Tomorrow, tomorrow . . .and a late announcement!

I love ya, tomorrow -- you're only a day away!  

Join us tomorrow for the 2012 Pets on Quilts Show!! 


I'm so embarrassed! I've been so overwhelmed with putting together the Pet Show that I forgot to announce our winner for the Apple A Day book! Gack! Don't hate me!

Mr. Random scratched his head, thought a while, and then chose:

The eleventh comment was from Hilachas! She said:

 
Congratulations, Hilachas! We'll be sending your info to Brooke, and she will send you your new book! (Woot, I made a rhyme! Ribbit!)
 
Love,

Sneaky peek -- Project #2

Here is the other project that I'm working on like mad . . . it's a design of my own, using gorgeous Christmas fabrics by one of our fabulous sponsors!


When I get this completed, I'll be showing it, and also we'll hold a random giveaway for some of these luscious prints and solids! Yum!


I'll give you some clues --- this is going to be a wallhanging. There is a so-cute panel that will be surrounded by some applique and 3D adornments!

That's all I can show you, for now!


Love,

Sneaky Peek - Project #1

I'm sure that none of you have the tendency to work on more than one thing at a time, right? (Wink) I have found myself in that situation lately --- lots of irons in the fire!


Here is a sneaky peek of one of my projects . . . this is a Kaye Moore sampler that was graciously gifted to me, and I love it!  It will look similar to a flag when it is complete, and the hearts will alternate with the text, making the horizontal lines.

The hearts will be blanket stitched onto the sampler, and the text will note service in the Army Air Corps --- the pre-cursor to the Air Force, in WWII. This will take a place of honor on our mantel, next to a candid shot of my dad-in-law in uniform. 


Here is a close up of one of the hearts:

I'll show you more when it's done!


Love,

Yay! It worked!

Thanks ever so much to those of you who volunteered to help with the "test" linky party -- I was able to determine that my settings were spot on, and personally, I enjoyed visiting all of you who linked up! Your projects were definitely applause-worthy!

I'd love to know if you would like to have more "Give Us A Hand" parties here at Lilypadquilting . . . and if you would like to see one be scheduled, would you like it to be a once-a-month affair, or twice-monthly? Do tell!

Here at the Lilypad, we are making our final plans for the Pets on Quilts Show, and we hope that you will be ready, and join us starting on Wednesday, August 1. This is all about pets, and quilts, and friends, and FUN!

I hope to have a sneaky peek for you tomorrow --- I want to give you a glimpse of the project I'm working on! Because of the Pet Show schedule, I won't be able to reveal the finish (and the accompanying giveaway) until the show is through . . . but I know you will be excited about the fabrics that will be up for grabs!

Till then, happy sewing!

Love,

Give us a hand! A linky party!

(Grin) I wasn't asking for applause, though it really is nice of you!


I'm asking a favor . . .


Padsworth and I are working on the linky party for the Pets on Quilts Show, and I'd like to test my settings.  If some of you have something that you would like to link to, let's go for it!


It can link to a blog post of something you are really proud of.

It can link to a Flickr picture of something that you're bustin' your buttons about.


(Let's keep it clean, folks. Grin)


I'm going to leave it open for about 24 hours or so, and check to see if all of my settings are OK, and that it works like I want it to.


Sound like something you can help me with? I sure hope so!!


This time, you will be the ones hearing the applause -- cos all of us will give you a hand!!


Let's start adding links!
(As always, on Thursdays, I'm linking up with Katherine's Corner, and the Thursday Favorite Things hop! Join us!)


Love,

Ya gotta meet these three!

If you are looking for our wonderful giveaway, please click here and go enter to win! Then come back and see us for our final sponsor spotlight for the Pets on Quilts show! You've just got to meet these three!

We appreciate our Show sponsors so very much! This clambake would not be as much fun, if we didn't have all of these wonderful prizes to give away at the end of the show!

Sponsoring the show again this year is a talented designer of quilts and fabrics, Karen Brow. Please put your hands together for Java House Quilts! (Gotta love that name . . . excuse me while I go get my cuppa - that reminded me that I need some of the elixir.)

Karen has been sewing (and then quilting) since she was fourteen! Her quilt patterns have been featured in many magazines, such as McCall's Quick Quilts as well as in the Quiltmakers' 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers. The banner on her site says that she offers "Whimsical quilt patterns with delightful animals" and it's true! Take a peek here on her site!

You'll find dogs, cats, frogs (Padworth was so pleased) and forest animals, in beautifully designed patterns. Here is what Karen says about her work:

I have a particular love for setting gentle, appliqué curves against the strong lines of pieced blocks, because the sense of movement and the unexpected disruption of an otherwise anticipated pattern repeat. We can use playful, life-size animals or gently twisting vines and the result is dramatic; they just set each other off.  

