Postcard #11

This postcard represents number 4 in the Continent Series. The continent being Australia. The dashes are done with pigma pen...no embroidery this time. Next up is Europe. I don't think I can come up with an animal that will aptly represent that continent, so I think I will opt for something else.

Lottery

My postcard group has a monthly lottery. Here is my entry for November. This has been a very productive weekend. Also in the "done" column are 45 name tags for my guild's Christmas party!

Postcard #10

Postcard number 10, and the swap is leaves (or in this case, leaf). I seem to remember seeing a quilt pattern with this type of construction and I liked the look. The variegated thread was something I actually had on hand. Wahoo, a chance to use some stash.

Postcard #9

This was the perfect postcard swap. I don't know who comes up with the themes, but this one came at just the right time. The theme was pink and brown. Last month I made a quilt with those exact colors. The postcards were made with leftover scraps from that quilt. Just to personalize them a bit, I sewed each swappers name onto one of the strips in their postcard. What's the best thing about this swap? I used stash!

Christmas Party Name Tag

I am on the Christmas party committee for my quilt guild. This is going to be the name tag for this years party. Attendees will write their names in the middle, cream strip. Some will have green ribbons, others will have red. Truth be known, this was a bit tricky to execute. I knew what I wanted, but I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I ended up using a technique similar to paper piecing by drawing the design on Peltex and sewing the fabric from the opposite side. I cut out the ornament shape after everything was fused into place.

Postcard #8

This is postcard #3 in the continent series. The continent is Asia, represented by the Asian elephant.

Postcard #7

This is the second postcard in the Continent Series. The continent being Antarctica. The huge snowflake is a plastic embellishment that I glued on.

Postcard #6

The swap is kaffee klatsch. This is a cut from a panel. Just to jazz it up a bit, I added transparent glitter to the steam/foam of the coffee cup. You can't see it because no matter how I photographed it, my camera couldn't pick up the effect.

Forgotten Postcard

I have been so busy, I forgot about this postcard from last week.

More Postcards

Another postcard swap done. Angels, obviously.

Africa Swap

This is a postcard I made for a swap at Artsnthemail. The theme is Africa. The group is doing a 7 continent swap and this is the first in the series. I know you can't tell from this picture, but my giraffe has a tail and mane made of yarn. I am trying to work with a different embellishment technique each time I make a set of cards. I have been getting some really terrific postcards in the mail from this group, so it has been a real pleasure to participate.

Halloween Card

This is the Halloween card for this year. I'm just squeeking it in under the wire.

Chocolate and Cotton Candy

This is what has been keeping me busy lately. Quite a few years ago, a local quilt shop issued a challenge. The challenge was to make any quilted item using pink and brown fabrics. I made 8 blocks and called it a day, or in my case, years. This year, my local quilt guild is having their biennial quilt show. They always have a special section for set aside for challenge quilts. The theme is stars. What a golden opportunity to drag out this ufo and finish it. It still needs an inner border. I will be using the striped fabric. The outer border fabric will be a dark chocolate brown print.

Postcard Swaps

Recently I returned to my Yahoo Groups. One of the groups I belong to is called Artsnthemail. It is a group that swaps fabric postcards. The database is loaded with creative swaps to choose from. And, who of us doesn't love to receive mail? The above card was made for a Dr. Seuss swap. Can you figure it out?

A Year of Handmade Cards

A year ago in October, I issued myself a personal challenge. Could I make a handmade card every month for one year? Apparently I can, because here is #12! The biggest challenge I encountered was being organized. I would have an idea, but until I actually executed it, I never knew if it was going to work or not. Sometimes I would start, only to discover that I really could use another layer of paper or perhaps choose a better color combination. There are so many variables. Then there are embellishments, or maybe not. Some months were a struggle, and others a breeze. All in all, it was a challenge that turned out to be a lot of fun!

Bag Lady

Kind of cute, eh? This bag was so easy to make. I see a bunch more in my future. It is just big enough, right around 8" X 10", perfect for taking to a quilt show. There is enough room for your glasses, money, charge cards, a small camera, cell phone and of course, car keys!

Asian Influence

Now that the wedding/reception festivities are over, I have more free time. I decided to have a look-see at some of my Yahoo Groups and what they are up to. I belong to a fabric postcard group called Artsnthemail on Yahoo. There are always a plethora of swaps to choose from. I don't know who thinks up the themes, but they are very creative. One of the swaps I joined has the theme "Asian Influence". This postcard is my take on it. Isn't there a story about a little Japanese girl who folds 1,000 paper cranes? Thank goodness I only had to make 5 fabric ones.

