Boughs of Holly

One Day More

Seeew....As you all know 2012 is a leap year that visits us every four years. Growing up, I always thought Leap Year was some kind of natural phenomenan that Mother Nature decides. I know...right?! How silly was I? The truth is...Leap Year is a human intervention to keep the calendar and the seasons N'Sync. Um get it? In sync...N'sync? Nevermind. Anyway, I guess if this didn't happen, winter would start in March and summer would begin in September. Weird. Too much for me to put my mind around. 

I just look at it as one more day...kind of like this...(sings with Valjean)...

"One day more...another quilt to make a masterpiece..."

 

When you have an extra day....it's natural that we would honor it with an on-line sale! Raise the flag of savings high! If there's a revolution outside of the Shoppe window I am going to like...hide. 

Here are the details:

* The sale is on-line only so click here and get started!

* Items with a "Was...$0.00" and then a sale price listed are on sale. You will be able to see this when looking at the item. P.S. I just used $0.00 as an example, it might say $8.99 or $9.99, etc. 

* The sale will end on Wednesday, February 29 @ 5pm PST. 

* To expedite your order, selecting "Send What You Have" or "Cancel Short Items" during the check out process gets the orders processed much faster. We do need 48-72 hours for processing all orders during a sale. If you select "Send What You Have" you will receive what we have available. For specific requests, you need to use the "Special Instruction" box.

* All orders must be submitted on-line. If you do not want to input your credit card information, please put in the Special Instructions Box, "Call for credit card information" and submit the order without credit card information. We still need you to submit your order on-line as we receive the images of the fabric you are ordering for accuracy purposes. 

Just a few lil' ole guidelines to follow...but not all that complicated. The most important thing is to pick out something...you love! And don't forget to maximize your postage dollar by filling your USPS envelope! 

Have fun! ~ Brian

P.S. Keep reading to find out who won our Butterscotch & Roses Charm Pack! 

Rollin In The Deep....Of Spring.

Seeew...it's definitely been awhile. Hasn't it? You. Me. The Shoppe. Alone. Doing what we love to do. Right? If you thought I was sitting around baking cakes...think again! Did you know you can now "Like" us on Facebook? Seeew...it's just one more way in addition to our website, and blog...to keep up with us and what we are doing...and one more way in which my mind will spin quilting 24/7.  

Since everybody likes "good" news, I will say I've been working early mornings and late nights as I switch over the Shoppe floor. We've also been preparing our gift shop, Pickleweed Hill for its spring debut. It's a process. That's all I am sayin'. The Main Shoppe space is about 4,000 square feet. "Thoroughly Modern Holly"...our children's and contemporary section is about 2,000 square feet. Maybe 2500...but who is really counting? That's nearly 6,000 sq. feet of decorated retail space. And I am doing it...while we are open!

How do I get through it?

Why...music of course!

I like those songs that you can stomp your feet in the shower too. Those songs in which you don't care who is watching. The music of icons. The music that defines us. A feeling. Passion. I try to approach it all with passion. It makes me a little quirky, but whatev. You all seem to have my heart inside your hands. I guess you could say...I'm..."Rollin' In The Deep."

 

You knew it was coming! "Don't underestimate the things that I will do." Hopefully you're groovin' at your sewing machine right now. I'm groovin' at um....my computer. That counts, right? 

First thing is first...the winner of the Butterscotch & Roses Charm Pack from our Super Bolt post is..."Judy!" Judy wrote:

"Gotta be Material Girl! I don't think Madonna and I think of the same kind of Material though. Wonder if she knows how to sew? Probably doesn't have time for it even if she did.Thanks for being a "go to" place when I need my material fix!"

Thank you Judy! Watch for an email from yours truly with details for picking up your prize!

