Christmas Decorating

The weekend went by too quickly.  Holiday weekends seem to do that!  I spent part of the weekend decorating for Christmas.  I’m not sure why this process takes so long, but it does.  All over my neighborhood people were busy decorating.   Thousands of lights went up on houses, and front yards were filled with snowmen and other delights. The neighborhood took on a new look! Isn’t it amazing what we do for Christmas?

I try every year to change things around a bit and not duplicate the previous year.   Do you put everything in the same place each year, or do you change things around?  Do you have a decorating plan?  Tell me your secrets!

Last year, Brigette gave me this wonderful pink sign for Christmas. 

This year it became the focus of my dining room hutch.  These pink lambs are feeling right at home!

And speaking of pink, the snowmen that you saw in an earlier post, are at home on my dining room table, in front of a bowl full of pink…

…you’ll have to wait to see inside the bowl.  Too much of a pink fix for one post.  I’ll show you more later!

 

Happy Monday everyone! 

Hugs,

Anne

A Squirrely Name

Sorry, but this post is a bit squirrely.  Long and squirrely.  Stay with me through the story for the winner of the “name that squirrel contest”.  Maybe grab a bowl of walnuts to munch on while you read .  It’ll help.  I HATE long posts, but I just couldn't help myself…

--------------------------------------------------------------------It was dark in the Bunny Hill Studio, and everyone had gone for the evening. “Shhhh” said Bitty Kitty, “be quiet or they’ll hear us! We HAVE to talk”. Bitty Squirrel, Bitty Dog, Bitty Bunny and Bitty Lamb were wide awake and listening, but Bitty Bird was sleeping in her nest.

“Have you noticed what’s been going on around here for the past few weeks? All I’ve heard is squirrel this, and squirrel that”, whined Bitty Kitty! “I for one, am sick of it!”

Bitty Squirrel squirmed a bit on her cushion. The talk was making her nervous, as the topic was about a relative of hers.

“She’s a rodent! That squirrel is a rodent, plain and simple”, Bitty Kitty meowed. “Look at all the attention she’s getting! I’m a cat with the highest of pedigrees, and no one goes on and on about me!"

Bitty Squirrel was upset. She didn’t want Bitty Kitty mad at her, and being part of the squirrel family just might do it.

“Stop!” said Bitty Dog. “That squirrel is getting attention because she’s on a quilt! She’s appliquéd! Why, we’re just stuffed! An appliqué squirrel should have a fancy name. She’ll probably be around a lot longer than we will. She’ll be loved by a family and hung on a wall, or maybe used to cover a bed. We’ll be stuck on a shelf, stuck in a drawer, or, stuck by a pin! Besides,” said Bitty Dog, “you already have a name! Bitty Kitty is a great name!”

“Stuck in a drawer” said Bitty Kitty? “You’re kidding right? Why would anyone stick me in a drawer? I’m the perfect body!”

And so on it went throughout the night. Jabbering away about the squirrel’s new name and what it should be. Bitty Bunny wanted the name to be “Biscuit” and Bitty Lamb thought it should be “Penelope”.

It wasn’t until the sun was coming up that Bitty Bird finally awoke. She stretched her wings, and hopped out of her nest. “What’s all the fuss about”, she asked and all the animals told her. “Weren’t you listening last night when Anne left the studio?” asked Bitty Bird. Anne said something about “Henrietta Whiskers” being a perfect name for a squirrel!”

“Just great” said Bitty Kitty with a whiny little meow. “I guess the name is cute, but not as cute as me!” She gave herself a little lick and tried to look as pretty as ever.

And so it was. The Bunny Hill squirrel finally had a name!  Henrietta Whiskers!

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Twila Dockter you are the winner of the gift basket!   I loved the name and the story you submitted…here’s Twilla’s story… 

“Hi Anne,

Many years ago, my son found a baby squirrel, cold and half dead.  He brought it home and begged me to save it.  I knew we needed to get it warm first, so while I prepared a basket with a hot water bottle, my son tucked the little fellow inside his shirt.
We raised this little guy to adulthood and the name Tyler gave him was Henry Whiskers.   We never really had any squirrels in our neighborhood, but after releasing Henry I noticed the population grew quite a bit.  Tyler always said Henry found a “quirrel friend”.  I think he was right!

My son passed away 10 years ago at the age of 14, but I swear I just saw Henry the other day.  You see, Henry had an accident where he lost most of his tail, and the squirrel I saw had just a stub of a tail too. 

You call your squirrel a girl, so I would like to submit the name Henrietta Whiskers.  I’d like to think there are several squirrels out there, related to our little Henry”

Thank you,
Twila Dockter

 

Twila, this basket is on it’s way to you and Henerietta will make her debut in a future Bunny Hill pattern. 

For the rest of you, if the name you submitted was mentioned in the story, send me an email, along with your address and you can choose ANY  Bunny Hill pattern! 

