Making Ends Meet

Baby Blanket

2012-02-15T15:01:00.001-07:00

As you know, my first grandchild - a granddaughter - is due to arrive in April. I started making this blanket at a retreat before I knew she was a she. Frankly, I was still getting used to the idea of being a grandma.

Over the past several weeks, the blanket came together piece by piece and peace by peace. There is definitely something therapeutic about making a quilt. As I was sewing along, I imagined the baby. Her little lips, her little nose, her red hair - because in my mind she has red hair.

The baby, became a baby to me and no longer just the idea of a baby. Does that make sense? Aaron and Tasha's daughter. Josh and Sara's little niece. Our granddaughter.

I added minkie on the back for extra cuddles and quilted it in a design that I had never tried before. I don't think she'll notice my mistakes.

The only thing left to do is add a label and the baby:)

Free Fabric

2012-02-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

Have you seen Emily's give away? She is giving away yardage of the the fabric that she designed! Stop by Crazy Old Ladies to enter!

The Process

2012-02-09T18:43:00.003-07:00

Our quilt guild is having another block exchange! Remember the last one with the pumpkin blocks? This time, we are going with a spring quilt with flower blocks. After browsing the internet for ideas, I finally settled on a paper piecing pattern. I made a sample, then bought some fabric and got started. After making the second block, it quickly became apparent that I was never going to get through 17 blocks by April.

After more searching I settled on a machine applique block that would work with the fabric that I had already bought. Just thought I would share the process.

First I traced all of the flowers and leaves out on fusible web, ironed it onto the fabric and cut them all out. 51 leaves, 51 yellow flowers and 68 orange flowers. I did all the cutting out watching movies with the family.

After ironing on stabilizer, I traced out the stem and the flower placement with a friction pen. Have you seen those? They are really cool, once you iron the fabric, the pen marks disappear.

Next, I used a straight stitch on my sewing machine and followed the stem line. I went over the line four times to get the right thickness. The fabric puckers a little, but once you iron it, it flattens out.

Be sure to place all of the flowers on the block before you do the ironing. It only took one time of ironing before I placed the flowers to realize that once ironed, all of the placement markings disappeared :)

Finally I used a button hole stitch to outline the leaves and flowers. All of my blocks have the stems sewn on and the flowers and leaves attached.

Now to finish all of the button hole stitching. Not to mention 17 coordinating 9 patches. It's a labor of love.

February Block

2012-02-01T10:05:00.002-07:00

Here are the February Block Instructions! The perfect sun for this gray morning.

The winner -randomly selected number- of the Fairy Tale Quiet Book is Krislovesfabric! Just send me an email with your email address and I will send the pattern out to you. For those of you that didn't get your January block posted on flickr, there is still time. All blocks posted between now and March first will be included in the next drawing.

Just to put another bee in your bonnet, this pattern works really well as an embroidery pattern. I printed it out at 75% and used the mirror image feature. In Word, you go into printer properties, click on the Effects tab. In the Resizing Options section, select % of Normal Size, then type in 75%. Now click on the Finishing tab, then in the Orientation Section, select Mirror Image.

Cute, no?

2012-01-27T09:29:00.003-07:00

This morning I find myself sitting in the comfy, reclining chair in the living room, laptop in my lap, an empty bowl with just the evidence of oatmeal left by my side. The dishwasher is humming, the sun just brightened the room and a rooster crowed next door. What a beautiful day, and it's only just begun!

I feel like I've been running all week and am enjoying the down time. A little sewing is in order, then it's early out for the kids. Speaking of down time, I'm going to be away from this space for a few days. Monday is my ablation. The only thing that I'm really nervous about is the pill that I have to take the night before, which doesn't sound very pleasant, and the valium that I have to take that morning. I'd almost rather feel the pain and discomfort than feel out of it...almost.

After everything is done, I plan on lounging around the house, watching movies and doing a little hand stitching for a couple of days. My hubby is taking a couple of days off to babysit me:) Maybe I can talk him in to going out to get me some of the delicious cream of pumpkin soup that I had for lunch the other day.

I'll be back here at the end of next week to announce the winner for the drawing and the February Block. Have a wonderful weekend!

Quilt Along Prizes

2012-01-26T09:20:00.000-07:00

I have some fun and exciting prizes from some great designers and a couple of big fabric companies in store for you during the quilt along. There might even be a finishing kit for your quilt top. How nice would that be - you finish all of your blocks and you could win the fabric to finish your quilt top!

This month, while you are still getting your feet wet, we're going to start off with a PDF or hard copy version of The Fairy Tale Quiet Book. To enter, just post a picture of your block in the flickr pool by the end of the month. I will put all of the names in a hat and randomly select a winner on February 1st.

A couple of people have asked - No, I did not lower my feed dogs and free motion quilt the black stitching. I used my regular foot and just stitched around each item. Remember, this is your quilt, you don't have to do the same black stitching around the edges that I did. Some people have used a blanket stitch or a zigzag stitch with matching thread, and they have turned are so cute!

For those of you still a little leery to join, take a look at the flickr pool, all of the blocks are adorable. Look at how different and how cute this one by sockmonkeysunite came out.

Today

2012-01-23T10:38:00.003-07:00

Today I am

Wondering where the time went - Josh's is 16 today! I really can't believe that he's that old. He's been driving me around town the last couple of months with his driver's permit. My husband says he's driving Miss Daisy :)

Reflecting on another important birthday - Sara turned 12 last week! I'm not sure what's happening here - one minute they are cute, cuddly babies and the next minute they are these amazing young men and women with fun personalities.

Still Laughing about making "kale" chips last week, only to find out that I made collard green chips instead. No wonder they were so bitter. I did pick up kale at the market and plan on trying again.

Enjoying my new eating habits and the almost 10 pounds that I've lost. Even more than the weight, is the over all feeling of wellness.

Looking forward to the lemon cake tonight, regardless of said diet.

Excited yet nervous about my ablation next week.

Surprised by this post. I really did think I was famous for about half a second when the waitress handed me "my" magazine and asked me to sign it.

Thankful for my family and the great friends in my life that encourage me, lift me up and laugh with me. In fact, I named a pad after a friend because it reminded me of her (and that was before I was surprised by her post). hmmm...naming pads after friends, that could be fun.

{this moment}

2012-01-13T09:02:00.001-07:00

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. Inspired by soulemama

The Good News and the Bad News

2012-01-06T09:38:00.002-07:00

2011 sort of fizzled out for me. For the past two months, I had been experiencing some health problems and over all laziness from those problems. I thought some of it was in my mind, or at least stress related, since I was about to turn 40 and have a teenage pregnancy in my family. I finally ended up at the doctor's office.

After feeling good for two days in a row - the first two days in 60- I received a call back with the results to my lab work from the doctor. That sort of alarmed me because I thought a nurse would make the call. The good news - I probably won't need a hysterectomy afterall. The bad news - I'm at a high risk for a heart attack. Apparently, there is this thing called cholesterol. Who new? I was so excited about not having a hysterectomy, that I was OK with the bad news. Cholesterol is something that I can change.

I started on medicine and a new diet right away. The next morning I was sick all day - ugh! Thankfully that was short lived and I'm now in the process of being kind to my heart and eating only those things that are good for it. The good news - I'll be healthier and lose weight. The bad news - I'm starving :)

I am so grateful for those trying two months that got me to the doctor in the first place. Had I not gone, I would never have had the blood tests, and who knows what would have happened. I feel like I have a new lease on life and am going forward into the New Year excited for everything, even the crazy things, that are in store for this year. It just goes to show that sometimes what we think is a curse truly is a blessing.

Now to go change all of those goals for 2012 with new perspective.

Give Away Anyone?

2012-01-03T10:39:00.001-07:00

Thank you all for the sweet feedback...I'm just so tickled :)

Just think, hand stitching those little faces and arms will give you a few quiet moments to go over your New Year's resolutions and goals. If you are worried about the hand stitching, this block has the most out of all of the blocks.

To add to the excitement - just in case you weren't already as excited as I am - we have a few special treats planned for you all. Each month as you complete and post your blocks to flickr, you will be entered into a drawing for some fun prizes. If you don't have a flickr account , be sure to sign up for one - it's free and easy - you can do it :)

Just a note on the finished quilt - you can finish the quilt anyway that you would like. That being said, I will be providing a finishing pattern at the end of the quilt along. The finished size of that quilt will be about 42x54 or 55x67 if you add an optional border. An alternate layout will be offered for a crib/wall hanging quilt.

One lucky quilter will win a kit to finish their quilt top! Be sure to "follow me" - in the right hand column - so that you don't miss anything :)

Hello Sun January Block Instructions

2012-01-01T18:21:00.005-07:00

Happy New Year! Here are the instructions for the January Block.

Be sure to join the Flickr Group and show us your block when you are done!

Free BOM Quilt Along for 2012

2011-12-29T14:00:00.006-07:00

Yesterday, as I was making dinner and squeezing in a batch of laundry detergent, thoughts of the upcoming year's events were whirling through my mind. You know how it is,"two eggs...what are we planning for the next quilt guild meeting...a cup of bread crumbs...when should we plan that trip to CA ."

When I mentioned that I was starting to feel overwhelmed, Diego reminded me to compartmentalize. Smart man. Sometimes the only way to get the thoughts to stop the whirling through your mind is to write them all down.

There is nothing left to do but pull up my big girl pants and dive it. So, in order to check something off of my list and to distract myself from said list, I will be posting my first ever Block of the Month Quilt Along - free.

I'm really excited about it and have been busily sewing away to finish up the samples. It is called Hello Sun. Each month, the sun will drop by to say hello to some friends. The blocks are somewhat seasonal, but not your typical holiday blocks. Each block uses a combination of techniques like hand or machine applique and embroidery. I machine appliqued my pieces using a raw edge applique technique. A blanket stitch, zig zag stitch or invisible thread would look cute too. You could even hand embroider the whole thing. My hope is that Modern Quilters, Traditional Quilters and will love it as much as I do :)

Here is a sneak peek and the General Instructions. I'll get a Flickr group up soon. Watch for the first free pattern January 1st.

Faux Ties

2011-12-26T23:01:00.003-07:00

Bow Tie quilts are simply beautiful...but not that simple to make:) The traditional way to make them involves templates and trying to line up and sew a weird edge. Maybe it's just me, but I've always avoided them.

After playing around with the block, I figured out an easy way to make it. I give you Faux Ties - a free tutorial with my version of an easy Bow Tie Quilt Block. Doctor Who was right - Bow Ties are cool.

No Way!

2011-12-21T17:04:00.003-07:00

Konda: "Have you checked your email lately? You have good news to share."

