Happy Anniversary Girlfriends! MUSICA
Today is the day we’re going to begin our June celebration for two wonderful events ~ It was June 11, 2009 that we started connecting with our wonderful Friends on Facebook. Two years 
later, on June 9, 2011, the Blog went live (still quiver when I think about it) and our connection to our Girlfriends began! That’s pretty good! But it makes me wonder, why June? I didn’t plan it that way, in fact I was kind of surprised to see how close the dates were. Maybe we were inspired because it’s such a pretty month. I’ll tell you one thing, it smells like heaven here on the island. The Beauty Bush and the Mock Orange are in bloom (to name just two), I picked my first four strawberries today and look at the foxgloves!
Magic.♥ One more reason to celebrate.
Three years ago, when I first started blogging I had NO idea how it would go ~ “going live” was so scary! I wondered how people would find me, and if they would even come. I knew how I wished it would go and tried my best to make it something 
everyone would like, hoping everyone liked dishtowels, dishes, and old movies as much as me! Any of you with a blog knows exactly what I’m talking about. Saying to yourself as you are writing a post or putting something up on Facebook, “I hope they like this!” then letting the chips fall where they may! Scary! And first time you’re “liked!” Or, then, to be “shared!” How wonderful it is to get your first comment! How amazing to have your first give-away! And that excitement and amazement really hasn’t gone away. Traveling to England together put the frosting on the cake. I loved it so much, we’ll definitely do it again (yes we will!). I just wish there were more hours in the day for blogging. Such a creative way to connect with kindred spirits. So how do we celebrate? Easy: By saying “Thank You” to everyone who helps to make this dream come true. Which would be YOU, thank you very much.♥
As many of you know, it has been my dream for years, way before there was any such thing as a blog or even the Internet, that the people who’ve written me such wonderful personal 
letters (since 1987 when my first book came out and I started getting mail), could meet each other. The letters were so nice, so full of love, I always thought it would cheer people up to know that despite what we see and hear on the news, the world is filled with wonderful home-loving, creative, family-adoring people, in all countries, all parts of the world, and even in countries where we might think our “enemies” live.
Even there, the cities and towns are filled with regular tea-drinking, flower-growing, music-loving, tender-hearted, 
soup-making, peace-loving kinds of people just like you and me. You just don’t hear that much from them because the other kind are so obnoxious and loud. But there are many more of our kind of person in this world than of the obnoxious ones. Truly. No matter how different we may look from each other on the outside. And we need to band together in our appreciation for beauty and a gentle way of life. It must be scary to live in a land where the maniacs have the keys to the castle. You would probably feel trapped and worried about your children all the time. Let’s pray for them, and then give them this 
place, and each other, to meet and celebrate the little things that make life sweet ~ and especially, all the ways we are so very much alike. They like apples, we like apples. They like gorgeous blue tablecloths ~ we like gorgeous blue tablecloths. They like picnics and the sounds of nature and going barefoot, and we do too! They like starry nights and big moons and us too! It’s an amazingly wonderful beautiful world.
Imagine all the people, living life in peace ~ You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one . . .
So, to celebrate all of this and all of us, we are having not One, not even Two, but Three Give-aways in this blog post, and this contest is open to everyone everywhere on the planet! If someone in a faraway land is chosen in this drawing, we will mail their package to wherever they would like it to go. Because it is true, we are the world. What the Internet has brought has surpassed my wildest dreams . . . I thought it would be good, but I didn’t know it would be this good! So here we go, let’s start off with some inspiration! Mas Musica? Frank? Oui!♥
You should probably get a cup of tea or something cold to drink . . . this could be a long one! The inspiration for this giveaway came from a request in a Girlfriend’s comment a couple of months back ~ she asked, “Could we see more of your quilt collection.” Oh boy, yes, you can! Here we go!
From the very first quilt I got, which happens to be the one my Great Grandma made for my Grandma who then gave it to me, it’s always been the colors. I love the old-fashioned fabrics, the soft pastels and simple patterns and I love that they used lots of white. These are the colors that inspired my watercolors.
A little worn, a little faded, and never signed. Just so lovely and artistic, and humble and oh, if they could talk. You know they were made by creative women, and often in groups. Could we please listen in on one of those conversations, oh dearest back-in-time genie?
All those tiny little hand-made stitches. I have so much appreciation for this art.
It’s easy to relate to the hearts that made them.
I made a few quilts when I was young, never as beautiful as this one, but then I learned to paint, so I painted quilts instead, and I learned to go to antique stores and there I found old quilts . . . which I’ve collected for years . . . now I drape them over sofas . . .