Ahead of the Curve?

I am always behind. My middle name should be procrastination. I know it and it's okay with me, because it's who I am and have been for years. Today I decided that maybe I should change my ways....okay, you can stop laughing now. The plan for today was to make a prototype of a name tag for my quilt guild's Christmas party. I decided I wanted to make the name tag in the shape of a Christmas ornament. I drew the shape onto a manila folder. This would be my template. I didn't have to worry about fabric at this point because Christmas fabric is abundant. I knew I wanted to use ribbon and trim...something to jazz the ornament up. This meant a trip to JoAnn Fabrics. You can imagine my surprise when I couldn't find Christmas ribbon or trim! What???? There was all kinds of Halloween embellishments, but nothing for Christmas. Oh puhleeze, I am raring to go here. One possible time that I might be ahead of the curve and I can't find the supplies I need. Oh well, the Christmas Party isn't until December 3. I am sure I will be blogging about the name tags long about December 1.

We Walk Hard For The Money

Tonight my family participated in a walk to support ovarian cancer research. It was a beautiful evening. Seventy degrees and balmy. The walk was 2 miles long, winding through a picturesque parkway. The longest mile, however, was the one we had to walk to get back to the car!

Cool Cake

Here is the last of the baby shower decorations. Tell me this is not cute. This is a baby cake made from a baby bottle, 4 receiving blankets and some trim...and a whole lot of pearl pins! And, if you slip a plate under it, it creates an even better effect.

One Size Fits All

Isn't it amazing what you can do with a styrofoam cup? Cut some off the top of the cup to make it shorter. Then cut ) ( down the side of the cup. Punch four holes, two on each side and thread some ribbon through the eyelets. Voila, a lovely baby shoe, suitable for nuts, m & m's or other such tidbits!

Pretty In Pink

I will be attending a baby shower on Sunday. The mother of the mom-to-be asked me if I would make a baby sock corsage for her daughter. The mom-to-be knows she is having a girl, hence the pink sock "flowers".

August Card

I am still determined to design a card a month for one year. This is Augusts' card. September will be my final month, since I began this personal challenge in October of 2007. I have decided to give card making a rest after September, except for holidays and possibly a few birthdays.

In Memory of Morgan 08-26-08

Talk about being on a roller coaster of emotions. Saturday was such a happy day for our family. My son and new daughter-in-law had their marriage blessed in church. They were married in Riviera Maya, Mexico on August 4. Saturday night was their wedding reception. The reception was such fun. All of our friends and relatives were there and life was great. We returned home at 1:30am Sunday morning to find our puggle lethargic and weak. We rushed her to a 24-hour emergency critical care veterinarian center. From her outward signs, the vets thought she had been bit by something, but could find no puncture wounds. Her belly was very red and they assumed she was having a severe allergic reaction to something. They began treating her with Benadryl. When we went to see her on Sunday evening she was so weak that she couldn't stand. By Monday her entire body was bloated and the vets were telling us she had something called vasculitus, which in simple terms means her blood vessels were breaking open and leaking fluid into her body. When they told us they were having trouble managing her pain, we decided to have her euthanized. We are all going to die someday, but needless suffering is just not acceptable in my eyes. The hardest thing to accept is the fact that she was only 5 years old and that this sickness came on so quickly. This dog had the sweetest disposition. She has left a paw print on our family that will never be forgotten. Rest in peace my sweetie girl.

Unsolicited Endorsement

Time for a commercial break. I wanted to make a special label for the back of Mike and Ashley's quilt. I decided to use one of their wedding photos. A few months back I was at a local sewing center and they had some inkjet fabric sheets that looked interesting. I bought a pack thinking maybe someday I would make a photo quilt. I figured this label was a golden opportunity to try out these fabric sheets. AWESOME, that's all I can say. They are called EQ Printables...premium cotton satin inkjet fabric sheets. I worked in Microsoft Publisher. I imported the wedding photo and used the MP font for the wording. OMG, it turned out great. The picture is as clear as it is on the original photo. They are super easy to use and the directions are very clear. Okay you are saying, so where's the photo of the label? I can't show it because it not only contains their pictures, it also lists their full names. I think that might be filed under an "invasion of privacy" act somewhere.

Done!

The binding on this quilt is so skinny that you can't even see it in the pictures. That is good because I didn't want it to detract from the blocks. Ashley fell in love with the widest piece of backing fabric. Unfortunately, there were only 2 yards of that fabric left on the bolt. I had to add the strips of magenta to each side in order to have enough width for the back. The plan for tonight is to make a label. I am planning on using one of their wedding day photos and a word program to make the fabric label.

