Happy Zombie

Wanting an outdoor shot for my latest Moda Bake Shop project, my plan was to finish my quilt and then snap a shot later for a banner. And then it happened. The sun came out to play. Occasionally it stops raining in Oregon.  And when it does… I have to grab my stuff, my camera… and shoot fast.  No time for quilting and binding, dangit… the sun is out.
The SUN is OUT.
太陽は外である!
Il sole è fuori!!!!!
¡El sol está afuera!
Le soleil est dehors!
THE. SUN. IS. OUT!!!
Die Sonne ist draußen!
- …. .   … ..- -.   .. …   — ..- -
I love writing in swoosh formation.

On my back porch… my dogs/cats are mystified at what I’m up to as they watch from behind the sliding glass door. They are jealous they never get to play with my cloth apples. They watched as I made them last winter - certain I was making toys for them.

Of course it would be wrong, wrong, wrong to post these pics on MBS since the apples are made from my scarps and not Moda pre-cuts. But I don’t want my sunshine and super sat-n-happy colors to go to waste, either.   So I will plant them here on my blog.  If you check out my 9-patchtastic project at MBS… you never saw these apples, k.

This easy 9-patch method makes for a perfect retreat or group project. Less thinkie - more talkie, more snackie, more laughie. Any size square of fabric can be used, as long as you trim up your square so that it can be divided equally into thirds. Example:
17¼” square ÷ 3 = 5¾” (finished 9-patch = 15¾”)
9″ square ÷ 3 = 3″ (finished 9-patch = 7½”)
7½” square ÷ 3 = 2½” (finished 9-patch = 6″)

And then it went back to rain.
And they lived happily ever after.
Wet.
But happy.

Edited in 4/4/09: Thanks for the nice comments and emails about the apples. I wish I had a pattern for those asking for one, but I have none (yet!). I just whipped the apples up with no thought or notes. Kinda like when I bake - I have no idea how much flour, butter and sugar I used either. Gulp.

I recently posted a new quilt project at the Moda Bake Shop using Turnovers (little triangle packs of Modagoodness), and as fun as it was to make, I have just as much fun naming my quilts. It’s like naming a new puppy… but my quilt isn’t gonna leave me surprises on my carpet or chew on my socks. I thought my blocks looked like waffles, so my first thought was “Waffle Stompers”, but thought that might reveal that I went to high school in the 70’s.  I guess I just revealed that.  Belgian Waffles it is!
I loved the Chez Moi Swanky Turnovers I used. I love saying “swanky”. Even in WayneGarthlish… Schhhhha-wanky. My dark north coast Oregon days make for horrible photographs, and my photo doesn’t do this yummy fabric justice. The colors and patterns are so crisp and fun. It reminds me of my sweetest of sweetiepie friend Kathleen… her colors and the Parisian/Asian vibe that she has. If you look at Kathleen’s blog, artwork and flickr - I think you will agree!

More Moda love…
- Pam is celebrating her Moda Bake Shop quilt project (weepy cute… you’ll be wanting to make it the minute you see it) with a sweet Moda Bake Shop giveaway.
- Lissa is celebrating wonderful links and quilty goodness - and a sweet giveaway she made and a bookazine.
- Vanessa is celebrating her adorable Moda Bake Shop honeybuns rug (ohmygosh I so have to make one) with a Sweet & Swanky giveaway.
I can’t help but say… schhhhha-wanky good fun!

I’m not a huge fan of American football, but I am a giant fan of Super Bowl munchies and Super Bowl commercials (I loved the NBC promos the best).  I managed to cook up THE BEST wings recipe I’ve ever had. Saw Martha make them earlier this week, and I KNEW I had to try them.  The wings turned out SOOOOO GOOD.  We ate them so fast, I couldn’t even manage a photo of them.   This recipe is definitely going into my extensive recipe collection (of 5 or 6 recipes).

