The Parish Piece

Super Bowl Sunday Snacks

2012-01-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

Do you find that every Super Bowl Sunday you're either the hostess or being dragged off to someone else's house and asked to bring some food? Well, we know the stress and the pressure that it can bring. So! We have a recipe that is delicious but also helps cut back on calories.

Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza

This pizza does take a while to make, but it is worth your time and effort! Pizza is always a popular food item during the big game because it is easy to pick up, eat, and never take your eyes off the TV. So if you want to try and sneak in a serving of vegetables into your husband's daily diet while he's distracted with football, then this pizza is for you!

Doesn't that look so good? If I looked at pictures like these too long then I'm pretty sure I could eat two pizzas. All by myself.

The ingredients for this tasty dish are quite long, but most of them are things that are usually kept in stock in the average kitchen.

For the recipe with directions on how to make this dish, click here.

And if you wanted to extra creative for Super Bowl Sunday, you could even arrange the chicken sausages and vegetables to make a little football! I bet the guys would be impressed.

For other great ideas on game day finger foods, click here.

And if you don't have anything to do on SuperBowl Sunday... come join us here at The Parish for our "Soup"-er Bowl Sunday Celebration!
We will be serving soup and featuring some workshops! For more information call us today at (253)531-4309.

Valentines, Valentines, and More Valentines!

2012-01-26T15:43:00.000-08:00

Well, although we have already been blogging about Valentine's Day the past few weeks, it's just too fun to stop!

This week I was thinking about how fun it was for me to sew with my mom as a little girl. I loved feeling like I was good enough to help her with a project. And then a thought occurred to me: a valentine's quilt doesn't have to be fancy, or intricate, or covered in hearts. It just needs the colors red, pink, and white!

So here is my suggestion.

Get your children who are interested and/or old enough to understand and tell them they're going to make a Valentine's Day Quilt for Dad. "What to use for fabric?" you may ask. Well, go to your stash and pick up all the red, pink, or white scraps that you have. Any red, pink, or white fabric will work! Since you're working with your children, you don't need a fancy pattern. Just sewing together squares will be perfect.

Have each child help a little at a time. Maybe if they don't want to use the machine, let them pick which square goes next or how big to make the squares. Once the quilt is finished take them to the store with you to pick out the backing. You don't need binding (unless you want it). A simple envelope-style quilt will be perfect for this project.

Sew the layers together, flip the quilt, stitch the hole shut, and enjoy your finished project!

This homemade quilt will be a tender gift for your husband. After all, a dad's sweetest Valentine on February 14th is his daughter.

Warm Your Cold, Winter Feet

2012-01-17T13:43:00.000-08:00

If you are anything like me, then you hate to have cold feet. However, I think my husband might hate it more when I have cold feet because they always seem to gravitate towards him when they're in ice-cube state. Strange how that happens.

And again, if you are anything like me, you find that winter days where you are stuck inside tend to drag on and become quite boring. So I thought to myself, "Well. What can I do to fix both of these problems?" And Martha Stewart gave me the solution!

Stephanie's Sewn Felt Slippers

Aren't they so cute?!

Not only are these slippers cute, but they're easy to make!

All you need for this project is:

Slipper template (download by clicking here)
18-by-18-inch piece of 3 millimeter wool felt (you can purchase some online by clicking here)
Chalk pen or pencil
Thread, such as silk or heavy-duty polyester
Sewing supplies

These slippers will be soft, warm, and perfect for lounging around the house! You can sew them up as gifts for a spouse, grandchild, friend, or relative.

And if you want to put a Valentine's Day Spin on them, fill them with candy and hand embroider a heart on the back of the slipper!

For instructions on how to make these, click here.

So lets stop the freezing feet and dragging days of winter, and make these ADORABLE slippers!

May your bobbin always be full,

Taylor

Free Shipping... Say What?!

2012-01-11T15:57:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's right! From January 16th - 31st we are offering you FREE SHIPPING on ALL ONLINE ORDERS. Shop our online store right now!

Fun Valentine Craft!

2012-01-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

With Valentine's Day coming up in a little over a month, now is the time to start on all of your sewing projects! And if you don't have any ideas for a fun project that brings the happiness of Valentine's Day into your home, we have one for you!

Heart Shaped Pot Holders from Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts

These adorable pot holders will not only decorate your kitchen, but they will be functional as well!

To complete this project (1 pot holder), you will need:

1. Heart shaped pot holder pattern template, which you can download by clicking here.

2. Approximately 1/2 yard cotton batting, cut into three 12-inch squares.

3. Approximately 1/2 yard cotton fabric, cut into 12-inch squares.

4. 1 yard bias tape.

For instructions with pictures of the steps, you can click here.

To get the cute look of these hearts, you will need half-yard cuts of a few red, pink, or white fabrics.

Here at the shop we have a GREAT selection of fabric that would be absolutely perfect for these! Come visit us soon so that you can get your fabric and get started!

January 2012 Recipe of the Month!

