Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Twas the Night Blog Hop - My Day

Twas the night....Marlene has the schedule
I'm so excited to show you all the fun I've had getting ready
for this incredible blog hop!
(apologies up front...this is a long one, a really long one...you've been warned...ho ho ho)


My little mouse heart is just going pitter patter!

First a HUGE HUG OF THANKS to
She has performed a Christmas Miracle..
I've never had 
this much done...
this soon... 
before Christmas...
eegads...
it's still only November!


If you've been following the hop since last week,
then you know our mission was to show you some quickie gift ideas...
things that could made in a flash...
or a dash...
even better if you can pull from your stash.
Silly Spouse...
not that kinda 'stash!

We also have a major swap happening,
so very carefully planned by our very own
Cheerleader Elf
I think Santa really needs to hire her to coordinate his deliveries!

She's such a cutie...dontcha just wanna pinch her little elf tootsies?

This is the time I reveal what the oh so wonderful
sent to me from across the pond.


Well....you know what they say about the best laid plans.

I KNOW whatever Lyndsey made is just absolutely Superb!
I know it's...
Totally Awesome!!!

What neither Lyndsey or I know as I write...
is exactly "where" the package is.
We know where it's not...
Here...
It was as close to me last week as our Post Office...
barely 3 miles away...
not anymore.
Lyndsey sent her package out with plenty of time to spare!
Somehow the PO couldn't find me.
True...I've only had that address for 26yrs...

By now it is probably back in London.
And you know what?
I've ALWAYS wanted to visit London!
Maybe this is fate...
Wouldn't that be fab?
Not to worry dearest Lyndsey...
I won't suddenly show up at your door..lol.


Some things are just beyond our control...
Good things come to those that wait....
and you all know how much I love anticipation!
Thank You Lyndsey...
I KNOW I LOVE IT!

Meanwhile back in wild and wacky Florida
we spent  a stormy rainy Monday afternoon watching for tornadoes...
(thankfully none in our immediate area)
as well as preparing for 2-3 nights of freezing temps.
Brrrrrr!
(if I wanted the cold weather I would be neighbors with dear Madame! lol)
So....
let's warm it up a bit!
Grab a cuppa tea...
(I'm a coffee gal...but let's drink to Lyndsey!)


Pip Pip
Tally Ho
Let's Go
Time for the Show!

My BFF Diane gave me this magazine last year.
She loved it so much...she bought it twice.
I found some of the cutest things to inspire me inside.

One was a simple drawstring bag.
It's been forever since I've made a drawstring bag but I thought
it would be the perfect thing to make for another swap I'm in.

With the scraps left over...I also made two "String Hot Pads"
and a Mug Rug...isn't that Santa Mug just the cutest?

Here's another Hot Pad...
It could also be a mug rug...with the right mug course.
I think Mr.Snowman is pretty perfect!

The 'string hot pads' (or if you'd rather you can call them potholders)
are about 9" square.
I layered:
1 background fabric (right side down - maybe 10" square)
next 1 thickness of "Insulbrite" (thermal batting)
and
1 thickness of Dream Cotton batting

I stitched on my 'strings' of fabric thru all the layers...
it's 'quilt as you go'
fast and fun!
I added some quilting you could see...
squared up...
stitched on binding by machine
but finished by hand...
Done.

If your eyes haven't glazed over quite yet...
there is More!
(did you doubt?)


That drawstring bag was so much fun...
I had to make another.

 But wait...
oh look...
it's a Bobble Head Christmas Mouse!
Can you believe it?
My BFF Sandie finds the cutest things...
(I'm such a lucky mouse with so many BFF's near and far)
Back to the bag...
which then led to the little scissor holder...
needlebook...
and
a mug rug that preferred to grow up and be a pincushion.


Which led to MORE pincushions...
needlebooks...
another scissor holder 
yes, one more 'string' mat Mr. Snowman is resting upon.

The scissor holders are fun and fast.
You can find a tute from the Moda Bakeshop here.

The pincushions above were made with one hexie block made
from Jaybird Quilts "Night Sky" pattern...
but instead of using the full size measurement...
I cut my pieces using a 1-1/2" strip...
if you have the pattern that will make sense to you.

Back of pincushions....

If another Christmas Miracle occurs...
I will return with a tute for my needleholder.
And if you're really good...
I'll even show you what it looks like...
"opened up"
(in other words...I forgot the picture! oops)

You do believe in miracles, dontcha?

