Lessons Learned...

So, it's been quite a while since my last post...but I have a good excuse...I have busy working on a large project with Annie's - a "Learn to Cross Stitch" video class. Over the last year we have been working on all the details - I have been writing a script, preparing five exclusive projects for the video, and gathering supplies and materials to use as props for the class. This week, I traveled to Berne, IN to their studios for two full days of filming (and the black cloud that has been following me made the trip too! - ugh!)...it was a lot of traveling and two days of hard work (the whole project was WAY more labor intensive than expected!)...I had to wear more make-up and hairspray than I have worn in my entire life...and I had to wear clothing that was not really my style and made me look old...but that was all needed for the bright lights and cameras. I had a bunch of very fun photographs of the set and filming....but I was told by the producer I could not share them, as they don't want their competitors to see how they do things...bummer...but I have a couple that I think are clear of technical details, just to give you a glimpse. The online class/DVD will not be ready for a while, as they still have to do quite a bit of production and editing...but I can tell you, it is a beginner class and covers all the basics - materials, tools, and notions - preparing for a project - how to read a chart - step-by-step Cross Stitch techniques - creative finishing ideas - pretty much all the basic information you can imagine. We cover Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, Partial Stitches, and pesky French Knots. If you know someone who can benefit from this Learn to Cross Stitch video, I'll be sure to post when it is available and all the specifics.

I did learn a few things - there are no good leafy green vegetables in the small town of Berne (especially in the winter) or healthy meal options...the weather was pretty much the same as in Iowa (cold/snow/ice/wind), except a little warmer and a little less snow...local taxi drivers will share all sorts of interesting personal information (yes, I heard an entire story from a man who walks his cat on a leash with a harness)...and I'm really good at reading from a teleprompter and not so good at "winging it" during filming (I'm just too detailed!)...

Another thing I learned - Schatzi must have really missed her momma and our daily walks...
We just replaced her crate pad last week - she had already destroyed one...then I repaired/covered it with my sewing skills, only to have her chew another big hole in it. So a few days before I left, her new crate pad from K9 Ballistics arrived - they claim to have virtually "indestructible" dog beds and crate pads that are "chew & scratch resistant"...well, her new TUFF crate pad lasted only four days. While I was out of town, I received this photo from my husband, showing the destroyed crate pad and the culprit...this was sent to the company to get our warranty replacement...

So now that my part of this huge video class project is complete, things should start to get back to normal. I have a few magazine deadlines to work on...a few new releases to prepare...more work on the new/improved website...more sewing/quilting projects...and a few surprises to complete, as well... Tonight and this weekend, I will take a deep breath and just dive in...

Sunday Samplings...

Congratulations to Pat M. - she is the recipient of my latest giveaway - I have already e-mailed Pat with the details. Thank you to everyone who entered the "Extra Special Giveaway" - thank you to the Rafflecopter widget for organizing the entries and randomly choosing a winner - and a very special thank you to Rina for providing the inspiration and zippered project bag for the prize! If you didn't win this time, please don't be discouraged - there will be more giveaway opportunities in the future...

Today, I will be in my sewing studio working on several commissioned quilting projects - it is the perfect day to spend sewing and quilting...and who knows, I may just get in some model stitching this evening! My fingers will be keeping busy...

...and before I forget...for those of you who have been asking about Simba and Schatzi - they are getting along better each day...and yes, Schatzi is growing like a weed - she isn't even a year old yet and is already around the 80-pound mark! Here they are, side by side, waiting for dad to finish making their Kong treats...

Schatzi LOVES the snow and cold...here she is (our "baby" girl), playing outside during a recent snow storm...and yes, she is starting to grow into those ears!

...Simba, on the other hand, rather be curled up inside on my quilt...and I can't blame him...

Enjoy your day...and I will be back with more creative inspiration soon!

Perfect for Pressing

There are a lot of things happening in my world right now...I am model stitching new releases, I am sewing up a storm (some commissioned work, some personal pieces, and some Etsy items), I am working on a fancy new look for my BRD website, and I am hammering out several large deadlines.

This past weekend, I was quite busy in my studio, working on several sewing projects...including a birthday gift for a dear friend. She is a dog lover, just like me, so I used some fun cotton quilting prints to make her a pincushion. The top is a broken dishes quilt block using Max & Whiskers by BasicGrey for Moda...and the bottom is an adorable dog bone print (Man's Best Friend designed for Exclusively Quilters). I pinned on a wool felt heart and added some decorative pins for a special touch...just a small surprise to brighten her birthday!

