Farewell February

February's finally finished! It ends on a high note each year as today is my first born's birthday. It's a 0 event, too. Happy 40th birthday, Kari! (I was a negative 12 when I gave birth.)

Look at the beautiful box of fabrics (22 fat quarters) and note cards I received from Debi! Seeing those pretty colors inside the box sure lifted my spirits.

Here's a picture of my CC quilt. If you enlarge the picture you can see the crazy curls pattern that was quilted in an allover design. I'm used to little quilts. This one seems huge, but I love it.

Jasper wanted to go outside today so I let him out the back door while I washed the dishes. In less than ten minutes, this is what I saw above my kitchen sink.

The Detroit Tigers played their first spring training game on Wednesday. I have Game Day Audio so I can hear the games online. It makes it feel closer to spring when I hear the announcers calling the balls and strikes.

Giveaway & CC Quilt

Elin is celebrating her two years of blogging with a giveaway. Click here to read all about it.

Can you believe my LA Quilter has finished my Carolina Crossroads top already? I am so happy with it. Will post a picture or two tomorrow. Just needs a binding and a label and it'll be in the finished pile!

Every time Jim gets down on the floor to do his stretching exercises, Annie immediately runs over and lays down, too. She thinks he is playing with her.

Stash Report 7 & 8

There's been some fabric purging in my sewing room. Good numbers to share, but there's lots more to bust.

Stash Report - Weeks 7 & 8

Fabric added this week: 5 yards
Fabric added year to date: 21.25 yards

Fabric used this week: 32.5 yards
Fabric used year to date: 60.25 yards

Net fabric busted 2009: 39 yards

Busy Week

Some days I feel busier than I did when the kids were little! Must be that I'm slowing down? No, that can't be it.

I made progress on my stitchery from Gail Pan by adding the borders that were listed on the pattern. Ready for March now. These are fun and fast to do.

Here's another arm chair sewing caddy from Helen's Hugs And Kisses blog pattern. I love how this makes up. This one I donated to my guild for their "Needful Things" table at our upcoming quilt show in March. If you will be mid-Michigan the end of March, you can get all of the details for our quilt show by clicking on the Piecemaker's Quilt Guild link on my sidebar.



Today was another first for me. I handed over my Carolina Crossroads quilt top (made from Bonnie Hunter's first online mystery) to a local LA quilter to be finished in time for the quilt show. She does wonderful work and comes highly recommended. I know I'll never get to finish all of the tops in my pile if I wait for me to quilt them. I added a small dark green border and then a six inch floral that I thought looked perfect with it.





















Since I didn't get a stash report done last week, I'll do a combined one this Sunday. I have added a few yards.....

Oh, and Debi emailed that I won her fq bundle! Can't wait to see them up close. Debi is the creator and organizer of the Fall Into Fall and Whirling Into Winter Giveaways.

Khris kindly nominated me for these blog awards for striving for excellence in my hobbies or quilting. Thank you, Khris.

Moda JellyRoll

Lynn is giving away a terrific Moda jellyroll. The drawing is the 19th, so click on over.

I'll be back soon......

I Met Kathy!

I received an email yesterday from Kathy saying she would be passing through my neck of the woods today and could we meet for lunch? How exciting! It was wonderful to meet her and she was able to browse and shop my LQS. We were able to enjoy lunch together before she had to move on to her next destination. (I hope it was another quilt shop) As much as I dislike posting a picture of me, I wanted to share Kathy and I at the shop. What a delightful person!

Stash Report 6, etc.

Stash Report - Week 6

Fabric added this week: .5
Fabric added year to date: 16.25 yards

Fabric used this week: 3.75 yards
Fabric used year to date: 27.75 yards

Net fabric busted: 11.50 yards

The stash busting is moving along very slowly, but at least it's going in the right direction.








I worked on the guild's mystery quilt and the Christmas BOM stitchery this week. Here you can see the container full of mystery 'parts' (please excuse the poor photo). The stitchery is also in progress. For some reason, I started with block two instead of one.