If you’d like to see some of the names that were submitted, click here and click on the file!  Be sure and enlarge it to at least 150%.  Makes reading a lot easier. 

It was amazing to see all these names!  Nutmeg and cinnamon were the most popular of all.  I loved them too! Oh if only I could pick them all!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My family is feeling a little better, but we’ll still be having a quarantine Thanksgiving.  Some of my family will be here and the “sickies” will have food delivered to them!   

Hugs,

 

Anne

Turkey in the oven…almost!

So, back to tradition. I really am a Thanksgiving lover and yes, I’ll be cooking just like most of you . As of today, it’s a bit questionable who I’ll be cooking for. Both my grand-daughters just came down with the flu, now my son has it too. So far my daughter-in-law is fine, but from what I’ve heard of this nasty bug, she may be next! I don’t know if it’s the swine flu. They no longer test for it. Have any of you had this horrible little creature visit your home?

On a happier note, If you haven’t entered a name for the little squirrel, you have until 6PM Pacific time Sunday! One of you is going to win this basket on Wednesday! I’m getting awfully close to announcing the winner!

I’ll be back on Wednesday morning. See you then!

Happy Thanksgiving shopping everyone!

COMMENTS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR THIS CONTEST! NO MORE SQUIRREL NAMES EVEN IF THEY ARE THE BEST EVER! BEST OF LUCK EVERYONE!

Hugs,

Anne

I’m skipping Thanksgiving

I’m think I might just skip Thanksgiving.  Haven’t told my family yet, but when they all show up,  wouldn’t it be great if I handed each one a box of Christmas decorations?   Get to work and they’ll  get a “bite” to eat later;  maybe a pizza or something like that.  These little guys are just waiting for them, along with hundreds of other ornaments packed away in the garage!

Think how fast it would all get done!  No dreaded day after Thanksgiving, when my husband drags himself out to the garage,  groaning the whole time,  to get the decorations down.  

No standing for hours cooking food, no stacks of dishes in the sink, no spending way too much money on the big feast,  and I could have the weekend just to fluff the decorations and do blog posts about them! 

Ahhhh in a perfect world, one can only dream!  Great idea don’t you think? 

Hugs,

 

Anne

Photographing Chelsea

Digital Cameras are so wonderful! They open up a new world! To think that we can take as many photos as we want, and simply delete the ones we don’t like.

I was working away at the computer today and I happened to look over and see Chelsea sleeping about 2 ft. away. I decided it was a photo moment. Camera was right next to the computer so I grabbed it and did some practice shots!

Here she is, sleeping in her little bed. Cute photo, but too many distractions in the background. That sewing machine cord looks unattractive and yes the window is blurred, but still not the best frame for the photo. Even if I crop it, I’ll loose some of the photo size. Time to go in for the close up!

Close-up, but where did those ears go? Yes, it’s a dog, but wouldn’t she be much cuter with ears?

So I got in really close, and made sure I had ears in the frame! It adds personality to her photo. It also adds a few little stray hairs to her face! Humm, where did those come from?

No worries. I can Photoshop them out using the clone tool! I enlarged the photo and took out the little hairs.

Isn’t she cute? Pretty near a perfect dog, I mean perfect photo.

For a good pet photo, get down on your pet's level, and get close! Get them when they’re sleeping and you’ve got it made!

Try it with your camera. It works on anything, not just pets. Get in close and see what happens! What have you got to lose? You can always hit delete!

Hugs,

Anne

I Love That Color!

What’s in a color?  Amazing when you think about it! Do you say “I HATE that color” or “I LOVE that color”? Click here and see how you respond to this color wheel.  (There’s an iPhone color app on this link too!)  Have you painted a room one of these colors?  Are you a brave red type or a shabby pink?

As the new studio addition draws near, I’ve been thinking about wall colors. Lurking nearby in the garage, we have CANS of paint. Palest of pinks, the freshest blue, a green I’ve decided I “Hate”. Test colors, used colors, colors we bought too much of. My hubby is the frugal one and of course wants to use the garage paint.  He’s picked the pale pink. “It’s already there” he says, and “we won’t have to buy any ”.

I’m the extravagant one.  I want a color that makes me feel “settled in” right away.  One that lets me mix in all my distressed, vintage finds. I want a neutral color on the wall.  I’m going with  “Devine Icing” ! Love or hate the color, you have to love the name!

 

Now, want to have a little fun with color?  Click on the  link  below and find your color horoscope!  Skip the intro, find your birthday, and ta da!  You’re a color!  I’m Lilac Snow.  Can’t believe it.  I hate Lilac!

Pantone Colorstrology

Hugs,

Anne

Project week

It’s project week at Bunny Hill.  The tables are a bit cluttered, and there’s fabric everywhere, but that’s a good thing. It means I’m working!   I never have enough room.  If there’s a spare inch of table space I fill it with something.  Things look orderly in my photos, but if you could see what I copped out you’d laugh!

