Barn Quilt Blocks - Fresh Living

 By now you all know I am obsessed with barn quilts and this new product we are releasing may be the most addicting of them all.  I am so excited to share our new product with you today and to share it with our audience at Fresh Living.  The Barn Quilt Block Set's were designed to allow those of us obsessed with quilts and barn quilts the fun of creating as many barn quilt patterns as we can dream up!  Each set is made up of half-square triangle blocks nestled in a wood tray and can be rearranged or secured.  

 Outback Wife Barn Quilt Block Set

The sets come unfinished and ready to paint or stain in two sizes a 16" small and a 22" large.  The Barn Quilt Block Sets are what I like to call a "no-stress craft" because you can't make a mistake and there are no rules for how to finish them.  My kiddos love painting these sets with me. 

This month we are offering a 20% introductory sale on all of our Barn Quilt Block sets, both the pre-finished and the ready to finish sets.  Just go to Our Shop and go to the Barn Quilt Blocks category where you will find our available sets and get 20% off!  

Tweetle Dee Barn Quilt Block Sets

You can wall mount them with the hanger provided, stand them up on a mantle or shelf or leave them flat on a table to play with.  If you want to hang them just use a removable glue-dot on the back of each square and they hold in place until you want to change it up again.  If you aren't wanting to paint one yourself, we have our pre-finished block sets which come sealed and ready to indoor or outdoor use and custom colors are available upon request.  

Tweetle Dee Barn Quilt Block Set

 in Blue and Yellow

I have painted them in brights, and have distressed them to look antique.  I have stained each section in a different color stain to get the on-trend stained reclaimed look..it was amazing.  However, I think my favorite so far is the fabric ink-transfer (see previous posts for instructions) I used on the Outback Wife Block Set.  I love this fabric line and now the fabric is forever saved into a barn quilt I can change on a whim.  

Tweetle Dee Christmas Barn Quilt Block Set 

Each set comes in a pretty little gift box with tips for finishing and six beginner patterns to get you started.  We are having a 20% off  sale on all of the Barn Quilt Block Sets this week through the end of August.  Hint - They make perfect gifts for quilters, painters, and kids of all ages!

Tweetle Dee Barn Quilt Block Set in  Antique Black and White
We are also giving away one set.  To enter go to our Instagram page to today's post and follow the instructions.  The giveaway winner will be announced on Monday, August 21st. I just love these blocks and can't wait to give one away to a lucky follower.  
We love our customers, we love our barn quilts, and we especially love these new Barn Quilt Blocks.  To get the 20% off on our Barn Quilt Block Introductory Sale use promo code BQBSALE at checkout.  We hope you love these as much as we do!

Little Pieces Pumpkin Barn Quilts

In January we had the Little Pieces Hearts and look what popped up in our garden this week just in time for Autumn, it's our new Little Pieces Pumpkins!  Oh my goodness we love these little darlings. They come in a variety of sizes and two background colors (black and white). They are now in the The Shop just before the free shipping week ends at Tweetle Dee.

Little Pieces Pumpkins

Little Pieces Pumpkin Barn Quilt 22" in White

Little Pieces Pumpkin Barn Quilt Mini 12" in Black

We hope you love these little pumpkins as much as we do.  I know I need a whole collection for my front porch to carry me through till Thanksgiving!  Make sure you order before Monday to take advantage of the free shipping week.  Happy Friday!!!

Lyke Family Chocolate Chip Recipe

Last night we had our family over for a picnic and kite flying, which turned into an indoor picnic and Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie marathon as a major lightning and rain storm hit our mountain.  It was a crazy night which ended pretty "sweet" when the kids requested chocolate chip cookies.  

There are numerous chocolate chip cookie recipes out there and for years I thought we had the very best until my cousin Sherm shared his wife's recipe in our Lyke Family Cookbook.  I made it once and will never make another CCC recipe again!  It makes the perfect cookie everytime without fail.  It makes huge, thick cookies that are soft in the center and a little crunchy of the edges and this recipe makes a ton.  I split it in half last night, but on "Cookie Sundays" when we share treats with our neighbors, this is the recipe I use because it makes a ton.
  So, in honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day (which we missed by a couple of days), I am sharing the very best cookie recipe ever.   You must try it and just like me, you will never use another recipe again.
Lyke Family Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups butter 2 cups white sugar 2 cups packed brown sugar 4 eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract 5 cups oats 4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. salt 2 tbl. baking powder 2 tbl. baking soda 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 8 oz. chocolate candy bar, grated 3 cups of chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream butter with sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and beat well.  Grind oats in blender until powdery.  Stir in flour, oats, salt, baking powder and soda into batter gradually.  Add chocolate chips and grated chocolate into batter.  Add nuts if desired.  
Form batter into golfball-sized balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minuets.   Take out of oven and let rest on hot tray until cooled.  
I'm eating one as I write this post and oh my goodness...they are soooo good!   I think I will take the few left over cookies we have and make ice cream sandwiches with them for tonight.  

Barn Stars and Hexes

It has been a long time coming that we are finally able to release the patterns and supplies for the Tweetle Dee Barn Star & Hex Collection!  I am often asked what the difference is between a barn quilt and a barn star and there is a simple explanation.  Barn Quilts are designed as a tribute to quilts and have been painted on barns and in homes in the past 20 years.  Barn Stars and Hexes have a much longer history.  

Barn Stars also known as "stars in circles" have been in our country since the 18th century and were painted on barns and homes sometimes as the mark of the builder, for decoration and sometimes as a symbol of a "blessing" or hex.  The most common are the five point stars, but you will often see rosettes and hexes with birds (known as distelfinks), hearts and florals.  I adore these designs and love to paint and stitch them.  

It has been a long time coming that we are finally able to release the patterns and supplies for the round barn stars and dutch hexes and we couldn't be more excited to share these with you!  Unlike barn quilts that are designed on a grid and are fairly easy to pattern, these barn stars and hexes are designed on rounds and use "layered star templates".

To celebrate we are offering free shipping on all painted barn stars and hexes as well as the patterns and supplies for the month of August!  To receive free shipping use code BARNSTARSALE at checkout.  

We tested the patterns at a paint night in our local shop and new painters were able to complete the most difficult pattern in a few hours.  It was so rewarding to see these patterns come to life with their own creativity.  The patterns are easier to mark out than a barn quilt and so amazing when painted.  I am working on a tutorial for release this week.

Be watching this month as three new hexes and two more barn stars are released.  We love these patterns and hope you do too!

Red, White and Blue Sale

It time for our Red, White & Blue sale and we have added some new products too. Introducing the Seeing Stars Barn Quilt and the New York Star Barn Quilt!  We are seeing stars over these two new barn quilts.

From now until July 5th everything that is in the Red, White & Blue section of The Shop has free shipping!  No limit on quantities or sizes.  

This sale include the June Civil War Block of the Month kit for The New York Star Barn Quilt.  This kit includes a 12" x 12" ready to paint barn quilt and a pattern with a step by step guide for how to paint a barn quilt.  It is one of my favorite blocks of the Civil War series.

To get the free shipping just enter code REDWHITEANDBLUE at checkout and your entire Red, White & Blue order is free!!!

So whether you are chilling on the the beach or lazing under the star, we hope this sale helps you to celebrate summer a little more!