Purchase of the year!

My favorite local furniture store, "Blue Tomatoes" closed their location near me, and they put everything on sale. At least they aren't going out of business, just condensing down to one warehouse. I'll still be able to visit! Yesterday I got the deal of the year...this beautiful chair for $37.00! That's right $37.00! I know it's not pink, but it is in the same color family and I love it! So I put it in my studio, along with the pink chairs and it looks pretty spiffy at my drafting table. Not everything has to be pink LOL! Here's an update for you on the Karisma Fabric Pencil I'm selling on my web site:

I've been using my Karisma Fabric Pencil a lot in the past week and I'm finding that the marks come off easily with the eraser but NOT with water as the manufacturer says. I asked my friends to rate this pencil and here is the consensus:

The marks come off easily with the eraser, but not with water.

The lines are easier to remove if you draw a light line and not a heavy line.

The pencil grips the fabric much better than a regular pencil or chalk pencil and the lead is much stronger.

It draws a very nice fine line and never has to be sharpened…a big plus.

It’s wonderful for needle-turn applique. Much better than the black permanent Sharpie Ultra Fine pen or the other chalk pencils.

Most agreed they would use it for applique and for tracing embroidery lines, but not for marking quilting lines.

Overall everyone loved the pencil, but no one could get the marks off with water.

Everyone said it's the best marker available for needle-turn applique and all agreed that it would be great for marking embroidery.

Please let me know what you think if you purchased one, or email me directly at anne@bunnyhilldesigns.com

They are available on my web site http://bunnyhilldesigns.com/store/products/?category=27 for all you needle-turn lovers!

A Vintage Bitty Bird!

My assistant Nireko came over to work on some projects with me, and she brought along a few things she made. I am always so delighted when she opens up her bag and brings her little treasures out to share. She can take any pattern, add her own touch and create something special. Just look at what she did to Bitty Bird! Bitty has a vintage lace hat, and vintage ribbon roses. Then for a special touch she added some tiny seed beads to the pincushion part. This little bird is a special gift Nireko made for a friend. It's a bitty bird for Christmas! Then out of the bag came the little scissor holder she made from an empty spool of thread. Wouldn't you love to have this next to your machine so you could always find your scissors? Talk about recycling! Creative and smart that's what she is! If she only had a cross stitch "A"! She told me she only bought the "N". I think she should get the whole alpabet and make one for each of us!

She is such a talented lady!

Ode to the Long Arm Quilters!

I love the long arm quilters
More than they’ll ever know,
I’ve been working on this project
And I’ve nothing yet to show!

The stitches don’t lie flat,
And the threads get in the way,
So if I could, I really would
Just give up for today.

But Holly needs this project,
It’s a secret don’t you know?
A promise is a promise,
And I must have something to show.

You’ll get to see the project
In December very soon,
But I made myself a promise
NO MORE QUILTING, like a baboon. (Ok, so it was the only thing that rhymed)

And so to all you long arms,
That I’ll cherish everyday,
Thank you for what you do for us
And, please don’t go away!

I have suffered through this quilting
More than I can say!
It’s something that I hate to do,
And I need you all today!
Gloria, Kristine, Joanna, Sandy, Nubin and Pam help!

Hugs to all the long arms! (:

Goodbye Thanksgiving! We'll miss you!

Some Thanksgivings are better than others and ours was so nice! I took the weekend off, celebrated with family, enjoyed free time to myself and did some decorating for Christmas!

My beautiful grand-daughter showed up at the door with her first home made pie! She was so excited to bring something she made, to share with all of us. It was a special moment!

Bitsy took a nap after her turkey dinner

I ignored the stack of fabric waiting for me...


and did some decorating for Christmas!

On Sunday, I found the newest issue of McCall's Magazine, the one everyone has been looking for, and I read it cover to cover! Holly Holderman, of Lakehouse Fabrics, has written an article on Quilting Blogs http://www.hollyholderman.typepad.com/ and she mentions my very own blog! How cool is that! Hop over to Holly's blog and check out all the blogs she's written about. She has a list on the left side. And, you don't want to miss that picture of Pam Kitty Morning hamming it up! She is soooooooooo funny! Thanks Pam for making me smile and thanks Holly for including me!

