Saturday, November 21, 2015

It Seams To Be Sew...Taking a leap of faith


To say this is a change of plans....
is an understatement.

A simple decision to leave the corporate world
and open an online shop was the plan.
Then in a couple of years, after the house 
in the Hill Country was finished, we were 
going to move and open a brick and mortar shop.

That was the plan.

Then Quilt Market happened and it's been 
a blur since then!


At Market, I found myself dreaming of owning
a longarm quilting machine...so I stopped by the 
Handi Quilter booth to take a look.
I left that booth, phone to my ear,
asking my sweet man if we could attend
the Handi Quilter dinner that night.
We went. We talked to other shop owners.
We talked about the machines.
We talked about a LOT of things.
We left that night, (in the pouring and flooding rain)
and drove around at midnight looking at
available retail rental space.


Two weeks ago, we signed the lease on a 
former Cupcake shop.
We wondered if we had lost our minds...
But, we haven't. We are just too excited to
go back now...



There is a lot of work to do removing the former
tenants equipment and oh my, cleaning and repairing
that floor...but we are not easily dismayed and plans
are already in the works!





We were able to start a little cleaning up before we left
to attend the Handi Quilter training in Utah last week.
However, this morning, we are back at it! 
Balancing this and those Christmas quilts that I have in my
studio at home is going to be tricky, but I KNOW if nothing 
else, I will find the time to fit it all in.

My friend said to me this morning to not over-do it
and try to find some "me" time in this process.
I love her optimism! I assume I won't have any of that
until after the new year and frankly, I couldn't be more happy!

Have a great weekend all!


Saturday, November 14, 2015

And when life changes...


A few weeks ago, I started working on 
this little quilt for my friend Patty's 
son and soon-to-be bride.
Actually, this was my third try.


There had been two others in different 
colorways, but I just wasn't happy...
I wanted the kids to just love IT.


Finally, I had to decide that 
I was making it for the right reasons and that
it would be OK...
Because I really just loved THEM.


This pattern is one I fell in love with 
designed by Ashley over at Film In The Fridge.


It's called Converging Corners...
I thought it was appropriate for the newlyweds
because their two corners of the world were
converging into one.


This quilt also represented to me all the different
scraps we pull together in our lives to make a future.


The colors, the textures, the stitches...all things
that make our lives rich, unique, personal.


How we arrange them is up to us.


And then we bind them together...in this case
not only with lovely fabric, but with a vow.
These two young people are vowing to love,
cherish and join all the corners of their 
lives together - forever.


Just a like a quilt, this couple will experience
many days of warmth, trials, messes, and 
washes with clean starts. They might even
suffer some tatters and tears...
Ultimately mended and loved once again
to become even softer as the years go by.


So much goes into every quilt we make in our
lives...but when they are finished, hopefully
they convey beauty.


Hopefully, we can look back and see all
the memories of our lives in our quilts.


As this one went out to the new couple,
My prayer for them was simple.
When life changes, and it will...
remember the scraps you started out with
that are now faithfully stitched together,
mended in love, washed in your vows to
one another and bound with strength and grace.


Congratulations Garrett and Lauren...


May you walk in this lifetime together, forever...

Monday, October 26, 2015

Halloween Haunts....Are you BRAVE enough to blog hop?


Halloween Haunt 2015


Happy Monday Morning!

First, THANK YOU for all the sweet comments
you all left on Friday for Miss Boo Bunny...
*she loved them all*
I apologize for not being able to respond to all of you...
I have been at Quilt Market and just
haven't had the opportunity...
But I did want to say THANK YOU!!!!

SEW...

Today's line-up is WONDERFUL...
are you up to the challenge to visit them?

Here they are:

Featured Haunts On Monday October 26
Beads & Birds
Needled Mom
Fun Threads
Pampered Pettit
Vrooman’s Quilts

Grandmama's Stories

Be BRAVE AND GO!

Friday, October 23, 2015

Halloween Haunts...My DAY!



Good morning!!!
I hope you have all enjoyed the hop so far!
This is one of my favorite ones of the year...

For those of you that don't know...
I have bunnies...they live in my  house
just like any other household member.

There are three of them and so in honor of them...
I introduce to you...

Miss Boo Bunny!


She found her way onto a new bag I made
just for the Houston Quilt Market this week.

My friends know I do not travel without 
my bunnies ever...so why should this time be any
different....Little Miss Boo Bunny is going to 
love seeing everything this week and will
keep me company!




The inside of my little bag includes pockets...with the 
prettiest orange dotted fabric...
I wish the photos showed off how really 
bright and cheery this bag is...
It's been raining here all week and so 
the photos had to be taken inside...
boo....



I added my new shop name on the front...
just for fun and am excited to take it with 
me today to Market.



And there she is...in all of her Halloween glory....

This is was a fun project...

Thank you to Marian for braving the world of 
Blog Hopping for all of us...
You have done a tremendous job!!!

Please visit our other ladies today 
as they have also done a terrific job!

Happy Halloween!

Featured Haunts On Friday October 23
Free Motion By The River
Quilt Art
Joan E
It Seams To Be Sew (you are here)

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

It Seams To Be Sew Grand Opening WINNER for week 4!!!

Over the past few weeks, I have been
asked why I opened an online shop...
and then that is always followed up by...
and you LEFT your FULL-TIME job
to do it?
Well...


