Monday, January 30, 2012

"Whew" Oh my stars!

Okay....got a few of the blocks finished for the Oh My Stars! Quilt Along I am participating in.  And as I was uploading the pictures to my facebook page, I realized I created three medium stars instead of two.  Grrrrr!!!! 
So....anyways, here they are.  One large block and three (instead of two) medium blocks.  I still need to make the 5 small ones.





Saturday, January 28, 2012

Good two days

Yesterday, my hubby came home from work a bit earlier then normal.  He suggested we go out of town (a 45 min drive) to have supper and do a bit of shopping.  Fun!  The kids enjoyed getting away and got to spend their money cards they got at Christmas time.  I go to pick up some fabric that I needed for some smaller projects for backing.
I think they look pretty and will go nicely with the projects I have in mind.  *smile*

Then today, we had out Souper Saturday Quilting Day with our quilt guild.  We brought goodies to eat and did a lot of sewing.  I didn't get a whole lot done because I was helping a newer quilter (she joined the group when I did) do the paper piece blocks that I suggested (the whole concept is in a couple of earlier blogs).

So....here's some pics of the ladies doing what they do if you are interested.  No pics of me, since I was the lady behind the camera.







These ladies are all teachers, retired teachers, or have worked in our school system in some way.  They are wonderful to be around and I always enjoy myself.   Can't wait for our next get together!!!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Geese in a Circle

Well....I did get into the sewing room this evening for a little bit.  Finished up two sections for the Geese in a Circle block mentioned in my previous blog.  The two sections with the red florals I made on Sunday and those two I plan to keep to add to my own project.  The other two purple/pastel floral sections will be the two I swap in Feb. with one of the ladies in my quilt guild and I will get two from someone else in the group.
When the swap is finished in May we should have traded 8 sections and made 8 sections to keep, which will result in 4 12" blocks when all is said and done.
Now, I am in no way a fan of florals really (although I have to say the red tones look lovely) but I am excited to see how it turns out and will be proud of the project when it is completed.
So....no more talking about the sections....here they are!
 Here's the two red sections.....they won't be matched up like this when the block is finished....they will be matched up more like the third picture, where they are across from one another (or they will just be mixed up at random with other sections.)
 Here is a single section.  The majority of the floral fabric is donationed from the ladies in the guild with me.  They took pity on the fact that I am a new quilter and have not gather a stash of florals as they have.  lol

Now....I realize these do not look that great together....but I wanted to show the idea of the block.  I really hope I can get some brighter/darker tones of florals when I swap the lighter/pastel purple sections.  (Does that make sense?????   LOL)


Speaking of not making sense.....How can a cat sleep this way????  At least she was comfortable enough not to wake up when I started snapping shots of her! 


Good night and happy Friday tomorrow!!!!

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Blah...

I really need to get my backside in gear and get back into the sewing room   I was doing sooooo good too, and then life happened and I haven't been back in it since Sunday.
Will show a little bit of what I did get accomplished on Sunday though, maybe a post of my pics will motivate me to get in there and get more done!
 Well....here is my friend's friendship star lap quilt I am making for her.  She knows about it but doesn't know what it looks like (the colors I am using and such).  I am really happy with it so far.  I have it pinned and I need to start free motion quilting it.  I think it will look great (or at least I hope it will....lol)


These two little sections are for my quilt guild block swap.  They are called Geese in a Circle.  We are using florals and will swap 2 sections and keep 2 sections in order to make a 12" block.  We will do this for 4 months so we will have a nice little wall hanging sized project by the time we are done.  I do have these two sections actually finished now, but I didn't get a pic.  Will try to get one later........IF I get into the sewing room tonight.  lol

Happy Wednesday.....and Hurry up Friday!

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Lovely lovlies!!!

So I want to start off by giving a very special thank you to Brandie.  Brandie is someone who contacted me because of my Pay it Forward blog, wishing me luck and when I replied saying how I hoped to make some new quilt friends because of it, she decided to be a super sweet, generous, lovely person and send me a little gift....not as a Pay it Forward, not because I asked but just because she wanted to.  And this last week I received said gift and what a gift it was.....here, take a look at the wonderful goodies she sent me.
I have to say, I've already used a little bit of the layer cake.....just lovely!

 Okay.....next I said I would show you all the new purchases I have made.  I am in love with most of the fabric I bought...a little bit of it was just to put in my stash.  So...here it is.  Will try to remember where I got it.

This is actually a total of three of the purchases....The top photo is of course "Outfoxed"...love it!  The second photo is to build my stash but I love the blues, greys, and oranges.  Some of all of it will be used for a couple of Pay it Forward gifts I have in mind.  These came from The Intrepid Thread on Etsy.  As a free little thank you gift, she included a couple 5" blocks in the packages, which I have already used in a guild project I am currently doing and which I mention again in this blog.



These are from the Busy Bee also on Etsy....these lovely fabrics aren't my style but my good friend will love them in her Pay it Forward gift.  Can't wait to get started on it.  *smile*


This was just stash building fabic, however I needed the white on white for a guild project I am doing.  These are from Seaside Quilt on Etsy.  She included as a thank you a seashell, saltwater taffy, and a little set to make a mugrug.

This is some stash building fabric as well however I needed the white on white for a guild project...lol....I wanted a little bit of variety.

So....that is it.  Lots of fabric.  I know I won't be buying anymore for awhile.....well, at least until next month.  lol

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Resolve to Sew 2012

I have decided to get into the sewing room more often.....okay, yes I've yet to actually do it, but the thought is there.  And with the new arrivals in my stash and the idea in my mind, I will have plenty to keep me busy.
So.....I am posting this blog for the Resolve to Sew 2012 giveaway.
I have several ideas....Of course finishing my Oh My Stars Quilt Along quilt.  I have my best friends friendship star to complete.  I really want to do a small hexies table mat (thanks to Brandie for donating a few to me to help me get started). 
What are some of your plans for the new year?

