WOW: Getting Easter Ready

  WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays  

Twenty years ago, I used to make my own door wreaths. I know, I can't believe it either (this was before I had discovered quilting as a way to spend all my time and money). Back then, you just couldn't buy the sort of thing I was after, so I made them. I spent hours - no, more like entire days and hundreds of dollars putting together a wreath that would make a statement. My favourite seasons were Spring and Autumn, although I made one for all four as well as birthdays and Easter and I have long suffering memories of drying huge bouquets of hydrangeas and various leaves for my staple supply.  Looking back, I just can't believe how much work it all was. Even as I type this, I'm actually shuddering at this brief walk down memory lane. Boy, how I would have loved to just be able to purchase a lovely door wreath for the season and be done with it. Well, I'm happy to report that this is just what I'm doing today. 

No more will I while away hours toiling over dried stems when there's a design backlog, a chair leaning over with the burden of blocks and quilt WIPs stacked to the ceiling. I have gone modern. 

I have my eye on the one above. Do you like it? I'm taken by the pansies. I'm all in a pansy kind of mood because of HOYH. My DD (who has inherited the need for wreaths of all kinds) purchased this tulip beauty below, and we're all happy about it. We've decided to pool our wreaths so that we don't double up and have an interesting enough supply to rotate all year long. So far, I've lived without wreaths for nearly 15 years now but it feels like 15 years too long. I am totally ready to get back into loving my front door again. 

I'm pretty sure the pansies are going to find their way to me and I'm going to spend the rest of my precious Wednesday working up a storm on my two HOYH beauties..

And that's how it should be.. on with the Quilt WIPs!

I'd love to know: 

what crafts did you indulge in before you found quilting??

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Blogs I Love: The Pioneer Woman

I've been blogging for over ten years now. It feels like an enormous thing to have accomplished - especially given that I'm sticking to it as my longest ever Work In Progress! I only set out to document my work and designs; when you spend all day creating, time becomes 'relative' and it's nice to have a journal to access as the years roll by. The early years were less organised than my posts today, but being online is a learning experience and I'm still learning what it means to be online - even now.

When I started blogging, there weren't many quilt blogs around and over the years, many have fallen away or become inactive. This is such a shame as really nothing compares to the 'unedited' voice of creating and managing your own blog. One of the first blogs I followed when I set out on my own journey online was 'The Pioneer Woman' by Ree Drummond and I've been reading it for well over 10 years now. I found it completely by accident - via links from one blog that led to another blog and finally ended up at her ranch. Boy am I glad those winding links led me there. 

This might sound strange, but when I see Ree on a magazine cover or on the TV, she feels so familiar, it's like recognizing a friend. I suppose that's the power of the internet and blogging. It's hard to read someone for so long and not feel connected to them in some way - even though I've never been to Oklahoma or met her in person. This might explain why I'm so thrilled with her homewares range, it's like congratulating a friend on their success, you feel so happy for them and that happiness is contagious. 

And here's the weird thing: the items in the range are exactly the kind of thing I would have designed, I just love them so much. My DDs and I have been creating a wishlist of items we simply MUST HAVE but it's a futile enterprise, I just want to back up the truck and take two of everything. Sigh. How can I even decide?

About 20 years ago, I actually 'folk painted' our rice cooker, which is the nearest I have come to finding the kind of home and kitchen ware I want - boy am I tired of white and metal finishes! This just steals my heart. If it wasn't for the electrical differences between the US / EU and AU, I'd already own this. 

and this..

but I'll just focus on what I can have, like this

and who doesn't need these?

And I just love that Barbie have created a Ree doll in her own kitchen; can it get any cuter than this? If Barbie made a Quilter playset, they'd have to bury the doll under layers of fabric swatches to make it lifelike; and scatter the toolkit randomly. It could be a kind of treasure hunt to find the rotary cutter, matt, ruler and threads. Ha! The idea really appeals. 
This post is not paid or endorsed or requested. I have no connection to the Pioneer Woman, she doesn't even know who I am. I'm simply posting my love and happiness at another blogger's success and fawning over her knockout homeware collection.

You can visit the Pioneer Woman here
You can visit her recipe posting site her (you can be sure I do!)

I'd love to know, who's your favourite blogger? What blogs do you LOVE to visit? 

WOW: What A Mess!

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays 

There's actually quite a few things I'd like to do today, but I can't find any of it - there's fabric, patterns, freezer paper, fusible and general mess in the way. So that's my task - tidy up and put everything away.. just so I can create a whole new storm of creative mess for a different project. Sigh. I need a bigger sewing room!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Tiptoe Through The Tulips..

