Just Shoot Me Now!

I am going on a short vacation this next week.  Just 3 days to visit me Mum and sisters, as well as a few friends and other relatives.  As mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, sisters Joyce and Jill are traveling to Wisconsin!  I am so looking forward to spending some time with them!  And, as I also mentioned in that post, I am busy making gifts to take with me.  That is the reason for my absence from this blog.  I have been taking photos, as promised, so you will eventually see everything that I made.  As of last night, I only had one more little quickie thing to make and then every single item on my list would be checked off. 

Except.  Me Mum decided that she wanted a small lap quilt.  Mind you, she has a lap quilt that I made for her.  See it here.  However, she wanted something smaller...like 3 x 4 feet.  So, this morning, I dug out the Saltbox Harvest fabrics (2009 collection by Deb Strain) I had in my 'someday going to make a quilt with this' container and started planning.   

I know, I know.  I did it to myself.  I could have told her (as sister Joyce pointed out) that I would buy her a fleece blanket for $5.00.  But, no.  I said, "hey Mum...how about if I make you one...and bring it with me when I come in 3 days"  or something like that.  I said what?  Nothing like putting myself under the gun.  So, just shoot me now!

Actually, it won't be so bad.  Except, then I decided to make a snowball quilt.  No just sewing charm squares together for me...nosirree!  Must make it more complicated than it needs to be.  Still and all.  It's a small quilt and I am going to tie it, not quilt it.  And, I am not going to bind it...just going to put right sides together, sew around the edges and turn it right side out.  Easy peasy.  Yes?  


Yup, this will work...

Lot of trimming goin' on...

One row done...

Me Mum's going to love it!  And, the best part?  I have all the necessary parts here!  woohoo!

I have something fun to tell you about, but it will need to wait until I get back.  

What are you up to this weekend?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

More Fun in the Mail...

I received another box in the mail.

That Cathy...

she must really be cleaning out!

And, wow...

she really knows how to fill a box!

what I would consider scraps...not large enough to do much with

each of these is at least a fat eighth

yardage

corduroys on the left, knits on the right

started project - or leftovers?

striped velour - how sweet is that

felt for doll shoes, crowns, etc.

 

all of it together

 Thank you, Cathy!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Also received a box of yarns from Knit Picks,

my favorite online yarn shop...

...for face cloths and doll sweaters

Never at a loss for things to do, for sure!

Have a great day!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Arrivals...

Last month, I received a gift certificate for Hancock's of Paducah from my 'almost birthday twin', Lindy, of The Gingerbread House blog.  What a lot of fabric there was to choose from!  WOW!  I wanted to order at least every other one I looked at.  In the end, I decided to order 4 pieces of fabric that I had an idea of what I would be using it for, which made it much easier.  Thank you so much, Lindy!!


These two are Dear Stella Clementine Summer Floral and Summer Flower Market...

I see doll dresses, zippered pouches, pillows...all kinds of summer things!

And, these are Timeless Treasures Mini Musical Notes and Mini Musical Instruments to go along with the One Direction piece I already have...

These fabrics will first be used (along with a few solid fabrics) for a Road Trip Case for my sister's granddaughter.  The pattern is by Anna over at Noodlehead.  

I sure love getting packages in the mail!



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Another Week Has Gone By...

It's Friday.  Already!!  I have not gotten much done this week...besides doing all the figuring for me Mum's quilt.  I changed my mind a bazillion times on what design I wanted to do.  Having 3" strips is somewhat limiting...and I didn't think I had enough to do the quilt that I talked about in my last post.  But, I drew a new layout and I think it'll work!  woohoo!  Goodness...hours and hours were spent on this.  It had best be worth it, that's all I can say!

Here are the strips...aren't they just so lovely? 

Winter.  Cold.  Snow.  I am already so tired of it.  There seem to be more than the usual number of gray days this year.  Two more months...

The weekend is just hours away...I hope you have a good one!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

I Found It!!

Yup, I did!

I found it!

My motivation.

My inspiration.

My desire to create.

My joy of sewing.

YAY!