It’s not a huge collection, and I don’t have all the scientific information on them, I just like to drape them on bedroom chairs . . .
at the ends of the beds . . . so I can look at them and be charmed and feel happy.
I like them in the kitchen in the winter, folded over the back of a chair, even though it really doesn’t make any sense, I just like to look at them . . .
At one time I had a “Heart of the Home” store on the Central Coast of California where I sold a few vintage quilts whenever I could find them (or part with them). These were in a pile in a corner of the store, they weren’t for sale, only for inspiration, so my shopper Girlfriends could see how pretty a stack of quilts can be and begin the search to get a stack for themselves.
From the beginning, my watercolors were influenced by the beauty and the colors of these quilts. I painted what I loved. I don’t make stitches so much anymore, I paint them.
You can kind of see quilt-influence in the things I’ve made in the past . . . everything feels a little like a 1930’s quilt.
The other big influence on my watercolors was the dish variation of the quilt. To me quilts and dishes have everything in common: home, practicality, love, beauty, history, delicacy and most of all, that color again. They also reach out when I walk by at a flea market, take my hand and say right out loud, I’m going home with you. And I say, thank you, I could not agree more.
I love painting my own rendition of pattern ~
Almost as much as I love finding and collecting old dishes…
You see? Dishes ↑ and Quilt fabric ↓ ~ See the resemblance? Kissing cousins.
Especially when it’s me choosing the colors.
This is fabric from my long extinct “Tea Party” Collection of fabric.
And lots more than quilts was made from those designs. These were made at the wonderful embroidery studio at Crabapple Hill. They sell the great old-fashioned embroidery patterns you see here and in the photo before this one and lots more.♥
Even this Tea Tin is a “sub-unit” (made that up, like it) from the design of quilt fabric.
And because of the fact that all of this fabric is now gone from the market place, and there’s no more available anywhere . . . except right here in my hot little hands, the First Give-away turns out to be everything you see here . . . except of course Jack. He is not included. He is a sub-unit of me.
I hope everyone likes yellow, because the words “everything is included” means this bolt of several yards of “Honeybee Yellow” fabric.
In addition, I found a yard (or maybe a little more) of each of these three fabrics, from my “Sweet Baby” collection, the dot, the check and the lambs with the hearts. In they go!
And yes, “everything” includes a complete set of the “Tea Party” Collection in “Little Fat Quarters.”
Little Fat quarters and the bolt of bees (and the little lambs), and also a gift card from me to the winner of the drawing with love.
You can see better some of the fabrics in the pile of Fat Quarters. I hope someone out there can put them to good use! OK, so that is Giveaway # 1! This officially puts us on . . .
. . .’cause here comes the rest of the Give-aways!
Next? OK, this is Give-away number #2. Again, the cat is not included (but try taking a picture without him in it!). What these are are the unbound proofs for our brand new 2015 Wall and Mini Calendars ~ you can’t hang them, but they’re just too nice to throw away. The color is beautiful, they’re on heavy paper so I thought possibly, someone would like these, maybe to do some scrapbooking with?
Here is Jack with the Mini Calendar, you can see, the pages aren’t hooked together . . . every time I try to take a picture, he jumps into the middle of it, he makes me laugh. Kissing occurs.
But here’s more of the inside of the Mini Calendar — lots of bookmark-making or card-making possibilities here too! Knowing you, there are a 1000 possibilities!
And here’s some of the art from the Wall Calendar. Both calendars have been approved and the finished products should be arriving at the Studio any day now. So this is Give-Away #2, both of these brand new calendars, and both signed.
(Oh, don’t worry, in case you were, the big Blotter Calendar is still on schedule for shipping in late August.)
And Now, Number Three Give-away to celebrate our FOSB Girls and our Blog Girlfriends, this 53″ x 74″ quilt made with my “Martha’s Vineyard” Collection of fabrics, also quite extinct and no longer available (except for today, here).
The pattern is called “Hearts and Flowers” ~ I designed it and it was made and presented to me by the fabric manufacturer.
And I signed it with the year it was made . . . this little quilt is behind door #3 of our Drawing. I hope one of these doors suits your fancy!
And FYI, we still do have a few bits and pieces of some of the fabric collections, still have a few patterns for aprons, pillowcases, and appliqued dishtowels, many of which are free (especially our really cute gored apron). Just go HERE.
Girl Kitty thinks it’s all just lovely. She likes quilts too.
