You Don’t Love This Man by Dan DeWeese, is a thought provoking, carefully crafted story.  I really enjoyed reading it!

From the back cover :

On the morning of his daughter Miranda’s wedding, Paul learns that the bank he manages has been robbed—apparently by the same man who robbed it twenty-five years before. As if that weren’t enough, Miranda, who is set to marry Paul’s former best friend—a man twice her age—seems to have gone missing.

Struggling to reconcile his little girl with the grown woman he’s about to walk down the aisle (if he can find her), to accept his onetime peer as his future son-in-law, and to comprehend the strange coincidence of being robbed by the same man two decades apart, Paul takes stock of everything leading up to this moment—as he attempts to navigate the day’s many surprises while questioning … Read More »

I’m participating in yet another fantastic blog tour!  ¡Quilt Fiesta! by Cheryl Lynch -

Cheryl has taken the inspiration that she found while on vacation in Mexico, and made beautiful quilts!  The results are appealing and fun!  Cheryl shares photographs from her travels, and a bit of history about Puebla where the most desirable tiles are made.  Cheryl then continues to share her tried and true methods for appliqué and paper piecing, and reminds us all that perfection is over-rated!

That sounds familiar!  : )

I’m so glad that we are of the same mindset Cheryl!

There are 10 fabulous quilt projects based on the tiles shown on the cover.  My favorite part in the projects is that the appliqué is broken down into manageable pieces, often finished on the individual block before assembling the quilt top.

And the secondary design … Read More »

I am honored to be included in another great blog tour going on right now, for ReSew!

Author and friend Jenny Wilding Cardon has pooled all her thrifting and re-fashioning knowledge into one fabulous book!  Her introduction gives you a glimpse into her fun personality, and why she likes to ReSew.

Jenny shares her personal methods for thrift shopping — like keeping a running list, and open mind while shopping.  The best part about ReSewing is – when you ReSew, your creation is always one-of-a-kind, and perfectly suited for you!  Jenny also has “Design Diversions” for each project, to encourage your personal creativity.

Jenny’s projects are simple yet detailed, and the instructions are flawless.  A new sewist will be equally excited by these projects, as someone more experienced as well.  Take a look … Read More »

Thanks for the well wishes friends!  We are on the mend, and starting to feel hungry again – always a good sign.  Since I haven’t made it to my sewing machine yet, I thought I would share a book with you!  Given the opportunity to select books for review, I was drawn to the intricate designs of The Rose of Sharon Block Book by Sharon Pederson.  Most of you know that I love simple pieced blocks, but I had to know more about these blocks!  Aren’t they beautiful?

The first few pages introduce the book and show you exactly how to use the book!  Also, Sharon’s business partner is Ami Simms, founder of Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative.  Ami shares the story of her mother and how she turned the difficult times into a beautiful project to honor and … Read More »

Hi friends – I have a beautifully written novel to share with you today!  Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton – my review copy is courtesy of TLC Book Tours.

From the publisher :

Thirty years ago, Martin Owenby came to New York City with dreams of becoming a writer. Now his existence revolves around cheap Scotch and weekend flings with equally damaged men. When he learns that his older brother, Leon, has gone missing, he must return to the Owenby farm in Solace Fork, North Carolina, to assist in the search. But that means facing a past filled with regrets, the family that never understood him, the girl whose heart he broke, and the best friend who has faithfully kept the home fires burning. As the mystery surrounding Leon’s disappearance deepens, so too does the weight of decades-long unresolved differences … Read More »

First!  Thank you so much for all your input yesterday!  Many of the magazines mentioned are not available in our little town, no Borders or Barnes & Noble around the corner.  So it was interesting to do a little research with your suggestions!  The top 5 mentions -

Quilting Arts, Quilts & More, American Patchwork & Quilting, Fat Quarterly, and blogs in general, which I was happy to see!  Thanks for sharing.

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Find My Fabric is a super useful too for fabric aficionados like ourselves!  You can search for fabric by name, or if you have a scrap and need to match it…take a picture and ask it to match it for you!  Then it finds shops with the fabric for sale and gives you ratings for that shop too.

