Today was laundry and cleaning day. Trying to get caught up from all of our travel. Evening is approaching and my home is feeling a bit more orderly. A bit more peaceful.

I did take a break from housework and covered a paper mache box with fabric. I love working on small projects. Don't you? This sewing box is for the contest. I collected some things at market and thought it would be fun to place them in something sweet for you. For you gals overseas....you don't have to worry. We are glad to ship things to you too!


I covered this box with some fabric from our Nell's Flower Shop line. (One of our older fabric lines.) This large floral print seemed just right for a sewing box. The inside is covered with paper. When covering paper mache boxes with fabric or paper I use PVA glue from Paper Source. The fabric and paper lay smooth and flat with this bookbinding glue.

Market treats are collected inside the box for you.
A small vintage French floral applique.
A charm pack of our new fabric Old Primrose Inn.
Vintage baby blue rick rack.
A paper bird cut by Kathy Schmitz. These paper birds flew all over her booth and she shared some of them with us. I thought it would be a cute needle holder. (Click on Kathy's name and go to her blog. You will see a picture of her booth and all of her paper birds.)

There was a great company selling metal findings at market. The copper colored bird was purchased from them.
A bit of vintage pink ribbon.


A small muslin bag with several buttons and a sprig of the lavender grown in my garden this summer.

The pattern on the left is a needle keeper from Bonnie Sullivan. Bonnie and Kathy are sisters. They are planning to begin cross stitch designs. Barb and I can hardly wait to see their new patterns. They will be showing at the Nashville Cross stitch market hopefully. Click on Bonnie's name to go to her web-site.

I was only able to make one sewing box today. I will be making a couple more boxes....each will be unique. So there will be 3 winners in this contest.

Leave your name and good luck! Cut off is Friday at midnight. Also please only leave one comment per person. The winners will be posted on Saturday.


Kay from The Rabbit's Lair in Roger's AR sent a photo of their Warm Hearts block of the month project. Click on the store name for more information. This quilt was designed by Barb and published in our Warm Hearts book. I'm now out of the book.....all have been shipped to The Rabbit's Lair.

Until later!

Alma

We're back! What a month!
First we packed up and went to Cross Stitch Market. Then back home for 2 days and we left for 4 days of fun at a retreat in Virginia Beach hosted by Dyeing To Stitch. Home for 2 days and then packed the van for a week of Quilt Market in Houston.

Oh the miles I have added to my van! I've been a terrible blogger! There was just no time to update. It really helps to be at home and have time to work on my computer.

After unloading the car and setting up the booth, Barb is cleaned up and ready for market fun. She is wearing her Paul McCartney shirt. She is a total Beetle's fan and will travel far to see a concert. (She's the fun and "hip" one!)

We put up two walls at quilt market. My husband originally built this set-up. He put the stud walls together and marked the placement for each board. The framework then came apart and was loaded into my van. The wooden 2 x 4's and homasote lay flat and all of our "stuff" fits on top. We rebuild the walls in the booth following my husband's instructions and add 4 homasote panels. (Like drywall only made from recycled material.) I spent about a week gluing the papers from old books on the panels. They give a nice backdrop for quilts and samplers. (A secure place to hang all we want to show. The market only provides two curtains...just not sturdy enough to hang samplers.)

I know you have seen the fireplace at cross stitch market....we have taken it to many shows. It's the perfect "touch of home."

A vintage bird cage with twinkle lights adds a chandelier. The quilt on the bed is from our new pattern Wild Pomegranate. The booth is so small....10' x 10'. But we try to pack a lot in this space. Our booth looks so dark this time. It's my fault....I forgot our two spot lights.

The quilt hanging on the bed frame is made from 2 Garden Party charm packs and a couple of 1/4 yd. pieces of background fabric. Garden Party is the new fabric line shown at this market. The fabric will be in your local quilt shop next spring.

