Christmas Time!

I'm guessing everyone is having a busy holiday season, Ho, Ho, Ho!  Even so, we had our Barn Chick gathering last week and look at these cute mats our friend Robin made, one for me and one for Pam.  Isn't she's the best?  And look how  terrific it looks with Santa!  You can get the pattern and/or kit here.

And speaking of Barn Chicks, look what our friend Sandi shared with us that her friend Marilyn Barlow added to her Barn Chicks quilt-just look at those legs and those great chicken tracks in the sashings and borders!  What a great idea!  Thanks for sharing Marilyn via Sandi!

It was our friends from Montana, Donna and Shirley, who started all this "barn chick" business; their notes to us always began, "Dear Barn Chicks" so I always think of them whenever we talk about Barn Chicks!  All of us chicks who work at the barn had our annual cookie exchange.  An ornament exchange would be so much kinder to my waistline!  But it's always fun and the cookies always yummy!

And Zack arrived home for Christmas break!  It's so good to have him home, and even tho I haven't seen a whole lot of him, it sure does feel like Christmas!

























And the 

Happy Birthday, Pam!

Today is Your Birthday! Have a happy happy day, sister Pam!

The Elves have been busy at Buggy Barn!

Pincushion 2012 (C)

The Elves have been busy at Buggy Barn! 

Every day until Christmas (December 1^st-December 25^th) we will be including an“extra” little goodie with a minimum purchase in our internet &  retail stores. 

Let our Elves add value to your gift giving this holiday season with our special goodies!

Here’s what our Elves have put on the Good Girl's Christmas List this year!

• A $25-$80 purchase receives the Buggy Barn Charm Pack Wingin It! 
• An $81-$150 purchase receives our very own Barn Chick t-shirt.
• A $151-$250 purchase receives a pin cushion kit w/pattern designed exclusively for you by Buggy Barn (not available in store)!
• A $251-350 purchase receives an original hand-painted ceramic mug with Buggy Barn logo & design made by our friend & local potter.
• A $351-$450 purchase receives an original hand-painted ceramic Buggy Barn mug with 6 holiday fat quarters.

Over $451 receives all three!  A hand painted ceramic mug, pin cushion kit w/pattern designed exclusively for you AND a Wingin It!  Charm Pack.   

Hand painted mugs

T-shirts

Remember our gift certificates also qualify for extra goodies!  Our webmaster has been working hard to make our gift certificates look nice for your special recipients.  This would be a great time to try the new look of our gift certificates and get that little extra goodie added to their package!

Wishing you & yours a joyous

Christmas season!

Haunting Halloween

Ok, I know I'm more than just a bit late for Halloween, but I've had lots of fun working on these blocks for the "Haunting Halloween" block of the month we are running in the shop and thought I 'd take the time to share with you how I use to use freezer paper to make stars before I became "crazy".

I made this Linda Brannock quilt using this method but I'm not sure I could ever go back to making an entire quilt this way now!  But the technique does come in handy when you only have to make one of something!

Like this patchwork pumpkin block (shown at the top in the picture at the beginning of this post).  Trace all the individual templates together into one pumpkin, then use your rotary equipment to cut out the templates so the lines are nice and straight-no wiggles from scissors!

Then iron each freezer paper template onto the right side of each piece of fabric from the kit.

Cut out the INSIDE edges of each template with your rotary equipment  measuring and cutting 1/4" away from the templates edge.  Don't trim the outside, curved edge of the pumpkin that you can see in the next photos just yet (this is the edge that will be appliqued under)

 Select pieces E and F,

Place them right sides together and fold back the top piece (see my finger!) to align the two pieces of freezer paper so they are just touching--that's the key, and then stitch.  As long as you line up the freezer paper, the edges and seam allowances will be perfectly straight, as you can see below!

 Stitch C to D.  Then CD to EF and so forth until you have completed the pumpkin, below.

Then you just have to applique around the outside and viola!

