You can't Bake a Cake (Mix) without Making a Mess :)

So remember when I said I was working on some secret projects . . . We'll Carrie shared this fun post on Friday  and might have included this link to fun, new, Cake Mixes!!! So now, I can share just a few sneak peeks :) So it's no secret that I am so loving these new Cake Mix products (I used Cake Mix 1 to make my Royal Quilt)  because they are so easy to use and are prefect for Layer Cakes!!  So I was super excited when I was asked by my good friends at Moda if I wanted to help them make some Quilts using their newest Recipe's!!!  Don't the "ingredients" looks so pretty all stacked up ready to start baking!!  Those happy prints are Sherri and Chelsi's new Creekside that will be in stores in September.

And of course, you can't Bake a Cake (or a quilt from a Cake Mix) without making a bit of a Mess :)  After sewing on all the lines, it's time to start trimming your pieces from the Cake Mix.  And what pretty trim this makes!!  Especially when you are playing with Sweetwater's new Authentic Line that will be coming out in August ;)

And once everything is trimmed, you get to make a second mess tearing all of the papers from your pieced units.  Even though it looks super messy, it goes super fast.  My daughter helped me make this little mess while we played a family game, always fun when you can multi-task  ;)

And now all that is left is to sew my units together to make my Cake Mix Quilts . . . But no sneak peeks there ;)  No worries though, it won't be to long before I can share them, and I am so super excited for that day!!!   To see more about Cake Mix's be sure and pop on over to the Cutting Table at Moda for lots more ideas.  And this super fun video really helps give you the idea of what they are all about, and like I said, it is just so super fun!!!

Oh, and one last bit of Cake Mix News!!!   Today is the third round of the Fat Quarter Shop Cake Mix Bake Off!!!   So be sure to pop on over and vote for your Favorite of the Cake Mix 3 Projects ;)  They are all so pretty so good luck choosing :)

Have a Happy Quilting (and maybe a bit of baking, because all this talk about cakes is really making me crave an actual chocolate cake ;) Day!!!!

And then There Were 20!!!

So, if you have been following along with me each month when I get my little Sew Sampler box, you will remember that I have been making a fun Sew Sampler Series Recipe Block each month using a variety of Bonnie and Camille fabrics!!!   This last month was the final block as the first year of Sew Sampler finished but I still had a stack of leftover Bonnie and Camille HST's from way back that I wanted to use as well to make this quilt a little bigger.   So . . .  I found a fantastic image of HST blocks at Quiltville,  picked 8 of my favorites,  and sewed just them up ;)   They went fast as the HST's were already made and I am just so loving them!!!!    Aren't they just so bright and cheerful!!!

And of course, I couldn't wait to see them all together, so I had to lay them all out.  I love that the original 12 just morphed into 20 :)    I will for sure play with the placement some more, but I just wanted to get a quick idea of how they would look all together.   And Eeeekkk, I am so loving what I am seeing!!!  So pretty :)

So now to cut some sashings.   Since the blocks use all different background shades of white, I am going to do the same for the sashing.  Which is awesome because it means I get to use up some of my scraps from the solid white bag!!!  I love getting to use up these little leftover pieces, it just makes me smile ;)

I want to think I will be able to share this finish soon, but I just got word yesterday on some secret sewing,(which is super exciting!!) so these blocks might have to put away for a month.  But hopefully no longer than that, and who knows, maybe I will just squeak them in anyway.  They are just so happy making I can't help but want to sew them up!!!

I hope you are having just a super Happy Quilting Day!!!

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!    Let's have some fun!!!

But  before we get to today's giveaways . . . First,  we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!   The winner of the $20.00 Gift Certificate from Lou Lou's Fabric Shop is . . . Number #163. . . Congrats Sharon J. Hughson!!!!! I have emailed you :)    

  

So on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Green Fairy Quilts.  Along with sponsoring the giveaway, Green Fairy Quilts has an amazing Sale going on!!!  All Notions, Aurifil Thread Kits,  and Superior Thread Cones  are 40% off !!!  Be sure to check it out!!!    And Green Fairy Quilts ships free in the US and discounted to international, bonus :)

And today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is for an absolutely gorgeous Guernsey Fat Quarter Bundle by Brenda Riddle for Moda!! I just love beautiful classic prints in those soft tones.  And that black addition is so perfect for a pop!!!  Just stunning!!!

    

You have two entry chances, the second being optional, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.  Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me your favorite flavor of potato chips.  (I know, random, but I found All Dressed chips at the store the other day and I have only ever seen them in Canada and they are my favorite by far, so I was pretty excited!!!)  