These two books have been added to my quilting and stitching library. I love the little patterns in Anni Downs book.

Here's a couple of giveaways I found today. Both are celebrating 100 posts on their blogs. Click on over and see what Nan and Vicki have posted.

Higher Education

It's never too late to learn so I've enrolled in a fabulous university. Our school colors are navy blue and burgundy and the school is Moda University! I need to catch up on the BOTM that were given out before I joined, er enrolled. At our next "class" I will be assigned to a sorority. I think this will be a great experience and lots of fun.

I finished the last of the 16 stitcheries from Bea at Capricorn Quilts. This was a very enjoyable BOM. Now I need to set the blocks.



It was Fantastic Friday at The Quilted Cottage and I was able to finish two more Valentine baskets. They are so addictive. We were each given a FQ of football fabric in honor of The Super Bowl. Wasn't that a great game?



Yesterday, I finally finished the cutting for the guild mystery quilt and began sewing a few segments of Step 2. I think the cutting took longer than the rest of the quilt. I have a few weeks to catch up before the final step is given out in March.

I'm way behind on reading my Bloglines, so maybe I can catch up tonight.

Stash Report 5

Stash Report - Week 5

Fabric added this week: 4.25 (I won ten FQs at guild)
Fabric added year to date: 15.75 yards

Fabric used this week: 3 yards
Fabric used year to date: 24 yards

Net fabric busted: 8.25 yards

Valentine Basket & Giveaway

I made this Valentine basket from the tutorial on Pink Penquin's blog. If I have time, I'd like to make up a few more from the new Valentine line I bought at the retreat.

Christine is having a giveaway and the drawing isn't until February 7th. Click on over to Once Upon a Quilt and read all about it.

I've been cutting and cutting trying to catch up on the mystery quilt from my guild. Maybe by tomorrow I'll be able to begin the sewing.

Jasper was too impatient to wait for us to open the new cat food bag. He took matters into his own teeth. Rip!

Giveaways

Click on over to Kim's and see her wonderful giveaway. Tell her I sent you.

Just found another one here. Click on over and see what Takako has posted for her giveaway.

Stash Report 4

Stash Report - Week 4

Fabric added this week: 0
Fabric added year to date: 11.5 yards

Fabric used this week: 0
Fabric used year to date: 21 yards

Net fabric busted: 9.5 yards

A Finish

With a week to spare, I have a finish for 2009! This carry all tote was made with a yard of tulip fabric I received at the September, 2008, guild meeting. It was concealed in a paper bag for The Ugly Fabric Challenge. I quilted the tulip fabric to a lining of red with white hearts like the outside pockets. I add the checked fabric because the tulip fabric wasn't large enough for my pattern. It is huge and will hold a ton of supplies or carry quite a few quilts. We were photographed with our "ugly" fabric and those pics were shown on a screen at this past Wednesday's meeting while we held our finished projects and told what we made. It was a lot of fun and there were quite of few participants. Our webmaster, Judy, should have pictures of the event on our website in a few days.

Addition: I have an incorrect link for this giveaway and can't remember where I saw it. Sorry... Anyone know a Corinne who is hosting a giveaway?
There's still time to enter this giveaway from Corinne.

Sniff, sniff & Stash Report 3

It seems like everyone has a cold and I hate to feel left out. Since the weather outside has been frigid, I don't mind staying in as much. I've worked on my bonus stitcheries from Bea's BOM. I also did the stitching for another armchair caddy that Helen designed.


At the retreat last week-end, I worked on another DNP quilt for the UGRR and spent way too much time on two challenges that both involved ugly fabric. Shirley at the next table started giving me her cut off triangles and the pile grew to something I thought I could use to make a little fabric basket. The half square triangles finish at one inch. Before we left for home, I gave it to her to remind her that little scraps can be used to make something.


