Christmas Rush

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Ours was very busy with family and friends. We had our Christmas Eve celebration with my husbands side of the family, and then stopped to visit with the family of the woman who babysat our daughter for many years. Mary is getting up in years now, but she is still as sharp as a tack. We had to cut our visit short with her. I still had a turkey in the kitchen sink thawing so we needed to get home.

I was up til 3 am putting the finishing touches on a quilt I made for my mom. Nothing like waiting til the last minute. I shared a sneak peak of it a couple posts ago, but now I can show you the finished product.



There were a few teary eyes around the tree this year when I presented the quilt to my mom. One of the girls was especially touched to be add to the quilt, she is the significant other of one of my nephew's. I included her and her children, after all they are my nephew's "family". Such sweet memories made today.



So many people here today, we almost had to sit on top of each other...amazing how there always seems to be enough room for everyone.

New Quilt For Christmas

I finally finished my Christmas quilt. I try to make one new quilt for Christmas each year. So although I have no turkey for Christmas dinner, my house is a total mess, and I still have to finish a quilt for my mom for Christmas, I'm pleased as punch to have this one hanging in our family room! Oh well, it always works out.

















This is a picture of three of my favorite people. Looks like Carynn is totally fascinated with Sara's long hair! Maybe she will be a hairdresser when she grows up!

Binding, Binding, Binding

I love to do binding. It's one of my favorite things to do! In the last three days, I have sewn binding on five quilts. I have hand stitched three of them. The last two I gave back to my friend so she could finish them for Christmas. You see, none of them belong to me!

I'll post a picture of my tree quilt tomorrow. I haven't sewn the binding on it yet, but hope to get that finished tomorrow.

Hope you are all getting your Christmas presents "wrapped" up!

Quietly Plugging Away

Almost a month since my last post. Where does the time go? I've been busy trying to get my Christmas gifts finished. Not sure that is going so well, but I'm still trying.
I have a quilt that I'm making for my mom this year. It's very whimsical. It involves getting all the handprints of all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. I should have the last four the beginning of this week, then it's full steam ahead. I have 8 blocks finished, just four more to do. Here's a sneak peek:

When I went on our local Shop Hop, I found a wonderful book "Tis The Season" by Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks. There are at least four projects in this book that I want to make. I have one almost finished. I just need to do the last border and add all the applique (fusible for me). This project is called To All a Good Night. So very very cute. I think I'll go back to making a list. I accomplished so much more with that in hand.

On a happy note, my daughter will be home Tuesday. Only two more finals next week, and she can take a break!

College Life Must Be Great!

I have a few pictures to show you of my daughter and Ryan. They decided to go to a Halloween party as Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. I'm not sure how she talked him into this, but he sure is a good sport!


The night before she had a party with her Dental Hygiene class. Doesn't she make the cutest Minnie Mouse!


Just to make this a quilty post, I have a picture of the cutest baby that I made a baby quilt for.....


That's all for tonight!

Looking For A Jelly Roll

I hope someone out in blogland can help me with this search. I'm looking to purchase an older jelly roll by Sandy Gervais, it's called Holly Jolly. If anyone has one they would like to sell, please let me know.
Thanks!

Under Control - Maybe

So I think I've got my procrastinatin under control. At least for this month! Lots of things on my list. Didn't realize how many things I needed to finish 25 things in the last three weeks. Happy to say that I've finished all but five!

I guess making a list really does work for me.

Went fabric shopping on Thursday with my daughter. We stopped by Rebecca's for a lunch. Such fun to just be with her, especialy since she is going back to school this Sunday. We bought too much fabric and ate way too much.



We both had a wonderful piece of Carrot Cake, as you can see, she had to take half of hers home!

I just finished a Disappering Nine Patch made with Mickey Mouse fabric that our local group will give away in November. I'll post a picture when I get it back from the quilter.

Procrastination

Procrastination: to put off intentionally the doing of something that should be done.

