The Girl Reviews the Boy's LP!

(At the Tower of London in June) 

Here she is...wearing the latest Hold Tight! tee...it's a photo I took of the them walking through the aftermath of the Blizzard of '96!!:)

She's smiling and proud of him and the band's latest album and shared her thoughts in a review on her blog... I just had to share what she said with you! You can click on the above photo and get a free download....or like she said...buy it!;)

(Sorry...I don't know who to give credit to for this photo!)

The boy's are now getting ready for The Fest in Gainesville, FL the weekend of Oct 26, 27 and 28.   They are playing Saturday the 27th at The Laboratory at 6:20pm.

If you live nearby check them out!;)

~d

WoooHOoo! Alternative Press Announced....

...the boys' next LP "Blizzard of '96" !!!!:)

Check out that cover! The new LP comes out June 26 from Animal Style Records. That's the girl and the boy when they were eight and six in photos from the blizzard of 1996 and you can see hubby there shoveling the driveway!  This will be my mini claim to fame....my photos on an actual album cover!:)

To top it all off....one is on a Hold Tight! tee shirt! They are going on a Summer Tour across the US in July....go check out their schedule and if so inclined...buy a tee!:)

Congrats boys!!
xo mama g

Mailbox and Basement Goodies!

Found something really fun in my mailbox this afternoon....a package from Amy of During Quiet Time! Her hubby does these amazing lathe turned seamrippers and Amy...the creative genius of the family...does EVERYTHING including printing on fabric!
Look at the adorable buttons she has on her business cards....go check out her blog and see for yourself....so much goodness....made During Quiet Time!:)

Last weekend...before the Earthquake and Hurricane...we went down to visit my folks...brought dad a lot of wood and trims....took home a bunch of treasures!

These two chairs were hanging in the garage..."Dad...can I have them?" YEP!:) Haven't decided if I am going to strip them or paint them...I have time.

There was one other chair hanging in the garage...

...the one on the right...awesome yes?:) I took the other one out of dad's workshop...I think it was the one he took his breaks on...I replaced it!:) I love all the bits of paint still on that one. I think I'll go ahead and finish stripping the other one. Check out the turnbuckle on the green one!

We brought home one other treasure....this bench that dad refinished for me...it is part of a banquet we took out of Don's granddaddy's house in Hampton, VA. Was this dreadful peach color...dad worked hard taking off many layers of paint. The seat lifts up for storage....this one and the mate are going in our mudroom. Thanks DAD!:) xoxo

See the little treasure sitting on top of the bench? That's the awesome quilt I received from my secret partner Kristy (Love Old Houses)at Doll Quilt Swap 11!

It's only 10 3/4" square! Those are some itty bitty HSTs!! Kristy included the squares from her first idea. I think I was a winner either way she went with this quilt!;) Thanks Kristy!

What to see another treasure in our basement?

Yep...it's a sailboat. Red and white with an aqua interior and a natural mast...love it!;) Maybe one day we'll take it out on the water!!

Lastly...these have been mailed to the boy....I wanted to try to make something that he and his band mate's could sell at their shows along with their LPs and t-shirts. I drew the owl/Hold Tight! on Paint and printed it on fabric and the skull...the boy drew that. I scanned it and put the band's name in the eye sockets...a few bits of scraps....some ribbon, a keyring...voila...Hold Tight! key fobs! They can always give them away too!:)

~d

Hold Tight! is Touring Again....

(James is third from the left)

