Stitchin’ Heaven Howdy

Over here at Stitchin’ Heaven we pride ourselves in the wide variety of block of the month programs we offer.  I think right now we are currently hosting about 43 block and quilt of the month programs.  Wow?!  That’s a  lot!  But you know, I think I can say that the majority of our customers participate in a block or kit of the month program for good reasons, I might add.  Below are just ten reasons we’ve come up with why you would consider participating in a BOM program or continue to.

RELIABILITY. Stitchin’ Heaven has offered BOMs for over 10 years. Our first Dear Jane program began in 2004, and we’ve had over 1400 participants to date!

FABRIC KEY. That’s right! Don’t fuss over fabric placement. We offer fabric keys online so that you know exactly where each piece of fabric goes.

SUPPORT. We offer telephone and e-mail support. If you’re having trouble, just let us know. We’re here to help.

SIMPLY PUT … FUN. We do the work for you! We find gorgeous quilts, and pick from our huge selection of fabrics for that perfect piece saving you time, money, and the leg work.

ABOVE & BEYOND. We go above and beyond the call to see that your BOM is fun. If you make a small mistake, let us know, we’ll send you a replacement piece for free!

SELECTION. We at Stitchin’ Heaven want to be your Block of the Month Headquarters, and we invite you to check out all our programs. We have new ones beginning monthly, and we are always looking for more.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. We guarantee you will be happy with your BOM. We’ll do everything we can to see that you are 100% satisfied.

QUALITY. We also understand, that in this slow economy, everyone is looking for a way to do what they love, while not spending a lot of money. BOM programs are a great way to invest small amounts of money at a time, while still getting the quality that you have come to expect in your quilts.

FLEXIBILITY. Blocks of the month allow you to pay each month  rather than all at once. You can sew at your own pace and even arrange a sew along with your friends!

MANAGEABLE. You have the ability to work on your quilt once piece at a time rather than feeling overwhelmed with trying to decide which fabric goes where. We figure that part out for you so you can get started right away!

Visit our Block of the Month page to see the available programs or call or email us for our new block of the month color catalog!

Hope you’re all having a great week. We said farewell as Deb, Sandra and Lucy left yesterday to set sail to Alaska today on one of our cruises. I know they’re gonna have fun.  Deb’s birthday is Monday, so right now she wants to give you $10 toward your purchase of ANYTHING! Just enter BIRTHDAY into the coupon box to get the discount.

xoxo

Didn’t  know if you knew, but we have a really cute club called Charm School. With enrollment you receive 2 charm packs, a pattern and a charm (for charm bracelets) each month.  This month we’re featuring Me & My Sister Favorites charm pack that you see modeled in the background of the video below, taken by our favorite Moda Rep., Gene at Spring Market this year.

The fabrics in this collection are so cute and happy! The pattern used for Charm School this month is pictured below. Our Charm School patterns are designed exclusively for us by Larene Smith of The Quilted Button! She does a super job for us. You can find more of her designs through Hoffman Fabrics and Anthology Fabrics .

You can enroll in Charm School at anytime. Check it out! Sign up using code NIKISAID to get your sign up fee waived for the club!

Looking for bra makers for out Bras N Boots event & nominations for our Feature Friday!!

One of our store associates, Linda B., made this yummy recipe for us last week, when we had a class for Freaky Friday (Friday the 13th). The whole store smelled so good!  I just had to share it,  along with the mouth watering photo!  This would actually be perfect for a weekend get together!!

Chip BBQ

3/4 Teaspoon vinegar

1 1/2 cups water

6 tablespoons mustard

1/2 Teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 onion – finely chopped

1 1/2 cups ketchup

6 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce

4 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon red pepper

1-2 lbs. of ground meat

3-4 lbs Roast

Cook roast thoroughly.  Chop fine.  Brown hamburger meat & drain.

Mix all ingredients together then add to meats. You can simmer on stove top until thickened or place in a slow cooker over night on low.  Freezes very well!!
Enjoy!!

