Happy Canada Day!!!














I am sure that I use this picture every Canada Day, but I just haven't made anything new with the Canadian flag on it for a long time. Maybe that should be one of my new challenges this summer.

So I don't know where we will end up today, but I am sure that it will involve kids, ice cream, water, games, and fireworks. Let me know where you spent your day, but where ever you are, take a quick minute to appreciate being Canadian. We live in a country where we have free medical care, freedom of religion, vast beautiful wilderness, and beer.

What a great country, EH.

See you soon.
myra

Summer time socializing

The kids officially finished their last day of school today...it's bright and sunny ...and I am happy to declare the summer has finally come to southern Manitoba.

As the kids are busy doing their chores (can't let them get lazy over summer!) I am grabbing these few minutes, to sit down, and talk to my old friends. It has been a very long time since I have had a chance to catch up with all of you.

Out here, our spring was cold, wet, and windy. It was a little depressing at times, but we could hardly notice the weather outside, because Cori and I were busy with our noses buried in fabric. We do hope that you enjoy the quilts we design, because in the next few months, you won't be able to pass a news stand of quilt magazines, with out seeing our names all over them. We are itching to let you see these projects, and it is hard to keep the great photographs of them a secret, but the minute we can let any cats out of the bag, we will. Plus, Cori and I have come up with a unique way of giving you hints, without breaking the rules...so keep watching.

What else has been happening around here? Well, my house is once again a shipping depot of boxes. We send out quilt tops to the quilters, we ship off finished quilts to the editors, and we are receiving boxes of fabric from companies, who let us explore their new lines, and let us play with the fabrics in fun new ways. We received a wonderful parcel from Robert Kaufman yesterday, and our drawing board is full of possibilities. Of course, we will show you all of those as they develop.

Well, it sounds like the lawn mower has stopped, and the sprinkler has started. I guess the kids are done their chores, so I have to run, and see what adventure they have created.

But stop by again soon, we will have lots to chat about this summer.

See you soon.
myra

PS - To Annette, I would LOVE to visit NC or VA! I lived in PA, and I fell in love with the lush beauty of the east coast.

Boho Baby
I don't think I have shown you this quilt yet. Do you remember the original boho baby? Black, cream and turquoise prints from our Bohemian Rhapsody collection. The pattern has been selling strong and is currently in our shop, so I thought I would re-make it using current fabrics that we had. This quilt features fabrics from Mingle & About town by Monaluna for Robert Kauffman fabrics as well as two handsprays from RJR fabrics all available in our shop! I can't wait to see this one quilted. We would love to see your interpretation of this pattern.

On another note, you might be wondering why you haven't heard much from us of late. Myra and I have been designing like CRAZY, our pencils barely come off the paper and then we get another idea....oh what to do with all the ideas. We have been working on more magazine work, some freelance designs for Robert Kauffman and getting ready for a few events this fall, yeah you heard me fall. We haven't even had summer and we are working towards fall, also looking forward to next spring and making preparations for then too. I can't tell you what that's all about yet :)

And to top if off our school year here in Canada is coming to a close at the end of this month. There have been school field trips, swimming days and track and field day are yet to come. I was at a petting farm yesterday with my son and his grade 1 class. That just proves it's been a long time since I have had a "baby".

Hope you have a great day!

~c

and the winners are...

JoAnne J.
Diane V.
Cheri B.

Congrats!

~c

What a difference!

Have you ever made the same quilt twice? Have you ever changed just one thing on a project? What a difference it can make. Take this quilt for instance...recognize it? I have this thing for taking one of our original ideas/patterns and making it smaller. In this case I turned the original quilt into a baby quilt! Now the second picture is really what the original looked like, I didn't change anything other than the fabrics used and the finished size. I chose fabrics from our completely kids collection and threw in 2 handsprays and a solid cream fabric. Pink and orange is one of my favorite color combo's! But back to the first photo. See what I didn't do? That's right as if this project wasn't fast enough I took out the appliqued circles! I found this awesome Heather Bailey print and "fussy cut" these big flowers out to take the place of the circles in the original quilt. It gives the feeling of a circle with out the applique. This palette of fabrics were all Heather Bailey's except for the soft yellow handspray and solid cream. What a fresh and spring like feeling.

And for those of you who say "APPLIQUED CIRCLES?" They are fast and easy, and yes they are done by hand. (you are more than welcome to use fusible :))

So can anyone tell me what this quilts original name was? The first 3 people to email cori@bluemeadowdesigns.com TODAYand tell me the name of the pattern that I took this quilt from will get a free pattern. This pattern is not available on our website, however a very limited number of kits will be available on our Etsy shop next week. Pattern will not be sold separately.

~c

p.s If you have not signed up for our newsletter go to www.bluemeadowdesigns.com and do that TODAY! Our newsletter goes out very soon and we have a free pattern in the newsletter this month!! It's worth your while.

Sweet Inspiration

We got this photo from one of our friends, who wanted to share her finished quilt with us, and the story of the little girl who owns it. As you can see, the quilt looks great, and little Celeste looks healthy, but the reality is that she has Cystic Fibrosis. We hope that she continues to grow strong and healthy, and she is very lucky to have a special friend like Jackie to encourage her, and to make her special quilts.

When I read Celeste's story, and saw the quilt, it reminded me of an incident I had with my daughter a few years ago. Late one night, when my daughter was 3 1/2 years old, she was playing on my bed, and fell off the edge...backwards. It was a simple fall, but I instantly knew something was wrong when she only reached up to me with her one arm. I knew her other arm was broken, and I had to take her to the hospital. In an effort to comfort her, and make her feel safe, I grabbed her quilt off her bed, and wrapped her in it. Robyn was carried in her quilt from the emergency room, to the X-ray room , and into the casting room. When we were all finished (at midnight) and her arm was set, she once again fell asleep wrapped in her quilt. And then a nurse made a comment that I have never forgotten. She said "When you see a child wrapped in a handmade quilt, you know that the child is very loved." After the stress of that night, those words almost made me cry.

So I wanted to pass those words along to Jackie. When I saw Celeste laying on a handmade quilt, I knew she is very loved.

See you soon.

myra

Peaking is aloud
Here is a sneak peak at the two new projects on the go. Just when we think we have a break in the action, we come up with some new stuff! We had the new mingle and about town fabrics in stock NOW in our NEW on-line SHOP. The colors and prints are perfect for spring and summer projects. Yes, you heard me the new and much improved shop is up and running smoothly. These fabrics will not be around for long so be sure to get yours now. We are now selling fabrics by the 1/2 yard. These two projects will be released very soon, but not in the usual way. So, keep your eyes on the blog for further details.

We only have 2 more spots available for our fall retreat, so don't get left out email me today to sign up!

As for the new web site, it is still in progress so keep checking to see the improvements. If you have not signed up for our newsletter yet, be sure to do so. I will be sending out a newsletter very soon.

~c

p.s thanks for the well wishes for our puppy!

Introducing....

the newest addition to the Derksen family. I just had to share this photo of our newest "baby", MAX. He is a 3 month old German Shepherd puppy. He is a very affectionate puppy. When we are all playing with him outside he always picks our son over the rest of us....?? BUT when they aren't around, he likes to cuddle with me! I'll take that.

And the day we brought MAX home we found out that our cat had a small litter of kittens. Lot's of excitement on the yard. Spring is in the air.

~c

p.s stay tuned for an exciting announcement (quilting related that is).