While I was reading McCall's from cover to cover, I found this quilt that Holly designed. Two things in one magazine! Isn't it wonderful? She put covered buttons in the corners and tiny little prairie points all around the quilt! Two of my favorite things. So buy the magazine and treat yourself. (:

You deserve it! (:

A Computer Generated Thanksgiving

I was telling my friend Anne how I had to make my Thanksgiving shopping list and that I couldn't even think of what I needed. She said she keeps hers on her computer, and then just prints it out at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Well a light bulb went off in my head and I got so excited! What a genius idea! Granted it could take a little time to make the list, but Christmas is right about the corner and I know I'll be cooking once again... So type, type, type went the keyboard. Not only did I do a menu, I created a food list and then put all the recipes in the same document. One click on print and I handed my husband a grocery list like no other. The items on the list are even arranged by the section of the store they are in! Easy right?

Well, lets just say as I started cooking this afternoon, my husband returned to the store 4 more times for things not on the list. On the second trip he said he wasn't going again. On the third trip he asked if I was SURE I hadn't forgotten anything else because he REALLY wasn't going back. He even told the lady in the check-out line that he would NOT be back. But by the time he got home I was making the pumpkin pie and I realized I left off the can of Libby's pumpkin. So back to the store. The lady in the check out line felt so sorry for him she gave him a free loaf of bread. Don't worry, I'm going to update my list as soon as I finish this post!

So tomorrow when we all say thank you for the blessings in our life, my husband will be at the top of the list! I have so many other things to be thankful for, including all of you who are reading this. May your holiday be filled with love, wonderful memories and full tummies. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Hugs,

Anne

It's Pink!

It's pink! Can you believe it? If you read my posts about six months back, I was talking about how my husband ABSOLUTELY didn't want a light blue dining room...he wanted beige. Turns out I'm glad we didn't do blue. Not for this bunny! After months of trial cans of paint, we settled on this pale, peachy pink. I am so in heaven and he doesn't know what hit him! He actually painted the walls pink and he LIKES them! It took us all weekend just to arrange pictures, hang the quilt, and decorate the hutch. And this is only the dining room! If you look close you will see two antique baskets on top of the hutch. These are two of the items I purchased on Friday. They are waiting for the perfect spray of flowers and maybe one or two more items to join them.

This is the wall that took the longest time. I've taken a close-up of it below because I'm so proud of it! I found the "flat" bird cage at that Christmas store I was at on Friday. It's flat, just like someone cut it in half, and it's meant to hang on the wall. A bird picture is painted inside. The two larger bird pictures came from Home Goods, the round little needlepoint pictures came from EBay, and the landscape pictures are original oils painted by my husband's great grand-mother! How's that for a mixture?

I put that little hutch I bought at "Room With A Past" in the hallway next to the dining room. It's graced with my rooster collection. The collection all started with the rooster lamp that used to belong to my mom and dad. Have to use it so a rooster theme it is! (:

Here is the question of the week. Why can't builders put the light switches and thermostats in a inconspicuous place? Why on earth do they have to be in the middle of a wall? Hello out there! Could you maybe think about decorating? I tried to work around this by hanging the tiny little chicken picture above the light switch. I'm sure it works and you didn't even notice the light switch.

We're waiting for the living room chairs to arrive and then we'll finish the living room too! I think the chairs are on a very slow train somewhere.

More rooms to come.

Lazy Weekend!

It was tough this morning to get Chelsea out of bed. She was all snugly and warm under the covers and not too happy with me when I got the camera out. I have to say I felt like a cruel mother making her get up! But it's Saturday and I have so many plans for today. No time to stay in bed!

It's decorating time, and I've promised myself I will have our house finished by the end of the year. I'm not talking about holiday decorating. That has to happen too, but just regular decorating. Things like hanging pictures, painting rooms and making curtains. Remember, we moved in May and so many things have not been finished. I just want to feel at home, and not have to think about all the stuff in the closet. (:

I bought this little bird container yesterday at a Christmas shop. Fits right in with the theme this year...Birds are so in I just can't believe it! Almost everyone at market had some kind of quilt with birds on it, myself included! It was so funny!