** Also, don’t forget to check out the Bras N Boots for a Cure event we’re hosting…We need bra makers! Please email me if you’re interested or for more information!

nichole@stitchinheaven.com

We are so proud and very excited to present our Bras N Boots For a Cure benefit & style show!  On October 16th, here in Quitman,  we will host a buffet style dinner and style show of bras modeled  by the men in our community including City Officials and Community Leaders!  The men will model each of the fully embellished Bras for a Cause to show their “support”. Voting of the bras will be done as each leader or official models through the crowd. The crowd will then stuff any form of money$ into the bra. The winner will be determined by the bra that collects the most money. Proceeds will all go to benefit breast cancer research through Susan G. Komen Foundation.

We will have a representative present from the Susan G. Komen Foundation along with plenty of information.  We’ll also have a silent auction, a Pink Quilt Raffle and a really great time!! If you’re interested in participating, please visit the Bras ‘N Boots For a Cure page or contact us here. We’re in need of bras!!  So, please, register to participate and we’ll forward you all the information you need to know.

You can donate your bra to Stitchin’ Heaven for exhibit here in the store and online where we will create a page just for the bras, also on Flickr.  Or, if you’d like to just donate it for the event, that’s fine, too, we can do that!! Please let us know!!

We need bra’s turned in no later than October 1st.

We hope to have a huge response for this very special event to not only raise awareness and money for research and treatment, but to celebrate the lives of the Women who have fought and are fighting this terrible disease.

We’d love for you to share your stories with us as well!

Below are examples of the types of bras that will be modeled the night of the event. Seen below are bras from the Artful Bra Project! (click on the link to see all 50 bras from the Artful Bras Project) Thank you girls for your inspiration!

Email me if you have any questions or if you need any more information!! nichole@stitchinheaven.com

Ta Tas for now!

So, I posted on the Facebook page a couple weeks ago, requesting nominations for Friday Features. One of our awesome followers suggested Gina Perkes.  Honestly, I had to Google her, because I wasn’t really familiar with her. Oh My, am I so glad for her nomination. Gina is absolutely and amazing designer!! Period! Well, besides having an incredible talent for quilting she has a cute personality a gorgeous face and a beautiful family her personality is fun, too.  I enjoyed my interview with her and hope to continue featuring her.

1. Where can we find you? Blog? Facebook? Twitter?

My website-  www.ginaperkes.com or here  and on Facebook-   Gina Parris Perkes

2. When did you first begin sewing/quilting?

When I was twelve,  I was taught to sew clothing by my grandma, who happens to be the most wonderful woman in the world!.  I made some of my own clothes, lots of dresses for my daughter, and Halloween costumes for my three children.  Quilting entered my world about twelve years ago while I was pregnant with my second child.  It was summer in Arizona, I was in my third trimester carrying myself plus fifty or so additional  Lbs. around with ten toes that closely resembled sausages.  Needless to say, I needed an indoor hobby.  I wanted to create keepsake quilts for each of my children so I took a beginning class at our local quilt shop.

3. What does sewing/quilting mean to you?

I am blessed to have found sewing/quilting, especially at an early age.  It is my creative outlet, my therapy, and even my income.  I have always been drawn to any and all things creative so quilting was a perfect fit for me.  Early on, I stuck to creating utility type quilts from patterns and/or kits.   However, once all of my family members, neighbors, favorite grocery store clerks, UPS dudes, and children’s teachers had a quilt for their bed, I decided to pack up my quilting skills and head towards a new territory…the world of show quilting!  I began creating my own original designs placing an emphasis on innovative techniques and quality workmanship.  I entered my first National quilt show in 2000 and was completely hooked!

4. What inspires you?

A better question would be what doesn’t inspire me…LOL!  I truly find inspiration on a daily basis everywhere I go and look.  I prefer to draw inspiration outside of the quilting world in an attempt to achieve “new-looks” or styles.  I have translated designs from tissue boxes, for example, into applique’ blocks or quilting motifs placing my own style on the design in the process.  I also draw a great deal of inspiration from nature such as textures for quilting fillers, color schemes, shapes, etc.  Nature is a great source for inspiration…it’s copyright free!!