Me: "Ahhhhhh!!!!!"
My quilt made the cover! Watch for it at newsstands January 10th.

Stars Brightly Shining

2011-12-19T08:45:00.005-07:00

It has been so much fun watching the Cathedral Star blocks come to life at the quilt along over at Konda's Blog!

1. FQSQAL Block 6 "from little things" by Sarah Fielke........... April's Cathedral Star, 2. FQSQA Block 6 (1), 3. Block 6, 4. Blk 6 Cathedral Star, 5. FQ Star block #6, 6. FQS QAL Block 6, 7. DSCF6399, 8. Fat Quarter Star Quilt along # 6, 9. FQ Star Quilt Along Block#6, 10. Block 6, 11. Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along Block 6 Cathedral Star, 12. Quilt Along Block Six

I'm loving the blocks with the featured fabrics.

Cream Puff Cake

2011-12-08T11:17:00.003-07:00

No picture today, just a quick recipe in time for the holidays.

We made this for a church activity and everyone loved it - including me:) It feeds a crowd - 20 or more depending on the size that you cut your pieces. Great for having company over. Not so great for just your family if you have little to no self control :).

Cream Puff Cake

1 1/2 c. water

1 1/2 cubes butter

a little almond flavoring

1 1/2 c. flour

6 eggs

3 c. milk

8 oz softened cream cheese

2 pkgs vanilla instant pudding (small packs)

16 oz Cool Whip

Chocolate syrup (optional)

Crust: Boil water and butter. Remove from heat and add flour, mix until it forms a ball. Add vanilla and one egg at a time, beating well. Spread onto a jelly roll pan or large cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 30 min. Cool completely. (When it bakes, it puffs up and looks like a mountain range. As it cools, it goes down some and you can lightly press it down a little)

Filling: Mix milk, pudding packs and softened cream cheese until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip and spread over cooled baked crust. Refrigerate. Optional - top with chocolate syrup before serving.

They are light and yummy - again, self control must be used here :)

Block of the Month

2011-12-06T05:00:00.002-07:00

A few month's ago, on one of our early morning bike rides, Konda asked me to design a block for her Fat Quarter Stars Quilt along - what an honor! I went home right away and played around with some fabric, then in true quilter fashion...procrastinated.

After finally pulling together the instructions, I sent them over to Konda, who in turn is making her block at the last minute! Don't you love it?

Hop on over to Moose on the Porch Quilt's for the instructions to my Cathedral Star Block, and a chance to win some cool prizes.

I love the idea of switching out the center four patch in this block for a solid block featuring one of your favorite fabrics. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Call of Duty

2011-11-29T09:56:00.004-07:00

Sometimes quilting leads us in a different direction that we ever imagined - you know what I mean? While coming up with a gift for my husband's cousin Anna, I wanted to create something unique.

The process: I did an internet search for Call of Duty MW3

The inspiration

Don't you just love the over all black and white TV feeling of the whole thing.

After printing the image out on my printer, I took it over to the local copy center and had the image blown up to the size I wanted. This is really easy and only cost 17 cents.

With a light box, I traced the figure of the man onto a fusible web, ironed it onto black fabric, then cut out the silhouette.

I found a grey static looking fabric, and used the back of the fabric as my background and the front of the fabric as the buildings.

Once all of the pieces were ironed in place, I sewed over the edges and added a little detail to the raw edge applique.

During the quilting process, I added the MW3 on his chest and more details to the smokey background.

I sent it off in the mail and now I'm just waiting on pins and needles to see what she if she likes it.

Sew Fun

2011-11-22T09:01:00.002-07:00

After sewing up a sample for Emily, she offered to pay my way to the French Knots quilt retreat as compensation. Awesome!

As expected, we spent all of Friday and Saturday sewing. What I didn't expect was how much fun we would have and the Bosom Friends and Kindred Spirits that we would meet . We giggled, laughed and were just plain crazy.

What a great group of ladies! Of course I forgot my camera and only snapped one quick shot with my cell phone. Is it cheating if I just link to Maggie's post? She is very articulate and has said it all way better than my foggy head can at the moment. Plus, I'm still drooling over her table runner.

Off to make jello for the boy with strep throat - we are all a little foggy headed and hoping to spend a quiet Thanksgiving at home.

Change

2011-11-14T09:31:00.006-07:00

Times are changing and I find myself somewhat at a crossroads.

A time when the seasons of my life seem to be overlapping somehow.

And yet, is that so bad?

There is a poetic beauty in it... maybe hidden... maybe just within reach.

How long ago were we the young ones growing up with our parents worrying about us? Hoping that we make it. Loving us. Letting go. In my excitement to leave home and be on my own, was I so blind to see my parents left behind, reluctant to let go?

The ending of one childhood and the beginning of another. They have no idea what lies ahead, the tough times, the struggles... the love, the joy. Grandma - I'm getting used to it.

From the Rope Swing

2011-11-01T09:28:00.004-06:00

It's so simple - a rope and a 2x4.

Something that every home needs.

Something that dreams are made of.

{photos by Sara}

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T10:39:00.003-06:00

Don't look her directly in the eyes or you may end up being one of the victims hanging from her necklace!

At Sara's school, rather than have a Halloween Party, they have a history fair. Each grade is assigned the era that they are studying in history that year. Boring. Sorry, but come on Halloween is all about fun and scary - not over the top gore, but fun scary. Last year when she was a civil war girl, I wanted her to be a dead civil war girl - the teacher wouldn't go for it.

This year, Sara's class was assigned Greek History. Medussa was the obvious answer :) What girl wouldn't want a head full of snakes! A few crochet snake hair extensions, some spray painted Army men and her thick teased hair did the trick. The snakes had button eyes and thread tongues. The best part - she loved it. She was dressed in normal clothes so she wasn't nervous or uncomfortable.

Happy Halloween!

{this moment}

2011-10-28T10:47:00.004-06:00

{this moment inspired by soulemama} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

edited to add one word: Grandma - lest there be any confusion:)

BOM D-O-N-E

2011-10-27T12:08:00.003-06:00

Done and quilted. Well, almost done, I still have to add the binding, but duty calls - you know the little things like house cleaning, sewing pads, laundry and dinner :) The blocks are all from a BOM that we did at church and the center was something that I drew up. I think the pumpkins were from a bareroots pattern. The grass on the hill was just a little crazy piecing that I then used as a large applique piece.

I had a few problems with the quilting. It may have been that I used a remnant of batting that was somewhat stretched and torn, and floated it rather than putting it on roller. Oh well lesson learned, and I don't think anyone will notice.

I went with a little bit darker of a thread too. It blended in with the blocks, but stood out a little more on the center. I was going for a blustery day. The best thing about this quilt is it was made entirely from scrapes. I didn't buy a single piece of fabric for it, not even the back :)

Thrifting Finds and a Before and After

2011-10-26T11:48:00.004-06:00

In a fun twist of fate, I found myself at the thrift store twice in the past week. Thrift store therapy - worth every penny. There's just something about walking into a store and thinking, "I could totally afford to buy anything in here." Not to mention the whole treasure hunt feeling.

On the first trip I found this adorable haunted house for $3. Adorable? With that bright yellow and orange? It was a definitely a fixer upper :).

Before:

After:

A can of spray paint primer takes care of the ugly. Just spray right over the old paint then paint as you wish. I was going for a black and white, old movie type of feel so I only added a little paint and dry brushing.

On the second thrift store trip, I was looking for figurines that would look cute dead - you know a Christmas caroler sprayed white. I was too focused on the dead thing when I found - actually Melody found - these trick or treaters. $2.

And what better to go in the graveyard section of my little Halloween scene than these vintage, creepy looking cats. Another score at $1.50 for the set. They were originally marked $1.50 each but they were so ugly that the lady marked them down for me.

A total of $6.50 spent on Halloween decorations this year. Never underestimate the power of Thrift store therapy :)

Love of Fons and Porter

2011-10-17T09:31:00.008-06:00

"Your quilt arrived safely and it's already in editorial"

Those are some of the most beautiful words I've ever heard. From Fons and Porter none the less!

The fabric arrived from Clothworks and I paused long enough to snap one quick - muddy - picture. The fabric really is bright and happy - you should take a look - it's Spring Umbrellas by Masha D'yans.

Then I jumped in to the process - it really is a process. First there was designing the quilt, submitting the idea, then holding my breath waiting for approval. I reworked it a few times then heard the good news. The contract arrived, then the fabric. The quilt went together easily, then the quilting - oh the quilting. It has been two years and I can stipple with the best of them, but for a magazine? The self doubt crept back in a little and I considered asking a friend, in the end a few bike rides talking with said friend helped ease my anxiety. It came out rather well if I do say so myself :)

The snag - I hadn't ordered enough fabric for the binding. I guess I was bound to make a mistake on my first quilt submission. With my tail between my legs I asked for more fabric and was graciously sent a next day package in the mail. Once it was packed up and shipped off, there was still the little matter of the instructions. Thankfully, I didn't have to send full instructions, just basic block construction. A bio and a photo. Egads! I can't share the quilt just yet, but how about that photo. Not my favorite thing to do - but since it's going to be in a magazine nation wide, what the heck!

That was a few months back...I need to buy some more hair dye :)

Season of Giving

2011-09-20T09:09:00.005-06:00

Because I have been given much, I too must give.

Because of thy great bounty, Lord each day I live.

I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see,

who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by thy good care…

I cannot see another’s lack and I not share-

my glowing fire, my loaf of bread-my roof’s safe shelter over head,

that he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by thy great love dear Lord,

I’ll share thy love again according to thy word.

I shall give love to those in need. I’ll show that love by word and deed,

thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

A friend of a friend asked if I would make some pads to send along with missionaries from her church to a refugee camp in Ghana. I was so grateful for the opportunity - this had been a goal of mine for some time. While I was sewing the pads, that song kept playing over and over in my mind. It really was a beautiful experience. If you look close, you can see the pads that they are holding. (If you are interested in donating, there are several organizations that are trying to get cloth pads to women and girls in areas where there is need. Since my experience was not through any of those organizations, I can't recommend one over another, A simple google search should send you in the right direction.)

Another friend of that first friend asked if we would like her old car - free.

Speechless, grateful, humble. I've been blessed with some awesome friends.

Monster of a Sale

2011-09-02T16:47:00.002-06:00

Save 10% on your entire order when you purchase at least one Super Soaker. Just enter coupon code SUPERSOAKERSALE at checkout.

Done

2011-08-30T09:24:00.008-06:00

All sixteen are finished and ready to trade!

I was just reading a blog when I came across this statement...