My old iron...

But, there is a little more to the story...after getting all the shapes cut for the pincushion and the initial piecing done, I went to my trusty old Oliso TG800 iron to do a little pressing...and when I turned it on, nothing happened...it had completely died. Now, I can't say that I am surprised, as Travis had bought me this iron in early 2006 and I pretty much have it running for hours every single day - I am not sure what the average life of an iron is, but after using this one daily for 8 years, I feel like it held up REALLY well - I'm mean, let's face it, I am extemely hard on an iron! I had known for a couple months that it was on it's last leg, as it was acting a little quirky, but I was pretty much devastated when it refused to turn on. My husband happened to be out running errands and I called and asked him to pick me up a cheap iron, just to get by until I had a chance to get a new Oliso. Well, to my surprise, he returned home with a new Oliso Pro (TG1600) - woohoo! - a newer fancier model designed for quilters and sewers - I was so excited - giddy, really...I know, I know, it's only an iron, but this is a top-of the-line iron for a quilter and when you use it daily, all the extra perks with this model make a HUGE difference. He called it my early birthday gift...and although I think birthday gifts should be "pretty, not practical", I will happily accept this one! Right away, I could see improvements and changes...like a longer cord - my old model had an 8' cord, but the new one has a 12' cord - so much better! Another thing I am happy about - the stay on time is quite a bit longer - my older iron shut-off after 8 minutes of no use...the new one shuts-off after 30 minutes of no use - so much better when quilting! I know an iron is really personal preference and there are good and bad reviews about every single model out there - but after the great experience I had with my first Oliso, I am just thrilled to have a new one...and I am hoping it will last at least 8 years (or more!)...

So with my fancy new yellow iron heated up and ready to go, I am off to press a pile of quilt blocks with a big smile on my face...it is truly the little things that bring me happiness!

Graduation Day

We are overjoyed our (not so) little girl Schatzi is coming home this weekend!...who knew I would miss her so much??! Our nine-month-old German Shepherd puppy has been up in Minnesota for two months at puppy boot camp...otherwise known as formal obedience training...and is graduating (hopefully with honors) this weekend. My husband and I have been counting down the days until her return...and the day is finally here...Saturday she will be back home, keeping my feet warm and racing around the house with Simba. We received several fun photos this week, where she is doing her best to be patient in a room full of companions...

....but what made our week, was her graduation video...we received the link tonight and I just couldn't wait to share it with you...here is our little girl in action, showing off some of her new skills! Here is the YouTube link: http://youtu.be/yoYfgEaR07s, for those of you who can't watch it play below...

I'm sure I will have more to share after we pick her up this weekend...

In Blue Ribbon Designs news, my latest designs "Woodland Tree Farm" and "Quilt Block Christmas" shipped earlier this week and are currently arriving in needlework shops....it has been a productive week and I will have more fun and creative things to share with you real soon!!

Happy Birthday Simba!

It is hard to believe we rescued our little king Simba ten (yes, I said TEN) years ago...and to think I was furious when my husband called and told me he adopted a dog...now I can't live without him...

We adopted Simba from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, here in Des Moines. To be honest, at the time, I really didn't want a dog - I just felt they were a lot of work and responsibility and my plate is usually quite full...but my husband was very adamant about bringing a dog into our household. He actually wanted a larger hunting dog and had been (unsuccessfully) trying to talk me into one for several years. I'll never forget the phone call I received from him the day after Thanksgiving telling me he just rescued a dog - of course I was at work (typical "do it now, ask for forgiveness later"). He told me he was picking me up from work and he would have our new dog with him....and to my surprise it was a Shih Tzu - a much smaller dog than I expected. At that time, Simba wasn't in the best of shape - you could tell he had not been well cared for - but as soon as I sat down in the vehicle, he curled up in a little ball on my lap and just looked up at me with the most amazing eyes - I was done for! Poor baby was completely shaved, micro-chipped, fixed, and got an array of tests and shots within about 24 hours - plus a brand new home...but he never lost his sweet, calm, and loving demeanor. When we adopted him, the ARL thought he was about a year old, so we celebrate his birthday every (day after) Thanksgiving...so today (Friday) he turned 11 (wow, how time flies!)...and although he came to us in pretty bad shape, he now lives like a KING (yes, my friends and family will tell you how much I spoil him)...just look at that happy face in the photo above!

