I made it through Christmas!

I'm so glad the Christmas holiday is over. This year I tried not to be a big scrooge for my kids sake. One day I caught an episode of Paula Dean's Holiday Cookie Swap. A bright light went off in my head and I said, "hey I can do that". I emailed a couple of my work buddies and set a date for December 22nd. I was originally going to just swap cookies and serve hot coco and hot apple cider but my friends are more of the party bunch. One friend email me back and said she was going to make pina colodas and I jumped right in and made my famour Hot Spiced Apple Cider (see previous post on this recipe). Then I remember that I had this eight pound ham that I needed to make. And then I couldn't just serve ham and cookies, right? Well you get the idea, I made a full meal for everyone. We had ham, spinach & art. dip, potato salad and dijon mustard marinated chicken drumetts.

The girls brought their own ginger bread house kit and set the house up. Gradually things started disapearing on and around the house. By the second day, the house was dismantled and the icing was gone!

You see the cup holding up the roof? They had some structural problems. LOL

I grab some cheap bags from our local grocery store right before the holidays not really sure on what I was going to do with them. They came in handy when I packaged my cookies up with some tissue paper and some ribbon.

Cookie Swap Bags

I have only one down note this holiday. I forgot to dress my dog up in her christmas skirt and hat for the guest. I know she was happy that I forgot but we only ask her to dress up once a year. Oh well, I'll get her next year!!

Have a creative day,
Tracy & Girls
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

Getting back to normal

I am so sorry that I haven't blogged in two months. First of all, I couldn't possible bring myself to blog because I still haven't finished quilting Teresa's table runner. Well today I can finally say, I'm done! I want to thank Teresa for her patience and understanding. I was caught up with finishing out my last week with school before the winter break. I also did my first craft fair a couple of weeks ago. I think I did pretty good for a one day show my girlfriend was holding at her job. I sold ten items, wow!!!

Anyway, check out what I got in the mail: (click on the picture to make larger)

It's a thank you note from the girls at LizzieBCre8ive . I participated in the Breast Cancer Awareness giveaway but I was really suprised when I got a PERSONALIZED thank you note. It made me feel special.

Anyway, I'm off to do some more sewing and will write more tomorrow.

Tracy & Girls
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

Our Fall Contest Has A Winner!

Wow, I can't believe all the great stories I received for our Fall Giveaway Contest.
OK, my winner for the table runner is...

Teresa from MoonVally Quilter

Teresa I will contact you via email so I can get this quilt out to you.

Thank you all for participating. This was so much fun.
_____________________________________________

Looking for some great holiday recipes? The Armchair Chef is doing their annual Halloween kickoff. I shared with them my recipe for Hot Spiced Apple Cider. This truely is some good stuff!

Well, I've been very busy. I got one t-shirt quilt I'm doing for a customer, writing directions for my Poseable Posies pattern, correcting my boo boo on the fall giveaway, and doing a new applique quilt. In the next few days I'll post some pictures of this applique quilt. This is my first quilt doing applique with MANY pieces. I even did them the traditional way by needle turn, wow. I think it turned out OK.

Have a creative day,
Tracy & Girls
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

Fall into Fall Giveaway

Fall is here! Yes even in Texas. We are having cool mornings and cool nights. This is my favorite time of year, however I do miss seeing the different colors of leaves in the Northeast.

OK, now for the good stuff. A bunch of quilt bloggers are hosting a Fall into Fall Giveaway. Quilt bloggers everywhere are giving away free stuff!! The catch is you have to post on each blog but thats not too bad for free stuff, right?

So you ask, what am I giving away? I'm giving away the Christmas/Holiday table runner (see photo). I will HAND QUILT this table runner with a holiday theme and apply matching binding. To get your name in the drawing for this table runner, just answer the following question:

Tell me about your funniest or silliest Fall memories

Alright, good luck and I hope to see some really funny stuff:-)

Have a creative day,
Tracy & Girls
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

PS I just noticed in my photo that I have some blocks that are turned the wrong way, OMG! OK this will be my funniest Fall memory. Anyway, If you are the winner of this table runner, I will fix my booboo.

Summer Vacation, Part II

This post is title Summer Vacation, Part II but it should be titled "How I survived My Summer Vacation Driving Across Country with My Mother!"

