You want me to do WHAT?

The Pensacola Quilters Guild is sponsoring a quilt challenge. The items pictured represent the contents of a little paper bag that I selected randomly. The challenge is to use at least three of the items in the bag to make a quilt somewhere between 12 inches and 40 inches. In diameter! Yes, it has to be a circle. Every bag is different, and they all contain some really way-out things. And just in case there are any thoughts of cheating, the contents of each bag were photographed before packaging. I shouldn't have been surprised because I was told that Ingrid Whitcher was largely responsible for organizing the challenge. She's one creative person -- you can see some of her work on her blog if you click HERE.

So I'm off now to see if I can create a small round quilt with "stuff" on it! (Come back later for pictures.) Have a great weekend!

Lunch Hour at the Pier

This is a very relaxing way to spend a lunch break. It eliminates the stress of the morning. The downside is that it also eliminates the motivation to go back to the office!

Hope you're having a stress-free day.

A & E Fabric, Variety & Craft Store

There is a wonderful fabric store in Pensacola that you would probably miss if you were to drive right by it. The name of this enchanted place had been A&E Pharmacy. When I looked up the telephone number recently, I noticed several divisions listed: A&E Fabric, Variety & Craft Store; A&E Pharmacy; and A&E Appliance Center. All are located in a small, old-fashioned strip shopping center. (You could save a lot of time if you ever need to pick up some thread, your Zoloft prescription, and a new washing machine!) The fabric department has grown over the years, but has not pushed out the crafts section where, in addition to crafty items, they sell Mardi Gras and other seasonal decorations.

The ladies who work in the fabric department are gems. They're always goofing on each other (in a good-natured way), and always laughing while they're cutting fabric. Here are pictures of three of the ladies -- Liz and Tovah (top), and Ann (bottom). There are more, but they weren't working the day I took these pictures. I'll be sure to catch them later, though. I spend a lot of my lunch hours there!

And here's a small sample of what you'll see when you visit the store.

The fabrics on the bolt are all discounted by 10 percent. Or 15 percent. I can't remember! There is usually a color of the month that is discounted at least 25 percent. When I was there last week, all the 2007 Moda fabrics were discounted 40 percent! If the fabrics have been around for a while, they're placed on the discount table or flat-fold table. If you've never been there, or if you're planning a trip to the Pensacola area, go by and hang out with them. I know you'll have a great time.

IT'S HERE!

I received an advance copy of my new book, Scrap-Basket Surprises, scheduled for release on April 14, 2009. It contains instructions for 18 scrap quilts, all made from 2 1/2" strips. The nice people at Martingale & Company were so great to work with. Here's a picture of the cover:

You can check out the details at Martingale & Company's website by clicking HERE. And be sure to flip through the gallery to see a few of the projects.

Check back frequently -- I'll be giving away a copy soon!