Tree Bird Blog Hop!

Good day my friends! 

Today's the last day of the Tree Bird Blog Hop brought to you by madame Samm♥ of Sew We Quilt

I like a fabric that works for both quilting or sewing, depending on my needs (and attitude at the moment). The Beautiful Birds collection by Tracy Lizotte for Elizabeth's Studio is one of those fabrics that allows the sewist to stretch her imagination. 

I decided to make dresses for my three nieces with big pockets for carrying everything from sticks to barrettes to dolls. It's still chilly in Chicago, but here's two of the cuties now:

Looks like those pockets are getting filled!

The third cutie is in size 18 months--just right for adjusting the pillow panel to make her dress (surprise!)

                               Finally, I used coordinating Beautiful Birds fabric for bias ties.

_________________________________________________________________________________

I love a good product review, don't you? 

I used to think my sewing machine had enough light, but once I tried the sewing machine LED lighting kit from Inspired LED I realized how "in the dark" I really was!

I've tried the stick-on bendable lights, but they tend to get in my line of vision and then got in the way when I wanted to cover my machine. The Inspired LED lighting system is unbelievably small (note the size of the dime in the photo), never gets in the way, and packs a wallop of light over the entire throat of your machine. I took these before and after shots in the dark. The after shot is much clearer and brighter on the fabric:

 

kit contents: light strip (with adhesive), on/off switch, clips, and ac adapter.

 

Here's a list of today's Tree Bird Blog Hop participants:

Debbie Kratovil Quilts

how arT you?

Hill Valley Quilting

Pink Doxies. Blogspot.com

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Fabric Bias

Lovelli Quilts

                Bacon Then Eggs  (you are here)

Sew We Quilt

 

  

Thanks for stopping by my blog!

It's about time I get back into the swing of things. Your Our friend, Madame Samm of Sew We Quilt, reminded me that balance in life is a good thing. I've been way too immersed in work and leaving no time for play. So, I'm ready to start playing again! And I'm so excited to be able to do with all of my old friends at Sew We Quilt. Sew We Quilt bloggers are always so supportive and loving that I can hardly wait to get creative. Or at least tell me I'm creative, will ya??!! ♥ 

The Tree Bird Hop will happen March 13-23. See you then sweet friends!

You're full of bologna!

I’m starting to like my new home in Paducah, Kentucky. It’s at least 10 degrees warmer than Chicago and that is absolute spoiling at its best. However, I also have some doubts….

What is this you ask? Obviously, it’s jarred pickled bologna in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Where might you find it? Oh, between the jarred pickled eggs and sauerkraut, where else?

BTW: $6.89 for a pound of bologna?

 Well, maybe, because after all, this is

oh wait, need a close-up?

At the same store I bought this item but didn't think much of it until put two and two together. You guessed it; there aren't any nursing homes in Paducah.

The worst part is that I cooked it for my son this evening, after showing him the package and giving him a blank stare. He did get the joke and reported that it was “disgusting” before walking away.  

He has a sensitive stomach so I thought I’d ask how he was doing after eating the entire pound of sausage and 10 biscuits (biscuits and gravy, his favorite!)

Me: Any residual effects from dinner?

Son: Other than wanting to eat dinner at 5 and then head to bed for the night at 5:30, no.

Me: (Mockingly) “you’re disgusting”

Son: Do we have any Depends adult undergarments?

Please note that I share these things for the laugh value, not to make myself feel bigger by putting others down. Here's my mantra:

Some people have all the luck...

All right, so I have news.

Big news.

That’s why I haven’t been posting.

You know I love quilting. You know I love editing, proofreading, and teaching.

I have been slowly inching towards merging my loves and it’s finally happened.

I’m over the moon to tell you—

I’m the new editor-in-chief of American Quilter magazine.

Yes, as in the oldest, largest quilting company—American Quilter’s Society—has chosen me to put the spice in their Chai.

No, I’m not kidding. It’s a happy miracle!

So my posts will be farther in between but they’ll be there because this blog is me; I can’t lose sight of me, even though it’s tempting.

If you’d like to add my professional page to your Facebook account, then “friend” me! I hope to post things that are happening and a few pics from AQS shows. http://www.facebook.com/micheleduffy.aqs

Oh, and just so you’re not taken aback, that picture isn’t completely accurate. Yes, it’s me, but I don’t look like that in person. Or at least I hope not or people will be asking me for tips on how to discipline grandkids. 

Send happy thoughts and creativity my way...

UR Pricelessly Crazy!

Sometimes inspiration comes at the strangest times.

