Website Update!

I have been doing a lot of updating on the website the last few weeks.  Wow!  It sure is time consuming, but it is looking much better. I have added new products, changed images, changed pricing and so much more.  Thank you to my awesome hubbie who continues to help me do a lot of data entry.

As I was answering an email from one of our customers I realized she had a blog and records podcasts!  I listened to her very first one and I am hooked!! Only 48 more to go and I can't wait.   What a sweet young lady and so fun to listen to! Check out her great blog spot Katie's Quilting Corner and she is on Facebook.  I have been having so much fun reading about Katie and her darling Corgi's.  

Funny, Matthew and I are going to get a Corgi soon and we may have found a breeder...THANKS Katie!!

How do you make quilting connections?  There are so many blogs, websites, podcasts and Facebook pages it can be overwhelming!  I try to find something that catches my eye and then dive in.  

So the Fulton County Fair is right around the corner and I have to decide which quilts and projects to enter.  I am thinking this wall hanging will go and probably my coffee apron.

I haven't picked any photographs yet, but will work on it this week.


This weekend is the Checker Open House and I get to attend a special workshop from FabShopNetwork and sew with Karen Montgomery!!  I also get to hear Alex Anderson speak.  Yeah I am a little excited!!!  This is always a great weekend!!  I'll keep you posted when I get back!! Until then ~Bear Hugs~


 

Happy Summer!

So now I have been away for a while again!  I can not believe how fast time goes by!  I have been keeping up with our monthly newsletter, but I really need to get back to my blogging!  So let's start over today!!

We have so much going on around here!  The garden is going crazy and we have been able to enjoy fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans and more!!  We have a few sugar baby watermelons that should be ready soon!

I just love summer time!  

Matthew is just about finished umpiring for the summer and we are going on a much needed vacation to California to see Matthew's brother David!  We are taking Papa along and it should be a great time! 

Coming up in August our beloved first granddaughter, Amelia will arrive!  I made this quilt for her and gave it to mom at her shower at the end of June!

Our Quilt Bear Cafe Club is going well and this month's project is the Charmed Living Table Topper.  I made this one for a gift for my new sister-in-law and will give it to her when we go to California.  We will be piecing the top this month and quilting it next month.  If you want to make one too, you can purchase a kit HERE.  

I used a charm pack I had in my stash, but if you like the red, white and blue I would suggest the Old Glory Gatherings charm pack.

We just started a new incentive at The Quilt Bear!  Make any purchase over $40 and be automatically entered in our monthly drawing for a $10 Quilt bear Gift Certificate!  AND our top spender for the year will receive a gift basket valued at $100!!  How's that for a reward for buying awesome quilt stuff you already love!!  Start shopping and good luck!!


I hope you all are doing great and enjoying your summer!

February News

Happy 2011 Quilt Bear Friends!

We have been very busy here deciding what new fabric lines to carry for 2011!  So far we have chosen:

some great Patrick Lose fabrics,

Marble Textures in a variety of colors

Fizz in a variety of colors

Dot to Dot in a variety of colors

                                       

the new colorway of Dragonfly Magic, 

Dragonfly Magic

Dragonfly Magic

Metallic Leaves in a variety of colors

some Minkee Safari fabric, 

Minkee Safari in a variety of colors

 Choo Choo You by the same designer who brought you Diggers and Dozers, Richard Neuman,

Choo Choo You

and Jolly Snowmen by Sue Zipkin.

Jolly Snowmen

 Also new this year is lower prices on fabrics and supplies.  Although our clearance sale has ended we still have several items at reduced prices.  

My new toy this year is a Brother PE-770 embroidery machine.

I can't wait to make all kinds of fun new projects!!  I will post pictures soon!

We hope you are enjoying your winter and staying warm!

~Bear Hugs~ 

Ho Ho Ho Contest Winner!!!

And the winner is......

PomieMommie!  Please contact us with your address so we can ship out your prize pack!

