For the blog announcing my September retreat and the lucky winner of the Earthquake chocolates and the winner of and eBook copy of Laura Wasilowski’s Fanciful Stitches, Colorful Quilts:

Congratulations each of you!

Stay tuned for more!!

Program #193 — First Stop on Laura Wasilowski’s Blog Tour

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Running time: 00:44:14 Size: 42.6 MB

Laura’s new book

Is sensational! Well, did you expect anything different? : )

Laura is one of my all-time favorite quilters. I love her style and her wit. Listen in as Laura talks about her book.

I LOVE this book and can’t wait to work on a new quilt myself! I still have sheets of fused fabric left over from the workshop that I took from Laura that are just calling to me from my studio. But, which project from the book will I make…? That’s a tough decision because I love ALL of the little quilts in the book. Here’s a sneak peek at just one of my favorites:

Today, I’m giving away a copy of Fancifil Stitches, Colorful Quilts in eBook format — yes, you read it right, an eBook. The winner will be drawn at midnight, April 19th and they will receive their book via an email directly from C&T Publishing. Ok, so how COOL is that?!

(I think eBooks are way cool which is why I’m offering my copy in that format. I mean, it’s technology, right?!)

So, leave a comment after you visit Laura’s website and tell me what you found there that is cool to you. You’ll also want to visit Laura’s blog to see the other stops on the tour for other chances to win a copy of the book.

And, if you’ll look to the left of this blog post, you’ll see Laura’s beautiful face! If you click on that banner, you can listen to her previous podcast interview! Go on, I know you want to…

©2011 Annie Smith  All Rights Reserved

it has nothing whatsoever to do with quilting, but it’s my darling granddaughter, Cambria, sharing with you: sounds that animals make. Be prepared!! Yes, she IS adorable!

 

San Juan Bautista is really a lovely, little and quaint town.
It has some real treasures of stops in the downtown area, good-eats restaurants and a grocery store that has great full-service food-to-go section.

Linda reminded me that it also has this:

and this:

A retreat center. The St. Francis Retreat Center, to be exact. Linda has been here before for a weekend quilt retreat. And what have I been looking for? A new retreat facility? You would be so right!

And this is what we found:

A newly reconstructed retreat facility after the fire!

When Linda was there last, they sewed in a portable,and had a lovely retreat, but this new facility is really beautiful.

 

Here is the basic information for… A RETREAT!! And you too can look like this:

or this:

or this:

Here’s the skinny:

September 18 -21st, Sunday at 4 pm thru Wednesday at 2 pm
This will be a bring your own project and work at your own pace retreat.

Retreat facility cost:

$425. includes double-occupancy accommodations and meals from Sunday evening to Wednesday lunch and all programs

$500. includes a private room accommodation and meals from Sunday evening to Wednesday lunch and all programs (I’m also pleased to announce that there will be private room available for those who would prefer not to have a roommate — something I haven’t been able to offer in past retreats)

As usual, we’ll have quilt shops closeby — everything in San Juan Bautista that I featured in the blog post (so that includes CHOCOLATE!) and an option for a massage with a great massage therapist!

WebGuy will have the retreats page ready for registration very soon. We will have limited space, but it also means a more intimate retreat.

I hope you’ll be able to join us! Thank you, all of you, who have been encouraging me to do a retreat!! You know who you are!

Now, hmmmm…. what is the Give-Away today?

In true San Juan Bautista fashion, how about another chance to win some yummy Earthquake chocolates? Yep, that’s what it is!

Every quilter needs chocolate, right? As Lauretta commented, ‘I use chocolate to keep my brain inspired.’ I agree, Lauretta!!

Now, I know I owe you some blog posts… I slacked a little bit over the weekend. I just had to spend some time with WebGuy.

Soooo…. I will have a GREAT podcast for you tomorrow, too — a friend is going to make a reappearance… and you’ll LOVE it!!

©2011  Annie Smith    All Rights Reserved

and

Congratulations, All!!

Program #192 — Seduced by the Cover Quilt

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Running time: 00:31:14 Size: 30.1 MB

The winner for yesterday’s Hitchcock vs. Chocolate blog is:

Cory! Email me with your mailing address so I can send out your fabulous prize.

Yesterday when I was at the grocery store, I checked out the magazine rack like I always do to see what’s new — even if I was there the day before. The cover of American Patchwork and Quilting caught my eye…

Isn’t the cover quilt a beauty?