Next up...
a couple more mug rugs...
ok...
no...it is not primitive....
yes...it is not finished.
again...Night Sky block
(using a 2-1/2" strip for piecing).

Jaybird Quilts "Tiny Dancer"...one made into a candle mat...

but alas....
I had no candle to sit on the mat....

Mr. Snowman gets around!


More Rug Fun!
The cat rug was the perfect time to play with a block I found in the magazine Diane gave me.

The birdie rug has flown around blogland....
thanks to Samelia's Mum for reminding me I wanted to make it!
It's really quick to make.
Check out her tutorial...
you don't have to wing-it.
(eggnog humor)


I fell head over heels in love with that retro cat fabric.
We are in the process of re-arranging the quilt shop.
We have the sweetest little table found at the antique shop behind us.

Purrfect fabric...
Purrfect timing...
Quickie experiment....
A mini runner....
Just focus fab and two borders, top and bottom....
Simple straight quilting.
Done in an evening.
(ok...started in the afternoon...lol)

Easy peasy!
Simple enough to adapt to your fabric and the size you would like.

That purrfect fabric had a friend....
which led to MORE Hot Pads!


You know cats are like bunnies....

Where there's two....

There will be more!

So Adorable!

Oh...dontcha just LOVE the salt & pepper shakers?
They were a gift from our good friend and of course "BFF" Debbie.
I noticed something 'odd' about their...uh...'bottoms'.

Have you seen these before?
Do you know what it is?
As luck would have it...
during the afternoon's photo shoot...
my friend Betty came by the shop...
and she recognized the 'shakers' right off.
Her grandmother had a set...
when you tipped them over...
they MEOWED!
Yes...that's a little kitty voice box....
in it's butt. LOL

My shakers...
unlike me...
are silent.

Ok...back to the hot pads...
another easy peasy make...
here are the dimensions...
I think that's all you really need.

Again...I love them 'thick' and used the same combo of
Insulbrite & cotton batting as I mentioned with the string mats.

Whew!
I think we're done.
And you can't even imagine the pictures I did not use!

If you made it this far...
Bless Your Ever Lovin' Heart!

Be sure to visit all the other amazing bloggers today
if you haven't seen them already.

Today-Tuesday, Nov. 18

Tomorrow you'll get to see what I made for that sweet Quilt N Queen!
And while I'm at it...
here's the rest of the weeks schedule!

(be sure to scroll to the end of this page...I just remembered something else! lol)

Wed. Nov 19th

Thurs, Nov. 20
Cate’s Linens

Fri.Nov 21

Not a quick project but I wanted to make sure to point out our 'Row by Row' pattern
from the 2014 shop hop is now available free for you to download!
Here I made it into a table runner with sewing themed fabrics.

Click HERE to find the pattern.
OK...
Now I'm really done!
((SMILE))

Thanks again my friends for the visit!


Monday, November 17, 2014

Twas The Night Blog Hop Continues....

Twas The Night (or in this case, 'day') before my blog post
and all thru the house
all the creatures were keeping their distance
from this sewing-like-crazy mouse.

Yes indeedy...
there is one more week of this fabulous blog hop.
My day is Tuesday, Nov 18th.
I'll be back then with the rest of the week's schedule.

Meanwhile be sure to take a look at today's offerings:

Monday, Nov. 17

Many thanks to 
and


Tuesday, November 11, 2014

T'was the Night Blog Hop

Are you ready for Christmas?
You do know it's just a little over a month away, right?

T'was the Night
Blog Hop
will feature some special little gifts we made...
and some that were made for each of us.
There will be loads of ideas shared for some quick gifts to make!

and
The hop starts now and continues through Nov.21st.
Here are this weeks line-up of elves.
I can't wait to see the Christmas cheer they have in store for us!

Tuesday, Nov. 11

Wednesday, Nov. 12 

Thursday, Nov. 13

Friday, Nov. 14


Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Our Free Row by Row Pattern

Our shop, Country Crossroads, participated in the
2014 Row by Row Shop Hop this passed summer.

This is our row made as a table topper.


I am thrilled now to make this pattern available to YOU my friends...
for FREE!

The pdf pattern is two pages.
Please click
to hop on over to our Row by Row page here on the blog.

There you will find the links
to download your free pattern.

I hope you enjoy.


Friday, October 24, 2014

Black Cat Crossing Blog Hop "Our Day"

Welcome to day 5
of
Black Cat Crossing Blog Hop!
I am so excited to share my day with some wickedly wonderful 
and oh so creative bloggers:

Today-Friday, October 24
Be sure to visit each and every one!

