My Creative Mind...

Wine Bag

2012-02-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

We are headed to a friends tonight and I remembered we still don't have any wine bags. I made this in about 10 minutes and I love it. Super easy and I didn't measure anything just wrapped it around the bottle, made a few cuts and sewed it all together.

February Block Swap

2012-02-11T06:24:00.000-05:00

Another completed block for my block swap group.
This is definitely not a pattern of choice, some swappers have special requests and this was one. Although it wasn't my preference it gives me a chance to use up some of my fabric stash and continue to perfect my skills.

My First Stained Glass Piece

2012-01-29T01:49:00.000-05:00

This is my first stained glass piece! It took me all day long but was well worth the time. I forgot to take pictures during the entire process but here is one:

At this stage I had already cut and sanded all of my glass and was beginning to wrap the edges with the copper foil. Once all of the copper is on, you solder and it's pretty much done. The longest part was cutting and sanding the glass. I really enjoyed making this piece and plan to make a larger piece soon.

Sew Simple Blocks

2012-01-15T05:37:00.000-05:00

These photos are so bad! I took them with my ipad because the battery on my camera wasn't charged. Ehhh, maybe I will take more later. I really like the orange block.I started this quilt in 2009. My mom asked about it last month and I was inspired to pull it back out. I forgot how much I liked these blocks, maybe I will finish it this year.

January Block of the Month

2012-01-15T05:22:00.000-05:00

I have started the Block of the Month club once again. I love the idea of the club but I got to busy for it before so I had to quit. Now I don't have time to quilt much at all so the monthly block forces me into my sewing room. I hope to start incorporating Nepali fabrics into these blocks soon but I haven't found any that I just love yet. This block is going to Terry in San Larenzo, California who requested pinks, blacks and greys. I will share what I receive when it arrives :-).

I'm inspired

2011-12-03T23:33:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, the kids and I went to AWON, Kathmandu's big Christmas bazaar. So many crafty things and beautiful scarves. I didn't feel the need to buy much but I did feel inspired to pull my creativity back out. It's amazing how creatively talented some Nepali's are.

So here is what I did buy. The baskets are made from old potato chip bags - how cool is that!
I think I will own 100 scarves by the time we leave. And I bought lots of ornaments for our Nepali Christmas :-).

I plan to buy some Tibetan fabric soon to make some wall hangings. Many more projects to come.....

Recent Projects

2011-12-02T06:43:00.000-05:00

Somewhere along the way I picked up this book, no telling where or how long ago but I found it when I was unpacking my sewing room. It looked really interesting and since I have never taken an official sewing class I decided to do the projects in order and learn all of the little tricks to sewing that I never learned. It has been great. Sometimes in life we all should slow down and go back to the basics. I've learned things about my machine that I probably should have known long ago and I'm only on the 4th project.

So Project 1 was to create a stitch sampler. I won't bore you with that, it was a little tedious but I'm glad I finished it. Since I am mainly a quilter I have little use for special stitches. I was pretty surprised by all the stitches my machine produces. There was also an applique project.

Project #3 was a free hand stitch. The purpose is showing you how to release the foot and self guide. I never knew this was possible....

Project #4
A simple napkin with pretty corners. This is another thing I never would have thought to make, especially since they are so cheap these days but I enjoyed making it and plan to make many more since we are a place mat and napkin fam.

Next project is a placemat - not sure when I will get to that. But I will try to remember to post.

Almost settled.....

2011-12-02T06:27:00.000-05:00

It's been forever again! I kind of forgot about my blog but I woke up this morning with that crafty bug and decided to finish organizing my craft room - and it's done! Finally! It took a minute, especially since our landlord had to repaint our entire house last month.

My craft room is no where near as fabulous as the one in Georgia, but I like it. It's on the third floor and has a ton of windows bringing in lots of natural light. Unfortunately I don't have Himalayan mountain views, but I can see the foothills. The room is very white - a little hospital-ish. Slowly I am adding color.

Greg decided this room needed a sitting area so we could enjoy the room together :-).

And of course Jojo is always close by.
The room is huge. Unfortunately, I won't be able to put up a design wall because Nepal has a monsoon season and the houses are made of concrete so they are moist half the year.

Jojo - almost 3!