Regular visitors may have noticed that I recently moved our very large Fig Tree Quilts section. Joanna Figueroa's soft color palette is a perfect match for the casual elegance of our Shoppe. Both my mom and I really loved Joanna's "Strawberry Fields" collection. Not only does this collection have bright and happy colors for um...oh I don't know, a beautiful picnic quilt...but it also has oil cloth! Oil cloth is great for placemats, wipeable seat cushions, bags, table cloths for the ole' picnic table...the list goes on and on. 

Pictured below....another Fat 8th Bundle project! See the baskets? It's called Petit Fours and we have kits available! Our kits were made with the Breakfast At Tiffany's Fat 8th Bundle, but you could also make it with the Strawberry Fields Fat 8th Bundle. Possibilities are endless! There are always options. 

We still have a few more "Summer Ribbon" kits left, which the sample is hanging below the baskets. Fresh and crisp for Summer! 

This next pattern is seeew cute, that we are currently out of patterns. Oops. I'm sure more will be on their way eventually. It's called the "Dancing Dollies Sampler" and was the featured pattern at last year's Fig Tree Quilts event. The simple pieced dollies and strip pieced center blocks make this an heirloom quilt anyone can make. We've made this in three different colorways. This version is using Strawberry Fields. Seeew charming. 

Our next quilt (below), is called, "Strawberry Stems." What I love is that the pattern has a variety of ways you can set it and other size options. Our version is the lap size and we chose to set ours with the leaves of the stems facing in and out for a "butterfly" effect. Melissa Hoffman, one of the "Mothership's" premiere quilters....has once again, went above and beyond with our Shoppe sample. Don't ya love it? 

And last...but not least. The famous Sparkling Starbursts quilt. Again...Melissa rocked the quilting and it defintely has been one of our most popular kits! Pictured here is the "Slate" border option, which is now sold out (I know, I know...but I took the time to photograph it before it was sold out...so I'm using the picture). Denise Sheehan of A Graceful Stitch is the pattern designer and we gotta give props to Denise...that pattern is fabulous! As of Monday, February 27...we still have just a few of the cream border option available. 

Oh...look who dropped by. Why none other than Joanna Figueroa! Personally, I like her patterns using pre-cuts. I find they are versatile and work with many styles. I'll let her take us out of here as she shows off some of the very things I just talked about! 

Here's to a new season of inspiration ~ Brian

 

S.p.R.u.N.g Workshop - Saturday, April 14 2012

Seeew...both my mom and I have had our share of life situations this last month as my grandpa recently passed away a few weeks ago. This was my grandma's husband and my mom's dad. As our loyal followers know...my grandma passed away in December. So for my mom (who owns the Shoppe), this has been a double blow within one month. I had planned on sharing their story, as they were married on February 18, 1947...and would have celebrated their 65th Wedding Anniversary, but I had to get through Super Bolt VII first. 

Seeew...in time. I suppose. 

By the way...it's getting to be that time again here at the Shoppe! The first of our popular workshops features four of your favorite designers (five if you count that Sweetwater has two designers)! This year we are pleased to welcome Debbie Busby of Wooden Spool Designs, the wonderful (and local) Kathy Schmitz (Kathy designs fabric collections for Moda), Karla Eisenbach and Lisa Burnett of Moda's very popular "Sweetwater" and the talented Bonnie Sullivan. Bonnie designs those soft Woolies Flannel for Maywood Studios, has a pattern design company, All Through The Night and is Kathy Schmitz's sister! How about that? 

Sign-ups are available now at www.hollyhillquiltshoppe.com or by calling us at 503-607-0600. The workshop includes instruction from all of our designers, supplies to complete your project, and a catered luncheon. We throw in a few surprises here and there too. There are no sewing machines needed and all you need to bring are your basic sewing supplies such as scissors, thread etc. 

Sorry for the short posts lately...but I am busy resetting our Shoppe. I will return and draw our winner of the Butterscotch & Rose Charm Pack later this week and post pictures of our Super Bolt VII event we recently had. A good time was had by all...and I have a few pictures to prove it. 

I'll be back with more soon. ~ Brian