March wrap up, 30 and 200

Here’s what I accomplished in the month of March.

Finished the 3rd block in the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along. I pieced and quilted the Orange Joy gift quilt. I finished Mill House Best (February Schnibble project).I finished a tuffet (December schnibble project).I finished the 2nd and 3rd sets of blocks for the pinwheel quilt along.  

I think that just about does it!

Today also is a big day for me…in several ways.

1. It’s my birthday…and not just any birthday.  My 30th.
2. This is my 200th blog post.  And to celebrate, I think that there will be a giveaway in the very near future.  All I’m going to say is that it may or may not involve Sweetwater Designs.

the orange quilt

Here it is.

I know you’ve been on the edge of your seat waiting for it.

THE orange quilt.  I’m going to call it ORANGE JOY.

This quilt is a gift for my son’s teacher.  She’s very special to our family, and he wanted to give her something special.  He picked out each and every fabric that was used, and he also chose the placement for each and every piece.  It was made with 30s fabrics, with the exception of that orange one…

It is a pattern called Turning Twenty, and I’d definitely use it again.  If you have fabric that has big design that you don’t want to lose…this is a perfect pattern for it.

The back is an orange polka dot (from the big orange craft store…).

Because I only slightly procrastinated in the making of this quilt, it sort of a cheated finish.  I sewed the layers together inside out, and then turned it right side out.  I sewed 1/2 inch in from all the edges to create the hem/binding.  I then stitched in the ditch for the quilting.  Easy peasy.

Boy I really hope she likes orange.

3 out of 6

Good thing this isn’t a test, cause I’d have failed.

I’ve completed 3 of the 6 blocks for the pinwheel quilt along. I don’t anticipate catching up tomorrow with all of my goals that I had set out for the month.  I really don’t accomplish very many of them.  Oh well.

she said she liked orange

and for her sake i really hope that she does.

{recipient information has been withheld for privacy purposes…for now :)}

Fig Tree Club

Anyone out there still waiting on your 2nd Fig Tree Club installment?

I am.

I've called the place with whom I've signed up through...left two phone messages. No response.

I've emailed for sure once, maybe twice. No response.

I'm sad. I really wanted to get going on that runner for the spring/summer.

schnibble completed

Not the one for March, silly!  I haven’t even started that one!

SO funny story.  I cut out all of my fabric for the March schnibble.  I’m using Simple Abundance.  Yeah, you know…the really awesome fabric by Bonnie and Camille.  I was about to throw away the scraps…when I remembered this sweet tuffet that Carrie gave Camille.

I did what any good scrap saver/schnibbler would do.

I made one too.

Oh, and like I said I haven’t even used the fabric yet that these scraps came from.  I think that I’m more excited about this than the March schnibble.  Weird, I know.  Maybe if I start on it today it’ll still have a chance at being finished.

Please ignore the old lady/man hands in the photos.

Thank you.

the lesson for today is humility

Between being on Spring Break and going on the Houston Shop Hop all weekend (more on that later) it’s been a crazy week.  The first big event of the week was this:

Did you catch it in that picture?  And no I don’t mean the yucky stained old couch.  Look here:

Yeppers.  Jack is in a cast.  Honestly we don’t even know how he did it, cause there was never any episode of crying.  But needless to say, he has “nursemaid’s elbow” and the orthopedist and the pediatrician felt that casting him was the best option.  Two weeks in this stinky thing…

Fast forward to yesterday morning…picture me on the computer catching up on the 250+ blog posts that I was behind on reading.  I got to a blog for a precious blogger…whom shall remain nameless…and read about her problems in the PIF that she had participated in.  She had never received the items, and it had been over a year.

As I read her post, I got a sick feeling in my stomach.  I had done a PIF, a little over a year ago, and received a GORGEOUS gift from overseas, but I had never sent out my gifts to my 3 people as promised!  YIKES!  And, this sweet blogger was one of my recipients!  DOUBLE YIKES!!  I guess I sorta knew that I was behind but didn’t realize that I was past the deadline!  SO, I immediately contacted this stitcher, only to find out that she didn’t even know that she was one of my 3 people!  She was talking about another PIF!  Can you imagine!  Two PIFs and both givers had been delinquent! 

SO, I did what any good person would do and I IMMEDIATELY chose three prized stitched and finished smalls out of my collection to send to my three people who have been clearly waiting way to long.