"Well, I certainly didn't intend to take the whole summer off from sewing and this blog, I can hardly believe August is nearly over. I have lots of good excuses..."

I couldn't agree more! Is this woman writing about me?

"but the main reason is I am pregnant (again)"

Whoa...hold the phone, she is definitely not talking about me!

While many people in the blog world and some in my real life are expecting - I am going through a whole different life change right now. I would go into detail, but then I would be one of those women (you know the ones) that just go on and on about their aches and pains.

Instead, I'll offer up a couple of quotes that I came across this morning.

"When hot flashes strike at night, they can be particularly bothersome. Oddly enough, sometimes you wake up because of the chill. During the flash, you kicked off the covers, and now that it has passed, you wake up cold with your pajamas and pillow damp. Welcome to night sweats."

"Things like teenage children, children moving out, aging parents and spouse’s mid-life crisis can also influence the state of mind of menopausal women."

Aren't teenage hormones enough to go through without your Mom being a little bit nuts and being able to grow a beard about as well as you can?

"The average age of natural menopause is 51 years, but can occur much earlier or later. Menopause occurring before the age of 45 is called early menopause and before the age of 40 is premature menopause."

I always was an early bloomer - I'll be 40 by the end of the year.

The good news is, it should only last for about 10 years. Not to mention the one benefit that you always imagined would come with menopause doesn't happen until you've gone through menopause. In my daughter's maturation class they talked about girls being like flowers and blooming at different times. All I can think about is the plant in my kitchen window that, despite my greatest efforts, is shriveling up and dying.

And her class got cupcakes - where's my cupcake?

Week 2

2011-08-23T17:23:00.002-06:00

of school and we're still getting into the swing of things. The first couple of days were exciting and now we're already at "hurry up we're going to be late."

This year they are in 6th, 10th and 12th grade. If all goes well, we should have two graduations and two new drivers by the end of the year. Wish us luck!

Wrapping it up

2011-07-29T15:42:00.002-06:00

Our summer break is slowly coming to an end - already?

We'll be wrapping it up these last few days with a little company. Nagymama is coming for a visit. There is still a little shopping to do, that jam that I never made and some laying around in store.

Once school starts, I have a whole new list of things to procrastinate getting done. Including re-writing the instructions to my new quilt pattern. For some reason I wrote it up as only having two colors. Which I would love do to using white and a some of Emily's plaid. Maybe I'll have to include the instructions as an alternate option.

Catching Up

2011-07-18T17:21:00.002-06:00

I've been:

Playing with a new to me laptop with wifi - and still haven't posted in what a month?

Riding my bike

Losing a little bit of weight

Sewing pads

Designing a couple of quilts

Dying to tell you that I'm going to have a quilt pattern published in Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting magazine.

What have you been up to?

Seventeen

2011-07-01T00:40:00.005-06:00

17 years ago today he arrived at 8 lbs 15 1/2 oz and 21" long. Now he's 5' 10 1/2" and weighs about a buck 10. Happy Birthday Aaron!

(The boy can dance!)

This Week

2011-06-17T10:57:00.007-06:00

quilt show entry

hanging up quilts

quality down time

fresh air

morning rides

How was your week?

Plan C

2011-06-09T18:21:00.008-06:00

Plan A was to visit Amber at her new place.

So I decided to go with Plan B - hang out at home and do a little work in the yard. Then, I stepped in dog doo. (I didn't stop to take a picture)

On to Plan C...

While I really missed seeing Amber and her new place, all was not lost. We rescheduled and Sara and I ended up spending a beautiful day in the park with friends. Then, even more friends when Melody and some of her kids happened by the same park at the same time.

Sometimes, you've got to just roll with the punches.

Getting our Summer Break Mojo On

2011-06-06T09:48:00.012-06:00

What a great week! Cycling has taken on a different look for us this year. With the rainy weather, Diego having a job :), Josh being stronger and having a new rider joining the ranks... things are a little different. That's a good thing.

The week started with a short ride a couple of miles from home. Later in the week Sara and I took a hike with our church group through Provo Canyon. We were supposed to walk somewhere around 3 1/2 miles and ended up walking about 10. Don't ask!

The trail was so beautiful, that we thought we would go back and take the family - and bikes ;) We all paired off...Diego and Josh rode off first, then Sara and I and finally Aaron and his girly friend took turns walking and riding on his long board.

Thanks to all of the rain and snow this winter, the river was just bulging.

Not to mention the waterfall at Bridal Veil Falls! If you look at the top left, you can see where the water fall begins. According to Wikipedia, it's 607 feet tall.

Even with all of the breath taking views, my favorite part of the path is just north of the waterfall. The part where the trees arc over the path and the shadows sprinkle over your head offering a welcome drop in temperature.

It is magical, really. Almost fairy like. With my daughter riding next to me, it's just us and nature and the realization that we will both remember this moment for years to come.

Finally!

2011-05-25T11:31:00.011-06:00

It's the last day, last hour, in fact of school - yeah! While it's been a good year, we are all so ready to be done with schedules, homework and all the running back and forth.

Alley and I have been patiently waiting for this moment.

As my Dad would say...Come on people - we've got places to go, things to do, people to meet.

We have frolicking to do, adventures to take, bike rides to go on (a few pounds to shed - ahem) and sunsets to watch.

My goal for the summer is to hit the ground running in the morning and collapse from exhaustion every night.

Let the wild rumpus begin!

(by the way, Aaron is not naturally pinkish brown - that is the color you get when you spend all day at the color festival being hit by chalk dust)

See - Josh was only there half the day :)

This Little Piggy Went to Market

2011-05-17T09:09:00.005-06:00

This weekend I spent a few hours here with my good friend Konda.

I had never been to Market before and wasn't sure what to expect. The first day that I went was School House. I was able to spend the Day with Konda and the Michelle's...not a rock group, but we had just as much as one :) That day we hopped from class to class learning about colors, fabric, trends and picking up free samples along the way.

A couple of days later, I went back to Market and to help Konda man her booth. She was featuring her new book Simply Charming Modern. Which I do have to say is pretty amazing. All of her quilts are made with charm packs and some yardage. I know!

The quilt that I sewed up for her is the pink one hanging on the rack. You can't see much of it, but I did make another one for a friends wedding recently. There is also a full picture of the pink one in the book.

The booths and aisles went on forever. Seriously, I don't think I even saw half of them when I walked around. Konda has some pictures on her blog that will give you an idea of size. First I scouted out local friends - Emily was there with her new fabric line (and got an award for her magazine cover worthy booth). She has some amazing pictures of market on her blog. Margie was sporting some new skinnies and her booth was always swarming with people. Then there was Shasta and the girls from Izzy and Ivy always the life of the party.

We met so many wonderful people. There were bloggers, designers, Eleanor Burns and Nancy from Sewing with Nancy. Jenny and her family from the Missouri Star Quilt Company were so sweet. I was able to tell Anne Sutton that I was participating in the Henrietta Whiskers BOM, met Scott Hansen who I exchanged doll quilts with in a swap one time. I saw Melissa in the hall, but I froze and by the time I put a name to the face, I was already on my way out.

The list goes on and on. While I loved the fabric and patterns, the best part by far was the people.

I walked away inspired, fabric samples in hand and a new computer program to boot. Life seems to be pulling me in a new, yet old direction. Don't you love it when that happens?

May 10, 1988

2011-05-10T09:54:00.008-06:00

23 years ago he asked me to be his girlfriend. I immediately went home and wrote "I ♥ Diego" all over my PeeChee.

Then I gave his last name a trial run on mine. Did you try that? First in printing then in cursive, then rip it into little pieces and throw it in the trash so your brother doesn't see and tease you.

I'm trying to ignore the fact that we have a son the same age as I was then :)

♥ April & Diego 4-ever ♥

Fame is Fleeting and Other Observations

2011-04-29T09:22:00.003-06:00

While driving the kids to and from school, we take a back road that passes a few farms on the way. It helps me feel like I'm living rural. It is really nice, calming and quite educational. We see the changes of the seasons with blankets of white in the winter, green in the spring and gold at other times.

We watch hawks perched on poles scouting out their next meal. Yesterday a hawk was flying with some type of rope hanging from it. As we got closer that rope became a gardener snake. The past few weeks baby calves have turned into toddler and adolescent cows, and a few more babies have come along. Horses and dogs play, frogs can be heard in a flooded corner of a field and you can even learn about the birds and the bees - ahhem.

There are life lessons to be learned as well. This morning the lesson of the day was Fame is Fleeting. One minute your face is plastered on a billboard, the next minute that billboard is the side of someone's chicken coop. (Insert Tevye impression here) On the other hand that billboard will probably be on the side of that chicken coop for the next 100 years. Maybe fame isn't so fleeting after all. Or maybe it's not what you are famous for but what purpose you serve :)

When It Rains, It Pours

2011-04-12T13:57:00.004-06:00

And it's been pouring blessings at our house. The shop has been crazy busy this month and I've gotten a couple of quilts to quilt for The Porch on Main. The trick is going in to that adorable shop to deliver a quilt and coming out without spending everything I've earned on their cute jewelry.

The kids have been sleeping in, the house is a mess, the lawn needs mowing - spring break is in full bloom!

The quilt along just wrapped up and I'm only on block #9. I'll leave you with an amazing quote from an interview that I read this morning.

" From the finger paints and play dough, to the mashed potato snowmen and paper boats, we all start off as curious beings, makers and learners. The challenge, though, is having the courage

and determination to sail into the "real world" in your paper boat amidst a swirling sea of cargo ships from China." - pollenArts

Waiting On Spring

2011-03-29T15:01:00.002-06:00

We know it's going to show up any day now.

In the meantime, I'm thinking about fall, or at least working on a fall project. Our local quilt guild is holding a quilt block swap. We have to make 17 - 16 patch blocks and 17 pumpkin blocks. The pumpkin blocks can be anything that you can dream up with a pumpkin. After searching high and low, I settled on an idea - Peter Peter pumpkin eater.

...and there he kept her very well! It was so much fun to sketch this out and hunt for just the right fabrics. After making a mock up and hand stitching the little girl, two things became very apparent. 1. She didn't show up very well 2. There was no way I was going to stitch 17 of them. So I went with the fall back method of crayons and an iron. It's really easy, just trace your pattern, color in, then iron with a paper bag between the iron and the fabric. Prang crayons seem to work the best. I found mine at a locally owned Grocery Store.

One down and 16 more to go...when I get a minute, I'll upload a copy of the pattern for your appliqué or stitchery pleasure :)

Birthday Banner

2011-02-25T08:50:00.002-07:00

I know you have seen all of the adorable banners hanging around the blog world. I thought I would try my hand at one. It turns out that the triangle ruler that I picked up on clearance was the perfect size for the job.

