Out On A Limb

Hello friends! After (for the most part) taking a week away from Blue Ribbon Designs, I am back and busy as ever in my studio. This week, I thought I would share my latest design creations for AccuQuilt. I recently designed and created four projects for the GO! Owl cutting die, so I thought it would be fun to share one with you each day this week. Today, let's talk about the GO! Out On a Limb Notebook Cover.

This in-an-afternoon project is perfect for a beginner or someone new to machine appliqué. It combines simple piecing of strips and 4-patch blocks with a touch of appliqué. One owl is appliquéd on the front and one on the back...and leaves (which are owl wings in green) are placed on the 4-patch branch. The cover has two inside pocket flaps that hold a standard 7½” x 9¾” composition notebook/journal (easily found where office supplies are sold - I purchased mine at Walmart at a price of $0.88 each) and the cover is tied shut with coordinating grosgrain ribbon. The Island Batik fabrics work wonderfully...however, I can see this notebook cover in an assortment of prints and colors…and it's the perfect handmade gift for a friend or special occasion. I used a blanket stitch for the machine appliqué, but a satin stitch or zig-zag stitch would be a good fit, as well. You can also play with the placement of the owl eyes and wings to make it your own...plus, this is a great scrap project, perfect for experimenting with color and pattern...great for a child, teen, or adult...

....and the good news...for a very limited time, this pattern is available to download for FREE on the AccuQuilt website...simply visit: http://www.accuquilt.com/shop/go-out-on-a-limb-notebook-cover-pattern.html

GO! Out On a Limb Notebook Cover - Front

GO! Out On a Limb Notebook Cover - Back

GO! Out On a Limb Notebook Cover - Outside

GO! Out On a Limb Notebook Cover - Inside

You can read more about my four owl designs on the AccuQuilt Blog, where I recently did a guest post...and be sure to return tomorrow when I will share another one of my GO! Owl creations...

On The Agenda...

It is going to be another busy week here at the Blue Ribbon Designs studio! I have so many projects and activities in the works...but really, when are things ever calm here?? I have a list a mile long...so it is a good GREAT thing my dear friend in California send me an AMAZING journal to keep my thoughts and lists organized...isn't it adorable?! I just love the sentiments, ribbons, and pictures on the cover...and have already filled multiple pages with writing, trying to keep myself on track...

Here is a little bit about what is going on in my world...
I made a trip to the local quilt shop last Friday to pick-up more machine embroidery thread - I have been making all sorts of machine embroidered lace snowflake ornaments to list in my Etsy shop...they are not posted yet, but will be soon - I am finishing up a HUGE batch before listing them. I will post some photos and more details here when I am ready to put them in the shop...

Of course when I visited the quilt shop, a couple other things caught my eye...I just adore the line of fabric Odds and Ends by Julie Comstock of Cosmo Cricket for Moda (the large piece of fabric in the photo)! I have a fun plan for this fabric...and of course I needed a few zippers...and a pattern by one of my favorite designers (Terry Atkinson) called "Popovers" - cute little pouches that will be perfect for the holidays...

My days have been filled working on the printing files for two new design releases - "Sunflower Serenade" and "Berries, Birds, and Blooms". I have finished up the files and the designs are now in printing production. There will be more details posted soon and I will have a release date for you in the near future (patience please). I have also been working on a large new project...and I can't give you any information just yet...but know there is something VERY special in the works and you will be hearing all about it SOON! I also have the class design for the Elegant Stitch Workshop underway...Lois has a "teaser" up on her website, but there will be much more information on this project in the coming weeks, as well....just give me a little more time.

I really wish I had some time for sewing and quilting, but things have been a bit hectic - I do have some fun ideas for holiday sewing and I hope to share some with you in the coming weeks! I am actually going through a bit of sewing machine withdrawal - I am just itching to work on a new project or two....however, that will have to wait while I work on a custom order for twenty-five needlebooks (yes, I really need more hours in each day!)...

So, I am off to tackle more items on my list...and get in my exercise for the day - a power walk (more on that later this week)...plus Simba needs a little attention too...

My Christmas...

“Friends are the family we choose for ourselves” - this quote by Edna Buchanan comes to mind as I type this post today. I am so very blessed to have an amazing small circle of friends to call family. Today was Christmas with my two very dear friends, Merry and Kimber...we had such a wonderful afternoon. We met at a local cafe for lunch to celebrate the holidays - and what a marvelous time we had! If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you know the three of us tend to go "overboard" each time we get together...and Christmas gives us yet another excuse to spoil each other with gifts! Lunch was delicious and filled with conversation and giggling...and I enjoyed every minute of it...Merry and Kimber truly inspire me and always lift my spirits and encourage me. After lunch, Merry ordered a trio of desserts for us to share that was "sinful" to say the least - it was a lovely sampling of sweet treats...and then it was time for our annual Christmas gift exchange. I have to tell you, this post might be a little long, as there were so many gifts to open...the restaurant host was wise to put us in a corner booth, as it seemed we were there for hours!

