Seasonal Samplings

Hello Pieceful Quilters!

I want to give you a tiny little sneak preview of what we have going on this week. We are all pretty excited about the projects we are planning to unveil, so I hope you can all make it to the demos.

I know a lot of you wait for Debbie to come out with her popular embroidered candle mats, so you will be pleased to know that she has a new winter design with a couple of cute snowmen in bluework embroidery. Here is a tiny picture to tempt you..... In addition to the candlemat, she has come out with a new quilt featuring four of the snowmen bluework squares. As usual, we expect these to go fast, so stop by or call in your order right away.

Katie has taken the next step in her wool obsession and created her own little candlemat designs. The are tiny little things - perfect for a votive size candle. She has a snowflake design and a heart design, just in time for Valentines Day. I am SO proud of her!

Jean Mueller has also designed another great tabletopper/wallhanging for Valentines Day. It is quick and easy, with fused hearts.

Deb Walker has also designed a cute tabletopper/wall hanging, too, just to make your decision a little more difficult. Perhaps you can keep one and give one as a gift!
As you may already know, our first idea for this FREE DEMO was to feature Renee Plains new pattern book, Gifts from my Heart. Stacie did one of the wall hangings using wool applique on pieced cotton. I am trying to talk her into giving it to me, but so far, no deal. It is really great!

I did one of the other quilts from the book:

I think you will really like it in the colors we chose. It doesn't look anything like the one Renee did - very pretty, but a little too phoofy for me. I think you will like our version, too.

I also talked Jean into making up a couple of the other small projects in the book - a jewelry pocket and a wristlet pin cushion - very cute!

There is even more - which, at this moment, I can't recall. Your best bet is to attend one of the FREE Demos - Tuesday at 6:30 or Wednesday at 10:30. It is sure to be fun!

See you there!

Carrie

The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative

Hello Pieceful Folks,

I just wanted to touch base with you on Ami Simms Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. As many of you know, our shop was collecting quilts for this worthy cause and sending them in to Ami Simms to be auctioned off on her website to benefit Alzheimer's research. Our first batch of quilts raised a tidy sum, and we were pretty excited about it.

Vonnie was so excited that she started talking it up to everyone that walked into the shop, and several of you answered the call and brought in "Priority Quilts," for the cause.
See http://www.alzquilts.org/paq.html for details.

Anyway, Vonnie sent in a few more using the forms we had originally been provided with, and she was soon contacted and asked in the future to follow a new procedure which included doing something online first and then filling out a new form.

Anyone that knows Vonnie knows that the idea of doing something online was enough to throw her into a tizzy. She gave the stack of quilts to me, hoping that I would do something with them. When they had been sitting on my desk for a couple of months, she gave up and sent them in with all the new forms filled out.

Believe it or not - a few weeks later the quilts were returned to us! If we don't have time to fill out the online form, they don't want them! Can you believe it? As you can imagine, my motivation to donate anything to this particular organization went South in a hurry.

Unfortunately, the quilts are not mine, and it is not necessarily my decision to make. My thought was to donate them to the NSQG Mini-Quilt Auction. The money raised in the guild helps bring in great speakers, but they also do a lot of charitable stuff, and I am sure they will be happy to have them.

That being the case, I will plan to donate any quilts that are left here to NSQG. IF you donated a quilt or quilts and you DON'T want it donated to NSQG, please come by to pick it up ASAP. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks for all you guys do to help Pieceful Gathering!

Carrie

Buck Hunting Season Has Arrived!

Have you started your collection of Pieceful Bucks? There are lots of ways to add to your Pieceful cash. One way is to bring us Show & Tell. Anything that is made with mostly Pieceful Gathering Fabric will earn you 10 Pieceful Bucks. Feel free to remind us if we forget - or should I say when we forget! If you buy anything with a buckhead sticker on it, you will get 20 Pieceful Bucks - just like that! And, of course, you receive matching Pieceful Bucks for every dollar you spend on regular priced merchandise every day! In addition to all these ways to earn Pieceful Bucks, there will be some kind of Super Secret Pieceful Special every week! Sometimes the special will save you real bucks and sometimes it will earn you extra Pieceful Bucks. You must read the weekly newsletter to know what the weekly password is - and sometimes I will post it here, if I have time.

The password for this week, Jan 19 - 25, is: "Book" Use the password when you check out to receive 30% off of any regular priced Books or Patterns or an additional 10% off of any sale books or patterns. ALSO receive an additional 10 Pieceful Bucks for every book you buy and 5 Pieceful Bucks for every pattern. Such a DEAL!

All New Pieceful Buck Stickers this week means more for you to find!


See you in the Shop!

Pieceful Auction

The Pieceful Auction is approaching quickley, so it is time to start collecting your bucks.

Pieceful Bucks can be earned in a number of ways, and Pieceful Buck Heads will help double your earnings.

Stop by the shop for more info, or check back here later when I have a chance to add more!

Carrie

New Year's Resolutions

Another year has arrived and you know what that means - yes, the dreaded resolutions!

Have you made yours? Here are a few of mine:

1. Lose Weight

This Lovely Lady lost over 400 pounds. Read about her at: http://thehumanmarvels.com/?p=48

Every year I make the same resolution - to lose weight. Every year this one seems to get a little harder, and my ideal weight is a little farther away.

Of course, I know how to lose weight - I have lost hundreds of pounds, and gained hundreds more. It is really quite appalling! Maybe this will be the year I get my act in gear.

You may think quilting and weight loss don't necessarily go hand-in-hand, but they can! It just takes a little more effort. To start with, break up that cozy little corner in your quilting room where you can cut, sew and iron without lifting your butt off your nice soft chair. Move your ironing board to another room - or another floor, if possible.

If you like to keep sewing until you have a string of pieces 10 feet long - try to limit your string to a yard or two. Make sure you are getting up to iron regularly (that's more often than once an hour). Stand up to do your cutting, too. It will help you avoid carpal tunnel syndrome, as well as forcing you to stand up - you will also be more accurate, and less likely to slice off your finger.

2. Exercise

I know you hate going to the gym - don't even try to tell me otherwise. Nobody likes to work out - the best part of working out is the shower! It will make you feel better, though (eventually), and it will help you live longer so that you can come a little closer to finishing all those quilts you have planned! I also use my exercise time to read the latest quilting magazines and get inspired. Sometimes I get so many ideas that I have to write them down as soon as I get back to the locker room. I had some great ideas this morning - more on that in a future post.

2. BALANCE the budget!

Don't you like the little red and black ink jars? In spite of rumors to the contrary, we are holding our own. We have been working hard to keep things in line and so far we seem to be succeeding. We appreciate your business. We know that you are trying to balance your own budgets, but if you can't afford a vacation, you can spend your vacation time making something more lasting for your children. Don't forget that our classroom is always available for you to use as long as we don't have any classes scheduled. Why not grab a couple of quilting friends and spend a Pieceful afternoon with us?

SMILE!

Have you ever noticed that a smile is contagious? Try starting each morning with a smile, even if you don't feel like it. You will find that the smiles that you get back will keep your own smile going. Before you know it, everyone around you will be feeling better, and so will you! I am planning to start every day with a smile - won't you come and share yours with us?

May your 2009 be Happy, Healthy and Prosperous, and may you find the strength to stick with your resolutions!

Happy New Year!

Carrie, Katie and the Pieceful Staff