2011-06-02T13:28:00.000-04:00

I realized the other day that I have not updated my blog in months, well almost a year. Truthfully, I have been to busy to sew or even think about anything left brain. We have been planning our move to Kathmandu, Nepal for the last year and my sewing room has turned into our sorting room. Everything related to sewing isn't really visible and all of my tables have been moved to the garage to hold yard sale items. I hope to get crafty again once we get settled in Nepal next month and I hear they have amazing fabrics and threads so I am really excited!
So instead of updating with a new photo of my creative works I decided on a picture of my goofy boy Jojo. He will be 3 years old next month and if you have had the pleasure of meeting him this picture is perfect. Jojo has truly been the best addition to our family, he still entertains us daily. He ended up being a runt, but thank goodness because we are paying his fees to get to Nepal and it's by weight. He currently weighs 110lbs.

Soaps....

2010-09-04T14:49:00.002-04:00

After getting this great Martha Stewart book I have been inspired by soap. I have been to busy to do anything to time consuming and this seems to be perfect. This morning I woke up and made 7 bars of soap while I drank my coffee. It is so easy and has endless creative possibilities. I am excited!!! The bottom bars are just clear glycerin with lavender flowers and honey almond scent. The orange bars are white glycerin with orange peel scrub. The gray bar (which was supposed to be brown) is a shea butter eucalyptus bar I made for my husband. And the green one is just a green glycerin bar from left over soap that I dyed to use later in something else (not sure what just yet...). This is a super easy craft and I plan to have a lot of fun with it.

Camera Bags

2010-05-23T16:45:00.005-04:00

I made these cute little bags for my girls. They don't know it yet but they are getting cameras for having such a great school year. Happy summer!

Monkeys, monkeys, everywhere.....

2010-05-23T16:38:00.003-04:00

Monkeys, monkeys, monkeys :-)
These are all for my baby cousin - she is having a baby this month and chose monkeys. I had a little bit of fun, can you tell?

The ribbon is tied around 4 burb clothes I made with the extra fabric. Great and super easy idea!

Sewing Machine Cover

2010-05-11T18:59:00.005-04:00

I can't believe I didn't post a picture of this. I made this sometime in December before I closed the door to my sewing room for a few months. My sewing room has glass doors so every time I walk past I can see the cups and it makes me smile :-).

2010

2010-05-11T18:49:00.003-04:00

I realized last week that I have not spent more than 5 minutes in my sewing room since December - very sad :-(. A lot has been going on in our busy little corner of the world. I spent Mother's day hanging out with my son and although it killed him he spent a few hours in JoAnn's with me so I could pick up fabric. One of my baby cousins is having a baby soon and I am so excited to make another baby quilt. Here is the fabric I bought. I have already cut most of the squares out and hopefully I will begin sewing by this weekend.

Memory Lane - Almost finished......

2009-12-21T18:30:00.002-05:00

I'm off a lot over the next two weeks and completing this quilt top is my #1 goal. I am finished with Christmas shopping and other than feeding and keeping my kids entertained I am not leaving my sewing room! All I have left are the borders, which happen to be pretty complicated. Wish me luck!

Memory Lane

2009-12-05T17:16:00.003-05:00

I have time to sew this weekend :-).
All my Christmas decorations are up, Christmas cards are almost complete and now I have ME time :-).
I just completed 2 more blocks for the Memory Lane quilt.
Here is "Susannah".

And here is "Capital T".
This quilt has a a pretty detailed and large border so it is going to take me a while to complete but I am more than half done.

Gift from mom :-)

2009-08-09T19:36:00.002-04:00

Check out this pretty quilt my mom made and sent to me. Those are blue bonnets around the entire border and the backing. She had it custom quilted. It's so pretty :-).

Sew Simple Quilt - Block 3

2009-07-12T20:32:00.003-04:00

I finally had a little down time today to spend in my sewing room. I think I spent an hour just cleaning it before I could begin anything. It's been awhile since I have been in here. My girls also invaded my room today and dug through my scrap bucket. They made doll clothes and mini squares. Very very cute! I am so glad that they have an interest in being creative. I remember when I was a kid and my cousin Michele and I would make Barbie clothes from my Aunt Ann scraps.

My mother reminded me the other day that this monthly project was started in October '08, so I am not just a few months behind but almost an entire year! So I am trying to get it complete especially since I really like it. It's so bright! This block is called Spinning Wheel. Isn't it cool how the block looks almost 3D?

Memory Lane - June/July

2009-07-12T20:26:00.003-04:00

This block is called Flying X. It's ok, definitely not one of my favorites. This blanket is coming along nicely. I also worked on a lot of the border pieces today, the border is my favorite part of this blanket. That part is a surprise!

This block is called Swamp Angel. Now this one I like and it was very simple.

Somewhere in Time - COMPLETE

2009-07-03T09:22:00.002-04:00

It's back from quilting! Isn't it beautiful? I absolutely love it. I am so proud of it. This is my first complete "bed Size" quilt.

