What we create!

I love Carolyn's classes!  I love Carolyn's work!  She is so creative and truly brings out the best in her students.....

Being summer it's hard to schedule classes but we managed to get three sign-ups for Saturday's class with Carolyn - Bedazzled Daisy.  I managed to sit in for a good portion of this class and watched as the girls created masterpiece after masterpiece and they had so much fun doing it too!

Paula's flower came out stunning!

 Rita's is coming along beautifully.....

 Pat's is also looking amazing!

 Here are all three on the design board....

 Rita's after being cut out and ready to go on the background she chose!

 Paula's cut out and ready for her background....

...and Pat's still on the base fabric but soon to be cut out too!

What can I say but WOW!  We will definitely be running this class in the fall along with another STUNNER which Carolyn gave us a sneak peak of! 

Coming up this weekend is one of our In Store Retreats - you can come for a day or for all four days - there are still a few spaces available.  Also next week begins the Beginner Sampler - three sign ups already so if you like this quilt - it would be a good time to sign up.

Also in July - Jacob's Ladder and Sock It To Me! - a few spaces left there too....

Off to do some laundry and work on my 9 Patch Exchange blocks - which are going great and it's so cool to get the blocks back at the end of each month and see what everyone has made.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

...and again!!!

...time flew while I was busy doing something else I guess!  I also appear to have left the camera at home so the only picture is Bedazzled Daisy which is really a reminder that the class is on Saturday and we have a couple of spaces available.......

This is Carolyn's newest class offering and it's going to be great fun doing it.  Come spend the day with us, lunch is, as always, included and you don't even need to lug your machine......

Before I forget (and just in case time gets away from me again) our In Store Retreat starts on June 28th - Jul 1st.  You don't have to come for the whole 4 days - you can sign up for 1, 2, 3 or all 4 days.....but if there's a project you need to get done we can motivate you, assist you or teach you how to put it together.  No distractions and all meals included - you can't get a better deal than that!!!!

Today was Sit & Sew and as you all know lunch is included.  I am always racking my brains for what to serve and yesterday, being my day off, I did just that....  About midnight I finally came up with an idea and with a little help from an old recipe book I was able to finalize the menu.  The girls were so impressed that I decided to share the "recipe", especially the dressing with all of you.  This really makes for a nice summer salad - no cooking involved unless you add the chicken.....(however, you can get pre-cooked chicken at the supermarkets these days - so it is possible to do no cook).

Okay - here goes....

Greek Salad with Chicken and Mint Vinaigrette

6 cups assorted salad greens

2 cups cut-up cooked chicken

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 medium tomato, cut into wedges

1/2 medium seedless cucumber cut lengthwise and into slices

1 small green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 medium green onions, sliced

12 Kalamatta or large pitted ripe olives

Prepare salad ingredients in large bowl.  Toss with vinaigrette.

Serves 4

Mint Vinaigrette

3 tbsp. lemon juice (I use a whole lemon)

1-1/2 tsps chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1 small clove garlic, finely chopped

Shake all ingredients in titghtly covered container.  (I use the Magic Bullet which really mixes it well and draws out all the flavour from the juices - if you have a small blender - that will work too!)

I served it with warmed bread and butter and it really was delicious!  The best part of course, was it took less than 1/2 hour to prepare.  So quick, easy, no cook - who could ask for anything better on a humid day!

Enjoy this recipe and check for more on our blog - I'm pretty sure this is not the first time I've posted one.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann

As usual.....

....time flies!  It seems I turn around and two weeks have gone by already!  I won't even begin to try to remember the last time I posted on my "personal" blog.

I decided to take a few moments on this quiet Saturday afternoon to post a few words.....

The quilt below is one of the fabulous Valentine Bargello quilts from Carolyn's class in April.  Sandy chose to do hers in neutrals and it really came out beautiful, thought I'd share it with all of you. 

 The quilt below is from our April Mystery Quilt - Marlene chose a gorgeous Lilac fabric she didn't want to cut up with two contrasts and it really came out beautiful.  I like hers better than mine and I wrote the pattern!!! 

 Here we are last Friday - redecorating again - NOT!  I came in last Friday morning during that vicious rain only to find the front of the store flooded by 3 roof leaks - lovely!  Most of it has been fixed but there is still one leak in the front.....I'll have to celebrate once it's all back to normal!  Maybe a SALE!!!!

Tonight from 6:00 until 9:00 P.M., Carolyn is teaching Serendipity and I decided I would finally take a class!  It's a Saturday evening and I don't really have to do much to prepare so......I thought I would have some fun too!

I've always loved this piece and Carolyn makes it look so easy!  Sometimes when I'm sitting in front of the TV I don't really feel like knitting or hand-piecing or applique so why not find yet another addiction!!!!!  You'll have to look on my blog though for any progress, at least until it's done and wait until you see what I found in my stash at home - HORRORS!!!!  Who knew I had so much yarn......Class starts at 6:00 if you feel like getting out of the house tonight.....

Happy Quilting!

Jo-Ann