A couple of boys visited the Workshop this week!

Lenni and George from APQS came to show off at the workshop this week. And I think they BOTH look right at home!! 

George is the closest to a home sewing machine as you can get ... the needle is stationary and you move the quilt. Huge opening and a nice big table to spread your quilt on so you don't have it dragging and pulling out of  place. This was fun to use and I'm totally inept at using my sewing machine to quilt. It's really a personal issue what kind of machine you like to work on. Pat Sloan has a George and loves quilting on it.

I have never touched a longarm machine before ... looked at them but was too afraid to do anything. Holy cow ... this was fun, too! Totally different way of doing things as you move the needle using the handles ... lots of little things built in ... like a stitch regulator that makes sure your stitches look professional. I can see how this would be a cool addition to the workshop, too.

George. Lenni. George. Lenni. Just like high school ... which boy should you let take you to the dance. Men. They are always in the equation!

Of course, one of the best things about having the boys visit is that they brought their girlfriend ... and mine ... Heidi Kaisand ... the National Sales Director for American Quilting Professional Systems. She was here for two days showing people the benefits of both machines. The girl knows her stuff! I've learned a ton about machine quilting in the last few days from her. I love how she tells everyone to breathe as they test drive the machines. It's so cool hearing the hum of both machines, too!

So ... if you had to pick ... which one would you choose?

I'd like to buy a vowel, please.

Ok ... call me crazy that with all I have going on I'd take part in a swap online ... but back in July, it sounded like a great idea! And actually, it still is because it's so much fun.

I belong to a group online called Primitive and Rustic Crafts & Decorating ... I've been on it almost since the beginning twelve years ago. The name of the group tells you pretty much what it's about. But one of the cool things they've done since the very beginning is do swaps. I've been jealous of some of the cool banner swaps they've done this past year so when they started one for HARVEST, I just couldn't resist.

For the last week or so, different letters have been showing up on the kitchen table ... waiting for me to rip into the envelopes to see what they look like. This is the first one I received ... love how the creator made the sunflower on it. We only had a few rules ... they had to be cut to a certain size ... could be made from paper, fabric or a combo ... had to have a way to tie it to the next one. The one thing I love about this swap is that I only have to agonize over my letter ... somehow the rest just fit no matter how they look.

I was assigned "V" by the swap mom ... I sewed some Gobble Gobble fabric to my cardstock backing and then scrounged through my supplies to find embellishments that fit. I'm anxious to see how my letter fits with the rest when they're all tied together. When it's done, I'm going to hang it in the window at the new place in White Bear Lake for everyone to see.

After we move, I'm going to start a banner club ... there are all kinds of words you can put on them. If you think you'd be interested, give me a shout ... once we assemble a group we can let the fun begin!

Cute craft for the crawl!

For tomorrow's Craft Crawl in White Bear Lake our acorn needle keeper will put you in the mood for Autumn! And just in time because the weather guy is saying our nice Summer weather will be ending next week.

Made from beautiful hand-dyed wool, having it completely cut for you will get you in and out of the workshop quickly. You want to get on to the projects at the other shops, too! Haven't heard what the rest of the stores are doing but I know they've got something fun planned. Stop in between 10am and 3pm on September 18.

The two circles on the needle keeper act as hinges, opening up to a pretty piece of purple flannel inside to stick your needles. Very simple stitching so even a beginner will be able to make one. Tuck it in your sewing basket! The price for the kit and supplies is $7.95.

See you at the Crawl!

Color full at the Farmer's Market!

When I stopped at the White Bear Lake farmer's market on Friday, I knew I didn't have enough cash along to buy much plus I knew we wouldn't be home enough this weekend to eat anything I bought. I had my camera,though! It was a perfect perfect morning ... the kind that you can only capture in your memory ... and I knew the best way to do that was to take as many pix as I had time. A breath-taking day. A beautiful morning.

The white cauliflower was like new snow ... the mustard went from dark at the bottom to light at the top ... but where did the purple one come from? I was so caught up in the color that I forgot to ask the farmer if they tasted different.

 

These growers from Prior Lake are totally organic ... they even pick the pests by hand! They had wonderful heirloom veggies and a fabulous red and white table covering.

More amazing purple again! Is this the trend color in veggies?

And look at the textures ... this makes me want to touch it and not touch it at the same time. The way the vegetables were displayed showed off the texture of the shapes as well.

The sunlight shining on the tables was buffered by the trees but these yellow cherry tomatoes look like the sunshine is coming from deep within them.

The only thing prettier are the buckets of flowers.

And my basket of Autumn-colored wool sitting in the back seat of my car!

Time for a fresh new start!

Ok ... the Minnesota State Fair is over ... on to the next adventure. We're moving Rosebud's Cottage back to White Bear Lake!! Yes ... it's true ... after ten years in North St Paul it's time for a change. First thing to do ... clean it up to make it mine.