Want to know what she won?  Our awesome winner will receive the Tidings book by Nancy Halvorsen, a 12 fat quarter bundle from the Tidings collection, a Tidings fabric panel and one yard each of three Tidings fabrics!

Congratulations!

Happy New Year everyone!!

~Bear Hugs~

Mary Jo & Matthew

Ho Ho Ho Contest

Hi everyone!  We hope you aren't getting too stressed with all the Christmas shopping and preparations!!  We are busy preparing for our end-of-the-year clearance sale which begins December 20 -January 2.  All fabric will be on sale for incredibly low prices as well as books, patterns, kits, thread...okay well EVERYTHING will be on sale!

We are also having a Christmas contest.  

The rules are simple...become a follower of our blog and post a comment below telling us what you are making this Christmas.  That's it....you will be entered to receive a great prize package.  (More later on the prize...He He..or should I say Ho Ho?!)  Post your comment before December 25th to be entered!!

Sign up for our newsletter by clicking the link below:

Sign up for our Email Newsletter

to receive special monthly coupons and join us on Facebook  
for more sewing fun! 

Stay warm and cozy and stay tuned for more Quilt Bear news! 


God Bless!
 

Bear Hugs for Mark Lipinksi and Breast Cancer Awareness

With the new site design, we have created a Bear Hugs page where you can see our focus charities.  We give 10% to each organization when you purchase the products displayed or listed. 

 Breast Cancer Awareness was a natural choice as Matthew's mom and my grandma were survivors.  Although we have since lost our loved ones, we wish to honor their memories.

Mamma Boyd

Grandma Bloink

Our second charity is the PKD Foundation better known as Polycystic Kidney Disease.  You may have heard of Mark Lipnski, our friend, designer, talk show host, teacher, and quilter extraordinaire.

Ok, well I haven't actually met Mark, but I am his friend on Facebook and I stayed in a Holiday Inn last night so I will take the liberty of calling him my friend!  Anyway, Mark suffers from polycystic kidney disease and is in need of a kidney transplant.  See Mark's Blog for all the details.  http://marklipinskisblog.wordpress.com/

Since I can't give him one of my kidneys...sorry Mark wrong blood type...and since I am already praying my little tosh off...which does work...we wanted to do more.  So we decided to give 10% of all sales of Mark Lipinski products on our website to the PKD Foundation. 

We quilters need to stick together and help each other any way we can.  Watch our Bear Hugs page as we post how much you have helped us raise each month!  As Mark might say, "Quilt for a Cause Cupcakes!!!!"

~Bear Hugs~

Website Re-Design

Sorry it has been so long since my last post!  We have been very busy re-designing our website to bring the "beary" best to our customers.  (Sorry couldn't resist the bear pun)  Not only did our site get a complete facelift, but it is also much more user friendly and fun!!!  Especially check out the Bear Hugs page where we will be featuring various charities that we will be donating 5% of our total sales to each month!!  When you buy from us you also help others in need!

http://www.thequiltbear.com/

Besides the re-design we have also been building our inventory and  have received the Clothworks Birds and Berries collection and will be receiving the Northcott Good Morning Sunshine collection by Mark Lipinski this month.  These fabrics look so beautiful and pictures just don't do them justice.

                  This Starry Night Pattern and kit will be available soon!

           I can't wait to whip up a sample of the Birds and Berries wallhanging!

Also, my son Ben created several ad slogans and here is one more for you!  He is so creative!

Take care everyone and happy quilting!

~Bear Hugs~

International Quilt Study Center & Museum

Today I am writing to you from Lincon, NE.  My "day" job as a legal software consultant brought me to Lincoln this week for our annual software forum.  Little did I know Lincoln is also the home of the International Quilt Study Center & Museum.  I am hoping for a few extra minutes to run over and take a look.  This looks like an amazing place and I wish I had more time to spend here.  If you are in Lincoln, NE stop out and check it out.  Otherwise, take a look at their website.  http://www.quiltstudy.org/

~Bear Hugs~