Time to get back to quilting... the wedding is over

The wedding is over and OH what a party! It was a beautiful day... couldn't ask for any better. It was a tad hot on the beach but it was perfect out under the tent at the winery. Jenn wore cowgirl boots and a beautiful full lace dress and just a flower in her hair. She borrowed a gold and diamond necklace from her grandma... she forgot her jewerly at her house but this worked out perfectly... need to have something borrowed. She had blue toenails and a blue bow on her garter so that was taken care of. Her dress and boots were new... so I guess the only old thing she had was her dad as she walked down the sand... (can't let him read this :)..

So she is married to a great guy and a really nice family. It's time for me to get back to quilting. I'll start posting once again now that I have lots of spare time.

One week till the wedding...

With only a week to go until the wedding, I'm working on making topiaries. Most of the tables will have a vase of flowers, a potted green plant and some kind of topiary. This is one I was fooling around with... it's thistle from my yard. The plants are turning dry and a beautiful dusty purple. I wrapped the stems with floral tape and then wound jute around it. The only thing I'm not happy with is the moss...  I think I'll fill the silver creamer with pea gravel and then tuck the stems in.

 

And here's the rest of the flowers I'm drying... These are some beautiful blooms a quilting buddy let me cut from her yard. In a couple of days they'll be preserved perfectly (and still a pretty green color). Last week I tried this process out on one bloom and it's dry and pretty and perfect for a topiary. Putting two or three blooms together (and using floral tape again) should make them tall and stiff enough to tuck into a pot of floral foam or more pea gravel.

Not much quilting going on here... I finished up the wedding quilt, and the table runners so not much sewing to do before the big day. Need to hem my dress still.. need to add the bustle to Jenn's dress..... almost to the finish line :)

The wedding quilt is finished

Yesterday I put the last stitch into Jenn and Jon's wedding quilt. This picture washes it out and makes it look a bit more gray than it is. The main fabric is a really pretty beige gray with rusty red and aqua flowers. It should look really nice in the blue bedroom.
No time today for a long post... lots of other stuff to finish up before the big day :)

Quilting the wedding quilt

Where have I been?! WELL... Jenn and Jon will be getting married in a couple of weeks so wedding prep has been keeping Al and I very busy. I have a list of things that still need to be done before the big day and even though I am slowly checking off items from the list daily, it's still a very long list. But we're getting there.

Yesterday I received a call from my youngest brother ... he lives in SC. He informed me that he won't be able to make it to the wedding... we knew this... with his job (executive pastry chef at an exclusive resort... yes, I'm proud of him) we knew he'd be busy on Labor Day weekend. BUT since he can't make it, he decided to send chocolate truffles... over 300 of them! Now we aren't sure how well these are going to ship ... if they'll stay unmelted... unbroken...unspoiled... all the way here but we're crossing our fingers and hoping they do. He makes the BEST desserts!

One of the items on my checklist that has been completed is the ring bearers pillow. Remember the ones from years ago... white... with satin... maybe a little lace ruffle... ribbons... WELL, that's not going to work in this wedding. Jenn's wedding will be rustic and elegant (yes, I think that is possible...sort of). Burlap... barn wood... some cream lace... vintage items... greenery.. grasses... not too much in the way of flowers unless you can pick them on the side of the road. I had my doubts about all of this until I started checking some of the pictures she sent me of weddings with this style. Surprisingly it can be VERY beautiful. 

During the past two weeks I managed to get a little time in to shop for fabric... well... if the truth be told, I was working at the quilt shop at the time but it was slow and there was this tempting bolt of purple pansies ... and there were these wonderful batiks ... and well... one thing led to another... and as you can see below, I'll be working on a beautiful blue quilt after the wedding is over. The gray background fabric is a new one to the shop (and it's almost gone). It's perfect to set off these purples, blues, teals, aquas and greens. There are about 5 different pattern ideas floating around in my head right now... maybe something somewhat modern... and easy... don't want to do too much thinking on this one. The only fabric I'm not happy with is the third one from the bottom on the right. Just a little too white for the gray. Until I took this picture I thought I liked it with the rest.

 These will be placed on the shelf for now .... another tempting pile to stare at me until I have the time.  

