Happy New Year!!

Wow! where did the year go? I say that every year, but they really do seem to be getting shorter and shorter. As I look back on 2009 I am so thankful for my awesome, supporting family~you guys are the best!! And to all of you my "blogging peeps" thanks for reading my ramblings, and what not! I could not have done this with our all of your support!!
I have lots of great things planned for 2010, and can't wait to share them with you.
Happy New Year!!
Nadine:)
PS. I am off to finalize my list of resolutions!!

A Sand Snowman?!

I am not sure if you can get the full effect of this but, it is a sandcastle that someone built on the beach in Hawaii. (Its a snowman for those of you who can't tell) I was amazed at the creativity of it, and was wondering out loud "why didn't I think of that?" Of course when Shelby and I saw this I didn't have my camera so she took this on my phone. I am really bad at taking pictures and have bought 2 cameras in the last year, both of which were going to document every moment, every quilt, everything! but of course technology got the better of me and I have missed those moments, (Christy, if your reading this, you really do need to teach me my camera!) We had a great time and would do it all over again. We came home to SNOW!!! and Brrr its cold!! with more expected!
Nadine

Merry Christmas! wish you were here!

First off, I would like to wish all of you Merry Christmas! It has been a very Merry one for my family and I, for those of you who don't know we decided to break tradition and go to Hawaii for Christmas this year! This is a picture of the place we are staying, I promised more pictures and more posts and for some reason my computer is not working, so I am working off of Tom's and can't get my mail or to my pictures. Technology?!! It has been a glorious time!!!!! We spent Christmas Eve at the Polynesian Cultural Center and then a Luai!! Shelby and I have shopped, sunbathed, surfed (i just watched) and spa'd it! Tom and Parker have been great sports and have tagged along through all of our excursions,( as long as we kept them fed they are happy!!)
So, hopefully I can post tomorrow some of the pictures we have taken!
Merry Christmas!!
Nadine

Winner Winner Christmas Dinner!!!

So, I was trying to post the random number generator results (which is how we choose our winner) but no that was too much of a challenge for my computer skills! The number picked was 67~Joni!! Congratulations!!!! (Joni, if you send me an e-mail with your address I will get those right out to you!!!)
Congratulations!!!
Nadine

National plunger on your head day!?

Did you know today is National Wear a Plunger on your Head Day? I know who would of thunk it? but its true!! So we celebrated it at the shop!! I know....., I am a party animal, anything to celebrate! anyone who wore a plunger in today got 20% off. Needless to say we didn't have a whole lot of takers, but I did have 2 of my favorite peeps Laura & Melynda

who totally got in the spirit of the plunger!!! Thanks girls your the best!!!

Nadine:)

Coat Envy!!

How cute is this?? It's coat envy, I am telling you!! I want one or two....., It's the new pattern "Midtown Trench" by Indygo Junction. Made out of "Nicey Jane" by Heather Bailey but would work in almost any print. This is a Holiday must have girls, don't have time before Christmas? make it for your New Years Eve party! You will look stunning!!

Nadine:)

Free Fabric!! A Holiday Giveaway!!

Okay, who doesn't love something free (and especially if its fabric?) From one of our favorite designers Sandi Henderson! Sandi's new line "Meadowsweet" is here at the shop and it is so fun, colorful and oh so yummy!! We are so excited that we just had to share our yumminess with you. So a giveaway it is!!! 10 fat quarters of happiness! Post a comment, become a follower on our blog, or become a fan of MGQ on facebook and you will be entered to win!!! Easy Peasy!! but its even better leave a comment here and our facebook page and you can double your chances, we will also be offering a giveaway on our facebook too!! so sign up to follow us here or on facebook and wahlah your in!!! We will post a winner on Saturday December 19!!
Good luck!
Nadine

Love letters tutorial

Now for two projects with a little love. Lately it has been so cold, and last night, after a few chilly recesses, my daughter asked for a pocket tissue pack for school. I know these projects have been around a while, and are not at all original, but they are still cute and fun to make with felt.

And this little loving reminder or early Valentine's Day treat, was just as easy to stitch up alongside the tissue holder.

