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Podcast #205 – Modern Basics with Amy Ellis

Podcast #205 — Modern Basics with Amy Ellis

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podcast

Running time: 00:14:09 Size: 13.7 MB

My good pal, Jenny Wilding Cardon introduced me to Amy at Market and I was pleased to talk with her. Amy, too, is another super-busy mom-prenuer with lots of talent and enthusiasm.

Amy in front of my favorite quilt in the book, Graduation. Isn’t it lovely?

Amy’s Creative Side blog

Take an inside peek at Amy’s book here

And find out more about the Sewing Summit. Sounds like a load of fun to me!

Visit Amy’s blog and post a comment here for a chance to win an autographed copy of Modern Basics for that special person you would like to mentor into quilting. I will choose the winner on Sunday, June 5th.

©2011  Annie Smith   All Rights Reserved

And the Winner is…

For Podcast #199 with Marie Bostwick and Deb Tucker…. drum roll please….

Megan Russo!

Congratulations, Megan — please send me your address and Marie and Deb will send you your prizes!

Here is a sneak peek at the Providence quilt from Threading The Needle:

Isn’t it just gorgeous?!

When you read the book, you’ll know why I was so blown-away when I saw the quilt.

I think it is PERFECT, don’t you?

Program 204 – Kaari Meng and the French General

Program #204 —  Kaari Meng and the French General

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Running time: 00:52:43 Size: 50.7 MB

Last Thursday morning, I had the good fortune to be able to meet up with Kaari Meng at her French General store in Los Angeles.

Kaari was so gracious — even when in my nervousness, I kept mis-pronouncing her name (embarrassing!!). She holds a Craft Meet-up day on the last Thursday of the month. For more info on that, go here: French General Meet-up

I was overwhelmed with the creative spirit that I found in the store and that Kaari shared with us in this interview. I have corresponding photos that I hope you’ll enjoy. We’ll travel around the shop, counter-clockwise.

Here is the book nook, filled with Kaari’s wonderful publications. In the bottom right corner, you will see the French newspapers that are filled with embroidered alphabet and suggestions for embroidering under garments, children’s clothing and items for the home. Printed from the 1930’s – the late 1970’s — a real treasure.

The Bead wall — so many containers of colors, types and sizes of beads — just oozing with desire to be used to create something wonderful and unique.

Here are the red fabrics that Kaari spoke about, where the reds would “take” in different ways depending on the mordant that was used in the dying process. The deep red on top was when they found the “magic” mordant, and the others were dyed prior to that time. How soft the other two reds are — and the one on the bottom is almost pink.

p.s. Red is my favorite color.

One of Kaari’s collages with a sampling of French General vintage offerings.

An Amazon review of “Home Sewn” says:

“Kaari has an impeccable eye. Her take on French vintage is an inspiration, and the projects in this book are no exception.” John Derian
That’s how I felt the entire time I was in the store and talking with Kaari. I was fascinated by the histories that she shared and was driven with passion to create something beautiful.

Antique armoire holds sheets and textiles. The quilt just under the top folded quilts was another inspiration for Kaari’s fabric collections. Lucky us, to be the recipients of Kaari’s talent — We can buy her fabric to use for quilts, clothing and home decor!

Speaking of which:

Here is just one of the displays of Moda fabrics that you can buy from Kaari. She even has a few of the Rouenneries fabrics, which are hard to find now.

Here is the sample wall that Kaari was talking about when she said that she likes to take little scraps and turn them into beautiful art.

Vintage mannequin with silk flowers

One cubby on the “chapeau” wall where you can make your own beautiful hat with ribbons and other fabulous finds. My friend, Sue and I wondered what lucky lady from the past got to wear that magnifique crown … Isn’t it a beauty?!

Speaking of Sue, she chose to make a necklace for her daughter when we stayed for the Craft Meet-up. Such a fun time, meeting other crafters – including Sylvia, a quilter who is also a Mayor!

Kaari offers little jewelry kits of bracelets and necklaces in a tin, with everything you need to create the piece. She also has an Un, Deux, Trois Club where you can join and receive the kit of the month. Ingenious!

Ok, are you totally inspired now, or what?!

Here’s some more to help you if you’re not sufficiently blown away yet…

Don’t forget to go out to Kaari’s website, French General and visit her blog, The Warp and The Weft for an opportunity to win this faboo Fat Quarter pack of Fa La La La La fabric. And check out this little jewel of a photo:

The Fat Quarter pack on the right has this sample fabric at the top of the pack. The fabric at the bottom left of the photo is from Kaari’s Moda line, and the fabric at the top, in a slightly smaller scale, is the original French antique textile that inspired the fabric collection.

