Home Again!!! (and Stash Enhancement!)

I got home from the Smokies Friday evening and spent Saturday just unpacking and getting things squared away from being on the road for the better part of two weeks!  The visit with my mom and friends was lovely - don't we look happy!

We are sitting in front of a HUGE fireplace in the lobby of our hotel.  This was a girlfriend get-together, so we didn't do a lot except spend time catching up with each other's lives.  We did venture out to Gatlinburg on Thursday morning for pancakes and fabric acquisition!  I had pecan waffles at the Pancake Pantry- oh my YUM!!!  

I wish I had taken a picture of the waffles, but they disappeared much too quickly for that :*)  They featured powdered sugar & chopped pecans on hot waffles, along with a carafe of warm pecan syrup with more chopped pecans in the syrup!  Did I mention that this was YUM????

Gatlinburg has a lot to keep you interested as you drive through the somewhat crowded streets.  I was charmed by this and had to take a picture to share with you....

They also have a full-size replica of the Titanic.  It looks pretty strange sitting there at the side of the road LOL!!!

Our adventurous drive brought us to The Cherry Pit, one of my favorite quilt shops.  I was having too much fun inside and forgot to get pictures, but when you see the fabrics I got you'll totally forgive me :*D

I visited several other shops on my way there and back too..... so needless to say there was Stash Enhancement!!!!  Here are some of my favorites....

I fell in love with this whimsical "snowy winter night" fabric!

These are silver sparkles in this gorgeous batik!

Who could resist such a vibrant red Oriental?  Not me!!!

A rainbow of batiks!!!

I loved these Christmas fabrics!  The red and green on the right have such light
in them - they will sparkle in a quilt!

These Robert Kaufmann dots were one on top of the other in the half-yard bin - it was just too much for me to resist with all those colorful dots staring at me so sweetly! :*D

My search through the stash to find a gray for Easy Street highlighted a definite need
to add a few nice grays for future projects :*D  Can you tell that I love dots?!?

I have so many aqua/lime fabrics that I felt this diagonal stripe would definitely
come in handy someday soon!  Can't you see this as a binding fabric?

I hope you enjoyed the fabric show!  I'm off now to begin putting together that post I promised you about Mary Jo's Cloth Store in North Carolina.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!!

Linking up with Patchwork Times - click on over to see how others are managing their stash!
Also linking up with Connie at

 

Hugs & Blessings,
Teresa
=^..^=

Stash Report and A Giveaway!!!

Today's my Birthday!

Aren't these some gorgeous flowers my wonderful husband game me?

It's been a wonderful day so far, filled with hugs, and phone calls & cards from loved ones :*D  

I even got a video message from two of our Grands in North Carolina... what a treat!  

Isn't modern technology an amazing thing?  I would have loved to send such a message to my grandmother when I was small :*)

When my Mom was visiting, she and Darryll gave me their gift to me...

The Tin Man!!!  Isn't this just the cutest thing?  There's a story behind this that I need to share with you someday :*)  My sweet hubby told me to order a couple of fabric cutting dies and he's taking me out to dinner out at Olive Garden tonight!  Whoohoo!!!!!  

Am I a blessed girl or what ???  =^..^=

But of course, the day is not all about me.... As promised, I'm celebrating with a GIVEAWAY!!!

I received two of these in the mail last week....

The new Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Vol #6 !!!!

.... and I want to share one of them with you, just to say thanks for stopping by this past year, leaving such sweet comments and supporting me as I found my blogging feet and gave birth to A Quilt and a Prayer!  

I'm also going to throw in this cute Harvest pattern, because somehow I ended up with 2 of these too :*)  It's great for 2-1/2" strips and jelly rolls!  I've also seen it with a black background and it's gorgeous!!!

You don't have to be a follower to win, just leave a comment below, because your comments make my day :*)  However, if you are a follower, or decide to become a follower, you may leave a SECOND comment for a second chance to win!  I do want to be sure to appreciate my loyal followers =^..^=  I will ship anywhere, so feel free to comment no matter where you live.  The giveaway will be open for one week and I will announce a winner on November 11, 2012.

PLEASE make sure you also provide your email address if you are a no-reply blogger!

                                                     ++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'd also like to ask for your votes in the Blogger's Quilt Festival..... Go HERE to see all the wonderful quilts in the contest (scroll down past all the sponsors), and then if you feel so inclined you can vote for Scrappy Bearpaws as Favorite Bed Quilt or Favorite Scrappy Quilt.

It's #299

                                                     ++++++++++++++++++++++++

     The Stash Enhancement Report is easy this week - nothing finished and nothing purchased!

Stash Enhancement Report - November 3, 2012 

Used/Destashed this week:  0.0 yards

Used/Destashed YTD 2012: 222.75 yards

Stashed this week: 0.0 yards

Stashed YTD 2012: 252.75 yards

Net Used for 2012: -30.00 yards

Click HERE to go to Patchwork Times to see how others are managing their Stash!