My 17-year old son and I as he’s leaving to meet his dad:

Me: Give me a kiss goodbye (I make that strange little sound when you pucker up)

A: What is that?

Me: It’s what Grandma Glynn used to do when she wanted a kiss

A: (weird look) Oooookay… (gives me kiss anyway)

Me: I loved when she did that . . .  She also told me that the safest place for your money is in your bra.

A: Not helpful to me.

Me: (as he’s walking out the door) you never know kid! You might get fat and bald and need a 'manssiere' like your dad!!!

So, with Grandma Glynn on my mind, I started to look for fabric that might make a nice UR Priceless change purse. I think she’d like my choice….

If you'd like to try your hand at making a UR Priceless change purse, 

the pattern is available through Madame Samm's Craftsy page.

Big Spanks to Madame Samm and Katherine for crafting and organizing this hop!

Thanks for visiting--check out the other UR Priceless magicians today:
Read, quilt, cook, pray...
The Learning Curve
Bacon Then Eggs
Nati's Little Things
by Mary
Feltfree på Åsly
El Patchwork de la Abuela
Amy's Crafty Shenanigans
Maryjo J
s.o.t.a.k. Handmade
Chloeandme
Janice M
throw a wench in the works
Everyone Deserves a Quilt
A Stitch in Time
Sew Me Something Good

Congratulations to #32 Sue for winning the Wicked blog hop giveaway--your charm pack is on the way!

A Ghoulish Welcome!

Thank you for joining us on the first day of the Wicked blog hop!

Once upon a time there lived wicked witch who refused to be foul on Halloween. All of her friends told her it just wasn't right! They said she should stick her tongue out at small children so their parents slap them when they stick their tongues out back at her. 

But no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't be nasty. In fact, even though her skin was mottled green and dress was decayed black lace, she couldn't resist the desire to be girly…

“Pink! Give me pink!” she cried. Her friends merely laughed.

“How ghastly you are!” she retorted through tears.

Being a witch, she decided to cast a spell whereby all her friends would spend eternity in the cross threads of fabric, forced to endure pink on Halloween.

So, do not be alarmed by the forthcoming dreadful countenances —they are simply the ex-friends of the wicked witch. In addition, let this be a lesson to you—pink is indeed fabulous for Halloween!

First, the wicked witch made a Ghastlie kitchen island runner:

(click on photo for closer view) 

Then she took the leftovers and made a roll-up bag, starting with a 10.5 block and then added to it...

 (measuring 15 X 15 X 7)—nice!

But the island runner was very lonely so the wicked witch made a tablecloth:

(click on photo for closer view)

(click for closer view of these amazing fabrics)

(sun shadows--sorry!)

Funny story—the witch got up in the middle of the night for some brew and after she turned out the lights she realized that the bones fabric glows in the dark! Score!

In honor of non-traditional holiday colors, the wicked witch scoured her stash and would like to offer a charm pack of Christmas fabric that has (gasp!) turquoise blue. Leave a comment below to be entered in the draw!

Big SPANKS to Spookie Madame Samm and her henchwoman Wendy! 

**Click on the haunted house** to go back to Wendy’s blog!

Here's a list of the other Wicked ones presenting today (click on any blog name to link there!):

The Quilting Alleycat

Words & Stitches

Geema's Wonderings

Quilt Doodle Doodles

Bacon Then Eggs (me!)

Inga

Briarside Lane

Quilts And Smily Faces

Why Knot?

Quilt Matters

Mad Quilter's Disease

Susie's World

Sew Paint Create

Hello fellow blog hoppers!

I hope you're ready for another version of dots-gone-wild this week!

Well, I started to pull fabrics for my project when a zap of inspiration hit me squarely between the eyes. 

I had been thinking about my friend Carrie at Believemagic and how much I like her art quilts--they're amazing! 

Then I had an idea for an art quilt of my own. And yes, it looks suspiciously like hers, but as the saying goes....imitation is the greatest form of flattery.  So I reached for some red dot fabric and got to work...

feel free to click on it for a closer look, but in case your'e wondering, the text I sewed to it reads, 

 "She Fell in Love with the Words"

piques your interest, no?
-could be that I love French words
-could be that I love text prints
-could be that someone told me lies
-could be that I love words in general (think about English-26 letters form thousands of words and countless books, all different like fingerprints!)
-could be a little of all of them...

 I had another thought to make a happy wall hanging. It's not quilted yet, but you get the idea:

The best part about this project is no pattern. It's a technique by Mary Lou Weidman called Hoochy Mama piecing. (really? Does naming a technique get much better?) 