One of our summer highlights was traveling to New Jersey via car. Well we really didn't have a choice on whether to fly or go by car. Gas prices were just ridiculous! I believe the going airfare for one was $500 and we had to times that by four. Sometimes I can be math challenged but I knew that figure just wasn't going to work in my budget. Anyway, our passengers consist of my two girls, me and my mother. This sounds like a nice family outing but beware of traveling long distances with your mother!

Armed with map, snacks and kids we were off on the road around 2 am Texas time. Our plan was to get to Little Rock before lunch time traffic. I was the driver (dear mother can't see in the dark) and mother was the "map person". Everything was just fine until my mother decided that Mapquest didn't know what they were talking about and she remembered going another way before (10 years ago). I don't know about you, but I do know that highways have been put up and taken down within 10 years…ugh! So in order to keep the peace we went her way and yes we got lost. You would think she learned her lesson, right? I don't think so…

Well after a long day of getting lost and eating snacks, we decided to stop for the day and start out tomorrow fresh. Our first stop was Days Inn. Now, I'm not a hotel snob but when I stay on the road I just want the basic necessities like a clean bed, working phone and TV. We should have known we were in trouble when we picked up the telephone receiver and didn't get a signal! Entering into the bathroom, I was greeted with flashing light bulb that gave you a headache just looking at it and the walls had big gashing holes. My oldest daughter pulls back the bed sheets and screamed, "This looks like a crime scene! Look at all these stains on the bottom of the box spring!" We can laugh about this now but we couldn't wait to get out of Days Inn. I think we were traumatized and from that day on whenever we see a billboard for Days Inn boos and hisses erupt throughout the car.

My next post will cover the second leg of our trip. Until then please enjoy some of the pictures I took. The first photo is a sunset on the road and no I'm not driving. But are we going to right way? (Dear mother is driving)

The first photo is titled: Are we going the right way?

Until we chat again, have a creative week!

Tracy

www.3bgirlsquilts.com

And the Winner is...

Sorry this post is a day late. I've been suffering from a sinus infection and my head seems to be swimming in a bowl of pea soup.

The girls and I have selected a winner for our pattern naming contest. Drum roll please...and the winner is Joanne V with the name of "Poseable Posies". Joanne please contact me so I can get your copy of Amazing Stars to you.

I want to thank everyone who posted or emailed me. We received some really great ideas on names so thanks again.

OK now I'm going to go back to laying on the couch and hope my head stops spinning:-(

Until then, have a creative weekend!

Tracy
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

What we did this summer

This post has been a long time coming. Since the girls and I got out of work and school we have been on the go. Our first trip was to the Texas Hill Country. We camped out for three days and cooked on the grill everyday.

And we had to have smores every night! We chose to go on the Forth of July weekend so the camp grounds where full and lively. My girls had a chance to drive a on Canon Lake.

I also caught some wild life picture also:

Ok, this is going to be post one of three of our 2008 summer trips.

PS. Tomorrow I will list the winner of the "African Sunflower" naming contest.

Tracy

www.3bgirlsquilts.com

Playing with Blacks and Whites

I'm a fan of Project Runway and last week's episode featuring Diane von Furstenburg was great for the imagination. The black and white dress of Koto's made me want to set down and craft up something with these colors. The photo to the left is from Style.com Diane von Furstenburg's 2009 Ready To Wear collection. Quilters can you see the quilt pattern? Well I sure did. This inspired me to do a quilt with these colors. I kind of played around with the blocks by twisting and flipping them until I came up with this design.

Of course I have no name for this quilt, but I'm sure it will come to me. By the way, what a great response I got for naming my "African Sunflower" quilt! Thank you all! I will run the names by my partners (daughters) and we will select a name by Friday. Anyway, here is the black and white quilt in works.

Tracy M. Ward

www.3bgirlsquilts.com

New Pattern Help

I'm reaching out to the quilt world with some help naming my new pattern. The only thing that comes to mind is African Sunflowers but for some reason I'm not sure this will work. I would like to get other quilters input on what to title this quilt. First of all, this picture does not do the quilt justice. The flower petals are 3-D and can be adjusted.

