Friday, January 30, 2009

January Happenings

Quilt group was this week. I know I showed this JOY pillow last post, but this picture has a couple of friends from quilt group in the background, so I want you to meet my blonde friend, Lenette. She'll love that I've put this here. Robin is there too, she is fairly new to the group and fun to have. There's is definitely a chill in the air around here, you can see I'm holding the pillow... I still had my coat on. Which reminds me, out running this week, yes, chilly, Tuesday was 11 degrees at 6:00 a.m.! {I've beefed up my running attire by adding a thick fleece jacket and a Nike beanie under the ear band.}

I'm real pleased with these two quilt blocks I made for Kathi in quilt group. She just happens to be our leader. She outlined for us what she would like, we brought our blocks that we made for her to our meeting this week. I think these are very cute. If you'd like to see the show and tell at our meeting click here: Material Girls Idaho









This red white and blue flimsy is FINALLY done! I purchased this pattern about 5 years ago. As I was sewing away on it, getting ready to put the strips onto the stars, things weren't matching up. I pondered and pondered, coming to the conclusion that what I was trying to do was impossible and that the pattern must be wrong! ugh! I called the girl that designed and wrote the pattern, she didn't know it was wrong, so very very off.... the cutting measurements~ way way off. I asked her, "Am I the first person to notice this? and call you???" Yes. She sent me some money to compensate for the fabric, but there went all that TIME! I'm glad the thing is done. I do still like it. Anyone wanna borrow a pattern???:) j.k.

This quilt is Bloom by Thimbleblossoms. I purchased it as a kit in the Quilt Shoppe in Rigby, Idaho! (It was on sale!) Nancy and I worked on the top together, she did the embroidery and applique, I did the piecing. It is all quilted now ~ I should be binding it RIGHT NOW, but I'm typing! The fabric for this quilt is the Allspice Tapestry line by Moda.This is Nancy's birthday gift(she already knows) for her 25th coming up in May!

Sure feels good getting several 'works in progress' completed these last few months! BUT that doesn't mean I haven't started anything new, or haven't bought any new fabric...ahem. I've been going crazy on the Spiderweb star blocks with scraps, mmmm fun AND I've been playing with Paintbox Quilt blocks. I'm finding it a little challenging to track down solids and a monochromatic that MATCH!!! It will be a very gradual project.
I traveled across Idaho to see all of my siblings and parents a couple of weeks ago. That's what I have to do everytime I want to see loved ones, drive across the width of Idaho, the big width, not the narrow width. However, it was worth it! Here are a couple of pictures of us 5 kids, I guess we're still kids. I thoroughly love being with my siblings, there is a definite connection felt everytime. I wish we could hang out with each other once a month. They are so great.
My sister Karen, me, my eldest brother Doug who lives in Colorado and Kurt who lives in Utah.
Younger brother Mike who lives in Rigby Idaho! Brettster and Doug.
Take Care~~~

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Christmas~New and Different

Don't you just miss Christmas? I sure do. The glorious time went by way way too fast. Several years ago we simplified Christmas. Even though at the time, we only had 2 children, I just felt too busy and tired. My guy decided that we didn't have to attend every event we received invitations for, in the evenings; I decided not to send Christmas cards; homemade goodie plates for friends and neighbors were time consuming and costly. By the time I got cookies rolled cut and frosted, fudge fudged and nuts roasted, I was exhausted. Delivering them was my guy's least favorite thing to do, so of course I didn't have support on that...eventually, we simplified Christmas! These were good moves. As the girls got older, I always had their help, that was a very good part of celebrating. Now when they come home, they bring their guys, that doubles the pleasure and the help! Yeah! We even have time to do a little sewing.









I spotted this "JOY!" pillow last year at a commercial Christmas shop, promptly took a picture of it with my cell phone and proceeded to make a replica of it. I completed it before Christmas! Making covered buttons makes me giddy. The pillow in the store had a darling edging of feathery boa like trim, I was not able to find anything like that in the stores, so I just went with red rick rack. Not having a pattern to work from, this was a careful as you go/methodical project. I was pleased that it worked out!
Simplifying Christmas offers opportunities for new and different. I love love love cake plates. The one pictured here didn't hold a cake this year, but I had a spur of the moment decorating idea: put those old vintage tree ornaments in the lid! It was new and different! I wanted to have a few unique and unknown items around when the couples came home. I accomplished that without spilling the beans and showing any sneak peeks. Another new and different was name cards at the table for our meals. Jacquie at TallgrassPrairieStudio inspired me on that one.
Take Care.

Book and Apron Giveaway!!!

IF you are so inclined, go over to this fun blog and enter the giveaway!!!!
She is offering~~~Two great things that we women love~
http://notquitejunecleaver.wordpress.com (wordpress not typepad)
I've had the Blogging Lazies, but I'll be back to show what I've been doing.
Take Care.