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Green Fairy Quilts love.   You can follow them on Bloglovin, Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, or Instagram.  You can Sign up for their Newsletter which I highly recommend so you can catch all of their amazing sales, or you can visit the Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Green Fairy Quilt Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, April 11th when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

Another Hand Update and a Few Tidbits

It has been a super wonderful weekend spent with family as I watched the General Conference for my LDS faith.   It is always such a pick me up as it is filled with messages of faith, hope, and love.   And I have to say, it was super nice to have the pick me up this weekend, because this second hand surgery is kind of kicking my tush.
 I know it has only been 4 days, but the fact that my right hand is still healing makes having a very limited left hand all the harder. And keeping it real here, I might have had a little break down on Friday night (after spending the day doing more than I should have been doing) and my sweetheart was kind enough to listen to me whine, all the way through and then just hug me and let me know that it was all going to be okay.  (he's a keeper :)  And I do know that it will all be worth it and that I couldn't keep doing what I was doing.  This has been an issue for 10 years and it was so time to get it fixed.  And hey, it already feels better today after giving it the weekend off :)  So ya, it was just such an incredible blessing to spend an entire weekend with extended family and to have such a great reminder of how much there is to enjoy and all the good there is, when we just slow down to see it!!!!

And part of that slowing down included starting a new book, to actually read and not listen to ;)  A bit ago, Rhonda Cratty sent me a copy of her new book, Our Family Quilt.  It is cute story about a grandmother passing on her quilting legacy to her granddaughter.  I am enjoying just slowing down and getting to read this sweet story that reminds me a lot of my mother passing on her quilting knowledge to me, and that just makes my heart smile :)

And one last tidbit,  Fat Quarter Shop announced this morning that my Royal Quilt won the first round of the Cake Mix Bake Off.  How fun is that!!  Thank you to everyone that voted and be sure to pop on over to Fat Quarter Shop and vote for your favorite in Round 2.  The new quilts are just gorgeous, it is going to be tough to pick a favorite!!!  

And that's all for today ;)  I hope you have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!

Bella Skill Builder - Pineapple Block

Oh my goodness, it's April 1st!!!  But no foolin around today, just another happy Bella Skill Builder day!!  I am really enjoying the Bella Skill Builder hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop and Sherri McConnell!!!!  And this month's skill builder blocks are some that I have always wanted to try . . . the Pineapple Block :)

For this month's tone on tone blocks I choose beutiful shades of yellow (because ya know, pineapple :)  and pinky orange shades of coral (they are more orange than they showed up in this picture :)   For the small version of the block I used Bella Yellow and Baby Yellow.  And for the large version of the block I used Bella Coral and Geranium.   

Like I said, I have always wanted to try a Pineapple Block and right out of the gate, I was super glad to have the Pineapple Trim Tool.  It made my head spin a few times, but once I got the general idea down I was flying through this block. I just love all of the fun angles it creates in the piecing, so cool!!  And be sure to have lots of scraps when making a pineapple block, because you chop off quite a bit :)  But I will say, I figured out some tricks of measuring while you go with the first and didn't have near as much waste with the second.  

And I ended up with a beautiful Pineapple block in all of it's yummy yellow goodness.  And yes, now I want to make an entire quilt of these.  No surprise there :)  I just can't get over all of the fun angles!!!   And I veered a little from the original color layout because I wanted to stick with 2 colors and added one extra round on my block as I am making 12" finished blocks ;)

And you know how I am doing a small and large version of each block, well . . . I figured out the Pineapple Trim Tool enough to add a new sharpie line on it and make 1 1/2" finished strips instead of 1" strips.  I just used the back of the centering square and my new line and away I went.  So fun!!!

But wouldn't you know it, I actually ran out of my piece of Coral with one more round to go.  Oh well.  I figured just adding a fun little border works just as well, and makes the two blocks just a little bit different.   And another round would have had to be trimmed anyway to make it 12" finished so it's all good :)  I actually really like the block bordered, gives it a nice finished look!

And that is the Pineapple block, the second set of blocks in the Bella Skill Builder!!!!  Be sure to download  the free pattern and watch youtube video.  And also pop on over to the  Fat Quarter Shop's blog, Jolly Jabber  for lots more Pineapple Block details and wonderful Pineapple Block eye candy from lots more blogger friends ;)  I can't wait to see what next month brings!!!  It's not to late to come work on your skills and join in the Bella Skill Builder fun!!! 

Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!