Isn’t life just ducky?

My last post was that I was going to be a grandmother. I never would have dreamed that my latest design, “Baby Love”, would be published right after I found this out! Coincidence? Only God knows. This quilt is in the May issue of The Quilter, and the kits (pink or blue) are available on my website. Below is what it looks like in blue. This fabric collection is by Susan Branch for RJR Fabrics. 

I love offering quilt kits in different colors as it is FUN to do! Not everyone can “see” a quilt in their head in different colors or fabrics. The blue is a virtual quilt that was created by my graphic designer, Staci, in CA. She is a whiz at scanning the fabric and digitally piecing the fabric together in Photoshop so it looks like a real quilt!

If you look at a variety of quilt patterns and/or ads for quilts, you can tell if the quilt is a virtual or a real quilt. Check out the borders and see how perfectly straight the borders are. It’s a great way to show new fabric collections to you, the consumer, before the fabric hits your fabric store; and while it’s being printed, too. Oh, what amazing technology we know have at our fingertips!

It’s the end of February so it’s still SOUP TIME here at the Crawford home. Here is one of our family’s favorites that is quick and easy to make. Enjoy!

Spaghetti Soup
1 pound of ground beef
1 cup of chopped onion
4 cups of canned beef broth
Two 14 oz. jars of Prego spaghetti sauce
14.5 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes (undrained)
1 cup of finely chopped green bell pepper
1 cup of thinly sliced zucchini
2 teaspoons of dried Italian seasoning

*Optional: 4.5 oz. can of sliced mushrooms; or 1 1/2 cups of uncooked rotini
1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, brown the ground beef and onion; drain.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat;  simmer 15 – 20 minutes or until the rotini and vegetables are tender.
3. If desired, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top before serving.
Makes ten 1 1/4 cup servings.

Now back to finishing the “Flutterby” quilt for the July issue of The Quilter…..

A note from my husband, Tom who wants you to know that when you purchase quilt kits and patterns from Flower Box Quilts that you are supporting a small home based ”Made in America” business, and we appreciate your business very much! 

Piece,
Michele

I’m going to be a Grandma!

There are definitely days in your life that I like to call “Banner Days” which are defining moments in your life be they happy or sad. Being a parent of four kids means I had thought at some point that I might be a grandmother some day. And, that day is coming in September as my oldest son, Myk, and his wife, Marnie, announced that they are expecting! Since their names both begin with an “M”, M&M’s were used in favors at their wedding. It was very “appropriate” for them to have specially printed pink and blue M&M’s with “Baby Crawford”, and “M&M +1″ printed on them. What a wonderful surprise!

After googling, “First Time Grandparents”, I lots of sites that related to this new title-to-be of mine.  One article said that this is one of the only times in your life that you actually get to decide what you want to be called. In my family, “Grandma” was the only name used for this honor, yet Tom’s family had an Oma, a Nana plus an Ama; and my children call his mother “Mimi”. My mother was “Grandma” to my kids, but unfortunately she died in 1988 so really only Myk remembers her.  And, there are so many variations or special names that will just be invented because the grandchild will pronounce it they way she or he will do it.

What is a grandparent? My paternal grandmother died before I was 5, and I don’t remember her at all.  The memories of my own maternal grandmother are of course unique to me, but my grandma was 75 years old when I was born, blind in one eye, and in a wheelchair because she had had polio. No memories of being read to, playing in the park, making cookies, or just being held like I hope to do with my own grandchildren. Tom has wonderful memories of his grandparents; and I was grateful that I got to know them. What will my grandchildren remember of me? That’s what I want to think about and pray about during the next months while waiting for Baby Crawford to arrive. Babies are definitely God’s way of telling the world that life goes on!

Piece,
Michele

Super Bowl Sewing Sunday

I wonder how many of you out there are snowed in, and are happily sewing today. You might be watching the Super Bowl or not. I will be doing hand sewing while watching the game at my oldest son’s home. I’m not really cheering for anyone, but it is a way to be out and about with other people. And, I baked which Tom appreciates. It’s just frosty and foggy here which is good compared to having piles of snow.  Elizabeth Anne, is my latest quilt in the March issue of The Quilter, and is available on my site. It is definitely a breath of spring with the purple, teal, blue and lavender.

I’ve been working away designing kits that we’ll post on the site soon. I have a new piecer named Pat who is piecing a new quilt, and redoing 2 of my quilt patterns with new fabrics.  It was really nice to be actually sewing yesterday instead of working on the computer. I will be embroidering a Halloween table runner today. It “seams” a little odd to some people to be working on Halloween when the next holiday is Valentine’s Day.

Michele’s Sewing Tip: When you are rotary cutting your fabric, “square up the fabric” first before you cut your strips. And, the old adage of “Measure twice and cut once” is not only true for carpenters but also quilters. Also, change your rotary blade often. When you cannot make a clean cut, and the blade gets “caught” in the fabric, you know you  need a new blade! Accurate cutting is the first step towards accurate piecing.  

Have a pieceful day!
Michele