5. What’s coming up for you?Show quilting is my passion, so I will continue along the show path.  My goal is to keep improving my techniques and developing new ones as well.  I also love to teach my quilting techniques, both longarm and domestic.  I travel to various quilt shows and guilds throughout the country to teach.  Helping other quilters develop skills and gain confidence has been very rewarding for me and I am looking forward to the upcoming quilt show season!   Also in the works is my first book, “Mastering the Art of Longarm quilting”.  Keep an eye out for it!!

6. Quirky Question – What your favorite movie to watch or music to listen to while sewing?

Audio books…audio books…more audio books… My mom, also an avid creative woman, introduced me to them.  I limit my audio book listening to when I am actively working on a quilt, particularly for show.  Let’s face it, the 50 hour micro-stippling phase of the quilting process can get a bit monotonous, so I turn to my favorite authors to spice things up a bit.

*****

Hmm…sound familiar? Last week, Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio, also responded the same with listening to audio books while sewing…How many of you do the same thing? What do you have going on in the background while sewing? I wanna know! I, have the music blaring! Whatever is hot on my playlist is going loud enough to where when I sing you can’t hear me. LOL I wouldn’t want to put the artists to shame with my Whitney Houston “like” voice. LOL Yeah right! I wish I sounded like Whitney Houston. Hee Hee!

Hope you all have a super weekend and stay cool or dry wherever you are reading this from!! XOXO

Last week Deb hosted her 3rd Boot Camp for shop owners, where she teaches shop owners and soon to be shop owners the basics on running a successful shop. Once of the attendees was Kathy Mack of Pink Chalk Studio. Before last week, I had only heard of her. I am now a follower of her blog and Facebook and thought you all would enjoy her and her Pink Chalk Studio as much as we do!
So, we had a little interview with her where she shares a little bit about herself and pictures, too!

Where can we find you? Blog? Facebook? Twitter?

blog: http://pinkchalkstudio.com/blog/

shop: http://pinkchalkfabrics.com

twitter: pinkchalk

When did you first begin sewing/quilting?

I began sewing when I was 5 or 6. My grandmother patiently taught me how to sew by hand. Later I moved on to using her treadle sewing machine. I made a lot of outfits for Barbie. I can still remember using mini-ric rac on anything and everything! I started sewing clothes for myself in high school.

I’m fairly new to quilting. I took a beginning quilting class at my local quilt shop 5 years ago and have been hooked ever since. Now I enjoy blending my love of clothes sewing and quilting into my accessory designs.

What does sewing/quilting mean to you?

It’s a passion. I enjoy designing, making, and talking about it with friends and strangers. I really can’t get enough. If I see someone wearing something I think they might have made in the grocery store I’ll strike up a conversation. It brings me joy to create. I find amazing satisfaction in sharing what I know and learning new things from generous teachers. The world of sewists and quilters is full of happy, amazing people. I feel very lucky to work in a business that allows me to connect with that world every day.

What inspires you?

I’ve actually been thinking a lot about this lately. As a pattern designer I’m inspired by the sense of accomplishment and joy another sewist experiences when she completes a project I’ve designed. It’s all about being successful and enjoying the process. It motivates me to write instructions that are easy to follow and fun to make. The finished design has to make me smile.

As a shop owner, I find satisfaction in sharing my little view of the fabric world with others. Sewing is our happy place. My team and I strive to make the experience of shopping with us a positive one on every level.

What’s coming up for you?

I have several new purse patterns in the works planned for a Fall release. I also appear in the first episode of the new season of Quilting Arts TV (Series 600) television show. The show airs on PBS stations throughout the country. I designed an I Spy Quilt for Craft Hope which is being released by Lark Books this month (August).

Quirky Question – What your favorite movie to watch or music to listen to while sewing?

I’m a total book on tape nut. I absolutely love historical fiction and those are some of my favorites to listen to. They’re usually big, fat books which translate to 16 plus CDs. I think I get more done in the sewing room because I’m always rushing back to listen to the book!