Hubby is still on sofa-duty after his big knee surgery, and DS#2 was out golfing… so it was very low key at Casa de Zombie for Super Bowlapalooza. Well, I did get a little jacked on some Mountain Dew - and went into sewing over-drive.  I finished my Inaugural Day “Aquamerica the Beautiful” stitchery that I had posted about here.  I made a few mods to the pattern - made it bigger and put the wording on the border.  At the last minute, I decided to make one of the fruiten plains red. Red and aqua.  I just had to do it. EDITED IN: I just KNEW I should have trusted the red~squiggle~of~doom under the word “fruiten” when I retyped the pattern’s wording. After hearing both Beyoncé and Faith Hill sing it as “fruited”… I knew that THEY couldn’t be wrong - so I googled the lyrics to America the Beautiful, and sure enough… it’s FRUITED! Oh well… the word fruiten has kinda grown on me now. Dude, where’s my fruiten. Fruiten Loops. Fruiten punch.

I’ve teased about this project before, and am going to recycle the tease.  This is for a Fall 2009 project - but the actual project for the issue is in Aviary by 3 Sisters from Moda. Very cute in Aviary… I wish I could show it, but for now my prototype in my 30’s stash will have to do for a photo.

More recycling… my Pennie Pockets have gone green. Well. Pink. And red. But I have recycled the project for Valentine’s Day and for using Moda pre-cuts (Layer Cakes and Honey Buns). My Valentine Pennie Pocket tutorial is here at the Moda Bake Shop.

I thought Swell was my all time favorite fabric… but now I’m just as smitten with Sweet (also by the Urban Chicks).

Sweet is delivery dated for this month! Don’t you just want to squeeze it!?! Ga head… give my blog a squeeze while you wait for your local quilt shop or favorite online quilt shop to get Sweet in.

If you’re reading this on a laptop… your screen is squishy squeezie. Touch it, you know you want to.

Nothin’ says lovin’ - like somethin’ from the Moda Bake Shop oven!  Step inside, step inside!  Inside the Moda Bake Shop you’ll find tummy rubbin’ recipes for your delicious Moda ingredients like Jelly Rolls, Charms Packs, Layer Cakes, Honey Buns, Dessert Rolls, Turnovers and Fat Quarter Bundles.  Angela has been busy getting the kitchen all set up (I think she never sleeps), and busy bakers (Angela, Camille, Joanna, Laurie, Lissa and me) have been cookin’ up sweet delights for you to bake!

My worktable looks like it’s snowed  Moda pre-cuts (the prettiest snowfall EVER), and I have more projects coming soon.  My mind is whirling in a blizzard of excitement deciding what project to create next.  My first MBS project is a no-sew project - a nifty and quick reversible calendar cover using Layer Cakes (10″ x 10″ squares), iron-on adhesive (fuse) and an inexpensive pocket calendar with a clear removable cover.

Don your apron… gather your ingredients… and come on over and bake up some fun!

I wasn’t able to go to Fall Quilt Market, but little bits and pieces of me where there. And thanks to Pam and her trusty Sidekick and E and her iPhone and their text messages… and Cyndi and her media message…  I felt almost like I was there.

I showed a peek of the darling DARLING Minny Muu by Lecien fabric here, and at Market it was revealed what I was up to.  I designed/made a free quilt pattern for Lecien - which debuted at Market.  The Minny Muu Happy Zoo free pattern is available at Lecien’s website here.  I had such fun making this quilt - the Minny Muu is just too stinkin’ cute… how could it not be fun.  My very talented friend Karen did the beautiful machine quilting and C&T Publishing did the killer photography.  Happy Zoo is hittin’ the road visiting quilt shops to promote the line, so give it a hug for me if you see it. MMHZ is currently visiting Uncle Joe and Auntie Roxie at Thimble Creek, no doubt being pampered and spoiled!

Also at Market were two of my pocket purses (from my pattern here), showcasing Karen’s fabulous FABULOUS new line with Timeless Treasures.

Nerve-wracking for me to make these - since I made them from strike-offs. One boo-boo and I would have been sailing up S-creek without a paddle. Not like I can just run out and get more. I’m still oohing and ahhing over Karen’s new line. The colors are so crisp and happy. Can’t wait to see it in stores.

I can’t wait to read al the posts about Market. I was able to read a few already, saw a few pics here and there… such fun to read - and sooooooo missed not being able to see everyone.

Jack’s coming out of the closet - from last year’s Halloween. I know… it’s kind of like handing out stale left-over candy from last year.

No dust, no rot, no seeds, no funny smell. Just Jack. For your own recycled Crayon Jack, click here.