While I love the felt banners out there, felt just wasn't the look that I was going for. I wanted some cute background fabric, which if funny because I ended up with something close to solid anyway. Rather than using ribbon, I wanted something that felt a little more sturdy, something you could see from the front of the banner, and most importantly something that I had on hand. Being a quilter, the first thing that came to mind was binding the banner.

I also wanted to have the option to hang the banner as one really long piece or in two pieces depending on where the actually hanging would take place. I love how it turned out! After realizing that the next birthday in our house wasn't until July, this banner ended up posted in the shop for someone else to enjoy.

Fortunately

2011-02-22T21:39:00.005-07:00

I've been feeling better :) Thank you for all of the get well wishes here and in person.

I have company, but have been working on a fun little project here and there. Not finishing up any projects mind you, just starting new ones.

February?

2011-02-15T09:25:00.004-07:00

Things have been a little crazy around here lately. I feel like one of those characters in a time travel movie that shows up and asks what the date is. February? Really? I have officially been sick for four weeks. Other than having babies, I can't remember being down for this long.

In the beginning it was just a little chest cold and some sinus pressure, and I was a really good sport. Then somewhere along the line it turned into this bronchial, beginnings of pneumonia plus a sinus infection sort of thing.

When I look back, I really don't know how we've made it through the past month. The kids have pitched in the best they can trying to get along, bake cookies on their own, and even doing the dishes - including the hand washing and pots and pans without being asked.

Me? I've just been trying to put out one fire at a time. A load of laundry here (mostly pajama bottoms, t-shirts and school uniforms) a crock pot dinner there. I've lived on this soup for days at a time - you have to add a can of spicy v-8 juice to it. All this time sewing pads and stippling a few small quilts for a local shop. Sara and I did manage to get some Valentine cards made for her class and I did make a lemon cake for the kids and Diego to celebrate the day. They didn't even mind that the red icing turned orange when it soaked into the yellow cake.

Today, I woke up and told my husband, "I think the little man is gone." He thought I was delirious and asked, "What little man? " To which I replied, "The little man that has been sitting on my chest." I guess that second round of antibiotics and the steroids are starting to kick in. I was actually able to read a few blogs this morning and add a post here. Maybe I can get to sweeping that dusty floor and throwing in another load of laundry.

photos staged and taken by Sara

Henrietta Whiskers

2011-01-31T16:35:00.003-07:00

Block #1 - check

I'm trying to use up scraps from my stash for this quilt. The squares along the left hand side are Arnold's Attic by Moda - scraps from another quilt that is cut and waiting to be pieced together. The plaids are home spuns that I picked up at a local quilt shop - at 6 scraps for a dollar, they fit into the quilt budget. Henrietta herself is made from corduroy, again from my stash. I do believe 2011 is going to be the year of scrap quilt around these parts. It's a fun way to purge and it's easy on the pocketbook.

There is still time to join in on the fun in this quilt along. The link is over on the side bar. I really loved the block and think it would make a great block even without Henrietta. A novelty print in that large square would be great.

Feeling Scrappy

2011-01-27T14:00:00.007-07:00

That pretty much sums up how I've felt for the past week.

Squashed like a bug. Those winter colds can really get you down. Ugh!

There is an up side to being sick and sitting on the couch all week. Like catching up on some movies that you never got around to seeing - Cloudy with a Side of Meatballs, The Princess and the Frog and a few I don't remember. Making resolutions to clean out and organize the basement this summer - have you seen Hoarders, now that is some motivation. Or even catching up on a little hand embroidery.

This is my first block for the Birdie Stitches Block of the Month quilt along. Embroidery and quilting, what could be better?

Yes, that is the fourth BOM project I'm working on, why do you ask? I think four is a nice even number, and I don't think I'm getting in over my head. Getting over my head would be joining a fifth BOM quilt along like the one over at Quilt Dad's Blog. Just because I've moved his website into my BOM folder under favorites doesn't mean I'm joining. Now if I could just find the right stash buster project for that laundry basket full of flannel scraps...

Needle Punch - a new addiction

2011-01-20T10:01:00.005-07:00

Have you discovered Needle Punching? Patterns have been hanging around quilt shops for some time, and I have always admired them. With a 50% off coupon and some encouragement from a friend I bought a needle and pulled out a Nancy Halvorsen book and some DMC floss from my stash.

A less detailed pattern seemed like a good place to start - and it was. It is so addicting and it goes really fast. Just sitting there mindlessly punching the needle up and down, listening and talking to the kids...then bragging to everyone in the room. ;)

Once it was done, it needed a frame. I had the perfect frame that was big and chunky (and was only 50 cents at the thrift store). The final touch was some vinyl lettering from Danette over at Simply Saying It. She is super sweet and has some really cute stuff in her shop. After telling her the dimensions and what I wanted it to say, she made up a custom order for me for a great price.

Another needle punch project may already be on the hoop and I may have picked up some extra vinyl lettering for this year's gift giving - just sayin'

Catching up

2011-01-10T22:05:00.003-07:00

Over the weekend I worked on and finished up Block #4

and Block #5

Both seemed a little on the pink side, but when you mix in the other blocks, the blues, reds and greens all tie together. Just in time for Block #6 which should be up tomorrow, I think...

Holiday Sewing

2011-01-06T09:01:00.003-07:00

Now that the holidays have come and all of the gifts have been opened, it's time for a little show and tell. This was the block of the month that we were working on at church. The actual block of the month was a nativity scene on the center block and blue and gold star blocks. I made that one for myself, it's not quite done yet, and at the same time I made this variation for my mom.

I snapped a quick picture before I shipped it off, and wish I would have taken a few more detailed shots. The white fabrics were various white prints that show up as solid whites in the picture, but you get the idea. The center block was hand embroidered using a pattern borrowed from a friend. I'm really loving the block of the month thing - a good sized project one piece at a time. You just have to be careful not to get involved in too many BOM projects :)

The other project for the holidays were sweater stockings. Remember that pile that I picked up at the swap and share? They turned into these stockings. There were two more that shipped out before I took pictures. One of those was a felted wool sweater and turned out really cute. Note to self: take pictures before you ship out gifts next time. The inspiration came from a class that our quilt guild gave. I went for the companionship and had no intentions of making my own, but they were so cute, quick to put together and the possibilities are endless. Moose on the Porch wrote all about it here.

Another note to self: scour the thrift stores for cute sweaters during the summer while the supply is still abundant.

Painting Some Sunshine

2011-01-04T09:44:00.004-07:00

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday season with your families. With the cold weather here, we tucked in and enjoyed family time indoors and out of the stores.

Besides all of the decorating, resting, relaxing, baking, eating, and general crafting, I found myself knee deep in house painting. During the first week of December, as the skies were starting to get more grey, I knew that I needed a change. The grey/green walls that seemed so tranquil when we first moved in and painted, were getting me down. Which is weird because the grey that I have in my bedroom and bathroom are uplifting...hmm. After much debate, long conversations and finally running across the perfect colors (thanks Kim), we made a trip to the hardware store and picked up some paint. Cheaper and healthier than antidepressants. (I took the pictures on my cell phone, so they aren't the best, but you get the idea)

The yellow or Homemade Butterscotch, in the main entry area made sense from the start - bright and happy. The burgundy or Spiced Tea, in the family room seemed a little counter productive - a dark color in a dark room. We realized that trying to brighten up that room wasn't working. We needed to go with the energy of the space and make it a warm cozy area.

It took three days to paint, one for the yellow, one day off since it was Sunday, and the burgundy on the last day. I got a little cocky and didn't bother with taping off or a drop cloth other than a towel under the paint tray. Have I told you of my love for painting? Call me, let's get together and paint :). It turned out great and we all love it. Sara even asked me why we were upgrading our house. Now that's a complement.

Now if we could just find some gently used couches for a great price...

Snow Day & My Birthday Present

2010-12-21T11:06:00.004-07:00

Just as I'm about to say for the third of fourth time, "why are you guys so hyper today?" I remember what it is like outside...

Snowed in. Well, not really snowed in, but anyone in their right mind with a fridge half full of food wouldn't attempt to go anywhere today. School was cancelled, which didn't do much for my kids since their charter school is already on Christmas break, and my husband couldn't get to work. The snow plow finally came by at about 9:00 am, filling in our freshly shoveled driveway as it cleared the streets. We pitched in and shoveled again, and he was off to work. It looks like another day of legos, video games and hot chocolate for the rest of us.

My birthday was on the 17th - I'm still on the right side of 40 for one more year :) Diego and the kids gave me the most awesome gift...

My blog in book form. Not only was I amazed at the awesomeness of the gift, but I was amazed at how many pages there were. Have I really written that much?

It's a journal of the past three years without realizing that I was writing a journal. Pictures, events, the kids growing. It is amazing. I do have to admit that now I'm a little self conscious knowing that whatever I write is now going down in book form.

Block #3 and a Mermaid

2010-12-01T14:05:00.005-07:00

Here is block #3 for the Moose on the Porch Quilt Along. Once again, I am so happy with the results. I love being pushed to make something that you might not normally try. A basket block was never on the top of my quilting Bucket List, but it really is cute. And keep in mind that these blocks are 12" finished blocks, so they are quite impressive. It's also fun to go through the flickr group and see what all of the other quilters have come up with.

The Hoopla fabric line is really turning out to be a lot of fun. It just happened to have a basket weave print in there that went along perfectly with the wild flowers.

I also had a few free minutes to throw together this little cutie by Hillary Lang over at Wee Wonderfuls.

It's from her new book that just might be on my Christmas wish list this year. I was going to hit my hubby up for it (translation - buy it for myself) for my birthday, but he called me today gloating about a surprise that he has put together for me. But I digress...Hillary has offered a free copy of the mermaid pattern over at Martha Stewart.

Spiders, Sweaters and Blessings

2010-11-23T23:13:00.004-07:00

I know, spider season is over and it's time for turkeys and giving thanks. In fact giving thanks is just what I'm doing. For the past couple of years, our church has had a yard sale swap. Everyone takes all of their unwanted items and donates them the night or morning before the swap. Then on the day of the swap you go in and on your honor take about as much as you donated.

That's where I picked up this little guy. When I got him, he didn't have a head. Just legs and hind quarters - I should have taken a before picture. I made a yarn fuzz ball and added a couple of googlie eyes that we had laying around. Isn't he cute? I just couldn't tuck him away with the Halloween decorations without snapping a few pictures first.