Isn’t Kathy fun!? We hope you enjoyed learning more about her and become a fan as well.  Please email me with you nominations for a Friday Feature @ nichole@stitchinheaven.com .

Ok, first, We’d like to thank everyone for entering. This was so much fun! I’d love reading the entries where you guys would explain why you should win or teased about how you were going to win! LOL You gals are the best!! Seriously!

Here’s the video of me drawing the winner…(don’t laugh) It’s my first video so I’m definitely an amateur, but expect more in the future, since video will now be a part of our interactions with  you!!

Oh!! You’re ready for the winner aren’t ya? Please give a huge congratulations to:

We think we’ll do this again for the next Sew N Spa retreat, since you all responded in abundance and was just way too fun!! XOXOXO

Saturday we celebrated Mandy getting married. You, know Mandy, right? She’s our billing specialist.  When you see ML on your receipt, that’s her!  Isn’t she a cutie?  In September, Mandy will be getting married!  We threw her a shower here at the shop on Saturday, where she made out like a bandit! Congratulations to her!

We ate cake, gave Mandy advice and had some great punch made by Mandy’s mom! I just had to share with someone so,  here’s the recipe!

Sparkling Pineapple Punch

1 can  Pineapple Juice – Frozen

1 tsp  Almond Extract

2 Liter Sprite

Before you freeze your pineapple juice, mix in Almond Extract . Freeze. When juice is frozen, place into a punch bowl. Slowly pour room temperature Sprite over frozen juice.  Stir until frozen juice has melted into liquid.

Want to win a FREE Sew N Spa Reservation? Just comment here telling me!

Also, don’t forget about our Friday Features. If you have someone or something that you’d like to see featured here, just email me! I’ll help tell the quilting world all about it! nichole@stitchinheaven.com

Have a wonderful week!

Wanna win a $100 Stitchin’ Heaven gift card? Well, I thought this would be a great weekend to feature The Most Beautiful Quilt Contest we’re hosting on Facebook!  What is it?  Well, we’ve set up a contest on our Fan Page to enter your most beautiful quilt.  Do you have a gorgeous quilt that you know will win?  Simply, visit our Facebook Fan Page, click on the “Contests” tab at the top of the page and follow the instructions for entering your quilt. It’s super easy, I think there are only about 4-5 steps.

So here’s what you have to do:

1. Visit our Stitchin’ Heaven Fan Page

2. “Like” us – if you don’t already

3. Click on the “Contests” tab at the top of the fan page

4. Follow the instructions to enter your quilt!

Once you have followed the instructions for entering your quilt,  it will not appear automatically. We will approve it. Once approved, you will receive an email letting  you know.  Then, go back into Facebook and tell all your friends to vote for you!  The winner will be determined by the contestant with the most votes!  There will be 1st-3rd prizes rewarded, $25-$100 in Stitchin’ Heaven Gift Cards!  Now, who doesn’t love to spend money at their fav quilt shop??!! I know I do!

Contest runs from June 14- July 31 for entries. Voting ends August 12th!! There isn’t much time left to enter, so get in there, enter and then all your friends. Winners will be announced on the blog and Facebook, August 26th!!

I just love Feature Friday! I got an email last week from CeCe, one of our readers, who wanted to be a part of the fun. She sent me some information about the retreats she hosts in Canyon Beach, Oregon, where she tells us that the estate sits on two acres overlooking the ocean. I was thinking “you don’t have to tell me anymore. I’m sold!” No, but really, doesn’t hearing that just sound like the perfect retreat? With sewing and good friends included, how could you not be enticed?

CeCe explained that the girls are provided with everything but their sewing machine & fabrics, but they have a small variety of sewing essentials available to purchase at the retreat. It’s the perfect place to relax, enjoy your passion, and make forever friends.

She had tons of pictures to share along with brochure and flyer. You can get more information by emailing CeCe directly here.

If you have a story, a person or a place in quilting you’d like to share with our readers on Feature Friday, please email me at nichole@stitchinheaven.com .

Hope you have a wonderful weekend & we’ll see ya soon!

Had fun last night at the Twitter Party! Thanks girls for joining me! We’ll have it to try it again soon!