I always make a special gift or two for both Merry and Kimber...and then I like to give them some small purchased items...and I always like to give each of them a nice hardcover book to add to their shelves. This year, I made Merry a knitting needle case (which was much more labor intensive than I anticipated, but I was thrilled with the results when it was finished) and a matching large, lined drawstring bag (both were made from the retired fabric line Madeira by Blackbird Designs for Moda - one of her favorites). For Kimber, I made a personalized quilted journal cover and a matching large, lined drawstring bag out of some pink/brown owl fabric that I know she loves (Life's A Hoot by Tammy Anderson for ADORNit). I had so much fun filling their drawstring bags with wrapped goodies (I brought each of them items back from CA and NH) and choosing the books for this year's exchange!

Now - get ready to be inspired, as I share with you the unique items they gifted me this year!

I started by opening Kimber's gifts - and first, I have to share her wrapping paper and decorative box with you - both were adorned with owls! I had to carefully open my presents to save the paisley owl Christmas paper...and the LARGE Chinese takeout style box is one of the cutest I have ever seen - I have to find a fun use for it...

Kimber has the very best taste and finds the most unique and personal gifts - I was just blown away when opening the packages from her! The box was filled with tiny treasures - a special Fiskars paper punch, decorative adhesive tapes, vintage wooden spools, a charm pack of fabulous fabric (Full Circle by Kathy Schmitz for Moda), a lovely notepad, and a package of pretty floss bobbins!

In the large bag, there were several incredible gifts - check out this FABULOUS sewing bird - I LOVE him (or her). This pincushion is about 6.5" H x 9.5" W...and the wings are pockets. Kimber put a package of vintage rick rack in one of the pockets...and the other had vintage look needle packaging. The tag tied on the side says "The Early Bird Gets The Pins!"... and there is a round tag on the front that says "Sew Prim"...isn't it just the coolest??! Oh how I adore this...can't you see me with an entire flock??

Over the past months, I have been asking Kimber all sorts of gardening questions (after-all, she is an expert)...now that all the outdoor work is done on our home, I am ready to start planting this spring. Kimber was thoughtful enough to give me a book on perennial gardening - which is perfect, as she knows I want to plant perennial flowers!

And look what else - this wonderful holiday scrapbook of sorts - it is a canvas covered journal with blank brown paper pages, perfect for writing down my Christmas memories....

Merry did her absolute best to spoil both of us, as well. You all know how multi-talented Merry is...she can stitch, sew, bake, cook, knit, crochet, and just about any other creative thing you can think of...and she does them all SO WELL! Many times you have seen her stellar kitchen skills on my blog - I really am blessed - she makes me goodies all year long - for absolutely no reason - she takes very good care of me. Here is a photo of some holiday treats she made for me....five (yes, FIVE) bags of homemade Biscotti -plain (anise), gingerbread, snickerdoodle, chocolate, and almond chocolate....and see the little house in the photo - it is filled with her homemade Butterfinger Bites (I put a couple in front of the house for the photo) for my husband (and I will definitely be trying one!)...and in the back is a large bottle of homemade Black Raspberry Liqueur (which she "forced" me try and it is delicious)!

...and although that was more than enough - Merry had piles of other special presents for me...she makes me the best pressies....like these gorgeous socks she knitted especially for me....

and this unbelievable beehive pincushion/tape measurer with homemade pins (yep, she made the pins using Shrinky Dinks!)...this seriously brought tears to my eyes. It is so adorable and very tiny - it is only about 2" tall...and it is incredibly detailed...plus Merry knows my grandfather was a beekeeper and the sentiment this gift would have for me. It is amazing...

She also made me a quilted craft pouch for my paper piecing materials and supplies - how awesome is this?? It will hold my tiny cutting mat, small rotary cutter, my add a quarter rulers, plus all sorts of other supplies!

Before I share the last item she made for me, I just have to share a photo of a special box that was in with my gifts - it looks like a book and is decorated with birds, crowns, butterflies, and birdcages...way cool! The photo all shows additional gifts that she slipped in the gift bag - a couple adorable round magnets she made, a metal reindeer ornament, special lip balm, swankie hankies, and the cutest owl stamp set....

and lastly, I have to share this AMAZING magnetic needlework tray she made...it is a small vintage tray/plate (3.25" H x 6" W) - she placed a very strong magnet on the bottom that holds the gold scissors in place (along with pins and needles) and added a handmade wool biscornu pincushion with a gold vintage button in the corner...then she added three crystal pins. I thought this was ingenious and strikingly beautiful - it is so very special!

