, so I decided I'd better make that pillow for the second raffle prize for the Williamsburg Consort scholarship fund next week. It's the last project for Williamsburg this year.

Miss Ellie sewed the Consort logo onto some of my creamy, dreamy fabric and then I chose three fabrics to work into my pillow design. Although it won't match the Williamsburg Welcome quilt, it has a musical theme, and has some of the same fabric elements.
I sewed three borders around the logo, and added an insert for another pop of color before adding the ruffle . I then created the ruffle using the same music score fabric that's in the quilt. The brick-colored fabric is also in the quilt. I'll attach the ruffle today and then attach the back (which will be the same fabric as the cream color in the center of the front.

I'm looking forward to taking it, along with the quilt, to Williamsburg. I also have a beautiful afghan that's going to Williamsburg. My vocal soloist friend, Kim, created it and it's fabulous. I'll take a photo to share with you before we take it north.I'm hoping they all raise a lot of money for the student scholarship fund! (Fingers crossed.)

PS. Happy Birthday today, Amy! I hope you have a wonderful celebration, and wish you many, many more! xoxo

Waiting For Williamsburg...

Sunday was spent relaxing and sewing the binding onto the "Williamsburg Welcome" quilt. This quilt measures 45" wide by 66" long and will make a great lap quilt for one lucky person buying a ticket from the Williamsburg Consort in September.

Remember, this quilt will be a raffle item to raise funds for their student scholarship fund. I hope it raises LOTS of money! I'll also have a completed pillow using some of the same fabrics with the same logo in the center. Another chance to win and raise more money for the kids.

Oh, yeah. I really don't like having my mug in the photos of my finished quilts, but Handsome has an aversion to taking pictures of my work with just hands and feet showing. I think I need a clothesline.We had a curious blue dragonfly that kept landing on the quilt during our photography session. I guess it was drawn to the colors. Did I ever tell you that dragonflies make me smile? I think they're so cool, and I love watching them dart around near dusk, hunting for a meal. This one would fly away when Handsome would try to get closer, and then come back and land on the quilt as soon as the coast was clear.
Again, my finishing touch...the label. I'll make a nice muslin cover for this quilt, perhaps sporting the embroidered logo that appears in the center square of the quilt. Then, I'll tuck it away for safekeeping until we pack for our road trip. Now, like us, this quilt is just waiting for Williamsburg.
On Sunday, I also created a new Artist Trading Card for the Blissful ATC Swap group that I've joined. We have rotating swap partners and a new theme each month.

This month, the theme is "orange". You might think that, living in Florida, I would have chosen the fruit. I didn't. I can't show you what it looks like until my swap partner, Francie of The Scented Cottage receives it. I'll be sending it out to her this week. If you're interested in joining the group, you can click here or on the Blissful button on my left sidebar for more information.

On A Wing, And A Little Prayer...

A little nervous, a little apprehensive and a lot excited. I'm taking a little leap of faith, and puttin' myself "out there". We'll see what happens. I promise to let you know more as soon as I do. Do you like what you see? I hope "they" do, too!

On another note, I picked up my French General and Williamsburg Welcome quilts this week. Kathy at Sandy's Quilt Shop does a beautiful job of quilting my everyone's pieces on her long-arm, and I'm thrilled with the results. I'm looking forward to my final contributions - the binding and label to make "complete".

Williamsburg Welcome will be raffled at the Consort in September to raise funds for music student scholarships, and The General will become the newest member of our private quilt family. I'll show you what they look like when they're all finished and ready to use.

Chug-A-Lug, Chug-A-Lug...

Miss Ellie has a new cover (here), so Prissy needed one, too. I used another of Michelle Palmer's acorn images to embellish it. The perfect trim for the pocket I placed on the front. Do you like my new Brynwood logo labels? I'm loving them!

Here's a photo of the entire cover...All done! Not bad for a Wednesday, but that's not all I did.

I also completed the Williamsburg Consort quilt top by embroidering their logo in the center square of the star motif. I'll be taking it to Sandy's Quilt Shop today for the long arm work. (Can't you just see me giggling and doing my happy dance?)

So many of you leave comments of encouragement and tell me you're in awe of how much I manage to accomplish.

Contrary to what some of you have written to me, I do, in fact, sleep! Between you and me, I'm told I have the sleep imperative of an infant. Perhaps that's why I'm able to produce as much as I do when I'm awake. All I know is that I'm very focused when I work (just ask Handsome!), and have always been able to chug right along on a project until it's finished.

Big hugs to each of you who always take the time to let me know that you've read my post. I thoroughly enjoy your comments, and I promise after this month has passed, I will be making a point to respond to each and every one of you whenever you write to me.

You're truly my inspiration, my cheerleaders and my friends. I appreciate you more than you know. Thank you!

An "A-Team" Monday...

Monday was a very good day for me!
I finished sewing the quilt top for the Williamsburg quilt.

These colors aren't exactly what I would choose living in
Florida, but my choices were dictated by the main fabric
(above) and the musical theme of the Williamsburg Consort.

Believe me when I tell you I have enough of the main fabric to
make another quilt for the Consort next year and a music quilt
for Handsome. His will have lighter-colored fabrics to tone down
its overall appearance. But I do know that the earth tones will
be a real hit for the musicians when I take it to Virginia.

I assembled all the components as
I had envisioned them, ironing after each step.
Measure twice - Cut once.

Carefully matching all the seams and intersections...

...until I was finished. Now, I only have one step left on the front...

This is the Consort logo from last year.

I'm arranging for it to be updated to 2010, digitized, and then
Miss Ellie will embroider it into the center square of the star.