One more rather exciting thing! My AUTUMN book went to the printer yesterday! I’m so very proud to announce that the Tenth 
Anniversary Edition of AUTUMN from the Heart of the Home will be in stores by October first! Autumn will be published in the USA by Spring Street Publishing, and just so you know, this new edition is exactly like the first edition in every way except this one comes complete with a ribbon bookmark and will have a different publisher. (We weren’t completely in charge of the ribbon the last time, this time we are, so voila, we get one!)
All my most favorite recipes and most inspiring ideas for Autumn fun, both indoors and out, are there. Pumpkin Cheesecake! Corn Pudding!
Including crafts and sewing, because Autumn is the most creative time of the year, all that good Back-to-School energy never goes away! First whiff of September and I want to make something! And Yes, we are having a Pre-sale for the book, beginning TODAY. 
We have ordered an early shipment of books to be sent to the studio just for our Girlfriends. We always seem to run out of everything (no matter how carefully we plan), it seems to be our M.O. but if you have ordered a book in our web store, you are guaranteed to get it the minute they come in, before we begin shipping to the bookstores and Amazon. Although the publication date is October first, we will start shipping your books by the middle of August and maybe even sooner if we get lucky! Perfect timing, because by then, we are going to be yearning for those fall breezes. (But not yet.)
And one more thing, if you are the kind of person who likes to do their Christmas Shopping early, here is a combination that will give you something to give away and something to keep, a win-win. To celebrate our Anniversaries, we’ve bundled the two books for a very special, limited-offer, thank-you-for-being-here price.♥
You all know how to enter the drawing ~ it’s easy, just leave a short comment below and in a few days we’ll draw names. (For those to whom the blog is mailed, you should click here www.162.240.10.175/~susanbs3/susanbranch/, scroll to the bottom of the post, look for the tiny letters that say, “comment” ~ click there and leave your comment. I don’t know why, but the senders of the email blogs do not include a way to leave a comment.)
I will warn Vanna to exercise a bit more this week, clear her head, get that arm pumped ~ she has a big job choosing three winners! The first name chosen will win prize number one (fabric bundles) the second name chosen will get the calendars, and the third will have the signed quilt. And I’ll email the winners and let them know the minute I know.
I’m going back to the garden. I’m reading Gladys Taber in preparation for next week! Very exciting! Makes for a very nice life, reading this book, and smelling the flowers. Hope the same for you. Love you, Girlfriends. Happy Anniversary! XOXO
Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary. Just recently finished “A Fine Romance” and couldn’t put it down. My father was English and always wondered what that country was like. Thank you so much. What a wonderful opportunity for everyone to participate in your celebration.
It’s a heaven country!
Beautiful give-away prizes and photos Susan ~ congratulations on your new publishing enterprise too!
Oh Vanna Pick me pick me!!!
WOW!! Incredible giveaways — so fun and so generous!!
Absolutely love your blog. Thank you for sharing the photos of the beautiful flowers and the opportunity for the “treasures” (give-aways).
Congratulations on your anniversary — your blog has always been a favorite of mine. I enjoy seeing all those delightful pictures — especially of Jack and Girl Kitty and your blog has been a lovely inspiration in helping making our home and garden more authentic. Thanks for the giveaways!
Love, love, love your kitties! The black and white kitties photograph so beautifully with your colorful quilts. I AM going to make a quilt someday.
Love your quilts and painting. The blog is superb!
What kind of paints do you use for your watercolor work? They look so organized.
Thanks,
Tiah
I use all kinds, tubes and paint boxes, whatever I find that has lots of colors! They look organized in a closeup, but really I have nine containers of watercolors on my art table!
Hi Susan
Happy Anniversary!!! I have been enjoying your blog since day one of it. I love every single post, picture, everything. I adore quilts, who doesn’t 🙂 what a fun post. I already have your Autumn book and love it. Happy day to you Susan, enjoy this beautiful weather
deezie
[email protected]
CONGRATULATIONS!!! AND THANK YOU for spreading CHEER & JOY through your blog and website, how I love seeing your pretty photos and sweet drawings. Also CONGRATS on your AUTUMN book, I do hope that you plan to have a SPRING book one day. I also must thank you for posting the Cat Cottage photo. I immediately ordered one and I really do not know who is having more fun my two cats peeking out windows and lounging on various floors or me watching them! Thanks again for all you do and have been doing for so many years! 🙂
Happy Anniversaries! It’s lovely to visit your blog and see all the cozy home goodies you find and how you use them. Great inspiration. Thank you very much.
What an inspiring post! Thanks for the chance to win
I LOVE quilts!!!
Thanks so much for your blog…it’s always a ‘DAY-BRIGHTENER’!…Happy Anniversary!!!
