Thursday, March 31, 2011

Another Annie block done

I finished Annie block # 7 just in time. My next block arrived in the mail yesterday. LOL

Don't know why it looks so yellow-ish. Guess I should take these photos as the sun is coming up, huh? LOL

I so can't wait to get these done because they are going to be sooooooo stinkin' cute when they're put together!!!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Craft Pay it Forward

This year I'm participating in a craft pay-it-forward.

I've completed my first project and it's ready to send out, if I'll just get that done. lol

Anyway, this is going out to a friend that I worked with years (and years) ago.

It's a mug mat and I got the patttern from As Sweet as Cinnamon. She did her's in colors and, as you can see, I did mine in redwork.



Please ignore my Christmas mug. I'm still using them because I like the way they're shaped. LOL

Monday, March 28, 2011

Neglectful

I know I've been so neglectful of this blog. It's not that I don't want to update it with what's going on. I'm just so busy, and frankly on some days I'm just frazzled. My husband is a CPA and we own our own little two person accounting business......those two people being him and I. As you can probably guess, this is a very busy time for us as far as business goes. The kids just add to that. Here's an example of a week in the life outside of the office. I try to squeeze in crafting when I have the time (or energy). LOL

Anyway, I realized that I never did show my goodies from the brooch exchange that I participated in.

Here's the haul.....


Isn't this little cloud too cute?


I got a lot of cute brooches. It was a really fun swap. I like these that don't have too many rules, that way I don't worry so much about it. LOL

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Muscle cats.....

I'm doing another block of the month from Daisy Cottage Quilting. This one is cats through the months.

I fell in love with it because the cat just makes me laugh.

When I showed it to Dax he wasn't sure what to think. When I told him that it made me laugh because the cat is all muscled up like some body builder, he relaxed a little. I think he was afraid that I had gone horribly off course when I was tracing the pattern. LOL

These blocks are being made into little pillows each month. I had to fight this one away from my kids. And really, it matches my room better than theirs. Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

Anyway, after I finished the pillow and wrestled it away from my kids, I put it on my bed. I swear to you it wasn't on my bed for FIVE minutes before one of the dogs had gotten it and was laying on the floor chewing on it!! Luckily I caught him right away and was able to get it before any damage was done. But, he had already gotten one corner pretty slobbery. lol

Friday, March 18, 2011

Another Finish!!!

Woohoo!!! I got something else finished!  Maybe if I didn't have anything else to do for about ten years, and I didn't start anything new, I could finish up all of my ufo's. LOL

This was a mystery block from You Can Make This that I did quite awhile back. I'm talking like 2-3 years ago.





When I got the top finished, I wanted the back to be in a fabric with ice cream on it to kind of fit with the theme. It took me forever to find this fabric that I used. Now, of course, I can find all kinds of fabric with ice cream on it. Isn't that the way it always goes? That just might explain why some of us have a problem with hoarding fabric. lol

I didn't quilt it all over because I couldn't make up my mind on what to do. Instead I just tied it everywhere that the buttons are. One of my daughters went through a tin of my buttons and picked out the ones she liked and where they should go. That works for me. :0)

I also recently saw a post (somewhere that I can't remember now) and the quilter was talking about how much she loved doing rounded corners on her quilts. I like the look of them and decided to give it a try. I have to say that I agree with her!! I like this table runner so much more with the corners rounded. It changed the whole look of the piece. It's amazing how something so small like that can make such a difference.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I did get a little something done.


I made of few shamrock bowl fillers. They're made with felt and were super easy to make. 

The jar came from the thrift store. I think I'm going to paint the lid, but haven't decided for sure.

Anyway, when I was at the grocery store last weekend I was buying some spices from the bulk area. You know, where you get your own and weigh them. While I was looking for garlic powder, I came across a jar with catnip. Soooo, I bought a little baggie of catnip and made a shamrock for the cat too. She looooooves it!!

Cat toys are kind of pricey and with about 25 cents worth of stuff (if it was even that much) I made her a toy at home.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

More stitchin'

Okay, I've had these finished for awhile. I just kept forgetting to take a picture.





These are part of the doodle stitch-a-long over at Lark Crafts. I still have some other things to get stitched up. Well, if we're being honest here, I have a ton of things started that need to be completed. lol I need more hours in the day!! Do you think my kids would be willing to just sit around the house quietly while I get to play in my sewing room?

Aaahhh, I can dream, can't I?

Monday, March 14, 2011

Time's Up!!

Well, my time is up for my 101 things in 1001 days.

I guess I did okay with it.

For one thing, I couldn't even come up with 101 things. I don't know if that means I'm pathetic or if I'm just really content. I'm gonna' go with content. It sounds so much better. LOL

I managed to accomplish about half of the items on my list. Maybe a little more.

One of the things I had wanted to do was take the kids to visit 5 new states. Dax and I have a goal of visiting all 50 states together. Anyway, we managed to visit only 2 new states. But, last summer we did go on a cruise with my family and they got to visit a whole nother country. That counts for something right? Like, say, maybe 3 states?

There are several projects that were on my list that are in a state of being completed. I did at least start them.

For example. I want to make a quilt for each of my kids. I've actually made the quilt top for Abigail. However, with four 'too curious' kids at home, it's hard to find the time to spread it all out to pin for quilting without her knowing. I want it to be a surprise. I also bought the material to make a quilt for Kirsten. I actually bought it a couple of years ago. But, because they are always in my stuff (and I want it to be a surprise) I hid the fabric..........I still can't find it!! I'm telling you, when I hide something, it's hidden for good!

I have a table runner that I wanted to finish. I have the binding sewn 3/4 of the way on then I ran out of time that day (had to get to a soccer game) and haven't picked it back up to finish.

I'm glad of the things that I did get done, and I wrote the unfinished things in my notebook so that I don't forget about them. I still hope to get them done.

What I learned from this whole experience is that even though a 1001 days seems like a ton of time, it will pass you by quickly. My list (in theory) should have been easy to accomplish. But with four kids, a business, other projects that come along, and real life, it just didn't happen that way.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Little Birdie

I decided to do the Little Birdie BOM over at Little Miss Shabby.

Here's block #1


I decided to do something outside of my usual and chose these bright colors.

I tried to match my threads to the colors in my fabrics and I'm really liking the color combinations. It doesn't show in the pictures, but for the snow man and the snow flakes I used one strand of a pale blue and one strand of a pale blue DMC Effects thread. In the light it's got a little bit of shimmer to the snow that's really nice.

Once it's finished, though, I don't know what I'll do with it. My girls have already all said that they want it. LOL

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Quick and Easy

I just love making things that are quick and easy to put together.


At a party last month, I was talking with another lady that likes to sew and craft and she had these really cute coasters that she had made. As the conversation went on, she told me how she had made them. Last weekend I decided to give them a try and see if I could actually remember what she had said (thank margaritas.)


I was thrilled that I did remember, and it all worked out.


Can you see that they can be used two ways?


The bottom of the wine glass can actually fit into the coaster so that you don't have to hang onto it. How neat is that?

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Big whoop

Have you been to this new site? whoopdwhoop

It's a no cash, handmade trading area. You list things to trade and earn points for that, and then when you 'sell' it to someone else you also get points. You can then use your  points to request and item from someone else. It's almost like an ongoing craft swap, only you get to pick what you want. Win! Win!

Go check it out!

Oh, and when you get there, if you want to look without registering you can just click on the button that says 'browse all creations' and it will take you to what's listed.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Annie Block 6

I finished up my Annie BOM block #6. Just in time too, because my next block arrived in the mail last week.



Isn't she just adorable?