Simba is definitely a lap dog and is his happiest when he can be on mine...in fact, he gets quite frustrated when I am working or in my studio. He has two beds that he will sleep in when a lap is unavailable...and one is right at my feet at my work desk...he is always by my side. Here he is perturbed that I am working...I just love that face...

....and in other dog news...we pick up Schatzi (our German Shepherd puppy) in Minnesota next weekend...yep, her two months of formal obedience training are almost complete and we are picking her up on December 7th. She is now nine months old (can you believe it?)...we can't wait to see her and see how much she has learned! We worked with her extensively before she left for boot camp, so we hope she had a great foundation for the last two months of training (which included: confidence building, obedience training, proper etiquette, field trips, running on a treadmill, and socialization with other dogs). I'm sure I'll have a very good update for you when she is home. Here is a photo we received this week (she is with Josiah, one of the trainers at  Neuman K-9 Academy) - she went on a field trip to the local strip mall in White Bear Lake, MN, where she practiced obedience in the presence of distractions like people going in or out of stores, dogs walking with owners, traffic, delivery trucks, and overall obedience in a new place...she also practiced holding a down stay on the sidewalk next to traffic, auto sitting and focusing before the crosswalk, waiting to get out of a vehicle, and impulse control....she also worked on good etiquette when meeting and greeting people...

On the creative front, I have been focused on the two new winter designs I will be shipping in a few days..."Woodland Tree Farm" and "Quilt Block Christmas"...both are in the final stages of printing production and I am hoping to start shipping them to shops by mid-week - I will do a blog post that focuses on each design in the next day or two, so you will have all the juicy details. I have also been working on a pair of designs for The World of Cross Stitching magazine...and a special video project for Annie's Publishing...plus a pile of other Blue Ribbon Designs deadlines and ideas. Busy is a blessing and I am finally getting back in the swing of things after my trip to California and the Komen 3-Day walk. I'll be back soon to tell you all about "Woodland Tree Farm"....

Meet Schatzi...

Travis with Schazti when we picked her up in MN...8 weeks old...

Hello friends! I finally have a moment to myself and thought I would do a quick blog update...things have been a bit hectic in our household to say the least... Last weekend we drove up to Minnesota to pick up "Schatzi", our new German Shepherd puppy...and she is a handful (to put it kindly). She is all puppy and is definitely keeping me on my toes. The name Schatzi is German for "little treasure"...and although she is not going to be little for long, she is definitely a treasure (she was 19.5 pounds at her vet visit last Sunday). I pretty much have her attached at the hip for 17-18 hours a day...the other six or seven hours is during the night when she is sleeping in her kennel...at this age, I can't let her out of my sight for long, or she is busy being a puppy (finding things to chew or "exploring"). She is doing quite well with the house training and is already going to the front door when she needs a potty break (which is often). So far, Simba is "tolerating" her...they aren't best friends yet, but they can handle being in the same space. Here are a few photos for those who asked...then we will talk about other things...

First night in our home...8 weeks old...

A calm moment in our yard - 9 weeks old...

Play time in the yard...9 weeks old...

Now on to other things...
I am still dealing with a terrible cough in my chest and I'm feeling rundown...but the other flu symptoms have subsided...which is a great thing! Thank you for the well wishes and the home remedies you have have shared with me...I am hoping I am finally on the mend.

I have finished the class project for the New England Stitcher's Retreat and have sent finished photos and details to the event coordinators...as soon as I have the okay, I will be sharing all the information with you!

I have quite a few Blue Ribbon Designs "irons in the fire" right now...and I am doing my best to get some new releases ready...plus a special project is in the works and I will have details soon. The flu and the puppy have slowed me down, but I am hoping to be back on track in the next week or so...

On the sewing/quilting front, there is not much news...but I did manage to finish some fun birthday gifts over the last couple weeks and I will be sharing those with you in the next few days...

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend and experiencing sunshine in your little corner of the world...take time to do something you enjoy!

A Guaranteed Smile...

Thank you all for your notes about the new puppy joining our family in just over a week. The puppies will be 8 weeks old on the 9th on May...and we will be making the journey to Minnesota to pick up our "pink collar" girl on Saturday, May 11th. Many of you would like to know if we have a name picked out yet...well, we do have a name in mind, but we will be waiting until we spend a little more time with her before making it official. I don't have any new photos to share with you today, but I do have this adorable video...guaranteed to make you smile! Here is the entire litter of nine and their momma (Anna) out for a morning stroll...enjoy...