And the Winner IS!

I hope everyone had a great time over the holiday weekend... I'm kind of feeling like I need a weekend after my weekend. BUT -- I wanted to announce the winner of the ARTFELT kit.... the last of the Trail-Marker Give-Aways is..... Eileen - from Central/Washington!!!

It is now June and in just a week or so my new book, Exploring Embellishments will be out. As promised, I will be drawing names for several signed/copies from everyone that participated in the 12-Week long Trail-Marker Give-Away. The drawing will take place during my booksigning party on June 12th!

Many of the guest quilt artists will also be there - do if you're around SoCal then... mark your calendar and come join the fun!

I really hope that you have a chance to see the book and join in the fun -- finding & fabricating embellishments! ~Rose

Hmmm-What happens in MN, stays in MN?

Well, this phrase was mentioned a few times over the several days spent in MN at Spring Quilt Market, but this blog entry is not about that (ooops, almost gave something away Jake/Gregory), it's about the really special goody I found for the last of the Trail-Marker Give-Aways.

I have to admit that as I turned the corner and saw this booth I was bowled over by the color, and that's not easy to do in a place covered in yummy new fabrics. Then on entering and hearing just how easy these folks had made the wet felting experience for everyone, I knew I had to share this with you all. The little kit that owner Karin donated for this give-away it just the right size project to get anyone started and definitely hooked.

So, remember the rules...
May 19th through May 30th
To be in the drawing-
leave a comment on my blog
or
comment on my FaceBook Fan Page
Each time = 1 Entry

Get an EXTRA entry for tweeting about the give-away (making sure @rosehughes is included)
The lucky winner of #6 will receive the ArtFelt camera case feltmaking kit.

Struck Gold!

OK, I admit that I am late with this week's Guest Quilt Artist --- but I know you will absolutely love meeting Cindy Rinne. She is not only an amazing artist, poet and magician with quilted collages, she is a good friend. Her intro will be up soon, I promise....

In the meantime I spent some time yesterday at Quilt Market hunting for just the right, fun prize for the last of the Trail-Marker Give-Aways. Then I was just kinding of walking down one of the many rows and was suddenly stuck by COLOR... (and come on, when I say color, you can count on the fact that it was color in a big way to stick out amongst all the other things).

Then I stepped in and was absolutely thrilled by all that I heard and saw, and I can't wait to be able to tell you what it is... I did leave a hint - click on the title of the blog and you'll find yourself in this company's website.

Hope everyone's having a great weekend and remember you need to post comments here or on my FaceBook Fan page to have a chance at winning. ~More coming soon... Rose

The Trail Leads ON!!!!

We're on the last leg of the trail, and the signs are taking this traveler a bit off the beaten path.... Check out the map and you'll find that I've hit the trail to Minneapolis for Quilt Market.... thought it would be a perfect opportunity to seek out some fun souvenier and make the last Trail-Marker Give-Away a surprise!

Must also say that it has been fun chatting with one and all through your comments.
It was great to hear from so many of you....
and as announced, Lesley Mapes Wade won the special fun yarns!
but, there is still more chances to win...

TM-GA #6 begins today & the same rules apply

May 19th through May 30th
To be in the drawing-
leave a comment on my blog
or
comment on my FaceBook Fan Page
Each time = 1 Entry

Get an EXTRA entry for tweeting about the give-away (making sure @rosehughes is included)

The lucky winner of #6 will receive the mystery gift found especially for YOU?!?...
Look forward to hearing from you all!

Trail Marker #5 - Exploration Continues

We're on the trail, and the signs along the way are turning up a number of fun embellishments. Thanks to everyone who left comments and were in the running for Trail-Marker #4.
It was great to hear from so many of you....
and as announced, Linda Payne won the Angelina Fibers!
but, there is still more chances to win...