Home Stretch

This weekend went unbelieveably well as far as quilting was concerned. Years ago a neighbor gave us an old ping-pong table that she no longer wanted. Saturday it came in very handy. I used it to lay out the quilt. I got it pinned in no time. Saturday evening I got the entire quilt stitched in the ditch. On Friday I had cut, joined and ironed the binding so that was ready to go. I attached that Saturday night also. Then came sewing the binding down by hand. I made it until 2:15am and called it a night. Boy, was my butt dragging today. But, I worked on the binding a good part of the day today and I only have about 15 more inches to go to finish. It is now 12:11 am and I am headed for bed. I'd call that a pretty darn good weekend!

Mass Production

Remember a few months back when I was massively producing those purse-sized tissue holders? Well, apparently I have hit on something else just as popular. I received a luggage tag at a retreat recently. Not too long after that, the light bulb went on. My son and his fiancee are having a destination wedding. Wouldn't this be a great favor to give the guests? So, I proceeded to make my take on the luggage tag. I made 50 of them. Fourty of them went to the wedding in Mexico. I had 10 remaining. I was showing my next door neighbor what I had made for the wedding. I asked her if she would like two, one for her and one for her husband, since they couldn't make the trip. She picked out two that she liked. After we got back from Mexico, my neighbor called and asked if I had any more luggage tags left. I had 8. She came over and asked for 4 more. I had 4 remaining. My niece stops over one day after work and I show her the luggage tags. She loves them. My remaining four are gone. Here's the ironic part. I made 50 luggage tags and there are NONE on our suitcases. So, I am back to making luggage tags, and this time, I am taking mine FIRST!

Looks Can Be Deceiving

This quilt was made by my friend, Madelyn. It won third place at this years Wisconsin State Fair. It now resides in my home, a gift from Madelyn. The unique thing about this quilt is that it measures only 8" x 10". The centers of those snail trail blocks are 1/4" square! Talk about itty-bitty. The fabrics are from a line where part of the proceeds went to ovarian cancer research. I am unbelieveably honored to own this miniature piece of art. Thanks Madelyn!

What You've All Been Waiting For

The signature quilt for the wedding reception is almost done. It is getting pinned tomorrow in the daylight. It will be stitched in the ditch so that the quilting doesn't interfere with the signatures. As you can tell from the pictures, this quilt has no borders. It will have an orange binding. Yes, I know I am running out of time. But as most of my friends know, I work better under pressure.

Happy July 4th

Happy July 4th everyone! I started the day off with the City of Oak Creek parade. My Godson, Zach, plays in the OC Marching Band. The band is awesome. Aren't parades great fun?

Here's the house, all decked out in red, white and blue.
I'd like to wish everyone a safe and happy fourth. Just a few hours until the fireworks cap off a great day.

The July 4th cards are on their way. Watch your mailboxes.

Just Under The Wire

Last month's cards were done just under the wire. They were mailed out on Friday. I love the saying on this card. Click to enlarge, if you can't read it. I don't like to post a picture of the card until I know most of the recipients have gotten theirs, otherwise, where's the surprise? And, who doesn't love mail?

List for June

1. Mike and Ashley's quilt...Fabric is bought, pattern is ready
2. Bib for Matthew...Not this month!
3. Reindeer table runner...Getting further along each week
4. Handmade cards...See above comments

List for July

There is only 1 thing on the list. I need to complete as many blocks as I can for Mike and Ashley's quilt...the clock is ticking!

Adventures Without Fabric

Someone needs to glue my butt to a chair. Which in my case, would be like nailing jello to a wall. My Pfaff went into the shop for a cleaning two weeks ago. The shop called last week Tuesday to tell me it was ready. I have been so busy that I haven't had time to go and pick it up. Here's a synopsis of my adventures, none of them quilt related:

Tuesday: My lupus support group, where we worked with an art therapist to construct our own collages.
Wednesday: Gilda's Club. We celebrated Gilda Radner's birthday with a potluck celebration. We also said "goodbye" to our intern, Gina.
Thursday: Menopause, The Musical. I laughed till my sides hurt. If you haven't seen this, put it on your MUST DO list.
Friday: Shopping for the Mother of the Groom dress. Still no luck. I wanted to get two dresses, one for Mexico and one for the reception...at this rate I'll be lucky to find one.
Saturday: A wedding in Bolingbrook, IL for the daughter of a dear friend. This family needs to be wedding planners, trust me.
Sunday: Craft/art fair at the Monastery. I went to this last year and found some fabulous earrings. Hey, if I can't find a dress, at least I can have great earrings!