It’s funny how immediately you can call something to mind, because this is what popped into it in the middle of the aisle:

Ooh la la — I already have it started! Check out the booty of finished Yo-Yo’s in the pickle jar. That’s not a small jar, by the way, it’s a big ‘un. I can just see how that quilt will look, using my yo-yos.

Even though I had another idea in mind for those, like the Grandmother’s Flower Garden setting for a KING size quilt. I love yo-yo quilts on beds with colored sheets peeking between the open spaces, like this:

Except that my color scheme has changed since I started making those yo-yo’s. It’s ok for one UFO to merge into a new one. Haven’t you ever done that? If not, maybe it’s time to rethink some of your UFO’s!

so… I started previewing background fabrics:

One…

Two…

Three times a charm…

I really like the nice clean look of the yo-yo’s on the muslin. It allows the richness of the soft prints to be showcased:

Nice, huh?

So, I ran over to Joann’s, after clipping my coupon, of course ; )

And… of course my yo-yo’s that are already made are right in between the large size and the extra large size… and I have at least 1,000 circles already cutout and ready to be gathered into those little treasures. (Just look at the photo above if you don’t believe me)

While I was standing in a looooooooong line at Joann’s, I realized that because my color schemes have changed in my house, I would probably not keep the quilt, but give it away. Give it away? Give-Away… what a great idea!!  Ok, a little kooky too.

Here is Give-Away #1:

Yep, the backing fabric, the yo-yo’s and everything inside the box, circles already cut for you and additional fabric just in case you want to make it bigger, or to help piece the back of your quilt! (p.s. not my pickle jar — I need that for the next batch of yo-yo’s, or the magazine)

Then I had this other scathingly brilliant idea as I was going through my UFO  boxes…

the Quilter’s Palette online class is coming up. I wonder if someone would be interested in this UFO:

five blocks already started, and …

the rest of the fabric to make it, including the sashing?

Isn’t the focus fabric beautiful?

you don’t even need to make that quilt, you can use this for something totally different.

Or —  how about a book that you can use to make some pretty clever quilts using your fabric stash? That’s the challenge, using your stash, and not buy anything new. Just this once…

by cute mom, Sarah Bisel

Sarah’s blog, Milk and Honey Designs. I hope I get to meet her at Market.

Ok — so leave a comment and let me know which of the three drawings you would like me to enter you into. Or all three if you would choose ANY of them. I will pick the winner on midnight, Saturday April 16th — so don’t forget to come back and check to see if you’ve won. Also, when you win, you need to email me your mailing address. (I have some give-aways that are waiting patiently for their owner’s addresses…)

What cover quilt will seduce you?

©2011 Annie Smith  All Rights Reserved

And why is this important information for quilters, you might ask?

My friend Linda called me and asked if I would help her spend money on some new fabric. What do you think I said?? Ok — so there’s a new quilt shop, Family Threads in nearby San Juan Bautista, that Linda hadn’t visited yet. (I love being an enabler ; )

Thinking about where we were going to meet, I thought, “hmmm, how can I tie this in with quilting and a new blog post?” So here you go …

Do you know where

Alfred Hitchcock’s

was filmed? Well, in California, of course!

Not exactly in my backyard, but close enough. San Francisco, at Fort Point, Monterey and Carmel, and San Juan Bautista  — actually, the mission at San Juan Bautista!

Please indulge me while I share some pictures that I took there yesterday:

San Juan Bautista is well known for its’

who use the crosswalks in the town…

but best known for its’

Mission San Juan Bautista, one of  21   Missions in California. They span from San Diego to Sonoma. Many have played key roles in Hitchcock’s films. All of the kids you will see in these pictures are here on school field trips. In California, fourth graders study the missions of California history. There must have been several hundred kids there…

Here is what is directly behind me…

The Stable, from the infamous “stable scene”…

and here are Kim Novak and James Stewart inside the Stable.

After that, she runs into the church. Hitch filmed it so it looked like such a long run and struggle. It’s actually about 50 yards from the doors of the Stable to the doors of the church. Here’s another view point…

inside the archway in front of the church doors. (The church doors were locked)

Here is the door that leads to those set of wood stairs (gives ME vertigo and sweaty palms every time I see the movie, especially because I know the ending…)

There’s a padlock on those doors for a reason. Seems everyone wants to climb them…

To recreate this famous scene:

only there’s no way to recreate it, becuase…

…there is NO tower… yep, look closely. There are the bells but there’s no tower inside the bells. Hitch used a set for this scene — the magic of the big screen.