June Block Swap

2009-07-03T09:19:00.004-04:00

Here is the block I made for my June partner in New Jersey. I have received her block yesterday, but I haven't had a chanced to take a picture yet.
I will soon promise.
Here is the block I recieved. This is definitly one of the nicest blocks I have received in the 2 years I have been in the club. I have currently paused my membership with the club until my life slows down a little. Thanks Cherie for a great block!

May - Memory Lane

2009-05-19T16:08:00.001-04:00

May's block was "Clay's Choice". Cute block, this top is coming along quite nicely :-).

May Block Swap

2009-05-10T16:14:00.003-04:00

Happy Mother's Day! I am enjoying a nice quiet day in my sewing room. It's sunny and rainy outside - very interesting but soothing to look at from my room. I completed my May block - it's called Table for Four. The request was anything brightly colored. I like this fabric, I think I bought it for a bag. I have not been in any type of making a new bag mood, so I used it for this bright and very summery block. It is headed to Carrie in Washington state. Hope she likes.....
Here is the block I received. Thank you Carrie :-).

Jojo - 10 1/2 Months

2009-05-06T17:34:00.003-04:00

It is absolutely amazing how innocent Jojo looks when he lays down or sleeps. My baby is almost 11 months old and boy is he big! We go to the vet this weekend so I will be able to share his weight in a few days. He had his eye surgery since my last post - he had entropia, it's an eyelash disorder common in Dane's and Saint Bernards. He looks 150% better, has completly recovered and is back to terrorizing the other dogs. Actually.... I think he terrorizes everyone and everything in my house.

Flowers

2009-05-04T11:00:00.004-04:00

I absolutely LOVE flowers. I picked up this plant a few weeks ago and it is so interesting. I love it! It's called a Fuchsia. I had to take some pictures.

February - Sew Simple Quilt

2009-05-04T08:59:00.002-04:00

Here is the February block - it's called Tick-Tack-Toe. Cute block. This is going to be a really cute quilt :-).

Sew Simple Quilt Shop BOM - January

2009-04-11T21:23:00.004-04:00

My mom has been sending me blocks every month from her local Quilt Shops Block of The Month. I hadn't really looked at the quilt until last week when I bought the background fabric. It should be bright and colorful. So far it looks pretty. This is part of January's blocks. Tomorrow I am going to try and get a few more completed.

Memory Lane - March/April

2009-04-11T21:20:00.003-04:00

I have been off this week so I have had some time to catch up on some projects and sew a little.... Here are the March and April blocks for Memory Lance. This one is called Ohio Star.

This one is called Girl's Favorite. I really like this block. This blanket is coming along nicely.

Finally Finished

2009-04-08T17:37:00.003-04:00

I have finally finished this blanket. I just packed it up and have it ready to send to my mom to have quilted.

It is going to be so pretty - I'm excited.

This is the backing. The only think I am not completly sure about is the binding, but I have a few options. I will post more pictures when it returns from the quilter.

April Block Swap

2009-04-08T15:05:00.003-04:00

This block is for Louise in the UK. I love sending blocks international, it just seems cool! Louise likes blues and browns, I really wish I would have made the inside star blue, but you can still see it. I have made this block before under a different name, but I came across it again this one called "Denise's Star".
Here is the block I received from Louise. Please excuse the corner, Jojo got a hold of it and tore one corner - damn dog!

Today....Spring Break

2009-04-08T10:08:00.003-04:00

I am going to sew today if it kills me...
We are home this entire week on Spring Break and I have yet to sew a single thread :-(. I have, however, been very busy! I completed my scuba class last weekend.

By the way, that is my hubby with me. He is already a diver. It's been busy, but today is my day so I should get something done if I can ever get my sewing room back in order......

March Block Swap

2009-03-14T22:57:00.002-04:00

This is the block I made for Tracy in North Carolina. She requested purple. I will be making this block again soon for the Memory Lane quilt (it's the March block). I thougt the pattern was cute.
This is probably the first time I have ever received a block before I even started mine. Here is what I received (and I really like it).

Jojo - 9 months

2009-03-14T22:54:00.002-04:00

Here is my Jojo boy with Calah at almost 9 months old. He is getting so big so fast! I am not sure what his weight is these days but he was at 75 lbs a month ago.

February - Memory Lane

2009-03-14T22:49:00.002-04:00

These are the 4 February blocks for Block Central's Memory Lane quilt. This is the entire middle section and it's much bigger than it looks. The blocks are not sewn together because there will be pieces in between. I kind of like them like this, but I didn't design it so we will see how it comes along.