2011-12-31T15:40:00.000-08:00

Weare doing something new (and exciting and tasty!) for all of you with ourRecipes of the Month!

Starting on Monday, January 2nd we will have our Recipes of the Month in the shop for you to sample! The recipes will arrive at 1:00 pm, so come visit us on the first Monday of every month to try out our recipes!

For January, we will have Peanut Butter M&M Cookies!

If these cookies don't look delicious and tempting, then I don't know what does!

A Fun and Easy Treat!

2011-12-21T13:15:00.000-08:00

Are you having a New Year's party with lots of friends and family? Well these candies are quick, simple, and fun to make!

You only need three things:

A bag of Snyder's of Hanover Pretzels (the square ones)

A bag of Hershey's Hugs, Peppermint Kisses, or Plain Kisses

A bag of M&Ms

Preheat the oven to 175 F. Place the pretzels on the cookie sheet. Place an unwrapped hug or kiss on top of them. Bake for 5-6 minutes. Pull them out of the oven and place an M&M into the middle of the hug or kiss and push down. Sprinkle with red and green (or other coordinating colors) if desired.

Chill and enjoy!

Fun Ways to Reuse Wrapping Paper Tubes!

2011-12-07T09:12:00.001-08:00

Well it seems as if the Holiday Season is upon us! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did! My family came into town and we spent the entire Thanksgiving weekend enjoying being together. It seems it was only minutes after Thanksgiving dinner was over that talk of Christmas started to push through our conversation. And now Christmas is just 18 days away!

With all of the wrapping of gifts that is bound to happen, you will be left with tons of empty wrapping paper tubes. Typically, or I would imagine, you would just throw them out like I do. However, I came upon this website that has fun and creative ideas for re-using your wrapping paper tubes!
Things like making a tribal kazoo, an instant megaphone, maracas, and many more fun craft ideas to do with your kids or your grandkids can be found on the website. Click here for the link.

My niece will be with my family for Christmas and at the time she will be almost 2. So I know I'm going to sit down and cut up an old wrapping paper tube, and make a kazoo! I'll post pictures of our amazingly fun times with kazoos later.

And for some fun ideas on how to make beautiful holiday decor out of these empty tubes, click here.

With the holiday season on my mind, I just want to say how much I love this season! People are so friendly, kind, warm, and wrapped up in the spirit of giving. There almost seems to be a tangible happiness floating in the air, that if you merely think about the holidays, it wraps you up tightly. It's almost as if you are wrapped up in a warm, cozy blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. I have often thought how wonderful it would be to have this feeling all year! Amanda Bradley, a very successful poet and Literature professor shares my same feelings!

She said, "Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!"

So once the holiday season of 2011 is gone, and the new year of 2012 is upon us, lets make sure that we celebrate every day as if it were a holiday, and carry a warm and kind spirit with us wherever we go!

May your bobbin always be full,

Taylor

December Recipe of the Month!

2011-12-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

I know... this is the second cheesecake recipe... in a row. Can you tell I like cheesecake?

Well for this month we have a delicious recipe from Food Network as our recipe of the month!

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

Don't those look DELICIOUS?! Well, they are. Trust me.

Visit our website and click on the button that says, "Click here for your FREE recipe for Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars".

May your bobbin (and stomachs) always be full!

Taylor

Unique Nursery Wall Decor

2011-11-14T19:49:00.001-08:00

Are you or a loved one expecting a baby any time soon? Are they scratching their heads trying to figure out how to decorate the nursery? Well, here is a fun and easy idea to give the nursery a sweet and vintage look.

Fabric Swatch Portrait Wall Hangings

Do you have any vintage fabric laying around? Maybe a dress you wore when you were little, a shirt, or a pair of pants. Maybe you have a handkerchief from your grandmother or an old plaid shirt from from your grandfather. Use those historic, meaningful pieces for the nursery wall of a sweet baby or grand-baby.

To make one portrait you will need:

A square of fabric at least 2 inches wider than your hoop in all directions

A wooden embroidery hoop in any size

Elmer's glue or fabric glue

Fabric scissors

Instructions

1. Place fabric in the hoop and pull taught.

2. Turn to wrong side, run a small line of glue around inside of hoop just next to the fabric.

3. Press fabric into glue all the way around.

4. Allow glue to dry.

5. Trim fabric to edge of hoop.

And voila! You're done.

These adorable fabric portraits are so easy to make, perfect for using up pieces from your stash or pieces that have more meaning. They look beautiful on the walls of any room, and create the perfect customized yet stylish look.

Project idea from http://www.purlbee.com/swatch-portraits/.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cheesecake

2011-11-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

The November Recipe of the Month is here!

This recipe is for a delicious cheesecake that is perfect for the holidays if you have a family member who does not enjoy the traditional holiday dessert: pie.

With rich chocolate, a perfectly pumpkin spice flavor, and a chocolate crust, this cheesecake is one that everyone will enjoy! Click here to get the recipe.

Fun Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats!