It's done and so cute!  And the best part is that they will be done in time for next year, no problem!  Can't wait to start the haunted mansion in the center.  I'm getting quite a list of "can't waits" so something is going to have to!  Housework and dinner for sure! But as for which quilting project, I just can't say.  This is me, of "no unfinished projects" and "one project at a time" who is collecting quite a few! So best I get back to it and get something finished!

We Could Have Built a Snowman!

We've had our first snowfall of the season and it actually stayed around just long enough to have us all scrambling to get our snow tires on.  Now it's back to rain, but I'd rather it snow!  While we were away at market the girls were home at the shop busy stitching away on my blocks, bless them!  We've got a great start on this "We can Build a Snowman" block of the month.  It's great since it only lasts five months!  Look! We're almost done! One more row of houses and the words across the top.  I love this quilt; it reminds me of the old Red Wagon quilts.

The girls were busy, busy bees; they also were embroidering snowflake blocks....this quilt will be a beauty!  Now it's time for some more snow!  Maybe this week!  

Happy Thanksgiving! Quilt Friday Event

Pam got our sample of Turkey Lurkey started at our Barn Chick Gathering on Monday....it sure is cute! And just in time for Thanksgiving!  I think she's going to leave it as a wool mat instead of a pillow as called for in the pattern.....I did drop the hint that if she was my secret sister for Christmas, that I'd prefer the mat!  I just got an eye roll so I think that's unlikely....  Pam is cooking the turkey this year.  As usual, I'm taking enough rolls to feed a small army, and that's after I've made an extra couple dozen for my children to eat hot out of the oven and more later, as a pre-Thanksgiving, midnight snack.  I know that's why Ross will be home tomorrow, to "help" me with the rolls!

And I've switched from pie to cheese cake the last couple of years; I'm not sure how that started. I must have got a wild hair and now that's what I'm suppose to bring!  Thought I'd share the recipe, it's one that Patsy and Sharon feed us every once in awhile at crazy camp and it's delicious!
NOTE: that last ingredient under nutmeg is 1/2 t salt.

Tom Turkey

We hope each of you has a Thanksgiving full of blessings!  Please know that Pam & I are thankful for each of you who have supported us and helped us along our way; we wouldn't be here without you!  So this Black Friday after Thanksgiving, which Buggy Barn has declared “Quilt Friday” November 23rd, take 20% off any items in our retail or web store! That's 20% off your entire purchase, including kits and blocks of the month!  Wow! They never go on sale!    Then join us on Small Business Saturday, November 24th, to receive free shipping on this day only on any order sent within the United States & Canada and “thank you” for your continued business!

That's Today!

Ok, today really is the 19th and I see that today is our day on American Patchwork & Quilting Radio with Pat Sloan!  Be sure to listen!  I'm heading there next!  Thanks, Pat and AP&Q,  for the opportunity!  You guys are the best!










here's your link to listen:

http://toginet.com/shows/americanpatchworkandquiltingradio

then go to Recent Shows on the right side bar and select our show scheduled for today, November 19th! I'll see you there!

We've Been There and Back!

I'm not sure what we were thinking, but Pam & I decided, at the last minute no less, to stay after quilt market and set up a booth for Quilt Festival.  That's what some might call a Bird Brain idea!   This meant 12 days in Houston--I've never been away from home or work for that long before, and since it's now almost Thanksgiving and we are just thinking we might be able to sleep past 3:30 am,  I'm not sure I ever want to be gone that long again, at least not before I retire!

We had a great time; it was like a vacation in that we were away from work, even though we were working, staying in a motel, eating out every night, neither of which is all that it's cracked up to be except for the not cooking part!  Our new crazy cows with the safety pins on their udders (I was in a hurry and desperate for something to use for teats and safety pins fit the bill!) were a huge hit! Texans were either thrilled they didn't have horns, or were planning to add horns....the dairy people of the Midwest were mostly fine with them just the way they were.  Some  jokingly referred to the pins as piercings- as in the cow equivalent to a belly or nose piercing, I believe!




