Perkins Dry Goods

The winners are:  Nan and Laurie W.

There are two winners of a an issue of 100 Blocks Vol. 3 today because it was just too hard to only draw one number from all of the comments!

The Blog Tour response has been wonderful – Thanks to everyone for stopping by and for all of the lovely comments.

Newsletter coming soon….

This deadline has gotten away from me.  New patterns will be in the issue that comes out this week.  If you haven’t signed up for my newsletter, please be sure to!  Click here to go to the sign up page.

And if you will be at market in Salt Lake City next week please stop by and say hello.  We will be in Booth 2602.

Happy Quilting!

Celine

Greetings to everyone! And welcome to the first day of the 100 Blocks Blog Tour!  I think this issue is outstanding!  Look for it in your local Quilt Shop and on Newsstands May 10th.

Be sure to comment on this post – there will be a drawing for an issue of 100 Blocks Vol. 3 ~ don’t miss it!

My block is #293 and is called In and Out.
The fabric I used is Halo from Red Rooster by Gudrun Erla.

What I’m going to do today is show you what happens when you change the placement of fabric within the block.  I’ve put together these four-block toppers with 1.5″ sashing between the blocks (cut it 2″ x 12.5″) and a cornerstone in the center (cut 2″ x 2″).  Add accent and outer borders and you’ll have a topper that’s perfect for a table top, wall hanging or baby quilt. The Block finishes 12″ x 12″, the topper as shown without borders finishes 25.5″ x 25.5″.

Notice the cool secondary patterns that are created with each version.

#1 – The Original Block

#2 – The Green print and the Background have switched places.

#3 – The Pink print and the Background have switched places.

#4 -The Pink print is the only one that didn’t move in this version!

#5 – The Background is in the same spot, Pink moved to green, Green moved to Light print and Light print moved to pink.  If that makes any sense!

The winner of the Layer Cake Quilt Along drawing is…..jennie.ellen!

And what is the prize you ask?  My new Charm Baskets pattern and a Perfect Piecing Seam Guide!

Thanks very much for participating!

Happy quilting!

Celine

PS Click here to check out the group on Flickr.

Stop by Konda’s blog – Moose on the Porch Quilts -  for the block pattern and more info on the Quilt Along!

Leave a comment and you will be entered into a drawing for one of my newest patterns!

A special treat – a runner project that you can make from the block pattern:

Click here for pattern.

Tomorrow I will be a guest blogger at the Moose on the Porch Quilts blog.  Konda is doing a Layer Cake Quilt Along.  Check it out to see what it’s all about….And stop back here tomorrow for my block and a giveaway!

Last week I got an email from Andrew Rogers, co-founder of Sympoz.com wondering if I might be interested in taking a look at their online quilting course “Quilting Quickly: Patterns, Techniques & Tips”.  He also offered to giveaway two free courses on my blog.

I’m always up for checking things out and was impressed ~ I think you will be too!  The quality is great and Jenny Doan from the Missouri Star Quilt Company is the instructor.  She is very easy to listen to and an excellent teacher.  It’s fun, lots of ideas (especially for using things like Charms, Layer Cakes and Jelly Rolls) and professionally produced.  You can go at your own pace and you can interact with the instructor.  There is a free course preview so you can get a feel for how well this is presented.  Click here.

If you aren’t one of the 2 lucky winners, they are offering a nice discount on the course right now (click here).   Leave a comment by midnight (CST) Tuesday December 7th and I will draw for the giveaway first thing Wednesday morning, December 8th.

They also have a Quilt Club page on Facebook .

Note Recipe Correction (again – sorry about that!)

Welcome to Day 6 of the Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Hop!

Cookie exchanges are life savers at a busy time of year.

1. Choose a date in early December and invite 10 to 15 friends.
2. Send invitations and ask guests what kind of cookie they plan to bring when they RSVP, to avoid duplicates.
3. Ask each guest to bake 6 dozen cookies. List your “rules” on the invitation.
4. Remind guests to bring  containers to take their cookies home. Keep some disposable trays on hand for those who forget.
5. Organize cookies buffet-style on a decorated table. Before the actual swap, gather everyone around the table so they can introduce themselves and their cookie recipe.

The recipe I’m sharing today is one of my all time favorites….and another butter cookie – Spritz!

Click here for a printable version of corrected recipe.

Today’s featured bloggers are…..

Vickie Eapen from Spun Sugar Quilts

and Melisa Morrison from Sweet Home Quilt Co.

Be sure to check out their blogs today to see what’s cooking and comment so you are included in the prize drawings!

