The Winners Are!

Geoff did the drawing... and the winners are:

Ginny Worden
MJinMichigan

Please email your addresses to : joyce@geoffsmompatterns.com and your prizes will be on their way.

Free patterns ladies!

This is how I feel today!

This year the holidays have come around so fast. I thought this pillow Norma designed says it all. "SIMPLIFY". This year I have asked my family to donate clothes, blankets, and such to the "Road Home" (a homeless shelter). I listen to the stories of people who are in need and it touches me deeply. Most of us have way too much stuff! It is time to give to those in need. I am going to a family Christmas party tonight and I am planning on filling up Auntie Joyce's sleigh with all the coats, shoes, socks, blankets it can possibly hold because Norma and I are headed to the Road Home. It is time to give and not just receive.

I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season. Enjoy your family and friends and, of course,  HAPPY QUILTING MY FRIENDS!!!

Journal patterns and giveaway!

Looking for a quick Christmas gift? You can make one of our journal covers quite fast:
- Bird Nesting
- Fall’s In The Air
- Flower Power
- Blue Bird
- Don't Count Sheep
- Wisdom
- Wise Owl
- Peace
- Apple Tree
- Rejoice

Thanks for the comments friends. Keep them coming. We are planning on drawing for our giveaway on Dec. 25 (thought that might be a good day to give presents... wink wink).

Happy Holidays to you all!

Fly Me Away

I love to take vacations. I work for Continental Airlines and love to fly to fun new places.  When I started making this quilt with all the "flying geese" blocks (736 yikes) I kept thinking about when and where I wanted to Fly Me Away to next. I love to make quilts with lots of pieces as you can tell by a few of my quilts. My quilts are like eating an elephant... take one bite at a time.. and before you know it you are finished.

I think it is about time we have another giveaway! Leave a comment on the blog and you could be the winner. We will send you a few patterns and a fat quarter or two. Love to hear from all our peeps.

Trunk Show

Norma and I were invited to Alpine, UT to do a trunk show. Their quilt group will be doing our "Sweet and Simple" pattern  as next year's project! This is one of the blocks from the quilt as a new wall hanging pattern.

New Pincushion

Needing to work on some wool so I started a new pincushion.

Booth at Fall Market in Houston!

Three thousand miles later, a successful and overwhelming Fall Market in Houston is behind us. We had visitors from Spain, Brazil, Korea, Austrailia, Belgium, and France. Even though it was satisfying making many new friends it was the visit from old friends that we enjoyed the most. Now, I am not saying they were "old", just our wonderful previous acquaintances.  We are amazed at all of the help and encouragement we have received from other quilters. It feels good to have our work validated. Life is good!

Picking Apples

Every Fall my mother would visit a local apple orchard. There she would pick a variety of apples. There would be apples for eating fresh, apples that would be made into applesauce, and apples for pie and crisp. We would hurry home from school to the aroma of cinnamon and apples cooking. After finding the perfect apple to eat we’d head out to do our farm chores.

Did you know the Johnny Appleseed was not just a legend? He was a real man. He was born John Chapman and was a skilled pioneer nursery man. He traveled around the country spreading his precious trees. Wouldn’t he be pleased about the many varieties we enjoy today? Honey Crisp apples are my favorite!

-Norma

Four Square

This block came about as a result of my doodling on my sketch pad. I had seen something similar in an antique quilt and liked it. This is my version.

-Norma

Surprise inside!

We received a box on the porch. I was so surprised. Look what MODA sent us! I am not sure why but we aren't complaining and we are using these fabrics in lots of our new quilts. Thanks MODA! Love the fabrics!

Mattie's Quilt

Another new quilt.

House Divided block

Norma is out of town so I guess it is up to me to update the blog. She has gone on a fun trip with quilting friends to Ohio. I had to stay home this time because my 85 year old father had a total knee replacement (not fun). He is doing great but I am sure missing my friends! I have been working on getting the new patterns ready for quilt market.

I am so inspired by every block. I have made a few but Norma is incredible. So talented. I hope you are enjoying seeing these blocks. Please click on the image to view 30 blocks. The pattern name is "Sweet and Simple". Have a great day friends. Thanks for stopping by.

-Joyce

Angels Watching Over

I think this is such a great block! Norma is an incredible designer. Each block is different and inspiring. We are getting the pattern ready for Fall Quilt Market in Houston. There are 30 blocks in this sampler quilt. I have been typing the patterns and enjoy reading her quotes and inspirational words. You might even get a recipe or two with your patterns. Watch for the patterns to be out this fall. Oh yes. We will teach this at Elaine's Quilt Block as a block a month. Please join us if you are in the area!

If you are worrying today....

One day at a time is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come.  Live in the present, and make it so beautiful it will be worth remembering.     - Mark Twain

Bunny With Tulip

Once again, another tulip! While I'm on tulips, let me suggest to you a great springtime get away to Pella, Iowa, for their tulip festival. It was a highlight for me the first week in May this past year and I'm hoping to go back this next year also. I like the simplicity of this block with a bunny resting under the tulip. 

-Norma

The Tulip Tree!

Home Est.

