All chocolate all the time

I promise (fingers crossed behind my back) that this is the last chocolate themed post! You must have that sticky sweet feeling in the back of your throat by now, certainly! Just thought I would give you one more cavity, with well, eye-candy. For real.



I'll be giving a little class at Quilt Market called 'Chocolate Lollipop and the sweetness of sewing'. It's customary for designers and other industry folks to chat up their new line to a group of buyers or any other topic buzzing around the quilting and sewing world that they choose. I'll obviously be talking about the new line, but also about the surge in sewing over the past few years. In particular, I have a theory about how much we need the hands-on luxury of things like sewing, knitting, and other slow paced endeavors to balance our hi tech and fast paced lives. And I'll be talking about all this to a bunch of people who have just been handed one of these lollipops, so maybe they'll agree with whatever I say, whole-heartedly.



Anyway, this is my adieu until next week. I did find a spare hour to make some more chocolate topping for me, above. That was fun, it's been a while.

AND!!!!!

Here's a few links to where you can now buy my fabric if you should have a craving! If you do, you must report back here immediately! Have fun and can't wait to see what you've concocted, you geniuses:

jcarolinecreative.com
dakotacabinquilts.com
wishuponaquilt.com

and very SOON in Australia:

materialobsession.com
quiltfabricdelights.com

Have a great week, I'll be armed with market photos upon my return! xoox,AM

On top of it

Well I'm trying to stay on top if it anyway! I made a top instead. So much to do! The first 60 pages of my book (that's only 1/4 of it people) is due on Tuesday. On Wednesday I leave for Quilt Market where I will spend 5 days talking about Chocolate Lollipop and doing other shameless self promotional type things. There are hoops, hurdles, and all sorts of other tricks to be jumped through, jumped over, and danced upon before I can have a rest. I am resting my eyes a bit right now on this little creation. Well both of these little creations actually. The studio has been a-whirl with sample making and photo taking for next week and I am so lucky to have a resident model who keeps my spirits up when I am waaaaayyy low on sleep. Anyway, most of you guys won't be at market so I thought I would sneak you a peek of some promotional images.


She looked so grown up and serious in that pic above that I had to include the real her below. How about the antebellum stone columns? They flank the driveway of our across-the-street neighbors who live in a house built in the 1800's. I should go on a photo tour over there sometime, its gorgeous. Their house is called "Dixie Land". Can you imagine your house having a name? Cool.



Okidoki. Time to pretend like I'm sleeping while I think of things I have to do once I'm pretending to be awake.
I'm such a faker.
nite, AM

Just the six of us

In case you think I don't leave the studio I thought I should share proof. I carted 5 children to track and soccer yesterday and employed all the usual accomplices to keep everyone happy...overpriced concession stand stuff. It was a rare day that I actually had cash in my wallet, and no time to pack anything. Well, okay , no time is not rare.



I guess you usually don't see those boys do you? Oh they're always here. Just not modeling the latest Chocolate Lollipop fancy. I can usually feel people looking at us amused when they see us file into anywhere all in a long seemingly endless row of children. Definitely felt that yesterday placing the orders at the concession stand, finding a spot to settle, then beginning the 10 minute opening of all the drinks and snacks.



Isabela has become quite the goalie, barely letting a thing by her. She doesn't miss a thing. She's always been like that.



Juliana has got her 1/2 mile down to well under 3 minutes. Which coincidentally is the same amount of time it has taken her to grow from a baby to a 15 year old track star. The track is not a place to be caught out of style however. I'm not sure she would run if there weren't a totally cool shoe purchase in the deal.



And there's a portrait of me. My Chan Luu bag and a kid bottle of Gatorade. Kinda sums it up. That is my favorite bag, but it's seen better days. I've been thinking lately I should try to make one similar, with all those weird little crafty additions. It's just plain silly and beautiful all at once. I love it.

