Happy Zombie

When American Patchwork & Quilting asked me to participate in the One Million Pillowcase Challenge Blog Hop I jumped at the honor!

The American Patchwork & Quilting 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge is a really cool and fun way to Do Something for your community in your community. It’s so simple and so fun. Make a pillowcase and donate it locally! Well, that’s the nutshell version. APQ will explain it much better than I, but what I love so much about this is that it’s so community based. No fuss, no muss, no paperwork, nothing to mail - just making, having fun and giving.

What’s really cool is that APQ has gobs of pillowcase patterns, and even a video on how to make a really slick pillowcase. The APQ pattern I used was the Prairie Point Pillowcase one with my new Winterkist line.

I love Prairie points! When going to the pattern page, be sure to scroll down to see the entire archive of patterns.

APQ’s blog hop is hopping for the entire month of September with some of their favorite designers and 2012 sponsors. Be sure to visit every day to see the pillowcases and see how they’re helping the communities they’re in.

September 1: Welcome from American Patchwork & Quilting
September 2: Rashida Coleman-Hale
September 3: Olivia and Alayna’s Pillowcase Project
September 4: Morgan’s Smile Factory
September 5: Pat Sloan
September 6: Northcott
September 7: Betsy Chutchian
September 8: Vanessa Christenson
September 9: Andover Fabrics
September 10: Laurie Simpson
September 11: Oak Hill, Ohio
September 12: Robert Kaufman Fabrics
September 13: Pam Buda
September 14: Indygo Junction
September 15: 4-H
September 16: Katie Hennagir
September 17: Anni Downs
September 18: FreeSpirit Fabrics
September 19: American Patchwork & Quilting Staff
September 20: Patty Young
September 21: Moda Fabrics
September 22: Monica Solorio-Snow
September 23: Moda Bake Shop
September 24: Andover Fabrics
September 25: Roseann Kermes
September 26: Ann Kelle
September 27: Therm O Web
September 28: Edyta Sitar
September 29: Fabri-Quilt
September 30: Cherri House

Gather some friends and make pillowcases! I gathered up my friends Traci and Gabrien and we had a blast.

Packing up sucks when you have to wait for your iron to cool. If only someone would design an iron cozy for a hot iron…

Bam - iron cozy. I’m sure I’ll be hearing any day now from AP&Q begging me to write up my instructions. Yup, totally sure.

Happy Zombie Iron Cozy (patent pending)

Posted in Do Something | 15 Comments

For years I’ve been complaining about Safeway’s policy for their checkers to acknowledge their customers by name. A simple friendly hello and thank you will do. Add a smile to that, and it’s golden. For years I’ve shuddered as the Safeway checkers:
1. … say my name out loud for all to hear - thanks Safeway, that vomit smelling tweeker behind me now knows my name.
2. … try to pronounce my name (BTW Safeway, it’s SO-LORI-O, not Solano, not Solerno, not Solomon, and certainly not Celery [though I will answer to Oreo]).
3. … pretend that they’re not reading my name off the receipt and act like they know me.
4. … seem to be just as pained to have to follow the silly policy.

Since Safeway won’t change it’s policy on their customers’ privacy - I took matters into my own hands and changed my name to MJÖNÄS STRÅLANDE BJÖRNBÄR on my Club Card.  Revenge is sweet Swede… thank you, IKEA catalog - you’re the best!

I have never been so excited in anticipation for my next grocery shopping trip. Hjolla.

UPDATED! I went shopping!!

I think I want to change my name again - to something fun or cute so it’s fun for the checkers, too. The stupid Safeway “naming policy” is just as bad for the checkers as it is the customer - hoping there’s a wave of name changes. If we can’t beat em - we should all at least have some fun.

Posted in Stuff | 113 Comments

Dear Towel,
I love you.  Yes, love.  Little hearts circled around atop my head when I first spotted you at IKEA.  On the drive home, I glanced a few times to the back seat to see how you were doing.  With every glance I sighed and professed my love.  I love you, Towelie.

Oh Towelie, I know you’re supposed to be a bathmat - but it breaks my heart to just toss you on the cold, cold floor.

There you go, Towelie - now I can see you every time I enter the bathroom.  I smile every time I see you.  All the more eager I am now to finish painting the not-my-taste green to the beautiful Clay Bisque on the other wall.

I love you so much Towelie that I could pee. Good thing I’m sitting in just the right spot.

And now, Towelie… it’s time for you to make some babies!

Posted in Quilty n Crafty | 37 Comments

I recently posted this story on my instagram for a #YoungatArt event ModCloth was doing.  Thought I’d share it here, too (and show my mom that I’m not always so bad when I “do the internet”).