Thank you dear Mdm Samm for yet another delightful challenge
and Wicked Wendy, our enchanting cheerleader who kept our 'spirits' moving!

I'm also very lucky to share today's post with a couple of our 'kids'.
Yes, we have black cats...but the 'other' ones...
you know...the oranges...the calicoes...
they just feel so left out this time of year....
I told them if they could spookify it up just a bit...
we'd let them play along.

"Ella Boo"
(aka Cinderella)
 wanted to tell us a Halloween "tail"

Sorry 'Ella...no time for spooky stories today...
but I give you "paws UP" for your effort!

Sadly I didn't get to play with the fabulous Black Cat Crossing fabrics...
(Oh My...have you been following along? So many wonderful projects made!)

Not to worry...
I played all the same...
There's still lots of fun things to see!
Pillowcases...why not make some this year for your "Trick or Treat" bags?
They would hold a ginormous amount of loot, dontcha think?

My absolute all time favorite black cat fabric used above 
is from Elizabeths Studio...


I used that along with fabrics from Andovers "Chillingsworth" line for the
 braided section of this fabulous tablerunner!

I love Julie Herman - Jaybird Quilts -...and her Hex N More ruler!
This pattern has has been on my 'to-do list' for some time now.
Very easy to make...very! Julie provides directions to draw your own template
in her "Tasty" pattern...but I'm a firm believer that if there is a ruler or tool
to help you get the job done...then splurge...get it...use it...you won't be sorry!

Here's a bit of the back....
I pieced together some great Chillingsworth typed motif with
that fabulous retro orange and black from Alexander Henry.

It's not a blog hop with a mug rug...
Sip...Hop...Hop...Sip...Mmmm
If you love this design...
you can get the original larger wall hanging version in pdf form
from "Mad Creek Designs" on Etsy. 

Next up....

I totally fell in love with Alexander Henrys' 
"Witchy Women"

So of course I had to play....

Here's a couple of the "girls" close up...


As luck would have it...
a new kitteh arrived just in time to help me
show the rest of this little quilt.


Meet Little Zeekster...isn't he just the absolute sweetest thang you've ever seen?
As my friend Nessa said...he's "total adorbs"
How could I not invite him to be in the pic...look at his heart...my borders...coincidence?
I think not.
Purrrrfect match!

True...he's not a black cat...
then again...neither are Ella or Marvin...
but unlike our little tuna traps above...
we don't have to feed him
because he's already stuffed!
(yeh...you KNEW that was coming)

Little Zeekster kept me clickin' my camera...
He found pumpkins!

And then...he wanted to play with my scraps....
so I showed him how to make strippy potholders...
Ok...I helped a little...ok...A LOT...
but he's doing wicked good on the binding!

There will be more about "Little Zeekster" in blog days to come....
(he was a b'day gift to me on Thursday...bought by me from
"Sweet Poppy Cat" on Etsy...
- I let the the dear Spouse know he was off the "shopping" hook this year! lol)

Oh No....I knew this might happen....
eeeek...
Yes...since the Little Zeekster showed up...
there's a certain orange cat with his nose out of joint....
Not a cat I want to meet in a dark alley!
Relax Marvin...Little Zeekster says you can have ALL his tuna!

Time for a group pic!
The fun thing about having an antique shop behind our quilt shop...
they put the nifty-ist things out back and I can play...
I think I had more fun setting up the picks then maybe even stitching them...
maybe....

Speaking of pics...those of you who have set them up...know it can be quite a test...
I often use the camera on my iPhone...so I know my quality could be better
(my real camera is usually hidden away...those darn cats!)

Here's one more pic to share...
I'm sure we've all been there...
You line things ups...
You think you have the perfect shot...
You focus on your subject(s) only....
and you never see it until it's too late...
but....


Thanks so very much for hopping today...
don't forget to flap those little bat wings over to:


Oops...
speaking of treats....
those of you who have been following awhile have probably already seen this...
hopefully made this...
but just in case you're new...
a few Halloweens ago I did pay homage to our black cat Midnite...
Look for her story 
You'll also find the links
to download this free foundation pieced pattern.


Don't forget...
the hop continues for 5 more fantastical days!

                                    Monday, October 27                                     

Tuesday, October 28

Wednesday, October 29
A Stitch in Time     

Thursday, October 30

Friday, October 31

Ok Marvin...
One more time....
Wish everyone Happy Hopping!

Ok...Close enough!









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