TM-GA #5 begins today & the same rules apply

May 8th through May 16th
To be in the drawing-
leave a comment on my blog
or
comment on my FaceBook Fan Page
Each time = 1 Entry

Get an EXTRA entry for tweeting about the give-away (making sure @rosehughes is included)

The lucky winner of #5 will receive bundles of some fun yarn and a mystery material...
All were used to create the embellishments on the cover on my new book!

Trail Marker #4 the Give-Away Trail Continues

The fun continues, and there were a lot of you that left comments and were in the running for Trail-Marker #3.
It was great to hear from so many of you....
but, there is only one winner... and that is Mary Lou Hightower!
The wool roving will be making its way to Mary Lou, but the next Trail-Marker is just around the corner.

TM-GA #4 begins today & the same rules apply.

April 19th through May 2nd
To be in the drawing-
leave a comment on my blog
or
comment on my FaceBook Fan Page
Each time = 1 Entry

Get an EXTRA entry for tweeting about the give-away (making sure @rosehughes is included)

The lucky winner of #4 will get two packages of Angelina Fibers
Another light-weight prize BUT heavy with fun possibilities!

Stay on the Trail - Trail-Marker #3 Give-Away

Hope you all are having fun..I certainly am!
I'm really pleased to let you know the winner of round #2 is Susan Hviid, so the air-dry clay & tools will be heading north.

Now, it's on to Trail-Marker #3
April 4th through April 18
For this one do any of the following-
Each time = 1 Entry
leave a comment on my blog
or
comment on my FaceBook Fan Page
for double tries - Each time = 2 Entries
tweet about the give-away (making sure @rosehughes is included)

The prize this time is a 4-color assortment of wool roving.
The package will be light-weight BUT heavy with fun opportunity!

Air-Dry What?

Air Dry Clay -- No need for an oven of any kind, and is fun and easy to work with...

Sounds like my kind of thing, and during a design group work day a while back someone introduced us to this clay and I have to admit to being hooked. We started making some beads and my mind just swam with possibilities for embellishments.

and, I was off...
this is why it's one of the materials I introduce in my new book, and it's also why I'm offering a package of this wonderful 'stuff' as the give-away item for Trail-Marker#2.

I've been playing with it a bit this week, too and have included some pictures here with pieces that are drying, and being painted. Then I get to put them into action... think mine are going to... well, I'm sure you'll check in later to find out.

Don't forget... to be in the drawing follow & comment as many times as you like here or on my FaceBook Fan Page...

Off to design group today.... hope you're making a creative day for yourself as well!

Gallery Quilt Artists Guest Blog - Begins 3/26

We're drawing closer to Exploring Embellishments time to hit the stores. I've been having a great time sharing this time with some fun on-line happenings. The 1st TrailMarker Give-Away was really interesting, too -- life is so much easier with the right tools.

Trail Marker #2 Give-Away is in full swing, so I hope many of you choose to jump in and share about beads... a link to your favorite, a bit about how you choose them, stitch them---confess, do you stitch by hand or by machine? No matter, share and be in on the upcoming drawing!

Now, to add to the fun, I will be have a guest quilt artist tell us a little about themselves and their work. Best of all, each of these artists have a piece in my new book. The first guest will appear tomorrow... Friday - March 26! Then look for another guest artist every Friday 'til the end of May.

Trail Marker#2 - GiveAway

As we prepared to go exploring for embellishments, earlier this month we went in search of our favorite tools. There were lots of art & quilting tools mentioned and I know I got a few new ideas along the way. Thank you all for participating.

Now its time we set out along the trail...
Some of my favorite things to collect and use on my quilts are beads...and there are just soooooooooo many to choose from out there.


Exploring Embellishments: More Fun with Fast-Piece Applique 12- Week Trail-Marker Give-Aways

Trail-Marker #2
March 22 thru April 4
Stocking up on Basic Beads
Win a block of Air Dry Clay & 2-special sanding tools
(you'll be ready to make some beads of your own)

Enter by:
Following this blog & leave a comment about a special bead you like,
OR
Become a fan on my FaceBook Fan Page & comment about beads or beading
OR
Tweet this give-away with @rosehughes in your message
For bonus entries - leave a photo or link to a favorite bead store

Winner of TrailMarker #1 GiveAway IS!