February Blocks

2009-03-01T15:30:00.003-05:00

These are my February blocks for the Harmony Village quilt. This block is all from scrap material so it should be interesting as it progresses. I like it so far :-).

Today....

2009-03-01T10:31:00.002-05:00

It's Sunday and so ugly outside - rainy, possible snow :-(. I am totally not motivated to do anything. All my kids are off somewhere today, it's just me, my hubby and the dogs. I have been in my sewing room for a few hours at this point and I have not accomplished anything except playing a few games on Facebook and I bought a new bathing suit for my upcoming Scuba class. I really want to sew, but I think I am so far behind that I can't seem to get motivated. Well it's only 10:30am so maybe one more cup of coffee and I will get started...... Good luck with your day :-).

February Block Swap

2009-02-27T17:32:00.003-05:00

This is the bloc I made for my February Block swap. It's called a Monkey Wrench. I think it's interesting. This is going to Debbie in Alberta, Canada. She requested anything pink & brown :-).
Here is the block I received. Thank you Debbie.

Jojo

2009-02-08T10:59:00.003-05:00

I love my dogs! I promise I love my kids too :-). Jojo is almost 7 months old. We went to the vet yesterday and he weighs 65 lbs. Jimi also weighs 65lbs but he is shorter and more solid. Jojo is tall and thin. The vet said yesterday they think he will be over 200lbs. Wow! Not sure about that one, we will see.

Harmony Village - 2009 BOM

2009-01-25T10:03:00.004-05:00

I don't believe this quilt has a name, but it is another Block of the month I found online. This one is from a quilt shop in Australia. Looks like it will be interesting and the whole quilt is made from scraps I already have in my pile of fabric, so technically this quilt is free (maybe.... well it sounds good).
Click here to see full quilt.

Memory Lane - Block Of The Month

2009-01-25T09:49:00.008-05:00

Ok...... So at this point my husband is laughing at me and all my NEW projects, because I have so many unfinished. I tried to explain it's that left brain, short attention span thing but he is an Army man and does not understand this concept. I have officially started 2 new block of the months for 2009 and I have 3 more that I started saving patterns for but have yet to begin :-). Time, time, time..... where does it go?
This is the new block central block of the month quilt. This is 4 blocks (all for January). The entire quilt is called Memory Lane.

You can see full pattern here.
I have the 2008 quilt top almost complete, I just need to pick up more fabric for one more border, it's not quite big enough for our spare bedroom bed (which is where I finally decided it was going).

JoJo - 6 months

2009-01-22T18:49:00.002-05:00

Here is my big baby! He turned 6 months old on Friday and he is so big and goofy! For anyone that has not experienced a Great Dane - they are the strangest,funniest most unique dogs. Make sure you check out our 40lbs lab on the side - he makes her look like a runt.

New Stuff

2009-01-11T17:21:00.003-05:00

Mom and I did a little bit of shopping in Paducah, KY and then a little more while she was here in Georgia. Here is the new stuff I bought:

All of this is from JoAnn's for the new 2009 Block of The Month quilt called Memory Lane - Hopefully I will get started soon so you will be seeing a lot of it :-).

These are the first Moda fabrics I have purchased. I really like this package. I haven't figured out what I am going to make yet, but it should be fun.

I picked these up at Hancock's in Paducah - it is supposed to be the best quilting store in the US, I was not really that impressed but I did pick up this bunch of fat quarters and some more military fabrics for my honey :-). He always says he got jipped and has the smallest quilt I have made (his also happened to be the very first) so one of these days I am going to make him a really big quilt.

Sorry - I didn't take pictures of the fat quarters I bought at Sweet Home in Conyers, but I must say I love this little shop.... It is this cute little house with a great porch and old hardwood floors (You think thats my style :-)?). I will be back. Mom bought this great wall quilt patten of big sunflowers. It is all applique, which is not my thing but it was so pretty.

January Block Swap

2009-01-11T17:01:00.003-05:00

Here is my January Block for my block swap club. I think it's cute, I don't usually use the types of prints, but she asked for a star block with red prints. I love this star block pattern, it's called a no-name star, I have used it before but I really really like it. This block is headed to Anne in Australia.
Here is the block I received from Anne. Thank you :-).

Somewhere in time - October, November & December

2009-01-11T16:50:00.005-05:00

I had a little bit of time to sew last weekend. My mom was here and I was trying to get this top completed so I could send it with her to have quilted, but I ran out of energy and didn't complete it. Oh well..... Still in the unfinished prjects.
This block is called Coxey's Camp.

This one is Maple Leaf.

And this one is Poinsettia.

Here is a picture of all the blocks completed. I re-arranged a few of them that I didn't think looked good next to each other. I am almost done with the sashing so there will be new pictures soon.

