A non-quilty project...

Ok... not the greatest picture of what I'm doing, but sort of... Can you pick out that HORRID striped wallpaper above the tub in this pic? Yup... GONE! Now, see that really awful linoleum flooring? In the process of being ripped out!

Although at the rate I'm going, it may be another month before the bathroom is finished, I am excited to say that my walls are now a pumkiny orange paint color, and (since hubby is out of town for the weekend) I'm currently pulling up the floor. Kiddo and I will go pick up new flooring tonight, and hopefully I'll have a new bathroom by the end of the weekend! Then, I can easily paint trim next week.

Ahhhh, hooray for no more ugly bathroom!

Impatiently waiting

On my backing... for the below Christmas quilt! I'm really hoping it makes it today, I want to get this sucker loaded. Have big plans to practice feathers on it, so I'm hoping that turns out well, but at least it's a busy top in case it doesn't... haha!

Other than that, I still have a quilt on the wall that needs assembled, and then I need to find a border fabric for it, or figure out some type of border. Still a bin of UFOs in the closet too... I think for 2009 I'll tackle those!

Merry Christmas to all! Tomorrow is kiddo's last day before the break, and we have several old friends flying in over the holidays, so I doubt much quilting will get done.

***Update... stupid store only sent half of the backing I'd ordered, so instead of using a solid piece like I was hoping, guess I WILL have to use the leftover pieced backing and border it with what they did send... super GRRRRR!***

Another post with *Christmas* in the title... Why not?

At least this one is quilt related!

This top, the center, was pieced a few years/houses ago. It was done up in the Yellow Brick Road pattern (I think, memory fails sometimes!). Since Germany, it's been packed up in the UFO bin... until a few days ago!

I dug out the extra yardage that I had bought when the line came out (Moda's Maison de Noel), and I had some fat quarters leftover that weren't used in the top or anything since then.

So, it got borders. And then I thought I'd make a pieced backing, but it ended up with too many seams, so I think it's just going to end up as some kooky, odd, practice piece wallhanging! But now, I still need a backing for the lap quilt, AND now one for the other!

In the mood (a Christmas-y mood that is!)

I've been listening to this album all weekend: http://www.hotelcafe.com/wintersongs/

I so love it! You can't go wrong with an album full of women singing Christmas songs. Unfortunately, you'll have to download it somewhere or go buy it to hear the full songs, but at least the preview gives you an idea.

Christmas presents are DONE!

Yup, this is it! The last present... ahhh. Just the simple piece of fleece and a 1/2" binding... works for me!

And... some stash photos. These will become something at some point, though I'm not sure just what yet! Ok, well obviously that bottom pic will be something Christmas-y!

Tag! I'm it....

Robyn has tagged me, so... .here goes!

The rules to play TAG are these: ~ Post a link to the blog that challenged you and add these rules to your post:
~ Share 7 things about yourself~ Challenge 7 other blogs at the end of your post through naming their blog and post a link to it.
~ Let them know they're been challenged by leaving a comment on their blog.


7 Things about me:

1) I've been an Army wife for almost 9 years now... that means 4 duty stations (2 in country, 2 overseas) and we're on our 6th home... and our son- in 1st grade- is on his 3rd school!
2) I taught myself how to quilt right after our son was born... with cardboard templates... ick!
3) I'm short... 5'2".... yet I'm also taller than my mother and grandmother.
4) At one point I had 9 body piercings... down to just 3 now (ears and nose)
5) I have one tattoo... and it hurt like crazy so I have NO plans for anymore- EVER!
6) I have a thing for Christmas trees, and we have 4 artificial ones. So far I only have 2 up this year.
7) I married hubby at the ripe old age of 17... before I graduated HS

I'm skipping the tagging people part, but if you want to play along- go ahead!

Come out, Come out!

Wherever you are!

I seem to average about 5-8 blog views a day - not many, but I'm not putting it out there or anything.

However, when- out of boredom- I checked my map/visitor counter, it seems that there were approximately 40 visitors yesterday.... who are you guys? LOL

Post a comment and say HI! if you're reading :P

The most Wonderful time of the year!

Ahh, yes- the time when I get to break out the Christmas trees and say hello to all my favorite ornaments! We don't do themes so much, but have a pretty ecclectic mix of ornaments. I will admit though, that I'm slowly collecting more and more of the Jim Shore ornaments, and I'm thinking they'd make a tree awfully pretty all on their own!

A few pics to share of just some of my favorite (ok, they're really all my faves, but I won't bore you with that many pics!):

(chubby Santa made his way home with me from a Chinese gift exchange in Germany... I believe he came from Poland! Quite the traveler :P )

I'll try and get more tree pics as they go up (the three small ones)... I love torturing hubby with the PINK tree!

