Crazy Carnival

Oh boy! It feels really great to have this one finished and not a moment too soon as it is being gifted today. I struggled on many levels with this quilt and resorted to asking both you and the recipient for guidance to get me out of the ruts. I really hope it's what she wants now that it's together!


Things I am not so proud of about this quilt include the inordinate amount of time it took to decide on the pattern (had the whole thing laid out in the first of these patterns, but could not wrap my head around squaring up the edges), the time it took me to get the right amount of blocks (had some going in the opposite direction and after fixing those, ended up with some STILL going in the wrong direction...oh, and of course cut one too small when trimming).

What I am proud of is that my points line up somewhat well. It really is impressive when you're careful to keep everything the same size and to press the seams in the right direction. It ends up fitting together just like a puzzle. Also, there was somewhat of a crisis during quilting, but I persevered and after the washing and drying magic of a stippled quilt, the crisis is barely even visible. Phewf!

There were a few firsts with this quilt. It's my first pinwheel which I enjoyed. It's the first time I've quilted with bamboo batting which is so soft and gives a really nice drape to the finished quilt. Lastly, it was the first time I've used flannel for the back. I will definitely do another flannel back again, but I have had some trouble with colored flannel running before, so it may be wise to pre-wash if white isn't what you're using.

~Sara

Calling all Flea Market Fancy Freaks

I want so badly to tell you about the craft show . . but daughter's child care giver is sick with the flu so I'm with the baby ...

In the meantime . . .click on over here and enter. What an AMAZING giveaway!!!



- Donna

Sneak Peek

No time to fiddle with getting pictures to look nicer but here are a few sneak peeks. . .
Shirts are all sewn . . .I love this one (I think because it has two scraps of Flea Market Fancy!)

Ambrosia Macaroons are setting.
And doodads (magnets, pushpins and hair clips) are done and packaged.












It's the last day before the sale! I'm working on packaging today and designing my table layout. And making soup for the crafters' lunch (roasted apple and carrot with ginger and a butternut squash with chipotle peppers, pancetta and sweet corn. Sprinkled with some goat cheese it's pretty much heaven in a bowl). It's going to be a good day tomorrow!

I can't wait to fill you all in on how it went.

- Donna

PS -thanks for all the birthday wishes. I had a super nice day with a fantastic lunch out here with Holly, an amazing birthday cake baked by my husband. He then helped me make candy for three hours. Love that guy!

I have a secret...

~Sara

Down but I'm not Out

I think I had it. I'm pretty sure three of my four family members have succumbed.

The swine flu has infiltrated our house, darn it all. And the week before Craftalicious.

I'm stumbling along, feeling better, as are my girls. . .we've all been vaccinated so it wasn't terribly severe, but, but. . . I'm so behind!!

My week of time off to prepare for the sale has been pared down to three measly days. I also have a facial booked in there (hey, it's my birthday gift to myself every year!), a lunch date on my bday, some time for putting up posters (way too late but haven't been able to leave the house in days), and I'm making soup for all the crafters at our sale so they don't have to bring lunch. ACK!

Top this all off with the fact that my first batch of never fail chocolate almond butter crunch (aka almond roca) DIDN'T turn out. It's hanging out in the porch right now, in hopes that it sets up. I have my doubts. This has never happened before. EVER.

Deep breaths.

I did finish piecing all the parts for my 60ish shirts today. (Yay!). They're ironed on, and ready to be sewn (most are in fact already sewn, and were done before the week started). I got my small order of toddler tees in just in time, late last week. The owner of the wholesaler called me a few weeks ago to let me know that they were held up at the border, but that he had high hopes they'd get in just in time for the sale. Yay ZeeSpot!

My pushpins are done and packaged.

I have forty Christmas ornaments made.

I've done a few hairclips up, and my magnets are half assembled.

I picked up my awesome labels today (I'll do a show and tell at a later date. Nadia did a great job of designing them!)

Ingredients for my cookies and candies I'm planning on making are purchased, as are the ingredients for the crafters' lunch.

Sara's contributions to the sale are labeled and priced.

I've put some thought into my table layout and pulled together the necessary materials.

I can do this. I can do this.

And now, that I've bored you with all the nitty gritty what I have left to do before Saturday details, a bit of show and tell.

I loved loved loved Lina's patchwork star, and asked her permission to use her tutorial to whip some up for the sale. She kindly agreed. I labouriously cut out about 80 diamonds in various red and white fabric. (Don't worry, I used a rotary cutter and a ruler . . took me a few to figure this out though!). I stitched them together. I sewed on some beautiful fabric buttons. I sewed the first front to the back and turned it inside out and realized . . D'oh! My diamonds were far too small (not sure how I managed this, since Lina gives dimensions! .. I chalk it up to late night crafting .. which is the only time I craft so I should be used to it by now!) My stars, in the end, look different than hers, since I had to sew them together wrong sides facing, leave a gap, stuff, and finish sewing before pinking the edges. I really liked Lina's suggestion to just cut squares for the backs and then cut once. Brilliant time saver.


Ok. To the sewing machine I go.

Can't wait to write more about the sale . .have lots of thoughts about a) selling handmade goods for the first time and b) co- organzing an independent craft sale for the first time. (No, I couldn't just sell a few things to see how it goes . . I have to put on the craft show also!

- Donna

Giveaway Roundup

Hi gang!

I've been extra lucky this week - I won a honeybun from the Rouenneries line, as well as a beautiful looking Down Under Quilt calendar from Sarah (of Material Obsession fame!) AND 8 bottles of wine at the wine raffle held in my Office today. Taking home grand prize at the closing event of our charitable giving campaign is a good way to go into the weekend!

I admit I'm not organized enough to get a giveaway of my own going (maybe before Christmas once the Craft sale is over) but I thought I would point you all to some great giveaways on the web.

• Our friend Holly attended the recent fabric flea market with me and is wanting to share the wealth. Pop over to her blog A Fish in the Water and enter!
• Cruise over to Giddy for Paisley and take a peep at her sweet tweet quilt pattern. She's giving one away!
• True-Up is hosting a great giveaway of beautiful Japanese fabrics by Kiyohara. To enter you just have to tell someone who loves fabric about the giveaway. Check!

Good luck!

- Donna

Well Behaved

I recently did some cross border shopping which always means a trip to JoAnn. Since I usually only get over there once a year at the most, I really don't put any limits on myself in the fabric buying department. I was very proud of myself when I escaped those doors with only this in hand...well, this and a water soluble pen! Well behaved, right?

~Sara