Aren't we charming? My poor husband has a rather lopsided shoulder going on. Maybe it's been more of a challenge than I thought living with me all of these years.      -Norma

Pineapple Block

The pineapple will be top row and center, because I love what it signifies. In my research I discovered so many facinating facts connected with the pineapple and early American history which I will share in the pattern.
- Norma

The Barn

This is about me growing up on a farm in Minnesota where we had a red barn, and had cows, pigs and chickens. Our cows were dairy cows and we milked an average of 50 cows. The positive side of this we had thick whipping cream which was useful in making home made ice cream! I love that I grew up on a farm and I cherish the many memories I have from that experience. I also love my connection to the midwest.
- Norma

Angels

I love to think and speculate about the presence of angels all around us, and I also love these words by Longfellow, so it seemed like a likely match to put them together in the creating of this block. This quilt is all put together and is at the quilter’s. We have such a wonderful creative quilter, so I'm looking forward to see the finished quilt.

Love Birds!

I love these birds just because! They remind me of two people in love, looking into each others eyes as they exchange their marriage vows. Every wedding I attend and the simple weddings are my favorite, I always try to make it an occasion to remember my own wedding and feel thankful that I've been fortunate to have married my best friend.
- Norma

More Tulips!

More tulips, what can I say, except I love them. This block is meant to depict springtime lovers! My husband of 38 years and I were married in May, thus the love bird flying over the tulips.
- Norma

Hollyhock Garden

How does your garden grow? My sister lived on a wonderful farm in Illinois and she had a wonderful 3 story farm house with a great big porch, and she had Hollyhocks! I'm the youngest in our family and she was the eldest of 5 children. When she moved to Ill. after marriage, every summer I had lengthy stays at her farm, and those idyllic summers hold some of my fondest memories, and some of those memories include the hollyhocks. This portly little lady in no way depicts my sister! By the way, I've noticed that with all of the wonderful rain we've received here in Utah, the hollyhocks have been beautiful.
- Norma

We love Sheep!

Joyce and I fell in love with sheep while visiting Ireland and Scotland. In making a quilt about the things I love there needs to be sheep.
-Norma

Tulip Block

I'm Dutch, so what can I say? This quilt needs to have tulips!
- Norma

New Pattern Holder

At the last Market in S.L.C. I decided there was definitely a better way to handle our patterns. I had to get down on my hands and knees with my rather not so small backside aimed at the aisle and passerbys.  Now I'm wondering if passerbys is even a word, but I'm certain you get the picture. Needless to say it isn't a pretty picture! On with the story.  Our patterns were stored under a table, so Joyce and I quickly decided that we needed a change. So my talented son, made us a couple of holders with detachable legs for easy packing. We are in the process of deciding what color we want to paint them.

Leslie's Guest Room

This is our "Summer Days" quilt which our friend Leslie made.  She loves how it looks on her guest bed. It is a wonderful summertime quilt.

Bird in a Wreath

Here is another block for you to enjoy. Keep those comments coming. I promise I am putting comments on other blogs too. Thanks friends!

Fun Phone Call!

Our good friends from Homestead Hearth called today to place an order and what did I hear over the phone - - - Woof, woof, woof,.. and then Delores said, "use your inside voice."  How cute is that???
Let me tell you, it made my day! I didn't know dogs had inside voices. A bulldog resides at their store as their mascot. Check out all their fun stuff! I want to go see this shop some day.. it is on my wish list!

http://www.homesteadhearth.com/are-you-kidding-me-quilt-program.htm

Do you ever wonder if anyone reads this?

Norma and I have been doing some posting lately and we are wondering does anyone even read these blogs? I try and leave comments on others blogs just to show I am looking.. but how do we know if we don't leave comments.. OK OK.. enough of my soap box! We sure enjoy the "A" word (applique) no pressure and our stitches are NOT perfect just for our own pleasure.

To Love and Be Loved!

Have a great day friends!

Enjoy some eye candy!

Here is another block for the new Block of the Month pattern coming out soon!

Sneak Preview!!!

Norma has designed a new Block of the Month pattern for Geoff's Mom Pattern Co.

We will show you a few blocks every few days.. Our quilt group is wanting to do this quilt next year. We are excited to get this published and hopefully it will do well at Fall Market!!

Working Weekend?

We love adventure, we stopped, we paused, we pondered, and deliberated..... and then we decided that was more "back to nature" the we were ready for! (Beaver Creek Nudist Ranch)

I have a metal stake in a planter on my patio that states, "Life is Good"... Joyce and I came up to her cabin high in the Uinta Mountains. We passed through 11,000 feet on our way over the summit, where we met 'GIGANTIC' rotary snow blower type machines, snow was being blown to either side, opening a way for cars to pass over the top.
When we arrived at the cabin there was no snow, only meadows of wildflowers; Lupine, columbine, daises, roses and may delicate ferns. The back drop of this is miles and miles of Pine trees and Aspen and Fresh Mountain air.


 

Joyce and I are not going to to be in any pictures because we have chosen to stay in out P.J's. (Joyce snuck this picture in) We spare a brief moment or two for a shower, fresh P.J.'s and a hasty return to the deck where we stitch and watch the birds at the feeders.

A woodpecker, a very energetic and persistant fellow, has pecked a hole into the side of a pine tree big enough to create a cozy home. Here are a few pictures just outside the cabin...

Our departure from this lovely spot is just around the corner. Our stay is never long enough. However, inspiration arrived and our souls have been renewed and most of all we come to the conclusion that our blessings are too numerous to list. Our gratitue bank has been replenished!!!Here's evidence that all snow has to go somewhere! "Majestic"

Love the falls!

Life really is Good!!!!!!