I Know I've Said This Before...

but, I am in love!!!

It's not often that I truly drool over something.

But this?

oh my.

(No thanks to Sharon, by the way.)

Take a look at this...

be sure to click to enlarge.

See the churn dashes,

the stars,

the pinwheels,

the half-square triangles,

the flying geese...

the EMBROIDERY!

Look at the embroidery!

Oh my gosh...

it literally took my breath away!

All done in one color of floss.

On Kona solid in Bone.

It is simply the most gorgeous quilt!

I so want to make it!

It's available as a Block of the Month here.

There are 40 different fabrics in it...
Japanese yarn-dyes and

cotton taupe & cream prints.

Delicious!

It is also available as pattern only.

Alas, I put myself on a spending moratorium.

And, I really need to stick to it.

I joined the fitness center.

I guess one cannot have everything.

{sigh}

Priorities.

{sigh}

I'll live.

Perhaps.

I just wanted you all to know
how much I love this.

{sigh}

My birthday is coming...

hint, hint.

Shameless, aren't I?

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

Just a Bit of Time...

is all it took to make this pillowcase.

I've had a queen-sized pillow for over 10 years and never had a pillowcase that was big enough for it.  I don't use that particular pillow on my bed, so I don't think about it much...just when I pull it out to use when I'm lounging in my big easy chair.  The other day when I got it out, I wondered why I had never made a pillowcase for it.  

So...now I have.  

 

The tutorial can be found here.  The fabric is from my stash...something I had for last year's BOM that I did not complete.    

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

Flimsy...

done.

Well, except for the

backing/quilting/binding part.

About 60" square.
Very soft & feminine.
Don't you think?

 

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

Almost There.

I am a bit bummed that I didn't get to the fitness center today...too much snow.  It started out slowly, but what there was accumulated in front of my garage door.  Ended up to be about 2 feet of drifted snow right there so I couldn't get out of the garage.  Rescheduled for tomorrow.

I'm on vacation this week, so am working on my list.  I've been moving things around the last few days...fabric out of office into 3rd bedroom, sewing machine out of sunroom into office and, of course, everything else that goes along with it.  

I was able to get a bit of sewing done today.  I have one more side to sew a border on.  Then, to decide if it all needs another small border.

Took this photo the other day...it's Nugget (lives in the barn) walking outside along the window ledge.  He had been sitting there for a bit of time, just watching me.  When I got up to get the camera, he decided to leave.  It's a good thing Tag didn't see him...there would be a huge hole in the window.  

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

Mutant?

My Tag is so dang smart!

I know you already knew that.

Here's yet another story that proves it.

Back when this arrived at my doorstep

 

I recognized that it was a different type of warthog.

See the spots?  The darker areas of fur?  

Except, those are not spots.  

They are mutations!

This warthog was some kind of mutant.

Like a teenage mutant ninja warthog.

I kept a close eye on it.

And wondered what the difference was all about.

Well, the other day,

good ole Tag got to the bottom of it.

Literally.

He found that the mutant ninja was stuffed

with an unbelievable amount of polyester fiberfil.

And, that it had smuggled in a weapon.

A weapon of mass destruction!

Guess the mutant ninja was waiting for

it to come out the other end so it could be used.
To destruct.

No worries.

We're safe.

Now.

Thanks to Tag E. Butt,
Labrador Extraordinaire.

Okay, so the wmd?
It's really the grunt-maker

from the belly of the warthog.

What can I say?

Need to entertain the masses

(and myself)!

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

How Do You Spell Relief?

V - A - C - A - T - I - O - N!

YAY!

I am on vacation!

And, I'm gonna have a good time!  

Not going anywhere, though...

just digging in and getting it done.  

Declutter & destash.

A little sewing.

My list is very long.

If I get half of it done,

I will be one happy girl!

 What will you be doing this next week?

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

Donations NEEDED!

Any size, any amount, lump sum, monthly payment.  Whatever works best for you.

Yeah.  So.  I went for my first visit to the fitness center yesterday.  Nice!  I did some cycling and then some strength stuff...worked my back, my lats, my bis, my tris, my blah, blah, blah.  Today was the appointment to have my body assessed.  ha!  What a  hoot!  Actually.  They're kinda mean.  The fitness place.  They signed me up with a young hot hard-bodied boy!  To assess me.  How unfair.  Mike...an EMT/volunteer fireman (just like my son).  Just adorable.  And, by the way, has PSALM 91 tattooed on his left forearm (not the entire psalm, but the words, 'psalm 91').  Made me smile even more!  Anyway.  I totally left my inhibitions at the door, so the hour with Mike was more fun than embarrassing.  It was also very interesting.  I learned a lot, did a lot and was pleasantly surprised to hear that I am more flexible than he thought I would be. 