...with their pals from This Is Your Life! Man...I wish I had posted sooner as they are a third of the way through their tour dates but here is where they were and where they are going...
July 2 - Philadelphia, PA @ Cracker Factory
July 3 - York, PA @ Skid Row Garage
July 4 - Kent, OH @ Kent Stage Alley
July 5 - Kalamazoo, MI @ The Fat Guy House
July 6 - Antioch, IL @ Garik’s House
July 7 - Milwaukee, WI @ Borg Ward
July 8 - Minneapolis, MN @ The Hexagon
July 9 - Lincoln, NE @ Mad Ave.
July 10 - Kansas City, MO @ Club Mustache
July 11 - Catawissa, MO @ 8265 Highway HH
July 12 - Nashville, TN @ Little Hamilton Collective
July 13 - Birmingham, AL @ The Firehouse
July 14 - New Orleans, LA @ The Saint
July 15 - Tallahassee, FL @ The Shark Tank
July 16 - Gainesville, FL @ Wayward Council
July 17 - Tampa, FL @ The Hold Tight! House
July 18 - Orlando, FL @ Will’s Pub
July 19 - Miami, FL @ Churchill’s Pub
July 20 - Ft. Myers, FL @ Cool Hand Luc’s
July 21 - Atlanta, GA @ Wonderroot
July 22 - Greenville, SC @ Suite 8
July 23 - Charlottesville, VA @ Magnolia
July 24 - Fairfax, VA @ Old Firestation #3
July 25 - Richmond, VA @ Strange Matter
July 26 - Norfolk, VA @ The Jewish Mother

(James sent me this photo so I don't know who to thank for it!)

Not only is Hold Tight! on tour...they have a new EP...Call The Zoo...that you can download for free or a donation here....along with all their other stuff AND.....
....they have an LP...actual vinyl...out of their last EP...Can't Take This Away... you can preorder it at Animal Style Records. I think I'm going to buy one of all the colors!:)

So go visit the guys at a show...tell them I sent you...or visit their facebook page and like them and check out their music...good old pop punk...for free! Of course if you buy an LP that would make me very happy too!!:)

~d

Skull Appreciation and Mystery Quilt Revealed!

Ever been to the blog Skull-A-Day? No? Oh please go check it out...so much fun! They are having a Skull Appreciation Day on June 4th in Richmond, VA and part of the festivities is an auction of wall hangings using 12" squares sent in by artist from all over the world....and me!:)
This was my inspiration....a couple of drawings James did a while back. The one on the right is an ACEO card and now lives in Scotland!

Here is my interpretation in cloth. I'm liking that diamond tooth!:) Go visit the blog and you can see some of the other squares that have been sent in....I hope they post photos of all the finished quilts.

Last week I finished the Mystery Quilt AND we sent out the final clue so I can finally show you what it looks like....

...scrappy browns, greys and ecru batiks....

...it's supposed to be a lap size but it must be for a giant lap because it is 60"x84"! Since it is soooo, sooo big I decided to treat myself and for the first time ever I had a coworker long-arm it for me!

The lovely Linda of A Design in Motion did a fantastic job!

The designer of the quilt itself is Jackie Robinson of Animas Quilts. Very well written...I mean come on....I was able to do it!;)

I was tickled when Carly asked me to be in charge of it for the shop and I sure hope she finds another one for us to do!

Here's the boy again...he and Hold Tight! are heading out on another tour starting May 31st in Pittsburgh, PA.... pop punk at it's best!

Love those tattoos....he is drawing one for ME!:)

Stay tuned!

~d

Been a long time...so how about some pictures?:)

It has been a very, very wet April so weeding has been put on the back burner but I have been having some fun inside...
...this month's theme at The Sketchbook Challenge is Branching Out....so I did...a little weaving on a garlic bag, some cutting, pasting and a wee bit of embroidery and there you have it. This was very out of my comfort zone!

At the STUD Swap our theme was Favorite Things...we listed five and our partner picked one or all. My partner loves Lily of the Valley and Salzburg, Austria. Hmmm...how do I do that? A little freezer paper ironed on to some white fabric...run it through my printer...snip, snip, sew, sew and there you go. I can't believe I stuffed flowers that small! Never again!

You can see what Nan made for me here! It is amazing!

This is what I really want to show you....my mystery quilt....but it has to stay a mystery until May 15th when we emailing the LAST clue to our participants...then I can do the big reveal. I love it so much I splurged for the first time ever to have it long-armed....more details next month!!:)

The boy and his band Hold Tight! will be going on another tour soon...go check out their schedule and if you live near one of the cities they where they still need a venue and know of a good place drop them an email.....they would so appreciate it!:)

My new favorite line at work....Sherbet Pips. You think it might be because of the grey....I'm thinking yes!:)

Seen riding with my exercise pal Sally....a car covered with pink blossoms. Almost makes it worth all the rain to see something like that!;)

I leave you with this....and Easter card....my husband gave me...