If you know that you are one of the three people who should be receiving a PIF from me, you can look forward to one of these items arriving in your mailbox soon!  I’m headed to Mr. Postman today!

SO, even though that sweet blogger didn’t mean me, her post was clearly intended for me to read, because I needed to own up to that responsibility.  And hopefully, even though these items weren’t stitched specifically for each person, they were stitched with love and care by me.  I love them each so much I intended to keep them!  I think that the second 1/2 of this lesson I’m learning is that in order to make it right I need to fix it NOW and that means parting with some items that are precious to me.  I’m thrilled to know that they will be off to a new home where they will be enjoyed as well.

That’s it today peeps.  In closing, I want to remind all of us out there to keep up with our commitments.  It’s only fair to the others involved…

Thank you for the HUGE compliment!

Susan of A Work In Progress just awarded me with the Beautiful Blog Award.  I am SO surprised and honored!  I was particularly surprised when I showed up among some really amazing crafters…stitchers and quilters alike.  Her list included some people that I admire as well, so to be included among them…well…I’m blushing!  Thank you so much Susan!  You made my day!

Part of this award is telling you all 10 things about me that you may not know.  I don’t think that these things are common knowledge about me, so here goes:

1.  I am from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  I am a Cajun Girl.  I. CAN. COOK.  Like really good.  That probably has a lot to do with why I still am in a double digit pants size.  Also along these Louisiana lines…I will never be a Texan.  I live in Texas.  I married a Texan.  I had two little Texan baby boys.  I will never be a Texan.  Period.

2.  I danced for most of my life until college.  I was on the dance team in high school.  I won a huge trophy for being the “Drill Down Queen” at summer dance camp one year.  Don’t ask.

3.  My best friend from high school is still my best friend today.  I made her move cross-county to Texas to live near me, and she lived on my couch for 6 weeks until she found an apartment and a job.  At the time, I had a 5 week old baby who slept in my breakfast room because our apartment was only 700 sq. feet.  We’ve been through thick and thin, and that’s why she can never get rid of me.

4.  I have two boys.  Both of them were born on a Monday.

5.  I have danced in the Kansas City Royals’ baseball stadium.

6.  I love to sing.  I sing in church frequently.  It is part of what makes me me.

7.  I hate to run.  I think that even if I was being chased by a bear, I would not run away.  I mean, why postpone the inevitable…he’s gonna eat me anyway, right?

8.  If I had to choose only one food to eat for the rest of my life, it would without a doubt be Mexican food.  And by Mexican food, I mean anything that is ensconced in melted cheese.  Preferably with a side of margarita.

9.  I have small hole next to my left eye.  In the corner by the nose.  You know, in that little corner where you get eye boogers.  It’s tiny…about the size of an ear pierce hole.

10.  I really enjoy crime dramas.  Law and Orders, CSIs, Criminal Minds, Cold Case, Numbers, etc.  I. LOVE. THEM.  {my husband wanted me to write “really really really really really really really enjoy” but I think that you get the picture}

That’s about it.  I’m gonna be bad and break the award chain.  SO if you haven’t gotten an award, but you want to participate, consider yourself awarded.

a couple finishes

Yesterday I finished two things…one big one small.

The first is my February Schnibbles.  The pattern is Sunday Best.  I used Mill House Inn by Joanna Figueroa.  I’ve started calling this quilt Mill House Best.I took this picture outside as the sun was going down, so that’s why the colors look a bit off.

I am extra proud of this quilt, for many reasons.  One, it almost didn’t get finished.  It sort of became a thorn in my side last month, and sometimes when that happens, I put things away and they never get finished.  So, I’m proud of myself for actually finishing it.  Two, it is the first thing that I’ve made for MYSELF using Fig Tree fabrics.  I’m such a figgy groupie, and I’ve got fabrics from several lines, but this is the first one that I get to keep.  I’ll always have a special place in my heart for fig tree, as the Patisserie line was what got me into quilting last year.  Now there’s no turning back!

The second thing that I finished yesterday was the 2nd block for the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along.Again, please excuse the sunset lighting :)  I definitely owe you guys some better pictures of these two…

Jelly Roll Quilt Along

I jumped in and decided to work on the Jelly Roll quilt along hosted by Moose on the Porch.

Perfect project for the jelly roll that I got from my sister for Christmas.  It’s my fav…Glace!