Here's my stash report for Week 3

Fabric added this week: 2 yards
Fabric added year to date: 11.5 yards

Fabric used this week: 16.5 yards
Fabric used year to date: 21 yards

Net fabric busted: 9.5 yards!!!!!!

Whirl Into Winter Winner

That was a lot of comments! I wanted to reply to each of you, but there were more names than I had time. That's a good thing. I appreciate all of your comments and hope you'll come back again. Now for the winner of the spools pattern and fabric - Judy S. If you will contact me with your snail mail address, I'll get your package in the mail. I hope you will enjoy making the wallhanging. Thanks to Debi for organizing this giveaway and to all of the other bloggers who participated. It was fun.

Stash Report - 2

Just returned yesterday from a wonderful retreat at The Springs in Gladwin. This one was also sponsored by my LQS, The Quilted Cottage. So I made a few purchases, but I'm using fabric, too.

Fabric added this week: 9.5 yards
Fabric added year to date: 9.5 yards
Fabric used this week: 4.5 yards
Fabric used year to date: 4.5 yards
Net fabric busted: -5 yards

I Love Challenges & Stash Report

I love challenges, at least the signing up part. May Britt and Kris have issued a challenge to finish one UFO each month in 2009. This has to be a win-win situation even if I don't succeed every month. I've been digging through my stuff looking for some quick finishes to boost my spirits. Then I realized that I have an ugly fabric challenge due for guild this month (haven't started), another ugly fabric challenge with a group of friends due in April, a challenge to duplicate an antique baby quilt due in April and a new round robin due in February! Challenged, for sure.

Stash Report - Week 1, 2009 -
Fabric bought - 0 Yards
Fabric used - 0 Yards

Be sure to sign up for the Whirl into Winter giveaway here.

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway

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Find the winner on this post.

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Happy New Year! I signed up for the Whirl Into Winter Giveaway, although it sure feels like winter has been 'in' for some time. I have a pattern for a spool wallhanging called "folksy spools" and will include one yard of fabric with spools on it that you may choose to use for the borders. The quilt finishes at 39" square and would look really cute in your sewing room. You must have an email where I can reach you and the sign-up will begin at my midnight, EST, January 1, 2009. On January 15th, someone in the comment section who has an email will be chosen to receive the pattern and fabric. There are no mailing restrictions. Debi, who is organizing this event, reports at least 60 bloggers participating. Be sure to visit them and leave a comment.

SSCS Gift Sent

The clock is ticking down and soon 2008 will be a memory. It flew by so quickly! I need to step up my game for next year or I'll never get those UFOs into a finished pile.

This is the gift I sent to Peg from Happy in Quilting. It was one of the first patterns I purchased years ago when I began quilting, but I had never made it. How many can relate to that statement? After making the mini log cabins for the Broken Star top, I was in the mood for more. This pattern has always remained in my favorite pile 'to do someday' so I began. I really enjoyed making this and maybe the next one will be for me. Thanks to Peg for letting me borrow her pics as they turned out better than mine did.

When all of the presents were opened and the tree skirt was clear again, Jasper couldn't wait to claim it as his holiday bed. Annie didn't really pay much attention to the tree, but was always looking for attention.




This afternoon I have a dental appointment for a crown prep. Not my idea of a fun time.

The raffle quilt for our guild is at my house and I will quilt on that when I get home. I signed up for the Whirl into Winter give-away. I will post more about that on January 1st.

I'm enjoying seeing all of the wonderful gifts that were sent for Chooky's SSCS this year. She is featuring them in several posts on her blog.

And the Lions made history yesterday going 0-16 for the season! What a sad year for the team and the fans. I heard that Marinelli is now history as the coach, also.

SSCS Gift

I made it this year! I set my package aside when it arrived all the way from Australia and didn't open the gifts until Christmas. Look what was inside! Kris of Life at Rosemary Hill sent lots of Cadbury Chocolates to accompany this wonderful striped bag with an inside zipper. Kris also made lovely co-ordinates - a zippered pouch bag, an eyeglass holder and a little drawstring bag. The fabrics are wonderful and everything is so well made. Thank you, Kris and thank you, again, to Donna for hosting and coordinating this swap. It's a huge undertaking and she does a terrific job of it!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends!