Meanwhile, we've been digging out here at home at the Barn trying to get ourselves caught up and back in the swing of things.  It's been so long since I've blogged, Pam is threatening to remove the blogger link from the web page-I'm fine with that, but, once again, I find myself, recommitting myself to do better!  It's a never ending quest-this always doing and/or being better!  We'll see how long I last this go round!  I do have lots to tell you about so I'll be parceling it out a bit at a time so at least my re-commitment will last a bit longer!

I don't have Quilt Market or Festival pictures to show you-we were busy there also: we did three different book signings, an interview with Pat Sloan for talk radio(we'll share expected air date when known), and Checkers filmed us doing our crazy demo.  Oh and here's a link of our bit we stumbled through for Fat Quarters Shop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD0DoSMoius&feature=plcp It's a wonder we got any shopping done but at least you can see the new lines we have coming in the future.

Meanwhile, our new fabric line, Wingin' It has arrived and is in the shop.  Our friend Sandi remade our Spring Fever quilt using this line-doesn't it look great? She and her sister Val have sewed countless stitches for me and have earned my eternal thanks!  That's it for now!  Will talk to you soon!  

Let me catch my breath...

Our latest book, "Crazy til the Cows Come Home" is on the presses, with a delivery date of this week, we hope!  Keep your fingers crossed!  It was a mad dash and then some to get it finished, but way back when, say a couple weeks ago, when the sun was still shining, I finished this block for the new  "Hearts Come Home" quilt and remembered I'd promised to share a picture of my sunflowers that I planted along the chicken coop.

So here you go!  They were awesome!  It was a combined effort since I plan and plant while my husband takes on the task of watering, weeding, and nurturing!  Now that fall has well and truly arrived, the birds will get to enjoy also!

You may remember that we moved our oldest son to California so he can finish up school, and it was quilt show, and he was homesick, and I was missing him, and then he broke the news he's not going to be able to come home for Thanksgiving..... I think you can see how the idea for this particular quilt was formed!

Speaking of quilt show, it was great fun, and if you missed it this year, be sure to put it on your calendar for next year!  Pam and I aren't getting any younger you know!  Here's the new quilt, "Quilt Show" to tide you over till then!

One of the best things about our annual outdoor quilt show is the fun people we meet and the lasting friendships that have been formed.  For the last few years, this group of ladies, our "California Girls" have come each year and stayed at the retreat center in Reardan (they are why it's always booked during quilt show week!)

And look what RuthAnn taught me about seam ripping....pretty clever, huh?  The things you learn at the Buggy Barn!

I'll leave you with Quilt Show 2012 pictures....I'm serious about putting it on your calendars!  The last weekend in August every year that's not Labor Day weekend which will apply in 2013!  So mark it now, August 24 and 25, 2013!

Quilt Show week in full swing!

The Big Barn is looking great and ready for your shopping to begin!  It's chock full of wonderful trunk shows with more arriving each day!

We've just finished our first two days of classes with Shawn from Threads that Bind who taught punch needle one day and this great snowman stack yesterday.  Isn't it cute?

Also teaching was Paula Barnes from Red Crinoline, formerly Bonnie Blue Quilts, who shared her piecing expertise with two beautiful projects, one is shown behind her (she's on the left).  As you can see, everyone was happy and productive!  We are set for another two days with two new teachers and then it's Show Time!  Hope to see you all there!

It's Christmas morning for Mary C!

It's just like Christmas morning and Mary C will have goodies in her stocking!    She is the winner of the Country Quilts "Blog Hop and Book Giveaway"!  Thank you all for following along on the tour.  But don't despair, there's still more chances to win a copy of Cheryl's book; just check out who's next on her blog.

Pam is working on this great block of the month from Robin Pandolph, "Home for the Holidays"  We designed a  candy cane sashing to use instead of the houses and are moving the words from under the blocks.  It's very cute! Can't wait to see it completed, cut that will be a few months!

Don't forget, our outdoor quilt show is NEXT weekend.  Bring your quilts early and join the fun!  See you then, if not before!