Ok here is the catch! I'm offering a new copy of Amazingly Simple Star Quilts by Jeanne Stauffer and Sandra L. Hatch as a reward if your pattern name is selected. This book is a hard cover book with amazing star patterns.

So Please feel free to post on this blog with your title suggestions. I hope to select a winner by next friday.

Thanks for your help,

Tracy M. Ward

www.3bgirlsquilts.com

It's been a long time

I'm sorry for the long delay. I've been busy starting a new job, going to school and designing new patterns.

A little update:

In July my family and I took another trip to Canyon Lake. We pitched our tent in the dark; cooked on the grill and fished everyday.

I developed a new pattern called Crazy Daisy (pictured on the left). I got totally inspired by Moda fabric Friends and Flowers by Marry Engelbreit. Crazy Daisy is available for wholesale at this time. Please contact me if your interested in having this pattern in your store.

Presently, I'm on a road trip from Texas to New Jersey. We drove through the beautiful mountains of Tennessee. What a breath taking view. I hope to have pictures up after we return. On our way to New Jersey we stopped in Nashville to visit the Nelly's BBQ (Down Home with the Nelly's) resturant. The pulled pork sandwich was devine! If you're ever in Nashville, be sure to stop by their resturant and order a pulled pork sandwich and be sure to top it off with the cole slaw.

OK, until I get back from my trip, Have a creative and happy summer!

Tracy

www.3bgirlsquilts.com

Looking for Pattern testers

I'm in need of some experienced quilters who can help me test three quilt pattern projects. If your interested helping out please send an email at tra2wa@aol.com.

Tracy
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

What I did this summer

I just purchased a new Gateway laptop and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Because of this purchase I am able to post more blogs. My other computer is so slow I hate sitting down next to it. Last week it froze up four times while I was doing my homework. UGHHH!

Anyway, I can now share with you some pictures from our families trip to CC, Texas this summer. We left 6 am one day and didn't return back until 6 pm the next day.

A long way to the pier. I think I lugged the cooler all the way.

Trying to catch the big one.

My youngest daughter. We had to put her bait on because she wouldn't touch it.

The girls getting along for now.

Two whales washed up on the beach :-)

Hope you enjoyed the pictures because we sure enjoyed our time at CC.

Tracy

http://www.3bgirlsquilts.com/

Getting Up to Date

It has been awhile since I last posted. I've been very busy with a new job I started. I also have to drive 80 miles each way. I live in San Antonio, TX and travel to Austin, TX daily. I was wondering if anyone in blogger land knows of any quilting shops along my route to Austin. I take 35. Please let me know because I would love to stop and shop!

I finally found the website that gave me the pattern for my dog Puff's outfit this Christmas. Please check out the follow link for other dog patterns: http://www.sewing.circleofcrafters.com/freepetvestpattern.html

I started back to school at Westwood College and this semester I have to take math. I thought I was pretty smart until I started taking this class :-) But, I managing to make it through.

Well until tomorrow and I will send you some pictures of my daughter's quilt and pj's I made for my other daughter.

Tracy
www.3bgirlsquilts.com

PS I have a lot of old Vogue patterns. If your looking for a particular pattern, I'll see if I might have them. Send me an email.

Happy New Year!

Time to say good-bye to 2007 and welcome in 2008. My resolution is to design three summer quilting patterns. I want to try something different by submitting one of them to a national quilting magazine. My style is simple and quick quilts. I like to design for the beginner quilter or the lack of time quilter.

As it stands now, I have two patterns that I've published through Lulu.com. Lulu is a self-publishing website. You can do hardbacks, soft, dvd or audio. Be sure to check out the website. Anyway back to the patterns, my first pattern is a quilted table runner Vintage Flowers.

The other pattern is called I Love America!, which is a small quilted wall hanging.

I still trying to get my daughter to finish her quilt for her niece. She is the one pictures below. Also does anyone know how to erase pencil marks off of fabric? Yes, I did try an eraser :-) It got some of the pencil marking off, but I still see some left.

Well, this is a short post and will do better later. You can visit me on my website at www.3bgirlsquilts.com or email me at customerservice@3bgirlsquilts.com.

Happy Crafting!
Tracy