When I was in Brownies we all made felt ornaments at one of our after-school meetings. We had some hands-on embroidery instruction and could make anything we want. I chose to make a gingerbread man. Or what I thought was a gingerbread man. We had no patterns, and we all made things from our imagination. No patterns, no inspirations… just our creative minds. I was not happy at all with my results. I brought it home in tears, and my mom assured me she loved it.

Every year my mom put that fugly damn gingerbread man on our Christmas tree, and every year I quietly snuck that damn gingerbread man to the back of the Christmas tree out of sight, and every year my mom told me how much she loved it and that one day I would love it too. She assured me - year after year.

And now gizillion and twenty-something years later I love that damn gingerbread man! My life is now filled with sewing, stitching, fabric and quilting, and that damn gingerbread man is my link to the moment when someone gifted me with the challenge to create and to make. And most of all - that making things makes happiness not just for myself but for others too.

A few years ago my mom gave me that damn gingerbread man, and he now graces my design-wall with my creative and treasured joys. The damn gingerbread man is my daily reminder that nothing creative is ugly. Though some things take time before they show their beauty. I’ve also added a mouth on him (no wonder all these years he’s been so quiet). And one day I may even stitch up his bum so his bits don’t fall out. If there’s a contest for the longest time it took to complete a project - I’m throwing my hat into the race.
[Damn Gingerbread Man, circa late 60’s/early 70’s, Orinda, Calif.]

Posted in La Familia | 35 Comments

Today is the Ron Swanson Along - Day 12. The last day. The final day. No, Ron, no! Some will be glad I’m finally done, and some will be sad. So anyone who is sad, I say keep STAY TUNED as RonQuilt has more stops he’s making on his Tour O’ Hollywood. And just for good measure, at that end of RonQuilt’s vacation he’s coming home with goodies to share. So stay tuned for a give-away soon! If you’ve landed on this Day of the Ron Swanson Along by mistake… flip a u’ie and go directly to Day 1.

RonQuilt has been gettin’ around while visiting Aunt Dana, and he even made an appearance at the Los Angeles Modern Quilt Guild. RonQuilt has a pretty cray-cray itinerary and is scheduled to go to some really special places - but he also has some down time and need suggestions. Leave a comment if there’s some fantasy place you’d like to see RonQuilt go. Today Aunt Dana captures shots of RonQuilt exploring the Griffith Observatory, the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Bowl, Warner Brothers and then topped off the day with some bacon and a shake at the iconic Burbank Bob’s Big Boy.

Griffith Observatory - RonQuilt gets a little help from some Danish tourists

Hollywood Hills

Hollywood Hills and the Los Angeles skyline (cough)

Duke Silver at the Hollywood Bowl

Frogger

Traffic stopper

Bob’s Big Boy

Time for some bacon and shakes - bac’ n shake

Back to quiltmaking.  Finally… Day 12.  The final Day in the Ron Swanson Along! In addition to the final block and facemap, there’s also an illustration for row assembly and the final quilt top. If you’re pressing your seams open, ignore the arrows. If you’re a side-presser like I am - enjoy those happy little direction arrows.

The Ron Swanson Along
[print block layout] [print face map] [print row map] [print final top]
[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5]
[Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10]
[Day 11] [Day 12] [Day BEST DAY EVER]
[Ron Swanson Along Flickr group]

Posted in Ron Swanson Along | 24 Comments

What does one do with savings after sharing a Seattle hotel room for $32 (each) a night with three sleepy time snuggle buddies?  One shops, of course!

Fabric

Daiso

Burgerville

Resources:
Parkland Parish (super friendly staff & customers)
Trains, Fabric, etc. (no, seriously)
Island Quilter (Love!)
The West Seattle Fabric Co. (Love!)
Drygoods Design (Love!)
Pacific Fabrics (yes to Northgate, SODO = NONO)
Daiso Tukwilla  (a super small Daiso)
Burgerville (it’s Walla Walla Onion Ring season!)

Posted in Field Trip | 22 Comments

I am so excited about my newest line Winterkist being in stores any day now! And just as exciting, Katie of There & Back is having a Winterkist blog hop! I die. When Katie told me she wanted to do a hop with Winterkist I pretty much was in awe and disbelief that she wanted to use my little ole fabric. Thrilled, gobsmacked, disbelief, honored… am I dreaming??!

flickr photo credits (made with Big Huge Labs’ Mosaic Maker):
1. winterkist tree skort, 2. Hello Gnoma, 3. Pig in a Blanket Gnoma, 4. Gnoma Surprise

HOLY COW - Katie’s assembled an amazing bunch of sewists and crafters making beautiful things with Winterkist.  So not only are there great projects to be seen, I just learned the Fat Quarter Shop is generously giving some fat quarter bundles away for the hop (all the details are here)!  If you’d like to be notified when Winterkist is available at FQS you can do so here.