June’s a great month for it. My bride and I will celebrate 48 years this month…not counting the 8 years we dated before that…Thanks for all the pictures of your quilts…I’ve saved them in a folder so that I can use them as wallpaper on my computer.
Happy Anniversary Bob! xoxo
Dear Susan,
I know you hear it over and over, but I have to tell you I LOVE your blog! My girlfriends and I talk about you, like you live down the street and we know you:) You are that special. “Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.”Buddha That’s you! Sincerely, Cyndee
Yes, I was thinking I should sign things with love from Buddha and the heart of the home! 🙂 xoxo Thank you Cyndee!
Hi Susan, I was a follower before I knew I was a follower. My first Susan book was Girlfriends, and then your Christmas book. After that, I bought your books on purpose! Love your photos of the quilts and kitties. Thanks for the give-away.
Vicky F
Congratulations, Susan!!!
You’ve blessed us all by sharing your talent with the world…
Looking forward to even more surprises…
God Bless you!!!
Oh My Goodness!! I am such a long time fan of all things Susan Branch, I mean EVERYTHING! Your art and aesthetic just slides into my heart, can’t explain it. But, and that’s a BIG but, I am a quilter and fabric freak, and I have searched year after year for any mere scrap of your past fabrics because they are all so perfect. I do have many quilts with bits I have found along the years, it’s just such a gift to see your bundle of all that glorious fabric in one spot, I hope someone who truly appreciates how special that is wins it! Happy Anniversary and thank you from the bottom of my heart for adding such sweetness into my life everyday, by your lovely blog, my daily calendar, my your cook books, and especially for sharing the antics of your sweet kitties!
Just reading your most recent posting made me smile and feel good all over. Winning something would put me over the moon, but all your beautiful photos are a close second.
Oh my, June is a great month indeed ( my first son was born in June)!!
Thank you for sharing your time, talents and always your kindness!!
OMG…Its been that long! I have been following you Susan since your first Book…Met you about 3 times, and almost all my books have been signed by you..
But 1st of all, YOUR QUILTS, wow…from the beginning of your Blogs, showing your collection, right now a stack of your Quilts is my Screensaver..I am also a Quilt Collector, and wish I had as many as you. I also just LOVE looking at them draped over a dresser drawer or chair, or on a bench on the Porch.
2nd of what I love about you is your ROSE CHINTZ…you must have started collecting that set many years ago…I have been looking for several years, well since seeing yours, and have only found 2 Plates…I once found in an antique store in Agoura, a big set…but did not want certain pieces, and the set could not be broken up…I know, should have bought it anyway.
Love…If you can Dream it….IMAGINE…Love that saying, and your Do it with Heart, a Happy Homemade Life. I have many projects, cross stitching, crocheting, making your lovely hearts in the Autumn Book…I found the love of Painting…by number..lol its fun. ok , I never wrote this much to you, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY….Kissing cousins, Dishes and quilts…and OH…I had seen that awesome STACK OF QUILTS in your darling Shop many times, and each time I said are these for Sale….Ohhhhh, and my girlfriend and I bought your Bathing Beauties Picture above the register. Thank you Susan, for being you.
you know this sign off…
Carol O. in So. Cal, just over the bridge from mom, with YOUR Red Toile Gravy Boat…xo
OH yes, the bathing beauties at the store! xoxo you are so cute Carol! So happy to know you!
I so love to read your blogs. They are such a treat. The quilts, the dishes, your artwork – everything is just so beautiful. Thank you so much.
Time passes fast especially when we are doing wonderful things. Oh how I would love to win the quilting fabrics. I am now working on an old Crabapple Hill tea cup embroidery. Twelve china tea cups with flowers in each and a tea pot that will be made into a quilt. How special it would be to use these fabrics. Look forward to your posts, and lovely pictures. Always makes a regular day very special.
Oh, I can just picture it, how gorgeous!
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH, for doing what you do and being who you are. You will probably never fully realize how much your blog posts brightens our days, your girlfriends!!! Thank you and Happy Anniversary!!!
Hi Susan,
Your blog brings good cheer!
Sweet to hear the birds chirping while reading your wonderful words.
I hope sometime you will design more fabric. My heart leaps when I spot some at a fabric store. Its all so cheery. Oh your new book, congratulations…. looks simply wonderful.
Thank you for such a lovely blog and Happy Anniversary! Wishing you many more!