It's been a few weeks since I felt like doing much of anything.  Having company, dealing with extra stresses at work, having a few serious issues on my mind, the inability to relax when I get home...and, of course, the finales of DWTS and American Idol!...all of those have played a part in my not getting much of anything done.  Ya know?   

But, first!  And, I won't bore you with the long story.  The short version is this...I am in need of curtains and was really pushing myself to make them using the fabric I had purchased 4 years ago, which isn't nearly as fun as I thought it was back then...and so I had a fabulous idea to use my Kashmir III fabric...started putting panels together...decided that they were much too pretty to use as curtains.  I know!  It didn't take long for me to think that they would make better table/dresser runners and...a quilt!  For me!  Like I need another quilt.  Yet, I have always planned to make a quilt for myself with this fabric.  

Kashmir III is the fabric I used to make this quilt.    

So.  Here are the panels for my quilt.  If you were to rotate the photo 90 degrees, you could easily see how these would make fabulous curtain panels!  Yes?

I am at the point of deciding what to use for the sashing and borders.  Perhaps a trip to my lqs is in order.  And, I have 3 more panels with the reds/golds/blacks of the Kashmir III collection that I'll make the runners with.  

I still have the project waiting that I mentioned a few weeks ago.  With the Curio fabric collection.  Everything is together and waiting on my cutting table.  And, you know, Snow Days is still waiting!  Pure bliss, I tell ya.  To think about working on those 2 projects. 

  

So.  That's it.  I am off and running on this Saturday morning!   I hope to have more to show you by the end of the weekend.

Have a great day!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."    Jeremiah 29:11

Just in Time for Summer...

Something special arrived in the mail today...

Summersville by Lucie Summers for Moda...

alphabetty, avenue and town in coal.

I've been busy knitting.

Never did start my big quilt project.

Will get to that one day very soon.

Getting ready for company.  

 


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

3 Day Weekend...

This is a 3 day weekend for me, so I'm hoping to accomplish a lot!

First things first.  I must tell you about a package I received in the mail this week...a late birthday package.  From my almost birthday twin, Lindy.  I met her on a rug hooking forum several years ago.  Lindy blogs here.  Her birthday is the day before mine. 

I was absolutely stunned by what she sent...

'Border Music' by the author of 'Bridges of Madison County', pink grapefruit body lotion (yummy!), and fabric.  Yes, FABRIC!  She sent enough of the Curio by basicgrey for Moda fabric for me to make a lap-sized quilt top.  And, the pattern for it...kaleidoscope.  Here's what it will look like...

Isn't that absolutely gorgeous?  Lindy knows me well...this fabric is so me.  I cannot wait to get started...it absolutely is the next quilt in line.

I didn't take a photo of the cookbooks she sent...several specialized recipe books...catfish, fast simple meals, chocolate and others.  Definitely some must-try recipes there.  See those pocket pie molds?  We're going to try those out real soon.  {grin}

I've not been idle this past week.  I've been working on my blocks for the Poppy quilt.  (note to self:  please come up with a better name for it!)  I have 13 of the 21 Rubik blocks finished.  I am so pleased with how they're looking!  Here's one of them... 

I am sure that you're wondering how (knowing how un-random I can be) I decided on the layout of those 9 squares.  Cuz, you know, each of the 21 Rubik blocks will be different.  I'll tell you my secret...I numbered my fabric squares, then used finished sudoku puzzles to number the spaces.  Clever, hey?  {grin}  Also, there are 9 squares per block, but I have only 7 prints.  I thought about adding in some Kona solids or some of the olive green colorway Poppy fabric, but decided against it.  Instead, I am trying to find different areas of the same fabric to use.  Twice.  For example, the first square in each of rows 2 & 3 are the same fabric.  Hard to tell with them, isn't it.  Course, not all of the repeats in all of the blocks are as different as those, but I wasn't going to be OCD about it. 

Also.  The Rubik blocks have 4 different layouts...1 centered and 3 off-centered.  It's a very fun quilt top to put together.  

We got 5" of heavy, wet snow yesterday.  Looks much like my header photo...which was taken a few years ago.  Course, the temp will be in the 50's this next week, so the snow will be gone very soon. 

Have a great weekend, and please do let me know what you're up to.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."   Jeremiah 29:11

Couple of Things...