Sunday project updates

First I would be remiss to not thank each and every one of you for your lovely comments about my momma’s stitching.  It is something that we enjoy together, and as I said, I’m so grateful for that.  She had fun reading the comments, and she even commented herself…I think that’s a FIRST on this blog!

This is my design wall today.My Sunday Best schnibble has looked like this since Feb. 15th ish.  I should probably finish it up and get it off the wall, ya think?!

I did do one of the two first week blocks for the pinwheel quilt-a-long. The other one is still in pieces on my dining room table.  Oh, and cause I know that there will be questions…this is using Essence by Sandy Gervais.

I also thought I’d show you my latest cross-stitching project. This is my start on Snow Garden by Blackbird Designs.  Gosh this pic is super light!

Here is the floss for this oneThe fabric that I’m using is 36 ct. Frosted Cafe by Sassy’s Fabbys, and the fibers are the Weeks and Gentle Arts recommended.  I love this fabric, and I actually had the EXACT right size needed to stitch this series of houses all on one fabric.  So…I think it’s a bit lighter than what was recommended by Barbara and Alma…but it’s going to work…

While taking pictures of the wall and the new stitching, I figured I’d take pics of the other things in my stitching bag…otherwise known as a parade of really pretty projects that REALLY need to be worked on and finished :)

First up is the first block for the Sweet Treats series by Country Cottage Needleworks. I just started this one a few weeks ago.  I felt like I needed a start…and this one is really easy on big fabric (28 ct.)

Next is the Travelling Stitcher by LHN.  Did I ever even mention that I’d put a few stitches in this one?

Peppermint Twist.  Not much done since the last update on this one…except for adding in the tree and branches in a couple of the blocks.I think that is my favorite part of this one right now.

Last, but not least…a blast from the past.  The Red Thread series, which I believe was my New Years Day start from 2008? and the whole thing…Each time I pull out this one…I really get motivated to work on it some more.  It’s so fun and whimsical.  It also is interesting to me how unique each of these projects are.  From different designers, different styles, different colors.  And I still enjoy each of them in different ways.

OK…off to do something productive :)

This is a post about cross stitching

I guess when I post about it so rarely it needs to be blatantly obvious :)

Also, ironically enough…this really isn’t a post about my cross stitching…but my mommas.

I was thinking about my momma a lot today.  And then I remembered these pictures. 

Momma sorta became famous-ish in the blogosphere last year after I posted a picture of her Quaker Virtues on the ol’ blog.  Well, this past weekend, while at momma’s house, I found myself noticing all of the cross stitched pieces around.  She’s got quite a collection.  And the one that started it all…

If she gets done what she wants to get done this year…she’s gonna run out of walls!

I do apologize for all of the crazy reflections and glare…I was going for now flash…as it represents truer colors…but that typically means lots of light, open windows, etc…which don’t always play nice with glass and frames.

I should also say that my momma does know me well.  She caught me walking around the house taking pictures of cross stitch…and asked me what I was doing :)

As if she really didn’t know :)

Love you momma.  I’m so glad that we can share this art together.

March CGGQC Goals

The last two months I have made goals, and not met all of them.  Let’s try this again :)

1.  Finish February Schnibbles (sunday best), and flimsy for March Schnibbles (roundabout).

2.  Put binding on these three that I just picked up from the quilter.

3.  Block 10 for the BOM (when it arrives)

4.  Start (and keep up!) with Rachel’s Pinwheel quilt-a-long…using this layer cake

I really also want to thank all of you out there…my readers.  The last couple of months have been so crazy, and it’s always so nice to throw up a post (LITERALLY!) and come back to see all of the lovely comments that are left.  Each and everyone of you encourage me…in ways that you may never fully know. 

So thank you for that.

And…here’s to a great month for sewing!

February CggQC Wrap-up

OK, well I’m a day late, but hopefully I can sneak this one in!  I just rolled into town last night after being at baby showers all weekend…so I’m POOPED!

Here’s what I finished this month…

1.  Siggy Blocks finished and mailed (and received!) by p.s.i quilt headquarters.

2.  Pieced, quilted and bound quilt for Susan’s shower.  I also made a little pillow with the scraps, but don’t know if I have a picture of that.  These are also the best pics I have of the quilt and pillow right now…finished at the last minute and had to throw it in the bag and run to the shower!

3.  Finished a stacking ring toy…also for shower gift.

4.  Finished block 9 for the BOM…

OK, I think that brings us to a close for this month.  I didn’t finish my schnibbles…just not enough hours this month!