Happy New Year's Eve

I am so ready for a new year.  I will try my best to make it a good one, full of healthy habits and learning new things, hopefully mastering some of them. 

It's pointless to say I will diet, as I am obsessive about my weight anyway.  I check it every day and track my calories.  I make an effort to get up from my computer every hour or so, stretch, do squats at my desk if I can't get away for a 15 minute walk.  I am within 7 pounds of being where I was before the last baby, so I feel pretty good about that.  I had a protein shake for breakfast, leftover chicken and dressing for lunch, and hubby is making panini for dinner with chicken, ham, fresh veggies. Yum!

Re quilting, I want to get ahead of the hand made gift giving for next year.  When December comes I get all excited about making Christmasy things and soon run out of time.  I have already started on teacher gifts for next year, I have several sets of coasters cut out so far, I think about 6.  One of my sisters has ordered a set, so her gift will be taken care of, too.  Another thing I want to complete by next Christmas is my hexagon quilt top and a Christmas quilt top.  Since I started quilting, I have wanted a Christmas quilt just for me.  I don't know why, they just looked so pretty on a magazine cover I saw at a guild meeting. 

I also want to complete my Quilters Academy final.  That's enough to get started with.  This blog will hold me accountable in case I run out of steam.  Happy New Year!

We got snow!

 

We got snow!  just a little bit, enough for the kids to play in and get cold enough to come back in the house and have hot cocoa.

 

My snowman pillows found homes!  This one has a cozy rocker in Arkansas.

 

 

this one is at home in Tennessee.

 

 

I am so happy they will be loved and enjoyed.

 



Paper piece Christmas tree

I added jingle bells and a fabric wreath this year!

Merry Christmas

from our home to yours:)

Snowman pillow update

Things did come together, and two pillows were finished just in time.  Here is one.

the nubby fabric is called Minky! Thanks to SewGreen at http://sewgreenm.blogspot.com for letting me know the name. It was probably printed on the end of the bolt it was cut from, but I was too excited to look.    I have 2 more to make, for an after Christmas get-together. 

 

 

I also made drink sleeves for my BFF Nancy. She was thrilled and wants more, some larger for soda glasses.  They were fun and quick to make. 

 

Here's another view.  They take very little fabric, just a few inches really. I have lots of scraps that will come in handy for this.



Pillows

of 3 fabric stores, one had the white nubbly fabric for the snowman face. I already had felt for the noses.  I will try to find the other stuff, the green velour, ball buttons and pom pom trim tomorrow!

I have faith that it will all come together!

Ten days till Christmas

 

My sister wants a pillow. I've got time.  I have three sisters, might as well make one for each.

Decorating for Christmas

Since I started quilting, I have made quite a few Christmas themed things perfect for my office space.

 

this runner feels great on my chair

 

this mug rug makes a great mousepad

 

another view of my tree runner

 

this runner is right outside my front door

 

 

I have really enjoyed seeing other bloggers and Christmas things! Have a joyous day!

One Flower Wednesday

I actually finished these, one is a Christmas present and another for my garden!

 

blue flower!

Christmas present!

 

18 flowers! 

 

these are bigger than I realized

once I get the cream paving stones around the flowers and

the grassy path in between

I only need 6 in each row

 

go visit Karen to see more beautiful hexie flowers!

Just one more thanksgiving post

Once a year we use placemats and cloth napkins, that's Thanksgiving. Usually it is just the 4 of us, this year we were thankful we had five! My MIL decided to postpone her traveling till after the holiday to be with us.  My son picked fresh rosemary for the table.  I love the way it smells.  The napkins and placemats were a gift from the MIL, the napkin rings from our wedding china.  I hope the kids enjoy using them in years to come. 

