Thursday, April 29, 2010

STITCHING FREEBIE

Here's something I drew several years ago at a request from a friend from Canada who had a very sick quilting friend named Patti.  I lost track of these internet quilting friends and have know idea what has happened to any of them.   I believe someone was guiding the pen that day because it just flowed out onto the paper, so here is my tribute to Patti, Vined Roses, drew it in about an hour or less.  Sorry that I cannot tell you anything more about Patti.  But here it is for you to stitch and pray for someone you love who is very ill. Cyndi

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

giveaway reminder

I got my "blue" man group done.  Now to assemble the quilts, I have asked a friend to assist me and put one  of them together for me so that I can get them to the quilt shops asap.  But as a reminder.........


You have until midight April 30, 2010 CST to register for my snowball pattern (16 snowmen in snowballs), 3 yards of Thimbleberries Christmas fabric in red or blue and surprise mystery gift giveaway.  On May 1,  I will pick 2 names out of my May Day basket and announce the winners.  If you are one of the "no reply" people who did not leave a contact through email, you will have until midnight May 7, 2010 CST to respond or May 8th I will draw another name.  If you're just now reading about this giveaway, go back and read the original post on how to enter to get some bonus chances.  Good Luck! Cyndi

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

a stitching freebie

If you're a redwork/quilting enthusiast, something new to stitch.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Monday MINI-mini mystery PLUS

Is anyone doing this??????  see my real examples below!
Going to have a lot today, not so many words, just mostly pictures.  Here's the first.

Because I've been swamped at work I did not get my mini mystery samples done until last night.  So here they are:

Look for the last part next Monday and the solution on Tuesday if you can't figure it out.

NOW FOR A TREAT, Last Saturday night when I got home from work after a very llloooonnnnnggggg week at work, I came home to a nice little box sitting by the sewing machine with an airmail sitcker on it, OOOOOWEEEEE GOODIES! LOOK WHAT I GOT! (sorry about the quality of all my photos)




I won my surprise gift from http://sisterscraftycreations.blogspot.com/ for giving them suggestions for their wedding line. You can also see what they do at twiglet5.blogspot.com and http://wipso-astitchintime.blogspot.com/ (I think they are fixed, thanks Claire for Catching my web page typos!)  They are a crafty pair and do all sorts of interesting things. Go check them out.  Thank you girls, It's a great "dumfed" (one of their techiques) heavy duty magnet clip, but I can't decide whether to hang it on fridge........or take it to work........leaning towards work since I hardly spend any time in kitchen.  lol!  And at work I would be able to look at it frequently. And your dumfed note cards, they are soooo cute!!!!!!!  I love it! Thank YOU!!!  What a great surprise, it lifted my spirits right up that evening.  Sorry am late in posting.  Will be sending you a surprise back. 
 
Just realized I didn't put a freebie stitchery last week................watch for it tomorrow!

If your just hopped here, go register for my giveaway!  Cyndi

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Dawn Heese Giveaway

Dawn Heese, applique artist and author of Geese in the Rose Garden has a new applique quilt  pattern out called French Wrens and she is giving two of them away.  If you love applique, then this is a chance to win a beautiful pattern!  Go check it out.  If you love redwork then don't forget to register for my giveaway too!
http://dawnheesequilts.blogspot.com/2010/04/french-wrens-giveaway.html

Monday, April 19, 2010

MINI-mini Mystery Monday

I had techincal issues this a.m.     update:   I think I got it!  sorry for the lateness! 


Here's some things to ponder.

First is a picture of a stitchery of Patches, Etc during the Quilts on Main quilt shows.  It is my drawing, a pattern commissioned by Ann Hazewood, former owner of Patches Etc. I did not stitch it.   I'm not sure who stitched it, possibly Ann herself, one of the ladies that worked in her store or one of her redwork group.  I snapped a picture of it the first year in hung outside during the quilts on main show because I thought it was fun to see my drawing come to life.  Thanks to whomever stitched it.  You did a wonderful job. If you are reading this and stitched the example here, let me know and I'll give you credit.