The plans for tomorrow are as follows. Ashley and I are going to one of those huge outlet malls to look for a dress. And, on the way home, we are picking up the Pfaff. Hopefully within the next few days I will have something interesting to blog about, or at least some great pictures!

Yummy

Yummy, aren't they? Kind of reminds me of sherbet. These are the fabrics Ashley picked out for her and Mike's wedding reception signature quilt. Ashley doesn't want the average book signing for her guests. She requested a signature quilt and I am happy to be making it. Since they will be married in Mexico, but having their reception here, Ashley wanted the colors to be bright and festive, reminiscent of their wedding. I think she achieved her goal.

Relay For Life

Tonight I participated in the Relay For Life. It was held at Muskego High School. I walked the survivors lap with my husband's cousin, Gerri. Gerri has had cancer 3 times. It was an extremely moving experience (no pun intended). The track was lined with white bags. Each bag was in honor or in memoriam of someone. The bags contained candles, which were to be lit later in the evening. I couldn't wait to see to see the entire track illuminated. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. The wind picked up and the rains came, and came, and came. I felt bad for the campers who had come to walk the track throughout the night. Even with the rain, it couldn't dampen the spirits of the people attending. It was an evening of hope.

I've Fallen Off The Blog Wagon

Yes, it's true. I've had a lapse. It's not that I haven't been doing anything, it's just that most of it doesn't relate to fabric.

Life has been busy. A 50th wedding anniversary party, a bead class, my cancer support group, a Dr. visit (everything is just fine) and a lupus walkathon. Oh yes, and then there is the rain, rain and more rain cleanup. Besides all that, my Pfaff is in the shop for a good cleaning and 300,000 stitch checkup.

Since I had to find something to keep myself busy, I am beading. I am also still spending Wednesday afternoons with the quilty ladies, while working on my reindeer table runner.

The beaded piece is a heart. You stitch through the holes to hold the beads in place. Once the beading is done, there is a backing piece that clips over the front piece. The back has a pin attached to it. When everything is assembled you wear it as a brooch. Sorry the picture is so blurry.

Bead Class

The Bead and Button Show is currently in Milwaukee. I am NOT a beader, but there was a class being offered that really caught my eye. It involved photo transfers on fabric, silk ribbon and beads. IT WAS WONDERFUL. The class had 3 students, including myself. Since the class was so small, the teacher decided to sit with all of us at one table. It was great. We got a lot of one-on-one attention. She answered all of our questions and gave us a lot of creative ideas. She had a bunch samples for us to look at and drool over. I still have more silk ribbon work to do, but when that is done, this will be turned into a brooch. I can't wait to dig out old family photos and begin embellishing them.

A Whole Lotta Nothin'

Outside of a little embroidery work on Wednesday afternoon, quilting has been nil. I think I got burned out at retreat...lol...But, I have gotten a lot done around the house. As boring as it sounds, it gives me a clear conscience so that I can quilt uninterrupted and without guilt. Maybe I can sneak some time in tomorrow. That is, right after I clean up the mess in the studio!

Business, Old and New

Let's start with old business, namely the list.

1. Ashley's quilt and pillowcase to match The quilt is DONE...pillowcase pending
2. Hawaiian log cabin quilt The blocks are done and ready to be sewn into rows
3. Christmas stocking...this will be a carryover This will be carried over, but all the way to September
4. Dazzling dogs wall hanging Also moved to September
5. Mike and Ashley's quilt...this is questionable I will concentrate all my efforts here
6. 4th of July crafts...hey, I'm slow, I need time Move this all the way to 2009
7. Reindeer table runner...again, a carryover Always on Wednesdays
8. Bibs for Matthew I believe this month's bib was all about guitars
9. Paper pieced pins Completed piece, but not made into a pin
10. Handmade cards Completed

Four things were completed that were not on the list:
1. A luggage tag sample
2. 80 purse-sized tissue holders
3. 8 table toppers for Ashley's shower
4. 68 name tags for guild

The list for this month is considerably shorter then in the past.

1. Mike and Ashley's quilt
2. Bib for Matthew
3. Reindeer table runner
4. Handmade cards

Thursday evening I left on a quilt retreat. It was held in Lake Geneva, WI. My girlfriend Linda took the class that was offered, but I opted for open studio time to work on my own projects. It was a WONDERFUL time. I worked on a series of Ohio Star blocks in pinks and browns. I returned home today with all but three of the blocks done...WAHOO.

