Happy 2014

This is my first post since Jan 1, LAST YEAR!

That makes me a bad blogger.

I'll do a year in review and then we're going to move on and past it and start over!

I did go back and reread my goals for the year.

My personal goals were to:

Blog more often.

Lose 10 pounds.

Find and stick to an exercise plan.

Obviously, I didn't blog more often. I was really sick with my migraines at the beginning of the year and that kept me down and out. Then, I was running around like a chicken without a head when I finally got on some meds that worked and it was time for my daughter to graduate from high school. Lots of family staying here, graduation, parties, senior events, it was a whirlwind.

After that, the longer I stayed away, the harder it got to want to post a blog. I was embarrassed at how long it had been. Now, I am just starting over!

Losing 10 pounds....well, I did do that. I lost some weight when I was so sick last winter, but then I think I gained it back when I started feeling better. Being sick is an awful way to lose anyway. But this fall, I went on a migraine diet which eliminated so many things that I did lose about 9 pounds that I am managing to keep off. Of course, the Christmas cookies are not helping! LOL

I'll get back on track soon!

And exercise, schmexercise! I don't have time!

My sewing goals were:

Valentines quilt top

Allies quilt

Sew Spooky

Swoon

More bags

Etsy Shop

I'll have to see if I can take some pictures, 2013 was actually not too bad of a quilt year, if you don't mind that I got most of them done in the first half of the year.

I did finish my Valentines quilt, and in time for Valentines day. The top was done, but it needed basted and quilted and I did it. Not only did I do it, but I free motion quilted the whole thing. It was the first time I've FMQ something that big (twin size) and I love how it turned out.

I also basted and quilted Allie's quilt. Again, the top was done, but with company coming for graduation, getting her quilt on her bed was a priority. This one was a full size and I just straight line quilted it.

Swoon....I think I only had 1 block done.....maybe 2 or 3, if I can recall what was on my sewing room wall. (looking back in my blog, I see a post from April 2012 where I say I have 2 blocks done! So, I think I had 3 done at this point.) Anyway, I finished the other 6 blocks, set them with the borders and sent it off to be quilted. This was another priority so that it would be on my bed by the time company got here for graduation.

Sew Spooky...well, that's not exactly done. I finished the applique and got the quilt top done and basted. And I have the whole middle FMQ. But I ran out of steam when it came time to straight line quilt the bat borders. So, its on the back burner (again) until next year, when I can hopefully pull it out and finish it.

I made a few new fun bags. I think 3 and they were all the same, just different fabric.

And I put nothing in my Etsy Shop.

Looking back, it doesn't seem like I did too bad!

Now its time to take my daughter to work, so I'll have to update you more later.

Happy New Year!



A Year in Review

Review?
Its only mid April!

But I feel like this year has already been so busy and hectic!

And my poor blog has just been ignored!

I can't promise that I'll blog more often, but I am going to try.

I really hope that life is going to slow down a bit, at least for awhile!

I look at the past few months and I know they have flown by.

Drama took up all of my January and February.

It took up the first 12 days of March.

Less then a week later, my grandpa died.

A week gone, a week and a half at home,

and then a week in Disney.

I've now been home just over a week.

But my son's 10th birthday is this weekend.

Next Thursday we have 10 of hubby's friend's coming to stay at our house for a golf tournament on Friday.

And my middle daughter's Sweet Sixteen party is Saturday night, with her birthday the next day.

God grant me the patience....

I have sewn here and there this year.

I have a feeling its not going to be a year of quilts,

but rather, smaller projects.

My one  finished quilt top was for Valentine's day and I never got it layered and quilted.

And I only have 2 Swoon blocks done.

I guess I just can't wrap my mind around any big projects.

And I'm ok with that. Mostly.

I have a Blueberry Crumb Cake jelly roll that I want to make plans for and order the additional yardage before it leaves the store. I really want to get on that.

I want to work on Swoon. My plan had been to have it to the quilters by the end of March. And then life happened. Now, I'll settle for getting it there by the end of June.

I also have serveral wall hanging's, table runners and pillow covers I want to do.