This seems to be the mantra of my life lately. It's not that I'm lazy, it just seems like there are a ton of things that I need to do or should have done already. I've seen other blogs where they list the things they want to finish, so I decided to try it. I took a notebook and started making a list of things that must be done in a relatively short period of time. So far I'm up to 18 items and I have completed 9 of those. The only really bad thing is that I am doing things that aren't on my list! Guess I forgot to add them.

My lovely daughter is home again before school starts on the 23rd of September, so we have been doing lots of things together. Which doesn't help with getting my list trimmed down, but I do love spending time with her!

Update on Necktie quilt. The lady who received the quilt loved it. Her daughter sent me a picture of her mom opening it, and when she realized that it was made from her husband's ties, the tears flowed. How very gratifying to know that someone really does appreciate the work and effort.

No great plans for the holiday weekend, just gonna keep plugging away at my list! Wish me luck.

Memory Quilt

This is the quilt I've been working on for a couple of months. A friend asked me if I could do anything with her father's ties, so this is what I came up with. Way more work than I thought it would be. I found a website that makes these for $790.00 for a 57" x 57" size. This quilt is 75" x 94.5". Super glad that it's finished. Just hoping the person that gets it will like it.

Good News!

Just got home from the doctor's office. Sara had an MRI last week and then we left for Columbus together. So this week she returned for her results. The doctor is still puzzled by the numbness she is experiencing in her leg, but the MRI was just fine! No ruptured disc, No back surgery! They discussed her options and decided to try a shot of cortisone. Within a couple of hours she said she was feeling better. I sure hope this works for her.

To celebrate the good news I took her to her favorite Vera Bradley retail store. Yep, she is now the proud owner of yet another Vera Bradley tote. You can see it here.

Our cable/internet provider is coming to our home tomorrow. Our internet is seriously horrible. I've never seen it this bad. Hoping they can get things back on track.

Later!

Wicked, Wicked, Wicked

My daughter and I had wonderfully Wicked weekend! I drove to Columbus on Friday so that we could go see the play "Wicked" on Saturday. It was truly amazing. Our seats were in the Loge only four rows back. We could see everything. I think that Sara really enjoyed the play too. It was our first play together.

On Friday we went to a favorite quilt shop of mine, Quilt Trends. It is a great place to shop and get new ideas. They have so many beautiful quilts on display. It's amazing I didn't gain weight from all the eye candy.

On Saturday before the play, we went to a second quilt store. Quilt Beginnings in Bexley. About half the store is devoted to sewing machines. The fabric was lovely. I think I showed a little restraint this time. I did buy a few things. I'll try to add pictures the next time. I still haven't unpacked my car.

Safari So Good

I'm just not a very good blogger. I guess I don't have the blogging gene.

I found this pattern in a Fons & Porter magazine, Kids Quilts Summer 2010 Issue. I just finished preparing the backing and the binding. I will send it to my longarm quilter this Thursday. What do you think? Is it too busy?

I'll be giving it to my sister. She is giving it to a nephew for his first birthday.

BAD, BAD, BUNNY

Sara surprised us by coming home for Easter this weekend. Really great to see her again. She made the Dean's List again at Ohio State University!
I have a friend who visted Coblentz's last week. She is the bad, bad bunny! While there, I received a text from her asking if I still did anything for Sara for Easter. I usually do something for her. Not so much chocolate anymore, but this year she picked out a new Vera Bradley handbag. Anyway, my friend had found a tube of toothpaste, and a toothbrush all made out of chocolate. Needless to say, she couldn't resist buying it for me. The pic below shows Sara with her "new" toothbrush and toothpaste.



Those of you that visit my blog know that she is in the Dental Hygiene program at OSU, so you can imagine the grin I got when I presented her with the "Bad Bunny" gift! I'd say Easter and Halloween are a Dental Hygienist's nightmare.
That's it for today.

Finished!