Kismet?

Here is the picture of Ashley's quilt as promised.

On another note, I attended my first lupus support group meeting last night. A while ago I had been talking with my niece about my cancer support group. She inquired as to why I go to a cancer support group but not a lupus support group. Good question, since I continue to live with lupus every day. So, I decided maybe I should look into one. Call it kismet, fate, whatever, the following week I get a booklet in the mail detailing all sorts of support groups. In there, I find one for lupus. Last night was their monthly meeting and I was in attendance. I met a lot of nice people, but I seemed to hit it off with one woman in particular. She was from my area and we seemed to have a lot in common healthwise. Okay, fast forward to tonight. Jack and I are waiting for a table at a local restaurant, when out walks the woman from my support group! This time we discuss how we wished we would have exchanged information because we both got along so well at the meeting. Kismet again? Long story short, yeah right, we did exchange information. So, not only do I have a new support group, but now I have a new friend!

Finally

I am FINALLY done with Ashley's quilt. That is, unless you are a purist and believe it isn't done until it has a label. Oh, you say you need a picture? Well, that will have to wait until tomorrow when I have a "holder". Right now everyone is in bed and my house is tore up because we had our carpets cleaned today. I can't tell you how glad I am to be able to check this one off the list. Yahoo....

Blog Withdrawal

It's been two days without blogging. I have been busy. The Friday night girl's hangin' out went very well. We got no quilting done, but we did solve all the world's problems. Last night we went to a friend's wedding. Michael was the groom's best man. He has been best friends with this young man since high school. It was a lovely wedding/reception, but a very looooong day. Today I took a drive to the quilt shop. I was looking for 6 different fossil fern fabrics. I came home with exactly what I went for. Most of tonight has been spent stitching down the binding on Ashley's quilt. It is slow going.

Unbelieveable

Yes, it is. Truly. I finally recut and attached the binding to Ashley's quilt. The quilty girls are having a hangin out tomorrow night and I needed some hand work. It was time. I am hoping to get the label done tomorrow morning so that I can sew it right into the binding. I also have a couple of burp cloths that need small openings in the seams sewn shut. Then they will be ready to be topstitched and finished up. It is getting towards the end of the month and the push is on. I need to get a few things checked off the to-do list.

Fun and Games

Tonight was our quilt guilds monthly meeting. May is always a potluck dinner and program. If you remember, a month ago I made a secret project. We were asked to make something small and not show or tell anyone what it was. Tonight the projects were going to be unveiled and we had to guess who made what. There we 28 participants/projects. We were given the list of participants and had to match the item with the member. I thought I would do really well, because I know who hand quilts, who likes paper piecing, who does needleturn applique, etc. Well, that strategy did not work. I got 4 correct and one of them was my own! The tote bag made with Mary Engelbreit fabric was my entry.

We also were asked to bring 6 strips of fabric cut 2.5 inches by width of fabric each. We played a game with them. You play with 3 strips of fabric at a time. There are 3 dice. Each dice has an L for left, an R for right, a C for center (better known as the pot) and a DOT, which means you get a pass. You shake the dice and the fabric swapping begins, depending on what you shake. If you have less than 3 strips of fabric, you shake that many dice. You keep going until there is one person left with fabric and they win the pot and ALL the fabric strips. It was great fun watching the fabric being moved back and forth from player to player. I don't think there was a person there tonight who could say they didn't have a fun time.

Still Busy

Today was another busy day. I spent the afternoon stitching borders on name tags. I had 20 of them already done and another 35 to go, so that is what I did today. Tomorrow is our quilt guild's monthly meeting and I wanted to have them done so that I could pass them on to my partner. She will put the names of the members on them and affix a few hot crystals for sparkle.

Tonight we had the Chef's Series at Gilda's Club. A chef from Whole Foods gave the cooking demonstration. As usual, the food did not disappoint. We had a wonderful pear salad with toasted walnuts and an apple/gorgonzola dressing. That was followed by jasmine rice and breaded ahi tuna. Yum-o.

Another Busy Day

No studio time today. However, I did attend a wonderful quilt show this morning. The North Shore Quilter's Guild had their biennial show this weekend. It was a great show, with lots of beautiful quilts. They also had some unusual vendors. As with most quilt shows, they had vendors with fabric, notions, etc, BUT, they had vendors with jewelry, wool, purses, beading and silk scarves. That was a nice change.

