Turning Twenty is Turning Ten!!

Over the years many of you have asked about the back cover of my original Turning Twenty book.  As we celebrate Turning Twenty's 10th anniversary, I thought this would be the perfect time to update you on our precious grandchildren, Kyle and Hailey.

Here is the picture of Kyle and Hailey from the back cover of the original Turning Twenty published in 2002. Aren't they just adorable?! Oh, and that is Pearl in the middle - sadly, we laid her to rest in 2007.

Kyle was 11 and Hailey was 9.  Pearl is 6 years old :-)

Today is actually Kyle's 21st birthday!  He married his sweetheart, Bailey, in August 2010 and in October 2011 gave us our first GREAT grandchild.  Lily Grace is just the sweetest baby girl, and already brings such joy to my heart.  Kyle just graduated Army Basic Training and is now training to be a combat medic.  Here we are with him on graduation day.  Our hearts swell with pride as we watch our grandson become a strong man of God.  Happy Birthday Kyle!

Here are Kyle and Bailey on their wedding day.

Here's Kyle with his beautiful Bailey, on graduation day.

And, here is little Lily Grace.  What a happy baby and wonderful blessing!

Hailey is now 19, and a ballroom dance instructor. She dated her beau for 3 years in high school and in 2011 she married that marvelous young man. Lucas and Hailey are expecting baby Jude on March 23rd, but looks like he plans to make an earlier entry into this world. We just got word that Hailey is in  labor, so our first GREAT-grandson, William Jude, may arrive today!  Congrats to Hailey and Lucas Byrd!

Here is a recent photo of my little pumpy-umpkin. Hailey Nicole Barnett Byrd.

Hailey and Lucas just after he proposed.

Hailey and Lucas on their wedding day.

And so, here's to celebrating Turning Twenty turning ten! Thanks for encouraging me to share photos of the grandkids today...posting this blog was fun, and also brought tears to my eyes as I once again realize how quickly time passes.  We treasure each day and give thanks to God for all of our blessings.

Happy Anniversary Turning Twenty!

Sugar Dumplin' Update

I have been busy working on the second Pattern for our Block of the Month (BOM), Sugar Dumplin.  Pattern 2 will include February, May, August, and November.  

Each one I do I just fall in love with - they are so adorable!  They are all 24 x 24 and I chose to make mine two ways: First I made each block in color using a crayon technique.  These can be hung as wall quilts and changed out with each month.  This is what I was working on in the pictures below.  Second, I thought they would be beautiful in redwork, so I made a redwork quilt with all 12 blocks.  I will post a picture of that quilt next week.  Color or redwork, wall hangings or quilt - they are precious either way!

Here I am quilting February.  I did not want to use traditional Valentine colors, so I chose this beautiful pink and green floral fabric and paired it with a buttery yellow.  I just love the way she turned out!

My May Sugar Dumplin' is all dressed up for Mothers Day.  She was picking May flowers for her Mama as a special surprise and got a little boo-boo on her knee.  Such a sweet little Dumplin!

Here is August.  She looks forward to apple pickin' time - she LOVES apples...apple pie, apple fritters, apple dumplins, caramel apples, candy apples...Yum!  Think I'll make apple cobbler for dinner tonight!  Looking for a recipe now!

Gary is busy working on the CD.  It will be released in February.  I'm sure he's up to having some Apple cobbler tonight!

Our January To Do List

Happy New Year!!  I thought I would start 2012 off with a laugh...after all, laughter is the best medicine! I also thought this would be a great way to introduce you to everyone at FriendFolks - in case you haven't met us yet.  So, the idea of this post was born.  Here is a project from each of our individual January To Do Lists!

Scott Cribbs
Our son Scott takes care of many different things, but he decided the most important project on his January To Do List was to make sure that all of the orders were shipped out for our new Block of the Month, Sugar Dumplin'.  I snapped this picture of him and his "baby" Quigley as they were double checking the books to ensure all the orders were shipped on time.  How cute are they?!

Michelle Barnett
Our daughter Michelle has just recently joined our business.  After working 20 years in the corporate world, she is convinced there is not a creative bone in her body. So, she told us the most important project on her January To Do List is just to learn anything she can about this new business venture.  I took this picture of her as she was pleading with me to explain a Fat Quarter to her one more time.  She's going to be just fine!

