Guess what!!! Guess what!!!!

I just had to share with you how EXCITED I am!!!!! I won a fat quarter bundle in Folklore from the fat quarter shop!!!! Yeah I got the email last night on my phone and started jumping up and down on my bed! IM SO EXCITED!!!! Thank you Santa! and thank you jolly jabbering elves! ok *deep breathes* I couldnt wait to share with you guys and you know I was WAY to excited to sleep! This just goes to show you, keep your childhood wonders alive because there really is a Santa! Merry Christmas!

~candace

Christmas Trees!

Everyone has been sharing their beautiful Christmas trees, so I thought Id share mine! I love to decorate the tree it is probably my favorite part about getting ready for Christmas. I dont have one at my apartment becuase well.. trees are expensive so Im waiting to get one on sale at an after christmas special (I really want an aluminum tree) so I decorated with my parents again this year at there house.

we put the tree up every year in the formal sitting room... ya know with all the antique furniture and the piano. When I tell my friends about the formal sitting room they dont seem to understand what it is... *shrugs* when you have beautiful things you want to put them in a special room.

my next tree is at work! its just a small one but I decorate it every year with things I find around the store.

I usually just use those mini sharpie highlighters because they have the little rings on the ends.. but we were sold out of all colors except yellow this year.. no fun.. so I used giant rings! notice anything familiar??? yep at the top is one of those cute little pincushions from the modabakeshop

I made a bunch of these little cuties and before I closed them up after stuffing I added a ribbon so people could hang them on their trees (in case they arent big sewers like the rest of us) now if you do this I dont recommend using the walnut shells.. Id go with something lighter.

and last but not least!!!!!

me!

Merry Christmas everyone!

~candace

Dear Santa...

Im not sure everyone thinks I have been a good girl this year..... but I honestly think Ive had more good days then bad :) I would love anything in this folklore fabric

basically I think it is stunning!

have you guys made out your letter to santa? well why not?! are friends at Jolly Jabber seem to be in cahoots with him.. I wonder how they do it?

~candace

success!

My first Wonky Block!!!!

many more to follow :)

~candace

all you have to do is plan!

so I told y'all about my worries of all the incomplete projects I have on my plate.  Well with a little patient thought I have come up with a plan that has soothed my woes.  Last night I spent my time folding and organizing all my fabric. This evening I have been busy at the cutting board. That's right all the fabric for my time limited projects has been cut! And what will tomorrow hold?! That's right folks tomorrow evening I've got a hot date with my sewing machine.  I am looking forward to it!

what are your plans?

-candace

I am starting to feel...

overwhelmed!!! I'm sure we have all been there! I know I was getting everything finished for the craft fair I participated in not to long ago!  I've been resting (and cleaning up the mess) since then... however there is always another procrastinated project to take care of.. I know I know I do this to myself but I have SO much to do!! I've got to get some stocking blocks ready for a block swap at my favorite local quilt shop... I have yet to even get started... I have baby blanket to give make and give to one of my dear friends for their first child! Did I mention I've designed well.. Just part of the pattern but the part I've added is applique (which terrifies me) but I know it will be loved so I'm really excited!! I also have some home made christmas gifts to finish up.. I started them months ago but got distracted by this project or that. You know how it goes.. Basically I thought I was done with the stress.  I soon turned the corner and realized I've only piled up more.  I'm sorry for the complaining I know I've done this to myself but I also know that in the end it will all be well worth it!

-candace

WANTED!

dear quilting friends (especially those of you who went to market in houston) I'm on the hunt for a quilt pattern that was made up entirely of basket blocks. My neighborhood quilt shop shared their pictures and my mom fell in love with this quilt.  However nobody could remember who had made it when we asked.. I understand with all the beautiful things they saw.  So if anyone has any clue about what I'm talking about please please let me know who it was designed by.  Her birthday and christmas are coming up and this pattern would be the best gift! Even if its not ready to sell yet (we give I owe you coupons when needed) thank you for helping me by racking your brains.. So far good ol google has been fruitless.

-candace

I know I know.... Ive been away to long

I went on vacation and Im having a hard time getting back in to the swing of things... please tell me Im not the only one with that problem... But I have a treat for you for my first blog back! Canton Village Quilt Works is have a FABULOUS giveaway!!! sersiouly!! go on now check it out! I promise to be back soon :)


~candace

Coasters!!!

Alright Sweet P this ones for you!!!
(p.s. she is having the most fabulous give away!)

I am making coaster out of yo-yos and bottle caps!