We’re all (us girlfriends) celebrating right along with you dear Susan … congratulations on your success; “proof-positive” that you touch all of our hearts AND ALL ARE like-minded! I have a few snippets of some of your fabrics I hold close by to gaze upon with admiration and as inspiration…I have your Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz dishes, well I actually collected them long ago for my daughter, (not to worry–I have my own collections of other Johnson Brothers transferware) and share your love of color, quilts, etc. You HAVE reached our hearts and allowed us ALL to connect together. A girl cannot have enough girlfriends. THANK YOU !!!
Dear Susan,
I have been a fan of yours for a very long time. I love your watercolors and own several of your wonderful cookbooks…this blog makes me happy. Thank you for sharing a bit of your life and keeping us all inspired! 🙂
Thanks for your blog. Your art is so pleasant. Everything you do makes me happy! Thanks, Jane
Every picture sets my heart aflutter. And that long extinct Tea Party fabric…..is still in my stash for me to look at and love. Happy Anniversary.
Your three “charmed” giveaways are AWESOME!!!!!!!! Who wouldn’t be proud to have a piece from Susan Branch?!?!?!? Quilts and family quilts have been HUGE parts of my life……….. Over the past 45 years of moves………21 of those years were military moves……..I’ve collected family and other quilts to have some sense of “family roots” amongst our moves. Thanks for sharing your prizes amongst your many many fans!!!!!!!!!
Good luck with Gladys Taber next week.
I would love receiving a gift from you,
any gift would do. Hoping and crossing fingers.
Some pressed flowers from your garden Susan, would be a great give-a-way! Who wouldn’t want that?!! We could frame them with some scrapbook paper, beautiful!!
I love, love, love your fabrics, and I do have some of them. I always have your calendar in my kitchen as well. Also when I need a little pick me up or inspiration, I like to look through your books. Your blog has been really wonderful to follow. Thank you for writing it.
I would be thrilled to receive any one of these three treasures! Thank you for sending your blog out in email. I love receiving it!
Susan, I am so happy that you started a blog. Your blog is the first one I have followed or even looked at. I didn’t know anything about blogs until you announced yours. I have been following your blog from day one and I have seen how much it has grown. I love so many things that you love and I am so grateful that you share these things with us. Needless to say, I’ve had all of your cookbooks for years and treasure them. Congratulations on all of your achievements!
“They also reach out when I walk by at a flea market, take my hand and say right out loud, I’m going home with you. And I say, thank you, I could not agree more.”
Oh, I do love that! I paraphrase you sometimes, when talking about the idealistic benefits of minimalism, while in reality loving my old stuff to distraction – I think you said “But what about my teapot collection?” ;O)
Thanks for the chance to win some lovely items, and for your good cheer…
There’s a clean little quote by a famous designer who’s name escapes me right now, but about minimalism he said, “less is boring.” 🙂
The gifts are so beautiful, so colorful! The fabric, the artwork and your quilt are all breathtaking. Any one of those gifts would make me so happy to have. Especially the quilt!
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to win such beautiful art.
Mary Ann
Dear Susan,
This is so exciting and so generous of you to give away three wonderful gifts. I am not on Facebook, so I was delighted when you began your blog three years ago. I am always thrilled when you post something new–it makes my day. Your posts have been the best gift of all.
How are we ever to concentrate when that sweet kitty is in every picture <3 ..Just as I started to focus again I cracked up…look at his sweet TONGUE!…I'll be crossing my fingers on this Giveaway and have to say I am just thrilled to hear the big Blotter Calendar is Back…somehow I missed getting this years …Good luck to us all 😉
I love all of this, except the drawing of the ONE or in this case THREE names. I like it now, when every one is still the winner!
Susan, as always, you are a breath of fresh air. Just looking at your books gives me such a feeling of calm and tranquility. Sometimes, I am so overwhelmed with this feeling my eyes fill with tears. I so enjoy the purity and trueness of everything I see in your blog posts too. You make my world brighter. Thank you Sue.
XOXO thank you Debby.
Susan, I have been a big fan of yours for many years and I was so delighted when a good friend of mine told me about your blog right after you started it and I haven’t missed a post since then! I happened to be living on a farm in Cambridgeshire, England at the time and I was there when you and Joe were there so I followed you very closely. In fact, I had just visited Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top Farm just a couple of weeks before you did so I was so happy to visit there again with you! I love all the things you love–white picket fences, gardening, cooking, etc. and I even have a large quilt collection. I look forward to all your posts and your new Autumn book!
I’m inspired to start quilting again. Thank you for all your beautiful posts and congratulations on the anniversary!
Congratulations Susan! Love your blog and all your books. Would love one of your gifts. Look so forward to all of your entries. Would love one of your prizes!!!
Wow, you always have beautiful pages. Little treasures at every scroll up. Thank you for giving us such a wonderful opportunity. Who ever wins these beauties will surely be blessed.