 and the second thing is
this snowball #6 seen below, I drew #6 trying to convey the excitement of a child and bubbles, yet with the idea that that was possibly where snow came from(in a child's mind).  Now I am at Patches, Etc. quilt store  frequently delivering patterns and checking out the new items in the store and 99% of the time it is on Sunday.  Now, Terri (Teri?, Terry? sp?) ususally works on Sundays (until May : ( will miss her! ) and one day we were talking and she said, "Do you know which of the snowballs is my favorite?".  and I said "No, because people all seem to like different ones for different reasons."  She said, "It's the one of the snowman blowing bubbles/snowflakes!" and she proceeded to tell me her story of being a retired science teacher and knowing all the "cool" things to do when it came to weather and experiments etc.  She told me that if the wind chill drops to 20 degrees below zero that you can  bundle up warmly, and run out side and blow bubbles.  That the bubbles will freeze, then pop and that in the sunlight it there would be glittery crystals.   NOW doesn't that sound COOL??   I really wish I had had Terri for a teacher.  Science would have been loads of fun with some knowldge thrown in for good measure.  Now in Missouri, it doesn't get quite that cold very often.  But when I told my sister in law, Claudia about Terri's story at Easter, she (Claudia) went the next day and bought bubbles to store away until next winter.  We are both hoping that sometime next winter the wind chill will drop to 20 degrees below zero so we can see the glittery bubble crystals phenomenom ourselves (we are both just kids at heart). (my bubbles are stored away too! lol! )  So from now on I'm going to refer to snowball # 6 as Terri's snowball" (just as soon as I ask her how to spell her name correctly.  I forgot to do that yesterday!)  Anyway here's a peek at Terri's Snowball until I get the monday  MINI technical diffculty issue resolved.


Thursday, April 15, 2010

Free redwork dessert

Sorry no time to chat, taxes are due, here's a treat for you though!   update: TAXES DONE!!!! but still woring till 7:00. pm, I might grab an ice cream bar on way home but porbably not.  nice idea though!
If you're new here, don"t forget about my giveaway.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

more giveaways

Only some quick note for today, will have another treat tomorrow.

Vicki at http://sewusefuldesigns.blogspot.com/ is having a great giveaway.  Sorry can't do pics today.  She has pretty cute hearts, a couple of AU Homespun magazines, and some surprise fabrics. to giveaway.  You need to hop over there and check it out.  And while you're hopping, don't forget to hop over to Julie over at Jaybird quilts TODAY, she has a great giveaway too.  see note to right for link.
If you haven't been here before check mine out too!  hugs Cyndi

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

PATTERNS

For those of you who've been asking who have "no reply" email addresses,
I sell my patterns through 2 stores at the moment.
Neither of them have the patterns on their web pages, but they do have them in their stores.
Chris, who now owns Patches, Etc inherited that web site and has not updated it because she was handed it about a year ago without a lot of instruction as to modifying/updating it.  She has a very cute store in the historical section of St Charles, Missouri.  They lave a large redwork group and the store has lots of fabrics and patterns.  Many, but not all, of her lines are geared for the antique looking quilts, the 30's, redwork or civil war.  She does have a newsletter she sends out once in awhile with new products, events etc.  
Linda's website for Specialty Quilts is just informational.  Her newsletters are mostly about classes or new services.  Her store is in Jefferson City, Missouri.  She started out doing machine quilting and has expanded her business into a very nice quilt store.  There are lots of fun, pretty fabrics and goodies to be found there.  You will have to CALL or send EMAILS to either one of them to get the patterns.  Either one of them will be able to send you what we need.  If you live outside continental U. S., it may take extra time for them to check on shipping rates.  I'm not sure that whether either one of them has done that.  My guess would be that if anyone did, that Patches has, but I'm not sure.
 CALL Patches Etc. at 1-636-946-6004  or 
EMAIL her at  3patches@prodigy.net

CALL Specialty Quilts  & Fabrics, at 1-573-761-7313  or
  EMAIL her at  specialtyquilts@mchsi.com 

I'm sorry but at this time I would rather not mess with the individual sales end of the pattern business.  That's why I have them at these stores.  Maybe someday I will have an internet store or I could set up a paypal account and get my daughter to handle the shipping end.  She lives in town and would have easy access to UPS or Fed/EX or the post office.   I live 30 miles from there.  We have talked about that before, but have not done anything about it yet.  Sorry! 

