Egg-cited!!!

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks it has been.  Got my taxes paid (with only a couple of days to spare), survived annual inventory at work, and hosted an Easter egg hunt for Hannah's class.  The egg hunt was awesome.  We had 300+ eggs scattered in our yard along with 3 huge (football-basketball size) prize eggs.  Now we intentionally let the mowing go an extra couple of days to help with the hiding, but I was slightly embarrassed when I saw a little girl pick up a prize egg that was completely hidden in a extra tall patch of grass.  Should also be fun to see just how many dandelions pop up in the coming weeks, thanks to all the kiddos scattering those puff seeds!

Kentucky Quilt - UFO #2

edge before squaring

On the quilting front, I got my Kentucky quilt back from Miss Debbie, and she did a fabulous job binding it for me.  I also made some head way on what I'm calling my "rehab" quilt (simply because in was in desperate need of a little TLC).  The edges were so off kilter that I had to employ my husband and his lazor level to straighten them out.  After adding a couple sashing rounds it still is quite wonky in the middle, but I'm hoping to eventually quilt it into complete submission.

The "Rehab" quilt

Have I mentioned my baby is turning 6 in just over a week?  And graduating from kindergarten in 4 weeks? It just doesn't seem possible.  But I must say, she does have some very interesting things coming up with school.  One of which involves this old pair of retired jeans and yarn.  I'll leave you guessing for now, and only hope the finished product looks as good as I'm imagining!! (here's an extra hint - I need to buy some brown fleece to complete the project)

school project

Catching up!

Wow, I cannot believe that April is already half gone!  March was super busy and just seem to drag on and on, but I've gotten a break this month and time is simply flying.  No fair, but I guess such is life.  Even though April maybe a little slower paced, it is not with out some noteable highlights....

Happy Birthday Katelyn!

My little girl turned 3!  I just cannot believe that Kate is so big already.  She has brought me loads of fun, and even brought quilting into my life.  While pregnant with her my mom's friend Leona convinced my mom she needed to take a quilting class who convinced me I needed to join her.  I was able to learn enough to complete my first quilt just days before she was to be born, and I was lucky enough to have my Granny Alice and her sister Jewel quilt it for me/her.

Kate's crib quilt

UFO Challenge update:

I'm beginning to think this challenge for me should be "how to stay focused".  Each month a number is drawn out of a hat, and the corresponding quilt is to be my project for the month.  For whatever reason I'm having a very hard time with this.  When the number for January was drawn, I sighed because that just wasn't what I wanted to work on at that time.  So, I gave the project a half hearted go and ended up not finishing what should have been a very simple project.  Two quilts on my list only needed to be bound, but again I just wasn't into it and ended up paying Ms. Debbie to bind them for me (totally cheating I know).  Now that we are half way through April, I have resolved myself to just finish something!

Project Linus - Boy

While going through my sewing closet I came across a large stack of flannel squares that I had cut last year to make a fringe quilt for Project Linus.  This is a fabulous organization, and there is a local chapter of "blanketeers" at my favorite quilt shop (Paula's Quilting Pantry).  Knowing that this was an easy project to complete, and that it was for a great cause this became my April project (it wasn't even on my list).  In fact I had enough squares already to cut to complete 2 blankets.  Just goes to show that you never know what you will find in the back of a closet!!!

Project Linus - girl

"just say NO...."

I survived!!!  So glad to be home after a weekend away at my daughter's final dance competition.  What is it about being away for a few days that makes being home so much sweeter?  My girls were so excited at the start of the weekend with the idea of going away, getting to ride in an elevator, and playing with friends.  Of course, by the time we got there Katelyn was ready to go home after one trip up the elevator! 

My Beautiful Dancer!



This leads me to ask the question, "why is it so hard to 'just say no'?".  I always find it awkward to tell the sales clerk at the register in the mall "no thanks" when they ask for either my phone number, email address or zip code.  Seriously, who needs anymore junk mail (real or virtual).  Or when your child's dance teacher asks if your daughter can join a travelling dance team because she thinks she is a good dancer.  Or when a co-worker asks could you please cover a shift for them.  Or when your Grandmother asks if you want some chocolate pie (bring on the drawstring pants).  Or when coming accross some pretty fabric, a new pattern book, or the coolest new gadgit/gizmo.  And, of course, who can resist buying fictional novels about quilting at a going out of business sale?




New books!!  Love the name of the far right pattern book.