Off to the long-arm quilter and when it returns (in about 5 weeks),
I'll just have to add the binding. It will be finished in plenty of time
for Williamsburg in September.

"Don't you just love it when a plan comes together?"
(That's a quote from the A-Team, just in case you didn't already know.
A private joke between our nephews Tres and West with Handsome.)

Bamboo Sweater Progress...

I spent Sunday working on my studio decor in anticipation of Where Bloggers Create II, so I have no photos of the quilt to show you today. However, when the studio project was finished, I just didn't have the concentration to work on the quilt. Instead, I decided I'd better get back to knitting on my Bamboo Sweater if I want to be able to wear it in Wisconsin when I travel to my cousin's wedding the end of this month.

I'll be back to sewing on the quilt today, so I promise to show you what my quilt top looks like in Tuesday's post.

Thanks to everyone for leaving messages for Kes. She really enjoyed reading what everyone had to say, and made a point of showing me how popular she was. She was so darn cute, I just didn't have the heart to holler at her. But I did make her do some recycling to teach her a lesson! (One of these days, I'll photograph her hard at work on keeping us "greener". I think you'll really get a kick out of it.)

Two Great Ways To Make My Day...

Friday was Day One for my "Williamsburg Welcome" quilt project.
I managed to complete the center star motif and add a top and
bottom "Welcome" motif. I also did a little design wall work to
decide how I want the rest of the fabrics I'm using to relate to
the overall look. I'm really happy with my fabric placements
so I'll be back at the sewing machine later today.

This is going much faster than I expected, so I think it will
only take a few days to complete my share of the construction.
Don't be too impressed...it's not a huge quilt.
When finished, it will measure about 48" x 70".

I got a package in the mail yesterday, too.
Anne Sutton at Bunny Hill Designs had a drawing for her
newest fabric line
"Lily & Will".
I entered Anne's fabulous drawing and WON!
I'm over the moon about this collection, which isn't available
to the public until October. Anne is the designer and shared
three fat quarter and squares collections to her winners.
I chose the pink collection. It is a gorgeous series.
If you sew, I know you'll want to get these fabrics for yourself.

Thank you, Anne. I'm loving every piece and can't wait to
make something wonderful with my new fabrics.

A project progressing better than planned
and
a gift in the mail.
Made my day, I'm telling you!
Just made my day!

I'm Ready Now...

Yesterday was spent regrouping in the studio.
I do [have to do] this after every major project.

You know the drill:
• clean off the cutting table
• put away all the stray spools of thread
• empty the waste baskets
• grab the compressed air and
blow all the lint off the machine parts
• vacuum up all the little threads
• assemble the materials for the next project

The studio is clean now, and waiting for me to walk through
the door to start the Williamsburg Consort fundraiser quilt.

Today, there will be a lot of fabric going under the rotary cutter.
I hope that tomorrow I can show you piles of fabric in various
shapes and sizes just waiting for me to begin sewing!

The photo today is another item in the studio.
It's a cabochon, reminiscent of Wedgewood, with acorns
adorning its surface. The cab is mounted on a magnet which
attracts to another magnet that you place on the backside of
your fabric or project to hold your needles.
Soon enough I'll show you where I have it in the studio.
Not yet, though. (giggle)

I'm joining the Bloggerette's Sorority! Our
hostess is Karen from Some Days Are Diamonds.
Just click on the button to learn all about it.
Our Rush event will be June 25, 2010. Would
you like to take part? There's still time to sign
up. Come on! It's going to be fun.

My Productive Monday...

Monday began with me deciding to make the heirloom
garment bag to protect Liam's christening ensemble.

I began with the pocket detail on the back of the garment bag.
It will be used to hold the photo and information about
me, Liam, and all the future babies to wear this ensemble.

This is the front of the garment bag.
I've added a special acorn charm to the zipper pull...

and, the pocket is on the back of the finished piece.

The only thing left is to write my letter to Liam
and my descendants to place in the pocket.
I need to put some thought to that, and if
you'd like, I'll share it with you when it's written.

Then, the entire ensemble will be ready to travel
with me to Wisconsin this month.

But that wasn't all I did on Monday.
I also sewed this project...

On Wednesday, I'm going to Sarasota to meet my friend, Marion.

She and I met online through Ravelry a couple of years ago and
really hit it off because we have a lot in common.

She's a lover of all things outdoors; hunts and fishes like me;
and this gal also has her own motorcycle! She's another
creative soul, making the most beautiful glass beads, too!

She's in Sarasota for her niece's graduation now, and we're
going to spend the day together on Wednesday. We've spent
time getting acquainted online and on the telephone, and now
I'm so tickled that we will finally meet one another face-to-face.

Because I don't want to meet her empty-handed,
I decided to make one of my Sweet Treat bags for her.
These make up quickly and are so useful.
It could come in handy for her knitting,
sewing or jewelry projects-in-progress.

I chose a fabric that I hope will remind her of her trip to FL (she
lives in Michigan, so we have the Midwest in common, too),
and I'll be tucking a few surprises inside the bag to fill it out.
I had such fun choosing the sweet, little fish button to adorn it.
Think she'll like it?

Last, but not least, I want to show you the fabrics for my next project.
It's time to make the Williamsburg Consort fund raiser quilt to take
to Virginia in September. I need to finish it with plenty of time for
the long-arm quilt artist to do her magic after I do all the piecing.

Hope you'll follow along on this project, too.
Handsome is going to be in Pennsylvania for ten days
(he was invited to attend Allegheny College School of Adult Music),
so my plan is to make up this quilt and have it ready for the
long-arm by the time he returns. Think I can do it?