Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com
Greetings friends! It is new project tutorial day - time to share my October project created for the Therm O Web blog with you. I always enjoy putting on my Fabric Education Designer hat and creating new projects/tutorials to share with you. For the month of October, the blog is focused on last-minute Halloween projects, holiday gifts, and fall decor. I created a brand new project that was posted yesterday - it is a complete project tutorial for my Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt. My comprehensive tutorial contains a complete supply list, printable pattern with appliqué templates, and step-by-step directions with color photos. 

This autumn decor project (suitable for year-round display) is perfect for using up scraps and good for beginners. What makes it "sparkling?" For this tutorial I used a brand new product - HeatnBond Sparkle Paste by Jennifer Long of Sew a Story. If you are familiar with my projects, then you know that I am not necessarily a "glitter or sparkle" type of girl...but this product has changed my stance! This magical paste can be applied with a paintbrush or a palette knife to add sparkle and shine to ANY fabric or felt…and after curing, it won’t flake off. I now *need* Sparkle Paste in all 14 colors - seriously. It applies so easily and you can control exactly how much glittery shine you want. I applied the Sparkle Paste to the sunflower petals and that added shine is PERFECTION. I hope you will stop by the Therm O Web blog and check out my project and tutorial...

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

This is an easy, fall project that can definitely be a scrap buster...make it as planned or as scrappy as you like! It combines easy appliqué shapes on a solid background. For this post, I used HeatnBond Sparkle Paste, HeatnBond Pressing Paper, HeatnBond Lite EZ-Print Iron-On Adhesive Sheets, HeatnBond Fusible Fleece and SpraynBond Basting Adhesive Fabric Spray. Visit the tutorial post for a complete and detailed supply list.

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

To find the exact wrought iron quilt hanger I used, along with other supplies listed, visit my Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt Supply List on Amazon (full disclosure: as an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases - I only share products I actually use - and I truly appreciate you shopping from my links, thank you!). 

If you have questions on any Therm O Web or HeatnBond/SpraynBond products or would like to see a specific type of product in one of my projects, drop me a comment or email.

You will have to visit the ThermOWeb blog for my complete tutorial and pattern, but I am posting a few photos here...

Here is a direct link to the project tutorial:
https://blog.thermoweb.com/sparkling-sunflowers-mini-quilt

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com
Close-up for SPARKLE!

I hope this project gets you excited to create something special and unique...

I am creating monthly projects for the Therm O Web Blog and I will be sure to post here when I have a new tutorial available. My next project is scheduled to be on the Therm O Web blog on November 15th and I am working on a FUN holiday gift idea. Plus, November 12th I will be posting my latest Poppie Cotton projects for the Home Sweet Home fabric tour (you won't want to miss this adorable fabric collection).

Thank you for stopping by for a visit today - I always enjoy sharing with you. Have a great week and make time to work on something creative...

Sparkling Sunflowers Mini Quilt ©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 23, 2024

Grateful, Happy, Blessed

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com
Thank you for visiting with me again today friends! This will conclude my travel blog posts and we will get back to my regularly scheduled creative content over the next week.

After flying back to the United States  - Heathrow to Chicago O'hare - I spent one final night at my parent's house in northern, IL before heading back to Kansas City via train. Of course, I managed to snap a few more lovely photos on their property before making my way home. As you read (and saw through my photos), it was an incredible trip and I am still in awe that I was able to make this fabulous journey alongside my parents. Time with them is treasured and a huge blessing, so I arrived home a bit worn out but with a huge smile on my face. Of course, my husband and our two German Shepherds were very happy to see me - and while it is spectacular to travel and see more of the world, it is always good to be home. I hope you enjoyed traveling along with me...

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

I should also mention, this is the property where I collect all the acorn caps for my wool felted acorns. You can find a large selection of wool felted acorns in my etsy shop, in various colors.

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

My Love for London

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com
Greetings friends - we are now past the halfway mark of my most recent travel blog (don't worry, I will be back in a few short days with more stitching, sewing and finishing content!). When we last left off, we had finished our travels in Paris and were ready to make our way to London. 