It really is a great event that I look forward too. I never get around to having my own yard sale, and what's better than a free one? Especially people with little kids, they come and swap out outgrown clothes for clothes that fit. One person's trash truly is another person's treasure.

We actually got there the morning after the swap. Last year it had been on Saturday morning and this year they moved it to Friday night and I didn't realize it. I do things like that, a lot actually. At least we weren't alone, there was another lady who had done the same thing. So we had the place to ourselves. It is so amazing to see how generous people are - giving so much and taking just what they need. It is a shame that it only comes once a year. All of the left over items were given to a local thrift store.

Other than a couple of books, here is the rest of my loot. "Ugly" sweaters destined to be re-purposed into some fun Christmas decorations/gifts. Since we were late comers, and these were the picked over sweaters, I don't feel bad about cutting into any of them.

I am so grateful for this event. It is awesome to see a community come together and support each other.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family and friends (and maybe a little sewing) :)

Block #2

2010-11-17T13:27:00.002-07:00

After block #1 I've been really looking forward to the second block of the Layer Cake Quilt Along over at Moose on The Porch Quilts - the link in over on the sidebar on the right. There is something about the 12 inch blogs that makes you feel really accomplished.

This block took a little more thought when it came to fabric placement. Since my fabrics are all bright, I have to go for more of a contrast rather than a light and a dark fabric.

In the end I love the way it turned out and can't wait to see how it looks on the quilt with the other blocks. Thanks Vicki for a great design.

Block #1

2010-11-05T09:30:00.002-06:00

Yeah, my computer is back and I was able to upload some pictures. So this is the Layer Cake that I'm going to be using. It's rolled up rather than being a flat layer cake - not sure why- but it is still 40 pieces of yummy 10" blocks. The brown fabric is the accent fabric that I'm thinking of using. I'm not positive yet, but I'll know better once the blocks start coming together. It's also just a cheapie Joann's fabric so I'm a little worried about the quality of it mixed with the other moda prints. We'll see...

And drum roll please....

The first block! Isn't beautiful? I think I can say that since all I did was help the beautiful fabric join together in Gene's crisp design. He did have the option to add an appliquéd circle to the center block, but since I wanted to feature the large print, I opted to leave it off. Now to wait for the next pattern to be posted...

This really is my first experience with a layer cake and I have to say that I'm really enjoying it. The $30 or so price tag has always put me off. It's really easy to spend $5 four different times on fabric, but $30 all at once for a 10x10 stack of fabric an inch high has always seemed a little steep. Now I'm really enjoying the 40 different yet coordinating fabrics. There also seems to be less waste. While I enjoy scraps, I would rather have more coordinates. You know?

Layer Cake Quilt Along

2010-11-04T10:12:00.004-06:00

My good friend Konda from Moose on the Porch Quilts is having another quilt along. This time it is going to be made from a Layer Cake. I've recently been gifted a Moda Hoopla Layer Cake, which I wasn't too wild about at first. After making the first block in the quilt along, I'm hooked. The fabric is so happy and crisp looking.

All that being said - I don't have any pictures to share. My computer is in the shop and I'm using a loaner from my son's room. So while I wait to upload my block, you can see the blocks that other's have made here, and you can find the pattern here.

Come on and join the fun!

Halloween-ish Costumes

2010-10-28T22:18:00.002-06:00

This week I've been playing around with yarn, and came up with a few Halloween-ish costumes. Josh wasn't sure what he wanted to be for Halloween, or if he even wanted to dress up at all this year. I saw this fake beard pattern along with a ton of images on the web and thought a beard was the way to go. He sat across from me doing his homework while I kept adding yarn. He was skeptical and I kept saying, "Trust in the beard." He really liked it.

Then as long as I was playing around with yarn and teenage boy Halloween costumes that aren't really costumes, I came up with Jake from Adventure Time. Inspired by this picture.

Then I needed a costume for the History Fair at school that just happens to be tomorrow. I made the dress and the apron, but found the hat at a local thrift store. Her real costume for Halloween involves tattoo sleeves and a lot of hairspray.

I call this one Pioneer Gothic

Just Popping in to Say Hello...

2010-10-21T10:55:00.005-06:00

I've been busily sewing away lately. Some for work, some for fun and some for gifts. This little girl is headed off to Fall Market to keep a friend company. Simple and fun to make. If I had a gaggle of nieces I'd be whipping up a ton of them. Heck, if I had even one niece (or nephew for that matter) I'd make up a few and send them off. The pattern is McCall's 5826

The other gifts are surprises, so I'll show but not tell :)

Now to get my Christmas on....I can't get motivated. Have you started? Ideas?

TYPESETTERS

2010-10-06T10:42:00.006-06:00

Announcing TYPESETTERS - our new Etsy shop. This is our "Will Work For Food" sign. My husband started this shop while he was out of work and even though he's back to work, it fills a creative outlet for him - plus we're still working at paying for that new engine :)

We've had a lot of fun thinking up things to put on the necklaces. We've got you covered for Halloween.

And for all of my fellow Harry Potter fans - how great would it be to wear this on the opening night for Deathly Hallows?

You can keep it simple with a name, which by the way would be perfect for stocking stuffers for those hard to buy for teens.

Or make a custom necklace at no extra charge. Family Reunion, baseball team, high school team, etc. How about one with your home business name like the one we made for Emily?

Forget about Team Edward or Team Jacob - I want one that says "Team Diego". The possibilities are endless. We can make just about anything that you can...

as long as it is 14 letters or less :) The price is great (only $7.50 each) and as my husband says, "we don't rip you off on shipping." Check us out!

From the Road

2010-10-05T10:15:00.005-06:00

Biking has taken a large chunk of my free time lately - and I've been loving every minute of it. Now that D is back to work, the rides have been a little shorter. Our last ride together was 46 miles. We dropped the kids off at school, geared up, jumped on our bikes (along with Konda) and the three of us headed out for a long ride...with hills...on purpose. We got home in just enough time to jump in the car and pick up the kids from school.

Now, our world is settling back in to a steadier rhythm, the rides are a little shorter and the season is slowly coming to an end. While I still haven't lost 1 pound - I can't help but feel a little proud of myself. I could barely go 2 miles when we started out this season. Then we moved on to 8-10 mile rides with a snack break half way. Next is was in the teens, then the twenties. Finally the 35 mile Wonder Woman Ride and our 46 mile finisher.

The hills that just about killed me have become inclines. Now I know what a real hill is and often we head toward them on purpose rather than trying to find a way around them. Today we rode just 8 miles. Just 8 miles.

We have seen all types of animals, both living and in various stages of decomposition. We've passed by lakes and orchards, mooed at cows, fed horses, waved to farmers and bikers alike. We've eaten bananas, cliff bars and other fuel in the quaintest of parks and on the side of the road. We've fixed flats, laughed and ridden in silence. It has been an amazing summer.

It has also been such a blessing in my life during the turmoil that we've been going through lately. I have felt Heavenly Father in the wind, his peace in the stillness, his strength and encouragement when I couldn't go on, his comfort in friends. I've learned to cherish the things that I do have and not focus on the things that I don't. I can truly say that I am thankful for my trials. While I wouldn't wish this experience or joblessness on anyone, I wish I could give what I've learned to everyone. Go ride a bike and find yourself again.

Employed!

2010-09-23T08:30:00.004-06:00

Just dropping in to share the wonderful news - we're employed! After, what has it been, 4 months of unemployment, D has a new job. We also took the van into the shop and found that it does, as we suspected, need a new motor. It's $900, so we are going for it. We can't replace the van for $900 and going into debt when you have a job is better than going into debt when you don't.

Not my card, but available here

We are so humbled and thankful for the well wishes and prayers from all of you. There are still so many people out there looking for work, keep them in your hearts.

He starts on Monday, so today we are going on a celebratory bike ride which has been coined the "Ride Until April Drops" ride. It's the last of the week day rides with my hubby - bitter sweet - more sweet than bitter.

Brownies for Breakfast

2010-09-21T09:04:00.003-06:00

and why not? I'm home alone for the first time in weeks, D has an interview (insert prayers here), I have a ton of work to do and we just finished the Wonder Woman ride this weekend. That's call for celebration - and brownies. The ride was awesome and we rode the 30 miles in 2.5 hours, which is by far my best time yet. Konda was very sweet and hung back with me, and my husband and son rode along for support. I finished in the middle of the pack, which exceeded my goal of not finishing last.

Truth be told, the brownies aren't that great - the recipe is wonderful and one that I've always loved, it's just that after trying to eat better for the past few months, they are way too sweet. Yes, that's me saying brownies are too sweet. I've been saying a lot of things that are out of character lately..."No thank you" to a piece of chocolate cake. "Let's not go that way, or we'll miss the killer hills".

This is my Aunt Joann and my Uncle Ray. The look on their faces is the same look on my face after seeing the pictures of me at the ride in spandex. I thought I would spare you all and share their picture instead - you're welcome.

Changing Seasons and a Shameless Plug

2010-09-09T08:56:00.008-06:00

Do you feel the change happening? The nights here have been getting cooler and today is our first cloudy, cool day in awhile. I love it when the seasons change - the season between seasons.

Speaking of seasons...is it time to start making Christmas gifts yet? It would be a great time to start on your Fairy Tale Quiet Book for all of the little ones in your life :)

Hard Copies and PDF versions available at WoodChesters Happy Sewing :)

Quick Get Away

2010-09-08T10:11:00.004-06:00

We were in desperate need of a get away. So we headed up the canyon for a weekend camping trip with some friends. Diego found a great site with a stream running along it and best of all - it was free. We did have to bring in our own water and use Steve and Melody's 5 gallon bucket with a toilet lid for immediate bathroom needs, but there was a camp site with flush toilets just a half mile up the road for the serious bathroom trips:)

We packed enough for 3 weeks worth of camping, and didn't use half of it. (The baby gear isn't ours, but we did get to play with the baby and he sure was a cutie). The whole family had a great time despite the preliminary complaints from the oldest teenager - and the frazzled mom.

Melody made a great dutch oven apple cobbler.

Diego made this...

And I did a whole lot of this

Just what I needed.

It Happens...

2010-08-24T22:02:00.004-06:00

Sometimes it really does happen. You just step in it. Lately, we seem to be walking through a mine field of dung heaps. Now, our van broke down. Something about a blown engine. Oddly enough, this one didn't seem to phase us. I guess we're just rolling with the punches, knowing that in the grander scheme of things, life has something wonderful ahead for us.

This One's for You

2010-08-20T10:59:00.004-06:00

Today is my husband's 40th birthday! I can't think of a better way to honor him than with a pad named after him- so this one is for you babe: Dem' "old" Bones...and with music

The First Day of School

2010-08-18T19:32:00.009-06:00

Today was the first day of school. I always have mixed emotions on the first day of school. I'm happy to see the kids off on their journey, but I miss them.