Jo-Jo - 4 1/2 Months

2008-12-07T16:33:00.003-05:00

This is Jo-Jo last week. Yes, we changed his name once again - but this time it is set. JO-JO :-). We went to the vet yeterday and he is up to 41lbs. He doesn't seem to be getting a lot taller to me yet, but he is longer and filling out. I love my boy. He plays hard - but chills even harder. It takes him at least 5 minutes to get out of his kennel in the morning. He stretches and yawns like an old man.

December Block Swap

2008-12-07T16:30:00.002-05:00

This block is called Glitter, Glitter. It is really detailed. The Batik fabrics look great with this one. I have never bought Batiks before, I tend to like more simple fabric, but this one is so pretty! I almost hate to mail it off. This block is going to Priscilla in Wichita, KS.

November Block Swap

2008-12-07T16:24:00.003-05:00

Another International Block! This one is headed to New Zealand. I can't wait to see what I get in return. The request was blue, no theme or style. Of course, I like stars so I made this block called No Name Star. I really like it and may have to make me a few of these.

September Block of The Month

2008-12-07T16:21:00.002-05:00

Yeah, yeah - I know I am way behind and hopefully by the end of the year I will catch up :-). This block is called Pinwheels and Sawtooth and it is the September block of the Somewhere in Time Block of the Month Quilt.

My new puppy - 4 months old

2008-11-13T21:32:00.003-05:00

This is my new 4 month old puppy. He is a Merle Great Dane. Isn't he cute :-). We have named him Jay - it has taken a week for us to decide on a name, but we finally got it. He has fit right in so far with our other 2 dogs in our crazy household. Everyone loves him and he has become the master of snatching socks (off your feet) and running. He is quite a character and I can't wait to watch him grow. This is my newest excuse for not sewing, but I should be making it back into my sewing room in the next week or two - it's calling me.

October Block Swap

2008-11-02T18:50:00.002-05:00

I had a little bit of time to sew today - This is my October block swap for my partner Dana in Arizona. This is one of the patterns from my Fons & Porter blanket that I really liked and she requested red, white & blue so I thought it was perfect.

Callaway Gardens

2008-10-27T19:41:00.002-04:00

I have been so busy with my kids I haven't had any time to sew.... Life as mom :-). Check out this picture I took at Callaway Gardens last weekend. Isn't it pretty? I have no idea what type of butterfly that is, but I was amazed at some of the pictures I was able to take.

My new car.....

2008-10-21T19:19:00.004-04:00

Yeah!!! I bought a 4 door Jeep Wrangler last week. I LOVE it, love it, love it! It is such a great car for me and my family. We all fit in it very comfortably, even my 2 dogs :-). We are going to have so much fun in it next summer, I can't wait.

Finished Blanket!

2008-10-09T19:40:00.003-04:00

OK, So I sorta cheated and mailed this quiltop to my mom and had her take it to her local quilt shop to be quilted. I will NEVER finish another blanket again. It cost me less than $50 and this lady quilted my whole blanket with this cool stars and swirls design in varigated thread. AND she did the binding.
I absolutely love it! Isn't it pretty? My only complaint is the batting is really thin, so next time I will have to send my own.
Alot of my friends have seen this blanket, it was hanging on the wall in my old house as I was completing blocks.
Once I finished the whole top, I didn't like it all together so I took a few pieces off and made the blanket smaller. So it has become a large lap quilt (It was supposed to be a king).
It turned out so good! I am so proud. Don't tell anyone I cheated....

September Block Swap

2008-09-14T13:50:00.003-04:00

My 2nd international block! This one is going to Australia. My swap partner requested burgundy. I received this star last month and thought it was cute so I used the same pattern. It's called shooting star.
Here is the block I received. Thank you :-)

New bag :-)

2008-09-07T15:21:00.002-04:00

I made a new bag this morning. Isn't it cute? This time I used real handles and I think they added a nice touch. I found this fabric at JoAnn's yesterday on my way to meet a friend for dinner. Quick stop that was well worth it!
The inside is lime green with 1 big pocket.

August Block

2008-08-31T14:42:00.002-04:00

Here is my August block for the Block of the month club on blockcentral.com. I only have 4 more blocks to go and it will be complete. It is such a pretty blanket already, I can't wait for it to be done. This square is called Union Star.

I am re-upholstering.....