Okay.  The donations.  Needed!!!  So that I can have Mike be my personal trainer.  

I am just kidding.  Well, I do want a personal trainer, but it's very, very expensive.  So, I'll pass.  For now.  Until I strike it rich.  Or, win the lottery!

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

Must leave something for you to look at...

so here's a photo of my current project.

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

Momentum...

I am over the top excited and about to bust my seams!  And, it sure wouldn't be a pretty sight for anyone's eyes to behold.  hahaha.

Here's the first thing.  I quit smoking.  Quit.  Done.  No more.  7 days smoke-free and feeling strong.  Kinda like the Helen Reddy song, "I am woman...hear me roar!"  Empowered is my word of the day.

I've been doing a lot thinking about myself.   Trying to figure out what it is that I need.  Praying and asking God for direction.  Considering all that I do and don't do to take care of myself.  I made up my mind that - once and for all - I need to quit smoking, lose weight and become healthy.  So.  That's what I'm doing.  

I feel great.  How did I quit smoking, you ask?  I smoked one night up until bedtime and didn't smoke the next morning.  Or since.  Easy as that.  No nicotine patches, no nicotine chewing gum, no drugs, no hypnosis.  What then, you ask?  

God.  It's me and God.  I asked for His help and He is giving it.  He definitely has my back on this one.   

And, I joined a fitness club!  Today.  Yup, I did!  I am sooo excited!  It is really time for me.  Ya know when you feel a nudge...inside of yourself...like a 'come on, you can do it' sort of thing.  Or, like a 'well, I really should try this...' but then you don't.  Today I feel as if the wind is at my back...moving me forward.  Momentum...moving toward...what? 

So, that's what I'm feeling.  

My Faith in God and a wee bit of my Irish heritage.  

Awesome! 

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

Postage Stamp Quilt...

Yes, another one.

No, I have not finished the first one.

(quilt top & backing are done...

need to baste/quilt/bind it)

I am working with a jelly roll...

Aviary by 3 Sisters for Moda.

Having fun, fun, fun!

Making strip sets and cutting them apart,

then putting cut-apart strip sets back together!

Tutorial that I am loosely following can be found here.

Hope you're having a great Saturday!

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

Music-themed Table Runner

Almost done showing gifts I made for Christmas 2010!

This is a table runner for my Godmother, my Aunt Bev.

It measures about 14 x 45 inches.
(click to enlarge)

closeup of the choir...

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

Still Working....

on a few Christmas gifts.  

Jody received her box yesterday.  In it was the apron she asked me to make, modeled here by none other than herself...

The bench pad she asked me to make...

And, the quilt I made for her!  It was a surprise for her...I showed this before (here), but never told you who it was for.  Here is my niece/God-daughter, Jody Lynn, with her new quilt!

Remember this fabric that I showed way back here.  I used it for a baby quilt for Carole's new grandson.  Remember Carole?  She's the one who received this quilt.  When I heard that her daughter was expecting a baby at the end of December...and that Carole made her first goal to be here for that baby's birth, I decided to make a quilt for the baby.

Just so ya know, not everything comes easy to me.  I know there are a few of you who think so.  Not true.  This is the 4th design that I tried out for this quilt.  Not kidding!  Had the first one all done...complete quilt top done...and hated it.  Really bright!  And, just ugly.  Tried using different fabric...too boring.  Found a design that I thought would work, one that would make the best use of my fabric...made mistakes with trimming.  Had I kept going, the quilt would have been about 12" square!  haha!

It was maddening...someone did not want me to make this quilt...but I prayed and asked Kim to pray...and this is what I made.  And, by the way, I love it. 

I followed the 'zigzag quilt without piecing triangles' tutorial by AmandaJean of crazy mom quilts.  Thank you AmandaJean...you saved my life (or, at least my sanity)! 

 Measures about 35 x 41 inches.

That's all I have to show for today.  Stay tuned for the never-ending list of Christmas gifts yet to be finished!  {grin}

pssst...did I mention that one of my goals for this year is to finish sewing Christmas gifts before Christmas?  yeah.  It is a goal.  Pray for me.

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