Its simple you take your yo-yo maker I use the green one its a little bigger then a 50cent peice and put your fabric on, Im using a charm pack to match my turning twenty quilt since these will be used in my living room. When you pop the yo-yo maker off the fabric you put the bottle cap in before you tighten it and sew it closed.. so you have a hard little fabric covered bottle cap basically. When you have enough to make the coaster size of your choice you just stitch them together at the sides. its that easy and super cute!

~candace

lots of new ideas!!!

my head is a whirlwind I kid you not!!! so Ive been sketching and sewing since I got off work!!! a for warning I would post pictures but my camera has died and I can only find one battery.. call me cheap but I know I have a pack hiding some where and I am determined to find it!!

so my sketches!!! I have drawn out a plan to make a long quilted coat! I know Im scared too! It looks cool on paper but my concern is it will look more like a bathrobe then a coat when Im finished... we'll see. I want it to be reversable. so one side will be a solid with a standard diamond quilting and the other side will be some fun funky fabric with the squirley doos... stippling.. whatever you call it! I know sounds cool right?! maybe I should be on project runway! hahah yeah right.. the only clothing Ive ever sewn is pjs so Im gonna ask my mom for help on this one.. if she says no Ill be asking you guys!

second sketch! I want to do a "picture mosaic" I know this isnt the word but for the life of me I cant think of it... arg. the last time I did one was my freshman year of high school but its when you take a lot of small images and peice them together so they make up a larger image... I got the highest grad in my photography class.. we cut out small images from a magazine and peiced them together.. mine where hands... guh! this is going to drive me nuts and bolts! Ill think of it.. but any who how cool would that be?! to sew together different colored and patterend squares (like 2 1/2 in) and make a giant picture?! I may try hands again because its easy.. I figured I could try it out with a baby doll quilt.. we'll see! Im pretty excited though!!

Oh! I almost forgot to mention the sewing I got done today!!! I found a fusable fleece to quilt my purses with (it makes things easy) Im testing the waters here because Ive never actually machine quilted anything *gulp* so Im starting out on the purse for me.. for the outside which is kind of a brick patter (there are pictures in earlier posts) i just followed that and sewed it together! I have also sewn my handles... so now I just have to do the inside... I bought a darning foot for my machine but cant figure out how to get it on.. dont freak out I will... the lady explained it to me in the store and now I cant remember.. go figure... so Im checking out you tube and *swagbucks* (the seach engine I use! check it out!!!) to find the answers.. if I cant Ill go back to the store and ask again.. so far Ive been able to learn everything by reading the manual but this one isnt so clear. Any who Im going to do free motion sewing for the first time on the inside.. everyone Ive talked to says to practice on pot holders but this is a perfect way to practice! A. I dont need any more pot holders B. no one really sees the inside of your purse!... the ladies at HIQ agree!

thats all for now! agian I will post pictures of patterns and purses as soon as I find another battery!

~candace

could this week get any worse?!?!

I know I know *knock on wood* so I didnt get to bed until about 3 am monday morning because of a cricket.. it just kept chirping and chirping.. I appreciate nature.. when it doesnt keep me up.. then I get to work monday morning and the credit card machine doesnt work.. so we have to open late because it has to work (nobody has cash anymore).. then the copier broke.. thankfully the guy made it out the same day but I still didnt get any work done.. then today.. all was fine and dandy until I go to buy a small snack and my credit card is declined.. what?! yeah so I call the company and I say hey whats up why wont it work I know Im no where near my limit.. turns out somebody used my card in pennsylvania this morning.. at 9am... yeah Im not there.. have never been there... luckily they put a hold on my card right after it happend because it was a purchase in an odd place... not here.. so they are fixing it and sending me a new card.. I know I have a LOT to be happy about I just want one day where nothing goes wrong.. sorry for the complaints :( I just am a little bumbed about this weeks start.. tomorrows wednesday.. hopefully it will be a good start to a great end of the week

the eternal optomist
~candace

a give away!

sorry to tease guys its not here... its at Ranett's Daily Stitch the colors in this quilt she made are absolutely beautiful and she wants to share with us whats left!!! how cool is that?! check it out!

~candace

I need help...

well only on a few things..

first - all the blogs I follow have vanished from my blog roll... why? what did I do?

second - hand quilting KILLS my fingers!!! so for those of you who hand quilt can you remedy my problem? I really like doing it but it hurts.

ok now on to the good stuff! I got out my free standing ring thing so I can more easily quilt the center of my hand quilt!

how cool is that?! I cant wait to test it out!!!

now more exciting news!!! since I finished my block swap blocks Ive started another quilt top!!! Im using that soiree jelly rolled I showed you not to long ago. Im so excited here are just a few blocks that I have finished!