2008-08-31T09:32:00.003-04:00

My husband received this entire set of furniture from his dad, who is no longer with us. We have had it as long as we have been together and it was our first sofa for years, before the dogs got a hold of it and did a great job of tearing it up. We stuck the whole set in the garage with the hope that one day I would take a class and figure out how to re-upholster. When we bought this house, we decided the basement was "the man cave" and this set was one of the important things that had to be setup for my husband to be able to use - this means I have to get to work. Well of course, I HATE classes so I didn't take a class, I did a little research online and decided I was ready. Of course it probably would have been very helpful to take some before pictures - sorry :-). This first picture is the couch with just the bottom lining almost complete - I have to put some tacks in a few places.
This is how the cushions will look, they just need to be covered. This whole furniture thing is really a whole lot easier than it looks.
Here is a picture of the couch so you can get a general idea of what the loveseat looked like.

Christmas in August

2008-08-24T18:27:00.004-04:00

My August block swap partner said she loves Christmas so.... I made her a Christmas block. Isn't it cute. I thought so.
These are the blocks I received from my partner. Aren't they pretty? I really like this first one, the colors are exactly what I asked for.
Thanks Melissa, we can swap anytime :-)

Team Mom Bag

2008-08-24T11:55:00.003-04:00

I made this bag for my sons team mom. She puts in a lot of extra effort for our team and I wanted to show her some appreciation. I have done that job to many times and understand all the time consuming things that most parents don't understand. Thank you Lisa!

June/July Blocks

2008-08-24T11:38:00.003-04:00

I worked on these a few weeks ago but somehow failed to get them on the blog. This block is called a Double X. It looks a lot like January's block.
July's block is called Four Patch Star. It's different.

My newest thing.....

2008-08-16T11:01:00.007-04:00

I found this cute pattern online for a tote bag. So I printed it and after about a year of saying how cute it was I decided to make one. Well that big bag is from the actual pattern, but after I made it I didn't like it - at least not for me. I was looking for a purse, not a tote. So I redid the whole pattern, added a bunch of pockets and ended up with the little bag. Aren't they cute! I am sending the big bag to my mom - she will love it.
The turquise lined bag is the larger tote and the brown is my mew little purse. Check out the lining and the pockets!

July Block Swap

2008-07-17T18:12:00.004-04:00

Here is the finished block :-).
I was doing really good and had my block almost done and my machine started making funny noises and now it has decided it's taking a mental break :-). So here is where I am until I have time to take it apart and figure out the problem.
I already received my partner blocks, she sent me two pretty blocks. I changed my request this month to earth tone stars. These are cute.

April/May Block of The Month

2008-06-14T22:53:00.005-04:00

I still feel so far behind! I had time to work on two blocks this weekend. This first one is the April Block of the month - it is called Silver Lane.
This one is called Four Crowns. I really like this one. I love this blanket and can't wait for it to be completed.

June Block Swap

2008-06-05T19:07:00.006-04:00

I am finally getting back on track!!! Yeah me. I had time to get these blocks done before I go out of town this weekend. This block is called Liz's Lucky Star and I got this from my Fons & Porter Patriotic quilt book. I like these more than the one I made for my blanket.
I think it is really cool that you make these blocks in pairs and you will never have duplicate pairs. These blocks are going to Dana in Rimrock, AZ.
Here is the block I received. Thank you Dana :-).

My Flowers

2008-06-05T19:07:00.005-04:00

I had to throw some pictures in of my beautiful flowers. I really wanted them to bloom before Memorial day, which didn't happen, but now they have bloomed and they are so pretty! I planted the Lily's last year and I love the colors.
Anyone that knows me knows I am lacking a green thumb, so I do well with low maintenance plants. I made my little cactus garden a few years ago and every year I add to it and cram some more plants in the pot. I don't remember this cactus ever having this many flowers.

Tangie's Baby Blanket

2008-05-18T21:13:00.014-04:00

I finished Tangie's Baby blanket last weekend. Of course, I finished it the day of the shower and I forgot to take pictures of the finished blanket. I will take some next time I see her and post in the future. :-)

Tangie left the blanket here when she was here for Thanksgiving so I snapped some pictures. The backing is the softest material. I really like this blanket.

Porch Swing Pillows

2008-05-18T21:13:00.013-04:00

We recently purchased this great new house (this is why I am so behind on sewing) and this is my fabulous porch swing! It needed pillows so I made some this weekend. I absolutely LOVE this fabric, you may see more of it later.

May Block Swap

2008-05-18T21:13:00.007-04:00

My first international block! This one is headed to Australia. The request was 30's prints. I am not so sure I accomplished this, but when I thought of the thirties I thought about those cool aprons they used to wear. The block is called "Another Star". I love stars.

