JANUARY, 2008

My wish for you this new year is to enjoy each day!  I love the promise of a new beginning offered with the new year. It’s fun to feel so free with the idea of a clean slate. Begin new projects as a treat to yourself.

Don’t worry about old unfinished projects. You probably didn’t finish them for a good reason, either you didn’t like the technique or the color selection of the fabrics used. Leave them for someone else to finish someday, they’ll love your work. I hope this little tidbit will free you up to pursue your new projects. 

I hope you have a new project of have fun with. There are so many wonderful fabrics and books for us to choose from.  Treat yourself to the gift of doing whatever you want this year – at least for the month of January!

FEBRUARY, 2008

What a beginning for February ’08 – Superbowl Sunday -Go Pats! And Super Tuesday! – what a race! I’ll be glad when it is over and we can relax a bit. Take a minute and look back to Feb ’07 bouquet and do enjoy trying the Truffles recipe. They are too delicious for words!

I am looking forward to going to Virginia the end of Feb with our first Quilt Ventures tour to that state, and it promises to be fun. I am taking a couple of machine classes at the Mancuso’s Mid- Atlantic Quilt Festival.  As a hand appliqué lover, I find machine classes a challenge, and I always learn something. I wish you a great month of chocolate and fun also!

MARCH, 2008

Well, March has certainly arrived in like a lion today with yet another snow storm in New Hampshir e . I am ready for springtime flowers!

To celebrate the coming of Spring with you, I offer you my book, Garden View Applique, at a special price of $15 which includes postage anywhere in the USA . This book is full of vintage album patterns from the 1800’s, as well as directions for ribbon flowers.  Please send check or money order, with your e-mail address, to Faye Labanaris, 80 Mt. Vernon St. , Dove r NH 03820 . Sorry no credit cards charges can be accepted. Enjoy working up a new spring quilt.

APRIL, 2008

To celebrate the coming of Spring with you, I offer you my book, Garden View Applique, at a special price of $15 which includes postage anywhere in the USA . This book is full of vintage album patterns from the 1800’s, as well as directions for ribbon flowers.  Please send check or money order, with your e-mail address, to Faye Labanaris, 80 Mt. Vernon St. , Dove r NH 03820 . Sorry no credit cards charges can be accepted. En

APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS!

I can only hope that May brings a completion to a 3 month project of having the interior of our house painted.  Almost every room, but one, will have been replastered and painted from ceiling to baseboards. I didn’t realize what this would entail. Lots of “small stuff ” has been moved out of all the rooms. The sorting out process and the clean look of the new room means less “stuff’ goes back. It is a cleansing process, but a very messy one. I have taken my experience in working with fabric to select colors for the walls that are more than just shades of ivory. The new looks are refreshing, and I am happy about them. Now to get the extra “stuff’ out of the basement!

MAY, 2008

At last it is May after a very long, cold and snowy winter here in New Hampshire .

I have just returned from our Quilt Ventures tour to Paducah and the AQS Quilt show. The Dogwood, Redbuds and Azaleas were in peak bloom. I don’t ever remember seeing them so beautiful. The quilts at the show were wonderful!  A visit to the “backroom” at Hancock’s Fabrics also was a beautiful sight to behold. Lots and lots of wonderful fabric bundles – full collection packets, neatly packed and tied with a bow were just piled high on counters and very tempting! I quickly gave in to temptation and purchased at least a half dozen of these bundles. While I do not know what I will do with them just yet, they give me a feeling of excitement and the promise of things to come. Just like a packet of mixed flower seeds will give beauty, although you are not quite sure of what will develop. For now I am content to just enjoy the full collections of each of the fabric packets.

JUNE, 2008

June is busting out all over!!!
How true where I live. I just can’t seem to keep up with everything.
There so much to see blooming and, of course, new planting in the garden.
A garden shop is like a fabric shop, so many wonderful things to choose from. 
After a long winter it feels good to put your fingers in the dirt. I am trying to use my gloves!