Sometimes it's just easier to say "ok" I guess.  I find that when I say "no" the other person looks at me as if I need to give a big explanation as to why not (especially the young girl behind the register who does not know how to proceed without the afore mentioned info).  Since beginning the UFO challege I have acquired more projects than I have finished.  In fact the only 2 projects that have been completed thus far were completed by someone else (thanks again to Debbie for binding my quilts)!  So while for the moment I stand resolved to never again get myself into the perdiciment called "March Madness" again, I also know that it is best to "never say never".





UFO update:

My Granny Alice brought over the quilt below a couple of weeks ago because she needed a "little help".   This quilt had been started by a friend of hers that had passed away a few years back, and she thouhgt she could finish it herself.  I was pulled in because she could not figure out what size squares she needed to cut to finish the 9-patches and solid blocks.  Out come the rulers, and once the sizes are determined I am asked to go ahead and cut them out from the fabric she just happened to bring with her.  "OK", I say, "but it will be tomorrow".  "No problem", Grany replies.  The next day, "Granny, I got your pieces ready to go."  Then Granny says, "Well why don't you just finish it, I don't think I can".  Can you say "sucker" :-D.    



New UFO I was suckered into completing



in bad need of some TLC

As you can see from the picture below, not much progress was made on March's UFO.  Normally it would be no big deal, I mean it's a UFO and it's been sitting around for a while already, what's a few more weeks/months/years?  Except this is the quilt I intend to give my baby sister as a wedding gift.  Good thing the wedding isn't until October!



March UFO - safe and sound





Finally, some progress.....

Yea!  I'm so excited to finally have some completed projects around my house.  Some of these I didn't think would ever get completed, but persistence has finally paid off. 

T-shirt quilt to be quilted - check

Baby afghan with matching hat - check

Apron for local bakery owner to wear to events - check

Sunflower quilt bound (thanks to Debbie)- check



pay no attention to that woman behind the apron :-D



It feels so good to be able to check things off a to do list.  I think the added pressure of most of these projects being for others and not myself got to me a bit.  When it's something for myself, no big deal it doesn't have to be picture perfect.  Proof of this is easy to see in the sunflower quilt.  This quilt by far has been then largest project I've attempted.  I was so proud of myself, until I took it to Paula's Quilt Pantry to be bound only to find (as I was showing it off) that I'd missed the center of one of the sunflowers when I was quilting!  ( I seem to remember reading somewhere that "perfect" quilts were bad luck)  Needless to say, we had a good laugh over it.  But if that had been something I was doing for someone else....I think I would have croaked.

empty sunflower :-/

Looking froward to March it will definitely be full of "madness".  We have 3 dance competitions (one of which will include an overnight stay), my husband's birthday, my Granny Betty's 90th birthday party, and my sister Amy and daughter Katelyn have birthdays the first of April.  Not to mention all the other UFO's that need some attention.  So in a couple of weeks we'll start dancing and partying every weekend, but for now I will bask in some laziness before the next round begins!

Sad, but happy....

Patsy's quilts

On Thursday night I lost my Great Aunt Patsy.  She was such a wonderful person and crafter.  My Granny Alice taught me some basics of crochet when I was a young girl, but Aunt Patsy taught me how to read patterns and thus opened the world of crochet to me.  Aunt Patsy was always making something for someone.  Sometimes she sold them and other times she gave them away.  It always amazed me at the things she would come up with to make, what a truly creative person she was.  Like myself she liked the "figuring it out" part of any project.  Once when we were at a baby shower and an afghan was opened, we both were first to say pass that over here so we can see how it's made. 



my baby blanket(left) - Hannah's baby blanket(right)



Aunt Patsy was always full of spunk, and rarely hesitated to say what was on her mind.  Last year I got the opportunity to take both Aunt Patsy and Granny Alice to a UK basketball game at Rupp Arena.  We were even fortunate to get lower arena seats.  If you've never been the opening lineup announcement is quite theatrical with spot lights and fireworks.  After the players are announced the student section is introduced as the "sixth man" for UK.  This is a group of students who get to sit behind the ball goal, and is referred to as "The Eruption Zone".  I almost lost it when Aunt Patsy leaned over to my baby sister and asked, "Did he just say 'erection zone'?"  (Poor Amy)

doily made by Patsy

She suffered many ailments toward the end, but she found comfort in Isaiah 40:31;  "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and be not weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  What a wonderful promise that she is enjoying right now!  She left behind quite a legacy, both as a person and crafter.  I will always cherish all of the projects I got from her, and will looking forward to seeing her again someday!



Great Aunt Patsy and Granny Alice (left to right)



It' groundhog day!!!!!



