Work'in on it Wednesday, Folk-Art Fusion

Hi there! Happy leap year day!

I've been a busy bunny around these parts. This is my newest Folk-Art Fusion piece for my book Briarside Lane (available in late May, bunny ears crossed). I'm giving a lecture on it March 12th to the Forsyth Piecers and Quilters Guild in Winston-Salem, NC. I can hardly wait!

Each piece in my book will have something to do with what is happening down Briarside Lane. This wallhanging shows that "All Paths Point to Carrots" and that's the name of this quilt. The idea came to me early one morning and I really love how it turned out. It was so fun to work on.

Like I mentioned last week, my Folk-Art Fusion technique features hand stitching, wool applique and machine quilting. It's fun to do, you don't need any fancy equipment, and it's portable! I really don't like being tied to a sewing machine all the time. Plus, hand stitching is very relaxing to me.

So how are your Harrington and Hannah blocks coming? Have you joined the Flickr group? I would love to see them. Sign up is on the right.

Have a fun day!
xx, Michelle

Scenes from the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival

Hi there! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I sure did! The quilt festival was fabulous! So much to see and so much inspiration!

For the next couple of weeks, on Monday, I'll be sharing some photos of some of my favorite quilts. I will list the maker(s) of the quilts as well as the name of the quilts. I think it's important to give credit to the folks that created these beautiful pieces. Like music, I like a bunch of different styles, so there should be a quilt favorite for everyone!

So let's hop to it shall we? :)

Of course, I have to start out with a critter quilt. Last year there were lots of bunny quilts. This year, I didn't see any! Poo... but, this quilt caught my eye and made me smile big! It's thread painted. Cool huh? I could just about kiss those noses! hee,hee,hee.  It's called "Look Who's Coming," and it was made by Deborah Droog from Forest VA. It made me think of my friend, Jeri Landers and her donkeys!

Next was this lovely applique quilt by Cissa Kamakura and Jan Struble of Chapel Hill, NC called "Birding." I loved the folky style and colors.

Then was this amazing quilt made by Kristin Vierra, Joahn Walman, Gloria Miller, Marie Clark and Sandi Kosch from Lincoln, NE. This quilt is called "Magic of the Rose." It is huge and absolutely stunning to see in person. See all the rose quilting?

Here's a close up of the roses and the Swavorski crystals on the roses. The whole piece sparkled in the light.

This was an amazing quilt made by Monika Scola from Ewa Beach, HI. It's called, "Welcome! E Komo Mai!" I love the flip flops!

Check out all the dimensional leaves, the butterfly, the lizard and all that quilting. It was so textural.

Finally for this week is a quilt made by Mary Chalmers of Wilmar, MN called, "In Praise of Wool." Since I'm having a love affair with wool now, this quilt truly got my attention.

Look at all the detailed stitching! Awesome!

So, are you inspired? Which is your favorite?

xx, Michelle
p.s. yes, the bunnies and papa were a bunch of slackers and lounged around the whole weekend.  ;)

Happy Friday!

"Hi there! Harrington here. It's that time of year again. The time of year when Mama say's she needs to go do something fun and get over the 'boring' of winter time."

"Yes, every year at this time Mama hops in the Bunnymobile and heads to Hampton Virginia for the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival. She takes lots of photos and she'll be sharing them with you next week."

"It's a wonderful show filled with beautiful quilts and lots of shopping opportunities. She's been attending this show since 1992 and would love to be an instructor one year teaching you Folk-Art Fusion."

"What's that you ask? What will Hannah and I be doing while Papa is in charge here at The Raspberry Rabbits?"

"I'm not going to do anything Harrington."
"Me neither Hannah. I bet Papa won't do anything either. Mama will call all of us a bunch of slackers."

Happy Friday!
Harrington and Hannah

Work'in on it Wednesday

In Monday's post, I told you about being snuggled up under my new alpaca throw while I stitched.

Well this is what I was stitching! This is another Folk-Art Fusion piece I have just finished!

Folk-Art Fusion is a combination of hand stitching, machine quilting and wool applique.

Here's a close up of the primitive stitched border. I use my Valdani 3 strand floss for this and the wool applique stitching.

Several of you have asked about a release date for my book, Briarside Lane. (I couldn't reply to you as you are "no-reply comment bloggers and have no email address) As of today, it looks like it will be ready by the end of May. There will be 15 patterns in the book. I'm so excited!!

I'm still toying with the idea of making it an e-book as well as a printed book. I know that so many people have Kindle's and ipads now. I have to admit that I'm still kinda old school and I really love the feel of real book in my hand.

What are your thoughts on e-patterns and books? Which do you prefer?

xx, Michelle

Time to Snuggle In

Hi there! Hope you had a good weekend! It was pretty cold around these parts. I spent most of my weekend stitching a Folk-Art Fusion piece in this chair.

A while back my dear friend, Jade from Zen of Bun made me a scarf from Alpaca wool. I love that scarf and wear it all the time as I'm always freezing! I really don't warm up until it's about 90 degrees!

I asked Jade if she could make me a throw for my chair from the same wool. Indeed she could and this is the gorgeous pattern she created! I loooooooooove it!! It's sooooooooooo soft and soooooooo warm!  I sat all snuggled up in my chair and stitched and stitched.

Inside the package with the throw, was a gift from my nephew, Mickey.

Mickey gave me two handmade charms! One of his fuzzy little butt and one of cousins Harrington and Hannah! Aren't they fun! I love them!

These charms were handmade by our talented jewelry artist and bunny friend, Donna Swan of Lavender Rabbit Studio.

