A Late Birthday Treat

For my birthday in June, I received a gift card to Amazon.com. I've been waiting for just the right item to use my valued gift card. I even lost the gift card for a day or two so I decided that it was time to buy something. I searched through the new fictions titles and the quilting books. When I discovered that the Jelly Roll Book folks had a new book, I knew that was what I would order. I don't like to purchase a quilting book sight unseen, but I took a chance on this one. I'm pleased with the book. There are at least two or three quilts that I would like to make. The best thing is that I didn't feel that I had to use special Moda pre-cuts for these projects. I felt like I could use some of my existing fabric and add to it with yardage from my favorite quilt shop, Sweet Home. I'm thinking that Melisa has this book on order. She stocks the other two books by these same designers. Make a trip to her shop or visit her online. You will be happy that you did.

Pumpkin Decorating Contest

It has become a tradition at our elementary school for each classroom to decorate a pumpkin as a character from a book. The students bring coins from home and vote for their favorite pumpkin. The money raised from this event is given to the American Cancer Society. Each year I'm amazed and marvel at the creativity of the students, teachers, and parents as they transform ordinary pumpkins into works of art. I just had to share these creations with you. It's a celebration of creativity! Hope you recognize some of the books and characters from those books. Some of the books are classics like Charlotte's Web and others are new hits with our students, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

Franklin's Halloween by Paulette Bourgeois

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Gracias, the Thanksgiving Turkey by Joy Cowley

Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog by Mo Willems

Friday Favorite

Melisa at Sweet Home Quilt Shop has a special give-away on her blog on Fridays. Visit her blog to enter her give-away this week - Shangri-La charm packs and yardage. Visit and enter, but I have my fingers crossed wishing for this one!

Tricks and Treats

All it took was a "tempting" e-mail from Melisa, aka The Evil Temprest, to lure me to Sweet Home yesterday. I e-mailed Brenda, aka The Quilting Cowgirl and we made plans to meet at SH. Melisa had Halloween decorations, homemade baked goods, coffee, "treats" with coupons, and new fabric lines. This is my idea of a perfect Halloween celebration. See Melisa's blog entry entitled "The Witch is In" for great phots of the shop.

I wasn't the only "Thimble" to be lured into Melisa's den of temptation. Sarah, Brenda, me and Ann display some of our "treats" or treasures from the day.

All the blogland talk about the new line of fabric from Moda's French General, Rouenneries, had me lusting for my own stash. I found a layer cake and purchased yardage for borders and backing for a project in the second book from Pam and Nicky Lintott (new book due out November 14th according to Amazon.com) Earlier in the day there were other bolts of Rouenneries, but we learned that Kristie had already purchased the rest of one bolt!

This is the quilt I hope to begin soon with the Rouennerries fabric. Yippee!

Thanks, Melisa. Kris and Mike for a wonderful time!