2011-10-26T09:39:00.000-07:00

With Halloween coming up soon it puts me in the mood to make some fun, creative, and easy halloween treats. While browsing the internet looking for ideas I stumbled upon this recipe and it looks absolutely adorable! And quite delicious.

Frankenstein Rice Krispie Treats

These cute little guys are SO easy to make, and fun to eat! It is the perfect after-school project with your kids or grand kids!

To make Frankenstein, you will need:

Kellogg's Apple Jack's Cereal

Kellogg's Rice Krispie Treats (or you can make yours from scratch)

Icing tinted green with food coloring

Icing, tinted black with food coloring

White circular candies for eyes

Lollipop sticks

Zip top Plastic Bags

Wax Paper

Icing Connectors (available at craft stores)

Icing Tips:

#2 (round)

#46 (flat edge for nose and eyebrows)

#233 (for hair) with connectors

To start making this Halloween recipe for your kids, insert lollipop sticks into the bottom of your Rice Krispie Treats. Prepare your icing. Gel food coloring works best. Trim the corners of your zip top bags. Insert an icing connector (available at craft stores) in the corner hole you cut, spoon in your icing and attach your icing tip to the outside of the bag.

Using the #46 icing tip and green icing, pipe one long eyebrow and a shorter flat nose. Using the #2 icing tip and green icing, pipe two dots for the eyes. Add candies. And pipe a squiggly mouth, a scar, and two dots on the sides for his bolts. The attach his Apple Jack's bolts.

Using the #233 icing tip and black icing, pipe on Frankenstein's hair. You can use the #2 tip for this too, it will just take a bit longer.

If you want to dress him up a bit, cut a green and white paper straw in half and insert the lollipop stick into it before displaying your treats in little orange candies.

I think these would be PERFECT for your Halloween celebration! And we hope you have a very Happy Halloween!

Love, All the Ladies at The Parish

P.S. For more fun Halloween ideas, click on the following links:

Pumpkin Patch Tarts

Tombstone Brownies

5 Halloween Party Ideas and More!

This recipe came from Snackpicks.com.

Glacier Star Quilt Class

2011-10-20T11:06:00.000-07:00

Glacier Star is the most stunning quilt in Judy Niemeyer’s collection of paper-pieced quilt patterns. We are excited to be featuring certified instructor Linda Tellesbo to teach this Technique-of-the-Month class!
Each month, for six months, you will learn a specific technique featured in this masterpiece quilt, making it easy enough to create for even the beginner! This class will familiarize you with Judy’s paper-piecing technique and process, and you will have the confidence and skills to make many more of Judy Niemeyer’s beautiful quilt patterns!

Featured Teacher!

Linda Tellesbo is a Judy Niemeyer Quilting Certified Instructor originally from Washington's Skagit Valley. Her quilts have won prestigious awards in almost every major quilt show event in the Pacific Northwest Region! These events include the Association of Pacific Northwest Quilter's Quiltfest, Quilters Anonymous, Block Party, and the Busy Bees shows. In 2008, her quilts were showcased at the LaConner Quilt Museum, where she was the featured artist. In 2010, she received the honor of being selected as the Featured Artist for the Quilter’s Anonymous show!

We are so excited to have Linda teaching at our shop!

Facebook Photo Contest!

2011-09-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

We are having a contest on our Facebook page!

Take a picture of your latest quilting project and upload it to our Facebook page! Not sure how to do that? Click here for an instruction sheet with easy to follow steps.

When the picture is uploaded, tell all of your friends about it so they can help you win a prize! They will need to go to our Facebook page, "Like" our business, and then "Like" the picture that you uploaded! Your picture, once posted on the wall, will be put into an album titled "September Photo Contest" and your name will be in the caption of the photo.

The photo with the most "Likes" by September 30th will win a basket full of beautiful and fun holiday fabrics put together by The Ladies at The Parish! So hurry and post your pictures to our Facebook page and get your friends to "Like" your picture!

Fun Pillowcase Idea!

2011-08-31T18:11:00.000-07:00

As I was perusing the internet the other day for fun and easy craft ideas, I stumbled upon this idea from Martha Stewart's website that I absolutely love! They look so cute, and it seems very simple!

They're called Napkin Folded Pillowcases, and they can brighten outdoor spaces or bring a fun splash of life to any room!

Here are the instructions from Martha Stewart:

Lay a 20-inch square cloth napkin face down, positioning it to resemble a diamond. Center a 12- or 14-inch square pillow form on napkin. Fold in 2 side points of napkin to middle, then fold up bottom point. Hand-stitch through all 3 pieces of fabric along upside-down V, about 2 inches down on each side. Stitch a button to bottom flap near point. Fold down top flap; sew a loop of cord to underside of fabric as a button holder, ensuring it fits snugly around button when closed.

And now for some exciting news...

We are having a photo contest on our Facebook page!

If you have been busy quilting lately, we would love to see it! Share a photo of your latest creation with us on our Facebook page. Once your photo is uploaded tell all of your friends about it and have them go to our business page and "Like" your photo. Whichever photo gets the most "Likes" will win a Fabric Bundle Basket put together by Kathy and the Ladies at The Parish!

