Birthdays are worth celebrating!!!

Well, another birthday has come and gone.  I turned 39 (for the first time) last Friday, the 15th.  Yes, tax day.
I gladly celebrate each birthday and in fact look forward to them.  That one day of the year is MY day.  My day to do whatever I please.  MY day not to do the dishes.  My day to request hugs from my handsome fella all day long .  .. . . and I did . . . and he delivered many warm strong hugs to his precious birthday gal. 

He truly "gets" me and I'm grateful he loves me for all my traits, quirkiness included. 

So, I can happily report that amidst the relentless little tasks that must be completed as I prepare for Spring Market in Salt Lake City, Utah (in a mere 4 weeks - - holy crap!) I made time to savor #39.  For I believe every birthday is a hugely important day in one's life that begs to be celebrated. 

Imagine my surprise when the local florist pulled into the driveway & came in the office with this gorgeous floral bouquet.  Which by the way, contained beer and chocolate!  The perfect birthday meal of course.  My Missouri parents, Peggy and Skip sent these to me - - totally unexpected, and oh so excited I was.  Carrie took this ever so glamorous picture of me, so I could share it with . . . well . . . who ever wants to . . . hey wait, I'm not sharing those chocolates or the beer!  Oh, perhaps with that handsome gent who gave me all the birthday hugs.  Tee Hee!

Did I get anything accomplished on my birthday?  Not much . . . . other than 2 more brand new patterns that are ready for release any second!  
That's a great topic for my next blog!  Peek back in a day - - I'll have 2 new designs ready to grace your peepers.

Til next time . . . .thanks for peeking in on me. 

The First Retreaters!

They came, they stitched, they conquered their projects!
They were my very first group of retreaters to stay here at my home turned guest house.  And they were gracious to let me stay with them as their "hostess" so I could be the fly on the wall.  Not to listen to their sacred quilting secrets, but to see what things I need to add, improve or modify to host all of the future retreaters.

Thanks Ladies!  I am grateful.

Here's a picture of the happy retreaters amidst their nest of . . . . stuff.

They really had it rough.  New beds were delivered just hours before they arrived.  A loaf of fresh home made bread had just come out of the oven an hour into their stay, followed by warm slices of bread slathered in butter that melted instantly into each decadent slice . . yumm!  Can't you just taste it? 

With the first fantastic retreaters under my belt, I'm ready to "wow" the rest of you with a weekend retreat!
If you would like more information on retreats here at Patch Abilities headquarters, click here.  And if you need any enticing, there will be a fresh warm loaf of home made bread waiting for you too. 

Til next time . . . thanks for peeking in on me!

~Julie

Getting the Retreat Ready for Ladies

So, if you've checked out my new website lately, you might have seen the new section that teases you with some information about a retreat here at Patch Abilities Inc. headquarters.  I gotta tell you all, I'm really starting to get pumped up about it.
This upcoming weekend (March 24th) I have my very first group of guests arriving.  Ooohh, you'd think I was attending my first slumber party according to my giddiness.  I guess my excitement is due partly to hosting guests, as I love to be the hostess with the mostess!  Spell check did not like that word (mostess).  Tee Hee.  I think the other part of the reason for my excitement is because the physical act of opening and renting my home to quilting guests means that I have another home for my main residence.  And that is with my handsome fiance and the brand new big chapter of my life that is just beginning.  How I love a new exciting chapter!!

Well, there are lots of things to get done before the lovely ladies arrive you know.  I needed more beds of course, as I just couldn't see grown women camped out in sleeping bags in the 2 spare bedrooms.  Perhaps they wouldn't mind sleeping under a pile of fabric . . . hmmm . . . perhaps I could have saved some money & filled the spare rooms with mountains of fabric.  I made a last minute trip to the furniture store (oh yeah, getting extra beds prior to 4 days before their arrival just wouldn't have made any sense - duh) to hopefully purchase a couple extra beds to complete the sleeping accomodations.  Do you ever get a feeling that you should hop in the car, on a moment's thought, and buzz to town to make a purchase you've been dreading? And you've been dreading it because you thought none of the stores will have what you want, but at that very moment in time, you just get a feeling that you should go right now and do it?  Well folks, I listened to that little voice earlier this evening.  I jumped in the truck and strolled on into the furniture store.  An hour later, I had purchased 4 beds and all the fixins!  And it was a cinch - no haggling - no sticker shock - it was quite pleasant.  So, you see - that little voice was right.

I wish I had a couple of pictures to share with you, showing the new beds in their cute rooms . . . . but it's all getting delivered just hours before the ladies arrive.  Talk about timing!  Sheesh!  I really like to cut it close - livin' on the edge, I am.
I promise to take photos of the fun this weekend and share with you.  Perhaps you'll want to come join in the fun a weekend.