I truly hope today's post has inspired you and you have more ideas for gift giving!

I have had the happiest of holidays and feel so very blessed. To my close circle of friends (you know who you are) thank you for being my family - I love you all and thank the heavens above for your friendship.

"But friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life, and thanks to a benevolent arrangement the greater part of life is sunshine." - Thomas Jefferson

Sewing and Stitching

I have been spending the majority of my days stitching/designing new models and sewing/quilting my holiday gifts - I am keeping busy from sun"up" until way past sun"down". Today I managed to finish up three personalized journals...and my list is down to one wall hanging quilt and one other larger project and then all my gifts will be complete - I am hoping to start wrapping and shipping early next week. I can only show you one of the journals, as the fabrics were chosen for specific recipients (and they all read my blog)...so I am only showing you one and I have removed the name...maybe you will get a peek at the others in the future.

I have shown quite a few of these journal covers to you before - they are so much fun to work on...and easy to personalize! For those of you who are new to my blog - here are the specifics details... The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal - this is a great project for using up scraps of fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the journal in my photo is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and to top it off, make a lovely gift! I have made quite a few of these and each one is unique and special - I like to embroider the recipients name on a piece of wool felt or fabric and applique it to the front...and there are so many other ways you could make these covers recipient specific. I hope you will try making one of these fun quilted journals...for yourself...and/or a friend!

Sunday Sewing

It's been too long since I had a Sunday afternoon of sewing...and today, I finally made time to work on some gifts. I started out working on a couple personalized journals (shown below)...these are one of my favorite gifts to make. I enjoy choosing fabrics for the recipients...and using my 5D Professional Software to machine embroider names for the covers (the Express Monogram Wizard in the software makes it SO easy!). The two shown below have the names blurred as I have obviously not given them to the recipients yet.

I have been cherishing this fabric (Willimasburg R Presents The Sampler Collection by Windham Fabrics - this is an older, retired fabric). I have shown quite a few of these journal covers to you before - they are so much fun to work on...and easy to personalize! The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal - this is a great project for using up scraps of fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the journals in my photo below is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and to top it off, make a lovely gift! I have made quite a few of these and each one is unique and special - I like to embroider the recipients name on a piece of wool felt or fabric and applique it to the front...and there are so many other ways you could make these covers recipient specific. I hope you will try making one of these fun quilted journals...for yourself...and/or a friend!

After completing the two journals, I had several leftover sections of quilted scrap fabric...and some tiny scrap pieces...so I decided to put them to good use and make three tuffet pincushions. I love making these pincushions and I just couldn't let any of this special fabric go to waste. This was my first attempt at making a couple "longer" versions of this tuffet; and I have to say, I do like how they turned out...I even tried adding some cotton lace trim around the perimeter of one. I usually back these pincushions with wool fabric and add a few unique pins for a special touch. So, if you decide to make yourself a quilted journal, be sure to take advantage of your leftover scraps and make a coordinating pincushion or two!

Personalized Quilted Journal Covers

Recently I have been working on several new Blue Ribbon Designs, leaving minimal time for sewing/quilting/other projects...but I did arrange a few hours this past weekend to finish up a birthday gift for my friend Lorrie...and do a little more piecing on my Nine-Patch Pixie quilt. I had been saving this lovely sampler fabric (Willimasburg R Presents The Sampler Collection by Windham Fabrics) with shades of blue especially for Lorrie, as blue is her favorite color...I decided I would make her a quilted journal - one of my favorite things to sew.

I have shown a couple of these journal covers to you before - they are so much fun to work on...and easy to personalize! The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal - this is a great project for using up scraps of fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the samples in the photos is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and to top it off, make a lovely gift! I have made quite a few of these and each one is unique and special - I like to embroider the recipients name on a piece of wool felt or fabric and applique it to the front...and there are so many other ways you could make these covers recipient specific. I hope you will try making one of these fun quilted journals...for yourself...and/or a friend!

It's My Blogiversary

I had no intentions of posting today, as I leave for the New England Stitching Retreat at 8:30 AM tomorrow morning...I have such a pile of things to do before I leave...BUT, I couldn't miss my 1-year Blogiversary! Yep, it's been a whole year since my first post...and looking back, what a year it has been!! I have really enjoyed this first year - 140 posts sharing my favorite projects, giving some of my creations away...and of course meeting fellow needleworkers and new friends - thank you all so much for your comments! I am so happy I decided to start this "blog" journey...and I am thrilled to have so many fun followers and readers...