Gary Cribbs
My husband Gary is deep into all of the year end figures.  He shared that the biggest task to check off his January To Do List was to reconcile all of the accounts and get things prepared for filing taxes.  Normally Gary is such a strong and composed man, but I happened to have my camera at an especially trying moment and was able to catch this picture.  No worries though, he quickly came around!

That brings us to me.  I have been busy completing the remainder of the Sugar Dumplin' patterns and kits and working on a new fabric design, so my family has reminded me that I need to add something very important to my January To Do List...time for rest.  Gary caught me "playing dress up" at the mall.  All I can say is we should never really grow up!!

Here is to a new year full of laughter, friends, family, quilting and never growing up!

Blessings, 

Merry Christmas

What a special time of year this is.  I love to hear the laughter of children and see their faces shine as they tell their secret wishes to Santa.  I love to drive through our home town and see the lights and decorations.  I love to have our family all together sharing memories and making new ones.  Most importantly, this is when we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus and that is what truly makes this such a special time of year.

As all of us here at FriendFolks prepare to celebrate the holiday, I want to take a moment to wish you a very Merry Christmas!  May all your Christmas wishes come true.

Blessings, 

Sugar Dumplin' Block of the Month

I'm so excited to bring you FriendFolks' first ever Block of the Month - Sugar Dumplin'!  We introduced Sugar Dumplin' at Fall Festival in Houston and we sold out!

                                                                             January

Sugar Dumplin' is perfect for anyone who loves hand embroidery.  If you machine embroider, we didn't forget you!  We will have the patterns available for machine embroidery in just a few weeks.

                                                                            April

Each quilt measures 24" x 24" allowing you to change the quilts each month without redecorating your walls.  Only basic embroidery stitches and beginner-friendly piecing is required.

                                                                               July

There are three patterns: Pattern 1 includes January, April, July and October; Pattern 2 includes February, May, August and November; Pattern 3 includes March, June, September and December.  Collect all 3 patterns to create a unique crayon and embroidery quilt for every month of the year!

                                                                                October

Click here for more information, to join our Block of the Month Club and to find out how you can get November and December Kits FREE (a $50 value)!

   

Fall Quilt Market 2011

Greetings from 2011 Fall International Quilt Market in Houston, Texas!  It's finally here and can I just say with extreme excitement........I'M EXHAUSTED!
As much as I love designing, quilting, displaying, and discussing everything quilt related.....I always end up on overload!  The preparation alone for a huge production, such as this, is much what I imagine fourth year medical students go through as they cram for their final exams. Quilt Market atmosphere is simply electric, excitement and anticipation abounds! The smiles and laughter are never ending as again we meet up with wonderful colleagues and old friends.

Our FriendFolks family is blessed and honored to be involved in this amazing industry.
We always return from market inspired and rejuvenated, and we've got some great new patterns, fabrics and embroidery designs coming in 2012..............
so please STAY TUNED!  :)

   

It's That Time Again.....QUILT MARKET TIME!

We are busy little quilting beavers here at FriendFolks!  It's time once again for the Fall Quilt Market and can I just tell you....I don't know whether I'm coming or going these days!  Between finishing up some display quilts, finalizing new designs and patterns and constructing and assembling books and pattern packets...whew!  It's enough to wear a gal out!  I'm excited to be introducing new quilts and patterns and I have a few extras up my sleeve that you'll just have to come on out and see for yourself!  No hints yet....but stay tuned!

Blessings,

The Quilting Bee~Food, Friends and Fun!

What ever happened to the good old days of the quilting bee?  You may recall playing under those quilts as a child and watching the needles dancing in and out through the fabric.  Quilting bees still take place, but the way they used to.  In the late 1800's and throughout the early turn of the century, quilting bees were more than just a time for women to gather together and contribute their skills and art to quickly completing a beautiful quilt, it was a time for fellowship, friendships, good food and music.  Husbands and sons even had roles to play during these quilting bees.  They were responsible for "chalking" out lines, re-threading needles and of course, constructing and hanging those fabulous old quilting frames.  Experienced quilters and beginners were welcomed, with the newest quilters learning first hand from their more experienced friends and family.  How wonderful that must have been!  It was a time for women to sit and work together, while sharing child-rearing tips, recipes and funny stories.  I dare say there MUST have been some good old fashioned gossip going on over those quilts! :)  Usually, the women took turns around the quilting frame, quilting for a while and working in the kitchen, cooking up a great big meal for all to enjoy.  Often the men would bring fiddles and harmonicas or someone would sit at the piano and before you knew it, music would fill the house and, if the spirit moved them, many would take to the floor to dance.  It must have been such a fun time for everyone!  

