Jonnie's Paper Dolls

My friend Jonnie shared her rendition of the Cozy Quarter's "Paper Dolls" at our annual outdoor quilt show. I was so excited when she brought it in, because she included me as one of her "dolls"! That is me on the bottom right. I think that the Wool Bag should be a little bit bigger though! Isn't it great!!! Phyllis Paul designed the original and we were lucky enough to have her trunk show at the Loft. Jonnie loved hers and decided to try her hand at it.

I always tell my classes that building a Wool Crazy is like playing with paper dolls....remember how long it took to cut out all their clothes??? Yep, just like the appliques...:)))

Well I am off to my studio to do a little work....the last draft of "Crazy at Home" is waiting for me.....Hope your week got off to a great start....Jo Ann

A little bit of Fall and a visit from Renee

Many of you will recognize Renee Plains of Liberty Star. She taught at the Country Loft last weekend and we were lucky enough to have her stay in our home....Here she is standing in the entry.....

There is a great boon to having someone come stay at your home, besides the good company and the fun conversation....and that is a clean house. Just ask my husband Gene. He told Renee on Friday night that he wanted to thank her for coming, because I finally stopped working on the book and you could actually sit on the couch before brushing it off....:))) I had been living off the excuse of construction dust for weeks (why bother cleaning when it would just get covered in dust the next day) I knew that I would have to eventually haul out the dust rags and the vacuum and company always gets it done...

I decided since everything was clean that I should decorate for fall....plus I had pulled apart all my decorations anyway to take photos for the book. I love Fall. I have a birthday in October, so I am lucky enough to get lots of fall decorations for gifts. I have taken just a few photos...I will try to take more later.....This box stands in the entry to our home....

......and this great scarecrow is sitting on a trunk across from it....Notice his great crazy quilt jacket and pants....

I filled a shelf from an old trunk with pumpkins and leaves and this is in front of my fire place. Can you tell that I love crows....They are tucked all around....There is lots more, but this is all I took when I was waiting for Renee Saturday morning....We were off to a little breakfast before she taught at the Loft....

...and now I am off to teach at the Loft....I have 5 on-going Wool Crazy groups and one of them meets this morning..... I hope you all have a great day and find some time for stitching....

My best to you all...Jo Ann

Oh by the way....the bathroom is finally done....and I will take pictures soon so you can see it!

A peek at my new book....

I couldn't believe when I checked my blog today that it had been 5 weeks since I posted!!!! It seems like they have flown by. I was working a lot at the shop getting ready for the outdoor quilt show. Then I was sewing in all the hours I wasn't at the Loft. Finally, I was done with sewing but now I have been busy writing directions for all of my projects.....15 of them for my new book, Crazy at Home.....

I am not quite done with it yet....but it is finally taking shape. On Tuesday, my friend Terri came over and took photos of everything. The first one you see is a close-up of one of the "framed crazies"....

......and this little bird is hanging out in one of the "bag crazies".....

Here are 3 pillows that you will find in the book and in the back is part of a quilt that is in it too......so, I have been busy! Hopefully that is a good enough excuse for not stopping by and saying "Hi". I hope you have enjoyed your "peek"...

Oh and all the while I have been working on the book, my downstairs bathroom is being remodeled....so it is back and forth to the hardware store and decision making time all of the time.....Every day is started with a meeting with the guy who is doing it. He was hoping to be done by now, but has been slowed down by a faulty faucet. We are waiting on replacement of this pesky part! Soon as it is all done I will be posting pictures of it too....

My grandson, Timothy (5) spent the night last night and he has gotten very tired of not being able to use "his" bathroom.....right after he got up I heard the front door open and close....There he was in the front yard (which luckily is surrounded by hedges) peeing. We have 2 other bathrooms, but he decided this was his best bet.

I better get busy and go upstairs to work....and clean my studio. Renee Plains is coming to teach at The Loft tomorrow night and "her bedroom" is a bit of a mess..:))

Hope to be back really soon.....Jo Ann