Gosh, I love and look forward so much to your delightful blogs. I’m the oldest of 4 and the only girl to having a special girl friend is almost like having a sister.
What a fine, fine, give-away!
It’s not just all those special items but all that love you have for us.
We are blessed!
Congratulations on your Anniversary! We definitely share the love of everything quilted. I love fabric, I love to make quilts, I love to give quilts, I love to display quilts and I love to rescue time worn quilts that are sometimes threadbare and well loved. I think your painting based on quilts drew me to your work. Thank you for sharing so much with us these past few years and here’s to many more Anniversaries!
It’s been too long since I commented but I ALWAYS read your blog and how could I not wish you a happy blog anniversary!! Winning any of these prizes would be amazing but let me just say, two new grandbabies are on the way as both of our daughters are pregnant…one in September and the other in December…so I’ll be making my first two quilts before then! *I could use fabric* Love you Susan! Thank you for brightening the world!
I just love all of your things and would be pleased as pie to win any part of your giveaway. Thank you for giving us the chance to have part of your world.
Congratulations Susan! I am so happy that you share your blog with all of us ! I have enjoyed your books for many years and now look forward to reading your news as soon as it is posted!
It is lovely to find someone like you!
I love your quilt collection. I have a lovely quilt collection of about a dozen quilts done by various grandmothers and great grandmothers and even one great-great grandmother. I love to think about the homes they have been in. Thanks for sharing your quilts.
Congratulations & Happy Anniversary!
I’m a FB friend but *Love* your Blog all the more!!!
Every post is such a delight & a gift I treasure!!!
What a fabulous giveaway! I’ve been itching to start something fabric-y, and all that you’ve put in here is just wonderful. Almost makes our summer feel not quite so hot!
Happy Anniversary! What a fun and happy post. I have some of that tea party fabric – the white with the little cupcakes all over it. It’s so cute I haven’t been able to part with it yet. Someday I’ll find just the project for it and then it will be ready to go. Until then it makes me happy whenever I open my fabric drawer.
For that – I’d learn how to sew!
Happy, happy anniversary, Susan! I am always happy to read your blog and see the wonderful pictures and drawings. I must say I am so envious of your talents! Some day I hope to have beautiful items like you. Maybe I will win something?
Congratulations! Love,love love the blog and all you do!
Wow, these giveaways are spectacular ! I follow and just LOVE your blog! You always brighten my day and put a smile on my face! And yes I love yellow, it’s like a ray of sunshine!
What wonderful giveaways! I’d adore any one of them. Wish I could be with you at Stillmeadow – hope you’ll take LOTS of pictures.
Me, me, me…. (thanks for the opportunity, Susan) and congratualations!
Congratulations on the success of this blog and your FOSB facebook page. I love to visit this site and so often find some little thing I overlooked before. It reminds me of visiting the old fashioned way even though it’s a “virtual” experience.
I am so happy to see someone who not only collects vintage quilts, but has them out for the world to see! I am a quilter and also have a small collection of vintage quilts that live on a ladder of sorts so I can see them as I go about my day. I just loved looking at your quilts in this post – almost as good as seeing them in person!
This blog made me feel happy! I would love to win one of the drawings, but if I don’t, I feel like a winner anyway………being one of your girlfriends! Love, love, love your blog, your quilts, your dishes, your wisdom, your kitties and you! Again, thank you Susan for sharing your innermost thoughts with us.
Your posts always bring smiles to my face and joy to my heart! Thank you for sharing such beauty and your gifts with all of us! 🙂
I’m just loving this blog so much – Each Saturday I sit down with it, and enjoy the photos and watercolors. I am in the process of reading “A Fine Romance” Got the book for my birthday last month. Just wanted to say, Congratulations on your fabulous anniversaries and keep doing what you’re doing….. 😀
LOVE all your inspiration pics! THANKS for the chance!
Love your blogs, your books, the delicious recipes, and especially your quilt collection! I would appreciate winning any of the beautiful products. Thank you, Susan, for the inspiration you give to us!
What a fun blog entry! I always save your entry in my email for last so I can take my time reading it, listening to the music you pair up with it. It was soooo long
today and I loved it! Love love love all the quilts and I can see your watercolors
in the quilt patterns. Happy Anniversary!