While visiting Donna's blog the other week, I saw this incredible necklace! I have this thing for clocks and watches and love to collect them. I knew I just had to get that necklace! So I hopped over to her Etsy Shop to get it!

Donna sent my necklace wrapped up so pretty and even sent gifties for the bunnies to play with! Of course, those have been chewed to bits now.

Then she surprised me with this gorgeous necklace too! Isn't it cute!

Thank you soooooooooo very much Jade, Mickey and Donna for all these wonderful treasures! Now it's time to snuggle in and get some stitching done.

Have a fun day!
xx, Michelle

Happy Friday!

"Hello and happy Friday! We've had a very busy week around Bunnyville. Papa had surgery on his elbow Tuesday. Mama said, 'it wasn't exactly what she had in mind for a Valentines gift,' but she's glad Papa's arm will be ok in a few months.

Then Mama made a huge mess all over the couch. She likes to lay out fabrics and put colors together. She's been working on lots of new Folk-Art Fusion pieces for her book Briarside Lane.

Here's one color combination. More muted.

Here's the other color combination. More bright.
Which one do you like best?"

"Hi there! Have you been working on your next Harrington and Hannah block? There are already some photos posted to the Flickr group (see sidebar link). We would love to see them!
Ok, Mama needs to get her butt back in this chair and get to work. Hee, hee,hee"

"I hope she doesn't make us put all that fabric away."

Happy Friday!
xx, Harrington and Hannah

The Adventures of Harrington and Hannah Block 2

Yippeeee! It's here! Block 2 in The Adventures of Harrington and Hannah! Every month Harrington and Hannah will be sharing about kindness, giving and the spirit of friendship.

This month Harrington and Hannah plant seeds of kindness, water them with hugs and kisses and watch love grow!

We are sooooooooooooo very excited to have you stitching along with us! Please join the Flickr group (see the sidebar) and share your blocks with us! Show and Tell is just so much fun!

Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you that have purchased kits for this project. Your excitement over this makes us smile soooooooooo very big! We just got another shipment of the floss, wool and fabric in if you are just now joining us.

Hop over to our SHOP and get this months block and instructions!

Happy Stitching!
xx, Michelle, Harrington and Hannah

Dieter the Dragon, Bunnies and a Reminder

Well hi there! Is it me or did the weekend just fly by? Are you ready for Wednesday and block two of The Adventures of Harrington and Hannah? I AM!!! I"M SO EXCITED I COULD POP!!!

Ok... I may have to go to decaf coffee in the morning. hee,hee,hee.

I wanted to show you the cutest things I got! I have long admired the folk art of my friend Deb, of Paxton Valley Folk Art. The other week I was visiting her blog and I saw Dieter the Dragon!

Isn't he the cutest thing?! I could hardly hit the purchase button fast enough! Since this is the year of the dragon and I love Deb's art, I just had to have him!

When Dieter arrived, he brought along a little friend, Miss Patchwork Bunny. Dieter was so glad she came to live here in Bunnyville too. (He's kissing her ears, not trying to eat her. Although the look on her face say's she's not happy with all his slobber.)

Thank you Deb! I just love them and I'm so excited to have your wonderful folk art in my home!

Then I got this surprise from Mary Flynn of Quilt Hollow! This gorgeous quilt mat!

Mary is an incredible Long Arm Quilter. I love this design so much, I'm sending her some fabric to have her quilt the design for some pillows. Cool huh? Thank you Mary! I love this mat and have the perfect spot for it! Hop over and visit Mary if you have a quilt you need quilted. She does excellent work!

Alrighty then, back to work for me. Have a fun day and I'll see you Wednesday with the next Harrington and Hannah block! Woo hoo!!!!

xx, Michelle

Happy Friday!

"Harrington this is so embarrassing! What am I gonna do?"

"What are you talking about Hannah?"

"Uhhhh...Hello!! The way my fur shed on my butt! It looks like I'm wearing thong underwear!

"Oh, don't worry Hannah. It will be gone when all your new fur comes in. Everything will be fine. You'll see."

"Well then, in the meantime, do you think I could get a modeling job with Victoria's Secret?"

Happy Friday!
xx, Harrington and Hannah

Work'in on it Wednesday

I'm having the best week! No reason in particular, just a fabulous week! How about you?

I got the borders put on this Folk-Art Fusion piece. I've quilted the background and now I'm hand stitching the borders. I love the hand stitching the most. I tend to get tense when I machine quilt the background. I have to do breathing exercises and keep telling my shoulders to "relax, relax, relax!" hee,hee,hee.

I'm not sure what I want to name this one. Any ideas?

Then, I got some new fabrics and new Valdani 3 strand floss. Can we say "LOVE IT!!"  My mind is going crazy with ideas for this. I'm gonna try to get some sketches done this weekend. I've got some wool coming too that will go perfectly with these. Happy Bunny Dance!

So what are you work'in on?

xx, Michelle

A gift of pillows!

I received a wonderful gift in the mail last week!

Judy Clark of 20 Northora sent me an email saying she wanted to make me a pillow for the bench in the "friends entry" of my house. How sweet is that?!

Well, she didn't make just one pillow, she made three and one of them has Harrington and Hannah on it! Woo hoo! Aren't they beautiful?

I know she said they were for my bench, but I have this wicker chair in my living room that was rather lonely.

I think the pillows look perfect here don't you?

Hop over and visit Judy in her etsy shop. She has so many pretty pillows! Thanks so much Judy! I love them!

xx, Michelle and the Bunnies