For years, my sweet husband and I have
been building a home in the Hill Country in Texas.
We wanted a place in the country to move
to and get out of the city...(Houston)...not that we
have anything against Houston or Sugar Land
where we live in the burbs...but all our 
children are grown and gone and the Hill Country 
was calling our  name.

and yes...that's me...but the hubby built all the rest
all by himself! I just handed him tools...
When I started blogging, I knew that someday we would move
and I would want to open my own 
little fabric shop where ladies or anyone could
come and learn how to quilt, laugh, and 
enjoy one another's company.

It Seams To Be Sew Fabric Shop is
the beginning of that dream...
and Yes.
I did leave a full-time job to do it.
Believe me, it requires it so you have the time
to get it all up and running and moving forward.
It also allows me the time to create in the studio.
That's the best part!

As we near the end of the Grand Opening next week,
I hope you will bookmark our little store
and check with us often. We promise to offer the
best fabrics, notions and service...because I know,
(from experience) that you could have shopped 
anywhere else online and because of that,
I will do my very best to add a little personal
touch to your order...so you will come back again.

Thank you to all of you that have already 
stopped by and signed on as customers...
I value each and everyone of you!!!



WELL NOW...
for Our Grand Opening Winner for
Week # 4!!!

I let my sweet hubby 
pull the name from a hat of 
all that entered here on the blog 
and Facebook...
But the WINNER IS:


PATTY D. from N.C.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
I am emailing you now for your
mailing address!!!!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Grand Opening GIVEAWAY Week 4!!! And Day 4 for Halloween Haunts!!


Good Morning Everyone!!!

Sew...are you ready for this week's GIVEAWAY?
Well here it is....

Moda Fat Eighth Bundle - Chic Neutrals by Amy Ellis
Includes 38 fat eighths

This bundle is all modern and all for you!
To enter, all you have to do is share
this giveaway with a friend, and come back here
and tell me who you shared it with and where!
(first names only please!)
This week, one entry per person,
and I will also count any names that entered 
on our Facebook page!

This is Quilt Market week, so this is a short
one...so don't delay!

I will announce the winner on WEDNESDAY NIGHT,
OCTOBER 21st!

Good Luck Everyone!!!!

Also, while you are here, 
you should check out the next installment of the 
HALLOWEEN HAUNTS blog hop!!!
These ladies will blow your mind!!!

Happy Wednesday!

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Halloween Haunts!!!! Starts TODAY!!!!


Halloween Haunts 2015











UPDATE!

I have already been hopping...
and OH MAN!!! THESE LADIES...
SUCH GREAT PROJECTS!!!!


Happy FRIDAY!!!

Well, lookie what is happening today!!!!!
It's FINALLY here!!!
The Halloween Haunts Blog Hop!
Come see all these lovely creations today...
and come back NEXT Friday, October 23rd 
and I will share MY Halloween
Haunt creation!!!!
The schedule for this lovely hop has it's own page
at the top of my blog...you can visit there daily
and keep up with all these lovely hoppers!!!
This is one of the most popular hops around...
So DON'T MISS OUT!!!

Have fun today hopping! 


A Stitch In Time
Marjorie’s Busy Corner
Ravelly
Words & Stitches
Quilted Delights

And....WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!


Good Morning!!!!
Wow...what a great week! I am so thrilled
 to have you all participate!
I apologize for not getting to answer
 everyone in these giveaways, but
I do LOVE that you are came by 
and put your name in the drawing!

This week in the shop, I have added something 
fun just for you!


YOU KNOW YOU LOVE IT!
AND...
I have a SLEW of new available fabrics...
You will have the choice to order pre-cuts or yardage...

Since the shop is so new...and QUILT MARKET is coming
in a couple of weeks, you will notice that I will be tweaking 
the site to be more user friendly and easier to order! 
Sew...please come see us!

NOW...
Let's find out who WON this week!!!!

only counted each person once...
and that gave us 74 entries here on the blog.

I was THRILLED that today's winner is:



StanleyBeagle

Stanley, I will be sending you an email shortly!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Grand Opening Week # 3!!!




Welcome to Week #3 of Our GRAND OPENING GIVEAWAY!!

This journey of opening an online 
fabric shop is such a joy to me!
My hope is that as we continue to 
add more fabrics and products,
 I will be privileged to count each of you as customers, 
but more importantly, friends.

AND...
If you have signed up for our newsletter, you
 will be receiving our first one this week!
Included JUST FOR YOU...
 is a FREE PATTERN from Windham Fabrics!

Sew...if you haven't signed up for the newsletter,
please visit our shop HERE and do it!

All the extras that the fabric companies share with 
me, I will be sharing with you through the newsletter!

NOW....Let's talk GIVEAWAY!

This week we are featuring a 
Jelly Roll of Meadowbloom by Moda!
This is a bright and colorful Jelly Roll to be sure!
And it can be yours!!!

All you have to do is comment on what you 
would do with this lovely fabric and you are in! 

Each colorway is very expressive and impressive!
This would make a perfect Spring Time Quilt!
Not to mention just about anything else you'd want to make!

24020 16
Meadowbloom Rain
24020 13
Meadowbloom Azalea
24021 17
Meadowbloom Daisy
24022 11
Meadowbloom White Blossom Daisy
24023 14
Meadowbloom Petunia
24024 16
Meadowbloom Sprout
24026 11
Meadowbloom White Blossom
24027 17
Meadowbloom Rain

And that is just a FEW of them...
You will just love this one!

We will choose our Winner
on Thursday, October 15th!
(a little early this week as I have a very 
special wedding to attend this weekend...)

I have a feeling you won't mind...

Sew...how about it...
Are you IN?????


A few years back...3 maybe?

 A little over 3 years ago, our little quilt shop grew up. We moved to a larger space and hired more employees. So much has happened in thos...