That was tuesday, hope you're having a good wednesday. xoxo, Anna

Collected Chaos

I finished up all the details on the octagon quilt this weekend. The lovely Vivian Love did the quilting, and may I say she did an amazing job. She employed free motion quilting in a stitch pattern completely dreamed up by her and inspired by my fabrics, says she. I was so thrilled to have a few quiet hours in the studio yesterday to get the binding on, while Jeff braved the afternoon set of soccer games and Juliana's track meet.



So on Sunday all conditions were set for a parade of color across the front lawn led by none other than the girls. We had such beautiful sun and while still in their Sunday frocks from the their mom's hands, they were more than happy to play with mommy's new quilt. Can you find the sweetie feeties above?



Oh there's another set!

I know that some prefer not to stomach this much bold pattern all smushed and pushed together in one quilt. It is an eye or two full isn't it? It just satisfies me to see the order that's forced upon unruly fabrics when you cut them up and put them into a geometric quilt such as this. It's like storming into the playroom to brake up the loud chaos and telling all the rowdy kids to sit in a nice neat row and keep there mouths shut. And they do it, only they're all still looking at you like they'll bust out with a belly laugh any minute. Not that I would know anything about that. I'm just sayin'. Those fabrics look like they're about to giggle. Have I just been looking at them too long?



Isabela had a grand idea.



Make like cocoons and wait until they feel some new wings itching at their backs, then fly away and on to the next adventure.

Yes, good idea, indeed.

xo,AM

Selective Striping

I've been having a bit of a love affair with saffron yellow for a while. I'm dropping it here there and everywhere in my design work and a dash around the house and studio too.



Hey, I said saffron, where'd that pink and lilac come from!? They were hiding. I chose to nudge them out with some thoughtful pleats. That was fun, let's do it again.



Ah, yes a beach-y glass-y green. Pretty.



Peek-a-blue!

I thought of it in my sleep the other night as a clever way treat these fabrics or any nice thick stripes for that matter. It was all I could do to not hop up and light the midnight oil. Actually it was well after 2 am, what do you burn then? Probably just calories. Anyway, just join the same color stripe edge to edge and stitch hiding their non-spotlight color friends in the pleat.

I'm thinking if placed over little girl bellies, you'll know they've been fed if the colors in hiding make an appearance. Some days a material clue that we remembered to feed them would be helpful.

'kay back to work, just had to show ya.

xoxo,AM

Prayers

It's both hard to read the news and hard to not read the news. Most of my prayers today are in Virginia. May God heal and bless all those affected by this tragedy. Remember hope in these days after Easter.

640

Oh. My. Word. Is fabric getting really expensive or something?

Chocolate Lollipop officially has a life of it's own, which does this designer proud. You guys are amazing. And smart too! I don't know how many comments I got that said I would need more than a Ball Jar. Duh. What was I thinking? I'll tell ya what I was thinking. I was thinking, oh this'll make for some good fun so I can work on my book for the whole week and not have to post again until Monday. That was until I hit around 400 something in comments and started thinking of cutting up all those strips of comments. Even my husband, Mr. Computer Programmer in the Biostatistics Research Department at Vanderbilt, looked at me like I was crazy when I insisted on the old-fashioned method.



I just figured, that's what I said I was gonna do, so it was the least I could do to cut those little suckers up after you sillies said so many nice things. Not that I prompted you or anything. But oh my gosh, I really did want to respond to each and every one of you! You had me laughing so hard at times. Telling me I stink. That was funny! (funny, right?) Reading all of them was a very necessary distraction from the hours spent starting my book. And the additional thoughts added to my heart for Juliana, too. Anyway, let's get to it.



Click on the picture! Click on the picture! You might make out your name on those strips!!!