The contest begins September 1st (that's TOMORROW!), so get those pictures taken, uploaded, and spread the word to all of your friends!!!

ANNUAL PARKING LOT SALE

2011-08-25T16:02:00.001-07:00

FEATURING Parkland Parish Quilts Annual Parking Lot Sale!!

This weekend is our Annual Parking Lot Sale – you won’t want to miss this! Shop early for the best selection and all weekend long for our best clearance prices!! We hope to see you there as we rock ‘n roll our way through the last weekend in August and celebrate Hot August Nights!

Sale hours are Saturday 10am – 5pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm.

Fabric Stash Organization

2011-08-23T16:38:00.000-07:00

Is your fabric stash out of control? Do you dig around for hours looking for that one piece of fabric that you know you have? Well here is a quick and easy way to fold, organize, and store your fabric to make it visible and easy to access.

This method of organization uses comic book boards as a stabilizer for your fabrics. All you need are some comic book boards, some pins, and your fabric stash!

By doing this you can create your own mini-fabric store in your sewing room! Smaller pieces of fabric can be organized by color in easy access bins, or rolled up and placed in baskets. You can take the comic book board fabrics and organize them by color, designer, etc.

If you are interested in trying this to organize your fabric, comic book boards can be bought here.

If you have an organized fabric room, please! Share your methods with us! Leave us a comment and tell us how you keep organized!

This organizational idea was shared by Feathered Fibers.

The Results Are In!

2011-08-16T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you to ALL of you who participated in our Give Away! We have loved reading what your favorite notions are, but most of all we love to hear from you!

And now, drum roll please...

Congratulations! Please send an email to parklandparish@gmail.com in order to claim your prize!

Another Favorite

2011-07-26T08:40:00.000-07:00

Since our last Give-Away was so successful, we are having another one! Please remember to leave your first and last name when you comment. We had six comments last time that were not eligible to be in the drawing because a name was not left with them. Please don't forget!

The question is:

We hope you will all participate! The winners (yes, there will be more than one!) of this give-away will be announced on August 16th!

1st Place Prize - $25 Gift Card to PPQC!
2nd Place Prize - $15 Gift Card to PPQC!
3rd Place Prize - A Coupon for 15% off your next purchase at PPQC!

And the Winner Is...

2011-07-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

You have won a $25 Gift Card to Parkland Parish Quilt Co.! Come visit us to get your gift card and do some shopping! Please send us an email at parklandparish@gmail.com so we can send you a "coupon" that will get you your gift card.

And thank you, all of you, who took the time to comment. We loved reading your posts and hope that you will continue to come read our blog and leave us comments!

Gift Card Give-Away!

2011-07-04T12:36:00.000-07:00

We are hosting a give-away! Post your response to the question below to get your name entered into a drawing for a

$25 gift card to Parkland Parish Quilt Co.!

The winner will be announced here on our blog on July 19th! Answer this question as a comment and make sure to include your first and last name!
What is your favorite quilting technique?

On Your Mark... Get Set... Shop Hop!

2011-06-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

Shop Hop is this week! It has come so quickly, but we at Parkland Parish Quilt Co. are ready and very excited for this year's hop to begin!

We have always had a soft spot for sweets, but our sweet tooth seems to have grown! So we decided that this year we are going to "treat" all of our shop hoppers with some very sweet surprises! Make sure that you have us penciled into your schedules, because there will be fun that you will not want to miss!

Cupcakes? ...hmmm.

Help for Beginning Quilters

2011-06-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hello! It has been quite some time since this blog has been posted on and I apologize for that. Sometimes our lives get so crazy that it feels like we barely have time to breathe. But I think we need to take time to breathe, smell the roses, and quilt!

As someone who does not have a lot of experience under her belt when it comes to quilting, I would like to pose a few questions:

What would you, as a more experienced quilter, say your number one piece of advice is for a beginner?
What pattern would you most recommend for their first quilt?
What mistakes have you learned from throughout your quilting experience that could help a beginning quilter?

With quilting reaching out to a wider and wider age group, there are more and younger beginners everywhere. So for all of you wonderful and experienced quilters out there, share your wisdom with us through a comment!

I hope that as summertime approaches, we can embrace the laid-back atmosphere, take the time to enjoy ourselves, and definitely take the time to quilt.

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

P.S. Check out the online store at Parkland Parish Quilt Co.'s website, where you will find some new and fun fabric lines!

It's Easter!

2011-04-19T15:26:00.000-07:00

With Easter coming up this Sunday there is chatter all around about eggs, candy, and the easter bunny. However, we have something very exciting coming up on Saturday!

Erica's Layer Cake Class is this Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. If you're tired of coming to class and leaving without a finished project, then this class is for you! The only fabric you will need is two layer cakes and you will have a finished project at the end of class! It will be a wonderful day of quilting with an exciting teacher! Class cost is $20. Call us NOW to sign up, space is limited!