First...I have a new etsy shop.  It's in my old name...one I used when I sold rug hooking paraphernalia.  But, the logo is new...a brown dog with sewing needle and thread, which I thought very apropos.  {grin}


At this point, I only have 2 items listed...the doll sleeping bags I finished this past week.  The widget is in my sidebar...or just click here.  The shop isn't completely set up...will get to that soon.


Second...there are times when I am so overwhelmed with the people in my life.  Cathy did it again.  She cleaned out her sewing room earlier this summer and asked if I wanted what she didn't.  Course, based on previous experience with her, one would have to be a fool to say no to that offer.  So, I said yes.  I received the box Thursday.  Can you say, "WOW"!!!  I sure did!  It was full of fabric and a few miscellaneous items for purse/bag making.  About 27 different pieces...yards and yards and yards of it.  The generosity of this woman...well, it absolutely blows me away!  Thank you, Cathy!

Now.  I am totally feeling the need to pay this forward.  So, I'll get a giveaway going here very soon.  Not sure when...or what, for that matter...but keep checking back so you don't miss out!


In the meantime, have a great weekend!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

End of the Week...

I am very happy that the weekend is here.
Seems to have been a very long week.

I took several packages to the 

Post Office earlier this week.

A couple of giveaway packages,

a bee block, some fabric and

a few surprise packages.

One of the surprise packages contained these...

Kleenex cozies!

11 of them, in fact.

Sister Joyce had sent fabric (see it here)
and requested some kleenex cozies.

There you are, sis!

They are so fun and take almost no time at all to make.

I used the same tutorial I've used before...

found here.

That is all I have done in a week...

no other sewing at all.  

Can you believe that?

I did, however, make plans for a baby quilt.

Here's the fabric I'll be using...
'Lily & Will' charm pack plus yardage
and Kona cotton solid in Natural.

Oh!

  Miss Kaylynn will be here tomorrow

for an overnight.

I may be posting photos of her visit.

Have a great weekend!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11

The Box...Part Two!

Another box arrived from Cathy.

Please go here to read about the first box

before continuing with this post.

You'll have a far greater appreciation

for what I'm about to show you if you do.

I promise.

I'll wait.

Okay, ready?

The second half of what Cathy and I

wheeled & dealed about arrived!

PLUS MORE!

more yardage of Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt...

Gypsy Rose yardage to go with the

jelly roll and layer cake previously received...

Objects of Desire jelly roll...

Patisserie jelly roll (unrolled), turnovers and layer cake...

I don't know what this is,

but I wish I had more...

I love it!

miscellaneous yardage...

I think this is Tina Givens...

More yardage, which is much prettier in person...

Plus, she sent d-rings and purse handles!

 Seriously, I do not need to buy another
piece of fabric this year!
Or the year after, methinks.

Other than to finish a project, that is.

This woman...what a giver she is.

Thank you so much, Cathy!

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

DQS10 Fabrics and...For Hire!

My first commission!
YAY!

I've been asked to finish a quilt

by a friend of a friend.

It's a t-shirt quilt for her son.

Susan cut squares from her son's t-shirts

and ironed the interfacing on.

Then, decided she didn't want to finish it herself.
So, here we are.

There are 63 squares cut at 9 1/2 inches

and 24 squares cut at 4 1/2 inches.

I can make a nice quilt for her.

Deadline...mid-April.

My only wish is that I had gotten

my hands on these before she cut them out.

But, it is what it is.

We talked about what she wanted
and what I could do 
and I have a plan.

Sashing and border and binding with Kona solid.

Backing of denim.

It'll be a fun quilt for her son to have.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I finally put together some fabrics for DQS10.
Yes, I know...the batiks are for that swap.
This is an additional doll quilt.
Yup, for the same person.
I had 4 meadowsweet fabrics and I
found 3 other fabrics that work well with it.

 

Now to decide what to do with them.

Right now, I have no ideas!
Hope inspiration hits soon...
the deadline is April 15.

hmmmm...guessin' I'll be busy between now and then.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maureen and I ran a few errands

together this morning.

We stopped at the lqs and visited my quilt.