If you're lucky enough to own a quilt from the turn of the century or even into the 1920's or 1930's, take some time to really study the stitching.  You may be surprised to find quite a few different quilting styles within one quilt.  This is a pretty good sign that the quilt was possibly completed during one of these quilting bees.  


How wonderful to slow down a little in life, spend more time with friends and family, and pass on our love of quilting.  What better way than organizing a good old fashioned quilting bee?!?


I would LOVE to hear any stories you may have of quilting with your mother, grandmother or friends.  If you were lucky enough to have attended any of these quilting bees....EVEN BETTER!  Please take the time to click below this story and post a comment about your treasured memories of quilting!  I love your comments!

Blessings,

The One Who Dies With The Most Fabric Wins!

Is it really possible to have TOO much fabric?  Hmmm...nope, I don't believe it is :)  To say "I love fabric!" would be an understatement.  You know how the story goes, I head to the fabric store with a very specific fabric in mind that I'm needing for my next quilt project.  I tell myself that I will NOT be swept away by the world of bright colors, fun designs and luxurious textures....but when I enter the fabric store......I just know I'm as good as gone.....oh the cottons, the linens, the floral prints!  Polka dots, really?  How CAN I resist?!?  This fabric obsession is stronger than I am.  When I spy the latest floral prints and all the pretty colors, my mind immediately begins planning out my next quilt.  I get swept away by bold colors and cute designs.  Novelty fabrics are so much fun and it's like those designs are just daring me to add them somewhere into my next quilt.

With the promise of an early autumn, my mind races with the excitement of fall colors, geometric patterns and baby soft flannels.  Of course, with the change of the season comes the holidays, creeping ever closer. That's right, it's going to be Christmas before we know it!  It's time to start thinking about Christmas quilts, quilted stockings, quilted table runners, embroidered holiday designs.  Isn't your heart just racing?  It's not too early!  Get a head start on those Christmas blocks now and before you know it, you'll have a beautiful, new Christmas quilt to wrap yourself up in. Hmmmmm......You know, I believe I better make a trip to the fabric store.  I need to stock up on holiday prints......but first, I better go clear a space in my sewing room, just in case a few other prints catch my eye. ;)

Blessings,

Quilting Friends

The quilting world has brought many new friends into my life.  I never dreamt that the path of my life would intersect with so many others, simply because of my love for quilting.  It's amazing how God can take a simple interest of ours and turn it into an opportunity to enrich our lives in such a beautiful and fun way! 

Here's to all my quilting friends, past present and future! 

Whose Got The Button?

I started collecting buttons as a child, but stray buttons were hard to come by around our house. Mama’s frugal habits surely hindered my button collecting. She insisted those buttons had another life, and were not destined to live out their days in an old mayonnaise jar. So back then I was never able to completely fill a jar and call it my own. 

This is a huge 8 gallon jar that sits in the center of my kitchen table.

Things are sure different now, do you know even ten people who would replace a missing button rather than just buy a new shirt?  So when I see stray buttons that go unclaimed I bring them home, clean them up, and put them on display.  My button jars serve as a reminder to me that the tiniest thing can be used to ‘hold it all together’.  Surprising when you think about it, huh?

Antique jar of buttons (next to our wedding picture) on top of a cabinet.

Antique button jar in my bunny bathroom.

Old coffee jar - again in my bunny bathroom.

Union Suit button pin sitting on top of old coffee jar.

Vintage bird waterer filled with buttons - yes! on the back of the toilet (in my bunny bathroom!)

Fat Belly Button Jar in the center of our family room table.

Antique pharmacy apothecary filled with buttons.

Water dispenser - spigot does not drip buttons :)

My favortie Beehive jar is almost full now!

Button jar hidden with other collectibles in stacked cubes.

Baby dress buttons, military buttons, and the big black buttons from Grandma’s church dresses. Rhinestone buttons from a fine Easter bonnet, and simple wooden buttons from granny’s field bonnet. Pearl buttons from silk gloves, and metal buttons from grandpa’s overalls. Buttons just remind me of all the times when something was about to fall apart, but someone rushed in with just the right button to help hold it all together again.

Assorted button jars on my stacked cubes.

Heart pin filled with white and pearl buttons hand sewn by mama.

I just love BUTTONS!