And finally, here's what else I've been doing with all my spare time (yes that's sarcasm!). Jenn's wedding quilt top is complete and pinned so I've started the quilting. As of this morning it's 1/4 of the way done. By the weeks end it needs to be finished so that I can concentrate on other things... like the dress I'm wearing to her wedding (needs to be shortened)... and her dress (needs hooks for the bustle)... and the house needs a good cleaning (mom and dad, my brother and my neice will be staying at my house) .. and the list goes on......and on... and on....  

Jenn and Jon engagement photos

Jenn and Jon had some engagement photos take at the Sleeping Bear Dunes here in northern Michigan. She brought along a quilt that she made for their house. It's one of my favorites. This is one that she designed, pieced and quilted all herself!

Helping out a small town quilt shop

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES LIKE US!



Hi Everyone... Today I just want to help out a local business, a small town quilt store, by having people go to the site below and voting for HEARTS to HOLLY QUILT SHOP. They are hoping to get a grant to improve thier business. With so many small quilt shops closing up, we need to help out the ones that are still holding on. This would mean SO MUCH to them. Thanks in advance!

From Sue, the owner:

******************************
Thanks to a program sponsored by Chase and LivingSocial called Mission: Small Business, your support could translate into a $250,000 grant. But we need at least 250 votes to qualify.

We just started our campaign today because we just heard about this amazing opportunity and we need to reach 250 votes by THIS Saturday, June 30th to qualify. I know this doesn't give you much notice or time but we are asking for your help to reach our goal!

Here is HOW:

go to http://www.missionsmallbusiness.com/ and click "Support"

Find our business, Hearts To Holly Quilt and Gift Shop, LLC in the local listings and vote for us! If you have trouble finding us, just search state of Michigan - City of Charlevoix and look for us.

Please ask your friends to vote too.

You must have a facebook account to vote as that is the only way to login. If you are not on facebook...Join us!


Thank you all for being loyal customers. We value your business and thank you for all your support for the last 4 years. This grant would directly benefit you and our community, by helping us expand our horizons!


Don't delay...Vote Today! Deadline is Saturday!

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Charlie likes his quilt!

Remember Charlies quilt... the quilt for my daughter's cat? Well here's a picture of him enjoying his new gift. Lisa spread it out on her bed and he jumped right up and made himself comfortable on it. You're welcome, Charlie!

Worked on my FARMERS WIFE quilt blocks

Flock #34

Broken Dishes #11

Flower Pot #37

Friendship #39

Hill and Valley #46

Northern Lights #61

Old Windmill #62

Puss in the Corner #71

These are some of the blocks I finished up this week. I am now more than halfway done with these... 60 blocks completed so now it's time to switch fabrics. These will be for the 30's twin quilt. Next I'm going to do either Civil War or Flower Sugar... still deciding.....

Working in the yard a little today

Today I was stitching on two projects... a little bit on my Farmer's Wife blocks... finishing up some that I started in class last night. Then I worked on Amish with a Twist. 
Needing a little break after dinner, I went out to the garden to see how everything is doing and to do a bit of watering. The peonies by the garden are blooming and they're just beautiful. These are HUGE... about the size of a dinner plate! This bush did okay last year but seems to have tripled this year.

Inside the garden I spotted RED strawberries. I didn't expect them to be red yet but quite a few were and YUM!! Al and I munched on some right then and there... brought about a quart in for tonights snack... maybe strawberries on biscuits?

Lisa's new picnic quilt

Daughter Lisa and I had a stitching weekend recently when she came up from downstate to get a VERY short vacation in. She visited with us and did some work on her UFOs.

She finished up this scrappy Picnic Quilt that she had started quite a while ago. Aren't the colors wonderful?!

We took pictures of it out by the barn and in the front yard... and then I just had to give it a trial run :)

It's SO DARN HOT today!

Today is HOT HOT HOT! I check the temps online and it says its only 86 but that's in town where it's always a bit cooler. Out here in the country, away from the lake breezes, it's so darn HOT! Has to 90 at least.

I did a bit of sewing downstairs (it's so nice and cool down there)... worked on my Amish with a Twist sample. It's getting there.... slowly. All twelve blocks are done and now I'm adding the triangles that trim each block and turn them on point. Six are finished. Here's pics of the ones that are done:

 Now to head back down and finish up the rest.