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Squishies

Two squishy packages in the mailbox on Tues when I got off work and two more today (Thur) when I arrived home.  Oh, beautiful fabric, how do I love thee, let me count the ways!!!  lol
I still have one more package to arrive, hope it will be here tomorrow and then I will get some pictures up of my wonderful, glorious, visually stimulating new purchases.  *smile*

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Etsy....do you love it??

I know I love Etsy....what a great place to browse and shop.  I can spend hours looking up things and buying!!!
I can not wait for the mass of fabric I ordered off of Etsy this weekend.  Did I need to order it??  Well...Yes, Yes I Did!!!!   LOL
I will post pics when it all comes in.  Can't wait for the squishy packages to start arriving!!!  Fun!!!!!!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Good Thing

Florals, florals everywhere.....Good thing I'm not allergic.  lol
Our guild is doing a block swap (as mentioned in previous blogs) and the theme will be florals which had me in a panic!!!!!
I don't have any florals, I don't buy florals for myself and I hadn't really been given too many florals since I started quilting last April.
Good Thing I have some awesome, sweet, generous ladies in my quilt guild.  Went over to one of their houses today, my daughter got to play with her grand daughter-who I use to babysit three or four years ago, while she and I looked through and cut up floral scraps for over an hour.  WOW, WOW, WOW....you should see the array of florals I now have here at my own home.  Very generous indeed.
I have also been told by another lady in my guild that she will bring me some of her scraps Monday at work. 
I love these ladies!!!
So, now I can begin my blocks, which is another good thing!

So.....I will leave you with some floral thoughts as I sign out for the evening. ( I just love lilacs)

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Follow Up (about earlier blog)

Here's a follow up on my Putting It Out There blog

The ladies in my quilt guild were really receptive to doing a block swap to kick off the new year.  I proposed the idea, sent around the table several block ideas for them to choose from and we came up with a plan.
We will be doing Geese in a Circle.  It's a paper piece project and we have to have four made sections to make one 12" block.  Our thoughts were for the next four months starting in the end of Feb., we would swap two matching sections and make 2 sections to keep for ourselves.   Then after 4 months we would have enough sections to make four 12" blocks. 
We decided to go with florals from our stash (they are going to help me out by donating some of their stash to me since my floral collection is pathetic....really can't wait until I am one of those quilters that can just "Okay, I have tons of that!!!"  lol) and also white or near white for the outer edges.

Should be tons of fun.  Will post pictures and progress as the block swap goes along.

On a side note......we had snow today.  Not much....but boy was it blowing everywhere with out 30 mile an hour wind gusts.  Not fun.  Hopefully tomorrow will be less windy!


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Pay It Forward!!! *smile*

Hello Fellow Bloggers,

 I read about this on Southern Transplant's blog.  I did this on my facebook site and have all my spots filled on there but would love to do this on here as well.   I hope you will play along!  Here are the rules: 

1. I’ll make something handmade for the first 3 people who comment on this post. What I make will be a surprise and will arrive to you when you least expect it. Doesn’t everyone love a surprise?

2. I have 365 days to make and deliver it to you. But there’s a little catch, to get a handmade giftie from me, you have to play too! This means you take the pledge to send something handmade to 3 of your blog readers. It doesn’t have to be a quilt, just something handmade! Easy right?

3. As stated in #2 you have to have a blog.

4. Once you comment here, you have to post about Pay it Forward on your blog and keep it going!

Friday, January 6, 2012

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Putting it out there

So....on here...on line....in blogland, I comment on the Fluffy Sheep Quilting blog that I would love to join a quilting bee online.  Haven't found one yet.   However I have decided to take a HUGE step and propose a quilting bee within my local quilt guild that I belong to.  Now, this is big for me.  First off, I'm the newbie in the quilt group.  Secondly, I am one of the youngest in the group and usually just sit and listen to the ladies stories, laugh along but I don't say much, I just enjoy the company.  Third, I am fairly new to quilting.  I did a little bit in high school in home ec. class in 1993.  That was it until April 2011 when I was asked if I wanted to be in the guild because I showed interest.  From there I just jumped in feet first and have been loving every minute of it since.  Soooo.....me proposing a quilting bee was gigantic for me.
The ladies who saw the post online where I proposed it (on the facebook site for the guild that I take care of...another huge step for me-offering to do that for the group) thought it was a great idea.  They had done some in the past but thought that this would be great to do right now to kick off the year and get them motivated to get back into the sewing room.
One of the ladies who saw the post and comment said she would love to help me out since I was a little worried about what to do, how to get started, when to talk to the ladies about it....and so on.  So, we have two options to present.  We will see if the ladies what to do a Quilt along were we use our own fabric, make our own blocks and just do the same blocks and post our progress.  The second choice will be a block exchange where we make one block a month and at the end of the month one person gets those blocks that were made just from our stashes and using the same pattern.  I really hope the ladies vote for the block exchange.  I don't have any blocks made by anyone else and don't have anything I've made for myself yet since I've just started.  I would love to have something pretty to put out on my furniture or hang up.  Also, we hope the group that wants to do this is rather small and with ladies that WILL complete the blocks on time....so, we will see what happens.
I will keep you all posted on my progress.....forging onward into a new adventure!!!!  LOL

Little foxy photo to send you off with a warm goodbye!!!