I've learned something this holiday season as I'm running through the house frantically trying to get everything done. Waiting until the last minute and skating to the finish line isn't working for me anymore. My energy level just isn't what it used to be.


Part of the problem was thinking that wrapping  the heavy wire tree with yarn would be a breeze. The tree ate up about a week of my spare time to complete! "Wrapping 101" is a bit harder than I thought.


But I love it! I collected these celluloid ornaments on e-bay two weeks ago. The simple look of the menagerie of animals appeals to me. The donkey is pressed cardboard but I added him to the collection as I loved his sweet look.


The snowflakes are laser cut wood.




I have a bit more to go before I'm ready, but at least this tree is done!

Wishing you peace and happiness!

Alma

We have a winner! Carol you have won all of the fabric swatches shown in the last post.
e-mail me at alma@blackbird-designs.com with your address.

#229 Carol said...
So good to see you back on your blog. You have been missed.

The fabrics and the new quilts look wonderful. Happy to be included in the drawing. Hope I win!

Thought today would be good to do what I originally intended after fall quilt market.
Moda fabrics makes up these sweet fabric packs for the designers to distribute during quilt market. I asked some of the designers if I could have a sample of their fabric to give away on this blog site. They were all very willing to share. Below are the ones I was able to collect.

 Leave your name and a comment and you could win these cute candy packs of fabric.
There is only one winner. Contest will be over tomorrow around noon.



The above picture is of our booth at fall Quilt Market. Barb took this with her iphone and it's not really a good shot ....but it gives you an idea of the quilts that will be coming out in our next book. We were planning to release the book this December but our plans have changed. The Kansas City Star will be printing this one for us and we are looking at a March release. Barb's quilt is on the left wall and mine is on the right. Same pattern ...just two color ways, showing what a difference a color palette can make. Mine uses our fabric line from Cinnamon Spice and Barb's uses a tan floral print from Cinnamon Spice (shown below) and a mixture of other prints for the flowers and leaves. Her leaves are shades of dark green....I know they look black in the above picture but they aren't. I will try and get a close-up for you tomorrow.



 

Until later!

Alma

I'm sorry my lack of presence on this site. I wish I had a great excuse. I really meant to post right after quilt market in November....but the month just flew by!  To top it off....Christmas is almost here. There is quite a bit of prep work needed for this holiday. Luckily there are plenty of sweet memories of Thanksgiving to carry me through the hustle and bustle of the season. The good thing about Christmas is it always comes whether we're ready or not.


Here's a glimpse of our fourth and last Loose Feather pattern for the year 2012. It should be in your stores around Christmas time.

Look for a free pattern soon....there was one we made for the booklet but due to lack of space we couldn't include it. Barb and I decided to offer it on the blog as a free pattern.

Our web-site is getting a makeover. Hopefully there will be something to show there soon!

Until later,

Alma

 

   Our newest pattern, Feast of Friendship goes to the printer today. I love this piece designed by Barb. There is something about the bowl of fruit that just calls my name. I know everyone around the world doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving like we do in the states, but it's really a great holiday. It's all about everyone sitting around a table enjoying a good meal together. The laughter, stories and time spent with our kids make it really fun. Each of them has a special dish they prepare or task they do to help things go smoothly. Although I might make a couple of new dishes we haven't tried before, we pretty much stick to the same menu each year. Andy, my oldest always helps with the dishes, Jeff peels potatoes with his brother Greg. Laura makes her corn casserole. Greg also makes a wonderful sweet potato dish. Dave grills the turkey. Usually we have dear friends that show up to help celebrate too. They always bring something wonderful!

   This sampler symbolizes our feelings of Thanksgiving. The home represents family, the acorn border and pumpkin celebrates the harvest and the bowl of fruit symbolizes the bounty of the meal. 


Without delay here are our winners!