Here’s a little more background information from the creators:

The inspiration for … Read More »

First I have to say – Thank You – to everyone that has contributed to the raffle for { Modern } Relief so far!  The outpouring  of support has been fantastic!

This is a fun book!  It’s like a great pep talk that you can turn to when ever you need it.  Unstoppable in Stilettos: A Girl’s Guide to Living Tall in a Small World, by Lauren Ruotolo is a great read!

From the back cover:

Lauren was born with McCune-Albright syndrome, a mysterious and rare genetic disease that researchers say occurs in anywhere between 1 in 100,000 and 1 in 1 million people. Some people with the condition tend to go the wheelchair route, but that was never a road Lauren wanted to travel. Her preferred method of transportation, instead, includes stiletto heels. Lauren has avoided the label of ‘disabled’ through uniquely … Read More »

Hi there!  I thought I would share a new book with you.

Bloom Creek Quilts by Vicki Bellino, is a beautiful book, with fun quilty projects!  The cover pulled me in!  Vicki has included 14 of her top-selling designs.  She combines traditional patchwork with delightful appliqué shapes in projects ranging from wall hangings to bed-sized quilts—plus a great tote bag and pillow.

Vicki begins with a quick instructional, with tips for hand, machine and fusible appliqué. She encourages you to find the technique that works best for you and your project.  Then walks you through all the projects.  The pattern instructions are clear and concise, and not overly complicated – just what we all need!  Vicki uses pre-cuts when possible and gives instruction for yardage as well, excellent for those charm pack impulse buys.

There’s a wall hanging, and table runner on my … Read More »

The Winners are # 5 & 20 Linda and Leslie – Congratulations ladies!

In the deepest recesses of the forest, far from everything that was modern and familiar, Robin and her husband, Ian, pitched camp.  As Robin began to explore her new environment, she searched the ground for the things she feared: snakes, spiders, leeches, scorpions, and ticks. If she wanted to stay alive, she had to be as acutely aware as all the rest of life in the forest.  She had re-entered the food chain and no longer could bungle along unconsciously like she’d done all her life.

Once Robin recognized her own need to survive, she realized that in the web of life no one can afford the luxury of unconsciousness. She began to confront her fear of other species and started to thrive in the rainforest.  Wallabies, birds, and bandicoots … Read More »

I have an amazing memoir to share with you  today!  I am honored to be included in the book tour hosted by TLC Book Tours for Amy Boesky.

First, here’s a little bit about the book:

What We Have: A Family’s Inspiring Story About Love, Loss, and Survival
At thirty-two, Amy felt her life was finally coming together—the right man, the right job. A new baby. She’d been racing to fit everything in fast, knowing her family’s risk of hereditary ovarian cancer was looming ever closer. What she didn’t know was that this risk turned out to be more complex and far-reaching than she or her sisters had understood. Now, as her family learned about BRCA1, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place. But what choices would she have to make in order to choose life?

This special … Read More »

I spend a good amount of time writing each day, or thinking about what I will be writing next.  I think many of you can relate, right?  However, whenever I’m given the task of actually writing a note in a card – I often draw a blank!

“aaaaahhhmmm – what should I write?”

Not anymore!  I was given a copy of  Write the Right Words: Messages from the Heart for Every Occasion by Sandra Lamb, and I welcome it as a regularly used book on my shelf!

Here’s a little bit more about the book:

Every greeting card needs a personal, handwritten message to make it complete. In this comprehensive, encouraging guide, journalist and lifestyle expert Sandra Lamb offers a wealth of advice, inspiration, and examples for anyone who wants to add the perfect personal touch to their card messages—as well as anyone who … Read More »

Hi there!Reading the comments from my review I decided that a follow up post was in order.  Like some of you I’ve had a few skeptical thoughts about the Go! Cutter, and it’s efficiency, and so I thought I would share a little more of what I’ve learned using it.

This is how it shipped to me, the blank grey foam.  You can barely see it, but the 5″ squares are not exactly straight with the edge of the green rectangle.  I emailed my contact at AccuQuilt to ask why – they try to position the shapes at a slant, because they go through the roller easier.  My initial thought was that I got a “off” die – I was ready to ship it right back!  But they did it on purpose :)  So then – what is the best way … Read More »