~candace

its been a while...

Sorry guys I know its been a while... I worked.. a LOT this week.. So I manage a college bookstore for those of you who dont know and well.. it was the first week of classes... which means loads of over time! Just a hint.. dont come in and argue at the end of the week... we are running on little to no sleep by then and well things could get ugly.. and of coarse in the end we work there and no what we are talking about.... are you ready for the total hours I worked this week??? drum roll please.......... 67.5 hours... yeah Im exhausted I worked today and took a nap as soon as I got home... I probably could have stayed asleep all night but I told my little sister I would go have sushi with her (which was sooooo good!) I didnt get any quilting done at all this week which I know is exceptable because of how much I worked.. but Im still kind of bumbed.. about wednesday I went in and was talking to one of the ladies that works for me and I told her I missed quilting... she says I have a problem hahah *shrugs* we all have our hobbies :)

~candace

A day of sewing!

sorry I have no pictures to post... I always think pictures make blogs more exciting.... I just wanted to share that today while doing laundry at my folks house, yes I do it there because I dont own a washer and dryer and well.. lets be honest.. its free (and dinner is included) :) hahaha anywho I sat around and watched tv with my mom and dad well more so my mom, dad swept and vacuumed and polished the wood floors and mopped the kitchen, what a good guy he is. so while me and my mom watched tv and dad worked I sewed yes that is all I did while there (besides laundry) I got 11 blocks for my block swap done! so then after dinner I packed up my machine and clean clothes and headed home... where I worked on some actual work.. the kind you get paid for and then when I was finished with that (it didnt take long) I did 2 more blocks! so if you count the 1 I did the other day plus the total 13 I did today.. Im at 14 blocks!!!! only 11 more to go and Im done!!! Im pretty proud of myself, my mom was at 10 last week and I felt so behind but now Im caught up and then some.. Although I will say while this is super fun! and Im really excited about the swap (which actually isnt until october we are just excited) Im kinda sad to have to trade off my blocks... I love the colors I picked out... I know I will love everyone elses too but man.. Oh well I guess that just means Ill have to make another one :) the flowers are so cute!

my block swap!!!

french flowers! i love it!

the outside... the inside...

all laid out just waiting to be sewn!

HIQ sign up! by sept 1st!!!

Turning 20 quilt top... check!

Yes thats right ladies and gents I finished my turning 20 quilt top!!! wooo go me!

isnt it fabulous?! I love it!!! I had to drape it on my book shelf to show that it is actually all sewn together!!! Ill get a better pic for you after I finish quilting it and hang it on my wall!!! Im soooo excited! Im getting ready to resign my lease and my home is starting to come together ;) only took a year. haha and now that Im done with this quilt top I can get started on sewing my blocks for my first block swap!!! Im so excited!!! Id work on them tomorrow but I dont want wendy and andree to see... I want them to be a suprise!

On another note tomorrow is the Sit and Sew at HIQ anyone and everyone is welcome! Its from 7 to 10.. although last time Im pretty sure I was there until 11 or 11:30.. Wendy made me stay haha and those of you who dont live in the area and cant make it well sew with us anyways! Youll be there in the spirit of quiltingness!

a wonderful weekend!!!

I went to my parents lake house this weekend!!! I headed out right after work but first... I made a pit stop at Happiness Is.. Quilting! I signed up for my very first block swap!!!! Im so SUPER excited about it! the blocks are so awesome! Ill post pictures as soon as I finish my first complete one. so anywho. I stopped to pick up some fabrics for my blocks they are french flowers! and super cute! my fabrics are bold and dont really match but do... you'll see. My mom also happens to be signed up for this block swap! so saturday was spent cutting out all of our flowers!!! I decided I cant start sewing my blocks until Ive finished my turning twenty quilt top.. I know Im slow *shrugs* its because I start like 15 projects at one time. The swap is in october so anyone who reads my blog and lives in the area.. sign up! it took the afternoon to cut out the flowers.. and Im sure it wont take long to sew the blocks together at all! I also got a ton done on my hand quilting project! I can not wait until its finished!!!!!

happy sewing!