Tulips have featured in my designs from the very beginning. In fact this quilt, 'In The Pink' was one of my first patterns and I still love it as much today and when I first made it over 9 years ago. Yes, I said NINE years ago. Wow, time travels fast when you're a designer. But you know what? When I look at this beauty, I realize that I have learnt a lot and I've made many more patterns since, but I would still design this stunning quilt today - I love it that much.

This is one of the rare quilts I actually use on my bed. I shake it out of the cupboard every March and I love how the pink brightens up my room. It reminds me of spring gardens, and of tulips on the dining table and of family and of course, of Easter. This is the quilt that's always on my bed come Easter and I'm always reminded that Red Tulips represent passionate love. I made this one in pink tulips because my DD is a pink girl and she loves this quilt as much as I do and she has had her eye on it for years! We all know it's really 'hers' I'm just borrowing it until the next bed quilt comes along.

Unfortunately for her, she has to wait because most of my quilts end up as wall quilts - they're so beautiful I want to look upon them as art pieces, which they rightfully are, even if I do say so myself!  I did start 'Tickled Pink' for her, which is a stunning one block wonder that's still in the WIP pile. And now that I think of it, every quilt with the work pink in it is.. somehow all down to her!

I love the language of flowers and as each tulip colour has it's own meaning, you can change the mood by changing the colours.

I still have plans to make this quilt again using monochromatic blues with Indigo tulips, a kind of 'black tulip' theme, I think it would be so cool and sophisticated.

Because it would take several lifetimes for me to make all my quilts in all the colorways I dream of, I always secretly hope that someone out there will make it in that pallette so I can ooohhh and ahhhhh over their beauty without having to create it myself. Well, I can dream, can't I??

   In The Pink   

Complete PDF Digital Pattern 

Finished Size 87 x 87 inches

$12.95 USD

Buy Digital Pattern Now

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HOYH: Part 3 is launched

'Hold Onto Your Heart' : Block of the Month, Part 3

This month it's time to create the frames for the Heartfelt Centre and Pansy blocks. 

I'm so happy with the direction my 'gentle' is taking, the fabrics are so dreamy and the floral of the contrast fabric feels perfect. My scalloped pansy frame looks beautiful against my pansy background grunge polka dot. This quilt is really taking shape and I'm looking forward to each new installment.

HOYH Makers, the Part 3 pattern files are already waiting for you over in the Members Only Download Area. Click here to LOGIN.

'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique.

You can start this BOM today!
Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!

WOW: My Heart Shaped Stash

WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays

2019 is really turning out to be a busy year for me, design wise - my feet haven't touched the floor!

My Hold Onto Your Heart progress is making a nice dent in my stash mountain and I love seeing things take shape like this. 

Today I'm working on Hold Onto Your Heart; this quilt grows on you. I find myself really digging in and taking my time over every little thing. I had been planning on making Wrapt In Love, my newest design, but have my hands are full with my two HOYH beauties. I think today I'll do some more prep work. Applique is always about the prep. Time to get stuck in!

What's Your WOW?

An InLinkz Link-up

Still Fussing Over Pansies

I feel like I have been making pansies for about 100 years. With two HOYH quilts on the go, it just never ends. And look what I found at the bottom of my KFC stash! Yup, a gorgeous pansy print. If I had known I owned this (and I most certainly didn't know), I would have fussy cut the gorgeous heads instead of making them.

aren't they so pretty??

Which isn't to say that I don't love my created pansy motifs - because I do,

there's a skill and satisfaction in finding just the right fabrics making these characters come to life.

It's just that I have SO MANY things I'd like to make that anything to save me time is very welcome

Oh well, I suppose I can't complain about making my own pansy pattern, right?!

As Part 3 of HOYH approaches, I'm thinking non stop about my bright version of the quilt.

You know my gentle one? The one on the left hand side here in the pic, well that one is behaving beautifully. Sure, I still have to pick fabrics, but they behave themselves so well. Whereas I thought my 'bright' HOYH quilt would be the easy one, it's turning out to be a ridiculous circus of fabric switching. I have changed the background 7 times and I'm exhausted. You see that purple polka dot print? I'm back to that one. It's come full circle and was momentarily replaced by hot pink, pink stripes, olive stripes, the orange polka dots in the pansy images above, the yellow and grey polka dots in the image above and the KFD Aboriginal Dots. Phew, I'm exhausted. 

The only thing I can agree on is that 2019 is the year of polka dots. They just keep on happening. 

 'Hold Onto Your Heart' is a paid BOM 

It's a breathtaking quilt full of meaningful symbols and beauty. The floral border is a triumph which offers an additional  pieced option - making it versatile for all skill levels. Perfect for lovers and enthusiasts of applique. 

You can start this BOM today! 

Be sure to visit my Online Quilt Group on Facebook where progress images are being shown all the time. It's a massive inspiration and I warn you, it's addictive!