Hmm, brain issues!

I did title that last post ' A FEW little things', and then only posted about one really!

Here are a few random other snapshots that I meant to put up- kiddo has been having tons of fun with Cub Scouts, and though I'm sure I'm not the best Den Mom ever, we're all working it out!

Now that hubby and kiddo are back from the store though, we're off to finish Fred Clause! Nothing like holiday movies :D

A few little things...

More fleece fun: This will get a dark brown binding (the thread is a brown varigated in different shades) and be FILs Christmas gift. It's a 2 yard piece of 60" fleece, trimmed down when finished, so a bit smaller than 60x72 finished. Hard to see, but it's 'quilted' with swirls all over for a textured effect.

Other than that, I'm in the process of laying out and assembling some past swap blocks for a quilt for a friend... lots of pinks, lots of fun! I may get brave and try out quilting feathery designs on this one...

Giving Thanks!

For many things... healthy, family, friends... and the fact that my turkey turned out great and I shouldn't be accidentally poisoning anyone! (side note: I never have poisoned anyone, however I have gotten a nasty case of food poisoning from turkey, so I think any Turkey day that goes by without that is a plus!)

Happy Thanksgiving, Blogland!!!

Almost done... ahhhh!

I have a binding to sew onto a fleece panel and I'll be DONE with Christmas! Feels sooo good to be so close.

This last gift (no pics yet) will be for my father-in-law. It's a 2 yd panel of grey fleece, quilted for texture. Even though I got the fleece pieces to practice on, I really like the sculptural effect it gives!

Playing around...

Some freehand on fleece:

I swear, I won't bore you anymore!

Not with this quilt anyways, because it's DONE! WOOHOO!

Will be packed up and shipped out to it's intended recipient by the end of the week, ahhh.

(the cat just can NOT resist a quit on the floor!)

Sewing goals for the week:

* Bind sister's lap quilt

* Make yellow/blue and Christmas tree blocks for swap, prepare for mailing

* Assemble lap quilt top for FIL's Christmas pressie

* Read up on and find vids for sewing pantograph patterns... maybe practice on FIL's quilt top!

Ok... looks like enough!

Officially on a ROLL!

All this sucker needs is binding!


And, it's finished- well, the quilting part at least!- 2 weeks before my self imposed mailing deadline.... ahhhh!



And what demands even more 'ahhhh'? The fact that I only have ONE more Christmas present to finish... another lap quilt!

I guess you could consider this 'on a roll'...

Especially considering the quilty slump I've been in the last few weeks.

Not ONLY did I get the backing done for the scrappy medallion, but I also loaded it... and started the first bit of quilting. Ahhh.... Sidenote: Nora the Nolting does not like prewound bobbins, no matter how many times I try them- on the bright side, Patty the Pfaff could care less! (yes- I name my sewing machines, it makes them nicer)

And, among the quilty goodness I even managed to finish a book, eat a few times, and do a bit (ok, a tiny bit!) of cleaning!

Yay!

I did it! I sewed! Unfortunately, this quilt is a bit wonky... too many triangles? too much crinkling and stuffing into the corner so I won't have to look at it? LOL In any case, it's a top now! Right at 5 feet square, which isn't huge, but my sister is wanting it for a lap quilt, so it's a decent size for that use.

Either way, I'm confident that a good pressing and the quilting process will work those kinks right out!

Back in the saddle!

Ok, I'm not yet... not as of today, but tomorrow is the day! I WILL SEW TOMORROW! Something... anything!

I have one lap quilt that needs ONE border in order to be a top and get loaded and quilted. I could go super simple, or I could go a little less simple. I have a few ideas in my head though, so the goal tomorrow is to get that border done and get that sucker loaded up on Nora's frame. (Nora is my purple FunQuilter- she and I get along well!)

I also have a few stacks of ooooold swap blocks that will be my last Christmas gift for the year. The FIL will be getting a lap quilt to keep in his truck when he's out on the road. I haven't decided yet which stack of blocks will be his, but maybe while I'm finishing up the other top tomorrow, I can figure that out as well.

But... TOMORROW I will quilt, or sew something quilt related- I promise myself!

Oh my...

I feel Christmas sneaking up on me!

The above lap quilt is done (and really not quite so wonky, but I was too lazy to de-wrinkle it before picture time). This is another of the Christmas presents done, and ready to be shipped with a few of the others- well, they'll be ready to ship once one more lap quilt is done!