~candace

the promised pictures!!!

but first! I must share the exciting news that my little sister is home from Ireland! I cant wait to hear all about it!!! ok now on to the goods ;)

ahh! the lovely additions to my stash!!!! they are just so bright and vibrant! which you cant really tell from this picture.. but I promise they are oodles of fun!

and another! this one you can definatly see the patterns better!!! I LOVE these fabrics.. and I got the all HALF OFF!!!! at The Quilt Asylum

Just look at this Jelly Roll goodness!!!!! I walked into Happiness Is.. Quilting! and Laura Kay greated me and asked what I thought.. well I said Ive actually been looking at this fabric online!!! so I had to get one.. it was fate!
I just love the way they look!!! Doesnt it just remind you of those giant suckers from childhood?! the ones it would have taken a month to finish if your parents hadnt made you throw it out at the end of the day! man its almost a shame to take it apart ;) not!ok I dont know how well you can see it.. but this is my hand quilting so far.. I know the stitches are far apart.. I am doing the rocking finger thing.. which kills my fingers.. so any other suggestions Im open.. I really do think by the end of this quilt my hand quilting will be top notch though!


~candace

what a weekend!

Sorry guys, I dont have any pictures to post today.. but I will tomorrow because boy do I have some things to share!!! I went fabric shopping Friday after I got off work.. I know I probably shouldnt have but come on... some times you just cant help it :) I picked up some goodies at The Quilt Asylum I just love their clearance bins! yes fat quarters galore and they always have some good ones to choose from! Not to mention the shelves and shelves and rows and rows of fabric. Its beautiful! Then I went over and paid a visit to the lovely Laura Kay at Happiness Is.. Quilting! She got in two new jelly rolls! one of which Ive had my eyes on.. the Moda Soiree!! oh my! I love it.. Like I said Ill post pictures tomorrow!!!! I have plans for it.. big plans! Then saturday I puppy sat at my parents house, it was fun I definatly enjoy the big space to myself... especially the movie room :) I got my circle quilt all sandwiched together and I started the hand quilting today! boy are my fingers in pain.. I am really enjoying doing this. Its hard and painful but I know that when the end result finally comes around it will be well worth it all! I got quite a bit done Im pretty excited. OH! and just a funny story I let the dogs out this morning about 6:30ish to do their business... I have to go outside with them because my dads dog wont go outside unless you go with her.. I dont know why but she needs you there to do her thing... so I go out side with the dogs enjoying the cool of the morning and the sun coming up and then we turn around to go inside and guess what... I closed the door behind us forgetting that I hadnt unlocked it from the night before.. so Im completely locked out of the house.. in my pjs.. and yes all the doors are locked.. so I walk around the outside because usually my little sister will leave her window unlocked... no such luck.. I went to the front all the windows I could get to were locked.. I finally went back into the backyard and by the kitchen and thankfully the kitchen window was unlocked.. so I climbed through the window and let the dogs back in for breakfast... and unlocked the door so I wouldnt forget and do it all pver again later.. my parents got a kick out of that story when they got home :) Im just glad the neighbors didnt see.. I would have hated having to explain myself.. Sorry officer I wasnt awake *shrugs* hahaha Oh well... this wasnt the first time and Im sure it wont be the last.

~ Candace

self portrait

In all forms of art you end up with the inevitable.. self portrait.. well I happened to be in an art quilting club last year and we did a self portrait out of fabric.. mines not finished Ive still got some embellishing to do... but here it is..

What we did was take a picture of ourselves.. well have someone else do it its easier that way :) then we made it bigger on the copier and then from there we traced it onto a transparency.. then you can trace over that onto your fasta-fuse! its soo easy!!! my hair is actually shor now and I had braces then which I am going to add with silver embroidary thread and juju beads (seed beads) Heres a close up...

my hair is yarn that I picked up at hobby lobby and pricked on there with my felting needle.. I LOVE that thing! it was definatly money well spent! I use it for everything.. I add yarn to my ATCs (artist trading cards) which we traded in our club every month and my post cards which we also traded for holidays and what not which was so much fun to get in the mail!!! Ill post some pictures of those for yall next time!!

~candace

"Stimulus Package"

Faitful Quilter: Elaine's Journey is giving away what she calls a "stimulus package" haha dont you love that?! we all need a little "stimulus" hahahaha! She posted a picture yesterday of what this little package will arrive in so go check it out!

~candace

Turning 20 Quilt!