This quilt was made from the Garden Party fabric line too. It was designed by Lisa Christensen of Moda fabrics. It will be in our next quilt book published by the Kansas City Star which will be published in spring of 2010 ....right when the fabric will be arriving in your local quilt shop. Thank you Lisa! We love this one.

A bit of autumn sparkle to help light our booth. Wish you could have been there. It would have been much more fun with all of you!

I did do a bit of shopping for you at market since you couldn't go. Look for a contest instructions on this blog in the next couple of days. I have to make something first before we can have the contest.

Until tomorrow!

Alma

Here are several pictures of our room at market. Usually the first time at a new market is the hardest. We do better after seeing how the space is set-up. We always seem to have a problem with light. Hotel rooms are dark and restful. Not the perfect light to see new samplers. I think next time extra lights will be on our list to brighten up the room. I'm sorry these are so dark!

We have taken this fireplace to many shows. It adds a touch of home. I did have a very difficult time getting it into the elevator though. If it wasn't for Lois from Elegant Stitch this piece would still be in the hotel lobby! We used the fireplace to highlight some of the pieces from our Joyeux Noel book.

It's all about disguise when we set up our display. We bring three doors and a couple of shutters to hide the sofa in the hotel room. After hanging all of the stockings, I told Barb I couldn't believe how many she had designed. Quite a body of work! I "baked" some old book pages in the oven after dipping them in coffee. Instant aging process. The papers were a great backdrop for the stockings.

After hanging the Halloween stockings adjacent to the Christmas stockings I thought with a bit of color change some of the stockings from the book Tis Hallowe'en would be great for Christmas too. One of the shop owners told us they even make Christmas candy corn now too. Can you believe it? I know my kids will be glad.


We released 2 more Halloween Patterns. The one pictured on the left is Midnight Watch. Along with the pattern are instructions on making the label for the tall candle pillar. It's based on Barb's Midnight Silhouette quilt pattern.

The projects on the right are in the pattern Hallowe'en Greetings. I wish you could see it better....It has a sampler, pumpkin pincushion and a beaded pillow.


The sampler on the right is Raise A Glass of Cheer. Barb made this one for New Year's. Every year she celebrates by beginning a new sampler. Great way to bring in the New Year don't you think? A bit of stitching time and a glass of wine.

Barb and I leave this Thursday for Virginia Beach, VA. We are teaching at a retreated hosted by Dyeing To Stitch. (Ann and Pat from R & R Reproductions) We are looking forward to seeing all of you that are attending! Shepherd's Bush and Charland Designs will be there too!
Our projects are done and we are working on getting the patterns and kits together. On the downhill slide!

Winners of our new book and patterns: (send your mailing addresses to alma@blackbird-designs.com)

#319 Susan
#429 Sandi
#220 Jean from Sydney....one of my favorite places!
#180 Angela
#25 Karen from South Carolina

Congratulations ladies!

One more picture....here's my son, Greg. He attends university in St. Louis and was close enough to come and help for the day.


Until later,

Alma

I'm almost ready to leave for St. Louis. It's only a 4 hour trip. But I will have to make a stop or two. (Antique shops along the way!) I always need more dishes.

Before leaving I want to let you know a couple of things.

1. We have a new quilt pattern coming out. The title is Wild Pomegranate. It will be similar in format to Hallowe'en - 1904. Here's a glimpse.

This set-up was really fun to do. Barb spotted these hydrangeas at a local gas station. She dropped by and asked if she could take a couple of blooms. A young woman working the cash register told Barb she thought it would be fine. Makes me want to go to the nursery and purchase a couple of shrubs. These blooms are lush!

Leave your name in the comments section and I will draw 3 winners when I get back Monday night. Will send each winner a pack of our new cross stitch releases. (One book and three patterns)

Thank you for checking this site. When Quilt Market is over I promise to be a better blogger.

Later alligator!

Alma

P.S. Taking my camera.....will get some photos of market for you too if Barb lets me out of the booth.
AND Faustina # 167 send your address to alma@blackbird-designs.com for your prize...I haven't heard from you yet.