Sometimes it's wholly liberating to just start creating--this book is excellent for helping you to let go.

In the spirit of everybody-and-my-mother loves a giveaway, I'd like to offer up a copy of Mary Lou's book so you can 'get your dots on' in the comfort of your own home!

click here for more inside views (on Amazon)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now it's on to the rest of the lineup for today. If this is your last stop then thanks for visiting!

September 18th

Sew Maybe I Can

Yayaquilter

A Stitch in Time

Ariane Quilts

Karen ~ Briarside Lane 

Joanne 9of12 

Traveling Quilter
Bacon Then Eggs (you are here)

HA! I finished one thing as part of Quilter in the Gap's Finish-Along! 

Here it is in all its blazing glory:

The Ghastlies Tablerunner. **Ta-da!** It's completely done and ready for fall...whew!

I'm happy that I set a goal and accomplished it. I rock. Actually, Rhonda rocks for putting this finish-along together. Yeah.

School's started so I'm completely booked...I hope you're enjoying the Indian Summer as much as I am! Time flies....

Hey! If you haven't heard already, Madame Samm coordinates amazing blog hops over at Sew We Quilt.

Bowls with borders just ended but Dots on Dots is going to start up on September 10th.

See you there!!

Hot Diggity!!!!

Do you live in the Chicago area?

My friend is having a massive fabric sale. You  know those cool "trays" that you see pints of strawberries on in the store? Um, yeah, she's got almost 150 of those, filled with fabric. Can't picture it? How about 1000 yards of quilt-shop quality fabric? Can you picture that?  

Now make all those yards $6, unless you buy at least 5 yards at which point everything becomes $5/yd.

Drooling yet? Great! Drop what you're doing and get to this fabric sale! Bring your checkbook, cash, or a way to send her some $ through Paypal!

Click here to see the flyer in google docs

I've been remiss in posting, but

congratulations (and thanks to random draw) are in order to

Karen who won the star-spangled roll up bag

and 

Jen B who won a "surprise" which turned out to be a small bag and tissue holder (perfect size for kid snacks and a tissue that's always in reach). Her response to my cucumber predicament was "I think I would take the cucumber from between my knees, raise both hands (with cucumbers) in the air, and said, 'Ta da! The next show will be in 20 minutes. As always, tips are appreciated!'"  

A giveaway that'll have you seeing Stars...

Hello! Welcome to the Red, White, and Blue Blog Hop!
First and foremost, a big thank you to Madame Samm for organizing this outrageousness and Jane for getting everyone up and running!

I’ll keep it short and sweet….

I found this nifty paper pieced block on Quilter’s Cache and thought it would be fun to make for you! 

I considered making more blocks, but decided that you might appreciate my (cough, cough) talents if I made this block into a reusable, washable, roll-up bag and gave it away to a blog hopper.

Sound good??

Yes, I think this might be an OPEN

and SHUT case!!

Click here to see a Pinterest Board of all the blocks!


Here's a lineup for today's blocks:

July 15th

Pink Pincushion

Quilting Nana

bacon then eggs (that's me)

living life-martha

Quiltscapes

PigTales and Quilts

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lost it, completely.

 [this post has been edited for content]

I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking “Did I just coin the term vomitous blatherings”? The answer is maybe because you and the other person who reads this blog are probably thinking the same thing at the same time so there’s really no way to tell if you just added a new term to the lexicon or not. But go ahead, take credit anyway. I always do.

In other quilting news, I’d like to once again link up with Quilter in the Gap’s Rhonda for some 3^rd quarter finish-along fun. Really, this is becoming less “motivation” and more “she’s a bold-faced liar” list but I’ll go for it anyway. Hey, I’ve been busy! And I traveled this summer: France, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. I’m a new woman. With meters of Dupioni silk. Oh sure, now you want to be friends.

2 Halloween goodies that I really want to see ready for action by the end of September. I know I can do it this time! I also started a reusable bag with Ghastlies fabric so I hope that gets finished also.

Last but certainly not least, I’m linking up with Wendy at The Crafter’sApprentice. She made a fabulous mat for under her coffee pot and gave me this swell idea—a mat for my dishes. I grabbed an old towel headed for the rag pile, some toaster fabric, and wha-la! made this lovely for my counter. If you can think of something to make with a used item thereby giving it new life, link up to her Something Old, Something New Competition! I'm going to try to come up with something else, but for now, I'm gurgling over this counter gemstone. I adore it; it’s the perfect size. 

So tell me what you would’ve done with the cucumber and I’ll draw a random commenter to win a prize :O) And no, the prize will not be perishable, sorry.