So here they are - three weeks of superstars!!
Week 1
Aug 6:  There & Back
Aug 7:  imagine gnats
Aug 8:  Clover & Violet
Aug 9:  mon petit lyons
Aug 10:  Sew Sweetness

Week 2
Aug 13:  Sweet Diesel Designs
Aug 14:  Pins & Bobbins
Aug 15:  Sew Festive Handmade
Aug 16:  from blank pages
Aug 17:  {sew} Allegorical

Week 3
Aug 20:  My Go-Go Life
Aug 21:  Random Thoughts…do or “di”
Aug 22:  Ellison Lane Quilts
Aug 23:  Echinops & Aster
Aug 24:  There & Back

Posted in Winterkist | 19 Comments

Today is the Ron Swanson Along - Day 11. If you’ve gotten here by mistake… back up the tour bus and go directly back to Day 1.

RonQuilt has been very active while visiting Aunt Dana and is becoming quite the manquilt about town!  Today Aunt Dana captures shots of RonQuilt exploring Paramount Studios…

Before we get on with Day 11 - feast your eyes on what Amanda from Threadbias.com and Cat from Cat & Vee are creating!  Amanda is doing an out of this world cool “Warhol Ron Swanson” version, and Cat’s version is peppered with some seriously awesome little fabric treats all throughout her blocks so far.

————————–

Comments are closed this post and am referring all comments to Day 1’s comment section. This way they’re all together and tidy, particularly if questions arise in a comment (which I will answer them in that comment so that others may benefit. Answers are pretty in pink).

The Ron Swanson Along
[leave a comment] [print block layout] [print face map]
[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5]
[Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10]
[Day 11] [Day 12] [Day BEST DAY EVER]
[Ron Swanson Along Flickr group]

Posted in Ron Swanson Along | No Comments

Today is the Ron Swanson Along - Day 10. If you’ve gotten here by mistake… back up the tour bus and go directly back to Day 1.

I said in a previous post, RonQuilt is down in SoCal visiting his Godmother, Dana. Not only is Aunt Dana pampering RonQuilt - she’s also taking him on a super exclusive all access VIP Tour O’ Hollywood. I’m super jealous, but also loving every second of his fun times and adventures. So sweet of Aunt Dana for capturing all amazing the photos and letting me share them!

Before you start on to Day 10, you HAVE TO GO VISIT JENNY’S BLOG and see her version of RonQuilt. Warning: You may end up at Hollywood Forever because Jenny’s RonQuilt is SO FREAKING CUTE YOU WILL JUST DIE.

Comments are closed this post and am referring all comments to Day 1’s comment section. This way they’re all together and tidy, particularly if questions arise in a comment (which I will answer them in that comment so that others may benefit. Answers are pretty in pink).

The Ron Swanson Along
[leave a comment] [print block layout] [print face map]
[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5]
[Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10]
[Day 11] [Day 12] [Day BEST DAY EVER]
[Ron Swanson Along Flickr group]

Posted in Ron Swanson Along | No Comments

Round 5 of the Traveling Quilts Bee has made it’s way to my house. I now have Amber’s beautiful QIP (quilt in progress). I wanted to carry on in a sewing theme after seeing Elizabeth’s beautiful ruler addition.

So one night at sewing circle (aka Yam time) while I was sewing on Amber’s QIP, a bee flew up my bum and I thought about adding something extra, extra special to Amber’s QIP. So I jumped on to some aerial photography equipment…

… and added a beautiful Yam border!

Mo, Traci, Gibby, Fini (Irene’s sister and Instagram rock-star visiting from Hawai’i), Irene, Jen, Shelly, Joan & Kristin.

BettyCrockerAss‘ wobble, but they don’t fall down.

My fo’realsies addition to Amber’s QIP includes a pieced spool (from Camille’s pattern)…

… and some appliqued “thread”.  I was just about ready to pack it all up and send it off to Dan…

… when suddenly there was an angry commotion amongst the staff.  And there were threats.  Turns out I wasn’t the only one who didn’t want to see this get quilt-top get sent on.

It was going to take some serious scheming and warfare to get past these guys.

Luckily I had help… but there was either a casualty or some narcolepsy.

Order was soon restored by the IT guy - the office/sewing room bad-ass. Amber’s QIP is now safely on it’s way to Dan. And by on it’s way I mean that it’s on my dinner table waiting to go to the post office tomorrow.  Ish.

To see who made what - click on the photo to take you to it’s flickr page, then mouse-over the photo to see the segments and their creators.

I can’t wait to see what Dan does next!

Posted in Bee serious | 9 Comments