And if you check out this picture, you can see her magic:

She also designs wearable art, like vests, and there are patterns for comfy pet beds, too! I really hope that you will click on the linkie and visit her site.....she has so many wonderful patterns -- from playful to lovely -- and I want you to get to know her!

Karen is graciously offering her pattern "Cat-Acatemy" to one of our lucky winners!!  Yay! Hoppy froggies! It's an unusual and beautiful BOM with eight patterns. Click on this link to go and see it. And if you don't come back here for a while, I will totally understand: I sat there and gazed at the Cat-Acatemy for a long time!

Thank you, Karen, for your generous sponsorship of our show!

Another returning sponsor is our lovely friend, Jeanette, from Inchworm Fabrics! Give a warm Lilypadquilting welcome to her! I love her fabric shop --- I know, I know, you are thinking to yourself that I probably love all fabric shops. Sigh. I guess I really do. I like to go in and pick some that calls to me, and take it home and pat it and talk to it . . . Ahem. I have digressed yet again. 

Let me tell you what I think is special about Inchworm Fabrics! For one thing, you can find cute project patterns by our friend Barb at Bejeweled Quilts! Look at this page and see them! 
On the Precuts page, you will find lots of variety in charm packs, at great prices....fat quarter bundles, honey buns, and even turnovers! You don't see those everyday! 
She offers lovely batiks, flat folds, books and more. And did I mention that all of these are at really great prices? I did? OK. 
Ever since I saw a quilt that Barb made from Somoan fabrics, I've drooled over those....and Inchworm Fabrics has a lovely jelly roll of them! Yum!

Inchworm Fabrics is providing a wonderful book for one of our lucky Pet Show winners:

It's Pieced Applique Weekend Projects, by Penny Haren! You'll find patterns and instructions for twelve projects! 
Thank you, Jeanette, and Inchworm Fabrics, for your generous sponsorship!!

New to the 2012 Pet Show is our next sponsor --- Heat Press Batting Together!  I did a review of this product about a year ago, and the Harwoods have developed some new products since then! Their family business is located in California, and Jeanne has been a long arm quilter for years.  She worked on many quilts for charity, and was struck by the large amounts of batting that were left over -- many times in odd sizes and shapes. So, she invented Heat Press Batting Together . . .

Personally, I love this stuff. I swear by it. (Note that I said I swear by it, not at it.) It is a wonderful, easy to use product, and I feel so good about the fact that I don't waste left over batting!  Yes, I know, you can join two pieces of batting with a ziggy zaggy stitch or some other way --- but I got tired of trying to do that without having either gaps and spaces, or having thick, overlapped sections. 
Padsworth says the cloth fusion tape is the "best thing since he discovered that Cousin Esmerelda Froggie lived next to a bait shop." And I'm inclined to agree, although I usually say it's the "best stuff since sliced bread"....
This fusing product is made in the USA, and comes in several different widths and your choice of black or white. 

Once applied, it will stretch instead of popping free; and when I hand-quilted a project with fused-together batting, it needled beautifully . . . no stickiness, and no harder to push through than the rest of the quilt!
Jeanne has generously provided rolls of Heat Press Batting Together for several of our lucky winners!! 
Thank you, Jeanne, and Heat Press Batting Together, for your support of our Pet Show!


I want to express my gratitude to all of our sponsors for our show. I hope that all of you will visit them and think of them when you need to purchase items for your quilting.


Our show begins in ONE WEEK!  Eep! I still have a few last-minute things to do....please excuse my dust!


Love,

Three great pet show sponsors . . .

Looking for our great giveaway? Click here to hop over there and enter! Then come back to see some wonderful sponsors for our Pet Show!

What do a sweet bloggy friend, two bunnies, and gorgeous wool projects have in common? Well, you can find all of the above at Raspberry Rabbits!

Our good buddy Michelle is a textile folk artist, and she has two special furbabies, called Hannah and Harrington --- they keep everyone entertained over at the blog. 

And then, Michelle has a wonderful shop filled with yummy projects and supplies! Just click here to hop over there and see . . . want us to wait? OK. (Humming) 

Well, Michelle, Harrington, and Hannah are generous sponsors of our Pet Show (it's coming up soon, ya better get those photos done!) and here are the lovely prizes that will go to one of our winners:

This is one of Michelle's patterns, called For the Love of Spring, and one lucky winner will receive the pattern, and all of this loot, too: 

Gorgeous wools to make the project, and . . .

Rich colors of Valdani floss to accompany it, and (Yep, there's more!) . . .