1.  Melanie said...
I grew up on Cinnamon toast and chocolate milk.... These fabrics are beautiful. There needs to be a Snickerdoodle quilt.. you know those cookies you made with your mom when you were little rolling cookie dough balls in cinnamon and sugar?!?!?
The colors in your new line of fabrics are beautiful. Who wouldn't love some Cinnamon Spice and a cookie magazine? Thanks for the opportunity.

back in KY i have cookie cutters that are being passed down to the 4th generation of bakers. They belonged to my Grandma, who made cookie with my Dad and Aunt, I got them when no one else wanted them - imagine that??? And now my girls have them. They are kept in an old orange little kid tool box - that was my Dad's as a child. I also have several of the receipts that my grandmother and mother used for their christmas cookies.

The fabric is wonderful too, but the "Christmas Cookies" brought back old memories.

Sandra
I like the cookiebook (and the fabric). In our country it's not so common to bake cookies for Christmas. So maybe I can have a new Christmas tradition.

 It seems a bit early to think about Christmas cookies, but I saw this at my local grocery store on Friday. I always purchase the Land O'Lakes cookie booklet each year and any other that catches my eye. Last year I began to think maybe I shouldn't purchase any more of these publications. Surely by now I have just about every cookie recipe on earth. But this one I had to purchase.


The layout of the magazine was well designed. The cookie recipes are organized according to shapes and types. The use of fonts, color and the photography was very appealing. Even the feel of the paper is nice.


The cookies look yummy and their instructions are clear and some are illustrated with extra "how to" photos.



 Cinnamon Spice will be in the shops soon....so here is your chance to get your fabric before anyone else. I have two charm packs, a fat quarter bundle and a layer cake....so there will be 4 winners. Each winner will also get a copy of the Christmas Cookies publication by Better Homes and Gardens. (Just because I think you will really like this one. Barb and I had nothing to do with the cookie magazine. Better Homes and Gardens didn't call us for any advice or recipes. We do love cookies though and that should count for something!!!)

Leave a comment and I will name the winners on Thursday.

Until later,

Alma

  Each of the 10 winners below will get 4 of the candy packs. Please send your address to alma@blackbird-designs.com and I will get your prize in the mail.

#34   Guusje, said...
What a beautiful loose feathers pattern is coming to us I hope this one will come soon to me so I can stitch it. The new fabric is also beautiful. I hope it is soon in the stores.
Thanks for the chance to sew with some of your beautiful " Meadow". Your Christmas sampler is tempting me to get out my X-stitch supplies again!
Alma,

I love the new designs - and Meadow is so beautiful ! I was fortunate enough to purchase a Fat Quarter Bundle at an extremely great price -- so good I bought two and shared with my BFF Debbie !

Also, the book arrived last week as well -- Birds here we come !

Hugs,
Karen
I love everything you both design....always! Looking forward to getting my hands on the Merry Christmas sampler, so cheery. Thanks for letting me join in on your fabulous giveaway! Smiles....

#79   Dianne said...

Wonderful Wonderful designs! I will keep the Christmas sampler out all year to!!! A good way to live the spirit of Christmas all year long.

Thank you for the opportunity to win.

Dianne

September 11, 2012 5:57 PM 

#124  Laura G said...

Love the Meadow collection as it is featured in the IN The Meadow book. Thank you for the contest.

September 11, 2012 8:37 PM

#207   Anja´s Wunschpunsch said...

Your new patterns are great. Wonderful fabrics.

Greetings
Anja

September 12, 2012 8:25 AM

#270  sandi s said...

I would love to win some of your fabric. Thanks.

September 12, 2012 7:54 PM

#288  Miranda said...

Just love you're books! Good luck and just like they others I hope to win too...Greetings

September 13, 2012 3:50 AM

saltandpepper said...

I love the Merry Christmas sampler!
Thank you for a chance to win the Moda fabric giveaway.
Chris

September 13, 2012 6:44 PM

The two Grand Prizes go to:

Kyle said...

Your fabrics and patterns have always been a favorite of mine. I'd love to be a prize winner!

September 11, 2012 3:48 PM

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Love the new charts. Especially the one with the house. I'll cross my fingers that I may be the lucky one.

September 12, 2012 8:22 AM

Congratulations to all of the winners!

The designers below will have a special post tomorrow.

Sept. 14
MINICK & SIMPSON
Jenn Ski 
and
ZEN CHIC

Visit back here tomorrow for one more contest!

Until later!