Later today, we went to my Niece's home to celebrate the birthday of my Godson, Zach. He will turn 15 tomorrow. I remember the day he was born. I sat in the waiting room with my niece's husband at the time. He was pacing back and forth between the waiting room and labor room. When he came back to tell me that Zach was born, I will never forget how he cried. He was so happy that the baby was born healthy and a BOY and that my niece (his wife) was doing great. I knew right then and there what a great Dad he was going to be. My niece isn't married to Zach's Dad anymore, but they are BOTH great parents.

Ashley's Bridal Shower

Today was Ashley's bridal shower. IT WAS WONDERFUL. Ashley's shower was part of a dual shower. Ashley's sister, Brooke, is getting married three weeks before Ashley and Mike. Ashley's Mom threw the shower and did it for both girls at once. Brooke's started first, at 4:30 and then Ashley's followed at 6:30. As you can see, it was very colorful. Brooke's colors are red, orange and fuchsia. Ashley's colors are orange, fuchsia and green. Both sisters had such a good time and it was touching to see how much love they have for each other. I am heading to bed. I left the house at 1:45 this afternoon and got home at 10:30 tonight. Time to call it a day.

A Little of This and A Little of That

The first picture is the card of the month. April showers bring May flowers, you know. The second picture is a luggage tag. I was testing a tutorial for an online friend. I really need to improve the buttonhole, which isn't really a buttonhole but rather a satin stitched rectangle. Oh well, that's what samples are for, to work out the bugs.

Today I was in the studio working on more purse sized tissue holders. I was a few short for the shower goody bags. After making the four that I needed, I decided to keep going. The others will be donated to my quilt guild. I also made 8 small (10") table toppers. They are nothing fancy, just two pieces of fabric and some thermolam sewn together and turned right side out. They are going to be placed under some plants that are being used for table decorations at tomorrow's shower.

Time for bed. It's 1:15am and I have a looooooong day tomorrow.

Big Blue

Well, the monthly cards are done and in the mail. I went to the Oak Creek Post Office this morning and I couldn't believe my eyes. There, in all its glory, a new, big, blue mailbox. The box outside our post office has been an eyesore for years and just kept getting rustier. It must have taken nothing less than an Act of Congress to get a new one because people have been complaining about it for the last couple of years to no avail. And, Big Blue is also twice the size, which isn't a good thing if you are talking about weight, but in this case, it is awesome!

I didn't get too much done in the studio today. A lot of time was spent cleaning up and putting away. It is amazing all the stuff you need to pull out when you work on a project. The good thing is, I am now raring to go on the next project.

Getting Punchy

This months cards are almost done. There was a lot of paper punching involved...and glue. The hardest part of making cards every month is coming up with a new, creative idea. No picture until after they go in the mail, otherwise it spoils the surprise.

I also worked on my reindeer table runner today. Hand embroidery is so calming and relaxing. It is a joy to work on.

Surfing

Today I spent a good chunk of the day web surfing. I needed to catch up on my shows from "The Quilt Show". There were three of them that I hadn't seen yet. Then on one of the shows, it was mentioned that one of the women had a site with free podcasts. Well, of course, I had to check that out. So then after listening to one of the podcasts, I need to check out that woman's website. It could have gone on and on. I am so easily distracted. I took a break and went to JoAnn's to pick up some fabric. I am making some small circular table toppers for the shower on Saturday. Ashley's Mom is picking up some gerbera daisy plants for the tables and I thought it would be nice to have some VERY colorful table toppers to sit them on. Guess what tomorrow's project will be? I also picked up some beautiful papers for this month's cards. One stop shopping. That's what I like!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms. And Happy Mother's Day to all those who are not Moms. Most women, even childless ones, are caretakers of someone during their lifetime. They should be remembered today too.

Okay, onto quilting matters. Today was kind of a slow day. I did get the 15 purse sized tissue holders done. That makes 60 total. I still have a couple of them cut out and I will probably sew them together at some point and donate them. My guild has a boutique table at our quilt show and they are always looking for donations. These will fit the bill perfectly.