Our new address will be 2154 Third Street. It's where Washington Avenue meets Third Street ... where the Friday Farmer's Market happens and Market Fest meets in the Summer. It's a happening corner ... we'll be right in the Mixx ... next to Mixx Salon! (You've got to see their windows! To die for.)

The view from the front to the back ...

... and from the back to the front. Nose-bleed high ceilings. Who exactly will be changing those light bulbs up there? Good thing Bob has a Little Giant in the garage! The place smells like fresh paint. Nice.

There's even a patio out back! It's all secure so I can leave the back door open to get in fresh air without inviting strangers in.

We'll be coming out of the closet with our new die cut room. There will actually be space to pack our kits as we cut the pieces ... our cutting area now truly is a closet ... this will be so great to spread out!

Unisex bathroom ... but really ... how many guys do you think will actually be in the store using it?

Look at this interesting quilty border in the bathroom. Won't have to change a thing here!

The scariest part of the store is this trap door that leads to the basement. Bob just loves opening it up and going down the creaky steps to see what's down there. Probably more scary things like spiders and rodents ... ish! Just having it open freaks me out ... like I'm going to fall down into it even when I'm standing five feet away. Remind me not to be there the day the electrician comes. First thing I'm doing when I move in is throwing a rug over it.

I've been looking for retail space in White Bear Lake for over a year already. Suddenly, two spaces became available and I had to make a choice. What sold me on this place was the view. Immediately I saw myself standing in the window each morning ... Starbucks in hand ... looking at the action on Washinton Avenue. The Washington Square Grill is kitty corner ... fun place to watch people enjoying themselves on the patio ... live music on Summer nights that just liven things up.

A lot of people are asking me why I'm moving from North St Paul. It's all about moving closer to home. I'll be a mile and a half from our house ... my workshop will be right around the corner at Third and Banning. Plus White Bear Lake is so stinkin' cute!

It hasn't been an easy decision to leave North St Paul ... countless sleepless nights tossing around the options. We've had some fun times there ... it's where we were filmed for Quilt Sampler magazine in 2004 ... it was the home of the Muddy Sheep Wool Club and then the Unruly Girlz ... people from all over the world have visited the Cottage there. It's been great ... but now it's time for a change. My new place feels like coming home.

So ...  the bathroom and hallway are cleaned and all of the spiders have been swept off the front windows  ... time to pick out some paint colors. What should I go with this time? So exciting! The beginning is always the best part of anything. Can't wait to see what will happen next!

Feels like Fall at the fair!

 

A favorite building at the Minnesota State Fair is the Horticulture Building. It's very trendy retro look hasn't changed since I was five years old ... which is one of the reasons I love it ... tons of memories as it was also a favorite place for my parents to visit. I didn't have a lot of time to spend looking at everything so only hit the honey exhibits and the room with the pumpkins.

 

Love seeing pumpkins lined up on shelves with the chosen few ribboned!

 

Love the scarecrow contest too! This one is by my friend's daughter ... a science teacher who took part in a teaching event at NASA. Hope she takes this to school with her!

 

I can't resist looking at those giant pumpkins! Bigger than scarecrows! First off ... can you imagine lugging them to the fair? It must take a ton of work to get them out of a field, onto a vehicle and finally in place at the fair. Look at the background in the next photo ... those cabbage heads are a pretty impressive size as well!

 

I heard on the news this week that some of these giants can gain 30 or 40 pounds a day! Wouldn't they just explode if they gained too much? Betchya a lot of fair food eaters are wondering the same thing after a day of eating fair food!

 

 

Lots of Autumn colors in the floral exhibits on the way out ... and as you're heading to your next favorite place at the fair, stop by the honey booth and get yourself a big scoop of sunflower honey ice cream on a cone. Yum!

Rosebud's rosette scavenger hunt!

 

Every year, we award rosettes and gift certificates for various lots in Creative Activities. If you've been in that building, you know that it is packed floor to ceiling with fabulous hand made projects. Finding our rosettes takes a ton of sleuthing ... leads from customers ... cryptic descriptions on where they are located. I finally found all five of them! And one is as cute as the next ... starting with this baby quilt located way in the back past the scrap booking displays.

 

Winner's Bouquet by Terry Atkinson is truly a winner ... located in the large display in the middle of the building. This is the only one where I actually know the winner.

 

Someone put a ton of work into this commemorative quilt! It's way back by the baked and canning displays along the wall that goes into the vending area.

 

Best State Fair themed quilt ... a ton of beads in those corn kernels! This one is in the display case to the left of the main doors ... right above the quilts on a stick.

 

A sweet quilt with appliqued Sun Bonnet Sue's here and there. It is over your shoulder to the left if you're looking at the Winner's Bouquet quilt. Took me forever to find it.

Next year we're going to add a few more lots ... start quilting! And come to the fair ... everyone in town is there!!