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Monday MINI-mini Mystery

Hello to all of you who want to join in the MINI-mini Mystery Monday fun.  I know it's Sunday in my part of the world but I forgot I would not be able to get to the computer on Monday a.m. so like the song says it's bound to be Monday (5:00 actual lyrics) somewhere or at least close to it.  hahaha!

 Shhhhh! Any of you lurking around here tonight will have a head start on those who come tomorrow.  B-)

The list of scrap fabrics is on a previous post this week.  You may want to go back to read it, but if you're just now reading this you need (you won't need anything bigger than 4" scraps of one black, several toanl reds & greens, and one gold or yellow.)  You will need  6 assorted green leafy colored fabrics, and get out about 15 tone on tones, marbles, mini prints that read solid, in good red reds to dark reds (okay to repeat) one piece of a dark yellow or gold and one piece of black. .  Enough wintery or summery "SKY" background to cut about 20 or so squares,  Plus some fabric in a co-ordinating color for enough binding and something for the back for 2, yes 2 mini 10" or so quilts  If you got your fabrics together, here is PART ONE "A".  I hope this works to print it, other wise I'm going to have to come up with something else.  If it doesn't work I'll get something else posted by tomorrow evening.

Excuse my weirdo alignments below, I created this in Microsoft Publisher before I had EQ6.  Imagine them as nicely matched squares. LOL!  I also didn't quite know what to do for those of you with only metric rulers.  I hope you understand what I'm doing and can work it out or that someone will email me who is familiar with both and can help me adjust measurements for those who are all metric.

Sorry the picture below looks strange on screen, but if you click on it it should come up bigger.

Have fun on this while I work on the NEXT mystery, MINI-mini#2.  It'll keep you in stitches!
come back later in week for another dessert.  Cyndi

P.S. If this is the first time you've been here be sure to go check it out and leave a comment on the giveaway post.

Fo those of you are emailing me about buying the snowball patterns individually or the set, you will have to CALL the stores in the "about me paragraph", neither of them have the patterns on the web page yet.  Sorry!
I could not email some of you back, because you have a "no reply"email address.  Guess what, it's going to be hard (impossible) to notify you "noreply" people if you win too!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

freebie dessert for you.

Hello to all of you this fine but slightly cool spring morning! I thought I should tell you, in case you hadn't noticed, that the first mini mini mystery will be patchwork because I already had all the details worked out.  But I was thinking the second mini-mini should be a stitching mystery, what do you think?  I am going to pose it to the quiltin' chicks at our tea party tonight to see what their thoughts are.  I have several ideas floating around in my head........................sometimes it gets so crowded in there, ideas bouncing around, crashing into each other, sometimes half meshing together.  I think it would be fun!  Does anybody have any preferences as to the subject.  (no guarantees that I will choose it, but sometimes it's good to get ideas from those who may be interested.  I am thinking the third mystery should be a mini item of some sort.................my mind is wandering again.  Better get back to task at hand.  I'll leave you with my copyrighted freebie for your enjoyment not for re-selling. That's what you like right? Yeah, I thought so. lol! Hopefully I can get it here. 

Talk to you later. Cyndi

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

MONDAY MINI MINI-MYSTERIES

Monday I am going to begin a MINI mini-mystery series.  Don't have a heart attack you will be working with average size pieces not micro mini's.  The first series will get you two 10" quilts and will take 4 mondays.
My directions were written for my secret santa recipient, Betty and makes 2 (had to use the leftovers!).  She is so fun and very wise and would have guessed what was going pretty quick if I hadn't confused the situation by giving her enough fabric for two blocks and adding a reverse setting.  She never did figure out who her secret santa was until the time of reveal.  I had a great time and I believe she did too.

If you decide to play, you need gather some TONE on TONES or mini prints that "read" basically solid . Don't cut anything yet, but just so you know what to gather in fabrics.....  I think you will need 15 assorted red scraps, in med light to dark reds, you can repeat fabrics if you need to, most will be cut 3" one is cut 3.5". You will need six assorted 3" squares in med light to dark leafy greens or even  leafy prints. And enough "sky" background fabric to cut about 10- 3"sqaures, one 3.5" square and about 7-2.5" squares, in colors like a summer sky or winter sky. Choose your greens based on your sky tones (is your sky muted and grey or brighter?) . I wouldn't mix sky tones just stick to one color. You also need one square 3.5"of black and a 3.5" square yellow or gold. Gather your fabrics and come back later. OH, and you also need to have enough fabric for backing, ideally 2-10 1/2" squares(I would cut them 11" because I'm not exactly an expert piecer!) and enough binding for these 2 quilts, maybe a red or green from your stash or a dark blue that compliments your sky fabric. You will need about 45" of binding for each mini quilt and some thin batting.  Enjoy the day and come back again!!!

p s Good luck to all of you entering my giveaway!  I've gotten lots of nice compliments!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A new friend and Key fobs too!, or A Tale of Two Cyndi's!