Oh, and about my last posting - I got a couple astonished people asking if those Robin pictures were real or from a past year.  Those are/were the real deal folks!  Hope the Robins are hopping around your yard too!

Till next time . . . . thanks for peeking in on me.
~Julie

The Robins are Here!! The Robins are Here!!

Guess what I saw?  Oh, did my title already tip you off?  Well, if it didn't then you'd better go back to the coffee pot and refill because you're still asleep.

I saw my first Robin two days ago!  Yeah, I know . . . I was so excited to see one I rustled thru the office frantically seeking my camera so I could get the proof.  Here's the precious little bugger!  He looks so cheerful bouncing around the yard, nibbling up the first bugs to stir from their deep freeze slumber. 

Those of you living north of the freeze line know what a newsflash this is.  Ones first Robin sighting is . . . well let's just say it is crucial to one's sanity.  Mine included.  The arrival of the Robin means that our long awaited spring days are nearby.  It means our snow will be melting and any new snowfalls won't stick around for more than a few days.  It means that maybe, just maybe I can go outside without 5 layers of winter undergear, sweatshirts, head warmers, gloves and winter coat.  Maybe.  And it also means I'll probably get over antsy and put away the sweaters to make room for the shorts, T-shirts and capris in my closet.  It may be a month until I can wear them outside but I know the days are close and that alone puts a bright warm ray of sun on my sanity.
So, to all of you who haven't seen your first Robin yet . . . keep your eagle eyes on those patches of grass peeking thru the snow, because they have arrived!  Welcome back sanity!!!!!!

By the way, I am one busy girl working on new designs for summer, fall and Halloween.  I tell ya that one little Robin really got my ambition all jazzed up.  I'll show you more when I have something other than a drawing and a pile of fabrics.

Thanks for peeking in on me!  Hope you see your first Robin soon.
~Julie

This Fish Has Left the Pond!

I can't believe I didn't make this my first blog entry of the year!!

Did you feel the cold draft way down into Florida? The unbelievable really did happen. . . . . hell actually froze over and I got engaged!!!

Here's a picture I took the morning after the big moment. Awwwwe.

How did he propose? That's the question burning a hole in the minds of all those that know me well. A funny little story explains it.

Let me start by saying we had been talking about marriage since the 1st month of dating - - - - we just knew we had a great, unique thing. So the topic of marriage was not a surprise, nor was it a surprise when he asked me to go along to the jewelry store. So here's the proposal story.

I had gone with him to pick it out, so I knew he had it but was waiting for the best moment to perform the proper kneeling bit and all. So I patiently waited . . . and waited . . . he only had it for 3 days before I began whining one evening, asking him "Chad, when are you gonna ask me?" I just couldn't stand it any longer. I mean that ring was so pretty and looked so so so fabulous on my finger at the jeweler. This sounds strange to my closest friends due to the fact that I very seldom wear jewelry and almost never wear rings. But, this was my engagement ring! The ring I thought I would never get to even see!!!
He let me whine & whimper for a few minutes, as I sat cross legged on the couch in my pajamas. So into the living room he strolled, with a smirk that stretched a thousand miles across. He knelt down and pulled it out of his pocket and asked if I'd marry him. I believe a few tears leaked thru the pure joy as my answer radiated from every cell in my body. Oh yes!!

So, the title to this little entry is fittingly titled. I am no longer in the dating pool, haven't been since last May and I couldn't be happier to leave the pond!

My grandmother has always told me "there's a lid for every ole' pot". She also told me "you can't make a purse out of an old sow's ear". Hmm. She's very excited for me and has since told me "I told you there was a lid". I'm sure these are loving terms that every Gram calls her granddaughter . . . right?

Thanks Gram, for having faith in me.

-Jules

Sneek Peek at New Summer Design

So, we've had an entire week of nice, relatively warm temperatures. All of the snow and ice is gone off my driveway - Whew Hew! That alone excites me, but our UPS driver has a greater appreciation for it naturally. Our office/warehouse sits up much higher than the road, so the driveway isn't steep, but it's still a trek uphill. He's only slid backward down the driveway once this winter. I bet that's a ride ya wouldn't care to take!
Here's a picture of the driveway. Madee is standing there looking for the source of the chirping she hears - a Bald Eagle chick was chirping loudly from above the bluff nearby.

So, needless to say I've gone thru 150 pounds of ice melt already. Yeah, you could say I'm ready for this warm up. Oh yeah bring it on!

Here's a view of the office/warehouse. Looks more like a house I suppose. Harper is standing out front. Notice that clear blue sky - ahhhhhhh.
The sun has even shown it's sunny face a few of these past days, which as I've said before (and will probably say again) is so-so-so rejuvenating! Hello Sun!!! Puts a smile on my face, a spring in my step and a spark in my creative pencil.