What's normally a lonely, depressing day for me ended up being a great day. I was distracted by this guy.

And this girl. We rode our bikes to Cracker Barrel which should have been about a 25 mile round trip ride. We ran into all kinds of road construction and at one point ended up at a cross roads with the three of us all pointing in different directions. We were all wrong. A little bit of back tracking, a few crazed dogs and a whole lot of whining -from me- later and we were on our way home. We saw an ostrich, cows, elk, llama, horses, mules, baby horses and mules, a few miniature horses and some goats. No one would go for my "let's ask that farmer for a ride home" idea. I ran over a crunchy grass hopper, got sunburned and plain old burnt out - I had a blast!

I needed to stop for a sandwich and rest a few minutes so we sent Konda on ahead. While we were eating, the clouds opened up and a torrential down pour started.

We waited out the rain then rode the last mile or two, up hill, in the muggy Tennessee weather. Finishing our 35 mile bike ride in enough time to take a shower and go pick up the kids. Oh, and the cycling quote of the day - "Better to be addicted to cycling than the crack pipe".

Check out this cycling video - too funny

Where I prove my husband wrong

2010-08-11T08:18:00.003-06:00

It has officially been 3 months that I have been on my bike (and walking) every other day. And I have gained 3 pounds. The scale is supposed to be going down. Some people say that I'm gaining muscle and loosing fat, but that just sounds like an excuse that I used to use. Either way, I can tell the difference in my clothes and I'm feeling a lot healthier.

Some cyclist can be a little snobby...sorry but it's true. You have to have just the right equipment and know all of the lingo. So when I mentioned doing a little sewing for my bike, my husband and my son were having a cow. Even though my hubby is a bend the rules kind of guy, he was insisting that we could spare the $25 to spend on a bag made by some name brand manufacturer.

The teasing went back and forth for a few weeks until he realized that I was serious. Then the begging began...you can't go around with a homemade bag...you might as well put the bell and reflectors back on your bike...hey, let's get mom some streamers for her handle bars....

I used his bag to trace out a pattern on tissue paper, grabbed some vinyl covered fabric that was waiting for just the right project and set to work. I took it apart once to add the pipping and had to fuss a little to get the zipper just right.
In the end, he knew it would be great all along and wanted me to start mass producing them to sell on etsy and at bike shops all along the valley. :)

Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Ol' Kit Bag

2010-07-27T17:56:00.002-06:00

and smile, smile, smile.

Things are up and down still/again, and I'm still trying to see the up side of things. I did have a pity party the other day, but none of you were invited. Sorry, party of one ;)
Sewing up a little something fun is always a great cure-all for the blues. So I set right in on this little guy. My daughter snatched him up. She has cleaned out most of the dolls in her room and there is just one shelf left. It was nice to see that she kept all of the mommy made dolls.
So there it is my happy thought for the day and a little smile for you. The shop is packed full of pads and there is a new set -different color way- of flower hair pins available.

April and Marie - Julie and Julia Style

2010-07-22T21:04:00.006-06:00

While flipping through a quilt book looking for some inspiration, I had a crazy idea.

What if instead of making one of the quilt blocks in the book I made every quilt block in the book? 72 quilt blocks in 72 days. Julie and Julia style.

I did come to my senses a little and decided that it did not have to be one block every day, but more like one block for each day. In reality some days I will sew one or two blocks and other days I won't have time to make any. Although, I have to say, I have been sewing at least one block a day since starting. I even convinced a friend to sew along with me.

Each square comes out to about 6" x6"

I'm going completely by the book and using the suggested colors for each block.

Cutting and sewing tiny little squares and triangles even if half square triangles seem like they would be easier.

If you want to join me -not that anyone else is this crazy-the book is called Teach Yourself Blocks From the Past by Marie Henry.

Hippie Genes

2010-07-19T21:38:00.004-06:00

Aaron may have gotten his brown eyes from his dad and his curly hair from someone way back on the family tree, but he definitely got his hippie genes from his mama :)

He couldn't have been happier with his Hippie Jean Quilt. This quilt was actually a last minute gift that I pulled together just in time for his 16th birthday. I rounded up all of the outgrown and worn out jeans that were in the pile waiting to go to the thrift store and started cutting. While cutting I realized that going with a typical block quilt was going to take way too much time, plus it didn't feel right for Aaron. You know how the quilt chooses the person? I started piecing together legs, pockets and miscellaneous shaped pieces until I had a huge block - just like crazy quilting. If you look close, you can see how the quilt is basically four huge blocks made up of the smaller mismatched pieces. I backed it with a brown flannel sheet that was also destined for the thrift store and quilted along all of the seams. No batting - it's heavy enough on it's own. I clipped the edges so they would fray and popped it in the washing machine with some home-made laundry detergent.

Now it can be found on his bed, on the couch or on the floor - just like a teenager's hippie blanket should be.

Konnichiwa

2010-07-16T11:43:00.002-06:00

Just popping in to say Konnichiwa

My computer has been down for a little while and I'm using our back up computer - the one without all of my pictures stored on it. So rather than post without a picture, I've had my lovely daughter "draw" this picture for you on Paint.

Oh, and thank you for the kind words about my hubby's new job. It's going really well - although we all got a little spoiled having him home all day. I've also posted some more flowers in the shop. More to come when I'm able to post pictures again.

The DayDawn is Breaking

2010-07-06T08:09:00.002-06:00

My husband just left for his first day at his new job. I can't help but to feel like this is the beginning of better times ahead.
Sometimes I wish I knew what the futures holds, which dreams will become realities and where life will take us. Then I remember that the journey is what life is really about. While these past several weeks have been difficult, we've all learned so much and have grown even closer as a family. For now, I'm content with that glimmer of sunshine that is peeking through the window promising a bright day ahead.

My Flower Garden

2010-06-30T22:52:00.004-06:00

Blogging time seems to be a little hard to come by these days, what with the kids and the hubby home most of the time, the computer is working a little over time.

Besides all of the hanging out, walking and bike riding that's been going on, there has been a little bit of crafting. Yesterday, I was playing around with some embroidery floss and came up with these fun little hair pins.Now that's my type of gardening. No weeds, sore back or dirt under my fingernails. Plus, they just seem to multiply rather quickly. I do have a set over at woodchesters -my other etsy shop. I'll be posting a few more later because they are just too much fun to make out of so many different colors.

2010-06-30T09:55:00.003-06:00

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?
Do you fish in a stream, or lazily dream on the banks as the clouds go by?
Is that what you do? So do I!

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?
Do you swim in a pool, to keep yourself cool, or swing in a tree up high?
Is that what you do? So do I!

Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?
Do you march in parades, or drink lemonades, or count all the stars in the sky?
Is that what you do? So do I!

Words: Dorothy S. Andersen, b. 1927

Scrub Your Butt

2010-06-18T10:12:00.006-06:00

Soap Company - From the moment I saw the name of Scrub Your Butt Soap Co. I knew I needed to work with them! You can't have a company with a name like that without having a good sense of humor. Fortunately, they not only have a great name, but great products as well. Crystal has developed some wonderful balms that help restore beauty naturally - love that. The scents of the balms are beautiful and light, not overwhelmingly perfumie (is that a real word).

So...For the next few days -while supplies last- I will be giving away a free sample from Srub Your Butt Soap Co. with every order at my esty shop. So pop on in and see if there is anything you like and tell Crystal that April sent you :)Check our her shampoo and other soap item too :)

The Days of Our Lives

2010-06-09T21:41:00.005-06:00

As you might have noticed in the last few posts, we've been struggling lately. My hubby was laid off, our car broke down, we fixed it which came at the price of a couple of hundred dollars and a few stitches in my husbands finger. The car broke down again for an entirely unrelated problem and is now sitting and waiting for more repairs. All of our summer plans have been put on hold until a new job is found. Then our dear, sweet, Tomaso lost his battle and is no longer with us.

That is just a short summary crammed into a few sentences, but I'm sure you have felt the heart ache, stress and emotional drain that these types of trials bring...-sigh-... Along with the trials have come many blessings in the form of support from family and friends, drawing closer to each other in our immediate family and a deeper sense of faith.

And as the sun still comes up every morning, our lives move forward...

Our local quilt show is coming up and we've been planing and meeting for a few months now. Something new this year is a Fabric Challenge Quilt category for next year. Does that make sense? You buy a fat quarter of inspiration fabric (proceeds go to the museum) and you make a quilt using at least half of the fat quarter. Since this is the first year that we are doing it, we don't have samples to display. So we've staged a mini challenge. All of the ladies on the board took home a fat quarter of challenge fabric and are making quilts to display.
The inspiration fabric was not my first choice, but that is sort of the point. It's not that I don't like the fabric, it's just that it was just random and didn't really go with anything that I had. After trying to pull together some type of heart theme that kept landing me somewhere in the 1980's, I gave up and decided to hide the fabric.What do you think? Do you see the little pieces in there? The quilt can only be 120 inches in diameter so it's pretty small. After all of the procrastination and worrying about that fabric, it's starting to grow on me. I think I like it.

Sometimes

2010-06-05T23:15:00.006-06:00

Sometimes life comes at you so fast that you can't think straight. You need to go for long walks or bike rides to think, reflect and even forget.

Sometimes you don't have anything nice to say so you don't say anything at all. Even while recognizing that there are blessings mixed in there...somewhere.

And sometimes, a friend stops by with a chocolate cake and things seem a little better somehow.

Last Days of Spring

2010-05-27T22:04:00.005-06:00

Summer doesn't officially start until June 21st - which sounds just about right when you take a look around these parts. The mountains are slowly turning green and we've had another brief snow fall this last weekend. We didn't mind so much.Summer break on the other hand has begun. This year a little early for us, bringing with it a quick visit from grandparents, a few stitches for my husband and a case of roseola for my 14 year old (how weird is that).We've had a great time playing hooky from all of our responsibilities - even planting the garden. The addition of a new bike at our house hasn't helped much either. So while summer hasn't officially started, our lazy summer days have. If you drive by and our lawn needs to be mowed or our weeds need to be pulled - feel free, we're probably off on a bike ride.