Itty Bitty, Teeny Weenie

This afternoon I headed down to Racine. A quilt shop there was having a "meet the teacher" day and fabric sale. I checked out the classes, but honestly found nothing I was interested in. However, that didn't stop me from checking out the fabric sale. Twenty percent off books, fabric and patterns. Well, I DID need a few things. I picked out a contrasting fabric for the last of the purse sized tissue holders. I also bought some jet black fabric for the backs of Matthews bibs and the binding on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt. Purchase number three was something I plan on using for the backing of my dazzling dogs wall hanging. Then there was this pink/brown stripe fabric that I just had to have. It will be the borders of my star challenge piece. Lastly, I bought a small piece of yellow backing for two more bibs. Of course, all that shopping really put me behind in the studio. Nevertheless, I did get something accomplished. Matthew now has a guitar bib added to his ever growing collection. And that itty, bitty, teeny, weenie log cabin is going to become a pin to wear. The measurement of the body is 1-3/4 inches. Thank goodness there were no mistakes made because I would have had to trash it. I used a 1.0 stitch length! There was no way those stitches were coming out once they were in. Lastly, I cut out enough fabric for 15 more purse sized tissue holders. I started sewing them together and am about half done, but will have to finish up tomorrow. Since I don't usually blog until late in the evening, I want to wish all you Moms out there a Happy Mother's Day.

No More Piecing

Row 5 is done....YIPPEE. Onto putting the rows together. However, that will have to wait until after the weekend. I have things to finish for the shower, I want to make Matthew another bib or two, and I need to finish the luggage tag according to Morah's tutorial. That's just tomorrow. There's another list for Sunday.

On another note, we went to our first Brewer's baseball game tonight at the not-so-new stadium. I say not-so-new because it was probably built 5 years ago and we hadn't been inside it until tonight. It was very impressive, compared to the old ballpark. But really, the sticker shock came at the concession stand. My gosh, you better feed the kids before you bring them, otherwise forget about sending them to college!!

One More Row

Well, that title is pretty self-explanatory. There are now four rows of blocks done on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt. I am blogging early today, because tonight I am heading downtown to watch my Goddaughter perform in a city-wide chorus. More tomorrow.

Get Your Shades

I like bright colors. These really fit the bill. However, the border will tone the quilt down a bit. I am soooo liking this quilt. I have decided to have it quilted. I have so many other projects that I need to get to. My quilting just wouldn't do this quilt justice. Besides, since I am not buying fabric (ahem), it is one way to support my local quilt shop.

The Rippin' Is Done

Yes, I have finally finished ripping apart the log cabin blocks that I need to redo. Today wasn't much of a quilting day. My entire front yard was landscaped and I needed to stay on the main floor, which meant no studio time. Tonight my girlfriend and I went to a quilt shop that is closing. They were having a 30% off sale. I picked out my background fabric for Judy Laquidara's 1-hour a day quilt. I also bought backing fabric for my pink/brown challenge quilt. I spent $50 and got a ton of fabric. Plus, they gave me $5 more off because I had a punch card that was half full. I will be sorry to see this shop go. I could always count on them to have the cutest fabrics for babies and kids. Lately we are losing more and more quilt shops. Bummer.

Testing

Today I spent part of the afternoon making a sample. An online friend is writing tutorial for a fabric luggage tag. I told her I would make a sample following her directions to make sure they were easily understood. I did hit a snag and e-mailed her. She e-mailed me back, but I ran out of time and will continue with the sample tomorrow. I also spent some time today ripping more of my Hawaiian log cabin blocks. I am hoping to get them all back together, with the correct configuration, by the end of the week.

On The Road

Today my girlfriend Jill and I went to visit a quilt shop in Reedsburg. Reedsburg is about 2.5 hours from here. In March, Jill won a $25 gift certificate for this particular quilt shop and she wanted to spend it before it expired. I was happy to come along for the ride. I didn't find the backing fabric I was looking for. I did purchase a miniature 9-patch quilt kit. I purchased it because it contained shirting fabrics. I don't own any shirting fabrics and those really made the look of the quilt. I may change out some of the other fabrics for some of my own. The day was sunny and warm. A perfect day for a road trip.

Clean As A Whistle

I am referring to my design wall. I could have included an "after" picture, but there would be nothing to look at :) I got a lot done today. I spent most of the day resurrecting my Hawaiian log cabin blocks. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. Just a lot of mindless sewing. Tomorrow a girlfriend and myself are going to a quilt shop in Reedsburg. I plan on bringing scraps from the Hawaiian log cabin quilt so that I can look for backing fabric. Yes, in my world things need to coordinate. Even the back.

