I get to be a guest blogger today!

Today I get to be a guest blogger! Amy asked me to be a guest blogger on her blog. I love reading her blog and am so honored that she asked me.

You can head over there and learn all about me and why I stated my business.

DON'T FORGET! TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO SAVE 40% OFF YOUR TOTAL PURCHASE @ PIECE N QUILT!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!!

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~Natalia

Sweet P Drops By For A Visit.......

My name is Paulette and I am a quiltoholic….….I am otherwise a fairly normal person ~ a wife, mother of three beautiful daughters and step mom to a wonderful daughter and son and step-grandma to two lovely girls. I am also a retired Grade One school teacher.

Here I am as the Blue Bird of Happiness …OK maybe not so normal after all…but look at the kids…are they not adorable!! I loved every moment in the classroom…everyday was an adventure, with a new and different story to come home with! To think I got paid to do crafts all day long!! Blows the mind!

You are probably wondering how a nice ‘normal’ person like me became a quiltoholic…. ~ Well it all began in a small town on Vancouver Island (west coast of Canada). My mother loved to sew and it took very little encouragement from her to get me sewing at an early age… It started with embroidery at age 6 or 7…and when we ran out of pillowcases and table runners to embroider, I started making doll clothes and stuffed animals.

This is a sample of some of the work I did with my mom’s help…I would work on these for hours! Some good memories are tied up in these stitches!

I wasn’t allowed to use my mom’s sewing machine until I turned 10…but when I did LOOK OUT! I started sewing clothes for myself and continued to do so until I entered University…in fact I took my sewing machine with me. Yes, I was the only girl with a sewing machine in my dorm! Nerdy? No way! Everyone knew where to go when they needed something mended! I was VERY popular!

It’s every sewers dream to have a little girl to sew for… well I was blessed with three of them! (every two years…like clock work!) I would sew them matching outfits, party dresses and romper sets.

Just look at those pretty party dresses…fun to make but poor Hayley, the baby, always got the hand-me-downs!

(Now here they are all grown up and still in party clothes…sigh….aren’t they beautiful!)

But back to the story…about ME….

So I continued to sew for them until they refused to wear dresses anymore….which was alright because by then I had moved onto other crafts-you name it I’ve done it- I made candles, batik, macramé, decoupage, I made stain glass lamps and windows, I smashed dishes and tile to do a mosaic on tables and shelves, I made dough dolls, I sponged, ragged and spackled every room in my house at least once…, I made cement leaves, hypertufa pots, wreaths out of dried hydrangeas and pine cones, willow chairs and arbors, stepping stones, beading and scrapbooking….I think you get the idea! I gave Martha a run for her money!

This is a plate mosaic I did on a watering can and below are some cement leaves.

You name the craft and I have probably done it and I enjoyed it all! BUT then one Christmas, about seven years ago, we went to my school staff party at Rick and Dawn’s house (Rick was a teacher at my school). Dawn is an extraordinary quilter, with quilts hanging all over her house….I drooled…I gushed….I talked quilts all night….Dawn sent me home with Eleanor Burns’ book “Quilt in a Day”. I couldn’t get to a Quilt shop fast enough! And the rest is history…a passion consumed me. I whipped up a green and red log cabin quilt and that was so much fun that I whipped up another. Everyone in the family got a quilt that year…A baby in the family? Whoopeee, let me make a baby quilt!

(And who did I get to meet at the road to California last year…why my new BFF Eleanor Burns!! What a thrill!)

Dawn went to Cloth Castle Club….so of course I tagged along….talking quilts a mile a minute! Alice (a friend from elementary school) soon joined us and we talked quilts even faster!! It was here that we met Claire, another incredible quilter and we have been getting together ever since! It has become our ‘monthly’ ritual!

Here we are, left to right~ Dawn, me, Alice and Claire…my partners in quilting crime…always plotting the next quilt!

It was through Claire that Alice and I developed a passion for working with wool…

So between making quilts and penny rugs I have become a quiltoholic…AND I AM PROUD OF IT!!

Now enter the world of blogging….(music from Jaws played here…..dah dah…dah dah….)

I confess…I had been a Blog lurker for over a year before starting my own blog in July. I thought quilting had changed my life but blogging has changed it in a whole different direction!! It’s enhanced my quilting self…if that makes sense…I discovered a whole bunch of other quiltoholics and blogging is where we can meet to talk about our quilting ‘highs and lows’.

My new blogging buddies are quilters from all over the world. We talk and share and find inspiration or encouragement. I find it incredible that I can talk about a quilt or a technique or a pattern with someone in Iceland or Australia or Brazil and all in the same day! They share the same passion with me and as a result the world has become a much smaller, friendlier community…Blogging is wonderful!

Welcome to~

Sweet P’s Quilting and Creations….

