Keeping Me in Suspense

I ordered a supply of books last week. I found out yesterday that I will probably receive them early next week. I can't stand the suspense! I would really like to see a finished copy of my book! Everyone is asking me if I am excited about the book...I think I'd be more excited if I knew what it looked like! Guess I expected that, being the author, I would receive one of the first copies off the presses! I'm learning a lot...just have to be patient! In the meantime, I have lots of sewing projects I need to be working on! Better get back to my machine! :)

It's Official!

Today is November 20th! As of today, I'm a published author!!! My first book, Start With Scraps, came out today!

It is showing up on various websites...as far away as New Zealand and Japan. Fun to see that!

I haven't yet received my copy of the book...I can't wait to see it! Remember, you can go to www.clotilde.com and order your copy. Encourage your friends to do the same! The scrappy piecing technique explained in the book is fun and the projects are easy. I know you will enjoy making them!

Happy Scrappy Stitching! Carol :)

Planning Ahead

For the past week, the radio station we wake up to has been playing Christmas music. They actually waited a little longer to begin this year...usually it starts right after Halloween. I'm sure you noticed that the stores didn't wait until after Halloween to bring out the Christmas merchandise! That seems to start earlier and earlier each year as the merchants vie for our $$. Soon "Christmas in July" will be just that! Actually Christmas is my favorite holiday...I love everything about it. And I shop for Christmas year round.

I also sew for Christmas year round. I'm sure you do, too. The quilt projects we make take time, so we need to start early on them! Are you making anything special this year? Do you need anything new to decorate your walls? My "Scrap Nick" wall quilt is fast and fun. It uses the scrappy piecing technique that is explained in my new book--but this project is not in the book. I designed it after the book proposal was sent off...The wall quilt measures 16" x 20". (It would be a great gift for someone special, too! ) If you are interested in the pattern, send me an e-mail: cloessel@yahoo.com.

Happy scrappy quilting for the holidays! Carol :)

Have You Seen It?

Have you seen the December issue of Quilter's World magazine? Right there on pages 24 & 25 are instructions for two little projects designed by ME! :)
If you have been following my blog, back in June I was telling about all the deadlines I had that month (see the Sunday, June 14th blog, titled "Deadlines"). One of the deadlines I had was for a BIG project...that big project was finishing all the projects and instructions needed for the BOOK that House of White Birches is publishing for me!!! It is coming out on November 20th. The book is called Start With Scraps, and features projects that can be made using my scrappy-piecing technique.
If you go to www.clotilde.com and look under the new book section, you will find my book listed and will be able to see a preview of some of the projects. I have not seen the book in its entirety--have only seen what you will see there. But I love the photos they took and I really like the way they wrote up the projects in Quilter's World magazine, so I can't wait to see the entire book.
I hope you will take a look and think about adding Start With Scraps to your quilt book collection! You can order it from clotilde or if you'd like a signed copy, you can order it from me! But remember, it will not be available until November 20! (Hey, that's less than 2 weeks away!!!) Happy Scrappy Stitching! :)
Carol (cloessel@yahoo.com)

Back in Business!!!

You don't realize how much you miss the Internet until you don't have it! We had a power outage on Saturday (Halloween) and when the power came back on, I had no Internet service.
After doing some of my own diagnostics, I suspected that something had happened to the modem. Of course AT&T doesn't have techs that work on weekends, but I called in the problem anyway, the first chance I got. A work order was written up and I was told that I'd be called Monday morning...great! I had to be way across town at a 2-day workshop all day Monday and Tuesday! I followed all the instructions I'd been given, and kept my cell phone on, but got no phone call. When I got home, I again called AT&T. This time I was told that the work order was for Tuesday, and that someone would come out late in the day Tuesday, at a time when I told them I'd be home. When I got home Tuesday, there was a flier on the door that, indeed, someone had been there!!! (But obviously I wasn't!) So I called the local number that was on the flier and left a message. This morning I called that number again. I got the local service manager who sent someone out within the hour!!! I was right---the modem had "blown" with the power outage. New modem, new passwords, and I'm back in business. The tech laughed when I let out a big "Hurray!" :) And after that exclamation, he didn't believe me when I said that I resent the time I spend on the computer. I didn't tell him that I'd rather be quilting!
Hope you have a good stitching day today. I hope to get back to some sewing, after sitting in income tax refresher classes for two days!!! Yes, I'd rather be quilting!