Ohman, it looks so nice hanging there...
I felt like a proud mama!

The girls at the shop were very pleased with it.

Hope you're having a great weekend.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

The Box...

arrived today

and I could not wait to open it!

can you say, "WOW!"???

wanna know what all that is???

some hope valley by Denyse Schmidt...

 

  a double hourglass quilt started.

for me to finish...

 aviary by 3 sisters for moda

jelly roll and layer cake

 gypsy rose by fig tree quilts for moda 

jelly roll and layer cake...

 some yardage of (mostly moda) reds...

 a fig tree quilts jelly stars quilt kit 
(dandelion girl fabric)...

 and that's all!
not that it's not a lot.
just that there is no more to show you.

for now.

a bit more will be coming.

this all from Cathy of Quilting On Turtle Hill!

remember her?

if you don't, check this out.

so.

Cathy was having a destash sale a week ago.

i, of course, wanted it all.
i, of course, did not get it all.
but, for what i received...
we wheeled and dealed.

she drives an awful hard bargain!

{grin}

actually, she made an offer 
that i absolutely could not refuse.
part of the offer was that she asked me to

put together a quilt top for her.

i am so excited!

and honored!

her payment to me for doing it?
some of the above fabric!
what could possibly be better than that??
i mean, really.

 i am so blessed!

thank you, Cathy!

with this added to my stash,

i have plenty to keep me busy in 2011.

wouldn't you say?

please shoot me if i mention

that i need to buy fabric!

other than specific fabric
to finish something, that is.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Workin' On...

finishing up a few projects.

 I'll soon have photos to share.

Remember those green squares I showed you yesterday?  

Divide and multiply (or is it conquer?).
At any rate...my motto for the day.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

An Unplanned Project...

I do love me some green! 

Must be the Irish in me.

More to come.
Soon.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Gifted!

Thank you one and all for

your caring words.

You truly touch my heart.

I feel about the same today.

Seems to come and go, though.

Sometimes, I feel not so bad.

Other times, I feel like crap.

Still just want to sit.

And do nothing.

Which I find I'm kind of good at.

The bright spot of today?
The bit of time that I forgot how crappy I felt?

Coming home to find multiple packages

awaiting my approval.

Poppy Collection in the Spice colorway.

By Laura Gunn.

This is not my usual style.

Yet...

I LOVE it!

(be sure to click to enlarge)

which translates into these fabrics...

Okay, that's about all I can do.

Must go and rest up.

Starting a new book, "Thin Places".

Go here to read about it.

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might. - Ecclesiastes 9:10

Heaven...absolute Heaven!

Been saving pennies for a long time...and it's now mine!

Kashmir III fat quarter bundle.

I love this fabric collection!


Be sure to click on this photo to get a
good look at all 29 of the fabrics.
They are so yummy!

I WON!!!

Yep, I did! I won a giveaway! I haven't won anything for a long time, so was extra excited to win this one! Natalie, over at Beyond the Reef, was giving away one yard of Paris Park fabric. And, I won! How exciting is that!!! Here's the photo I snagged from her blog...
Thank you so much, Natalie!

I am going to make a quilt for Kaylynn. (you're surprised, right?) She has the flannel one I made, but not a quilt like I made the other grandkids. I think this would be so fun with dots and stripes and dots and well, who knows what I will find to go with it! Time will tell!

Tag is going in to work with me tomorrow and will have a physical exam and vaccinations while I am slaving away working. He's good about injections (he gets monthly allergy shots), so it'll be no biggie. He is all set to go. I washed/dried his warthog. As Tag's 'security blanket', the warthog needs to go along...and needs to be clean. I gave Tag a bath last week, and today I cleaned his ears, brushed his teeth, combed him, and clipped his nails. He is one handsome brown boy! {grin} The girls will be swoonin' for sure!

Not much else going on. BUT, I will have some fun things to show & tell very soon!

Stay cool!

Simple Sampler Quiltalong...

I was surprised to see that Amy (of Amy's Creative Side) had already posted week 2 block instructions this afternoon.  But, what the heck...I sat right down and put my blocks together.  Here they are...

  
Hope you had a good Monday!