....Creepy Bunny......*shudder*!:)

~d

That Face Part 1

We SO love that face....are so proud of that face....has it really been 22 years? Yes, 22 amazing years! Happy Birthday Boy!!

xoxoxox mom and dad

ps....the boy's band Hold Tight! just released a B-side to their "Can't Take This Away" album...go download them both for free!:)

Bonfires, Stripey Tiger and a Tour!

You want me to put what in that little wagon and take it all the way down where?! Um...there has to be an easier way. Dear Hubby...can't we use your sashing?....Your strapping?...Your binding thingies? Dear Hubby's response...."This is not quilting!":) But he thought it was a good idea.
It's March....lots of Spring cleaning needs to happen in the yard, especially after the huge heavy wet snows we have had this winter. My little wagon just isn't going to cut it so I thought of the straps hubby had in his truck....pile up the clippings all facing the same direction.....

...tighten the ratchets...attach it to the back of the truck....

....and drive it away! Away to the world's largest....

...burn pile!!! So Dana...think that would be a good bonfire?:)

Those tall branches are what broke off of our crepe myrtles...so sad!

After a bit of outside time I had a date with my sewing machine. My folks asked if I could make a couple of lap quilts for their Relay for Life team's May Silent Auction....do you think this one is a good start?:)

Gotta love Crazy nine patch using Stripey Tiger!:)

On the tour front the boy's band Hold Tight! is playing around the northeast. Are they coming to your town?

~d

PS...like my new header? Was stopped by a flagman down the road from where we live...have always wanted to take this photo....couldn't have posed those cows any better!!:)

ORBC Round 9 A Few Quilting Examples

Greetings All,
Hope everyone in the northern hemisphere is staying warm...it was 8 degrees
(-13.3C) last night!! At least the sun is shining this morning and the wind has died down!
Just a quick post to show you a few ways of quilting some of the Tickers. Of course there is the regular way going around each scrap and some of you are making some amazing stuff using Free Motion Quilting...kudos to you all! Keep it up and don't forget to post on the ORBC flickr page so we can all learn and be inspired!
This little doll quilt shows the very easiest way to do it if you have cut all your scraps the same size and put them in nice rows....do all the vertical and then all the horizontal making sure you start with a center row.

With the zig zag I did the green line first...can you see it...horizontal and vertical lines? Then I did the ZZ which is the purple line and all I had left was one white horizontal line. I'm just showing you how I sewed down my pieces....I figured you can have fun figuring out how you want to do the rest!:)

Lastly the flying geese....I followed the alphabet for each triangle, when I got back to the beginning I sewed over the D to C line and outlined the whole wreath of geese. After that I decided I wanted something in the middle so I sewed on the circles.

You could also do parallel horizontal, vertical, or diagonal lines for a

checkerboard or diamond effect OR you could even do wavy lines! As long as you get some sort of stitching down on all four corners of your scraps they will not wrinkle all up on you when you wash!:)

I think you all are really inspiring me be brave and get out my darning foot!!

This is my next project!!!

~d

Next up...sewing your quadrants...I promise!:)

Just a little something for the Shop...and a Tuba Christmas!

I just had to make it....it had to come out of my fingers...that tree on the right just willed itself to be made out of a scrap of green batik. Gonna hang it at work to demonstrate this magnetic mini quilt hanger....think I might sell the quilt too. Do you think I should....$25 too much?
After I made the mini we went to Harper's Ferry for a little Christmas cheer and enjoyed a Tuba Christmas. These performances happen all over the US and a few places overseas, low brass peeps getting together once a year, practicing for one hour then perform Christmas music for our pleasure!

What a beautiful backdrop. Go check out their site and see if there is a performance near you...it's free! I was a bit meloncoly because this is the first one we have seen with out Maria there playing her tuba. Maybe next year!

For some more free music the boy's band Hold Tight! released a new LP....you can download it for free...or a couple of bucks if you want. His Uncle Peter said that was silly because then they would never make any money....first person to download it bought it for $10!:) If you like the music pass their link on to your friends....or at least their kids!!;)

Lastly...I'm trying one more time. Mailed this wee wallhanging to Maria with a few other items...hopefully this one will make it!

Her Halloween one is still lost.

~d