This adorable bunny hanger for your completed masterpiece!  Thank you so much, Michelle, Harrington, and Hannah, for your sponsorship of the show!

Next we'll shine our spotlight on Marcia, a professional free-style long-arm quilter, who blogs at Marcia's Crafty Sewing and Quilting. She is an inspiration to many of us, who love her free motion quilting designs, and her patchwork innovations, too.

Check out these photos from her gallery:

Marcia offers extra wide backing fabrics in thirty (yep, you read that correctly) different colors, and she has some wonderful notecards listed for you to purchase, too. 

She is generously offering three prizes for our show winners!

Three lucky winners will receive gift certificates for $30 off on her expert quilting of your masterpiece -- any size from baby size to king! This certificate will be valid for sixty days from the date of issue -- and it's transferable, so if you want to gift it to a friend (though I think I would be tempted to keep it all to myself . . . but then I can't win it. Sigh.) you can do so.

You'll be able to browse through her photo gallery and pick something you like, or just chat with her and discover exactly what you think would look awesome -- and she's great at offering suggestions based on your quilt top, too.

Thank you, Marcia, for your generous sponsorship of our show!

Our third sponsor for today is Margaret Bucklew, of Chiseled in Cloth, and Patterns to Quilt, and the site which bears her name --- and more! 

I'm so impressed with this talented lady. I've looked at her sites, and she offers pantographs, lectures on fabric portraiture, oodles of quilt patterns (you do understand the quantity implied by oodles, right?) and so much more. I hope you will take a few moments to check out her sites, and her blog, too. (You'll find exciting scrapbooking ideas, there!)

Take a look at two of these pantographs, and see if you think they are a perfect fit for some of our show quilts: click here for the kitties, and for the pup, called "My Best Friend."

I was moved by her patriotic gallery at Chiseled in Cloth - take the time to click there, and check out the movies that show close-ups of the fantastic artistry on these quilts.  Just beautiful!

Margaret is offering one of our lucky winners the Quilty Clip Art download! Sixty images drawn by her, and offered in jpg and png formats, to make it easy to use for quilting, scrapbooking, newsletters and more!  If you click on that link up there, you can go to the page and watch the video! Oh! And there are two sizes of each image, too. (You can even get a CD, if you prefer that, instead of a download. She thought of everything!)

Thank you, Margaret, for your sponsorship of our show!

This show would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, so I hope that you will take time to check out their sites and blogs, and if you see something that you like, make a purchase. If they have an email linkie or a Facebook page, let them know you heard about them at Lilypadquilting, and that you appreciate their sponsorship of the Pets on Quilts Show!

Love,

A Finish and a Giveaway!

This giveaway is closed now......
Whilst my sister is still looking the other way, I'll show you her present that I finished! Yay! I love getting presents ready early! (Grin)

Here it is:

It's the Pack and Press bag, from the "An Apple A Day" book --- using the wonderful "Apple of My Eye" fabrics from Amanda at the Quilted Fish, and the pattern designed by Julie (of Intrepid Thread fame) that is included in the book.  Oh, these fabrics are to die for . . . so cute; I love all of the colorways that she created!

I'm telling you, it's a wonderful book --- there are nine different projects in it, and they are all great! From necklaces to placemats to quilts and much more!  Amanda has assembled the Creative Design Consultants, a group of talented women that come up with super ideas and then have the skill to translate those into instructions for folks like you and me!

I'd like to show you how the Pack and Press bag works; there is an ironing surface that folds up and becomes the front of the bag, like so:

See the large green and yellow buttons there? (I was so wanting apple-shaped buttons, but I don't have a local quilt shop near me, and the big box store that I went to didn't have any . . . (Pouting) I guess these will have to do. 

Anyway, there are fabric ties that loop and tie around those buttons. The bag itself can hold a nice large cutting mat, or a big "square 'em up" ruler. And of course, there are all these pockets for supplies that you must carry with you. (You know, the coffee or tea bags, the chocolate, the cookies . . . Ahem.)

This is a perfect project (or gift!) for someone who travels to their LQS or to their guild meeting to do some sewing. 

No more standing in line to use the iron and ironing board . . . just open this baby up, and spread out your own personal ironing surface. The Insul-brite inside will protect the surface that you lay it down upon!

Personally, I just love these fabrics --- I gotta show you one more close-up:

I know, I know . . . I heard some of you squealing --- don't be embarrassed; I feel exactly the same way about these adorable prints!

I happen to know that Julie still has some of these in stock, so you might want to hop over there and check it out, before they're gone!

