Fat Quarter Shop Block of the Month

 I am so excited to be part of the Moda designers who designed a house block for this year's designer mystery block of the month for the Fat Quarter Shop. The Fat Quarter Shop has made a fun quiz to see what quilt block you are...I also took the quilt block quiz and I got the "Quilt Shop" quilt block because "I can't get enough of all things sewing and quilting and immerse myself in my passion." Well that's spot on isn't it?

As you can see there are a lot of my favorite people on this list with me who have made this years block of the month so fun!  Make sure you go and check out their blogs to see what quilt block they are!

1. Bonnie & Camille

2. Me and My Sister Designs

3. Primitive Gatherings

4. V& Co. 

5. Kate Spain

6. Bunny Hill Designs

7. Pieces of My Heart

8. Minick and Simpson

9. Pat Sloan

10. Sweetwater 

11. Laundry Basket Quilts

12. Fig Tree Quilts 

Also if you come back on saturday I have some fun news about my new fabric line. :) here's a hint…if you have been reading my blog or looking at my instagram acct you've already seen some of the new fabric line. :)

Come back so I can let you see the whole collection and talk how they will coincide with my simply color books. :) so EXCITED!!!!

V and Co: honorable Jake

Hello! And welcome to my Blog! If you are new here visiting for the first time from the Jolly Jabber allow me to introduce myself. Hi, I'm Vanessa of V and Co. I'm a Fabric and Pattern designer For Moda Fabrics and I get to be part of the Designer Mystery block of the month that that Fat Quarter Shop is hosting this year.
I was pretty excited that it was centered around stars...as I have a thing for them...they are my favorite quilt blocks.
Along with designing a block I got to name it and the stipulations given to us was to name it after a star we look up to in our lives.
Immediately, my husband came to mind.

My husband is a good man. Actually, he's more than that. He's my rock, he's my vote of confidence, he's my love, and he makes me want to be a better person.
 Together we've had 4 amazing kids.

We are partners in everything. We parent as partners, we do our finances as partners, we set family goals as partners, we struggle for each other, we feel happiness for each other, we meet each other half way most of the times. But there are times when he meets me more than half way...

He's the kind of man, that works so hard for our family, not just financially, but emotionally, and spiritually. I see him on his knees in prayer every night, I see him so tired, but getting up before the sun is up to do his jobs, I see him giving our sons and daughter a wonderful example of what a man should be to his wife and to his children. He loves me unconditionally, even with my faults, he supports me, even when I am doubting myself, he motivates me to try harder and to reach for new heights, he inspires me to be better. 

He's the best thing that has happened to me. He's an honorable man, and that's why I named my star after him.

Thank you Fat Quarter Shop for letting me be part of this! If you head back to the Jolly Jabber and comment on their post you will be entered to win a $75 certificate, just mention my star's name and who you find to be a star in your life for that chance!
Also head over to Kate Spain's and Minick and Simpson's blogs to find out who's a star in their lives.

We'll talk soon! Have a great weekend!
On monday I have a fun pre cut how to! See you then

follow V and Co. on instagram and Facebook 

V and Co.: jelly roll jam quilt free pattern and video tutorial

hi there! 

so with summer lone gone and a distant memory, we now look forward to fall. we've had a Fall-ish kind of weekend, and honestly, fall hasn't been my favorite since i moved from california. while i grew up in california, i LOVED LOVED fall. why? well because it meant pumpkins, and pumpkin smelling like candles and cinnamon. mmm i love cinnamon. and i loved the crisp cool air, the fun decor and thanksgiving (oh and my birthday as well) but since moving to places that have winter, i no longer love fall i just like them because AFTER fall means all H-E double hockey sticks breaks lose and we get that stupid stuff snow. nope, don't like it. so summer has turned into my favorite season. 

this weekend seemed to have been such a lovely fallish weekend, cool temps, a little bit of rain, and a whole heck of a lot of family. we had a lovely time building and launching rockets, going to soccer games, church, and family meals. we ended the weekend with renting iron man 3. 

yeah, this weekend made me feel like i could love fall again. and plus i might not hate the snow that much, it just means i get to quilt more. ;)

okay but that's not what you came here for is it? if you are new here visiting from the Fat Quarter Shop, WELCOME! i'm Vanessa and this is my blog that i ignore a little too much these days, and keep trying to keep my promise to just write about my nonsense and projects a little more regularly. i will try to keep that goal. :) 

for the rest of you who are regulars: HI! welcome back! thanks for sticking around. 

okay, ready for a fun little project the fat quarter shop has created? 

i am so excited to finally get to show you another project i've worked on these last few months. it feel like there is so much behind the scene work these days that i hardly get to show off half the things i am working on nope, try more like 3/4 of the things i am working on right when i make things. but that's okay cause at some point i get to show you and well with this project now is that time!

the fat quarter shop has created a video tutorial a pretty fun little FREE pattern called the jelly roll jam using one jelly roll to make TWO baby quilts.
so using my simply style jelly roll:

i was able to make a boy and girl version of the jelly roll jam quilt.

i am completely in love with this boy version
for the boy version i used all of the yellow, and a lot of the navy, aqua, lime, and gray. this pattern was super easy to follow and ahem, i made the quilts in less than a day.
start to finish people.

i really love the look so straight line quilting (and i'm not going to lie) it's what i feel most comfortable doing because i feel like i've not practiced enough with FMQ that i can master it just yet.

in the boy quilt i used most of the rectangles, oblongs, and ombre chevrons. when i looked at the fabrics i felt like these were the most boyish looking ones in line.
i think it turned out pretty cool. and i have a close friend having a little baby boy soon, so it already has a home.