A new apron, or two or three.

Lots of new hanging dish towels for my kitchen.

One thing I have contemplated for several years is being able to get a table at a craft fair.

I'd really like to do that. So, maybe some small projects for that.

I have done some sewing this week. 2 small projects that almost got forgotten!

But, they are for the birthday children and I can't share until after they have made their debut. Its 2 new tradition's that will bless the birthday child every year.

And I know I promised you some Disney sewing projects.

Yeah. They are still in the wash.

Hopefully next week :)



Feb 16!?!

I don't have any idea HOW it is already Feb 16!

Sigh.

They say time flies when you're having fun.

I think time flies whether you are having fun or not!

Which isn't to say that I'm not having fun.

I am. I think.

Mostly, I am so busy that I don't know if I am having fun or not.

And I am really stressing on the quilting front.

How do you decide what to work on and when?
How do you set your priorities?

I have quite (I just typed quilt, instead of quite, I can't imagine why) a few WIPs.

My Swoon quilt (only 2 blocks done)

My Always and Forever Quilt (finished top, but needs layered and quilted)

Valentine placemats (they are 12" squares that were supposed to be for my A&F quilt, but I didn't like them, so they are turning into placemats)

A 12" block Valentine wall hanging (finished, just needs a hanging sleeve)

Then there are fabrics I have that don't have a plan:

Blueberry Crumbcake

Twirl

Giddy

City Weekend

Moda Warm Marbles

Then there are the things I want to make but can't decide when:

Apron for Nick

Mulitple aprons for myself

Ruby throw pillows for my bed, to match the unmade Swoon quilt

Seasonal pillow covers for the couch

March table square for my kitchen table

Valentine Ribbon Wreath

March kitchen towels

But the reason for my busy-ness is Drama.

Drama Club, not drama of the teenage variety.

We go into production in about 20 days, give or take a few.

We are costuming about 50 kids.

With approx 3 costumes each.

Some have as many as 6!

In addition, we have a group of 14 girls that have to match in most scenes.

And we were only able to find 1 dress that works for all 14.

So, we are making 30 more. 2 scenes, 14 girls each, plus the lead, so 15 costumes per scene.

Its a bit crazy. And that may be an understatement!

I'd like to be a better blogger.

I do have several things I have completed and want to show you.

But I don't think I even have pics of everything yet.

Here are the Pennie Pockets I made the kids for Valentines Day

They contained m&m's, a reese's peanut butter cup heart, Sweetarts Lollipop, Krabby Patties on a stick, and either an itunes gift card (for the teens) or a club penguin gift car (for the littles).

They were pretty happy with 'em!

Don't you just love the faces that boys make when you get out the camera?
Anyway, here is the stuffed animal sleeping bag I was working on last week.

Nick and Sammy G are pretty happy with it. I don't think he has spent any time out of it since I gave it to him, actually.

Ahhh, there's a sort of smile :)



WIP Wednesday

Last night I *almost* finished my Always and Forever quilt top.

The only thing left is to cut and sew the outside border.

I could have finished it, but alas, another project drew me in.

I may have mentioned to my son that I came across a link for stuffed animal sleeping bags while I was on Pinterest the other day.

http://flossieteacakes.blogspot.com/2011/07/three-bears-sleeping-bag-pdf-pattern.html

And he may have gotten a pillow pet for christmas this year.

And that pillow pet may or may not be named Sammy G (he wanted to name him something "awesome" so went with Sam, after his sister Samantha, who wasn't too impressed with the idea of another Sam in the house, so we then added the "G" for giraffe.). Right now, Sammy G has a fever and really needs a sleeping bag to keep him warm. Or so I was told.

Lucky for Sammy G, I have quite a bit of leftover fabric from Nick's Streak of Lightening quilt.

Now, I don't mind spending money on a pattern if I need to, but I draw the line at doing it just so I don't have to do the math. So, last night, (while watching Glee! <I can't believe Rachel said yes!>) I designed Sammy G's sleeping bag. Tomorrow, I will measure him and adjust my block size accordingly.