BOM, Snow & Christmas

I really enjoyed the cute stitchery BOM that Bea at Capricorn Quilts so generously shared on her blog during the year. This is my block for December. I have stitched each month, but have two bonus blocks yet to do.


Last Saturday I made this bag and tag at my LQS, based on Abby's Treasure Bag pattern. What a fun afternoon and I came home with a finished project! I will definitely make more of these.

Today was a snow day for many workers in the area and almost all of the school children. It snowed and blowed and more is expected. Our neighbor came home from work early and couldn't find her driveway. She did unfortunately, find the ditch between our driveways. Thankfully, she wasn't hurt, but her new car has some bumper damage. This picture was taken inside my house looking through the window as the wrecker driver worked to get her car out.


My SSCS package is still tucked safely away, but the days are getting fewer until I can open it. Wonder if we will get our tree up tomorrow? Will the presents get wrapped? How about some cookies in the oven? Yes, there's still plenty to do, but I'm trying not to stress about it.

Christmas gifts & Ian Update

Yesterday was our Bee day at Jane's house. We always have a fun afternoon when we get together. Jane made a delicious chocolate pudding cake that she served still warm from the oven (we had seconds) and a cute little purse for carrying credit cards using fabric with little bees on it. Connie gave us each a card with Santa busily finishing a quilt while using Rudolph's antlers to organize his tools, and a Snowman box that held a set of Snowman salt and pepper shakers. Mary finished the cross stitching on Aunt Ruth's last project for us. Aunt Ruth never had UFOs and was working on these gifts when she died in May. She would be so happy to know that Mary not only completed the pieces, but also made us Aunt Ruth's delicious molasses cookies in the shape of thread spools. I made cross stitch ornaments for each of the girls and gave them a Quilter's Chocolate tin (dark chocolate).




Today the mail brought a wonderful surprise all the way from Brazil. Beth made me a wonderful tea cozy. She also sent several fabrics and a bracelet made from the leaf of a palm tree called 'Buriti' from the Amazon. Isn't it beautiful? Beth was one of people who signed up for my PIF last year. She also has a gorgeous cat, named Bilbo, that could be Jasper's twin.

Ian saw the eye doctor and trauma specialist yesterday. He was given good reports from both doctors. He does have some nerve damage, but it shouldn't be permanent. He can now sing, play his trombone and practice free throw shots for basketball. No scrimmages, though. Thank you to all who sent good wishes for Ian.

SSCS Package & Bee Sew Whimsical Swap

My Christmas card and ornament package from the Bee Sew Whimsical Honeypot Christmas swap has arrived. Isn't this a cute angel? It has wonderful blanket stitching all around. Thank you very much, Sharon (no blog).

My card and ornament were mailed without me taking a photo. I hope the recipient will share one when she gets it.

This morning a package with a SSCS Alert came all the way from Australia. I haven't opened it and will try to be good.

Kari called this morning to tell us that our 11 year old grandson, Ian, fell at school yesterday and broke three bones in his face (tripod fracture). He can't sing in choir, play sports, play his trombone, or even blow his nose. He needs to see a pediatric facial trauma specialist next week and the eye doctor. He also has one good black eye. Being a trooper, he commented to his mom, "I can still use the computer!"

Swaps

My first two swaps have been sent out with one being received. Lorraine was my recipient for the Polka Dot & Rick Rack swap. I made her a project bag with pet screen and made the rick rack with polka dot fabric. Lorraine loves to stitch so I sent a collection of DMC variegated floss and a thimble note pad.
My package for the SSCS was mailed on November 26th, but it has a long way to go. I hope it has a safe trip.

The last two pictures are the DNP tops that I made at the DJ Retreat in Shipshewana. Wednesday I will take them to UGRR sewing and they will be layered, birthed and tied.