Quick Baby Gift

2010-05-19T10:12:00.004-06:00

Whenever I need a quick go to baby gift, I love giving a receiving blanket. Sometimes, usually for the cute girly blankets, I crochet around the edges. Other times, I sew a binding on. They are uber easy. Just take two pieces of flannel about 36" square, place them wrong sides together, then add a binding. No need to quilt or tie, the flannel holds itself together somehow. They are a nice size, light weight and yet not too light and they go together quickly. The binding is cut at 2 1/2" or 2 1/4" whichever you feel like and which ever one pops into your mind when you are cutting the fabric. This binding was pieced together with some scraps I had laying around. When I have skinny scraps left over, I cut them into 2 1/2" strips and throw them in the binding bin. When it comes time to piece together a binding the pieces are already cut.
Looks like I forgot to clip a thread :) . What is your go to baby gift?

A Sunday Drive

2010-05-17T11:22:00.003-06:00

"When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking." — Sherlock Holmes, 1896Thinking about buying another bike...dreaming about buying two.

BOM's Gone Wild

2010-05-11T08:52:00.008-06:00

You know how it is...you get on board for a block of the month. Then before long, you are up to your ears in quilt blocks wondering how you got here and if you will ever finish.

For me, it all started in January this year with a cute little Nativity wall quilt.Of course I had to make the block out of scraps first...and as long as I was making a block out of scraps, I could make two blocks out of scraps so in the end I would have a throw quilt rather than just a wall quilt.Then as long as I was making the Nativity quilt, I could change up the colors and make a different quilt to give away at Christmas.You know what I mean?

Out of the Loop

2010-05-01T09:25:00.002-06:00

I've been so out of the loop. I would apologize for not blogging, but that's what blogging is all about right - not obligation :)It all started when we decided to switch my daughter over to a charter school. We were going to do this next year, but once I checked into it further and found that they had openings, we went ahead and made the change. She was excited about the change and loves the new school, but there has been an adjustment period. The work is more challenging, which is perfect for her, but not the norm. She was used to getting all of her work done in a few minutes along with some of the other kids, then reading,drawing or goofing around until the rest of the class finished. Now she's working on things at her own speed and is coming home tired. It's sort of like that first week of school after summer.

Then there is the whole teenager missing assignments at the end of the term thing going on, plus it's bike season. On top of everything, we've had a scare with dear sweet Tomaso. For some reason we bought different food for him which ended up throwing him for a loop. After being sick and not keeping anything down for nearly a week, we finally ended up at the vet. Tests were done. Money was spent. Silent prayers were whispered. Then we did the waiting game. Food allergy? Diabetes? Liver Disease? The results came back and they were able to rule out diabetes but not the liver disease.

They advised hospitalization for 2-4 days which would run about $200-$400. I love him to death - but he's a cat. $200-$400 on top of the $120 that we had already spent? Plus hospitalization would not cure a liver disease. We opted for meds at home.
It's amazing how much your pets become a part of your family and pulls on your heart strings. Each time he had another bought of vomiting, we wondered if he would live or die. Each member of our family made our peace with it and we've each spent extra time visiting with him. It was a tough week. He is about 80% better and our hopes are up.
Life is precious - even if it is just a cat :)

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T01:00:00.000-06:00

In honor of Earth Day, I'm giving away 10 petite cloth panty liners! I kept playing around with the price or a special discount, then just decided to give them away for free :)

So here is the deal...The Earth Day Snoopy liners are listed at a discounted price. You can pick it up for $3 or if you buy this pad plus two other pads in the shop, and I'll give you your $3 back = free :)

Have a great Earth Day no matter how you spend it :)

Wet Cement

2010-04-21T10:25:00.003-06:00

The sun keeps poking out from behind the clouds, then changes it's mind and tucks in for a little while longer. The ground is wet and fresh. A few white blossoms fall onto the grass reminiscent of the last snowfall not so long ago. The lawn waits to be cut. Dandelions are almost ready to be wished upon. My thermostat reads 70. Spring has finally arrived.Spring has also arrived in my family room. This thrifted privacy screen just needed a little bit of Martinique by moda to brighten up our home on these early spring days.Tomorrow is Earth Day...I'm thinking rainbow cupcakes and a special discount on cloth pads...

Much Ado About Nothing

2010-04-13T23:09:00.010-06:00

Last week was spring break for us, and boy did we take a break. We slept in, hung out, sloughed on the house keeping and chores and basically didn't do much of anything - which, as you know, is sometimes the best thing to do - especially during a rainy spring break.With all of that hanging around not doing anything, I did manage to read a book (snuggled next to a child reading her book), discovered my love for asparagus (who knew), hung out with a bunch of teenagers, looked at baby pictures, had my stitches removed (both of them) and made a decision to move my daughter to a charter school for next year, oh and paid off our last debt. So I guess I did get a little done.

At first I couldn't come up with pictures for this post, but I think these sum up our week perfectly. Cozy, fun and completely random. Can you believe this cute little baby boy is now 14? That's back when we could call him Joshie :)And speaking of random - what about this curly headed 15 year old - what's up with that hair? From a family of thin, straight haired people comes these beautiful spirals. Where are my thick curly locks? The gene pool is a funny thing.

April Snow Showers Bring May Flowers

2010-04-01T09:26:00.006-06:00

Is that how the saying goes...because we had a fresh layer of snow on the ground this morning, and I'm not April foolin' ya.Oh well, I'll have to bring a little bit of spring into my day in other ways - like fun fabric.

So we took 6 classes down at the retreat in Saint George. Two of those were quilts that I haven't finished yet, I'll post those another time. The other projects were all finished by the time we headed home. First there was the mystery bag. Clue #1 arrived long before class with cutting instructions for our fabric. It did give you little hints like main fabric or accent fabric, but other than that it was a mystery. I felt a little like Nancy Drew :). Once we were at class, we would get the next clue with the next step. In the end, I love how my bag turned out. Shannon was an awesome teacher and is the local bag lady, so I can look forward to taking more of her classes. I also won this little gem in her drawing and she's made this block from my Jelly Roll Quilt Along pattern - what a small world.Next was the charm pack table runner. This one was simple and so cute. I used a Mary Engelbreit charm pack by Moda that I had sitting around waiting for just the right project. You can't see the back, but I used a large red gingham print. It reminds me of picnics on a warm day.
My all time favorite project was the Abby Lane scrap bag. Again, an adorable pattern by a great company. I actually bent the rules a little and sewed directly on the cutting line for the flower. The petals came out perfect and rounded - and those fabrics - yum! Side note, the darkest aqua fabric in the center of the flower is the one I was cutting when I cut my finger - which by the way is doing so much better. I've also invested in one of these.The last class and the last finished project was this pair of slippers. I love them, but they are just the tiniest bit too small for my daughter. Some of the ladies used minky to line the inside of the slippers which made them super soft. Next time :) The pattern is Happy Feet Slippers by Favorite Things.So that's it for now. I wish I could post a picture of all the fun we had. I've learned that sewing retreats are much more than the projects, but the sisterhood and fun spent with kindred spirits. Not having to cook or clean wasn't so bad either ;)

The Horry Story

2010-03-29T11:15:00.003-06:00

Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments and well wishes! You all are too kind.

So the horror story...don't worry, it's not too graphic. Just retelling the story makes me a little week in the knees.

I was cutting the very last square for my trip to Saint George - not the heavy denim blocks, but one 5x5 square from regular old fabric. All week I had a strange foreboding that something bad was going to happen. I had been so careful while cutting because it ran through my mind a couple of times that cutting myself would be awful.

Then it happened. When I went to run the rotary cutter along the edge of the ruler, I must have nicked the ruler instead of getting it onto the fabric. It ran along the top of the ruler and across my finger even though my finger was a good inch out of harms way. I grabbed my finger and ran around a little alternating between "I knew it was going to happen!" and "Lord please help me!" I managed to make it to the freezer to grab an ice pack and a wrap a dish cloth around my finger. Then called my husband sobbing because I was afraid I was going to pass out. I don't do well with injuries - especially my own. He drove home and took me to the doctor. The lady at the front counter and the nurse did a good job of getting my mind off of my finger by asking about the sewing retreat. The shots burned of course, but the worst part was the feeling of my numb finger moving around while the doctor stitched it. Once I realized that I was laying on the table with my husband on one side and the doctor on the other and it didn't matter if I passed out, the panicked feeling subsided. I relaxed, saw stars and concentrated on not vomiting. Thankfully he was able to use some sterie strips and I only had to have two stitches.

So off I went on my trip the next day where I met some awesome ladies and sewed for three days with my finger in a splint - to keep the stitches from tearing - insert gag sound here. I did have a few flash back moments where I caught myself making a face, especially when another lady at the retreat cut her finger - but they were able to fix her up with a little super glue.

I'll be back here in the next few days to share the projects that we made and the fun that we had. But for now, I've got to go sew a few pads...plus, typing without your left index finger is a little tricky ;)

Bad Rotary Cutter :(

2010-03-25T09:55:00.002-06:00

Quiet Book Pattern Winner and a Sewjourn

2010-03-18T10:28:00.009-06:00

And the winner is.............lucky number 13 - Becky! Becky I've sent you an email so be watching for it :)In somewhat unrelated news....
I'm sew excited to be going on a sewjourn down to St. George! My friend Sue and I have been planning our trip for sometime now. We're on pins and needles...time to release a little tension... serge ahead! OK, I think the cheese is out of my system now - not really, we've been follow this thread for weeks.

We're going to be attending the Dave's Bernina Spring Retreat. St. George really is one of my favorite places.
Even though we won't have time to visit Zion National Park, we are going to have a blast together, finish a bunch of fun projects, eat out and best of all....I've checked the weather report. While it will only be 55 degrees here, it will be a lovely 70 degrees there. :)Anyone else going or going to be in the area? If you are, make sure you pop in to say hi!

Jellyroll Quilt Along Block 2 - Thank you!

2010-03-18T09:38:00.006-06:00

I have to mention how overwhelmed with emotion that I am while browsing through the quilt blocks that y'all have made. You are some very talented ladies. When Konda asked me to design a block, I spent all of my time focusing on color choices, measurements and...well, myself. I never imagined that the softer side, the personal side of seeing the results would be so overwhelming. It's amazing to see that block that was rattling around in my mind a few weeks ago has taken so many beautiful shapes. 1. jellyblock2bIMG_0039, 2. Block Two, 3. Block 2, 4. Jelly Roll Block #2, 5. JR "Botique" by Chez Moi Block 2, 6. 100_1706, 7. Jelly Roll Sampler Block 2, 8. jell_roll_2, 9. Block 2 - Jelly Roll Quilt Along, 10. Block 2, 11. Quilt Along Block 2, 12. block 2

Free Quilt Block Pattern and Free Quiet Book Pattern

2010-03-15T06:00:00.005-06:00

A little while ago, I was asked to design a quilt block for Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along 2010. What made the invitation even more special was that it came from my good friend Konda over at Moose On The Porch Quilts.