June is the month of roses and my birthday!
As a special treat to you this month, I offer my book Applique Rose Garden for $20 with no shipping charges. Just write Happy Birthday on the order form when you send it in to me.
Enjoy these wonderful album patterns from vintage quilts.

MORE NEWS TO SHARE: I can’t wait!!!
Coming in July, my newest book, Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden
Order for $26.95 with free shipping anywhere in the USA .

JULY, 2008

July finds me in Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii for Quilt Hawaii ‘08.
I know, it’s a rough job, but someone has to do it.
Actually Hawaii is much more than beautiful skies, scenery, lush foliage and volcanoes.
It is also a state of mind. The Hawaiian philosophy of life is to live each day one day at a time.
Don’t worry about tomorrow because it is not here yet.
Enjoy the now moment.
We can all be Hawaiian, relax and enjoy then moment and
Don’t worry about tomorrow.
With Aloha I wish you happy Hawaiian moments.

AUGUST, 2008

I hope this month finds you enjoy the days of summer. I find myself enjoying all aspects of quilting this month. First, I’ll attend the 20th anniversary the celebration of the New England Quilt Museum , Lowell , Massachusetts on August 1. I remember attending the opening when I was just a guild member and had no idea about what the future held for me, except that I loved being a quilter and was very proud of our new museum.  I will next enjoy being a teacher and sharing techniques and a lecture with students at the Lowell Quilt Festival later that week.

Then on to being a vendor at the Bayberry Quilt Show on Cape Cod . Now I look at things from a consumer’s point of view and offer my books and ribbons for sale. Finally, I become a student again at the American Quilters Society Quilt Exposition at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville , Tennessee at the end of the month. It’s fun and relaxing to just sit back and learn a new thing or two. In between my quilting events this month, I am at home working as an author on two new books!

I wouldn’t change a thing about this month! What a blessing to be a quilter!

I hope you have a great month also! Enjoy your blessings!

SEPTEMBER, 2008

My newest book, Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden, is finally available.
It is beautiful and inspiring, even if I do say so myself. It was a long time in coming, but the end result is great!

I am spending the first 3 weeks in September in England and Wales
with my husband as we celebrate 40 years of marriage.

 I am also going to be giving a couple of lectures and workshops in England and Wales ,
as well as visiting a quilt show! This is a great way to learn about a country and its people, through quilting! It’s so much more fun than being just a tourist.

NOVEMBER, 2008

I am just back from the International Quilt Festival in Houston . I was at Quilt Market promoting my new book, Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden and stayed on to take some classes and see the show. It’s always an exciting with so much to see and do and learn! Great to be a quilter!!!

I have set up a catalog of ribbon available for the projects in my book.

Simply click on Ribbon Projects found on the About Faye page of this website to pull up the Word document which can be downloaded to your computer of what is available. I have lots of ribbon and this is an easy way for you to get what you need to make lots of beautiful flowers from the book. Contact me is you have any questions.

Enjoy a wonderful holiday season!

DECEMBER, 2008

My newest book, Ribbon Treasures from Celia’s Garden, is finally available.
It is beautiful and inspiring, even if I do say so myself. It was a long time in coming, but the end result is great!

I am spending the first 3 weeks in September in England and Wales
with my husband as we celebrate 40 years of marriage.

 I am also going to be giving a couple of lectures and workshops in England and Wales ,
as well as visiting a quilt show! This is a great way to learn about a country and its people, through quilting! It’s so much more fun than being just a tourist.

My best wishes for a happy holiday season and lots of happy sewing in the new year ahead.
I am sending you this wonderful recipe for chocolate truffles (again).
Everyone loves chocolate and this gift will speak volumes from you!
Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Truffles

2 cups Ghirardelli 60% Cocoa bittersweet Baking Chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Coating: 1/3 cup Ghirardelli Unsweetened Cocoa
Or ¾ cup finely chopped almonds or pecans

Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Add butter and stir until melted.
Add chocolate to saucepan. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
Remove from heat and pour mixture into a shallow bowl.
Cool, cover and refrigerate until firm, at least two hours.
Roll mixture into 1” balls. Roll each ball in coating of your choice.
ENJOY!!!