I have to admit - I've never been a croissant person, but then again, I had never been to Paris before - most mornings with my breakfast in France, I had a croissant...and our last morning was no different...we thoroughly enjoyed our last breakfast at our hotel (they had the most quaint dining room), before our driver picked us up and we headed to Paris Gare du Nord (railway station) to get on the Eurostar (train) to London. A few details...for those who don't know, the Channel Tunnel (often called the 'Chunnel' for short) is an undersea tunnel linking northern France and southern England. The Eurostar travels at a speed of 186 miles per hour, except when traveling through the Channel Tunnel, where it travels at a speed of 100 miles per hour. The tunnel is is 31.5 miles long, with 23.5 miles under the English Channel, making it the world's longest undersea tunnel...and at its deepest, the tunnel is 246 feet below the sea level. It took just two hours and 16 minutes to travel from Paris to London and (bonus) we had a lovely meal on the train (you can see a video of the train and a photo of our meal on my London story highlights on Instagram).

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

After arriving in London, our driver took us to the Bloomsbury Hotel (a stylish, luxury hotel in London's city centre), that would be our home for the week. I also have a photo of the one of the restaurants in our hotel, Dalloway Terrace, a charming all-season restaurant resembling a secret garden. Our rooms were not quite ready yet, so we stored our luggage and walked to the British Museum for the afternoon. I really enjoyed this time with my second dad - he is an ancient history enthusiast and he made this visit extremely entertaining - we had a lot of fun searching the extensive museum for their most famous artifacts (like THE Rosetta Stone). Afterwards, we stopped at a local pub for fish and chips...

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

The following day, we had an early morning alarm, as we made our way by subway and train to Windsor for a wonderful tour of Windsor Castle (no photography inside). A highlight of this destination was viewing Queen Mary's Dolls' House (I was disappointed that no photos were allowed, but visit this link to see). Walking from the train station to the castle, we passed the Royal Windsor Pub and it had a dog friendly menu (which I thought was amazing!). Then, after a train ride back to London, we found a lovely local cafe called Salt and Pepper and enjoyed a nice lunch before taking a bus to Green Park and walking to Buckingham Palace. We had a very interesting tour of the palace (again, you cannot take photos inside)...I found the tour quite captivating, but I really fell in love with the Royal Gardens (where I took a very favorite photo - shown at the top of this post and below). We followed up a long day with room service (which was delish!).

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

It was another early morning the following day, as we made our to Stonehenge (via two subway trains and a 2-hour bus ride). It was a COLD and rainy morning at Stonehenge - but we arrived early and were able to see and walk the grounds with our tour before the major crowds arrived. I not only found the bus ride commentary by our guide engaging, but the the Stonehenge history was fascinating. I also found it quite delightful that Stonehenge was surrounded by fields of grazing sheep.  After traveling back to London we made our way to the Waterloo Pier for a Thames River Cruise, followed by a ride on the London Eye (Europe's tallest cantilevered observation wheel). Both the cruise and the London Eye were excellent ways to view the city! It was another busy day and after returning to the hotel, we (once again) opted for their wonderful room service for dinner.

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

The next busy day found us visiting Westminster Abbey for a tour (incredible!) and more views of Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. Then a lovely walk through St. James Park back to Buckingham Palace for the Changing of the Guard. My momma and I had a late lunch at Salt and Pepper, then we all made our way to the Tower of London. This was another intriguing place to explore with my second dad...and I was thrilled to see the Crown Jewels on display (again, no photos allowed). I loved seeing the ravens throughout the property and enjoyed hearing the rich history...plus the view of the Tower Bridge was spectacular.

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

©Copyright 2024 Belinda Karls-Nace/Blue Ribbon Designs, LLC http://www.blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

Personally, I found London to be a beautiful and captivating city - I definitely wanted to take in more of the historic sights and culture. I really hope my future finds me in London again, as I feel like we barely scratched the surface of this vibrant, authentic city... 

Stop back tomorrow for my final travel post - a few more photos from northern Illinois, before I headed home to Kansas City!