I’ll pick the winner on Friday, June 3rd so leave a comment about what inspired you about Kaari and the French General. Good luck!

Yeah, pretty incredible, right? I really hope you enjoy the podcast with Kaari, and that when you’re in the L.A. area on a Monday (don’t forget, she’s only open on Monday unless she is having a special event!), you’ll stop by the French General, or catch Kaari at the Creative Connection in September!

oh, and in the meantime… Happy Quilting!

©2011  Annie Smith   All Rights Reserved

What’s up next?

Hi quilters!!

I’m writing from sunny Southern California, where I visited the Nite Owl Quilt Guild and visited the French General, a magnifique shop in L.A.

I got to visit with its’ owner Kaari Meng, who designs fabric for Moda and have a great interview with Kaari to share with you. It needs a little editing, and got some great pictures that I can’t do while I’m traveling. So… I will have the next podcast complete with pictures and another enticing give-away for you as soon as I get home.

It will be worth the wait!

Program 203 – Helen Stubbings from Tasmania

Program #203 — Helen Stubbings from Tasmania

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Running time: 00:15:04 Size: 14.6 MB

I loved talking with Helen at Market!

Here she is, on the left, with Tracey Browning.

I definitely have LOVED everything Australian quilty and embroideries for umpteen years. So it was a pleasure to meet Helen and talk with her about her incredible talent with a needle, and to find out about her distributorship, Pattern Press.

This is from one of her designers. Is this precious or what?! Who ever would have thought of a Pin the Tail on the Donkey quilt for a party?! Including the mask with donkey ears!

Helen is an amazing talent, I think you can see there is no shortage of it here. She just looks at things a different way…

The pink and green quilt on the right is one of the patterns that is in the giveaway…

so…

by now you all know the drill, eh?

Visit Helen’s website, HugsNKisses.net AND her blog, also HugsNKisses and leave me a comment HERE and let me know what you love about Helen’s style and her creations.

I will choose the winner on Friday night, May 27th, and actually, I’m going to choose FOUR winners, since there are 4 patterns to giveaway. How’s that?

Here is a taste of the patterns…

Spring Fling

Palm Beach Sling bag

and a pattern for a Miss M quilt, Simply Circles that I don’t have a pic for.

 

Good luck, y’all!

More to report, just around the corner!!

 

©2011 Annie Smith  All Rights Reserved

And the Winner is!

Gay Wehrman — the winner of the issues of Where Women Create and Where Women Cook magazines.
Gay — send me your mailing address.

Thank you for all of your comments. i read each and every one.

If you’re looking for Where Women Create, try your local Costco. It’s 30% off there. I’m still searching for the most recent issue of Where Women Cook — NOT at Barnes and Noble : )

Now that I am finally home from Utah — after postponing my train trip home due to a bout with the stomach flu (ok — yuck!), I will be back in business bright and early on Monday morning with an all new podcast and pictures! Oh, yes, and a groovy give-away!

Stay tuned!!

Program 202 — a Visit with Jo Packham

Program #202 — a Visit with Jo Packham

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Running time: 00:56:42 Size: 54.5 MB

I was a fan of Jo Packham when I first started quilting. I loved all of her Vanessa Ann designs that she created with Terrece Beesley. I thought they were incredibly clever And talented women and couldn’t wait until the next book came out. My sister and I would call each other and run to the book store to get the newest edition.

Enter “Where Women Create”, the book:

Here was Jo again, bringing us now a peek into our favorite artists studios to give us great ideas on how to design our own lookalike workspaces.

How excited I was to see the magazine “Where Women Create”

at my retreat in Clear Lake last year! (Ok, so I was a several issues behind the eight-ball then, but I caught up quick.) So quick, that I used the inspiration from those magazines to create my own beautiful, functional workspace.

I’m honored to bring you a very special interview with Jo when I met her at Quilt Market! What an amazing lady!

After the first year of the magazine, Jo and Jenny Doh co-authored a newer edition of “Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration”

And, Jo has also released the book below:

All together, they are a wonderful inspirational trip of books that will help you create your vision of the perfect studio creative-play place.

So remember in the podcast where I said to make sure to look at the blog to see what the giveaway will be?

ok, How about the current copy of Where Women Create and Where Women Cook, a gift from me for listening to the blog?

So… leave a comment here and tell me what you found interesting from the interview with Jo.
Since I was detained in Utah due to the stomach flu/food poisoning (don’t know which), I will extend the drawing for this giveaway until Friday, May 20.

I can’t wait to see how you were inspired by Jo!