Thanks to everyone for participating!

Welcome to Day 5 of the Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Hop!

Holiday Traditions

For years my mom and dad hosted a Christmas Eve Open House.  They lived in California during those years and all four of us girls were back east, just my brother and his wife lived nearby.  The menu was always the same each year:  Brisket, Cheesy Potatoes, Raspberry Jello Salad and Chocolate Cake Bars – my dad’s favorites.

We lost my dad on Christmas Eve in 2005.  And what came from that was a renewed priority to be together as a family during the holidays, and to make sure that my mom never spent Christmas alone.  We now have a wonderful “new” tradition that celebrates my dad’s memory and his most favorite meal.  My mom now spends Christmas in the Denver area or Minneapolis with one of us.  When she is in Minneapolis, we gather at my sister’s house and have the Christmas Eve meal that was the tradition at my parents open house. When she is in Colorado, the same thing happens with my youngest sisters. All of my siblings are masters at preparing these dishes. And they are our favorites too!

My recipe for you today is the one for the Open House Chocolate Cake Bars.  Click here for a printable version.

Today’s featured bloggers are…..

Roseann Kermes from Rosebud’s Cottage

and Brenda Riddle from Little Acorns.

Be sure to check out their blogs today to see what’s cooking and comment so you are included in the prize drawings!

Welcome to Day 4 of the Mistletoe Make & Bake Blog Hop!

Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the winners of yesterday’s drawing!

Today we are talking about a favorite go-to holiday book.  Mine is a cook book of sorts.  It’s actually a recipe album that my mom gave me about 10 years ago.  I’ve filled it with family favorites, recipes from my friends and things that I want to try.  Everyone in the house knows were to look for it.

My recipe for the day is Shortbread.  I have always loved shortbread.  It’s such a simple butter cookie and one that is easy to make.

Today’s featured bloggers are…..

Lissa Alexander from ModaLissa

and Julie Stewart from Quilts4Julie.

Be sure to check out their blogs today to see what’s cooking and comment so you are included in the prize drawings!

Day 3 Winners

Wow, what an overwhelming response we have had to this blog hop. Thank you so much for participating!

The winners for Day 3 (my day) are:

Linda T:
A family tradition of ours is to always give my Dad a tin of mixed nuts (he’s diabetic and doesn’t get all the sweets that the rest of us do). Some years he gets 4 or 5 tins. Enjoy your giveaway!

Joan:
As our family has grown up, married and started their own families, our Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve so they can spend Christmas Day with their in-laws. It is my favorite tradition. We have Swedish meatballs for dinner, open gifts and play games. The last couple of years the Grandchildren started to arrive so there are less games played but plenty of entertainment.

Lina:
We still leave out chocolate chip cookies and milk for Santa, and my youngest child is 26!

Patty:
A no bake cookie option is usually a timesaver. Thank you. I like the topper a lot. It seems like it would be possible to actually finish this one. Listening to my dad read the Christmas story before we opened presents is my favorite Christmas memory.

Joyce S.:
Thanks for sharing your pattern and cookie recipe. I’m excited to try both. And my favorite holiday tradition is decorating the Christmas tree.

Sharon S.:
I think my favorite holiday tradition is going to look at all the beautiful Christmas lights on Christmas Eve. Love the cute little table topper!

If you missed commenting on one of the blogs during the week, you still have time to go back and comment.  To be included in the grand prize drawing, you must have a comment on each blog each day.

Here we go for Day 3 of the Mistletoe Make & Bake blog hop!

Leave a comment about one of your holiday traditions and you will be entered in a drawing for one of my new patterns.  Six lucky winners!

Holiday Party Icebreakers…

My husband and I go to very few Holiday Parties anymore, but every once in awhile one comes up that we need to attend.  Most of the time these are work functions….he dreads them and I kind of look forward to reconnecting with some of the people he works with.  That being said, I don’t always know what to say to get things going!

These are a few of the things I try to remember….Notice something about the person and compliment them.  Talk about something that you did recently like a trip you took that was interesting.  Keep things light and neutral.

My recipe for today is another family favorite.  Years ago when my kids were little I would get together with  a group of friends  each year to do holiday baking.  We’ve all gone different directions now, but this is one of the recipes we always made.  It’s a no-bake recipe that freezes really well.  Click here for a printable version.

And as a thank you for stopping by, here is a quick topper that you can make as a holiday gift!

Click here for instructions.

Be sure to stop by Patrick and Kelly Ann’s blogs to see what they have cooking today too….and don’t forget to comment on all three of our blogs to be entered in a grand prize give away!