Please make sure you stop by for a visit….I’m always home and the coffee pot is always full….Make sure you leave a comment…I always enjoy meeting new quiltoholics!

….Now if I could just get off the computer long enough to quilt!!

~Thank you so much Paulette! I loved reading about you! I've been stalking your blog for quite sometime! I love your style and I am so honored that you are a guest blogger here today!

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~Natalia

Simply Authentic Quilt Tutorial

More Christmas Gifts

Whitnee pieced both of these quilts as Christmas gifts this year. She, like I didn't want to share any pictures before Christmas.

This first quilt is a denim quilt that she made for her husband using his old jeans. I love how it turned out, I love the N that she appliqued. I machine quilted it for her and Kathleen did the binding. Tutorial to come soon!

This quilt Whitnee pieced for her sister-in-law who is 16yrs old. She really wanted to give something from the heart so she designed and pieced this quilt for her using Authentic materials. I also machine quilted  it and Kathleen did the binding. Tutorial to come soon also!

I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas. I was able to spend 4 days straight with my husband. (That never happens.) It was great, we played a lot of games, enjoyed each others company and I worked on my next MBS quilt while he took care of our daughter and cleaned out our closet! It was great!

I am so excited now to start off this new year. I have so many new goals and hopes for the new year. I hope that  you do also!

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~Natalia

Christmas Gifts

I made a few more quilts as gifts and I didn't dare post them on here until after Christmas.

This one I made using my Scrappy Chirstmas Block Exchange blocks. I made them into a quilt for my mother-in-law.

Kathleen pieced this quilt and I machine quilted this for her and we gave this to Holly for Christmas. It is made from Essence by Sandy Gervais for Moda fabrics.

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~Natalia

Merry Christmas From Piece N Quilt

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Our gift to you is 40% off our entire store. December 25 - December 31, 2009 only!

Simply use discount code 'blowout' to receive your discount!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM PIECE N QUILT!!!

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~Natalia

Home Spun Holiday Show N Tell Winners!

Thank you to all who participated in our Home Spun Holiday Show N Tell! I had so much fun browsing through your holiday projects and you have all truly inspired me!

We've randomly selected 5 of our participants to win a $20.00 gift certificate to Piece N Quilt and two Mix and Match patterns by Mrs. Moen.

If you are a winner please e-mail me to receive your prize!

The winners of the $20.00 gift certificate to Piece N Quilt are as follows, in no particular order.

Lisa's Stockings

Barbara's Snowmen

Kelli's Figgy Pudding Runner

Jeanne's Stockings

Anna's Runner

The winners of the Mix & Match Patterns by Mrs. Moen are, in no particular order.

 

Kim Sherrod Studio- Fringe Scarf.

Darcy's Reindeer Quilt.

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~Natalia

'Twas the night before Christmas, Quilters version

'Twas the night before Christmas,
And the quilts were not made.
The threads were all tangled, the cookies delayed.
The stocking weren't hung, the pantry was bare.
The poor weary Quilter, was tearing her hair.
Stacks of fat quarters, tipped over in streams.
Visions of Log Cabins, had turned into dreams.

When what to her wondering eyes should appear,
But a bus full of quilters with all of their gear.
They went straight to work with just a few mutters,
Sorting and stitching and brandishing cutters.
The patterns emerged from all of the clutter,
Like magic the fabrics arranged in a flutter.
Log Cabins, Lone Stars, Flying Geese & Bear Tracks
Each quilt was a beauty-even the backs.

Her house how it twinkled, her quilts how they glowed.
The cookies were baking, the stockings were sewed.
Their work was all done, so they folded their frames,
And packed up their needles, without giving their names.
They boarded the bus, and checked the next address.
More quilts to be made, another quilter in distress.

She heard one voice echo, as they drove out of sight,
Happy quilting to all and to all a good night!
Author Unknown 

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~Natalia

I WON!

My LQS had a fun Christmas quilt show. They had many different Christmas quilts from several local ladies displayed. I had so much for going over there and viewing all of the quilts. Then when I went to pick my quilt up I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that I had won the viewers choice award! Thank you to every one that voted for my quilt.

I also noticed that one of the quilts that I quilted won second place! Congratulations MaryAnn!

You can get the complete tutorial here. The Snuggle Snowmen quilt is made using Authentic materials.

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~Natalia

Ashlee's Advent Calendar.

If you remember back here I machine quilted these two advent calendars. Ashlee has entered hers into our Home Spun Holiday Show N Tell! I am so glad that she did because I've been dying to see the finished product. Head over to Ashlee's blog to see her little doll houses too, the are so darling!

Photo courtesy of Ashlee Woolf photography.

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~Natalia

Christmas Projects!

