Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Kiss 2013 Goodbye and Point Me to 2014

Well 2014 is waiting in the wings, so it is that time again. Time to make some mosaics and bring on the goal setting.  I think this is one of my favorite post days of the year.  It is just so fun to look back and see the progress and creativity of the year.  Yup, very happy making indeed.  So, here it is . . .

2013 - A Year of  Happy Quilting A La Mosaic Style

2013 Beejeebers Bee Blocks





2013 Quilt Tutorials





2013 Published








2013 Quilts and Projects Not Already Shown 



1. My New Rally Quilt, 2. Baby Refracted, 3. Refracted Rainbows - FLQS, 4. Tetris Quilt-A-Long Finished, 5. Lucky Stars - Flat, 6. Sister's Choice, 7. Back to Basics, 8. Blocks for Quilts for Boston, 9. Jelly Roll Jam x2, 10. Blocks for Quilts for Boston, 11. Josie's Sister's Choice Angle, 12. Gathered Clutches


2013 Quilt-A-Long's - Starburst and Star Surround (and sadly, mine aren't quilted)





And last but not least, I really wanted to remember some of the free motion quilting I did this year.  This has been a real focus for me, especially with the new long-arm. About half of these are on my home machine and half on the long-arm.   So one last mosiac.

2013 Free Motion Quilting




1. Wood Grain, 2. Read With Me - Quilting Detail - Ground, 3. Quilting Detail - The Way The Crow Flies, 4. Lucky Stars - Stars Quilting, 5. In Your Neighborhood Quilting Detail, 6. Flower Quilting, 7. A Study in Quilting - Quilting, 8. Interlocking Circles, 9. Hearts and Loops Quilting, 10. Lucky Stars - Background Quilting, 11. Steps To Tranquility - Quilting Detail 1, 12. Read With Me - Quilting Detail - Castle and clouds, 13. Steps To Tranquility - Quilting Detail 2, 14. Stars and Loops FMQ, 15. Feathers Detail, 16. Back to Basics - Quilting, 17. Refracted Rainbows Quilting - FLQS, 18. First Time Using a Ruler on the Long Arm, 19. Daddy's Little Girl - Quilting, 20. Swirls, 21. Pom-Pom Quilting, 22. Interlocking Rectangles, 23. All Star Quilting Detail, 24. Steps To Tranquility - Quilting Detail 3




Wow, 2013!!!  You were quite a Happy Quilting Year!!!!  

So now it's time to look forward to 2014!!  For 2013 I made 4 broad goals.  They were . . .

1 - Expand my Skills

2 - Be Happy with Me

3 - Tell the Story

4 - Seize Opportunities while Keeping Balance

I feel so incredibly happy with how 2013 has come and gone for Happy Quilting. It really has been such an amazing year with so many wonderful accomplishments.  And quite honestly, I really feel like these 4 little goals (that I had kept posted to my wall) really were a guiding factor in that success.  They really did change from "goals" to Daily Reminders.  Each time I sat at my machine and say those 4 little reminders I just couldn't help but smile.  They really did allow me to let go of stress, focus on ideas and creativity, smile at myself and my accomplishments, organize my time, and in general, helped me to continue to grow as a quilter.

So - I have decided that for 2014 - those 4 little Daily Reminders are staying on the wall!!!  So . . . Bring on 2014!!!  I am so super excited to see what it will bring :)

And One Last Note . . . I want to send a huge Thank You to each and every one of you!!!   I wish there was a way I could reach through the computer and give you each a hug because words just don't seem enough.   I am just thrilled to pieces with how Happy Quilting continues to grow and touch people's creative lives.  All of the sweet comments, pictures of your inspired creations, quilting-a-long with me, encouraging emails, goodness, I could go on and on.   You all put the Happy in Happy Quilting and your support, kindness and friendship mean the world to me.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!!!!


So here's to a Happy Quilting year in 2014!!!!!!
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Monday, December 30, 2013

Cotton Bliss Gift Certificate Giveaway

Well, today is an exciting day!!! As of this morning, Happy Quilting has over 3,000 followers on Bloglovin!!!   Yippee Skippee!!  So, I think news like that calls for a little celebration and my good friend Stefanie at Cotton Bliss is helping me celebrate with a $25.00 Gift Certificate Giveaway for all of you!!


Cotton Bliss is celebrating the coming New Year with a Huge sale!!  There is fabric, thread, notions, and patterns all at phenomenal sale prices!!!   The sale is going on through January 6th!!   So here is how it is going to work.

