Creations Sew Clever Quilt Shop Email Archive

The Stitch Mobile's loaded and headed for fun!

Can't wait 'till showtime ~ we'll see everyone!

Our dear vendor-friends, some are old, some are new,

And if YOU can be there, that's wonderful, too!

September 25, 2011

Hi Friends!

We just wrapped up a fun couple days at the Ross County Guild Quilt Show and today I'm unloading, and re-loading the Stitch Mobile for the trek northwest to Des Moines, Iowa, and the fun AQS Quilt Show. We LOVE that show! It's one of the most fun and relatively relaxing shows we do. Iowa is a friendly state and Des Moines is clean and attractive and easy to get around. We have a ball with our vendor-friends, perhaps because we're looking at the wind-down of another long and exhausting season of hauling product, setting shows, being 'on' for 10-12 hours a day, and sleeping and eating differently than when we are home. (less of one, more of the other.....take a guess!). All the vendors seem a bit more relaxed and ready to let-down at the end of the long days. The weather's nice, the customers are super-friendly......just all 'round good times! Next year AQS is moving the summer Knoxville show to Grand Rapids, MI and we're hoping we have the same kind of show there. Plan on coming to see for yourself! That show is August 22-25, 2012.

We had awesome good fun at our September Quilt Away a week ago. I haven't had a minute since to tell you about it. What a super-congenial crowd of quilters! Everyone - including myself and my staff - was chill and relaxed and laid-back. Great memories!! Great friends! Great times! If you want to be part of one of these fun, relaxing, pampering weekends, sign up for the last Quilt Away of the season! It will be October 14-16 at the Christopher Inn in Chillicothe ~ about 2 miles from our shop. The event is catered. Rooms are clean and comfy (no camp beds, bunk beds, camp food.....). There's a lovely indoor pool. We have 24 hour shopping at Creations, and offer a 15% courtesy discount to all who attend (excluding kits). You can work on anything you'd like, or you can request a 'class' or pick up a kit. This weekend is All About You! We have a masseuse as well as a nail tech to pamper you. Really....whether you sew or just hang out and visit ~ we guarantee you'll go home with wonderful memories of a well-spent weekend!! Call if you can come. Weedend is $275 and you may share a room with a friend, or stay by yourself in piece and quiet. Just let me know!

Speaking of fun and pampering....the Last Mystery of the Year is Sunday, October 9 from 11-7. Cost is $115 and that covers a stunning pre-cut generous lap-size (60"x 70") mystery kit in your choice of

colors, an awesome and yummy 3-4 course meal, willing, wonderful wenches who will cheerfully rip and press your quilt as it grows, and the untoppable sense of pride and accomplishment as you take home your finished (unquilted) lap-size quilt. Every time you look at it or snuggle under it you'll remember where you were and who you were with. Solve a big mystery, tantalize your taste buds, stitch up a memory and join us for this day of fun, friends and food!

I've been typing the fingerprints off of my fingers lately, writing patterns for some of the fun-but-weird-looking Creative Grids rulers we sell. If you've seen me lately, you've probably seen some of the gorgeous quilts I've made with them. October 8 I'll have a class using the Storm-At-Sea ruler. There's no charge for the class as long as you purchase the pattter/ruler/fabric from our shop. Pattern makes a quilt from wall-hanging size to queen.

I've another class on Saturday, October 22, called Curvalicious. However, it's full-to-bursting, sew stay-tuned and I'll schedule it again very soon. You can see it on our website if you click on that class on the October calendar.

I've several other patterns currently being written, as well as a lot of them on the back burner. One of the big projects I'm into is designing and writing my next book. All of the patterns in the book will be made with the little Creative Grids 5-Square Templates that are used with charms and 5" strips or scraps. Since I'm still in the designing and planning stage, I'd like to ask if there is anything YOU would like to see in this book? Pretend YOU have to write this....what would your focus or theme be? I'm still tossing that around in my head. I welcome suggestions and if I use your ideas I'll mention you and your idea in the book!

We'll be having 2 new Block-A-Month programs beginning early 2012. One will be done using the Creative Grids 5-Square Templates, and one will be done in reproduction fabrics and small pieced blocks. Our Underground Railroad continues to chug along and we will continue that BOM program. And Becky Wilson is still working on the yummy-gorgeous wool blocks for the Bed Rug she's been doing as a block-a-month.

Charlotte is on a tear to teach some evening classes! She's excited! We're excited! I'm betting you ALL will be excited! We've not done evening classes for awhile and have had interest and requests....sew watch our calendar and my e-mails to see what's next!

Lately we've had loads of gorgeous new fabrics arriving at the shop, as well as new kits and bali-pops. The kits have been ordered and re-ordered and have STILL not made it to our sales floor. Staff purchased them, customers in the shop as they were delivered and unpacked purchased them. Sew.....we've ordered again. Any day now we should receive another box of The Grinch Christmas lap quilt kits. Stop in or call if you're interested. I guarantee they won't be around long!