I have 2 lap quilts left to finish, and I REALLY need to be working on those, but I have nooooo motivation... at all! I wander into my sewing room (hmm... maybe I should start calling it my 'studio') and look at everything, and leave without doing anything! Well, I'll take that back, I did just make a pincushion. I didn't need a pincushion. I didn't particularly desire a new pincushion. I don't even USE pincushions. But I had a glimpse of an idea... and some fabric... and time to waste... I'm not a huge fan of the way it turned out, but I like the shape (a fluffy box/mattress!) and I'm sure I could do it up pretty in other fabrics... Hmm... more thoughts taking shape, but probably not enough motivation to do anything about it!

Such a slacker...

It's been awhile!

We've been busy here- field trip, Cub Scout campout, a weekend visit from the hubby, out of state family down for a week, frant

As far as projects go, a few updates- the scrappy rug is scrapped... for now, until I can learn to crochet correctly. The crazy brown/blue quilt is done, but I have yet to get a picture of it in it's finished form. This means though, that I only have TWO lap quilts to finish in November to be ready for Christmas- go me!

A few pics from the last couple weeks:

(me, kiddo, and a 50 lb python... good stuff!)

(he LOVED this baby deer!)

(so... it's a good thing we don't keep flint around the house!)

(Matt shooting a BB gun at Akela Camp... 46/50- go Mr Sniper Matt!)

(Matt's bath/Jedi robe- first attempt at making a costume- simple but he loves it!)

Currently working on...

1. Binding on the blue/cream crazy lap quilt. Just have to flip and iron, and topstitch the front down.

2. A rag rug, from leftover fabric strips and extra binding pieces. Currently this size:
It will end up a cirle, beacuse I don't know how to crochet any other shape (except a chain, and that would make a horrible rug!). Truthfully, I hardly know how to crochet at all, but it's holding up so far haha! I'd like to make it big enough to go side to side ... so this will probably get finished about the time the Army makes us move and we have to sell the house! And, just to make you lose your lunch, here's a close up of the true ugliness... ahh, loves it!

3. To be fair, this is done, and even has a matching checkbook cover from the blue fabric. I used an Amy Butler pattern, Frenchie bags, for the tote. Viola! Another Christmas present checked off the list!

Fabric, fabric, fabric!

Overdue picture...

Of the previously mentioned bike riding! He's since upgraded the bigger, 20" tire bike, but for some reason, I haven't taken pics of that yet- oops!

Parental Accomplishements...

1- walking
2-talking
3- potty training
4- 1st day of Kindergarten
5- RIDING A BIKE ON TWO WHEELS!!!

That's right- yesterday, Matt finally figured it out! After a few days of sore backs (me) and frustrations (Matt), we decided to try out a new method that Mommy found on Google. Lesson learned- Google is ALWAYS right!

After about 10 minutes of the new method ( http://www.ibike.org/education/teaching-kids.htm ) he took off and started pedaling on his own! By dusk yesterday evening, he was able to start off with me holding his shoulders - hasn't quite figured out the pushing off on his own yet. AND he is able to go up and down our street/cul-de-sac all the way alone!

Today we're going to try and master taking off on his own... and working on turning LOL! I'll try to get pictures, but that's hard to do since hubby's out of town and I'm trying this on my own haha

Christmas Project #2

I'm so surprised I managed to get this much farther with this today- I spend half the day figuring out how to change spark plugs and spark plug wires... Good news- I figured it out... Bad news- it seems that wasn't the only issue w/ the car and it still doesn't run- OOPS! Haha

However, this project was a bunch of 6" blocks this morning, and tonight it is a top! Well, a center at least... I'm thinking an easy cream border and then scrappy blue for binding... it's a little crazy, but that just makes things more fun sometime.

One down... some more to go

YAY! Christmas pressie #1 is ready to go... except for a quick washing to get cat hair off of it. Hard to see the gingerbread men's buttons and the buttons on the trees, but it's the general idea, and at least it's done!

Project #2 is almost a top, minus sewing rows together and adding a quick border.


A few random pics from our weekend:

(yes! I've trained the cat to go out and come in with the dogs- go me!)

Random Cub Scout fun... (at least by kiddo's definition!)

Still working on Christmas stuff

The tree skirt is coming along nicely... I have a few more buttons to add on, and then it's done! The binding is on, and it's nearly finished- almost have one gift down!





I started working on Christmas gift #2 last week also. It's going to be a simple split 9 patch lap quilt. The recipient stated that he wanted 'blue'.... so I'm trying to work with that! I think it's turning out fairly well so far. Here it is in the beginning stages:

This blog, http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/ , is providing lots of inspiration. Not only for me, but Matt as well... he is in love with that Jedi robe! I see more projects coming and the tin can pincushions seem like they would make cute easy presents for sewing friends for Christmas.