For a chance to enter the giveaway, simply

1 - Pop on over to the Cotton Bliss Year End Sale and choose a favorite item or two that you might like to spend a gift certificate on and then pop back here and leave me a comment of what it is ;)

That's it.  Super easy right :)  The giveaway is open to everyone and it will close Friday the 3rd and a winner will be announced Saturday Morning ;)

Good Luck to everyone and Happy Quilting!!!
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Friday, December 27, 2013

Christmas Dresses - A 3-D Finish!!

So clear back in June of 2011, (Yes, I know it was that long ago because I actually blogged about it :) I  found some beautiful fabric on clearance that I knew would be just perfect for some matching Christmas dresses.  I have always wanted to make matching Christmas dresses for my girls.  Well . . .2 1/2 years later . .   Those dresses are finally done!!  Yippee!!


Although I have to admit, I didn't do most of them.  See, 3-D sewing sort of scares me something fierce.  So over Thanksgiving my mom agreed to help "guide" me through making these dresses.  We worked on them for a good portion of a day, and got a decent amount done.  My wonderful mother did most of the pinning and matching and lining up, so ya, all I had to do was sew a seam ;)


And then more family showed up and the dresses got set aside,. which totally led to time running out.  So rather than sending the dresses back with me to try and finish, my mom offered to finish them for me.  And of course, I accepted!!


She worked on and had them finished in no time at all.  (Ya, I am pretty sure I was slowing her down :)  And my oh my, didn't they just turn out beautiful!!   I am so excited that my 3 girls finally had matching dresses for Christmas ;)


And they even got to wear their dresses to see the Nutcracker yesterday.  All the girls wanted fancy ballerina hair to go with their fancy dresses.  They were spinning and twirling all day.  So fun!!!


My Three Little Angels!!!!

I hope you all had a Very Merry Christmas!!!!  We had a wonderful day and are continuing to love spending time with family :)  I will be back soon after some more Holiday fun :)  Oh, and I have to share my Christmas present with you.  I will give you a hint . . . I took these pictures with it.   EEEkkk!!!!!

Linking this finish up to Sarah's and Amanda's :)

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Monday, December 23, 2013

The Masses Have Spoken

First off, Wow!!!!  I am so excited with how many of you weighed in on which block you like for the upcoming Quilt-A-Long.   I can tell already, this is going to be an amazing Quilt-A-Long.  I am so excited!!  And sorry I did not get a chance to write back and thank each of you.  Things are a little crazy around here with the Holiday's but please know that I so appreciate you taking the time to throw in a vote ;)

So I tallied all of the blog comments, facebook comments , and individual emails and the clear favorite was . . .  Option 1!!!!   So there you have it . . . This will be the block we will be doing for the Star Light Star Bright Quilt-A-Long   (Do you like the name??)


I thought you might like to get an idea of what it will look like in fun prints so I took some favorite bundles from the last QAL and threw them into our Star Light Star Bright  design.  Here they are!!


Doesn't that just make you so excited.  Eeekkk, I just love them!!!   This is going to be so fun!!!


Now, just a quick note. . . . if you were one of the folks who wanted the Star from #4 in the center don't fret.  It is easily changed. Just cut your four center squares 1/2" larger and turn those four squares into HST's :) 


Or if you liked that pop of yellow . . . Just remember when we are making our flying geese with the big square print, to substitute your pop color fabric ;)




This is your Quilt . . . So please, please, please . . . Customize it any way you like.   I won't be showing instructions on these customizations.  I tried to figure how how I could, but it just got really confusing.  But please know that if you have any questions along the way, general or customize ones, just shoot me an email :)  I am happy to help in any way I can ;)  

So, what now??  Well, give me a few weeks to get together all of the nitty gritty.  I need to get measurements, (remember, there will be multiple size and layout options, including a one block options for those that want to QAL but are a little swamped ;)  fabric requirements, some great custom bundles (like the ones above but with new fabrics) , a button, and of course, lots of prizes!!!!

Expect to see a little teaser post come the beginning of January with a button and then a schedule post mid January that will include fabric requirements ;)  I am tentatively planning for the end of January to get started with cutting  ;)   

I am just so excited for another fabulous Quilt-A-Long and I am over the moon happy to see how much you all love the design.  I am pretty sure the Star Light Star Bright Quilt-A-Long is going to be the biggest QAL here at Happy Quilting to date!!!

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