Lisa Rhoades ----
Yeah! The set of Clover chacoliners are going out to Lisa...

Everyone is still in the running for the final book giveaway, BUT
look for TrailMarket #2 info coming out tomorrow.

It's Spring

I love spring and had a blast last weekend while down in San Diego. Finally, after 20 years of visiting, made it to the Flower Fields. Many of us find that our thoughts of quilting tools turn to thoughts of gardening tools this time of year... so, on this last day of the Trail-Marker#1 Give-Away... post a comment about your favorite gardening tool and get included in the drawing. Hope you enjoy the photos from the FFs and they get your creative ideas flowing. Happy Spring!

Pulled From the Bag of Tools

Thanks for all your responses and comments about your favorite tools. Some have been surprising!




Here are few that have been mentioned:
paintbrush
rotary cutter
clear rulers
seam rippers
chopsticks.......

Don't forget to check out the Trail-Marker GiveAway and let me know what your favorite tool is!

AS FOR ME..
I've been using one of my favorite tools this week. It is the one that I carry around with me in my pocket while working on quilting and beading.... Shown is a picture of my beading kit....with my fav tool kind of hiding on the right, the chaco-liner. I use it to mark out areas to be quilted, or block out shapes for quilting, or as in the other two pictures here...I note where beads may need to go before picking up needle & thread.

Bag o"Tools

When I first started off writing Exploring Embellishments I came across this poem:





A Bag of Tools---by R.Lee Sharpe
Isn't it strange how princes and kings,
and clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
and common people, like you and me,
are builders for eternity?
Each is given a list of rules;
a shapeless mass; a bag of tools.
And each must fashion, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block, or a stepping stone.

It struck home with me, for no matter what medium or style we go to create we all use tools...we need to learn what's out there/ how to use them... and throw that knowledge in our own Bag of Tools so we can pull them out as we need them to fashion our 'stepping stones'.
There are tools out there for every step in the quiltmaking process.

• creating the quilt top
• sandwiching the layers
• quilting
• finishing
• and of course, my favorite... EMBELLISHING

What's in YOUR bag!

12-Week Trail-Marker Give-Away- #1

My new book is scheduled to 'hit the streets' in early June, so I've planned a bit of fun to wile away my every moment of anticipation... hope you JOIN IN!


Exploring Embellishments: More Fun with Fast-Piece Applique
12- Week Trail-Marker Give-Aways
March 7th thru May 30th

Every two weeks I will offer a new 'give-away'... a goody or supply that you'll want on hand to go exploring exciting & new paths in my upcoming book!

Enter once or as many times as you like; then as the last Trail-Marker is passed all the entries received during the 12-weeks will additionally be included in drawings for a copy of my new book.
Six people will win a signed copy!

Trail-Marker #1
March 7 thru 21
Packing your Bag o'Tools
Win a pair of my favoriate marking tools!
1-yellow & 1-white Clover Chaco Liner Slims

Enter by:
Follow this blog & comment about your favorite art or quilting tool, OR
Become a fan on my FaceBook Fan Page & comment about your favorite art or quilting tool
BONUS entry-- Tweet this give-away with @rosehughes in your message

12-Week Trail-Marker Give-Away

Exploring Embellishments: More Fun with Fast-Piece Applique
12- Week Trail-Marker Give-Aways
March 7th thru May 30th

Every two weeks I will offer a new 'give-away'...
It may be a goody or supply that you'll want on hand to go exploring exciting & new paths in my upcoming book!

• Enter once or as many times as you like;
• The Winners of EACH Trail-Marker will be announced:
• then as the last Trail-Marker is passed all the entries received during the 12-weeks will additionally be included in drawings for a copy of my new book.
• Six people will win a signed copy!