and now for the girl version.

this cute girl quilt consists of most of the flowery prints. the large and small ones! i also added all the pink, and some of the navy (because i'm a huge sucker for navy and pink together!) some of the aqua, gray, eggplant hex's, and one yellow flowery print. i eliminated most of the eggplant because i felt like the pink needed to be the focal point in it.

all in all this quilt turned out super cute as well. i think this quilt has a home as well as i just found out that another friend of mine is having a baby girl.

so yeah seriously, ONE jelly roll, TWO quilts is awesome.
check out the tutorial video and check out the FREE pattern, cause it's totally worth it and totally doable for a fun quick need for a baby shower this week kind of awesomeness.
thank you fat quarter shop for having me be part of the jelly roll jam.
we'll talk soon!
some new fabric is on the horizon. :)

V and Co: designer Mystery quilt with the fat quarter shop

 well i'm pretty excited that i was asked to be one of the designers of the 2013 designer mystery block of the month for the fat quarter shop. 

This year, Fat Quarter Shop is using Avalon by Fig Tree Quilts for their annual Designer Mystery quilt.  The fabric is light, a little whimsical and grounded with a bit of navy, which you’ll find peppered through the quilt. For a little treat, you will receive a MINI Charm Pack of Avalon with the first month’s block! A taste of the fabric before the club kicks into full gear. Each of the twelve sampler blocks is designed by a different Moda designer and feature rows of baskets, stars, flowers and houses.

If you have never done a block-of-the-month club before, this is a great one to start with. Each month you’ll receive lots of fabric and lovely instructions to complete that month’s block. The quilt is suited for everyone, from beginners to seasoned quilters.

 although i cant show you any of the blocks...nor the one i made...i can tease you with these images

 i know...i know you want to call me bad names. trust me i know i want to call the fat quarter shop bad names for making it a mystery...but i mean you could sign up and just do the thing...that way you can see it all and make it as well. :) and uh have a quilt made up in joanna's fantabulous new line. :)
but i get it you want to see something...
so instead of just leaving you hanging i'll talk a little about my love of stars.

barn dance by V and Co.

i think stars was the first love for me in quilting. actually i still love stars. and i still think they are my favorite to have in quilts. but shhh please don't tell all my other quilts that don't have stars in them that.

some of you know that just recently we moved from the west part of the united states to the middle part of the united states.
iowa to be exact.

 and as we were driving into iowa i started to notice big huge quilt blocks on the side of barns.

 i started yelling "oh my gosh do you see that? did you see that??" to the husband as we drove by. he thought i saw a yetti or something. i said hope best next thing: i saw quilt blocks on the side of buildings.

he was not amused. and as a matter of fact even after almost 2 years of being here...i still make him pull over when we can so i can look at and make up stories about what the blocks on the barn means. it's just so fun to me.

and i have a good man that rolls his eyes and half listens to my stories about them. 

as much as he sighs and grumbles when i make him pull over...he has been known to spot a few for me when i miss them and he gets excited to see me get excited...until i ask to turn around so we can get a better look at them. then he wishes he didn't tell me.

 i make my own stars and place them on the side of barns but in the form of quilts for pictures.
my newest one is kaleidoscope. :)

the fat quarter shop asked me to talk about another kind of star as well.
they asked me to pick a favorite star like as in an acting star.
no brainer:

will farrell.
he is a super serious actor and takes drama to the next level.
i mean look at him.
caterpillar on his lip, hair that just wont stop.
how can you not look at this man and think "nope, nothing hilarious about this guy...all seriousness and awesome sauce."

 my absolute favorite movie on this earth is Elf .
here will farrell is doing his dramatic and very oscar worthy interpretation of me right before my time of the month.
so realistic, so spot on, hit the nail on the head kind of acting. bravo mister ferrell, bra.vo. it's as if i am looking at myself in the mirror once a month.

yup.

k. well thanks for stopping by. you may want to check out the rest of the designers and oh yeah the giveaway at the fat quarter shop cause you know you might win some fabric and stuff. :)

Here is the schedule:

2/4/13 – Basket Row – Fig Tree Quilts, Pieces from My Heart, Laundry Basket Quilts

2/11/13 – Star Row – Bonnie & Camille, V & Co., Kate Spain

2/18/13 – House Row - Kansas Troubles Quilters, Primitive Gatherings, Minick  & Simpson

2/25/13 – Flower Row – Bunny Hill Designs, Me & My Sister Designs,Sweetwater

fat quartershop winner

girl noisemaker at older boy noisemaker's soccer practice

 winner of the fat quarter shop giveaway is:

Rachelle said... I'd love to see more fabrics with teal and charcoal on them.

thank you to all that entered and all your responses. yes, i read them. :)

 my sister in law was here this last week and it was a nice week to cook, talk, decorate, and travel a little with her. it's been years since we've done that. it was nice to catch up, and we sent her on her way today. it was so fun to have her here and we were sad to see her go but now i have to hit reality again...and i have to get my kids back on track and my sew on.
i'm going to market. 
eep. yes. i know i've gone a few times...but this time
 i'm showing "stuff" there. EEP!!
this will be my first time ever doing so and i'm a nervous wreck but it will be great. right?
well at least i can say that i did it. :)

so at this moment it feels nice to be sitting next to my husband, with tomorrow's laid back scheduled agenda of family meals and church, listening to the thunder and rain from inside my house.
i have just one more day till all hellen breaks lose and i have to clean, sew, and run like a mad woman for about a month. but i'm ready. :)
but tomorrow i rest and enjoy my family and nothing but them.
have a great rest of the weekend.
we'll talk soon. ;)