April Block Swap

2008-05-02T22:14:00.004-04:00

Yeah - I'm a little behind :-). I have so many blocks to catch up on. This is for my April Block swap - it should have been mailed already. It's called a waterwheel. She requested yellows, oranges and reds - something bright and different. I think I did a pretty good job meeting all of those requests. One of the exciting things about my block swap is that it allows me to make blocks with colors and designs I would not normally choose and since it is only one block I can have a lot of fun with it and pick things that are a little more detailed. I really like this block but it will be shipped off to Virginia in Pennsylvania on Monday.
Here is the block I received. Thank you Virginia.

Tangie's Baby Blanket Update

2008-05-02T22:05:00.004-04:00

I've been moving all month so I have not had a chance to sew. It's been killing me. But in our new house, I have an entire sewing room! Yeah me!!!! So I finally got somewhat unpacked - enough for my husband to not kill me for sewing instead of unpacking ;-).

I started with Tangie's baby blanket. Her shower is next weekend so I have to get this done. I got the whole top finished and it is all pinned together. For the first time ever, I didn't have the thread color I needed to start quilting it together - Can you believe that? Especially pink (I have 2 girls so I normally have tons of pinks and purples). So it was put back to the side once I got it all pinned together. It is going to be really cute once it's done.

Tangie's Baby Blanket - #2

2008-03-21T20:20:00.007-04:00

I started Tangie's baby blanket a few weeks ago with the jelly rolls I ordered but I didn't really like what I had started - it wasn't pink enough so I started over. I downloaded a demo quilt program and created this quilt this morning. I went to JoAnn's today and bought more fabric and now I have started a blanket I really like. It will be a total of 12 squares. The backing I bought is so soft - it is going to be really cute once it's done. The shower is the first weekend of May so this will be my project for the next month. I hate sewing under pressure :0.

Here's the material I picked before I started cutting.
All squares cut. There are a lot of triangles!

March Block Swap

2008-03-15T23:56:00.004-04:00

This is my March block swap block. My partner this month requested a nautical theme/colors. I couldn't incorporate the blues as much as I wanted but I think the block turned out pretty cute.

Somewhere in Time - March Block

2008-03-02T20:50:00.005-05:00

I received my March block pattern today and had time in between girl scout cookie pickups to complete it. This one is called Crown of Thorns. I am really loving this quilt and I am so proud of my fabric selection :-). I hate that it won't be complete until December.

Tangie's Baby Blanket

2008-02-28T21:52:00.008-05:00

NEW BLANKET!!! The jelly rolls I ordered on ebay came in this week. I'm excited! One of my best friends is pregnant with a girl. This blanket is going to be all pink for a little princess. I have a few ideas I'm still choosing between on design. I will hopefully get this blanket started this weekend.

Somewhere in Time - Jan/Feb Blocks

2008-02-17T14:27:00.006-05:00

I started another quilt this weekend. This is the 2008 Block of the Month quilt on BlockCentral.com. I had a really hard time picking the fabric when I bought it a few weeks ago but I am really happy with my choices. This block is called a Union Square.

February's block is called Wyoming Valley. I will receive a new pattern every month to complete this quilt. Each block is different so it won't be complete until the end of the year. Each block is 18" so it will end up being a large lap quilt.I am not a traditional quilter but I really like the start of this quilt and can't wait for March's pattern :-).

February Block Swap

2008-02-14T20:26:00.006-05:00

This is the block I made for my February block swap. This is not something I would normally make but I really like it. This block is based on a Pat Sloan pattern (by request). I had never heard of this quilter so I found her website very interesting. Check it out if you would like www.quiltershome.com she is very talented and has some great ideas and themes
Here is the block I received. Thank you Betsy :-).

February Block

2008-02-05T20:57:00.001-05:00

I have started my Feb. block, It's almost complete. Hopefully I will be able to get it done this weekend. Let me know what you think of the material.
Here's an updated picture. Block is still not complete, I have to sew down the appliqued pieces.

Sunday....

2008-01-20T22:11:00.002-05:00

I have been busy today. While most people are watching the game, I have been sitting at my machine (and watching Brett Michael's - Rock of Love, it is so strange its mesmerizing). I started 2 new quilts today :-). This is the first one. Each square will represent a month out of the year. This is January's block.

This is quilt #2. These are all western scraps I have picked up and collected over the last couple years. I plan for this to be a blanket that lives in my car for soccer games, etc. I'm thinking the backing will be blue jean - we will see. I guess I have some time for that. I need to complete 8 more squares. I know the blocks look pretty small in the picture but they are actually each 10".