Alma 

 Ten people will win 4 each of the Moda Candy packs. The ones above are from our Meadow line of fabric.These are just the right size to make some of the patterns given by each designer during the blog hop.Our pattern can be found here. Although these fabrics are not the Cinnamon Spice fabric line shown on the pattern...these would be very cute too! (We will have another contest soon for some of our Cinnamon Spice so not to worry.)










Sept. 10Primitive Gatherings
Lily Ashbury
French General





Until later!

Alma

Welcome to the Columbus Park Community Garden! I discovered this garden quite by accident on my way to meet Edie for lunch one day. Edie McGinnis, my editor/friend from the Kansas City Star and I have been having lunch together in a different cafe/restaurant each week. We decided to "rediscover" different communities in our Kansas City area.What a grand time we are having too! (I'd say about 10 extra pounds worth.)


One of the members of the garden built this fabulous gate from some scrap pieces of metal. I love the way the gate opens into the garden.


This blue headboard makes the perfect plant support. Looks like someone forgot their scissors!





A broken shard of a pot shelters new lettuce seedlings.


Together the broken shards make a sweet fence. Nothing is wasted here!


A small wind chime adorns this tomato cage.


An old shutter shades and supports these blooms.


Have a plant whose roots are invasive? Just put the entire pot into the ground.

 And lastly my favorite. A huge garbage can is in the alley. To hide the eyesore they surrounded it with wire fencing and then attached some colorful shutters and doors.

I love this idea!!!

Columbus Park is a neighborhood just east of our city market area. "From 1890 to 1920, many European immigrants – especially Italians – came to Kansas City to find work in the railroad and packing industries. Most of these Italian immigrants settled in the area that was once known as the North End or Little Italy, but today is known as Columbus Park." (Quote from this site.) If you visit Kansas City make sure you stop to enjoy this area.

Cafes Edie and I have tried and highly recommend in this area:

Vietnam Cafe
Gillis Cafe

Next stop the Kansas Ctiy Community Garden and a contest!

Until later,

Alma

Welcome to our site on the "Oh so Sweet" Moda Blog Hop!
 We are celebrating National Sewing Month.
 Barb and I are from the Kansas City area. I have lots to show you but am going to begin in my own backyard.  (I know it's a strange place to begin....but it does a lot to explain my absence from our blog site.)

 While Barb and I visited Walnut, Iowa this summer, during their annual father's day antique sale, I purchased these four columns. I could visualize them in my back garden. The architecture would be the focal point in my vegetable garden. I also thought it would be a great place to host dinners. I've seen lots of pictures of lovely farm to table meals served outside. I thought we could begin our own tradition of outside parties. I imagined serving fabulous dishes from all the produce we would grow. (Sometimes I think I've lost my mind! With the drought we've had here this summer no one has wanted to be outside for long.)

 Most of my summer mornings have been spent with this gal. Lots of water was needed to get these plants going and to keep them alive. (I found her in Walnut, Iowa also. I just couldn't pass her up.)


The vegetable garden began with this plastic raised bed we found at Sam's outlet. I planted several varieties oregano and thyme and turnips. I have never really planted many vegetables...just the typical tomatoes and peppers. So this was a real learning experience for me.


Actually our summer was so hot and dry I hadn't seen many insects pollinating anything in our garden until recently. We've had to feed our honeybees sugar water for most of this summer. We go through about 60 - 80 pounds of sugar each week.



Dave built 4 raised beds for me. Each is 4" x 8". It took lots of dirt to fill them but the raised beds seem more manageable to weed and plant. My plans are for him to build 5 more. (Don't tell Dave! I break the news to him one raised bed at a time.)


 I've learned quite a bit this summer. I've learned how delicious sweet potato leaves must be.


 I've observed the great beauty of carrot leaves in the sunlight.


I've seen how bean seedlings leap from the ground in their great fury to grow.

 

I've discovered I break out with a "hello sweetheart" when I see new seedlings.



Be sure to visit the designers listed below tomorrow.

Sept. 7
BRANNOCK & PATEK
Eric & Julie Comstock 
and
Thimbleblossoms


Look for a visit to some local community gardens here in K.C. and a contest soon!

Until tomorrow,

Alma