Rosebud's Cottage

It's a grand old day for the Grand Old Flag!

 

Happy 4th of July!

So what are you going to do today ... the traditional stuff like a BBQ with the family and fireworks ... or just hanging out on the deck reading a book and enjoying the day. It's a perfect morning in Minnesota for either one of them!

We're big flag fans at our house ... we have streamers hanging from the flag outside our home with the various branches of service we've belonged to ... Air Force for Bob and me, Army for me and Marines for Alex. I've been on a lot of military establishments during my career and there's no place you feel more like you're taking part in America than on a base or post. Hats off to those serving today!

I love making things with a flag theme ... the colors just look perfect together ... that Betsy Ross had a good eye! I'm working on a new project so whipped myself up a little graph pad yesterday from some patriotic scraps laying on the cutting table.

It's fun to look for things to collect with a flag theme. I like pieces of pottery, handmade dolls or small doo dads ... they look great massed together on a bench or shelf. We also have Bob's father's flag in our collection and one flown over the White House. Kind of fun.

Alex added another flag to our collection on Father's Day. When he was deployed to Djibouti, he requested a flag flown over  Camp Lemonier for a day. He had asked for one flown on Ted's birthday but got one as close as he could. The fact that it was raised on a post on the other side of the world is hard to comprehend ... I'm delighted that Alex thought to do it. Having taken part in flag folding ceremonies, in my head I can see this flag being folded by a group of Marines. It's hard to imagine it ever being unfolded!

  

The blog hop is coming to an end!

Not too much longer to visit the blogs one more time and make comments! For those who commented on my blog on my day, I'll be pulling two winners for the Strawberry Needle Keeper kits on Saturday. And then early next week, the designers will be pooling their comments and pulling winners for our three prizes. Make sure you've made a comment on each designers blog the day they were featured to be eligible. We'll announce the winners as soon as we have it figured out. Don't forget to bookmark us, too ... we have something up our sleeves for the holidaze!

As for Rosebud's ... come back next week. I'm helping Terry Atkinson with her annual shop owners retreat in Augusta WI. There are owners coming from all over the country to this event ... we host a different group at the end of July, too. But the best part is that I post pix of some of what we have going on. Terry designs table settings that are changed out once a day in time for dinner ... I've had a behind-the-scenes peek and they are fabulous! I'll post some of them from the retreat and fill you in on what we do. Look back to the last two Julys and you'll see what these shop owners are in for!

The Quilt Minnesota shop hop is coming up quick! If you need a little mini-vacation, come visit us. We have buses that will tote you all around the metro area so you can relax and think about quilting. I have a darling charm with a $10 purchase ... and it's NOT a rosebud!! I'll be blogging during the shop hop too ... actually we have something planned ... don't miss out.

Oh ... you guys asked a ton of questions about working with wool. As soon as I come up for air, I'll answer them. There were some great ones.

Gotta get back to work ... I'm making gifts for the retreat next week and have lots to do. I'm excited because this morning American Patchwork and Quilting picked one of them up for Quilts and More.  Down the road, you'll be able to make it, too! Chris has been busy putting the final touches on a quilt that is also going to the magazine so we're excited about that as well. Lots going on ... the fun is almost impossible to contain!!

Thanks again for visiting all of these terrific designers from Minnesota during the blog hop. Make sure you look for their patterns at your local quilt shop. Happy quilting ...

Roseann

Boo hoo ... it's the last day of the Minnesota Quilt Designers blog hop!

 

Well ... Quilted Treasures   is finishing up the blog hop today with a bang! You've probably noticed that there are tons of projects out there that use grommets ... either for function or decoration. The good news is that today's grommets don't require a hammer to set them in place and you'll see how easy and fun they are to work with when you visit their blog.

Its sad to see the blog hop coming to an end but I know by the number of visitors, you've all had a great time! If you're not traveling for the 4th of July, pull your lap top out to the patio and read back through our posts ... relax and be inspired by this group of creative and interesting Minnesota designers!

As if this isn't enough ... the  Quilt Minnesota Shop Hop is right around the corner. Of course, this hop you actually have to get in and out of the car for but it is well worth the trip. Minnesota is the home to a vast amount of independent quilt shops. We all have exclusive fabric for the shop hop ... free patterns ... treats ... and of course, prizes! If you stop in during the shop hop, make sure you tell me what you thought of the blog hop ... I'd love to hear your comments in person.

Happy quilting everyone!! 

The Minnesota blog hop continues with Scrap-Bags!

 

I know a little secret about Jamie from Scrap-Bags ... I thought she was a marketing genius for getting on the road and visiting quilt shops in other parts of the country to promote her patterns. Joke's on me ... she's picking the shops to visit based on how close they are to the golf courses! Talk about mixing business with pleasure. She IS a genius. 

I love Jamie's bag patterns ... they're clever and cool and just as trendy as those in the department stores. She has good directions even when you think the method must be complicated. Make sure you visit her site, too. Tons of information on it about trends and products ... interesting things to know.

After you visit her blog to see today's goody make sure you leave her a comment!

Cedar Canyon Textiles is today's blogger!!

 

You'd kill your kids if they got paint on your quilt, wouldn't you? Well ... Shelly from Cedar Canyon Textiles wants you to do just that ... paint your quilt! She has revolutionized PaintStiks ... jazzing up the colors ... moving them from walls and wood and onto fabric. I'm a decorative painter ... for years we were limited to a few basic colors ... and what's the fun in that? A few quilt markets back I was totally intriqued to see Shelly there demonstrating her technique on fabric and with such beautiful and amazing colors. If you want to expand your horizons, here's your chance!

Hop over to Shelly's blog for her free project on PaintStik placemats. You're going to love it! Wander around her blog and web site for overwhelming inspiration. Fun fun fun ...

Remember ... comment on her blog to get included in the drawing. Can you believe how much we have going on in Minnesota?

Who do we have next on the blog hop? Terry Atkinson!

 

Ok ... I'll be the first to admit that Terry kind of frightened me at first ... and after 15 years in the military and raising three boys ... it takes a lot to get me to that point!  I had been invited to Owatonna MN by a couple of quilting friends to a sewing event with Terry. I knew who she was but was clueless that this was a test class for one of her books. So I'm sitting at my table in the back of the room, sewing away and trying to make sense of what I'm doing, when Terry comes by. She looks at my project and says 'well that's a setting we haven't thought of yet' ... and all I can think of is YIKES I've messed up Terry Atkinson's pattern! Imagine my surprise when I saw the Rosebud Runner in her book,  Confetti in the Corner a few months later. Woo hoo ... I wasn't a total goof ... Terry thought I was clever!! And I've loved her and her patterns ever since.

Terry's another piece of the Minnesota Road Show quartet and if you have a shop near you doing this program, make sure you go. She has tons to teach ... both in that and in her books and her patterns. Terry goes to great lengths to make sure her projects are accurate and easy to understand. My sister Sue uses her Little Red Hen quilt for all of her wedding quilts because it has multiple sizes, uses two colors and goes together in a snap. And it's cute.

If you want to see how creative Terry is, flip back through my blog to the last two Julys. I help her with a shop owners retreat and one of the things we do is change out the table display for dinner each night. They are totally cool ... look at the photos and you'll be inspired to whip something up for your own table!! (Make sure you read my blog this July, too as we host two more sessions ... you'll be shocked and amazed ... no pressure, Terry!!)

Now don't forget to comment on her blog ... you don't want to miss out on the fabulous gift baskets, do you?