Fons & Porter Blanket

2008-01-20T22:02:00.001-05:00

Here are more squares from the Fons and Porter blanket. I actually finished the top yesterday. I still have to add the borders and put it together but the top is complete :-)!!!!!
Finally - because I am really tired of this blanket already. I am ready to pack it up in a box and come back to it in a few years. I have so many other projects I am ready to get to.

My 1st Quilt Block Swap

2008-01-15T21:12:00.002-05:00

This is my 1st Block for my Quilt block swap. I made this from a pattern I found online. Every month I make a new square and mail it to someone else. Isn't it cute?
This is the block I recieved. It will go well with my western pinwheels. Thanks Sandi :-).

2008-01-11T20:26:00.001-05:00

I made two of these wall quilts for my mom and my mother in law for Christmas. I used that new printable fabric that comes on a roll. It is really cool and the pictures print so well. They look just like the photograph, but matte instead of glossy.

More Blocks

2008-01-10T22:50:00.001-05:00

Here are some more completed blocks from my Fons & Porter quilt.

My Quilt

2008-01-10T22:29:00.001-05:00

When my mom and I went to the Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY I saw a Fons & Porter quilt that I really really liked. The ladies in the museum laughed at me when I said I had no idea who Fons & Porter were :-). Apparently they completed the quilt during a television series and explained each piece.
I bought the book and as soon as I got home started working on it.
That was last summer, the top is still not complete - but I am proud to say as of 1/10/07 I only have 2 squares left to complete. I will add more pictures of the completed squares when I can.

My girls quilts

2008-01-10T22:25:00.001-05:00

I had to make my girls quilts since my son had a quilt. We went to JoAnn's and they picked all of their fabric and even helped cut out a few squares - this was before I bought a rotary cutter. There blankets are bright and colorful - they are perfect for in the car and roadtrips. Each one has their name in the bottom corner.

Mom's Quilt

2008-01-10T22:19:00.001-05:00

I made this one for my mom. This is where I started getting bored with squares and changing stuff around. The blanket is ok, but not one of my favorites. When I delivered this blanket to her we visited the quilt museum in Paducah, KY and I was so inspired to do more. This was completed summer of 2007 since then I have bought lots of books and magazines and started watching the quilting shows on TV. I still don't have much desire to take a class - maybe one day.

My Favorite Quilt

2008-01-10T22:13:00.001-05:00

I made this crib quilt for my nephew in 2006. This is my favorite quilt so far! I love the colors in this blanket. The backing is this really pretty blue flannel with swirls. My nephew is just as cute as the blanket :-)

Ebay Quilt

2008-01-10T22:06:00.002-05:00

I sold this quilt on Ebay. I wanted to see what people would pay for a crib size quilt they could personalize. I was not very happy with the response, but one lucky person was able to get a great quilt for their son. These are the pics from the fabrics they chose. The back was bright red & purple tie die. I am not really into bright colors, but to each his own.

As you can see my squares started getting smaller and the creativity bug started to kick in.

2nd Quilt

2008-01-10T21:53:00.001-05:00

The second quilt was for my husband. He is military so it is an army quilt. I also put his patches on it. This quilt began my fabric obsession. Buying fabric for quilts is so much more fun than clothes.

These are older pictures, but at this point he has patches on almost every square. His blanket is nice and thick, I made the back with a heavy camo canvas.

1st Quilt

2008-01-10T20:43:00.001-05:00

I just joined this quilt swap club and they asked me to type a bio with some quilt pictures. That made me think this would be a wonderful place to show off my stuff....

So here goes. My first quilt was for my son. It seemed liked every time I pulled out my sewing machine I was making clothes for the girls (I absolutely hate making clothes now!) so I made him something.

This was a few years ago when he was playing baseball so I added his patches. This was my very first quilt and I didn't take any classes so I just did what seemed like common sense to me :-). The squares are fat quarters that weren't even cut, I just sewed them together. I think it took me about 3 hours to make it and he still loves his blanket (He just started asking for his second).

Monday's

2007-05-07T20:06:00.000-04:00

Am I the only person in the world who hates Mondays?? You get the whole weekend to wake up when you please and wear whatever you want to and then comes Monday. Mondays I have to wear these stuffy ass clothes and work all day long. Mondays are serious work days for me. I have learned that I have serious issues with work attire. For 5 years I worked at a photo studio which allowed me to wear whatever I wanted and before that I owned my own business so this whole "work clothes" thing is really pissing me off. Just venting......

Other than that, nothing all that interesting.

Howdy Ya'll

2007-05-03T21:24:00.000-04:00

Welcome world to me and my life. I keep reading all these great blogs and I am ready to talk.... but I am no sure yet what about ....

We will figure that out later. Right now I am going to design my page and try and get started.