I had a very busy yet very productive weekend! I spent Saturday, finishing piecing a quilt, machine quilted two quilts then assisted Kathleen in making 6 advent calendars and chex mix. I was completely exhausted by time I went to bed but it felt so nice to have finished so much work!

I designed, pieced and quilted this quilt for my niece using Authentic materials. Our family has 30 grandchildren and one great grand child (and more on the way) so the kids draw names. My daughter had one of her girl cousins so I made this quilt for her. I think it turned out really cute. 

This was at the Christmas party. I think that she liked the quilt!

Kathleen was inspired by this tutorial over @ Ucreate, we changed a little bit and had a friend cut al of the letters and lines out with her circut. Kathleen couldn't just settle making one of these, so we made six! I think that next year they will be a really fun advent calendar.

Now, just a few more days until Christmas. I am ready.... I think, I still need to purchase a few gifts but I'm feeling much more prepared.

How was your weekend? Are you ready for Christmas?

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~Natalia

Snuggle Snowmen Tutorial

I know that many of you have already seen this quilt but I wanted to post the tutorial here so that I had it in my blog. :)
I love how this one turned out!

Candied Fabrics: Art Quilt Construction

Hello there! My name is Candy Glendening, I'm an art quilter working solely with fabric I dye myself, so they're Candied Fabrics - it's almost like I was born to be a dyer! ;-) My little part of the blogosphere is located here: CandiedFabrics.com. The fabulous Natalia has asked me to share with you a bit about my process, so I thought I'd show you how I've begun to actually construct art quilts in all 3 dimensions!

I was inspired by Jane Davila to make a 3 dimensional house, where each side of the house is it’s own little art quilt. I REALLY LIKE creating smaller pieces that are part of a larger whole, see some examples of my art quilts: “Once in a Blue Moon” or here or here for example. To make 8 small pieces that are specific dimensions (those gable ends being neat spaces to fill) and hold together as a unit but are at the same time pieces that can stand on their own really stimulates my creative juices!
My 1st house, Titled "Home is Where the Art Is: Olive Avenue" was inspired by the street I live on:
Now that you see what I'm talking about, I thought I'd take you through the construction of my second house. For even more detail on this whole series, take a look at my archived blog posts on my 3-d work here.

1. I star with one beautiful piece of inspiration fabric I dyed from a color palette I’ve been working with:
2. Dye a couple of dark to light pieces I dyed to go with the fancy dancy fabric:
3. Pull lots of shades & tints of the main colors of the inspiration fabric. Value is important! A simple lesson that was years in the learning!
4. Possible layouts decided upon. I designed the house pattern on the computer (so it would actually fit together!). I printed some smaller versions of these out and sketched some possible layouts on them. This helps me get beyond the “what do I do” phase when faced with a blank sheet of release paper, just waiting for fabric. A genius tip from Melody.
5. I then worked on all 8 sides simultaneously, moving from side to side when I got fed up or stuck on one, sometimes moving a particular motif from one side to the other. My goal again is 8 small art quilts that work together. This is what I ended up with:
6. Final result! “Home Is Where the Art is: Baltic Avenue” When it was finished I realized I wanted a base to ground the piece (which made me go back and make a simple one for the Olive Ave. house). The way I finished the edges of the base, combined with the simplistic house shape reminded my husband of the game Monopoly. Which property name do you most associate with Monopoly? For me, it’s Baltic Avenue (that and Ventnor, but it’s such an ugly name).

Here's the 3rd house "Home is Where the Art is: Cabot Trail" These colors reminded my Hubby of the houses on Cape Breton in Novia Scotia. Cabot Trail is a spectacular drive along the coast. It sold very quickly, and of all the things that I've sold, this one was the hardest to let go of! (Of course, I blogged about it!)


After finishing these 3 in time for a deadline, life sidetracked me. I've been yearning to make more houses since March, but it took a contest to make me focus! There’s nothing like a deadline to get those creative juices flowing!

Things We Make was having a recycled, repurposed DIY ornament contest, and I have a huge amounts of scraps of prefused hand dyed fabrics and Peltex. Although as an art quilter I can always use the fabric scraps SOMEWHERE, a big basket of small, oddly shaped scraps of peltex has been sitting in my closet for just such a recycling project as this! I didn’t care about winning the contest, as I’m sure there are some clever people repurposing in a much more creative way than I, but my boys understand a contest deadline, and were much more forgiving of me ignoring them last night than normal, which let me get them photographed. In fact, between the pix I took last night (and processed and sent in to Amy 1 minute before the deadline!) and the ones I took this morning, I do believe I’ve spent more time photographing them and processing the photos than it took to actually make them!
But I awoke this morning to the news that I HAD won - woohoo! OK, I've taken up way too much of your time, so I'm signing off for now. If you'd like to see lots more pix of the ornaments, click over to this post! And thanks Natalia, for introducing me to all your fabulous readers!

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~Natalia