Hindsight Is 20/20

And mine is in FULL focus! I spent the day today ripping. I have 20 log cabin blocks that I made either last month or the month before...I forget. Anyway, I used Eleanor Burns' book. I decided I wanted to do the Fields and Furrows setting. I followed her instructions in the book, except for the fact that she used one set of lights/darks and I decided on two. Last night I started to put the blocks together, only to realize that I needed to reconfigure the sets. Instead of two sets, I needed 4 different sets to get the effect I wanted. Ripping is not a problem. I like to think of it as hand quilting in reverse. What really gets me is the fact that I have a design wall. As of late, it has become a bulletin board. I have a couple of blocks up there, a calendar, a name tag, some instructions and a whole slew of flyers for upcoming quilt shows. Had I used the design wall for what it was intended, this never would have happened. Like I said, hindsight is 20/20.

A Fresh Start

Well, it's the beginning of a new month and time for a fresh start. Of course, I have my to-do list, and here it is:

1. Ashley's quilt and pillowcase to match
2. Hawaiian log cabin quilt
3. Christmas stocking...this will be a carryover
4. Dazzling dogs wall hanging
5. Mike and Ashley's quilt...this is questionable
6. 4th of July crafts...hey, I'm slow, I need time
7. Reindeer table runner...again, a carryover
8. Bibs for Matthew
9. Paper pieced pins
10. Handmade cards

I know, it looks ambitious to me too, but I just have to keep plugging away. Eventually they will get done.

I did get some work done on the Hawaiian log cabin quilt today. I am toying with the idea of quilting it myself or sending it out. We shall see.

The Month In Review

Here it is, the end of the month already. It hasn't been the greatest of months, quilting wise, but I am certainly not going to complain. I got some things checked off the list and made some things that weren't even on the list. Let's recap:

April's List

1. Finish Ashley's quilt...why does that one sound so familiar? lol I could try to offer up an excuse, but nothing is plausible

2. Work on dazzling dogs...I can promise you this will carry over into May Carry over is right

3. Hawaiian log cabin...Again, I am pretty sure this will carry over into May Ditto

4. Christmas stocking...This too will carry over into May Again, ditto

5. Donna's table topper Finally, something on the list FINISHED!

6. Paper pieced pins Nada

7. Reindeer table runner...this is an ongoing project This did get worked on

8. A secret project for my quilt guild...more on this later FINISHED

9. Matthew's bibs...finished 10, but he can always use more 2 FINISHED

10. Handmade cards FINISHED

11. A baby shower gift FINISHED

Technically, only 2 projects didn't get finished this month. Ashley's quilt and the paper pieced pins. The other projects I knew were going to be carryovers before the month even began.

Now, on to the distractions. Here are a few things that got done that didn't even make the list:

1. Fabric postcards (4) for the Children's Miracle Network

2. Burp cloths (2)

3. Baby shower sock corsage

4. 60 nametags, cut and fused (they still need decorative stitching around the edges)

5. 30 purse-sized tissue holders

May's to-do list will be posted tomorrow.

By the way, the blue borders in the above picture look wrinkled. The picture was taken before the final press. It is now as flat as a pancake.

My Tail's Draggin'

Today was a slow day in the studio. I made 10 of the purse sized tissue holders for the shower. I just couldn't seem to work up any enthusiasm for anything. Basically, my tail is draggin'. Must have been all that housework yesterday...tee hee. I did finish the quilting on the table topper though and I am very satisfied with it. I spent the evening surfing around The Quilt Show website. There is always something interesting to peruse over there. And lastly, to my dear friend Sue, I wish you the happiest of birthdays!

Quilting Forever, Housework Whenever

Another good sewing day. Not as good as the weekend, mind you, but good. My excuse is I had a lot of laundry, dishes, changing of sheets, making dinner, etc. That really puts a damper on my progress. I did get most of the quilting on the table topper done. I still have a bit to finish up. Maybe tomorrow. Then tonight I had to deliver my secret project to the program coordinator. I also had to do some returns to JoAnns and I stopped to visit my son and his fiancee. By the time I got back home most of the evening was gone. I did start to rework my Goddaughter's pillowcase, but didn't get very far. If you want to know why I am reworking it, go back to my post of March 27 for the explanation. You're gonna love it.

A Little Bit of Everything

Yet another productive day. I'm lovin' it. I made Matthew another bib. Yes, those are ants. Doesn't that print remind you of a picnic?
These are the purse sized tissue holders that I am making for the wedding shower. I finished 5 of the lt. blue/green ones today. I already have made 15 of the brown/turquoise ones.


And finally, this is a table topper (only the top) that I have been meaning to make for a friend for a very long time. Won't she be surprised? It was supposed to be a housewarming gift, but perhaps it will qualify as a mortgage burning gift....lol...I am hoping to get to the sandwiching/quilting tomorrow.