I finished the bridal quilt. Actually finished it about a week before I needed it. It just kept growing and growing and growing, so it ended up being a King size quilt. I'm not sure why my camera is taking such bad pictures lately, I may need to send it in and have them clean it.

Here's a pic of the finished quilt:



Sara is back from Panama City Beach, Florida. She spent a week there on spring break. Back to the ole grind today. She started classes this morning at 7:30 am. The good news is that she will be coming home for Easater! Can't wait to see her!

Time for bed now.

Quilt Finish

I've been busy today getting projects finished that have been laying around here far too long.

The picture below is a quilt I made for Charlotte's Garden. Not the best picture, but it went together quickly. A very simple disappearing nine patch.


I used up some fabric that has been in my sewing room quite awhile. Now just need to sew the blocks into rows. My final project was to put together a backing for another disappearing nine patch that will be used in a local quilt show.

That's it for today!

My Girl Boss & The Snowman Project

There really is a snowman bag in my future. I told the girls that I will be carrying my snowman bag even if it is July when I get it finished. So I'm posting pictures of the snowman bag, just not mine.



Below is a picture of my "girl" boss. She is so cute and young enough to be my daughter.


That's all for now. Hope you all had a great weekend!

edit: My girl boss is the one in pink!!

Amy Butler "Love" For Sale

So I know it's been awhile since I've posted. Life sometimes just get in the way of my playtime!

I do, however, have a great opportunity for someone. The quilt store where I work is trying to make room for the new collections that are coming in ... seems like daily! We are offering a 5 yard bundle of Amy Butler (five different prints) for $40.00 plus shipping. Most stores are selling this fabric for $8.99! Drop me a comment if you are interested.



Isn't it pretty!

There Is A Snowman In My Future!

Had a great day on Saturday. Several of my friends, and I got together for a "Sew In". We had so much fun. Four of us are making a Snowman Tote Bag....one of us was smart enough not to start one. Notice I said making, not finished. I spent about three hours cutting fabric (did that til 3 am), and then about three hours sewing that fabric back together. My small pieces are all sewn. I'll try to post pics tomorrow.

Home Sweet Home

So the snow stopped for a bit today. I took my camera outside and took a picture of the pines in the back and the front of our house. The front porch has three steps and they are completely buried!

Not much progress on the string quilt, only finished five more.

Progress?

So I've been working on my blocks. Kind of a mind numbing process. Doesn't really take a rocket scientist. So I went from a pile of strings to this:

And then this morning, I put them up on my design wall:

Forty two blocks done!

Here We Go!

So this is what my pile of strings look like. Now I just need to keep working on them. I'm now up to 43 blocks. This is what my mess looks like:



Do you think I'll make my deadline?

There's A Snowman In My Future!

NOT! I think I'll just sit here in the house and stay warm. We got about 15" of snow last night! Way too much for us. My husband can't even get the tractor out of our garage to plow the driveway. Seems like when I can leave the house, I don't want to...now that I can't get out, all I want to do is leave.

Should probably go to the sewing room and make a dent on the string blocks I need for a wedding gift. The bridal shower is March 23, and I only have 16 blocks made.



Here's a pic of the back of our property. You can't really tell how deep it is, but the snow looks so pretty hanging on the pines.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

Yep, she's home again, and yes, there was laundry involved in her arrival! I really don't mind. I like to do laundry.

She got home last night (Friday). I'm always excited to see her. This morning we went to get her bangs cut, then there was the trip to Wal-Mart. I never go on Saturday, but I didn't have much choice today. Tonight we went to see a movie, The Lovely Bones. Not sure it was a favorite of mine. I wanted it to end differently. Tomorrow we are heading north to the mall, where I'm sure she will hit me up for something! Monday a doctor's appointment for her and then by 2:30 pm, she should be on her way back to Columbus :(

I'm trying to finish three quilts. All they need are their bindings. I just can't seem to sit long enough to get them done.

Here's a picture of my lovely daughter on New Year's Eve:

Hope to have more quilt pictures for you later.