I really hope Sammy G is feeling better soon, but just in case he isn't, I better get that sleeping bag done. I wouldn't want him to be cold!

You know, of course, this is the start of a vicious trend. All 4 kids got pillow pet's for christmas.

And 2 of them have already suggested that they also need sleeping bags.

I'll keep you updated.



A little love

Let's face it,

Valentine's Day was made for girls.

We love it!

(Most of us, I think!)

The flowers. The candy. The jewelry.

Its a way for our guy to really SHOW that he loves us.

Except it's so commercialized!
Yikes! The candy, the flowers, its all designed to make us SPEND SPEND SPEND!

Hubby and I love each other. ALOT.

And we don't need Valentine's Day to celebrate that love.

Some years I do get flowers. Some years we go for dinner or a movie.

Not every year, certainly.

One of our most memorable Valentine's Day was a few years ago when we went to see The Valentine's Day Massacre. In 3D.

We still laugh at that memory!

And ever since the kids were little, and I mean LITTLE, we have always done a little something for them, too.

(Insert adorable photo of above mentioned children here. I searched MANY cd's but can't find the photo I was looking for. SORRY!)

Candy, balloons, single flowers, little things.

And this year will be no exception.

But, I can't share yet, cause you never know who might stop by to browse my blog.

Yep, even my teen's aren't too cool to see what mom might be up to!

If you follow Moda Bake Shop, you might have seen my idea!

I'll show off my project when the day get's here!

Hehe, supposing I get it done on time!

As for my house...I've always had a few things. A "welcome" door hanging.

A Longaberger Valentine's Basket.

Float bowl with red and pink crystals and heart floating candles.

Last year I added a quilted table runner and table square.

This year, I've got a few things going on.

I am working on my Always and Forever quilt.

6 out of 20 squares are done, and I am hoping to double that amount tomorrow.

I finished (well, mostly! but more on that later) a new Valentine's wall hanging.

And look what I found on the web tonight:

I pinned it and within an hour I had 3 likes and 27 repins! Cool!

I plan on turning it into another wall hanging.

I think I will quilt the letters, and then hand stich on the little bows.

And instead of quilting a piece of fabric to be the string holding on the heart,

I think I will use real ribbon.

Haven't decided yet if I'll quilt it on, or let it hang.

I am really into Valentine's Day this year, and I don't know why.

Maybe just because I like the idea of my house looking festive.

Maybe because it makes my kids happy.

Maybe, its because Valentine's Day gives us a reason to show and not just tell how much we love each other.



Skipping Winter

Haha, now Jen has me looking to see how many blog post's I have!
And this is #100 :) Yeah!

So, yesterday I decided to skip winter and head straight to Valentine's Day!

Ever since I finished my 12 Days quilt, I've been itching to start something new.

Thinking about quilting.

Dreaming about quilting.

Planning my next "thing".

Except, I couldn't decide what my next thing was.

My options were:

a snowman wall hanging

valentine pillow

valentine wall hanging

valentine quilt

winter pillow (cover)

swoon quilt

Then I signed up for the Swoon Quilt Along.

Then I signed up for the One Thing, One Week Challenge.

And then I sat in my cave and stared. And thought.

And planned. But I could not make a decision!

Sooooo......I made the winter pillow cover that I wanted to make for my OTOW challenge.

Got that done. Quick and easy, maybe a 2 hour project :)

Then came the hard part.....everything else is fairly involved.

And I usually only have 1 quilt going at a time.

I may have other small projects, but never 2 quilts.

Except, I can't say that anymore!
I started the Valentine quilt yesterday, block 1 of 20 is done.

And I still plan to work on Swoon at the same time.

Today, I ordered the rest of what I need for the Valentine's Day quilt:

border, binding, and another jelly roll, as its going to take 2.

I am using Always and Forever by Deb Strain for Moda.

Its so sweet!

I also picked up some Kona Medium Pink for the sashing and some pink flannel for the backing.

I'm all set for block 2, I just need to go cut it out and do it :)
How about you?
Are you staying with winter? Or looking ahead to Valentine's?