Where did the week go?

No updates this week-shame on me! No real excuse except I was traveling and by the time I got back to my hotel it was later than I had anticipated. But this week Jeanne spent her time working on pincushions and mailing samples out to some of our supporters. I did work on another version of Things-got some more redwork stitching done and have been trying to focus on finishing up 2 patterns. I think I made it. Hope your week was busy and a good one!

Happy Easter!

We hope everyone has a wonderful and blessed Easter. We are blessed with families that support our efforts and enjoy laughing with us at our business trials. If Jeanne's husband, Dan, isn't trying to help figure out the best way to display a new quilt or wall-hanging, my husband, Bruce, is trying to figure out where to find just the right size mailing box. And then there are the women who make up our family and friends-always willing to help make yo yo's, try to stitch up another version of a new pattern, or stuff patterns to get a big order out. We are blessed! and hope you are too with family and friends that share your passion for embroidery and quilting.

Almost Spring here

So today it feels like Spring. I know it's offical tomorrow but today it feels like Spring. The sun is out, the sky is blue and it's 42 degrees. Ah me...almost balmy!

I just found out that my Easter weekend will begin Thursday afternoon at noon. I think I'll plan lunch with Jeanne and my girl friends and then dive into work with my trusty Bernina sewing machine. I have all the pieces laid out for a new quilt/wall-hanging in the new Wizard fabrics. I think if I had the radio tuned to the right Oldies station I could just sit myself down and make it all happen. There is beauty in having everything laid out ready to go. I can plug in the iron, turn up the lights so there are no shadows, and I'm good to go. I'm planning to do some embroidery on this design but won't actually do that until the top is put together. That way it's easier to use a hoop for my hand stitching.

Hmmmm...I plan to sew Friday AND Saturday. I wonder how much I'll be able to get done??? Sounds like a fantastic weekend to me. And then the Easter bunny arrives...can't beat a chocolate feast, can you????

No time for Coffee

No time for coffee this morning. Just time to swing by Jeanne's house, take a picture of the Wizard things we are working on AND check out the Rosie's Garden fabric that Jeanne is using for pincushions. She has gone berserk on pincushions-I think she may have made a dozen this weekend (as a treat to herself for working on our taxes!). They look wonderful and so absolutely cute and cheerful with the vintage feel to the fabric and lots of bias tape.

Did you know it only takes an hour to make the pincushion? Absolutely true.

There's No Place Like Home

We spent the weekend working on taxes (well, that was Jeanne actually!) and playing with the bright Over the Rainbow fabric we received last week from Quilting Treasures. On Friday the mailman brought me the red slipper fabric, the yellow brick road fabric and blue gingham fabric. Time to start designing. We are so many ideas that we have to make lists of our lists!

We hope you like the first of our new Wizard of Oz designs. We think Dorothy and Toto look so wonderful and "There's no place like home".

Week of email stuff

I've been spending the last several days sending out emails telling shops about our new patterns. It's always fun to hear back about what is happening at shops across the country. It sure seems like everyone is ready to jump on the GREEN bandwagon. I know we are looking at a lot of things differently these days-including talking about how to "repurpose" everything from dress shirts, shoes, and kitchen utensils.

Jeanne and I are both trying out the funtionality of our fabric grocery bag. Before we post the quick pattern for you, we want to make sure we don't need to tweak it. My brother-in-law has volunteered to try one out too so we should be able to get some actual reactions by the end of this week.

Stay tuned for more information about our Contest! You'll want to win-and it will be easy!!!

2 New Designs

It was a wild weekend for us. I don't know who spent more time on the computer-well, probably it was Jeanne. We have posted pictures of 2 of the new designs that have joined our Pincushion/scissors keeper pattern and the new Toto Too pillow as part of our March madness. Yes, that really means that we have FOUR new patterns coming out this month. I have to think it could be a record for us....

Story Time is a delightful redwork design that is shown as a small wall-hanging with button accents by Just Another Button Company. It can also be made up into a big fluffy pillow for any little girl's bedroom.

Red, White, and Blue is the easiest "non-quilting" pattern we have designed recently. The centerpiece, coaster, candle holder, and table runner are all made with primitive stitches and fabric that is cut any which way to make up quickly into great country accents for your patriotic home. We found some wonderful yellow plaid fabric from Honey and Me for the background. You'll love making these up in a hurry!

All new patterns are available on web site. Check them out!!

Pincushion fun

Jeanne found a wonderful antique pin cushion and took it apart to figure out how it was made. The end result is the adorable pin cushion and matching scissors keeper we designed from the old beauty. And, best of all, both are made from one fat quarter of fabric, a handful of batting and a recycled top to a butter container! We love the size, the practicality of both, and how sweet they look.

We made these up using Quilting Treasures new line of vintage-looking fabric called "Rosie's Garden". The crisp colors are perfect. We added some bias tape for accent. This pattern will be available on our web site in a week. Stay tuned!

Web is working!

Thanks for everyone's patience. Our web site is back on track and you can get your free pattern download quickly again. Thanks to Susan and Janie for giving us the heads up that we were experiencing a problem and to our web mistress, Annie, of In a Pickle Design for her quick action.

Check out our web to see our Toto Too! pillow of the great Wizard of Oz fabric, download the free March pattern, and start to wonder about our contest. Much more information to come. Time for me to put a pot of coffee on and go walk on the treadmill for a while--got to stay in shape so I can stitch all day!!!

http://www.lastingtreasure.com

Problem on our web site today

We are experiencing a problem on our web site today. Seems like there are difficulties downloading the free pattern. Please hang in there. We expect things to be fixed today yet. We switched servers yesterday and there seems to be a disconnect somewhere! Sorry-the little chick and eggs are definitely going to be fun to do so be patient.
Also, note the funky picture next door of the pincushions and scissor keepers. When it rains it seems to pour. I can't tell my pdf's from my jpegs today. All should be better tomorrow!

Pincushion treats!

Since we are really looking forward to SPRING (it's 13 degrees again today and the snow is up to my waist), Jeanne and I are doing everything we can to use bright colors and work on new designs that make us smile. We think the picture Jeanne took of our new pincushion and scissors keeper fits our mood perfectly.

Jeanne found the original of this pincushion at an antique mall 2 summers ago. We have been waiting for the perfect fabric and finally found it. All of these versions are from the new Rosie's Garden fabric line that was introduced at the last Houston International Quilt Market by Quilting Treasures. We just adore the vintage look of the prints and they are a charm to work with. A pin cushion and scissors keeper can be made from a fat quarter of fabric!

This new pattern is being tweaked a bit but will be posted on our web page by March 15th. We just thought you needed to have a peek at it since we think it will make you smile and think of Springtime!

Wizard Fabric and Toto

We spent the weekend up to our ears in Wizard Fabric! Look next door here to see a quick photo of the ToTo Too! design that we have done with some of the great Quilting Treasures fabric from their new Under the Rainbow line of Wizard of Oz fabric. It was so much fun to use this great fabric-the basket fabric has images of Toto from the movie. We just love it. I have also shared a picture of the bright fabric that we will be using to design from Over the Rainbow-the second line of Wizard fabric that was introduced at the October 2007 International Quilt Market. It is so wonderful-we are just full of ideas.

Jeanne is also about finished with a great new pattern for an old-fashioned pin cushion and scissors keeper. By the end of the week we should have more photos to share!

Busy fingers....