I mentioned (okay, I whined..) in my last newsletter about the problems we've been having with our e-mail deliveries. Beginning next e-mail we'll be using a different provider and I'm super-excited as it will allow me to add pictures and other features that will make it a bit more like a blog....yet it will still be just my same-old newsletter....hopefully just a little improved! I'll be able to see who does not receive the e-letter and will be able to adjust if necessary.

LInda is still happily hosting our monthly JEF Club. It's a great network of machine embroidery friends who meet here monthly to share ideas and hints and work on gorgeous projects. Give us a call or e-mail if you'd like more information about this fun gang. They meed one Thursday or one Saturday per month.

Each Quilt Away I have an awesome caterer who provides amazing evening meals for our peeps. However I make the lunch for Saturday. I promised eveyone from the last fun event that I'd share my recipes with them, sew here you go! Enjoy!!

My Friend Charlotte’s Fast & Fabulous Tortilla Soup

15-oz jar salsa, your choice

1 onion, chopped and sautéed

2 – 15oz cans chicken broth

4-6 chicken breasts ~ roasted, stewed or steamed, and chopped

(If you cook these in a small amount of water, add this broth to the soup)

2 cans each: Cream of Celery soup

Cream of Chicken soup

Cream of Mushroom soup

Cheddar Cheese soup

1 can chopped green chilies

15oz can of diced tomatoes with jalapeño peppers

optional additions: 15oz can corn, drained

15oz can red or black beans, rinsed and drained

garnish with tortilla chops and shredded cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients together (except garnishes) in large stock pot. Heat over medium high heat, stirring frequently until soup is blended well. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Continue to cook for 30-60 minutes or until heated through. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese

Rita’s Super-Easy Smoked Sausage Soup

1 lb sleeve of Polish sausage, smoked sausage, kielbasa, or cooked sausage of your choice. Chop into bite-size pieces

1 lg can Veg-All veggies for stew, drained

2 -15oz cans of beef or chicken broth

15oz can stewed or diced tomatoes (undrained)

3 onions, rough-chopped

1 small head of cabbage, peeled, cored and chunked

In large stock-pot, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer all day. Serve with crusty bread.

Oriental Slaw

1 bag slaw mix

2 green onions/scallions, chopped fine, including green tops

1 pkg beef flavored Ramen noodles

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup veg. oil

2 T sugar

1/4 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped

½ cup Craisins (cranberry raisins)

In large bowl toss slaw mix, scallions, apple, craisins and sunflower seeds. In jar with tight-fitting screw top shake vigorously to mix sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil and the flavor packet from the Ramen noodles. Pour over slaw mixture, crunch up Ramen noodles and toss all together thoroughly. Serve immediately. (hint: if you make this a day ahead, wait until just before serving to add crunched noodles and sunflower seeds.)

Dilly Herb Bread

(for bread maker)

¼ cup milk

¼ cup water

1 egg

3 cups bread flour

1 ½ tsp salt

3 T sugar

¾ cup lowfat cottage cheese

1 small onion, minced

2 T dried dill weed

1 tsp crushed rosemary

1 T dried parsley flakes

1 T active dry yeast

Place all ingredients in bread pan. Select Light Crust setting and press Start. If you would rather just let the dough rise in the bread maker, you can bake your loaf in a pre-heated oven 350* for 1 hr.

Buttermilk Cheese Bread

1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or 4T dry buttermilk powder and 1 1/4 cups water)

3 cups bread flour

1 ½ tsp salt

2 T sugar

3/4 cup finely shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese

1T active dry yeast

I didn't actually make the Peach Dumpling, but thought it would give you a completely rounded meal to include dessert!

Easy Peach Dumpling

1 can peach pie filling

1 box yellow cake mix

1 – 4oz can crushed pineapple

½ cup melted butter

In 9x13 casserole dish, layer peach pie filling, cake mix, crushed pineapple and drizzle melted butter over all. Bake at 350* 25 min, or until golden. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Here's a Laci-NO update ~ She's coming right up on 9 months now and her energy and intelligence grow exponentially ~ daily! Lately we've begun throwing the frisbee for her and now she's over-the-moon obsessed with it! She'd rather chase that frisbee than eat dinner! It's really amazing to watch her run and crouch and jump and twist....ahhhhh....to be young again! I keep thinking this will tire her out....but noooooo. Too bad we can't get 'energy transplants"! She'd be a great donor!

If you've ever wondered what our life-on-the-road is like with the Stitch Mobile and friends.....check out this week's blog ~ creationssewclever.blogspot.com. You can live vicariously thru us....while sitting comfortbly at home in your favorite chair!

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." Saint Augustine

I'm working on builing a library! Have a wonderful autumn week! Your friend in running stitches, Rita