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm so thankful for:

savior
family
home
job
health
opportunities

my son and daughter, husband, MIL, all worked on today's meal. I did not burn it! I was so dreading cooking this year.  I worked right up until the holiday.  My MIL did the shopping and I cooked a turkey breast this time.  Last year I cooked the turkey upside down, it was awful, whole thing tasted like dark meat.  Year before that I don't know what I did wrong, it was like a horror movie.  Turkey looked beautiful but was tough like rubber.  Never have I had a piece of meat with that tough unslice-able texture.  I never cooked the traditional meal, my mom insisted on doing everything, so her recipes died with her.  I really enjoy going out on my own and trying different things, so our meal is not the traditional one you see on TV except for the green bean casserole, bird and dressing.  We have egg allergies in our house, nut allergies too, so no pecan pie or egg based custards like sweet potato pie or pumpkin either.  I made a vegan carrot cake with apple caramel frosting, and my MIL made baked apples.  It was delicious, I am so stuffed. My son (who will be 11 next Tuesday) has taken an interest in cooking this year, but is still a chickennuggetarian.  He had organic chicken nuggets he bakes himself, and jelly filled yeast rolls.  Yum yum.  Afterward we took a nature walk in our neighborhood park, the colors are so beautiful, I keep thinking what a beautiful quilt that would make, all that gold and green.  I hope, whatever your circumstances, you find something to be thankful for today!

One Flower Wednesday

one more down!  I love the stars!  so romantic

go check out more hexagons at karen's blog http://www.journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com

a great weekend

we have a weekend of gettogethers, neighborhood and school.  The kids each decorated a pumpkin, I helped, a little.

 

way too much going on this weekend to sew.  I did a few hexagons, nothing picture worthy yet.  Church all day tomorrow, so cool to have time to spend with my fam!

One Flower Wednesday

This is it for this week!  more hexagons to be done to frame this one, and the others.  I will try to post a collective picture soon.

View more beautiful flowers at http://www.journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com.

Alan Town Progress

We have a sandwich! 

It's great to have help, I can always use an extra pair of busy hands!

Baking and other fun stuff

we are getting ready for Halloween around here.  My son likes to decorate sugar cookies, he calls this a Slenderman.

Alan Town Square

I finally got Alan's quilt top finished  It's based on Harriet Hargrave's Town Square, my adaptation is called Alan Town Square.  The extra borders make it big enough for my sweetie.This is the first of a series of pictures of it, I finish so very few quilts and am enjoying this stage.

One Flower Wednesday

so excited, another pink one!  It looks purple, doesn't it?  In person, it is pink and black.  Thanks Karen for keeping me motivated.  Go view other beautiful hexies flowers at Karen's blog www.journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com

One Flower Wednesday

I'm one step closer to making a garden!  Thank you Karen for hosting one flower Wednesday.  View more lovely flowers at http://www.journeyofaquilter.com

One Flower Wednesday

I finished another one!  I love making these little flowers.  In between helping with homework, folding laundry, dinner with fam, after work, a hexagon here and there all come together to make this:

Small projects

Emma and I have been playing with dolls lately.  She got a Barbie house for Christmas and is really getting into it now.  She didn't like dolls at first, preferring her brother's cars instead.  Now she's discovered role playing and makes up stories and sings little songs.  Every night we put the dolls to bed.  Emma's Barbie house needed some things.  Like quilts!  Emma picked two orphan blocks, soft flannels, to make a quilt for Barbie's bed.  Ken got one too.

She had chairs that just cried out for leopard print cushions, here's one.

She has two chairs actually.

 

 

I just finished an outfit for Emma out of Dora fabric.  Maybe tomorrow she will let me take a pic of her in it.  It is a two piece, shirt and twirly skirt.  After she tried the skirt on she threw her arms around me and cried, "Thank you Mom!" Priceless.  My son has been sick for over a week, five days of fever, then a nasty cough, the sewing was like balm to my soul. 



 

 

 



 

Hexagons for Wednesday

I have been busy sewing just not blogging.  Also helping my son get ready for school, can't believe he is in fifth grade already.  He likes his homeroom teacher, says she is "cool."  I'm so glad!

Karen's blog has more great hexagons!

Have a great week

One Flower Wednesday

I did not finish a new flower this week, but got paving stones around this one.  I finished it in church tonight, so it's fresh!

I came across a quilting book second hand that is beautiful!  I just love books of all kinds, and when I run across one that has been enjoyed and cherished by someone else that makes it even more special. It is a copy of Better Homes and Gardens American Patchwork and Quilting, copyright 1983.  It was inscribed to someone by hand dated 1993, so I might be the third owner.   Inside I found an illustration of how I want my hexagon quilt to look. I hope it's ok to put the picture here since I've cited the source.