But if you can't here are the winners posted with their links, comments, and time:

Jen said... I would love to use some of that fabric in a quilt! 11:37 PM

Liz Cadorette said...First things first -- I was behind on my blog reading and when I saw your easter post with Juliana's close call, my heart nearly stopped on your behalf. What a miracle and a joy that she was essentially unhurt and came home safely! I am a former volunteer EMT, and I know what a nightmare such events can be; I am so glad that she is all right, and here to take lovely pictures of her Mama! Secondly; not only am I still here, your blog (okay, and Heather's) are the first ones I click when Bloglines says you've spoken up on any given day. You inspire me to continue trying to get to the place where I am financially able to be the stay-at-home-but-still-working mom I have always wanted to be, and to live a truly creative, joyful life. So thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Here endeth the de-lurk. :) 11:41 AM

Lilorfnannie said... Lovely! Lovely *what*? Lovely Everything!! ---And, you're going to need a BIG jar!! 3:37 PM

Nichole said... Wow, so generous of you! I of course will have to throw my name into the hat along with all these other gals. What a way to get some blog comments! Thanks for all 100 of your inspirational posts. 9:13 AM

Please email me privately with your address and all your freaking out to receive your goodies.



So from Sunshine's very first comment to Bethany's very last this morning, I promise you were all in there. (Sorry if any of you posted after that, had to draw the line somewhere!) Suddenly the generous feeling of giving away four stacks went to not feeling so generous when I saw all those names. It's like having only one cold popsicle left in the freezer on a hot summer day and five sweaty hot kids who have to draw straws for it. Not that you're sweaty or anything.

But never fear, there is more than one Pop in my fridge, and I will likely have more giveaways. (It was just so stinkin fun!) Not to mention you'll be able to purchase them in a matter of weeks, more on that later.

Wow. Wish I could send stacks to all of you. Really.
Now I think a paper mache project is on order.
xoxo, AM

100th post give-away!!

Who is in that window? And what's that in her hands?

Okay. No more goofy guessing. You know it's me holding a stack of sweets. And that's our little playhouse outside we built a few summers ago. I should show you more of that one of these days.

Can you believe that this post was 100 posts ago? I certainly can't. I'll tell you what else I can't believe, is that you're still here. And more of you! And that apparently I haven't completely talked your head off and made you run away.



I'm feeling generous and tried to think of all the fun little things I could make you do to win yourself some sweet stacks. But I figure, just leave me a comment, any old comment, even "Anna you stink" and I will throw your name in a hat (or likely a Ball jar). Monday I will post 4 winners whose comments I've pulled out of the hat, errrh, jar. You heard me, 4 ! Winners will receive a fat-quarter stack of either of the two color ways of Chocolate Lollipop.

Also you could tell my sweet Juliana what a gorgeous job she did on the pics! Isn't she good? She also gave me a piece-y fun new hair cut a while ago, that has me feeling especially hip since it passed the 15yr-old style icon test.

Also, a most sincere thank you from the whole family for your thankfulness of her safety and your considerate outpouring of emotion after our close call. She is doing great, and thinks you guys are really nice too. Thanks for giving me a such a welcome place to share the good and bad, the dull and colorful, and for peering into my window every now and then.

Now get to commenting!

xoxo,AM

Xristos Anesti!

I hope that you all had a beautiful Easter weekend! We traveled a short ways to my parents' house on the river in east Tennessee to join my brother George, my sister Eleni, and their darling families. Ten little sets of cousin feet stomped in happiness all through the house for three days as we hunted eggs, ate cake, wiped away sleepiness for a midnight church service and celebrated a beautiful Easter together. Those bright and beautiful eggs were meant to be shared with you last week. We had a bit of a snag on Thursday. Our precious Juliana was a passenger in her friend's car when they were hit head-on by a drunk driver.



It was the tearful phone call no parent wants to get, and by the grace of God she and her friend both walked away a little banged up, dizzy, but no broken bones. I've never been so happy to see bruises on her because the biggest marks left on her were from the seatbelt she thankfully was wearing. Everything you would imagine went through my head and heart but mostly we are all feeling very fortunate. An off-duty fireman just happened to witness the whole thing and was able to rush over and call the police and be with them until they arrived. The oncoming drivers had more serious injuries, but non-life threatening, and were taken to the hospital. That's all I have to say there.