As I was browsing the internet for fun projects, I ran across a great idea that I think would be fun! If any of you have young sons, nephews, or grandsons, take a look and give it a try!

Click here.

My most recent finished project is a quilt top for my niece! My sister is due in the end of June and so I have plenty of time to get this finished, but I thought it would be fun to share my progress so far!

This is the top left hand corner of the quilt.

These three carriages are in the bottom right hand corner of the quilt, at a smaller size than the one in the top corner.

I have always enjoyed making things for others, and this quilt for my niece has been a lot of fun for me so far.

I hope this post finds you happy, well, and quilting!

May your bobbin always be full.

To pre-wash or not to pre-wash? That is the question.

2011-04-05T12:15:00.000-07:00

Don't forget...our Parish Academy 2 class starts one week from today on April 12th. This three part class meets the next three Tuesdays from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Call or come into the shop to sign up. You don't want to miss out on this fun class with an amazing teacher.

Here is a fun topic that all quilters have an opinion about.

Do you wash your fabric before starting a project?

When I began quilting, my first project was a baby quilt made from a fat quarter pattern. I washed all of my fat quarters and when I took them out of the dryer, they had shrunk so much that I had to go back to the quilt shop and purchase another fat quarter of every fabric. Ever since then, I have not pre-washed my fabric.

My mom, on the other hand, pre-washes her fabric. The exceptions being, if it came in a kit, or is a specialty cut like a fat quarter. She prefers to have her fabric shrink before she puts it into a quilt and she also likes to wash out any excess dye. She does not want fabric from a kit to shrink because it may shrink too much and leave her without enough fabric to finish her project.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Do you pre-wash or not?

Spring is Here! ...Right?

2011-03-22T19:48:00.000-07:00

The sun is starting to peek its way through the clouds and the flowers are starting to push their buds above the soil! As of March 21st, Spring is here! Well, it's supposed to be here. In my opinion, I think springtime should be warm and sunny, with occasional rain. But it's just my luck that I live in Northwestern Washington where it rains all the time!

But there is one perk to living in this area. And that is this wonderful quilt shop! We have some fun classes coming up that have a few seats available!

This Friday, March 25th we have Quilt Til You Wilt! It only costs $10, so bring the project you're working on and your comfortable clothes, because you'll have six hours of non-stop quilting!

And this Saturday, March 26th we have our "Thread Painting" and "Woven Quilts" class! This class costs $40 and will teach you the most beautiful techniques! From 10:30 am - 3:30 pm Judy Irish will guide you through the steps, tips, and tricks to creating these beautiful projects.

And now for some exciting news! I am anxiously awaiting the birth of my niece! Okay, so my sister isn't due until late June, but I'm still very excited! So I looked through the bin of scraps I have at home and found some cute, bright, and PINK (yes, she's having a girl!) fabrics that I could use to create a burp cloth and matching blanket. Here are some pictures of the embroidery that I have accomplished so far:

They are naming their little girl Jayden. I am so excited to have my niece Jayden Carson here!

Fabric and Feedback!

2011-03-15T13:53:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back! It's been two weeks since my last post, and I apologize profusely for the absence. We were just so busy here at the shop with the Fat Tuesday sale that I was pulled upstairs to help out and didn't have time to write! The past few weeks have been both busy and fun. I would like to thank all of you that came out to visit us during the Fat Tuesday sale. We loved seeing you! It was fun to see the fat quarters you picked and hear about what they were destined to become! One customer walked out with quite a few bags full of fat quarters and as I was helping her to her car she said, "That was the most fun I've had all week!" So thank you to all that came, we always love seeing your smiling faces.

I have been busily working on something, and it is now up to date! We are selling fabric on the online store! Yay! You can now find not only kits, pre-cut fabrics, gift certificates, classes, and clubs online, but recent fabric lines as well! Click here to visit our online store and shop!

Okay ladies, that last part told you about the "fabric". Now, for the feedback! I was asked a few weeks ago to sing in a friend's wedding. I was very excited and instantly started preparing my piece. The reception was this last Saturday, and as I was introduced and handed the microphone I started walking to the piano. I had the microphone by my side and as I passed the speaker this BLARING noise shot out. Feedback. I was embarrassed, but quickly apologized and played my piece. While this story is slightly entertaining, I am going to tell you about a different kind of feedback.

YOUR FEEDBACK!

I am going to post a poll on the blog. When you visit The Parish Piece within the next two weeks you will see two questions in the upper right hand corner. If you will respond to them I would really appreciate it! I am always striving to make this a place for you to get some updates on the shop and to enjoy some fun writing. And, if we got over 100 responses on each question, then there might be a surprise in store so spread the word! Get all your friends to visit this blog and respond to the questions!
If the text on the options for the poll is too small to read, simply click on a blank spot on the web page, then hold down the "Ctrl" button and press the "+" until the text is big enough to read.

Thank you for being your wonderful selves! I hope this post finds you happy, well, and quilting.