Hugs & Blessings,
Teresa
=^..^=

Stash Enhancement and a Finish!!!

Back in February, I finished piecing this UFO - my Scrappy Bearpaws....

This past week I finally got it quilted.....

...... and last night I put the last stitch in the binding!

Today I plan to work on a set of pillow shams out of the red paisley I used for my binding.  They are already cut out and ready to start sewing.  The true color of this fabric is the pinky-red in the picture of the binding above, not the orangey-red in this picture.

My Mom is coming to visit with us this weekend, and I really wanted a beautiful quilt on the bed in that guest room, but I didn't have any queen size tops quilted except those I have given away to others.  My friend Joanne once again came to my rescue and let me have some time on her Gammill so I could finish this project up for my Mom's visit!  =^..^=

I'm so excited!!!!

Now..... would you like some more eye candy?  Anyone????

I also added some really wonderful new fabrics to The Stash!  Our Divas guild held it's annual Yardage Sale this past Thursday.  For this event, anyone who has fabric in their stash that they no longer want, they can bring it and sell it to someone else who will love it & give it a new home :*)  Michelle once again brought bin after bin of fabrics for sale from $2-$4 a yard!!!  I simply couldn't resist this scrumptious half-yards bundle of bright and eye-popping homespuns at $3 a yard!!!!

Now tell me, could you have resisted???

In addition to some other pieces, I also snatched up these two gorgeous blue and white fabrics..... YUM!!!!

I absolutely LOVE this toile!!!!

So even with a fabulous finish and lots of used fabrics this week, my numbers still grew in the red for the week.  And next week will be another Enhancement week, because we are going to Whittles on Tuesday and I plan to purchase fat-back backing fabrics for some of my quilt tops that are languishing on my To Be Quilted Someday shelf :*)  Yikes - BIG yardage there!  Hopefully that yardage won't stick around long though.  One can always hope, can't one????  =^..^=

Stash Enhancement Report - October 14, 2012 

Used/Destashed this week:  13.5 yards

Used/Destashed YTD 2012: 222.75 yards

Stashed this week: 15.25 yards

Stashed YTD 2012: 232.25 yards

Net Used for 2012: -9.50 yards

Check out the other Stash Reports over at Patchwork Times!

And I want to share a really exciting opportunity coming up the first of November from the oh-so-talented Val Laird....

       

             From Val's website.....  

Seven weeks of Christmas Giving!

Commencing the first week of November and going up to the week before Christmas, I will be sharing a free pattern with you each week.  The patterns will be mostly gifts that you can make, along with a couple of Christmas projects. The gifts will all be very useful - you know my designs: 'pretty and practical'!

The patterns will only be available for one week and then will be removed, so can I encourage you to grab my "Seven weeks" logo and share it on your blog sidebar or a blog post so that your friends can join in the fun of receiving a free pattern each week.

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Doesn't that sound like fun?  Click HERE to go to Val's site and check out some of her work.

She does the most adorable stitcheries & appliques.... trust me, you'll fall in love!

I'll be linking this post up with the following fun Linky Parties:

The Bear Paw blocks were a BOM program through a LQS :*)

And also linking up with What a Hoot's Linky Party for TGIFF OctoberQuest Celebration!
I hope everyone has a lovely Sunday!  I'm hoping to do some Slow Stitching this afternoon in addition to working on the pillow shams.  And maybe I'll get some pictures posted about my latest Blue Collection blocks :*)  Yes, just a little teaser....

Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
=^..^=

Stash Enhancement Report

The program for our Music City Quilt Guild this month was our annual Yard Sale.

I really enjoy this event because one quilter’s trash is another quilter’s treasure, right?  I’m a real sucker for a yard sale of any kind, and a quilting yard sale is my idea of nirvana!!!  Gently used items at dirt cheap prices – oh yea!!!

The ground rules are that everyone brings at least one item that they no longer want, we put a price and our name on it – if it doesn’t sell we have to take it back home :*)  All the items are placed on the tables and we are allowed to “shop” before the meeting and during breaks - BUT we cannot buy yet, only look.  After the meeting, the president gives the call to shop and we all run for our desired items! 

Yep, it’s a free-for-all scramble!!!!  

In minutes the tables are wiped almost clean!  What doesn't sell after the first round gets discounted to half price.  All proceeds go to the Guild as a fund raiser to finance our national teachers and other Guild events throughout the year.

I managed to pick out a few treasures of course! =^.,.^=  This is my favorite….

I was lucky enough to be seated near the table that had this wonderful sweatshirt and I grabbed it quickly!  I wasn’t even sure if it would fit me but I figured I could either make it fit or use it as a pattern to make a new one that does fit me :*)

I also picked up a little fabric – about 2 yards that will be added to my Stash Enhancement Report…

About a yard of these quilting related fabric remnants 

Two really pretty homespuns - I see Christmas presents here!