Juliana's been sore and tired since it happened but is her resilient, funny self. We even managed to steal away from the crowded family house on Saturday afternoon for some last minute Easter dress shopping. I think it was a necessary, joyful time for the two of us alone. With each frock she tried on my nerves settled more and I've never been so happy to be with her. Her dress is a beautiful blue that matched the little bruise on her precious cheek.

I spent lots of time on my parents' floor, amid the happy chaos of cousins, finishing the Lollipop quilt. Another grounding and calming way to feel safe and at ease. All the light that streams through those river reflected windows gave me a brilliant spot to work in. It most perfectly represented the Light we received this particular Easter. I hope you caught a glimmer of it too. xo,AM

Prints & plants & patios

Eeked out one more quilt top recently in preparation to show at Quilt Market. I dashed into the patio yesterday to photograph it as the light was so beautiful after a wacky raining while it's still sunny stint. Maybe you've noticed a sliver of it up in that new banner? I thought I would only do the Chocolate Lollipop quilt that I designed for the collection. I received a copy of Quilter's Companion Australia and saw this gorgeous octagonal quilt, and HAD to try. It was great fun. Those sweet folks are actually doing a feature on lil' ole me for the summer issue. Hi Aussie lovies!



Our brick patio comes right off the back of the kitchen, and it is slowly coming to life this spring. I usually try to put as many flowers out there as I can hide in the grocery bills all through the spring and summer. But I wanted to do something a little different this year. Appreciate green. And variations on green. Even I, who must wear blossom blinders while driving by the nursery or picking up lightbulbs at Home Depot, just may pass up putting petals on the patio. I'm going plant-y. It's a great way to play with textures, shapes, scales, and different tones. I also found some loverly inspiration, that kinda looks like my patio minus the 400$ pots.



Green is good. Even though our lawn may boast twice as many patches of clover and dandelions as actual grass, it's green, wet, and new today, and all is right with the world.

I would say the most heavy duty piecing I've ever done is that orchard stone patio. The only word I can think of to describe what we did that summer is whew. It's a wavy form about 30 feet in length and about 13 feet at it's widest point. Underneath we had to dig down a foot and fill will gravel, then with sand, then lay the stones (in perfect Anna order which required lots of pulled neck and shoulder muscles), then (no!) level the stones. It was worth it.



We enjoy chilly spring breakfasts with blankets on the picnic table in here. Before long we'll be waiting till after dark for a cool breezy dinner after long days in the sun. Jeff and I have a favorite coffee couch in the morning too. I'll try to share more of our teeny greeny oasis soon. I've got 4 dozen eggs boiling!

xo,AM

Color by number

You guys are so nice! Thank you so much for all the encouragement for my next big ta-da! Wowee! I also learned another friend of sorts will be write there with me. (I'm doing it again, I have a tendency towards the puns, which I either need to embrace or abandon).



Wondering what's up with all the colors? Just a little studio task I checked off the list today (long, long list, speaking of books). These are my home made color chips.



Whenever I design a collection of product, the art is usually turned over to the manufacturer in the form of a digital file on disc. But many times more than one type of factory will be producing the collection so you need to give them a matching system so that all the colors are cohesive in the end. In this particular case, we're coordinating the manufacture of rugs and needlepoint pillows in China with table linens in India. Rather challenging, I must say. Lots of people use the Pantone system, and call out numbers to get it right. I prefer just painting it. Dunno why. Anyway-boring? Oh sorry. Just a little design education and the colors were so pretty and springy I thought I would share. Me and color. I completely trust color.



Well I trust it right up until it reminds me a have a bag of these in the car. Naughty naughty colors that evoke candy! But you know that's what I do when I am very busy! Which reminds me, my Chocolate Lollipop range is up on the Free Spirit site now. So go jot down your favorites and start planning ahead. Overall the images on the site look less intense and bright than they are in real life. All the images here and there around the blog and such are more accurate.

Anyway, g'nite. xoxo,AM