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Peanut Butter Pie & Mardi Gras!

2011-03-01T13:16:00.001-08:00

I hope you all had a marvelous month of February. I know I did! The month ended with a delicious Hershey's Peanut Butter and Chocolate pie. My sister gave me a Hershey's Dessert Book for my bridal shower, and this is one of the many desserts that caught my eye! It was a perfect way to end February.

And now, on to the marvelous month of March!

This month, we are having our

MARDI GRAS FAT TUESDAY EVENT!!

On Tuesday, March 8th come into the shop where all of our pre-cut fat quarters will be just ONE DOLLER A PIECE!

With our fat quarters regularly $3.00 a piece, this is a steal! Minimum purchase of 25 required.

In light of this event, I have been doing some research that I am going to share with you now!

Mardi Gras began long before the Europeans set foot in the New World. Back in Ancient Rome they used to celebrate in mid-February with a circus called Lupercalia. This was somewhat like a carnival, and is very similar to the Mardi Gras celebration later seen in New Orleans.

When the Romans embraced Christianity, the Carnival became a period of abandonment and merriment that preceded Lent.

In 1699 the French explorer Iberville brought Mardi Gras to America. Mardi Gras was celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages and March 3rd was their day of celebration. On March 3rd 1699, Iberville set up camp along the banks of the Mississippi and named the site Point du Mardi Gras.

The celebrations we see today are filled with parades, masked marchers, and the colors purple, gold, and green. Those colors became the official colors of Mardi Gras in 1872, when The Krewe of Rex, an organization created to entertain the Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff of Russia, chose those colors in the Duke's honor. From that point on they have been the official colors of Mardi Gras.

I just thought I'd share with you some interesting information that I did not know until I did a little research. I think in life we all need a few periods of "abandonment and merriment." We can't always focus on our stresses and worries. If we did then life would be a drag. We need to take time to look around us and be grateful for all that we do have, and celebrate it!

I hope this finds you all happy, well and quilting.

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Thread Painting

2011-02-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

I came into work yesterday and was listening to the talk about how much fun it has been to see everyone that has come in to shop our Spring Cleaning sale! The discounts are incredible, the selection is great, and the people are fun and friendly! If you haven't had your chance to get into the shop yet, don't worry. The sale ends on Sunday, February 27th, so you have time! This is a great opportunity. Just yesterday I got a couple books I have been looking at for a while, and am so glad I did!

As a newlywed couple, my husband and I are living at home and saving money while we get ready to go back to school. So I have been very excited and looking forward to moving into our own apartment and decorating it! Projects of every kind have floated into my head, most of them inspired by what I see around me here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co.

Well, this week we have some wonderful classes coming up. This Friday is Quilt Til You Wilt!

This class is so much fun! For only $10 you come to the shop, bring a project, and sew, sew sew until 11pm!! With employees from the shop there to help you if you need it and good company, this class is a fun one!

This Saturday we have our Thread Painting

class with Judy Irish. The technique of thread

painting is a beautiful one, and in this class you

will learn tips and tricks to help you master this craft. This picture is just an example of the beautiful things that can be accomplished with thread painting! The class is $40 and is from 10:30 am - 3:30 pm, here on February 26th. Call the shop, or sign up online!

Well, I don't think I have much else to share with you all today. Except, there is this one thought that has been on my mind lately. It's a quote said by Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh, and ever since I heard it while babysitting it has stuck with me.

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."

With all of our imperfections it can be easy to get down on ourselves for not being as brave, or smart, or strong as we may think we need to be. But none of us need to be perfect; and we are always stronger, smarter, and braver than we think we are.

I hope this post finds you happy, well, and quilting!

May your bobbin always be full.

-Taylor

Spring Cleaning!

2011-02-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine's Day! When I went home from work yesterday I found rose petals scattered all over my bed, a long-stemmed red rose, a candle, and a home-made card from my husband. So sweet! It was a wonderful day, and I hope that you all took the time to show those that you love just how much you love them.

With all the rain we have been getting lately, I've been staying inside my house, reading books, and watching good movies. But sometimes, that can get a little tiring and I start itching to do something. And most of the time, I end up cleaning! And that is precisely what we have decided

to do here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co. We have been going stir crazy around here, so we've been doing some early spring cleaning and we're doing it for you!

The Spring Cleaning event starts on Saturday, February 19th and ends on Sunday, February 27th. Come into the shop to receive GREAT discounts on kits, fabric, books, and more!

Selected Kits & Pre-cuts – up to 50% off!

Selected fabrics - 50-70% off!

Books – starting at just $5.00!

Selected Magazine – just $1.00!

We cannot wait for this event to start, and we hope that you will make it in to take advantage of these never before seen discounts!

I don't have much more to share with you except to tell you there are a few spots remaining in some upcoming classes.

First we have "The Inside Secrets of Binding" class with Ann Sawin. It's on Tuesday, February 22nd from 6 - 9 pm. This class is only $20, and with the great "inside secrets" you'll learn, this is a great opportunity! Call the shop today or sign up online.