Yes, the sun actually helps to stir my creative juices and I've begun to work on new designs. Actually, I've worked on 2 specific designs; one for fall & one for July. I can't show you the fall yet, as it's going to be featured in the fall issue of Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts. So be sure to pick up that issue and keep your eyes peeled, because it will be a free pattern in that magazine!

The July design I can show you.

Here is a brand new design that will release soon! It's firecrackers & a Bang! At this exact moment, it is so sqeaky new that there is NO pattern for it. But that's my task today is to get the pattern written so it can ship off to your favorite local shop very soon.

I made the background out of navy blues, so it would have the feeling of night sky fireworks. There's a little bit of embroidery details that are too small to see in this photo, but the pattern cover photo will show all the details. =)

My childhood memories of July 4th are filled with fun, fun & more fun. When I was a kid - say around age 8 and on, my family would take a road trip down to Missouri to buy fireworks for the 4th of July. Fireworks, or at least the fun ones are illegal here in Iowa, so there's a steady stream of cars on I-35 heading across the state line to (insert gasp) purchase illegal fireworks. I know. I was an accomplice to my parent's illegal activity. Yahoo!!! We found this very sweet older couple who sold fireworks out of their garage and we returned to them for a few years to make our . . uh . . hum . . purchase.

So back to Eastern Iowa we would return with a truck load of "fun" fireworks. It was like "release the hounds" when my brother, my 2 cousins and myself were allowed to finally dig into the boxes of explosive goodies and take out the "daytime" ones for an all out day of fun.
Daytime fireworks for us were the Black Cat firecrackers that had a fuse which lasted for a whole split second! Man those fuses were like lighting fast! Ouch! Sure they were dangerous, but it sure did sharpen our reflexes. When you lit the fuse, you'd better be ready to throw! No dinkin' around.
Okay, I have to pause a second and ask what kind of mental image of my family do you have at this moment? HA HA! I'll finish painting the image by sharing this:
As if giving us split-second-fused firecrackers wasn't dangerous enough, we were also given lit cigarettes to light off those firecrackers with! Well, we had to light those somehow! Duh!

When I was growing up, we as kids were given so much responsibility, though in the eyes of "today" this story about giving kids a gross of firecrackers and a lit cigarette could land a parent in jail for abuse or neglect. Quite the contrary. My childhood memories are full of fun things my parents would let us do, such as this. I mean, I had a fantastic childhood. My memories are precious. But the responsibility, independence and no-fear I learned was the bigger lesson. We knew if we were caught lighting anything other than a firecracker on fire, we would never see the bang of another firecracker. I'm sure at some point we all tried a puff off that cigarette, but it must have choked all of us, because not one of us kids grew up to be smokers. There's so much more than good reflexes that I learned from July 4th celebrations as a kid. My fearlessness and sense of independence learned at a young age, has served me well.

So, today I leave you with a little glimpse into what has made me, me. I hope you enjoyed the story. . . . . til next time.
I better get to work writing this new pattern!

~Julie

Meet the girls

Okay, I sort of fell off the "gonna keep up my blog" wagon. More like fell off, bumped my head, forgot where I was and called myself Francis for a few months. HA!

Seriously though, I am back on the task of blogging. It's one of my new year's resolutions. So here I go.

This time of year I am usually busy designing new patterns specifically for Spring Quilt Market. I am one of those people who gets the worst case of cabin fever this time of year and this year is one of the worst yet! We've not seen the ground since November, or temps above 35 for that matter. It's a winter that keeps dragging on & many of you know what I mean.

But today is a gorgeous day! The sun is beaming down and melting so much snow & ice. Ahhhh. . . it's fantastic. A real pick-me-up. I've been out chipping ice off the driveway all afternoon, just soaking up that energizing sun. Did I mention . . ahhhhhh? Feels so good those rays.

As if the day wasn't warm & sunny enough, the UPS man dropped off the new dog beds I had ordered for the "ladies". They are my 2 dogs, Madee and Harper - 2 golden retrievers that melt your heart. I often refer to them as the "ladies" or the "girls". Well, they didn't know it but I ordered them new plush dog beds as a little surprise. They didn't look nearly as excited as I when I began opening the box. . . hmm.

So, to start off my new year of blogging, I thought I'd share a couple pictures of my ladies using their new loungers. HA!

Madee is testing out her bed in between whining about wanting to go outside & pester the neighbors who are trout fishing across the road on this fine day. Madee loves to bound over there and jump in the creek, which really makes the trout bite! Yeah right.


And Harper snuggled right in her new cushy bed. She couldn't care less who's fishing across the road. There's a sweet nap to savor!




So, now you've seen my girls. Now, I'm off to steal a few more sun rays before the sun drops down over the hill. Till next time, thanks for peeking in on me!
-Julie