House Finch Update - the egg total remains at five...so looks like in about a week I will have a photo of five baby birds to share with you!

...and one photo to share. I managed to find time to work on a couple gifts this week - two more quilted journals. These were done with the same free pattern I have shared with you before...the pattern is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. I took these gifts to Marie at ABC Stitch Therapy and Kathy from New England Stitching Retreats - a small thank you for all their all their hard work and a memento from their first stitching retreat (which I hope is the first of many to come!)...

Well, that is my short update for today....I am off to teach at a retreat in New Hampshire tomorrow morning and won't be back until very late Sunday night...I am taking my laptop with me, so we will see if I find any time to do an update while I am gone...

Wishing you all a wonderful week...and thanks for making my first blog year such a joy!

A Work In Progress...

"Can you bend it?" (the first question asked to me by my husband after smashing my finger while we were doing some snow and ice removal)...it was a freak accident...and my poor first finger (the pointer) on my dominant hand was crushed...and there is a high possibility it could be broken. So for the last few days, I have been barely able to type or grip anything...and even worse, I have been unable to hold a needle....but yes, "I can bend it". Thank goodness, the ice and ibuprofen must be doing the trick, because it is much better today (with the exception of it being horrible shades of black, blue, and purple)...and I have been typing gingerly and have even been doing some model stitching! It is a good day...and I am finally able to type a blog update...

So I thought I would share with you the machine needle felted journal with some embellishing. To me, pieces like this are always a "work in progress"...all of a sudden I will feel the need to add something...so it could definitely "grow" and change over time. I added lots of fun machine stitches with rayon, metallic, and cotton threads...some beads....and some buttons. I like to have sketch books and notebooks readily available to jot down ideas, phrases, and design layouts...pretty much anything I think of that sparks my creativity. This little journal with bright and springy colors will be the perfect place to record things that inspire me...

Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas ~ Number Seven

Today's homemade holiday gift idea is a quilted journal...and although, these may look complicated to make, they might actually be easier than you think! I have shown a couple of these to you before, but yesterday I made four more for gifts. The ones shown below have the recipient's name embroidered on the cover; therefore, I have chosen to "white out" the names until the gifts are received. The cover actually fits over a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store - it measures 9 3/4" h x 7 1/2"w. The supply list is minimal...this is a great project for using up scrap fabric...and they can easily be embellished with all sorts of trims, buttons, and/or embroidery. Best of all, there are two FREE patterns available online! The pattern used for the samples in the photos is from an older Quilts and More Quarterly Challenge and can be found in PDF form on the allpeoplequilt.com website. For a slightly smaller version (made to fit a spiral bound A5 art diary 8 1/4" h x 6 1/4" w) visit the Moda Bake Shop Blog for an excellent tutorial called "Journal Covers". These journals are the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts....and make a lovely holiday gift!

Food, fabric, and flour sack towels...

Still catching up on life...but took another break today to have lunch with a couple girlfriends and make an impromptu trip to the quilt shop. We had lunch at a place I had never been to before called Cafe Fuzion (an Asian fusion restaurant) to celebrate my friend Merry's birthday. Great food, great company, and a great break in my busy week. Then a trip to the fabulous Creekside Quilting...which was made even better by their customer appreciation sale. I found some gorgeous new Christmas fabrics (not sure what I am going to make with them yet, but of course they had to come home with me). Pictured are the quilted journal and flour sack towels I made for birthday gifts. The embroidered flour sack towels were done on my machine - the digitized designs are from Embroidery Library and are called "Days Of The Week Redwork Barnyard"...I think my favorite day of the week is Saturday! It was great to have a few hours off after the push to get the new designs shipped this week. Tonight I continue working on a new winter design for (hopefully) October....

Quilting and Personalizing

This weekend I was lucky enough to do some quilting...and I just had to share this finish with you! It is a quilted journal cover and was made for my friend Mary for her birthday. The pattern is actually a freebie from the Quilts and More Magazine Quarterly Challenge...with my own little twist. I knew I wanted to add some personalization...so I used my new 4D monogram software to create a small patch that was added to the front. The journal is actually a composition notebook that can easily be found at any office supply store (especially with all the back-to-school sales starting) - it measures 9 3/4" x 7 1/2"...the perfect size for making a list, taking notes, or writing down your personal thoughts. In fact, I was so pleased with how this turned out, I am already picking fabrics to make more (maybe even one for myself)!