We are almost ready for cross stitch market! We will hop into the car and drive over to St. Charles, MO. (Right outside St. Louis, MO) Haul all of our props and books into the Embassy Suites and set up for the show. The past two weeks have been packed with photography, writing and proofing new items. Joyeux Noel is our newest book...40 full color pages of holiday fun. Get ready to stitch a bit of French charm into your holidays this year. Inspired by an antique sampler purchased in the Paris flea market this book has something for everyone. Sewing boxes, pincushions, samplers and ornaments are just the start of the fun. Sixteen projects in all.

Barb and I are in the Bahamas. We flew out yesterday and right now we are drinking cute drinks with paper umbrellas celebrating this finish! The sound of the surf is so relaxing. Better grab my sun screen......aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh that's the ticket! (A gal can dream can't she?)

We will have three new patterns to sell along with the book. All will be delivered to my warehouse on Wed. I love the smell of the ink drying as we drive along the highway! Windows open and hair flying! Of course, there will be some stops along the way. We have several favorite antique shops that can't be missed.

I have several blogs you must visit to see what these ladies have been up to.....

Click on the name and it will transport you to their blog.

Virginia has created a wonderful sewing box using our pattern Friends With You. This pattern is from the book My Heart Is True.

Catherine has some finished stockings. I know you will love seeing her technique.

Vonna has created a pictorial tutorial for the stockings. Thank you Vonna!

Until later!

Alma

Quick post today...I'm still sewing!

Faustina # 167 send your address to alma@blackbird-designs.com

I have a pincushion for you....and just because I'm in the mood....I hit the random generator again. #312 Audie-n-TX...I have one for you too.

Congratulations Ladies! I will be shipping these out to you as soon as I get your addresses.

Until tomorrow!

Alma

The weather is beautiful here. As I hung out my laundry I though a nap in the grass would feel just right....but I can't today. I'm sewing and watching a movie on my small TV in the studio. It helps to have a movie or book on tape going. Time passes a bit easier with some kind of entertainment as I sew.

Beth left a comment yesterday about her Quaker sampler. After stitching part of the sampler she found a small hole in the linen. She then set the linen aside. I'm adding this picture to illustrate a technique I add on purpose to some of my stitched pieces. The below picture shows a close up of Summer Iris, the last small piece I stitched.

Above the initial "A" you note a small "mended place" in the linen. I took a loose linen thread away from the fabric edge and wove it into the linen. I like the extra texture these small weavings add. These places are not easily noticed at first glance. Beth, I think you should try to mend the hole and add another linen fiber woven into the area and continue on your merry way! Bet it will make it look older and add some extra visual interest.

The above photograph is the cover of the August Stocking pattern. I have changed the cover format a bit. The remaining 2 stockings are pictured on the back cover. I thought this change to the cover design gave more space for a clear photo. The two on the back are larger photos also. If you hate it, let me know. I can do the next pattern in the original format if you wish. The stocking pattern will be at your local shops very soon.

And now for the Contest!

Don't ask me why I'm choosing this as the prize....this thing is so heavy....it will cost me about $100.00 to ship it to you. And when they ask at the post office if there is anything dangerous in the package I will have to claim this as a weapon. If you throw this at your husband....and if it hits him ....he will instantly agree to go and clean out the garage. (I'm just kidding....I tried it on mine and my garage is still a mess!) But as it's just too cute I will send this to the winner.

The prize is from French General by Moda fabrics. This heavy weight pincushion also has thread and a graph to stitch your initials. I know you will love adding this to your collection! (Barb and I each had to get one for ourselves too!) The other stuff in the photograph is not in the contest...just props for the picture.

You know the drill....just leave your name in the comments section and I'll spin the random number generator. One entry per person please! Will notify the winner on Thursday!

Good luck! And remember you are all winners to me!

Until Later,

Alma