LOOK !! LOOK !!! IT'S HERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good Monday morning Blogland Neighborhood ! We have some REALLY EXCITING NEWS to share !!! Just a little while ago we heard Peggy Sue (our local friendly UPS girl) driving her UPS truck up the driveway to deliver ....




...this little package that we have been anxiously waiting on for about two YEARS !!!

Why? and what's inside? WELL .......



....our 2 copies of the Sept/Oct 2010 Quiltmaker magazine BECAUSE (drum roll ......)


.....I am a DESIGN CONTEST WINNER !!!!!! (gosh, I think I just wet my pants again!)











...and see that little pumpkin and witch shoes up there in the right top corner of the MAGAZINE COVER ?!?!?!?!? THAT's IT !!!! THAT IS MY DESIGN (or part of it anyway)!!!!!





....and here is a sneak peek ! (I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to show, but the magazine should be out soon anyhow)


...and here's yours truly ..... you can find me and my design on pages 30 -> 33.







AND you can also find a design by fellow blogger Vickie Eapen on pages 56->59.

Now don't forget to snatch up your copy as soon as it comes out!!!!

...and please excuse me while I go join Kitty in the backyard doing cartwheels !!!!!!(after I change my gotchies ..... translation = underwear)

A very VERY EXCITED TOODLES,
Be back soon !!!
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday Night Sew In Report

Good afternoon Blogland Neighborhood. This is Kitty, Head of the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept coming to you live with a report on this month's Friday Night Sew In .



As you can see, this "See and Sew" apron pattern, view A has been chosen as our project.







We've decided on a pretty turquoise hummingbird print as our main fabric with....





this turquoise/mini yellow flower print fabric as our apron lining, belt tie, and pockets.





......also, plans are in the works to gussie up the pockets with a contrasting orange band embelished with a yellow yo yo.




Now, as you can see, we are currently in producion mode and .....







....fully expect completion of this project well within our extended deadline of another year from today .....





Thank you ladies and gentlemen. That's all the time we have today for this report. Back to production.


Thank you Kitty for your very informative report.
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Disgruntled Sewing/Quilting Dept .......

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. As you can see we have some disgruntled people in the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept ..... and the most disgruntled one is none other than ...





.....the head of the department. (uh oh .... she looks pretty irked...)






Well, Kitty, how about this .....



....lets join in the Friday Night Sew In for July hosted by
Heidi and Bobbi OK ?!?!?!

OK .....so that's the plan .....on Friday night (as in tomorrow night) the MBIAJ Sewing /Quilting Dept will be IGNORING EVERYTHING (except of course if there's blood or smoke) and joining in on this month's Friday Night Sew In and do their darndest to GET SOME SEWING DONE !!!!!!! You should join in too !!!

Be back soon! (with a full report by the Sewing/Quilting Dept Head)
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Snazzy, jazzy BP cuff case

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood and TGIF !! Hope all is well in your little corners of the neighborhood ! We here at MBIAJ are slogging along as usual .... unfortunately our MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept has had all of their gazillions of half started, almost started and not quite done projects along with their "next brilliant idea" put on the back burner for what seems like forever due to many factors (one of which is an increased schedule with the day job). So, in an effort to try and indulge our need to see, touch and be near pretty fabric on a daily basis, Headquarters has decided to ......



...pull this pretty little handmade zippered pouch off of the shelf where it was put the last time we went away over night (that was so long ago I can't even remember where we went or what was put in the pretty pouch .... maybe toothpaste, deodorant, emergency chocolate and a comb .....). Anyhow, since traveling happens so rarely around here, but working happens almost daily, it has been decided to give this zippered pouch a new job where it can be seen and appreciated DAILY .....





....it is now the new home for our blood pressure cuff and stethoscope because , really .....






....how can you possibly jam that stuff back in this crappy little black case that comes with it ?!?!?!!!






....see! Everything fits right in there just perfectly AND the zipper even closes EASILY !!!!! Isn't it fun and bright and cheerful ?!?!?! This was actually a handmade gift that was sent to MBIAJ Headquarters by none other than Lisa Boyer a couple of years ago. We here at MBIAJ Headquarters are big fans of Lisa Boyer .... we can SO relate to .....






.....this book she wrote !!!! It has allowed us to let our P.I.S. SHINE !!!!!! Hallelujah !!!! What is P.I.S. you ask ..... well it stands for our Piecing Imperfection Syndrome ! ...and this has led us to adopt some other mottos too..... for example "Lower Your Expectations" and "Mediocre is Fine" and last but not least "Let it Go and Just Sew" !!!!! ..... and it seems this trend is growing ..... the other day while going through some magazines that are headed for the recycling bin, we came across .....





...this hysterical article in the Oct/Nov 2009 Quilter's Home magazine by Megan Dougherty ...and if you like that, you should read her blog .... also FUNNY !!!

Now speaking of visiting blogs .... you should zip on over to our new blogland friend Wendy's blog because she's having a give away to celebrate her 1 year blog-iversary. You better zip on over there quick because I think the give away ends this Sunday .

Be back soon !
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

MBIAJ Queen Mother's BIG Italian/American 4th of July birthday party !!!!

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood ! Well we've been busy here at MBIAJ Headquarters over the past couple of weeks getting ready for (and then cleaning up from) .....




.......our MBIAJ Queen Mother's BIG 80th BIRTHDAY SURPRISE Pary !!!







....Mom was born July 4th, 1930 to.....












.....Italian immigrants Harry and Maria Mondell (Mandarello)

















.......and here are those Mondell kids !
Nancy (Annunciata) the birthday girl, Irma her younger sister, and Anthony (Tony) her little brother...








......and a BIG BIRTHDAY SMOOCH from her hubby George (aka Dad) !




The MBIAJ Decorating Dept went with Italian flag colors green, white and red (they bought 6 yards of each color fabric at Walmart for $1.97/yd) and draped it by pinning it to the umbrella and the blue canapy (pinned on with big safety pins ) ...... then they cut out red and white striped fabric triangles and used clothespins to attach to clothesline for the pennant style banner (they had every intention to sew something more permanent however, as usual the decorating came down to zero hour (as in guests were arriving) so safety pins and clothespins to the rescue!)




.....and since the theme was Italian (as in Under the Tuscan Sun )...





.....there were lots of fresh flowers (especially sunflowers) and candles on the tables (eat your heart out Martha Stewart !)









..... so, a wonderful day was had by all .... and as the sun began to go down and the guests began to leave, Aunt Irma bid us all a fond farewell and a Fourth of July salute to the USA and her sister Nancy on their birthdays!!!! (oh, and Aunt Irma has a purse to match those shoes !!! )





Hope you all had a good holiday !



Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)