And Now, behind the scenes of the Mission…

Just 10 yards outside the church doors, is this look-out point:

Have you ever heard of or driven the El Camino Real? It means the avenue of the King, basically. And it stretches from San Diego to Sonoma, snaking it’s way from mission to mission, connecting them from town to town.

From this viewpoint, is another important point. Look closer…

closer still…

In a gulley, just in between the bushes at the top of the walking path and the palm trees is… the San Andreas Fault… if you’re thinking Earthquakes, you’d be right!

Here’s some other interesting info at the mission, (not regarding any movies made there)

Uh huh…

on the premises, people!

And yet, they have these:

guarding the place, so it’s safe to visit ; )

And of course, while I was walking around the mission grounds, I found some quilts. For real!

On the property, there is a building that has been at times City Office buildings, a Hotel, and a family residence since it’s been built. They have it furnished now with original pieces from the last resident who made it their family home. Two quilts in the first bedroom, both antiques in pretty good shape. The furniture in this house is unbelievably gorgeous and probably weighs a ton a piece.

A close-up of this beauty. I have to find out what the applique pattern is.

The Nursery, where the kids slept and played. I love the victorian pieced quilt.

Another bedroom with another beauty.

Victorian throw for an elderly woman of the family, on a cane wheel chair. I don’t know which I find more fascinating, the throw or the wheelchair!

And here’s the “reese’s pieces” of the whole house:

this baby is O-L-D !!

I also found inspiration for quilts, back in the church. (I find in everywhere ; )

Ideas for applique:

and…

one of the stations of the cross, and…

detail in the piano (sorry it’s blurry, it’s the only one I took)

See– you can find inspiration for quilts every where, not just in quilt shops…

But there is plenty of that at Family Threads in San Juan Bautista!

just look!

and..

and…

if these look familiar, it might be because these patterns were designed by my friend, Holly..

who is cutting fabric for Linda, because Holly is the shop manager! So say hi when you go to visit! She really is sweet ; )

I bought some fabric at the shop for me, (I couldn’t resist) and I bought some fabric for YOU.

Here is the Give-Away for today:

one-yard yard of yummy fabrics with chocolates on it, and two bags of yummy chocolates! Earthquakes to be exact… (Oh, ok — you get it now, right? Hitchcock – earthquakes – chocolate, yeah!)

Because, I love visiting here when I go to the quilt shop:

DeBrito Chocolate Factory in Hollister, CA.

For years, I saw the sign on the highway and just kept driving to my sister’s house … unaware of the chocolatey goodness that awaited me here.

Is THIS any indication of what I’d been missing??!!

Then what about THIS…

or THIS…

well, how about this…

Gourmet dessert apples that have been served on Oprah’s table, featured on Martha Stewart’s radio show, to name a few.

BUT! You’ll be able to see them up close and personal on The Food Network, May 9th, on a episode of Kid in a Candy Store! Yep, cutie Adam Gertler spent two days at DeBrito and I can’t wait to see it! I’m so happy for them.

Now, about the Earthquakes — the chocolate kind: They are wonderful little chocolates that are filled with rice krispy treat, caramel, peanut butter and peanuts, covered in milk chocolate and drizzled with a white chocolate earthquake jolt. The BEST chocolates, ever. And DeBrito ships… everything.

so…. here’s the deal: leave a comment about Alfred Hitchcock movies, earthquakes, or how chocolate inspires you to make loverly quilts and I’ll put you in the drawing.

Now — About Those Drawings…

The Deadline is midnight PACIFIC time, not your time, if you don’t live in California ; ) So enter, will ya?? And don’t forget that the posts go up a little later in the day because of my time difference.

Now, there’s one last picture that I want to share with you that I see every day as I drive around the two-lane highway roads where I live:

thousands of acres of Mustard plant. The yellow is vibrant, it almost hurts your eyes to look at it — but it’s so beautiful. The mustard grows wild, like a weed, and sterilizes the ground when it’s plowed under to make furrows for…

Oh yes, it’s that time again. So here is my favorite recipe:

Cream-filled Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

one-half flat -or- 6 baskets of strawberries (if you do a whole flat, you’ll be able to feed an army)

1 8 oz. pkg. softened cream cheese

vanilla and powdered sugar to sweeten cream cheese to taste

12 oz. bag of Milk chocolate chips, melt in a double boiler

Wash off all of the strawberries just before you fill and dip. Strawberries should be dry and at room temperature* when you’re ready to work with them.

Remove the top greens of the strawberry, making sure the the strawberry is hollow on the inside.