Now, how would you like to have a book giveaway? Applause, applause! One of the talented designers featured in the book  (well, actually her picture is in the book, but her project and the pattern are the things that are featured!) is the lovely Mistress Brooke, of Silly Mama. She does fabulous things with fabrics, and you should check out her blog, and her Etsy shop. 

Brooke was gracious enough to send me "An Apple A Day" to review, and will provide a copy of the book for one of you lucky peeps!

Let me tell you a little about the book . . . this has to be one of the most inspiring books that I have ever looked through. These ladies dreamed up lovely projects that really let Amanda's fabrics shine. Let me show you just a couple of examples:

This cute quilt is Brooke's project -- scallops and apple appliques....how can you not love it? 

Jackie from Jackie's Art Quilts designed this necklace . . .who wouldn't love to show up at their next guild meeting wearing this stunning piece of art?

And this is Amanda's "Inside the Box" project -- wonderful! I am going to make some of her 3D pincushion flowers to adorn a project that I'm working on. 
I was really impressed with the instructions (easy to understand), the photos (crisp and clear), and the templates (full size, included in the book). This is truly a book that you will get use out of --- it won't just sit on your shelf, I can assure you!
Leave a comment here telling me what your favorite fruit or veggie is. And no, I won't give your comment special consideration if you say "apple." (Grin)
We'll leave this open until Friday, July 27th, then ask Mr. Random to choose, and announce our winner on Saturday. Brooke will ship the book directly to the winner. 
And do me a favor, won't you? If you think there is ANY chance that you might be a no-reply blogger, (like if you are on Google plus or something that doesn't show an email addy) then PLEASE leave me your email as part of your comment!! You can disguise it from spammers by doing this: name(at)domain(dot)com !!
Come on, now, don't be shy --- what's your favorite fruit or veggie?


Love,

Hear ye, hear ye!!! (Important news!)

Ribbit! 

Hi, it's me, Padsworth, and I am the official master of ceremonies for the 2012 Pets on Quilts Show!

It's coming up soon, so I wanted to let you know some important "stuff" so that you can complete your preparations for the show.

I hope you are working on quilts, and working on posing pets, and all that good stuff! This is a show for bloggers and non-bloggers alike, so let's get started with some details!

A Pets show is all about winners, and ours is no exception --- we will have Viewers Choice awards, and random winners, too! 

Starting on August 1, I'm going to host a linky party here at Lilypadquilting, where you can link up and show off your handiwork and your furbabies.  That linky party will be open for one week, until the morning of August 9. At that point, the linkies will be closed, and voting will begin. We will leave the voting open through the weekend (through Sunday, the 12th) so that all of our friends can participate. Then, a couple of days later (probably the 14th) we will have our announcements of winners. (Isn't this exciting? It's almost more than a frog can stand!)

(This is one of last year's entries, called "Snooze and Lose" by Barbara, who blogs at Catpatches. Thanks for letting me use your photo!)

The linky that you post will need to point directly to the post on your blog that includes your entry -- not just to your blog. For non-bloggers, your linky will need to point to your Flickr post of your photo. 

Here are the categories for entries:

• dog on quilt/ dog themed quilt
• cat on quilt/ cat themed quilt
• other pet on quilt/ other pet themed quilt
• Best EQ pet theme quilt design
• Best Art quilt

There will be one winner from each of these categories, determined by viewer votes.

Then, we will have random winners, and these will be chosen from peeps who leave comments saying that they did some of these things:

• Be a PR Angel (post the badge, blog about the show)
• Enter the show
• View the show 
• Vote for Viewers Choice awards
• Followers who view the show
• Take the time to visit all of the entries and leave comment love

Obviously, the more of these things you have time to do, the more chances you have to win!

( This is another of the 2011 entries - this adorable photo is from Bonnie, who blogs at Southern Style. Thanks for letting me use the photo!)

Ribbit! Snoodles just reminded me that I need to say this: You have the opportunity to add one link per person in the linky party -- your post can include more than one photo entry, but only one link should be placed into the party.  (Did I say that clearly?)

Now, don't despair if you don't have a Flickr account. We (Snoodles and me) have one for OleFrogEyes, and we will arrange to host your pictures there if you need for us to do that. Please bear with us, though, and let us have time to get your picture up there, OK? (Grin) 

This show is always a delightful time of fellowship in our quilting community. Let's have a blast and enjoy it. (Remember when leaving comments for contestants that you want to channel your inner Thumper.....if ya can't say sumpin nice, don't say nothin' at all....)

I hope you've been enjoying the posts that Snoodles has done, spotlighting our generous sponsors....we couldn't have this show without them, and without you, too. Please be sure to visit them and let them know you appreciate their support!

If I have left out anything, or you have any questions, please leave a comment, and we'll address it right away!

Love,