I am combining my two blogs into one and moving to typepad - click here www.libertystar.typepad.com! Please come for a visit sometime soon. There are still things to work on but the basics are finished so today is the day! xoxx, Renée
Look here With Thy Needle and Thread for a wonderful new pattern to make use of these little oil cans I found . . . I will be ordering Brenda's pattern today!
I LOVE old brass stencils . . . these were a great find
Thank you to those of you who have commented here - it warms my heart that my BAD blogger ways haven't driven you away . . . trying to catch up both on sleep & work - getting back to everyday things. It sure is lots of fun to go to quilting and art retreats but I am really a homebody at heart and it is ALWAYS good to be home in my nest! More photos soon. Also there is a new side bar link to the Liberty Star Etsy Shop where there will be some LS quilts and dolls offered for sale very soon. Etsy is "a place to buy and sell all things handmade". Back soon - xoxx, Renée
This is the view into the room where we had our opening last night . . . SEW many BEAUTIFUL samples - wonderful eye candy! More tomorrow . . . so many sweet friends here, old and new. Rita and her great staff do a fabulous job of putting it all together for a really fun weekend.
This is Angie and Beth ready to help you find whatever you need or tally up what you gather during your research - just saying that some of their charms, vintage oil cans & rusty keys along with a few other collectibles will be going home with me!
LOVE these mannequins!
This is the adorable Jennifer Keltner - what a great speaker! If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, run don't walk - you won't want to miss it!
Jennifer showed this snowball quilt made by my friend Julie Hendricksen (JJ Stitches Quilt Shop) that will be in an upcoming AP&Q issue. Julie is a master at making reproduction quilts - the quilt top folded over the quilt is the antique top that she reproduced perfectly.
Tomorrow I will take photos of my class and the shop as well as some quilters. We will be going to Greenwood tomorrow after classes for some antiquing and delicious Italian cuisine! You are definitely going to wish you were here!
This stocking is for a class at The Country Loft on July 25th - and now it is no longer a Christmas Surprise class as shown in the schedule! The stocking will be in the shop next Tuesday afternoon (arriving via UPS) if you want to see it in person. It's a fun & quick Christmas project - I hope some of you will join me to make it!
Another booth photo . . . I had to share this one with the purple aisle carpet of the show. Just saying . . . even if you love purple it doesn't seem to be a color that blends with very many of the booths. It was particularly unflattering to my booth - even though I do find this photo quite amusing and I didn't really notice it much during the show! 
These are new patterns for quilt market next week . . . along with the new booklet, Jingle All The Way. I will post the front and back cover of it tomorrow. Still lots and lots and lots to wrap up before I leave for Portland, OR next week. Quilt Market is always exciting and fun though it takes a lot of preparation and hard work to get ready! I keep thinking I will try to get things done earlier - that hasn't happened yet . . . maybe I will start working on Fall Market projects in June!
I had the BEST time with my darling Country Loft friends!
Some of the dolls, a photo album and Michele's beautiful cross stitch!
The Country Loft and everyone that is part of it makes it a very special place . . . I read this quote today over on Pat Sloan's blog and thought how they always make me feel sooooooo welcome in their warm cozy nest!
This photo is for an ad in American Quilt Retailer, a great quilt shop trade magazine. The pieced quilt behind Santa will also be in the new booklet. My darling friend, Debbi Mercado, in CA, expertly quilted it for me! Thank you Debbi!
. . . still working on all those Christmas projects for Jingle All the Way - I should have some more photos to post soon. 
This Santa is fun & easy to make . . . I think I will make several - he is made from just one red plaid fat quarter, a few scraps and some doll making supplies. It does seem a little bit odd to be sewing Christmas projects in the beautiful Spring weather we are having here but I do think it is the best time to introduce Christmas designs at Spring Quilt Market. I even set up a few Christmas trees to put me in the right Holiday mood . . . and try out the tree skirt. Tomorrow I should have another project to share.
Thank you to those of you that are still visiting my blog (and BTW thank you for the very sweet comments) . . . I know the posting has been sparse lately but I have been working on projects for a new booklet, Jingle All The Way. I will be introducing it at Spring market in mid May along with two new bag patterns. In the next few days I will post some photos of the progress - please come back for a peek!
The kits are ready along with all the supplies . . . my bags are packed so early tomorrow morning I will start my adventure to the Country Loft. I can't wait to see all my darling friends and make some new ones. It is sure to be a fun weekend of stitching and laughing. It's about a 5 1/2 hour drive and I am planning on using my cruise control to stay right at the speed limit. I probably couldn't be lucky enough to just get a warning this time. I will take lots of pictures and share those when I get back home.
Vintage Photo Album
These projects are for two workshops I will be teaching in La Mesa, CA at The Country Loft Feb. 22 & 23. Now back to inventory and then the projects for Primitives of the Midwest in June need to be finished up.
