Dixie Classic Fair

Fall has officially arrived! The Dixie Classic Fair is in town.
Last night Speed Racer, DS & I went to the fair.

We walked the Midway, saw the animals, listened to country music in the Yesterday Village, walked through the Flower show (one of my favorites), saw the quilts and other arts & crafts, watched the 4-Her's with their animals (Happy Birthday 4-H) saw relatives & old friends

and ate!

My favorite is Cotton Candy.
m-m-m-m-m
If you haven't been to the fair. Time is quickly running out.
You better hurry, it's over tomorrow.

I've been busy as a bee!

I've been busy as a bee since last posting.

While using the embroidery option of my sewing machine to quilt this quilt.......

I made this "Mini Bow Tuck" bag. The first of December I will be teaching this bag at the LQS where I work.

It is now hanging in the shop.

(I like it so much, I made a second one (different fabric)to carry now. I couldn't wait till after the class.

And.....................

This bag , "Silver Handle" bag by QuiltsPlus. It's a cute little bag for ME. I really like this pattern. It is a quick little bag. The great thing is you can make as many different bag forms and change them at will to match your outfit. The frame is changable. I have the larger verison of this bag and really enjoy carrying it.

And last night I put the finsihing touches on this table topper.

"Holiday Happenings"

This also is for the LQS as a sample for another class

I will be teaching at

the end of this month.

I used the

Cedar Canyon rubbing plates and

paintstiks to make each of the

blocks.

The corner motifs where made by me to go with the rubbing plate designs.

Now that I have ALL my shop samples complete...

I have a few UFO's to complete..

m-m-m-m ............. which one do I do first!

I have been inspired!

I have found a new group of toys to play with from Cedar Canyon Textiles. I didn't get to go to Bernina University this past summer. :( But those who did from the shop came back with a LOT of new information. One of the big rages at BU were "Paintstiks on Fabric".
So the first conversation from those who went to conference upon returning went something like this...
"M" you need to get up a class using these products, they are just up your alley. They were demonstrated there and EVERYONE was excited about the finished projects. They were just

Beau-ti-ful!

So I have experimented with them. And they are fun to work with. You can get very interesting effects with them. A little on the messy side....but who doesn't like a little mess every once in a while?

The paint sticks come in Matte & Iridescent colors. (Of course I'm an Iridescent color gal!) However the Matte sticks come in a wider variety of colors. But have no fear....there is an Iridescent Blender that can transform the matte colors into Iridescent wonders.

Using the 2-hour Paintstik Lesson plan the"girls" got at BU....here are the results with the first experience with them. CCT has rubbing plates in 7 different designs ( curves, Op art, leaves, triangles,garden flowers, floral fantasy and Holiday Happenings) Fun, fun, fun. Beside doing rubbings, you can use pre-made or make your own stencils.

Then I got down the the nitty-gritty and did their "Leaves" pattern for the next project using Paintstiks.

Here are 3 of the 6 blocks I made.

Ginkgo Leaf,

Maple leaf,

and the beginnings of the Oak leaf.

The pattern calls for making the blocks into a 27" x 40" quilt, but being the rebel I am, I choose to make 2 table runners for my dining room table & buffet.

Ah-h-h, I think they turned out right pretty! Don't you?

(And....Yes, I am going to teach this class in October.)

Now I'm off to finishing my next Paintstik project....Holiday Happenings. Pictures to come later.

Have a great day!

Busy-busy summer!

I can't believe the blogging bug has passes me by. The pass few weeks of summer has flown by. It has been busy here on Fernleaf Lane. Working at the shop has taken up a lot of my time. There have been 2 of the girls out with health issues and how another has left for a teaching job in Gastonia. I am happy for her, but sad for the shop. With three employees out all the rest of us has had to pick up the extra days & hours they worked. Hopefully soon those at home recoping will be back this us.
I have been able to spend a week at the beach with DH, and the DD & SnL and DS & DnL AND the granddog! We had a house full.
I had to get a new computer and have not had time to download and pictures, so this is a pictureless post. Just wanted to let everyone know I am still here, just busy!
Hope you all have a great Labor Day Weekend. (And I don't know to go to the shop ALL weekend! So excited to having some MY TIME.)

L-O-N-G overdue......

Where to begin! The month of June has come & gone......and the middle of July is here. Where oh where has the time gone? It has been busy ...many projects completed . Here are only a few.

The quilt to the left started out small, but while some of the blocks were up on my designer wall DD came in and fell in love with the fabric and arrangement I had designed. So-o-o-o I was asked to make it Queen size for her extra bedroom. She plans on displaying it on the bed her Nana gave to her. The pillow shams are to be made from the brown & blue floral stripe fabric with large purple cording . I have named this quilt "Ashley's City Blooms" after the name of the fabric line. I designed the quilt from scratch, no pattern.

This is for two future classes I will be teaching in the next few weeks at the LQS where I work. The first being a Machine Crazy Patch technique class using Bobbin work for the fancy stitches.

Then the second class is making the

"Big Steel Ball Frame Purse" by Quilts Plus. My idea was to have a project that those who take my MCP techniques class or the Machine Needle Felting techniques class could use their samples as the front of the bag.
DS asked me to make a needle-point belt for him. (Our children really know how to get us to do things for them!) So-o-o-o, I began the belt for him. After about a week he decided I wasn't getting it finished fast enough, so he asked me to show him how to needle point. I did and the rest is history. He has completed all the stitching and is now waiting for it to come back made up into his belt. I am so proud of what he has done and surprised.

This is a baby gift that was given to my daughter-in-laws sister who is expecting her first child in August. Other goodies in the bag were burp cloths, small changing pad quilt to match the bag and other goodies for the traveling baby.

Also the end of June found the family at VIR for the Sold Cup which DH raced in. Here he is getting buckled into his car prior to the start of one of his races. (He finished 2nd in his group)

Also Memorial Day weekend found DD and I in Asheville for a girls only overnight. Shopping and the Biltmore House were on the agenda. The gardens at Biltmore were beautiful.

There were other projects started , but not complete...

(surprised that they aren't finished...I am not) I have got to finish each project before starting a new one. Also what would help is not signing up to teach a class unless I have a completed sample. (I promise myself every newsletter that I won't do it again......but oh well.....it doesn't happen!

Just had to share!

Back in the winter DHubby , B-I-L and other close friends did the male bonding thing and went to Arkansas duck hunting. Here is a video of pictures taken on the trip. Why anyone wants to get up early in the morning (well before sun rise) and stand out in the COLD is not what I call fun. But I quess being a North Carolina "boy" doesn't mind the hardships of duck hunting. Enjoy!