But Bitty is ending up to be a bit bossy, and she wants to be included everywhere in our house. It's ridiculous! Next thing you know she'll want to be a Christmas tree ornament! She was supposed to be a pincushion, doesn't she know that?

Apparently not! More to come...it's time to get to work!

A Thanksgiving message

Happy erly thanks giving


to
all!!!

I had to share this. It's an email from my grand-daughter Michaela, sent this morning. She's in second grade and writes so precious! Couldn't have said it better myself. (:

Today was so much fun! I escaped from the studio, and went to get a hair cut. This in itself is something my husband will never understand...I drive an hour one way and then an hour back just so I can go to the same person who has always cut my hair. So a normal hair cut takes 3 hours. "Can't you find someone closer?" he asks? Yes, but I LIKE my stylist and she worth a 2 hour drive.

It turned out to be the most expensive hair cut ever, because I made some stops along the way. I've been so busy with Bunny Hill stuff and it just seemed like it was time for a treat. I bought lots of goodies and I'll show you pictures as I find places for them in my home.

I have a passion for old needlepoint (probably because I used to do it and never finished any). I came upon this little purse at "Souvenir", a cute little shop in Lafayette, California. My friend Chickie works there so it was a good reason to stop by! This is the second needlepoint purse I own so I think I now have a "collection". I bought a few other things too but those will have to wait until I can cut the price tags off and get them out of the car.

La La Land

I feel like I've been in La La Land the entire last month! Where was I when Pam http://pamkittymorning.blogspot.com/was showing her new bags at market? They are so adorable and no one ever told me! Not one single person including Pam herself. If she talked about them on her blog I totally missed it! And to make matters worse I only found out about it because my assistant Anne sent me to Elizabeth's blog today http://the-latebloomer.blogspot.com/. So hold on everyone! PKM is designing! Designing adorable stuff! And she's not tooting her own horn so we have to. Way to go Pam! YEAHHHHHH!!!!

Things are getting back to normal in the Bunny Hill studio, and as you can see in the photo below Chelsea is getting ready to go back to puppy jail. She grabbed my tape measure while I was working and tug of war was on! She won...I was too tired. (:

Tomorrow I'm off to the Napa Valley Quilt Guild with a car full of quilts! Thank goodness it's not raining yet, because I might have to take a trailer. (Just kidding Napa ladies...I'm not bringing any old cruddy stuff). I love this guild and if I lived closer I would join. So if you're in the Napa area Join this guild if you haven't already!


As for show and tell, I found these wonderful pencils to share with you. I don't know if you've heard about the Karisma pencils yet, but if you haven't you are in for a treat! If you only buy one new notion this year, make it this one. From a Japanese company, they are simply the best around. You can use them to mark your quilting lines, applique lines, or trace your embroidery. The marks remove by fabric eraser or a little water. I met this company at market and was so impressed with their pencils I have them on my web site. Check them out! You won't be sorry. http://bunnyhilldesigns.com/store/products/?category=27

I have another surprise notion to share soon. Have to find it in the suitcases that are still packed and then I'll tell you about it. So simple and so great!

One more thing I need your help with. One of my reader's is looking for a place to buy the American Patchwork and Quilting 2008 Calendar. I can't find it and apparently no one else can either! It's so silly! Does anyone know where she can buy one?

Have to go pack the quilts for tomorrow. Wish you could all come!

Friends and Photos from Quilt Market 2007

Before Market Opens...

My favorite time of Market is just before it opens. It's a chance to walk around, see the other booths and something is always going on. This is when videos are made, important interviews are done or professional photos are taken. It's quiet, the aisles are empty and I love being a part of it!

This booth above was right near mine and filled with vintage ribbon and trims. I had promised myself that I wouldn't buy much. That lasted as far as the first table! And here's the worst thing...when I got home I gave my notebook of orders to my husband to total up, forgetting that I had all my receipts for the things I purchased in the same book. So later that night he asked "did you buy a sewing macine and how much did you spend on that ribbon?" Busted big time!