English paper piecing is not mentioned, but how to place the blocks is, so I was really glad to find that.  Have a great week, and go view more beautiful hexie flowers on Karen's blog..

Hexagons for Wednesday

I'm catching up--two for this week.  I've also finished a book, Destiny of the Republic, and started Hunger Games.  Have a great week!

Number 9

visit http://journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com to see more lovely hexies.

Hexie quilt design

I think I have decided to border all my hexie flowers with cream, either a muslin or floral, I have some of both but not enough to do to the whole thing.  Then in between there will be a pale green garden path.  I think.  That is where my head is at for now. 

My son wanted to find out if he was still allergic to nuts, having lived without peanut butter since he was 2.  He's 10 now, and wanted to get re-tested.  Back to the allergist we went.  Nothing has changed, reaction was still the same, a little worse in fact.  His doctor suggested we try sunbutter, a spread made from sunflower seeds.  That was an exciting idea, so I went out and got some.  It tasted wonderful, son did not like it, but he did try it. At least he knows he probably would not like peanut butter anyway, the sunbutter tastes so similar to peanut butter, he feels like he is really not missing out on anything.  I had to try to make fudge with it. One of my favorite things to eat as a kid was my mom's peanut butter fudge, I didn't want to bring peanut butter into the house around the son, so I've really missed it. I made the fudge, it turned out great, guess what, my son didn't like that either!  I got it all to myself. 

One Flower Wednesday

I made another pink one, and added paving stones.  It looked so good I took two pictures!  this is so much fun!

go see more beautiful hexagons at Karen's blog.  Have a great week!

I made a leafy greeen one this time!  Have a great week.  View other lovely hexagons here at www.journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com

Six lovely hexagons

I think I'm caught up now.  I see a pattern emerging here, green and pink.  I like it and may stick with this color scheme instead of being all scrappy. More lovelies to see if you visit Karen.  Happy Wednesday!

Birds are back

For a while the squirrels had taken over our bird feeder.  Now the birds are back!  According to hubby's bird book, these are carolina chickadees.

Hubby is not only a bird watcher but a great cook as well.  He grilled the ribs and sausages, I made the corn relish.  Yum!

Beautiful day

what a view! For me, this is better than the beach.  I'm lucky to have two garderners in the family: my hubby and MIL.  They have made our back yard so beautiful, and springtime is the best time to enjoy it.  Happy Saturday everyone.  Think I'll go outside for a while.

Another flower!  That means another week has gone by.  It takes me about 3 days to do a hexie, not a whole week, maybe next week I can do two!  So much to do and enjoy, beautiful blogs to visit, work and hubby and kids, and the wonders of spring.  I'm in a "pink" phase, so this one is pink, maybe next one will be too.  The weather has been so fine, I have been working on my hexies outside during my lunch minutes (I don't get a full hour).  Visit Karen's blog to see more lovely colorful flowers.

Wordless Wednesday

This flower is very special.  It is my very first one made with templates.  My husband ordered them for me, he is so sweet.  I love them!  I followed the tute exactly, the one where you use a paper clip to hold the fabric and sew the fabric around the paper instead of actually to the paper.  It was easy and fun.  Now I may have to re-purpose the flowers I've made already, they are all just slightly different in size. They will make beautiful candle mats, coasters, mini quilts, oh the possibilities!

One Flower Wednesday

I'm back and excited about making more hexagon flowers.  This time I'm going to try templates.  View other lovely flowers at http://journeyofaquilter.blogspot.com/p/garden-party.html.   Happy Wednesday!

Happy Valentines Day!

Emma and I have been decorating!

Tallulah dress

this pattern is supposed to be easy and simple, few facings and seams, but the effect is beautiful and sophisticated for such a little dress.  I have had a nerve wracking time getting it just right the first time.  I hate do overs, so I have read and re-read the pattern and instructions many tmes prior to cutting out and sewing each seam.  The preparation has paid off now I'm nervous about the hems.