I might have had a finish this week, but I’m doing a lot of this instead …..

Yuk!!!  While I was quilting this top – almost finished quilting it by the way - I realized some of my seams looked like this….

Really???  How did I not see this???

I finished this top up at retreat several years ago, and I remember the lighting was terrible where I was sitting, but this is ridiculous!  How could I not see what these intersections looked like?  Oh well.  *sigh*  I’ll certainly be doing a lot of frogging before this top can become a quilt.

So here's my report for this week...

Stash Enhancement Report - October 7, 2012 

Used/Destashed this week:  0 yards

Used/Destashed YTD 2012: 209.25 yards

Stashed this week: 2.00 yards

Stashed YTD 2012: 217.00 yards

Net Used for 2012: -7.75 yards

Be sure to check out how everyone else is managing their stash at Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
=^..^=

Running Away & Stash Enhancement :*)

Boy-oh-Boy did we have fun at Runaway!!!

Sorry this picture is a little blurry, but we were working so fast it was hard to get a good picture :*D

My biggest achievement was getting my Girls Just Want to Have Fun quilt top completely finished!!!

WooHoo!!!!  I have to admit, this one was NOT fun for me, especially by the time I was getting close to the end.  But it is a beautiful quilt and I'm really glad I made it.  This was a class I took last year at Runaway Retreat.  One year in the making :*)  Thanks again Joanne for sharing your 30's scraps =^..^=

Other than the big finish of GJWTHF, I also managed to catch up on my Piecemakers Mystery Quilt.  This was a good deal for me because I had only cut out the fabrics and was 3 clues behind!  I also got a little work done on the August Calendar Quilt, but not a lot.  These are my socks at the end of the day on Wednesday..... LOL!!!!!

Would you say the floors were a little dirty?  I finally had to give up trying to keep my quilt off the floor when ironing it and trust that it will all come out in the wash :*)

I had to share this cute little souvenir I brought home with me....a totally adorable turtle pin cushion!!!

Isn't she just the cutest little thing????!!!!

This is another one, all blinged out with earrings and a necklace, and it already has a little history .... Carol bought it because she loved the colors and the bling.  It suited her perfectly!  But then Lynn - who loves purple - saw it, and fell in love with it too.  Lynn had not gone to meeting that night, so she didn't know about the turtle pin cushions and didn't have a chance to get one.  Sadly for all of her friends here in Nashville, Lynn is moving to Seattle in a few weeks to be nearer to her grandchildren.  So when Carol saw how much Lynn loved this little turtle, she gave it to her!  Now THAT's a good friend :*)

I've decided I'm going to have to add a few little blingy things to mine too.  Once we found out these were available at the vendor, there was a huge rush to get them and options were limited by the time I got there.  I love her bright colors, but it will be fun to see what I can find to bling her out a little :*D

We spent all day Tuesday quilt shop hopping - what a fun day!!!  I couldn't have picked out any more fun people to spend a day with :*)  I wish I had gotten a picture of all of us together.  It did cut down on our sewing time, but we had a wonderful time and I added quite a few fabrics to the stash :*)  I'll just share some of the eye candy now and let the fabrics speak for themselves with a few captions.....

I plan to make a new Stitchery Keeper out of these cute fabrics!  They are from a line called McCall's.  I actually got these at Whittle's on our ride home :*)

The dots on the left are for my In Flight Butterflies blocks, and the yellows are for Hawaii Sunset

I added these solids for a quilt I hope to start soon.....

I absolutely love this lime green print!  It was on sale so I grabbed a couple of yards :*)

These pinks are for Hawaii Sunset.  I also got some poison greens but they just didn't photograph well.  I think I have all I need now to get busy on this awesome quilt!

These one-yard cuts were in a basket marked $3.00!!!  Can't pass that up - no way!!!  I got a few others too :*)

I fell in love with this quilt hanging on the wall of one of the quilt shops!!!  Lime and aqua and raspberry - YUM!!!!
They didn't have the pattern, but they did have one kit left and the binding fabric.... Yep, I snapped them up :*)
I'll have to find the pattern somewhere later.

These are the kit fabrics, binding fabric on the far right.  I'm in love with that aqua with the big white dots!!! 

I sure did have fun this past week, but I'm energized and excited about getting back - and I'm really excited about cutting into some of these new fabrics :*D

Here's the report for this week.....

Stash Enhancement Report - September 23, 2012 

Used/Destashed this week: 13.50 yards

Used/Destashed YTD 2012: 209.25 yards

Stashed this week: 23.00 yards

Stashed YTD 2012: 215.00 yards

Net Used for 2012: -5.75 yards

I'm back in the red, but these fabrics were definitely worth it!!!  And it helped to have a nice finish this week too :*)  Be sure to see what others are stashing this week at Patchwork Times!

Hugs & Blessings!
Teresa
=^..^=