About a week and a half ago, it seems like a long time ago, my friend Betty was highly anticipating her retirement and looking forward to more time to sew, crochet, etc,etc.  She posted this blog about a Cyndi at http://bluebirdswing.blogspot.com/ (go check it out) and I thought that in all her excitement about retiring and blogging that she had gotten my name confused with someone else's blog, What 2 CYNDI's ???...................
so I went to check out this blog, She is a CYNDI too.  I immediately decided to follow her because she makes and sells really nice purses/bags of all sorts and some cute little key fobs(they're only 3.50 ea!!!) ( I found them on my second visit to her blog). Anyway I told CYNDI about MY mistake about Betty( sorry, Betty I thought you were just really excited) and CYNDI & I started emailing each other.  The stories about our names, growing up, and bits of info we have shared have kept us laughing the whole time.  We have so many things in common it's like we were separated at birth, sisters, born 3 weeks apart.  LOOK what she made me, some of her key fobs!!!!!.

Thank you Cyndi! They are soooo great and very professional. I was going to put a set of keys on both, but look how good it looks with flash drives!  And it will be so handy to haul them around that way.  With a bright colored key fob hanging from it, I will be less likely to leave them hanging in my daughters' computers, or other computers (I have done that a few times, is a @#$$# when you get home and realize the flash drive is 30 miles away).  You need to order some for yourself or some of her purses, wonderful fabrics and styles.  Check it out at http://bluebirdswing.blogspot.com/  talk to you soon.
I have a mini mystery quilt coming next............!!??!!  Betty, no giving out hints!

Monday, April 5, 2010

sunshine and a giveaway

Well, winter has finally grown into spring.  Although the trees are not fully leaved out, many are full of buds and small leaves or are blooming.  Daffodils are blooming and we went from dry crunchy brown yards last week to "do I bale it or mow it?" grass because it's been raining and 80 degrees and was too wet to mow this week.  Now is the super busy time at work.  Amazing the change in just one week.
Anyway................
I've been working on these snowmen (seen in previous posts) and I bought fabric to set the two quilts together, but it's just not what I want.  Soooooooooooooooo,
I am going to give it away.................
along with the redwork snowball pattern with 16-6.5" blocks
to two people. 




The drawing will be held April 30th, one person will get 3 yards of the Thimbleberries Santa Town blue fabric shown above, the snowball pattern and a mystery gift, and the other will get 3 yards of the Thimbleberries Santa Town red fabric with a snowball pattern and a mystery gift. 

Simply leave a comment ( I love comments!) and a color preference for one chance, become a follower for two chances, mention the giveaway on your blog for three chances,  link it to your blog for four chances.  The first 10 people get an extra chance.  Chances/Names will go into a drawing.  The first name out gets their choice of color, sorry second draw, you get the remaining fabric choice.  If you're not a regular blogger, send me your email address so I can notify you if you win.  Good luck!  Going home to finish a gift for a new blog friend.  Talk to you tomorrow.

just added: to those of you leaving "no reply" comments, Good luck and thanks for playing! If you just can't stand to wait you may order the complete pattern or individuals from one of the stores in the "about me" paragraph.  They both have them.  There are also some freebies at the link at the bottom of my sidebar.

UPDATE:Fo those of you are emailing me about buying the snowball patterns individually or the set, you will have to CALL the stores in the "about me paragraph", neither of them have the patterns on the web page yet. Sorry!
I could not email some of you back, because you have a "no reply"email address. Guess what, it's going to be hard (impossible) to notify you "noreply" people if you win too!

Friday, April 2, 2010

JUST A QUICK WISH

No time to blog...............just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Easter just in case I can't get back to blog until monday!