Here’s the fabrics for a new quilt I’m working on.  It’s the new line from the French General & Moda Fabrics called “Rural Jardin”.   I’ll add some basics and a few other fabrics and maybe, just maybe, I’ll have a new quilt! 

  

And how about this little stack of wool and other goodies?  Gotta love this wool!  I’ve even mixed in a fat quarter or two of “Martinique” !

These are the makings for the next Bitty Pincushion!  This is a fun one I’ll be sharing for next market!  I’m so proud of myself for working ahead.  Normally the pincushions get left until last! But not this little one!

Remember to keep those squirrel names coming! Mrs. Beasley, Nuti, Nutty, Poppy, Sassie, Bitty Grace, Beatrice, Jewel, Scamper, Amber, Chloe… 

Hugs,

Anne

Super Squirrel!

Ok, she’s not really a squirrel, but that’s our neighbor’s nick name for Chelsea. She’s about the right size, and I have to admit she’s beginning to look like she’s storing up for winter! Yes, I’m still trying to control her eating and I’ve added two walks a day. Walks as long as those little legs can go.

Both Chelsea & Bitsy are loving all the names coming in for the real Bunny Hill squirrel. Some clever names out there! I’ve received lots of emails with the cutest stories! Seems feeding squirrels is a popular past time. Amazing how many of you have them eating from your hand!

Here’s a handful of names so far: Calli, Olivia, Butternut, Muffin, Netty, Ginger, Clover, MiraBelle, Fleur, Hershey, Hazel Nut, Tillie, Sadyee Squirrel, Topher, Daisy, Miss Nellie, and on and on! This is so much fun! Thank you one and all. Keep them coming!

Remember, you have lots of time to think of a name. Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away. Yes, you can submit more than one name and it can be on any blog post through November 24th.

I’m sewing all weekend and finishing up my first “little” pattern for spring market! Hope your plans include some sewing time. Remember the holidays are coming! Think of the things you still have time to make! Here’s an idea of something to make; hop over and look at at Rebecka’s stocking using the bunny from “Rabbits Prefer Embroidery”! Really cute Rebecka!

And, if you’d like to know more about photographing your own dog, click on the link below, enjoy the pictures, then click on the “how to photograph pets” link. You’ll get some great tips! (Scroll down into the comment section and you'll see the cutest hot dog!)

25 Inspirational Dog Portrait Photos

Have a great weekend everyone!

Hugs,

Anne

It’s Tisket A Tasket Day!

Were you expecting a turkey in the basket? Well here’s the problem…I can’t appliqué a cute turkey. At least not inside a basket. Just can’t do it. You’d be asking each other “what happened at Bunny Hill?”.

So, because of my turkey problem, you get a squirrel in your basket! She’s a staple here at Bunny Hill. I’ve used her in several other patterns, and there’s no doubt you’ll be seeing her again. She’s got a bushy tail and she’s plump. Pleasingly plump! And the best thing is, she’s EASY to appliqué!

If you read my newsletter this morning, you already know about my contest. If you don’t get my newsletter (you can sign up on my blog), here’s the information on the contest:

Name this little squirrel, and you could win a Bunny Hill gift basket! Post a comment or email me with the name you love. If we choose your name, you’ll win this gift basket! (If you already have the pattern, you can choose another.) I’ll announce the winning name on November 26^th. You’ll be seeing my squirrel in future patterns, only next time she’ll have a name!

Good luck! Employees and family members of Bunny Hill Designs are not eligible to enter regardless of how brilliant the name might be.

And to see the beautiful wool version of A Tisket, A Tasket hop on over to Cottons ‘n wool!

Hugs,

Anne

Diversions

November has arrived can you believe it?  I’m a few days late, but I just turned over the calendar to November and let out a gasp.  It’s a short month, made even shorter with Thanksgiving.  Christmas is barreling at us full force! Are you ready?

When I get too busy with projects, I have a tendency to wander off for a bit and create diversions. A really bad habit, and I admit, part of my character.  I was thinking about the newsletter I have to write, the projects I should be working on and instead,  I picked up the camera and took few shots in the studio. 

Here’s my first glitter house purchase for the season, right from EBay! Yes, it’s pink and it’s occupying a place in the studio right now!   

 

How about this one?  My jars of buttons on the studio work table.  See the jar in front?  It’s a vintage refrigerator jar and it’s filled with glass buttons (also an EBay purchase).  I angled the camera not the table, don’t worry.   

And then I thought, I wish you could see how beautiful the Cosmo Multi Work floss looks in my antique cabinet….so click went the camera.

It’s hard for me to even sell these!   And to think we have three drawers like this!  I love looking at them.

What do you do when you get “overwhelmed” with things?  Are you the diversion type like me?

Hopefully I’ll be back on Thursday with block number 11 (just kidding on the hopefully part).  I’m going back to work. Right now.  I promise!  Ok, I’m going!

Hugs,

Anne