Its fun and easy! I again purchased this pattern at Happiness Is... Quilting! Yesterday I cut the fabric while at my parents house doing laundry (its what I do on sundays) and today I laid it out on my floor to see where I wanted my colors to go! It has taken over my entire dining room floor... I had to push the table all the way to the couch to give me space... and there still wasnt quite enough *shrugs* you work with what you got :)

this is my fabric Im using the pattern book and the fabric for the back! I love these colors!!!

this is my fabric all cut out and placed in piles accordingly... and it looks like my moms christmas rug... Im not really sure *shrugs*

and this is my quilt top all laid out on my floor! its obviously not sewn together yet.. thats tomorrows task.. well it will probably take me the rest of the week... but when Im finished Im going to hang this baby above my couch (which is orange!) I have incredably tall ceilings... and lots of empty wall space so this will be perfect! I actually bought this little kit before I moved into my apartment and based my entire living room around this quilt and these beautiful fabrics!

~candace~

Weekender Tote!

So I have been working on this for a while and am getting close to actually putting it together.. I know Im slow *shrugs* The pattern was put out by Quilts Illustrated it was designed by Penny Sturges, and it might be the cutest tote I have seen (and the easiest!)



One Jelly Roll should get you three tote bags and some good scraps to use on future projects! This is how I laid it out to decide where the colors went (this is my last side!!! which I finished tonight!!!)

This is what one of the sides looks like with the edges trimmed! I told you it was easy!!! I purchased the pattern and the Jelly Roll at Happiness Is... Quilting! My absolute favorite little quilt shop! I also got started on another project today which I will share with you soon!

~ candace

P.S. I Quilt is having a give away!!!

P.S. I QUILT! is one of the blogs I follow and she is having a give away! A $50, yes I said $50! gift card to the fat quarter shop!!!!

so I made a promise...

This is a picture my little sister and I saw on the way to somewhere... I think the lake house.. anywho it totally reminded us of a hefalump (sp?) from whinny the poo!

This is my Janome! I love it!!!! My mom got it for me for my birthday last year!!! I need to get a lil hook foot (a darning foot?) the one that lets you free sew... Im not sure what will fit on it though.. any ideas please let me know!

My first quil top! you actually cant tell but its two sections that I still need to sew together and there are a couple of more spots to applique.. All the circles were sewn on by hand and I am planning to quilt this little beauty by hand as well. I know very ambitous for my first quilt!

This is going to be the back!!! I absolutely love LOVE this fabric!!!

This is my first ever go at quilting! We had "quilt camp" at my parents lake house (just us girls) and we learned how to hand quilt! It was awesome!!!! and of coarse I was the only one to finish my little square but I think I did a fantastic job... now if only I could master my janome.

All right folks! theres a sneak peek! dont worry I have more and can not wait to share!!! I hope you will share some of your wonderful creations with me as well!!

~ Candace

Some things Ive actually finished!

I made this rug for my kitchen, its an aunt phillys tooth brush rug! I took a class with my mom and the wonderful Wendy was our teacher at happines is quilting! this is my favorite little quilt shop in town! check it out happinessisquilting.com

I made this bowl with my two of my girlie friends at walls of clay! this place is fantastic you go in pay for your dish and the paint and you can spend hours on end painting!!! I loved it! I didnt finish it one day so I went back and finished it the next, and I only had to pay for the paint the one time!

This is my first ever knit project! I taught myself by watching a dvd.. I only know one stitch *shrugs* but I like it all the same. As you can see its a little crooked. When I use it the handle is so stretchy the bag sags to the floor so I have to knot it up so Im not dragging it around. I do love it though and I do use it!






I dont have any pictures of my quilting progress yet but I will get to that.

living room madness!

I looked around my living room this morning as I was leaving for work and boy what a mess! I have started quilting so I have out quilt projects everywhere! I have one Im working on to hang over my couch. I have three purses Im working on. I have my first quilt I started that Im doing completely by hand, yes its very time consuming but relaxing. I also was sketching the other day, laying out design ideas and what not so I have my box of pencils out. I still have out my box of small projects that I took with me to the sit and sew. p.s. I love sit and sews! I honestly think it should be a regular thing.. not just once a month. It sure would help me finish up some of these projects that have taken over my entire downstairs. Not that I have a huge dowstairs mind you, its just my kitchen dining room and living room, but its still a huge mess. Hopefully Ill finish someday. I think Im going to start doing a little bit everyday and then before I know it Ill be done! wishful thinking?

Not that anyone reads...

I know I havent posted anything at all since I started this thing... I didnt have the time... then forgot about it... and well now Im just trying to figure out how the darn thing works. I will post soon again though I promise because Im working on a few exciting projects that I want to share with the rest of the world!

~ Candace