Alma, my Anne, and Barb in the Blackbird booth. If they had offered her a job she would have taken it. I have to keep her out of there for sure! It's her favorite spot!

Me and Vickie from Bloom Creek. I love, love, love her and her patterns too!

Rosalie Quinlan of Melly & Me...one of my favorite people at market. It was her first time at market and I was so excited to meet her. Her sister Melly, wasn't in the photo, but believe me she is just as cute as Roasalie http://mellyandme.typepad.com/ . Come to find out, they are good freinds with Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House http://leanneshouse.typepad.com/, another one of my favorite people in the whole Australian word! Maybe I can host a retreat with all these wonderful ladies! How much fun would that be? Of course they would have to travel, but they are used to it. LOL! Leanne just got back from Norway!

Here is my friend Brenda from Acorn Quilt and Gift Company. She has the cutest quilt called "Cuddles" using the new Lakehouse fabric. Leave it to her to come up with such a cute name and such a cute quilt!

I fell in love with this bed quilt by Moda Home. FELL IN LOVE WITH IT! It's made from their pre-made patchwork fabric. I just have to have this fabric. I made cutains from the seaside rose pre-made patchwork fabric, for our house in Oregon. They are soooo cute. Think I need some for this house. Thanks Moda!

I had a chance to walk through some of the quilt exhibits because market was slower this time. This is the quilt that took our breath away. People who looked at it got tears in their eyes! It's and angel, holding the earth in it's hands. The ENTIRE quilt is made from 3/4" squares. Each square is a photo of people and things from all over the world. I took a close-up for you below. I've really never seen anything like it. My husband says he thinks he sees me in the photo below. Not quite sure why husbands think they are so funny! LOL!

It's All About The "B"

It's all about the "B" or so I thought, but I learned very quickly that "B" means nothing without those little letters behind it...unny. See that wonderful"B" sign in the photo below, hanging from the front of our booth? Only one comment on it...and the one person who did comment was confused by the letter. So much for my brilliant idea. This is actually a huge reminder for me...no one stands alone. You need the rest of the team. So next market I'll add the unny and I'll feel much better! (:

Thanks to the one and only quilt photographer you will ever need, Gregory Case, http://www.gregorycase.com/ , I have these wonderful pictures of the Bunny Hill booth at Quilt Market to share with you.

Hope you enjoyed seeing them! Thanks Gregory and thanks to the bunny hill team that make up the unny! I couldn't do it without you!

Hugs,

Anne

To market, to market, to buy a fat pack!

To market, to market, we can't buy a thing. At least that's what we promised. Look at my car!It's packed full. No room for people! Poor Bitty Bird is in one of these suitcases and not too happy about it!

Every group needs a director and it's not me. It's my friend Nancy! We spent the night before we left, at a hotel near the airport. Look at Nancy directing! I think she's telling my assistant Nireko to be very careful with Bitty Bird, but I hate to say it, I saw Nireko tossing a suitcase with poor bitty onto the shuttle bus.

I was running so late with my quilts this time we had to stitch on a quilt sleeve at the airport. Let me rephrase that...Nireko and Nancy stitched on a sleeve! I took the photo with that little pink camera of mine (:


We arrived in Houston and the set up of the booth begins! It's Nancy, Anne (no not me, the other Anne), Kris and Nireko. I am in charge of taking the pictures. (:


This is how market looks when you first arrive. Nothing set up, just white drapes.



One more quilt sleeve to sew on before we can hang the quilt! Talk about last minute! It's Anne (the other Anne), Bobbie and me...yes, I'm sewing too (:>


Then the night before market opens it's off to sample spree and the frenzy begins.

I said no shopping, but something happens at sample spree and I'm obviously not alone. Oh my, how are we going to get home? This is just my stack. Everyone else in our little group has a stack too!

Bitty Bird has made some friends but they didn't all come home with us. I actually traded the white bitty bird for a vintage window from Verna Mosquera. Wait till you see it! It's on it's way with UPS! To make it worse I didn't even make the white bitty bird. My assistant Anne did, but I'm keeping the window. Do you think that's really bad?


Lots more pictures to come but tonight this tired person has GOT to get some rest. Nite, nite all!