So for the two you need: Felt, embroidery floss, scissors, pins, a needle, pencil, tissue pack, and a snap clip.
Cut a rectangle big enough to fit around your tissues, mine was about 5 1/2" x 6 1/2".
Using your pencil and a light hand (you can't erase it), write your message. I wrote "I love you", but a name or "feel better" would be cute too. Make sure that your message will match up when you wrap it around the tissues. If you make a mistake flip your rectangle over and try again.
Now start embroidering. I used three strands of floss for both projects. (Embroidery floss is six stranded, so separate it to just use three.) This isn't perfection, its heartfelt, so don't worry too much about the evenness of your stitch length, I used a backstitch. Come up a stitch over and then...
back and down at the beginning of previous stitch.
Once your embroidery is done, fold each side to the middle and pin in place.
Blanket stitch each edge closed. Go from front to back making sure to catch thread in stitch.

Slide tissues into pocket and you're done.

Now, for the snap clip, place the clip on felt and cut a rectangle larger than the clip. Make it bigger than you think so that you can trim it down. Cut a second identical rectangle.
Lightly write your word on the felt. A small word is best, something like "JOY" or a child's name wold be great as well.
Backstitch your letters.
On second rectangle, cut a small slit just big enough for the smaller end of the clip to slide through.
Pin your embroidered rectangle in place.
The back should look like this, with the smaller side of the clip exposed.
Now, do a running stitch around the edge, a little further in so you can clean up the edges of the rectangles.
Trim around the rectangle with scissors to even up the edges and clip in hair.
And there you have it, two love letters for sending them out on chilly days.

Felt Flower Tutorial

My name is Somer of Rainy Day Wren and I am a long time customer of Material Girls. And, well, I kind of hijacked things here.

Like I said, I have been shopping at the Material Girls for a long time and I often get butterflies when I see a new fabric line. But today I went in for some felt and my heart skipped a beat when I saw all the beautiful colors. "Nadine," I said, "these colors are amazing! I think I'm in love." To which she said, "I know, but I haven't advertised it much." So I took the challenge to find some fun projects for the amazing array of colors.

As I drove home, my mind was reeling with ideas. Just trust me when I say these colors are edible, but I couldn't settle on just one idea.
So, first up we have a flower brooch/hair clip.
To start you need: a glue gun, scissors, headband/hair clip/pin back of your choice, felt, and a button or bell, if desired, for the center. You will also need a piece of scrap paper and pencil for making a template.
You need two circle templates, one about 3" diameter and one 2" diameter. I used a drinking glass and a cookie cutter to make my circle template.
Pin template to felt and cut out 8 0r 9 large circles and two small circles. (You need 9 if you want a rose and 8 if you want a peony with a button or bell center.)
If you want to put your flower on a headband, cut two slits in the middle of one of the small circles. Now, place a small bead of hot glue in the middle of a large circle and...
fold it in half. Hold it there for about thirty seconds.
Place a bead of glue on folded circle, where shown, and...
fold again. Hold in place until it is secure and glue is dry.
Repeat with the other seven circles (if you are using nine, leave the ninth alone for now.)
Put hot glue on small circle without slits and place two folded circles with folds facing on the circle.
Repeat with two more folded circles, matching similar folds. (Two folds by two folds, double thickness folds by double thickness fold.)
This is what it should look like from the back. Flip it back over and repeat with four more circles, centering them over the first to hide the folds. (You can see what I mean in the next photo.)
If you want a jingle bell or button center glue that in place now. A fabric covered button would be darling.
For rose center, fold circle in half but don't glue it. Then, place glue up about 1/4" from fold and...
pinch through one layer at glue bead.
Put a dollop of glue in center of flower and press point of circle in place.
Glue pin back and top edge of hair clip to small circle with slits. Open clip to make sure you don't glue it shut and make sure you glue the top and not the bottom of the clip. (I placed the headband through the slits to show how that works. The teeth of the headband will keep the flower from sliding.)
Put glue on circle, being careful not to glue between slits.
Attach your circle to the back of your flower.
If you want a leaf, cut a 1" square from green felt and fold and glue like a cone.
Glue it to your flower and you're done. Slide headband through slits when you want to wear it that way.
Pin, clip, wear your flower anyway you want.