XO
Your blog is such a bright beautiful spot in a hectic world. Thank you so much! I would love to win any of these wonderful give-aways!
i would love to win one of the three drawings. the quilts are lovely. your art is lovely. jack is amazing. i love to hear about your inspiration.
thanks for the blog. karen
Susan, you keep sharing connections about which you don’t even know. This is a huge celebration day (6/6) for our family – mother is now 98 years young. Her memory is live a sieve – with some things slipping through the little holes; she walks talk and only when tired does she grab for the cane or walker. Home making was her advocation and passion. Even after giving away multitudes of chine, silver, tea services, table lines, and even furniture to children and grandchildren, she still has a home you would love to peek through. Isn’t it nice to know a FaceBook Community, a Blog and a wise, elder lady can celebrate their beginnings together. Each offers sharing and learning, love and hugs! CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL!
Although I am not a quilter, my sister just retired and loves making quilts – this would be a terrific gift for her. And oh, boy, would I love to win Autumn & A Fine Romance. I lent my copy to someone and doubt it will be returned, and haven’t purchased a new copy – yet. I’ll wait for Vanna!
Congratulations on your anniversary! Love everything you do and all of your blogs.
I have a friend who would love for me to win the fabric so she could get me to start quilting with her.
Oh my gosh — I’m swooning!! Such lovely fabric and prizes! thank you for the chance to win! kisses for Jack and Girl
Every day that you write a new blog entry, we are all winners (I know, it sounds sappy but it is so true; just think if Gladys Taber could have been a blogger!). It is always such a treat to find a new post and enjoy a visit to the island. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to win these lovely prizes.
Not sappy, xoxo
Congratulations!
I would love to win any of the prizes.
Love your blog – every new post is a gift!
As always thank you for the chance to win one of your own designs…fabric, calendars and quilt. ‘Thank heaven for little girls…they grow up in the most delightful way’. ~ Maurice Chavelivier (spelling?) Love this song by him and it reminds me of you as you are always ‘a delight’.
Our eldest daughter made us a kingsize quilt out of fabric from clothing the family had worn (some rements of new) and all shades of blue in the patters as she knew this was my favorite colour. It was all done, the stiching, by hand and it is a treasure which will one day be returned to her or to her daughter. My mom made lots of quilts.
The pictures with embroidery, etc. showed rick-rack…which always tugs at my ‘heartstrings’.
With a grateful heart,
What a wonderful gift from your daughter! I have no doubt she put her heart into that quilt!
Oh, count me in!!
Happy Anniversary and blessings for all your creativity that sparks us every time!
Oh my goodness!! Susan, you have gathered treasures for three of your lucky friends!! I’d love love love for Vanna to pull my name, but if she doesn’t I’ll be excited for the three whose names she pulls. Good luck to one and all!
Been following you for just over a year now. Hopped on the Queen to England just in time to make that trip with you..wait make that just over two years. Then last year had the very great pleasure and honor of meeting you in Merdith,NH at your book signing. You never disappoint. I still look forward to each and every blog, always saving them to read at just the right moment, I’d never want to be rushed. So this brings my congratulations to you on both your anniversaries.
Oh, my goodness, m’luv, you REALLY did outdid yourself with this BLOG!! And, I loved every single bit of it. I’m sharing your BLOGs too since I’ve given away almost all my Susan Branch stash of books that were collected with the express purpose to be given away. Now I’m in the process of collecting more to give away. Your new girlfriends are happy, happy!!
I’ve never seen your fabrics, but they look delightful, to say the least! Wish I could have seen the ‘tea’ fabric; would have bought a few yards.
Even tho’ I can’t paint, china and old quilts are my loves along with pretty linens, dishtowels, etc. Recently unpacked a HUGE trunk that belonged to my mother-in-law; it was filled with the most GORGEOUS old linens, tea towels, table cloths, etc. You would be in heaven if you could see all this yummy stuff. Now I’ve got to figure out how to sort and what to do with all these goodies.
Thank you, Susan dear, for everything you bring us. I believe God blesses you imagination!
Love the heart quilt, and have pre-ordered two Autumn books. You blog is always filled with fun and inspiration, not to mention the MUSICA! Xox from California.
The colors are wonderful. I know what you mean about dishes and patterns and flowers so inspiring. I love those Johnson Bros. plates. We just sold our house and the packers were commenting that I had too many plates. Couldn’t get rid of any of them though, too pretty and too inspiring! Love the colors and patterns you picked for the mini quilt.
Congratulations!! How sweet of you to want to celebrate with a give away. Oh, if only the rest of the world were so kind. Have a wonderful celebration and many thanks for all the wise comments,recipes,books ,suggestions etc. How sweet it is!!!
What a lovely way to celebrate the anniversary of the blog. I know Jack isn’t included, but if I win something, he’s welcome to have a California vacation and play with my cat Sam. I think they are feline brothers at heart!