The tricky part about it - I've never used Jelly Roll strips before. We've all seen them at quilt shops, but for those of you, like me, that have never taken one home, I'll share what exactly a Jelly Roll contains. It's basically 40 - 2 1/2 inch strips the length of the fabric from one designer or line of fabric. Usually they are 40 different fabrics, occasionally you will get a repeat of one or two of the fabrics.

So the idea was to design a 12" finished block, which means a 12 1/2" block, containing the Jelly Roll strips with some background fabric. I got right to work procrastinating, because after all, that is the first step of any project. Then when it was getting down to the wire I drew a few sketches and came up with a picture frame type of block. After messing around with some fabric, I scraped the block and started over - the second (or is that third) step of any project. Finally I ditched the paper and pencil and cut some fabric into 2 1/2" strips. Inspiration hit and I came up with what I thought was the perfect quilt block.
Pictures were taken, instructions documented and I was able to bask in my glory once I clicked the send email button. The following day Amber stopped by for a visit and I was beaming when I showed her the block. After the oohing and ahhing that friends do for eachother. She pointed out that the block looked pretty big. Our conversation went something like this:
Amber: Wow, that's a big block.
Me: I know! 12 inches is pretty big.
Amber: Are you sure it's 12 inches?
Me: Well, let me measure it.

Had I measured it the night before? Of course not - I was too afraid that the block would come out 1/4" or so off. Then I wouldn't have been able to sleep at night.

So I measured it. It was 16". Back to the drawing board.

Luckily I was able to do a little tucking and pinning and the end result was still true to my original design, but most importantly it came out to 12 1/2" which is 12" finished. :) Oh, and the center is one solid block, not the pieced white and floral block below.
So hop on over to Moose on the Porch Quilts to join the fun and get free instructions for my 12" quilt block. Oh, and speaking of free, I'll be giving out a free PDF copy of The Fairy Tale Quiet Book pattern too. You'll have two chances to win, one over at Moose on the Porch Quilts and one by leaving a comment on this post. I'll choose a winner at the end of the week.

Say "hey" to Konda for me :)

♥♥♥Comments closed - congratulations to our winner Becky!♥♥♥

Turning 70

2010-03-04T09:50:00.004-07:00

Nagymama (grandma in Hungarian) came for a visit. She brought some beautiful embroidered items that I'll share with you later. She just turned 70 - so exciting! Over the years we've given her all of the regular gifts, necklaces, sweaters, movie passes, scrapbooks, pictures...so I was a little stumped for this birthday. What do you get for someone that is turning 70? A quilt of course!

So I pulled out a bunch of fabric that I had been saving just for the right occasion and got to work on a disappearing 9 patch. I love this tutorial! I used large blocks so the quilt would go together faster - cut sew, cut then sew back together again. It came out just as I had imagined...then in typical April fashion, I couldn't part with it. Just something about it reminded me of my grandma. I'm not sure if it was the style of the quilt, the fabrics, colors or what, but it felt like grandma's yard on a spring day. Laundry hanging, the smell of grass, the crispness of the air... you know what I mean?This is my Grandma long before she was my grandma:) 1934 with 4 of her 12 children.

While I love the quilt and can't part with it, it also wasn't the right one of my MIL. It's like at Ollivander's you don't choose the wand, the wand chooses you -my Harry Potter roots are showing again- I feel the same way about quilts. They choose who they belong to. Luckily, and also in true quilter's fashion, I had an unfinished quilt top laying around waiting for the right inspiration to hit. Funny how inspiration and desperation are so closely related sometimes;)

So to make a long story short, the new quilt was finished just in time. And well received...
The half square triangles were from a charm pack and the placement of the blocks were inspired by Konda's book. By the way, have you seen her jelly roll quilt along. I'm designing the next block in the series, so go check it out!

Biking Season is Upon Us

2010-02-19T09:31:00.004-07:00

Ahh... biking season. The season in which I lose my boys to the road. The season that I have bikes parked in the entry room of the house. It has been such a big part of our lives that it has now crept into our decor.

A house guest coming for a visit prompted a new coat of paint in the bathroom. A fresh coat of paint and a blank wall was just screaming for some type of fabric to soften the area up a little. The top hoop has a great piece of Heather Ross fabric. Starching it while ironing it really made a difference when putting it in the hoop. The bottom hoop is huge - with a tiny embroidery. I used a piece of linen and embroidered one of the bikes from the Heather Ross fabric onto it. It was such a quick project and really added that home touch to the space. Why did I wait three years to paint the bathroom?

That 70's Show

2010-02-18T10:29:00.006-07:00

Don't you just hate it when you don't have time to post? I've been MIA from my blog and facebook lately. I can't really pin point an exact reason why, just the busy every day stuff - you know? So for now, here is a lovely 70's photo of me. So many memories from one picture...(insert wavy dream sequence here)

Sam, my very first kitty and long time BFF

One of the only pictures of me that you will see me wearing a dress as a child. There is another picture from about 3rd grade - my mom paid me a quarter to wear it for picture day.

I have gotten over it and wear dresses on Sundays and skirts in the summer.
The pig tails (remember those ribbons?) - my brother cut one off once - Thanks Paul ;)

The doily and afghan that my mom made - she was always crocheting and passed on that love of yarn to me and my daughter. I wonder if she still has that pattern?

The couch that my brother burned a small hole in and tried to hide by flipping over the cushion - your welcome Paul (payback for the pony tail)

The ring with my birthstone in it

The freckles that have faded over the years

The ashtray on the side table - when ashtrays used to be decorative

Fade back to 2010 - current day, current responsibilities....but I'll still be dreaming of those pig tails and freckles as I sew pads, and get ready for house guests.

By the way, is that a picture of my daughter with Gold Winner Shani Davis......why yes, yes it is :)

The Fairy Tale Quiet Book Pattern

2010-01-22T23:26:00.006-07:00

I've been working on a top secret project and I'm so excited to finally let the cat out of the bag.

It's finally done - my very first pattern available for purchase. Way back when....I made a Quiet Book. Since then, several people have emailed me asking where to find the pattern. That got me thinking - what about a Quiet Book pattern of my own. Ideas rushed in, sketches were made in small snatches of time - in the waiting room of the dentist, in the car waiting to pick up the kids - you know how that goes. A page was made, then several months and projects later...and the pattern is finally here.

The Princess and the Pea was the first page designed. The mattresses pull up to reveal a little pea hiding under the bed. All of those sleepless hours are counted away on the clock tower as she and the pea have a slumber party.The next page reminds me so much of my boys when they were little. I have a picture somewhere of Josh in a diaper with a helmet and a sword bigger than he was. :)Once the Knight has tamed the dragon, he can visit the next page to visit Rapunzel in her castle. While he's there, he can learn to braid hair or count the birds in a nearby tree.Then it's off to sail the seven seas in search for buried treasure.Do you ever have something turn out just how you imagined it? This is one of those projects for me. I'm just as pleased as punch :) One of my favorite things about the book (I have so many favorites) is that the pieces can go from page to page. Maybe the birds want to go hang out at the beach or the pea wants to sit up in the tree for awhile. And, the book comes apart so you can share pages with a friend or your little sister. I also love that the book isn't gender specific. Boys can braid hair and girls can be pirates, right?I hope you love this little book as much as I do! The PDF pattern is available for purchase over in my etsy shop. I'm stocking it at Woodchesters rather than my pad shop, just to keep things organized. :) I've also added a listing for a hard copy of the pattern for those who want it.

Edited to add: Thank you to SouleMama for mentioning me on her blog.

Cloth Mama Pads

2010-01-06T11:12:00.004-07:00

It's been a little while since my last post - I've been working on a top secret project...

my new website clothmamapads.com. Can you believe it? I have a website! Complete with working links, photos and good information. You can hop on over and check it out - even if you are not a cloth mama :)

I also have a fun new button for you to grab over at the left. You can show off your Cloth Mama pride.

Almost There

2009-12-21T09:04:00.005-07:00

It's the home stretch and we're almost there. All of the busy work is done (and shipped out) and I have grand plans for baking today. A few oldies but goodies which include caramels and gingerbread men and a new comer to our cookie plate this year - homemade marshmallows. I'll let you know how it goes.

Some gifts have already been given, because they were much needed - and let's face it, I have a really hard time waiting for Christmas day. This is the slouchy hat available as a free download on Ravelry, altered a little to accomidate the stripes.
Sara got the Twighlight hat - pattern also available as a free down load at Ravelry. I am in love with this hat and the pattern. If you've never tried the fptc, fpdc or bpdc, this is a great hat to learn on. I was twisting the pattern at first, but once I figured out what I was doing wrong, it was a piece of cake. In fact, I have another one on the hook now... and a thrid one planned for myself. Josh's hat is still in ball form waiting to get started. I wanted to make his blue and gray, but wasn't sure - another reason for not waiting until Christmas. Sure enough, he chose blue and gray.

Another present that was never wrapped was this present to myself.It all started last Christmas, with four of these blocks. I didn't really care for the bald angel that was supposed to go on the four side blocks so I ended up pushing the project to the side while I waited for inspiration. I could use the Jerusalem city for a block, but what about the other 3 blocks?

Then while visiting with a friend, she shared a different pattern, by the same designer - Nancy Halvorsen - with me. A little tweeking and rearranging of animals and two more blocks came came to life.

In the end, I used an angel from the second pattern and drew some hair to go on her for the final block.
A little machine quilting and now my Nativity Tree Skirt is under the tree telling it's story. If I don't make it back here before Christmas - Merry Christmas to you!

You say it's your birthday...

2009-12-17T09:52:00.004-07:00

It's my birthday too. (That was especially for Sara, who has just discovered and is completely in love with the Beatles). Another year older, but still on the right side of 40. :)

My dear, lovely, loving husband surprised me by taking the day off of work to spend with me. He has always made a point of making a big deal out of my big day each year since it is just 8 days before Christmas. And, he always springs for the birthday wrapping paper - if you have a near Christmas birthday, you know how sweet that is.

Anyway, we're off to have a fun filled day, I just wanted to share a couple of thrift store finds with you first.All of these were thrifted. The red, wax pine cone, white retro garland and 4 of these amazing brass deer. I do have to admit that I found the deer in a shopping cart, but it was abandoned - I promise. We watched it for at least 30 minutes while D was picking out records and another 10 minutes later to ease my guilty conscience.
While I love the deer, my absolute favorite is this angel. Growing up, we had an almost identical angel on our tree. Our angel had a pretty white dress, and I'm thinking of revamping this one. For now, she's on top of a cabinet watching over the festivities.