ATLANTA, DALLAS, CROPWELL....

I feel like I have been around the world in this summer...and have finally landed at home.  I know some of you have been to Quilt Market/Festival in Houston and are trying to 'recover'.  I am only jealous in my mind.  My body is glad for a short stop to rest, re-group and even do a little quilting here in DoodleMoochieville.
I was in Atlanta a few weeks ago with my sweet friend Beth.  She and her daughter own Grand Bazaar Fabrics.  They are helping me get my new pattern 'out there' for the world to enjoy!!  You can go to their website www.grandbazaarfabrics.com and see all of their fabulous fabric (and order some, too).  I was privileged to be able to work the show with Beth in the absence of her daughter Jenna...And while I was there I got to see faces that I had not seen in a while and get some long overdue hugs.  One of my highlights was getting to meet an on-line friend..Maddie Kertay.  Not only did I meet and hug Maddie, but I was able to meet her two youngest sons and her husband.  You can go on over to one of her blogs and check her out at Domestic Anarchy.  Oh yeah, I sold a good many patterns this weekend too...Here is a picture of me looking DOG TIRED... because I WAS.

yaoowzers....look at that hair!

We also DROVE to Dallas on a business trip for the Mayor.  He received a 'major award' from his company and I couldn't be more proud.  We stayed a few extra days to go to the biggest state fair in the United States...the Texas State Fair.  And we ate a lot of fried food.  The oddest thing we saw, I guess, was fried beer.  Didn't try it...we were tired from the drive and from the excitement of a 'major award' and it was 9 a.m.  Our sense of adventure stopped just shy of the fried beer and just after the fried biscuit and gravy.
For now we are back in the great state of Alabama.  Looking after the Geriatric Triplets and planning our next trip.  Next month, Arizona to see the baby and his bride.  Then in December a trip to North Carolina to visit Doodle for a few days...  But for now a little quilting, a lot of working and some much needed rest.

The mayor about to indulge in fried biscuit and gravy

Big Tex..welcoming us to the fair.

Quilt Bloggers Festival!!

Here are photos of my latest and favorite quilt to date.

While we were building the studio I had a lot of extra time for research. I have looked at a ton of different quilts and different quilting techniques. I am so excited by the 'Quilt Modern' style. If you don't know what it is you should totally Google it! Simple and classic. Fresh and new. I couldn't wait to try it. So after getting caught up on client quilts (well, almost) I snuck one of my own on the longarm. It is for a sweet young couple expecting their first baby. I know they loved it and I did too. I hated to give it away...but I know it will be used and cherished and I will absolutely be making another one for me!
What do you think? Now back to some more fun in the new studio!!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Stats

Finished quilt measures : 50" x 58"

Special techniques used : Trapunto

Quilted by : Becky Everett

Best Category : Professionally Quilted, Baby Quilt, Two Color Quilt

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Blogger's Quilt Festival

Head on over to Blogger's Quilt Festival and vote!!  Thanks!

Today it is cold here in Alabama..and windy.  My thoughts are with those in the path of big, bad ol' Hurricane Sandy.  The weather outlook here could not be better.  Sunny and cool during the day, and dark and cold at night.  Perfect for Halloween night.  Fire in the fireplace, home cooked meal, a bowl full of candy.  A porch full of goblins and ghouls. The smell of charred pumpkin.  Dogs going crazy every time the door bell rings.  I will stay cozy under this...It was a free pattern on the  www.checkerdist.com  site a few years back.  The spider was my own addition.  He is fun and a little bit CrAzy!  I am in a Halloween contest over at the Warm Company and you can hop on over here:
 https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=4758845926496&set=o.261044530611534&type=3&theater
and 'like' to vote for my quilt!

CrAZy SpiDer...

I am feeling rather melancholy today.  Quilting in the DoodleMoochie studio and listening to some soothing Celtic music.  Maybe that is it?  The music.  Yes!  I will change my music and maybe that will change my mood.  Yep, that is EXACTLY what I am going to do, change my music!  

One For Me?

Well...in the last blog I said that I would be making a quilt like the one pictured for me.  But, alas, I have been so busy with client quilts that I have not had any time to 'play'.  But I did manage to draft a pattern of the quilt. 

It is simple and easy.  It has a good bit of 'negative' space for a lot of 'Modern' quilting!  I have to admit that while this pattern was a project that I really wanted to accomplish, I was the Ultimate Queen of Procrastination when it came to actually drafting and writing the instructions.  But I think it turned out really well, if I do say so myself.  I have sold some to one company with high hopes of selling many more. Check it out at www.GrandBazaarFabrics.com if you want to hop on over and order one.  I will also be in Atlanta at the Sewing and Quilting Expo in October selling these little jewels.
In the meantime this is what I have been up to......

Birthday for the Mayor



Test quilt....thanks, Shannon!

Time with the Grandbabies

More precious than anyone should be allowed...

Girls trip to the beach...
and not pictured, 2 trips with the Mayor to the beach..

Nancy's Dogwood

Kim's flowerpot

Sweet North Carolina wedding...

and life in gerneral...

So thanks for stopping by...These are just a few of the things happening in DoodleMoochieville...



 

Baby Paxson

Here are photos of my latest and favorite quilt to date.

While we were building the studio I had a lot of extra time for research. I have looked at a ton of different quilts and different quilting techniques. I am so excited by the 'Quilt Modern' style. If you don't know what it is you should totally Google it! Simple and classic. Fresh and new. I couldn't wait to try it. So after getting caught up on client quilts (well, almost) I snuck one of my own on the longarm. It is for a sweet young couple expecting their first baby. I know they loved it and I did too. I hated to give it away...but I know it will be used and cherished and I will absolutely be making another one for me!
What do you think? Now back to some more fun in the new studio

ALMOST!

This is the view into my dining room...today.

Best guard dog ever!

It is cluttered with sewing machines, rotary cutters, rulers, etc...today. It holds shipments...today. Levi guards it and keeps me company today and tomorrow is another day! The Mayor is in the basement with his best friend working on the home stretch of the construction and I am SO EXCITED. You see, we are finishing the basement in our new house and it will be my 'Dream Come True'! (see previous post) It will be a studio for me and my quilting machine. I will have ample room to walk around! It will have shelves and a closet and a new full bath (very important, in case of a random glitter accident)! Oh, AND it will have a nook for the Mayor to have a desk and a big comfy chair so he can sit and keep me company while I quilt the hours away (or he can take a snooze). I am SO excited to be quilting for you and me again. I am just figuring out this iPad, and blogging with pictures is NOT easy. But I will try to post studio pics as soon as I can!