Although I have been reading your books since I bought Heart of the Home back in the 80’s, I came across your blog by accident in December of 2012. I was re-reading your Christmas book, not for recipes, but for all the stories and extras you write in your books. I wondered if you may have something newer on the web, and googled you on my tiny iPhone. And there it was, your glorious blog! I didn’t have to read it too much longer on my phone, for Christmas that year my boyfriend, the Ozzy Impersonator, bought me a Kindle Fire, which is where I still read and love you 🙂 Happy Anniversary and cheers to many more 🙂
I have been your fan for years and years…and was elated when I found you on fb and that you started a blog! Would love to win any of your fantastic prizes! Happy Anniversary!!
Susan, Susan, Susan – what a great idea to give 3 GIFTS! I have both books, and lots of your fabrics, they yet have to be seen as quilts! Just can’t get them cut – they are so pretty! I wish everybody the best! Many thanks!!!
What a blessing of cheerfulness you are! Thank you for your generous prizes!
Love your blog
I love reading your blog, especially on my iPad where I can share it easily. The colors in your art and photos are luscious. Your musica links and creative lens on the world bring joy and positive energy. You are such a gift to us all! Thank you, dear one.
It would be a joy to win any one of these treasured give-aways. I have followed you ever since your very first book, “The Heart of the Home,” and have most all of them. I’ve used your stickers as embellishments for many an art project and for homemade greeting cards and invitations. And I am a collector of your fabrics and am proud to say I’ve made several quilts using the fabrics you’ve pictured today. I always loved the quilt pattern that was used to make the quilt you are giving away……that quilt is fabulous. Thank you Susan! You are a national treasure!
Oh, Susan….those quilts are just precious. So many dreams went into those stitches. I would LOVE to win any of the prizes…and “make a quilt” is on my bucket list. I have a quilt my husband’s mom made in our guest room, and the baby quilt she made for him on the chair Lots of love in those stitches. Have to share….Over the years I used “pre-quilted” material to make baby blanket quilts for new babies in the family and those of close friends. I would embroider the name of the new baby and date of birth on the quilt, then “re-quilt it” and back it with flannel. Some of my great nieces and nephews have made the gift their special blanket…and they are very well loved and falling apart. When I would offer to “fix it up” a bit over the years they would decline saying they liked it JUST the way it was. In 1984 I made a beautiful pink one for my BFF’s new little girl. Last week she posted a photo on Facebook with her new little girl snuggled in the quilt and said she feels the love is still in there ! Oh, my heart ! Loved it ! So, if I win, I will try to honor the fabric and make something special. AND….back in the early 90’s I wrote to you, snail mail, and you replied. I WAS THRILLED…still keep the note in my Vineyard Seasons. And have my SUMMER book out on my counter, on display, ready to cook up a treat. Thanks Susan, for all your ideas an your sharing and caring.
Susan,
Congratulations on ALL of your accomplishments!
Smiles and hugs,
Barbara S. in Cumming, GA
Congratulations on the 5th Anniversary of your blog–I always look forward to reading your posts. Those fat quarters would make a wonderful addition to my fabric stash….. 🙂
I love opening my e-mail and seeing that you have made a new post. You brighten my day, I love everything in your giveaway also, the fabric is amazing. Keep doing what you do!!
What a wonderful Anniversary gift! Your blog is an inspiration to me.
Oh Susan, any one of those gifts would be a treasure! But the real treasure has been your blog and all of your creativity that you dedicate to all of us. Thank you! Your Autumn book is one that I covet, so I will save for it. I am able to come back to a creative place in my life now, and had decided that one of the things I wanted to do is cook my way through your books. Sort of a Julie and Julia, except Terri and Susan without the blog! I’ll let you know how that works out!
LOL, Please do! 🙂
Such a delightful post and, goodness!, 3 giveaways…joy, joy, joy! I’ve been reading Alexandra Stoddard (again) and find, as I get older (thank the good Lord!) I return, time and again, to “old” favorites…A Fine Romance (a new, old favorite), Gladys Tabor, a new find Candy Paull, Laura Ingalls Wilder and a few others. Quilting has always been a balm in Gilead for me and love your fabric. Last week I started embroidering a set of pillowcases that’ll be someone’s Christmas gift. Life is good; in the midst of hearbreak, life is still good.
It is, and there is nothing more healing that embroidering pillow cases and reading Gladys Taber. xoxo
Your generosity with items that are no longer “in print/production” is awesome. My own mother would be giddy beyond response to be able to use the fabrics for sure. Thank you for the opportunity!