UFO #6



Well it's groundhog day, and I'm feeling a bit like Bill Murray. The past couple of weeks seem like part of a wild dream. I joined the UFO challenge as a way to motivate myself to finish all of these projects I've got laying around the house(literally), but instead I seem to have even more projects popping up. So far for the month of January I was to complete a table runner, but instead I've crocheted baby hats, agreed to crochet a baby afghan (with matching hat), quilt a t-shirt quilt, and make aprons for a girl's bakery when they vendor!



apron fabric



Needless to say my UFO project for January did not get 100% finished, but it did get some much needed attention.  The deadline was 1/31, but I'm going to give it until the end of the week.  My work schedule is nice in that every 3rd weekend I work Sat and Sun, which then gives me the rest of the week off (woo hoo!! 7 days off in a row).  It's like being on vacation every third week!  So I have dubbed these "vacation" weeks as crafting weeks.  Hopefully this week I can catch back up and even finish a project (or two)!!!



0But alas, besides these projects there are of course all the little nuances that pop up called life. Things like my dad's 18 year old truck getting stolen right out of his driveway. That thing was like a part of the family. So, when it was found completely torched we almost feel as though we needed to have a funeral. Then of course with 3 kiddos if 1 gets sick odds are there will be more sickness to follow (they are so very good at sharing the good stuff like flu and strep germs)! Poor planning on my part...can you say grocery store, first of the month, during a winter weather advisory.  Good times for all.  And don't even get me started on this weather! At first it was nice and pretty, but know it's just annoying. With a 4 month old you kinda feel like a prisoner in your own home because you don't want to expose them to the harsh temperatures, rain/snow, gusting winter winds, or germs of all shapes and sizes!!!



baby afghan



But, with all the craziness aside I have even more to be thankful for everyday. Another self issued challenge is to read my Bible thru from cover to cover.  My dear, sweet husband got me an iPod for Christmas to which I can down load music, games, and all kids of apps.  While browsing the app store at the beginning of January I found a Bible reader app, and since it was free had no reason not to download it to my iPod.  I don't get to read as much as it recommends everyday, but what I do get to read has proven to be very encouraging and uplifting.  So here's hoping ol' Puxatawny Phil is right and spring will make an early arrival. Just can't wait to see what will "hatch" next!?!?!?

"I got distracted"

So the UFO challenge has officially begun!!   The lucky winner that will get my undivided attention for January is project #6, wedding ring table runner.  This should be easy enough because it is already pieced, not to mention the fact that I completed one just like it 2 years ago.  Also the fact that it is small and will serve a very useful purpose of covering the unsightly blemish on my dining table (note to others-do not leave plug in air fresheners on the table because they will leak and strip the varnish off).  So far I've pulled it out of the closet and reacquainted myself with the beautiful reproduction civil war prints and.... that's as far as I've gotten :( 

You see the problem is I got "distracted"......

Any time I give one of my girls a chore to do I almost always have to go back and ask why the chore isn't finished yet.  The response is, "I got distracted.". That has definitely happened to me this past week.  My Great Aunt Patsy is currently in the nursing home after suffering what appears to have been a double stroke at the end of the summer.  She has only recently went to stay at the nursing home to better facilitate her rehab (she cannot move from the waist down).  To help pass the time she asked for some crochet patterns, so I was asked to help find a pattern or two for infant/small child hats.  Something that would be easy and go together quick.  Needless to say, I just couldn't resist trying the patterns out myself, hence the distraction. 

My hope is that once the "new" wears off, and I make a hat for everyone I know having babies in the near future (~6)  I'll be able to focus on my UFO and complete it!

To Do 2011.....











Sunflower quilt - to bind



For the first time in several years I am going to make some "New Years Resolutions".  I've been following Mary Lou and her Cheaper than Therapy Quilting blog for almost a year now and continue to be inspired by her.  Not only does she inspire me to quilt, but her devotional messages inspire my soul.  So thanks to her inspiration I have decided to 1-create a blog, and 2-participate in Judy at Patchwork Times UFO challenge 2011.  I'm hoping that with Mary Lou's continued inspiration and Judy's challenge to finish my projects that 2011 will be a productive year!



jellyroll - still planning





Pretzel party - connect the pretzels



So here is my "To Do" list.....

1. Bind "Kentucky" quilt

2. Bind "Sunflower" quilt

3. "Pretzel Party"

4. "Civil War Crossings"

5. country wall hanging - finish quilting

6. wedding ring table runner - quilt

7. Shelley's quilt

8. Dutch girl quilt for Leann

9. "Morning Glory"

10.  Amy's wedding quilt

11 & 12.  Jellyroll "2 from 1"



civil war crossings



This is quite an ambitious list for me, and maybe I'll complete them and maybe I won't.  Whether or not I will accomplish something (or at least make some progress), only time will tell but I'm definitely looking forward to the challenge ahead :-D