Next we have "Thread Painting: Plain and Fancy" class with Judy Irish. It's on Saturday, February 26th from 10:30am - 3:30pm. This class is $40 to sign up and is sure to be fun! The technique you will learn is absolutely beautiful, so hurry and sign up! You can call the shop or register online.

Don't forget! You get an additional 15% off on your purchase when you shop the online store and enter the coupon code "parkland parish". So go shop today!!

And that's all I have to share with you all today. I hope this blog post finds you all happy, well, and quilting!

May your bobbin always be full!

-Taylor

Valentine's Day Anyone?

2011-02-08T15:28:00.000-08:00

As Valentine's Day approaches we are all inclined to let our minds linger a little more on thoughts of love, friendship, and romance. Chocolate, candy, and hearts are all over the place in grocery stores, the mall, and restaurants. It is in our nature as humans to make connections with people; to form meaningful relationships with loved ones.

So as this holiday comes closer, start thinking about a gift that would mean the most to those that you love. Whether it's a hand-made card, that cute pair of boots that she's been drooling over for weeks, or just 30 minutes of catching up with a good friend and some tea, do something for those that have meaning in your life this Valentine's Day. I know that I will.

And even though Parkland Parish Quilt Co. is a quilt shop we still want to help you celebrate this holiday! We have some adorable "chocolate" fabrics that arrived in the shop. To see a couple samples, click here.

We also got in a fun Lakehouse line that features polka dots, cakes, and TEA CUPS! These tea cups are absolutely adorable! To see more of this line that would be absolutely perfect for Valentine's day, click here.

THERE IS STILL ROOM IN UPCOMING CLASSES!

We have two wonderful classes quickly approaching that have spots left. I recommend you sign up quickly, before you miss your chance! This Saturday, February 12th is the English Sewing Box class. It is not only a cute box, but it is great for storing whatever quilting supplies you need to stay in one place!

We also have our Fabulous Floor Mat class meeting on Valentines day! From 10 am - 3:30 pm get instruction from Kathy McKenna on how to create your own beautiful floor mat! Call the shop today to sign up!

I hope this blog post finds all of you happy, warm, and quilting. May your bobbin always be full!!

-Taylor

February Classes!

2011-02-07T13:32:00.001-08:00

Okay, so this past week has been a little crazy with the Super Bowl Sample Sale and all other sorts of madness, so my blogging has been a bit... irregular. The shop has been super busy!!

But this will be the last not-posted-on-Tuesday blog.

We have some classes coming up very soon that you won't want to miss out on!

Our Fabulous Floor Mat class is on Monday, Februray 14th and the last day to sign up is TOMORROW! So hurry! Call the shop today to reserve your spot in this wonderful class taught by our very own Kathy McKenna!

Also on the list for the next upcoming class is the English Sewing Box Class. It is this Saturday, February 12th from 10am - 4pm. This project is a fun, cute, and useful one! Call the shop today to sign up for this class, or you can register online.

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend and that you are enjoying every minute of every day.

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

Are You Ready for some Football?

2011-02-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

I know that it's Friday and not Tuesday... and I know that I usually post a blog every week on Tuesday. (Don't worry, just because I'm posting today doesn't mean that I won't post on Tuesday.) But I just had to give you all one more reminder about the

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SAMPLE SALE

going on this Sunday, February 6th here at Parkland Parish Quilt Co.! Not only are we going to have all of our beautiful samples on a GREAT sale, but we are going to be playing a fun game of football! To see a flier with information and instructions on how we're going to be playing our game, click here.

The doors open at Noon so come to the shop and get ready for some fun! The classroom will be open for some free sewing time and there will be snacks provided!

This is going to be a sale that you won't want to miss!!!

Treats!

2011-02-02T09:21:00.001-08:00

I don't know about all of you, but for the past few days I have been absolutely freezing! Waking up in the morning to a frost covered car is not my ideal scenario. At that moment I feel like putting my sweat pants back on, making a nice cup of hot cocoa, and curling up on the couch with a blanket and my favorite movie on the TV. But since days where we are free from responsibility don't come around too often, I just go outside and scrape the ice off of my car and drive to work.

However, it is always good to be prepared in case a day where you have no

responsibility comes around. I found this amazing recipe for hot cocoa online the

other day, and I just have to share it!

It's called Cookie Dough Cocoa (just the title makes my mouth water.) If you'd like to see this recipe or print it out, click here.

I think the

only adjustment I would make to this would be to make homemade chocolate chip cookies instead of using Cookie Crisp cereal. That's just my opinion because I am not the biggest fan of Cookie Crisp.

Anyways, while you're all enjoying that recipe, lets get on to the quilting treats I have in store for today!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY SAMPLE SALE

In your email blasts last week you were filled in on how our football game is going to work, how you earn points, and just how much fun it's going to be! But so far I have neglected to mention all of the amazing, incredible, quilt samples that will be on an incredible

SALE!

