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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

October 27, 2009

I can still remember the first party I ever attended that had any dealings with Christmas ornaments. Even now the memory makes me laugh, although it was many years ago....

The Taste of Home Cooking Show, held at the local fairgrounds, was quite a hulabaloo in our small community. I remember how excited and grown up I felt to be going with my mom, her friend Keena, and my little sister, to what was sure to be a delicious event! I actually remember very little about the show itself, funny how that works out. What I do remember, was the door prize that we all received: Campbell's snowman Christmas ornaments. Now these were awfully ugly, I don't think I ever heard of anyone thinking they were cute cause they just weren't.
My mom was hosting the Piecemakers annual Christmas party that year and had yummy snacks and fun games lined up. These ladies had come to win some serious prizes! Name the block was the game at hand. 12 traditional quilt blocks had been made and displayed, every woman writing down the name to as many as she could remember. I have no idea what the winner won, but I'm sure it was lovely. The loser was not so fortunate however, for she took home a booby prize: an ugly Campbell's soup snowman Christmas ornament collection! Having been a joke from the start, those silly things circulated through many ornament exchanges for years. I wonder where on earth they ended up? Someone who wasn't in on the joke must have thrown them out or something.....

Well as we gear up for the holidays here at the shop, we are looking forward to the cookie exchange and ornament make! I have several cute patterns to chose from so come on down and bring some of your favorite cookies to share!

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

October 20,2009

Wow, so that rain turned into a totally crazy storm! The power was out forever....I was driving home that night and the whole town looked abandoned: it was so dark cause everything was closed down...even the traffic lights were dark! Thankfully, the power is back on and things are up and running....
It's cloudy today but the past few days have been so beautiful as we experience a central coast autumn. Although they are few and far between the oak trees, there are a few colorful, deciduous trees to be found here in town. We spent a couple hours this weekend just appreciating their beauty...
So as we head into the "quilting season," we have 2 binding workshops coming up so that your treasures can be completed with a perfect binding. Check out workshop times at our website:
www.atascaderosewingandvacuum.com. Can't wait to see all of your projects! Happy sewing!!!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

October 13, 2009

So who isn't loving this rain?! I love it! I slept with my window open last night; one cause I always do. Two it was nice to hear the sound of the wind and the rain, just pelting outside while I was snuggled up, warm and toasty underneath the unfinished whole cloth quilt on my bed....ok, I admit it, its been 8 almost 9 years and it is still not finished. But one day it will be!

The first rain always seems to usher in so many other things. Even this morning my mom was reminding me about how dangerous the first rain is and to make sure I drive particularly slow...A caution both of my parents have been reminding me of since I began driving! But more than that, the rain seems to usher in the feel of the holidays. Everyone is back in school, Halloween will soon be upon us and then the next thing you know, it's Thanksgiving....Christmas... hello 2010!

Christmas trees have always been a favorite tradition in our home. We have always gone down to get our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving....that is of course after we come home from a crazy morning of early shopping! We would come home to my mom playing the first Christmas album of the year. Out came all of our cherished ornaments as my sister and I carefully placed each one on the tree. And not to forget the lights! The more the merrier!
The completion of our tree comes with the tying of the tree skirt. My mom and I each made one of these, many years ago now, as a mother - daughter project. Hers was a red and green one for our own home, mine a purple and green one so that it would match my grandmother's ornately decorated tree. It's amazing how our memories and decor become a part of our traditions. They become keepsakes.

So to celebrate traditions and holidays, we will be making this tree skirt here in the shop this November, before Thanksgiving and the craziness that the holiday season always brings! So come and sew with us and create some of your own new memories and keepsakes!

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

October 6, 2009

Well Friday night we had our first class sessions here at the shop!

Donna has been quilting for a little over a year and brought with her an adorable, cheerful quilt that she was binding! How fun, I love show and tell! She was taking the curved piecing class featuring the quilt, DOT.COM. In lieu of the craziness created by an over whelming amount of polka dots, she brought a variety of florals for her curved piecing project. The combination of circles and florals reminded me of a colonial style garden. I'm looking forward to seeing her finished product!

Wendy is a brand new quilter. She has had her sewing machine for 2 weeks and already has been busy with pillow cases, tote bags and now quilts! She was enrolled in the beginning quilting class featuring Seaside Rose. She and her husband had chosen several cute green florals for her project and she was excited to go home and show him her completed strip! She also fell in love with her new quarter inch foot, (if you don't have one, I would highly recommend one), and the chain piecing technique. I'm looking to seeing her finished piece as well!

There is still a couple more days to sign up for Bernina Club as well as the second session offered for the 2 classes mentioned above. We should have the next class rounds up on the web sometime in the next couple of weeks, so keep your eyes open for those! Looking forward to seeing and sewing with all of you!