Celebrating Memorial Day Weekend-Leelanau Style...

 Friday, May 25 begins a new summer season here in the county. Spring in Leelanau county is my favorite season.  There are the Trilliams to enjoy.  The elusive Morel Mushroom to forage, the black morel are mostly gone you will still be able to find whites.  Word of caution, although many are edible it is always better to play it safe. Ask an expert.


Get your binoculars out and enjoy The Second Annual Leelanau Peninsula BirdFest which takes place May 30 - June 3. It's a chance to see more than a hundred different species of nesting birds, including the rare Great Lakes Piping Plover. There's all kinds of field trips and special guests including Jerry Weinrich, "Godfather of the Kirtland’s Warbler" and keynote speaker Greg Butcher, the Director of Conservation for National Audubon.

The Sleeping Bear Dunes' designation as the most beautiful place in America by Good Morning America last summer will be bringing in people into our county which will be a win win for the area business'.  The Park is one of my favorite places on earth in fact I plan on camping there this weekend.

Don't forget the Fiber Frenzy
05/25/12 - All Day Long!
Leland - Old Art Building - 111 S. Main

A gigantic sale of "gently used" handmade textile art at great [rices to benefit the Old Art Building. Old Art Building

Summer is almost here...

Judy and I have been finishing up our Spring Cleaning here at the store.  It is funny how many WIP's (works in progress) we have stashed all over.  The basement here is large which means that many of our samples and projects go there to hide from us.  So after Judy and I took our allergy pills (dust bunnies run rampant) we brought up those samples.  This weekend they are all going to be 25% off.  In celebration of this warm weather, we are having a 30% off all inside merchandise (excludes consignment, Floriani and furniturre).  So come to Cedar and enjoy the Village wide yard sale and our spring cleaning sale.

Antique Sewing Machine Love...

Willcox & Gibbs Automatic Noiseless Sewing Machine

 This is a working Victorian Chain stitch treadle machine and cabinet.
the price is remarkably low.

$450.00

There is even a video on the threading this little gem

Singer "Red Eye"  Treadle with cabinet working with loads of feet and attachments

$225.00





Featherweight 221
Original case and attachments
Notice  the original oil can
$350.00

Pincushions not just practical but fun too!

It seems that I am not be the only person that loves pincushions.  In fact there are patterns galore out there to make your own.  I keep collecting patterns both from various blogs and commercial patterns.  Here are my most recent favorites.  Let's just say if you happen to make an extra I could be persuaded to give it a  good home (remember I just upgraded my sewing room to my STUDIO)

Here are the links to my favorite pincushion blogs and tutorials.

Pin Tote Pincushion designed by Kristine D. Poor of Poorhouse Quilt Designs 

The DIY DISH has a great Mannequin Pin Cushion which has the pattern and a video tutorial






.
The best site is by Riley Blake Designs she will and has posted a pincushion tutorial every Friday of 2012.  She has invited designers to post their pincushion tutorials on her blog.  Every pincushion is adorable.

Birdie Pincushion by Sharon Holland Designs

Please share any pincushions you love.  Perhaps Liberty Bell Quilts could have a Pincushion Show, any thoughts?

Spring Cleaning....

Myth: To be organized means to be neat or tidy.  There are a huge percentage of people who are neat but extremely disorganized.

Truth:  To be organized means  1) You get everything done when it is due.  2) You find everything easily when needed.

You know that spring is here because at Liberty Bell Quilts things are dusted, moved around, and organized.  I’ve always felt that spring cleaning has not been accomplished unless you track down every dust bunny whether it is under, over or behind something else.  Take great care those sneaky elusive bunnies could be stalking you as you’re reading this.  Judy and I made great strides in making the store look “Spring Like”.  Come in check us out!

 

I’ve even started redoing my sewing room at home.  While I was away this winter, my husband put new laminate (looks like wood but you know it isn’t) floor in our upstairs office and sewing room.  Well that meant he took everything off the shelves, off the floor, and even off the tables.  He moved them from one side to the other side.  When I came home nothing (I mean nothing) was where it was before.  So I convinced myself this was a good time to reorganize, paint, make new drapes and get new storage furniture for my “Studio”.    The hardest part was to convince my husband  of this need.  The painting is done, the storage furniture is all put together, and the unwanted craft supplies, ugly fabric, useless tools and unwanted books have been taken to Good Will. Now I just have to refold all my fabrics and make those new shelves look like I am in a “Studio”.  I will post pictures when there looks like improvements were made.

I am happy....

Seeing hyacinths all in bloom
I am also happy  ... when the temperatures raise to above 60 degrees.
....knowing that Peeps come in an orange color.
... knowing that Peeps come in a purple color
.... knowing that Peeps come in a hot pink (my signature color)
....knowing that Peeps are just special and should be enjoyed in the spring.

Have a Peeps day!

I am back...

Well officially I was back from Thailand 3 weeks ago. My body clock has made the change from night to day, I'm not having the "stuck in an airplane for 17 hours" nitemare, and the I hope I can eat this crap. I am feeling the loss I feel from not having a 2 year old waking me up with "Poopa, are you sleeping?". On the other hand I feel blessed to listen to everyone speaking English, I love giving my husband a real hug, I love the new dog we got while I was away, I love that I can see my kids anytime I want, and being back among my friends. I am back to work at the quilt store.

We are doing the famous March spring cleaning. Getting ready for all the new and wonderful.

This Saturday is National Quilting Day. We will be celebrating by making a pincushion during open sew from 1-4.

So come in and enjoy a day to celebrate that we are quiltersT