All of our quilts are already hanging up in the shop, so come in early and scope out the samples. They will be priced at rates that will knock your socks off! Hurry to Parkland Parish Quilt Co. and see what we have to offer, and don't forget to come join us on Sunday,

February 6th for a day of games, fun, and great deals!

THE ROMANCE CONTINUES - SATURDAY BOM

Our Saturday BOM class has been filling up quickly! There are very

few spots left and the last day to register for this class is Saturday, February 5th! You can register online, in the shop, or by phone.

And last but not least go to our online store to see all of the REDUCED KITS AND PRE-CUT FABRICS

that have now been added! With the majority of our online merchandise on sale, you won't want to pass up this opportunity!

Well, all of this talk about treats makes me want my own cup of hot chocolate. I'm going to go make myself some.I hope this blog post has found you all doing well and very happy.

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

P.S. Keep yours eyes and ears open because there's an extra-exciting

treat coming your way... (check your emails... *cough cough*)

I wonder what it could be...

Some Rainy Day Cheer

2011-01-25T09:59:00.000-08:00

Good morning! ...or afternoon, evening, whichever time of day it just so happens to be as you are perusing this blog post. The rainy, cold weather has been making me yearn for summertime, and as I was thinking about how unhappy I was that it wasn't summer yet (I'm a summer and sun person through and through), a quote that I heard once popped into my head.

"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look

beyond the imperfections."

As I let the meaning of this quote sink in, I realized that all I have to do is look past the rain and summer will come soon enough.

So if there are any imperfections in your quilts or projects you're working on at the moment, look beyond them! See the opportunity you have to laugh and learn and grow.

And while it may still be cold outside, I have quite a few things to share that are very good reasons to be happy!

First of all, we have a LOT of new fabric in the shop! But sadly, I'm not going to tell you about it in this blog. Watch your emails for the email newsletter that will be sent out tomorrow, and you will see pictures! All I can say is that it is all absolutely

ADORABLE!

Next month we have one of the best days of the whole year, and it is definitely a day to celebrate! What day am I talking about you ask? Well Superbowl Sunday, of course! All of us ladies here at The Parish are gearing up and getting ready to play some football on Sunday, February 6th and you can play in our game too! There will be two teams competing against one another for the most points. Now, you

don't have to go out in a cold, wet, football field and run around chasing the person holding the ball. You get to stay inside our nice and cozy quilt shop while you play!

The rules of the game are:

You will get a score card upon entering the shop. The color of that card will determine which team you are on. Then, as you shop you have the opportunity to earn a certain amount of points! The method in which you will earn these points will be revealed in the email

newsletter! So watch your emails tomorrow for more details!!!

Whichever team at the end of the day has the most points will get a special prize! And, even if you aren't on the winning team, the points you earn will be beneficial to you on your next visit to our quilt shop!

And last but not least, I suppose I should acknowledge Valentine's Day... because it is a

wonderful holiday! Even if you don't have a valentine this year, let someone that you care for know just how much. The

perfect way to show them is with a Parkland Parish Quilt Co. Gift Certificate! They are now purchasable online through a very simple process.

Well I hope this post finds you all very happy despite any imperfections you might feel in any aspect of anything. All of us here at Parkland Parish are always happy to listen and help you with some "quilt therapy."

May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

Three Cheers for the Online Store!

2011-01-18T13:07:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Taylor Morgan here, your friendly Parkland Parish Web Tech. You might not recognize my name because I got married three weeks ago today and I am happier than ever! ...Anyways, on to the quilting news.

Well, I have exciting things to share! Lots of work has been going on and some changes have been made to the online store. We got a lot of phone calls during the holidays asking about being able to purchase gift certificates for PPQC on our website.

Guess what? Now you can!

Simply go to http://www.parklandparishquilts.com/ and click on the "Gift Certificates" link

on the right hand side of the page, or click on this picture below that I have so conveniently provided.

These gift cards are redeemable both online and in the shop so take advantage of this

opportunity to get a fun gift for a friend.

And now for something just as exciting: You can register for classes and

clubs on the website!

The website will be updated with the upcoming classes and clubs every quarter. This means

that you can sign up for that class you have been waiting for from your home! Of course, all of us here at the shop would love to see your beautiful faces, but we do admit, being able to register online is terribly convenient.

January - March of 2011 classes and clubs are on the website right now, so go to http://www.parklandparishquilts.com/ and click on the "Classes" or "Clubs" link on the right hand side of the page to register. Or click on the picture below that I have so conveniently provided.

Now, I can't speak for all of you, but I know that I am excited about these additions! I love to work with the website and see how it continues to change and grow. As I work, I always have the goal in mind to make it the best for you!

I hope this blog post finds you all doing well and very happy.
May your bobbin always be full! -Taylor

Just A Laugh For You

2010-03-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Parish POP! We are very excited to get our blog up and running and hope that it is a fun and useful site for you to have access to. To start it all of we thought a fun quilting cartoon would be good for a chuckle or two:

I think we all know how this feels!! Happy quilting!