Mix cream cheese with vanilla and powdered sugar to sweeten to taste — and just firm enough for spreading.

Fill a piping bag or a kitchen syringe (1/4″ opening) with the cream cheese mixture.

Fill the cavity of the strawberry with cream cheese, then dip the top of the berry in the chocolate to seal in the cream.

Place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet and allow chocolate to harden.

Repeat until all of the berries are filled and dipped.

These strawberries are so lovely and decadent and great for gift giving. One year, for Mother’s Day, we filled and dipped an entire flat of strawberries. We had so many, that we drove around and delivered strawberries to my Mom and mommy friends. A warning: if you eat these as you make them (heavenly!!), you can lose track of how many you eat until you are in a bliss of a chocolate coma.

*Did you know that you should not put strawberries in the refrigerator, nor wash them until you are ready to eat them? It’s true! Strawberries will begin to rot when they are wet and when kept in the refrigerator, they lose their taste and pick up the odors in the fridge. I had strawberries at a restaurant that were served with whipped cream and hot fudge to dip them in. Great idea — except the strawberries tasted like onions that were dipped in fudge and cream instead… kinda gross.

So how do you keep strawberries before they go bad? The answer is, thanks to the strawberry growers that I buy from: keep them on the counter covered with a brown bag. And only buy as many strawberries as you’re going to use/consume. They’re best fresh and they really don’t keep.

Well, quilters — ENJOY!!  And leave a comment!

©2011  Annie Smith    All Rights Reserved

 

 

Pat Leask and Debbie W., who both live outside of the U.S. Thank you so much for your comments!! Email me, girls….

 

Program #191 — Costa Rican Quilters

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Running time: 01:13:35 Size: 70.7 MB

This next podcast was rescued from the harddrive — one of the few things that were rescuable. I’m so glad because this is a really special podcast — the first one done in English and Spanish!

I love these ladies and I had so much fun with them at Market. We were roommates, so we had the opportunity to get to know one another very well. It was so fun to see Market through their eyes and see what was interesting to them, and what was not.

Here are the surviving pictures, which came from Milena’s camera.

L – R: Teresa, Pat, Jean, Annie and Alicia. Photographer: Milena

We had an absolutely fabulous Octoberfest dinner at Rudi Lechner’s, which we just happened upon. The meal was out of this world! And our Costa Rican friends, who had never had German food before thought it was  quite an adventure.

Here’s our friend Milena, who works at the Quilt shop full time.

In the C&T booth with Teresa during the book signing

Quiltmania is the publisher for these astonishing books. If they sound familiar, it might be because you’ve seen their magazine by the same name on the newsstands. I love Quiltmania magazine! Guess what? They’re going to be at the Home Machine Quilters Show in Salt Lake City in May! Hooray! I’m having a booth there too, so it will be fun to see them again. If you’re going to the show too, you have to stop by and let the girls know how much you love their books and magazine ; )

Here are the books that are featured in this podcast review:

We’re all nuts about Yoko Saito. She is a Master Quilter, in every sense of the term. You can see more of her work at Yoko’s Quilt Party website

Teresa’s Quit Shop in Costa Rica El Jardin de la Abuela I hope that you’ll stop in and say hi to the girls when you’re in Costa Rica ; )

The Give-Away today is actually two Give-Aways — the copy of Sue Spargo’s book, Contemporary Folk, and The Little World of Jacqueline Morel.

The guidelines for the comments today are: how do you think quilters outside the U.S. influence other quilters worldwide? And, what is it that makes them so incredibly creative? I want to wrap my head around that myself!

I will draw the winners (2) at midnight on April 13th — so good luck!

Please note:

It will make leaving Comments a whole lot easier!

 

©2011  Annie Smith  All Rights Reserved

For the Podcast 190 drawing of either a copy of The Ultimate Applique Guidebook, a seat in the QuiltMaking 101 class, or a seat in the Quilter’s Palette class, the winners are…

For the book — Jane Stamper,

For QuiltMaking 101 — Meredith (from Germany!)

For the Quilter’s Palette — Diane W.

Congratulations, all of you!

Now, for the winner of the Blog post, actually the winnerS are:

For the Quilter’s Palette — Karen Ernst

and because there was only one person interested in QuiltMaking 101, and doing it as a Give-Away themselves, I decided to Give It Away!

So, Congratulations to you too, quilters!

Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate each and every one and to know what it is that inspires you. I want to do more of that.

So, stay tuned for today’s podcast, which will be up a later today…

©2011 Annie Smith   All Rights Reserved