New Cupcake Project

New Cupcake Project: Remember this from PA quilt show? Well, we decided we needed to make it.



Here are Jill's blocks so far. Jill is planning an original and unique border for hers, I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Barb's:
Susan is going to make a smaller version for her sewing room. Here she has traced the size on plastic.


I don't think Mary is going to participate since she'll be setting up household in Indy. Jill's friend, Patty, started this quilt years ago and here are her blocks:



She is considering this gorgeous plum toile' for the borders.


The best part of the new project is that the fabrics are luscious. We're swapping fabrics so that we achieve that wonderful scrappy, busy, blended look that works so well for this quilt.

This is a project that will be ongoing. I'll do an update when we are a little further along.

In the meantime, I'm going to be very busy getting things ready for the Brownstone Quilt Show. Yesterday was quilt take in and if you live anywhere near Northern NJ, I recommend that you come to this show. I am amazed at the width and breadth of the talent that will be on display.

Happy November.

Something About Mary

by: Barb

The Cupcake Club was reunited yesterday with Mary. We had a hoot of a time and celebrated Mary's Birthday, Susan's Birthday and just being together before Mary makes the official household move to Indianapolis.

We started with Mary's Birthday. This is the cake I made for her:

This is how it looked fresh out of the pan.


one of her gifts - appropriate!


We played LCR. It's an easy dice game and we play with fat quarters. This month our color was purple. We used the Ouija board as our playing surface.


And who won? Mary.


Mary gave Susan this B-day gift for her new sewing room - love it.


Now a few things from Show and Tell. Here are my quilts that I'm making for my father-in-law and mother-in-law for Christmas. They have been recently separated at the Retire Community that they live in. My mother-in-law is now in the memory center, and doing well. I'll be finishing these up and taking them with us at Thanksgiving (gulp).

This Susan's all hand-pieced antique reproduction quilt; Primitive Hall. It is a amazing!


Susan is an incredible artist and here are her inkings:




She is using this gorgeous purple toile' (be still my heart) for the backing.


Mary brought me this wonderful little prize. I have a thing about sock monkeys and this little "ghost" is too cute!


For lunch we had Pumpkin Soup and Apple Pie Sandwiches. The sandwiches are thinly sliced apples, cheddar cheese, a little bit Miracle Whip on raisin bread and then grilled. They are delicious and easy!

cake time

Then Mary took all her loot and flew off to Indy. She'll be moving in her new home on Friday.


I can't tell you how much this group means to us. I encourage all creative people to get together to exchange ideas, inspiration and laughter.

We'll miss you Mary!!

There's No Place Like Home

by: Barb (Dorothy of Kansas)

Friday night I hosted my applique' groups' Halloween party. I love to decorate and do party set up. Here are some photos:




cupcake tree -The bar:

Costumes were encouraged, and I was so glad that some of my friends obliged. I love the self-portrait! That's me as Dorothy with PJ Peg.

Lucy and Ethel (as newspaper boys. They placard had the episode name and number on it) with a diva-ghoul

Lucy and Ethel with a Gardener


Civil War Soldier and Sherry Bobbins (this is a drinking mary poppins)


We played the "who am I" game. I made them out of playing cards by just punching a hole and using a label on the back of the card. You pin a "person" to each party goers back. They guess "who they are" with yes and no questions only. It was a big hit. My daughter made my clue, I was Tyra Banks. "Alex Anderson" was also at the party.


Gathered for show and tell, which was marvelous. I didn't get many photos because it was too crowded in my family room. Look at the beautiful doll bed and quilt on the table. Wendy made the bedding (including pillow and sheets). We'll be selling raffle tickets for it at the quilt show in 2 weeks. I will be investing heavily!


This is Pauline's lovely crazy quilt block. I love the thistle.

A wonderful finished top by Joan.


Nancy's needle case was a swap with the Embroiderers' guild.

Joan brought this little treat for everyone - a Christopher Radko repro vintage decoration.

And, of course, you're never too old for a take home goodie bag. They looked much cuter all in a basket, but I forgot to take the photo before the party....

I hope you scare up some fun for Halloween.

Wednesday Mary will be here for a Cupcake Meeting!!

4-patch dolly quilts

by: Barb

Happy Friday - Hooray Mary is in the state of NJ!

I thought I'd share couple of little quilts with you. I love to make doll quilts. They are so satisfying to me. Since I was a little girl, I have always loved "small" things. Here is one of Jo Morton's that I saw in a magazine. I even had the border print that she used:

I began hand quilting this one with a free form feather pattern. It quickly became apparent that you could not see the quilting, so I finished it on the machine.
Rules - shmules.

Here is the back, I guess my bobbin ran out too, because the thread changes color. This is before I started using novelty prints on the back:

A sweet little strippy--

And the back. Aren't these children well behaved?


I'm busy-busy getting ready for a little Halloween Party with my Applique' Group here tonight. I'll share some photos over the weekend.

Raffle Quilt Update: Shar, a friend from the guild and part of my Needlers' group, WON THE BASKET QUILT. Isn't that fabulous! Not only a quilter, but a guild member too.

Tisket-a-Tasket

by: Barb

The Garden State Guild meeting was last night and it was a great meeting. There were lots of fun things to get involved in like the Friendship Quilt and Block of the Month. The sweet table was particularly good with homemade peach cobbler...

It was my last meeting to work the Quilt Raffle Table with Jill and Susan and the drawing will be held on Wendesday night.

Here is the Raffle Quilt that the Cup Cake Club organized, designed and quilted. The baskets were made by guild members.


Our guest speaker was Didi Salvatierra. She shared with us a collection of Basket quilts. Some of them she made, others she has collected. She was delighted to buy a raffle ticket for our Basket Raffle Quilt.

Didi and I had a lot of mid-western roots in common; she and my husband went to the same high school, she lived in Holland, MI, near my favorite beach cottage vacation area, we also lived in the exact same apartment building as newly weds in Evanston, IL....small world!

Here are some of her quilts:


Didi is also well known for her embellishments, such as ric-rac, lace, hankies, buttons, etc.



And here are some of the antique quilts she shared.


Be still my heart - sweet little doll quilt!


This was interesting, as the baskets are lighter than the dark background, unusual.


It was a plentiful harvest of baskets!

Tomorrow is the Needlers' 30's Challenge Exchange and Pot Luck - your swap fabric is ready to go Mary!