Sparkle Punch

I loved the sparkle punch quilt as soon as I saw it posted on http://www.ohfransson.com/oh_fransson/2012/01/sparkle-punch-quilt-along-what-youll-need.html.  So glad for the tutorial so I didn't have to figure out how to do it myself.

It took me a while and a couple trips to the quilt store for more dotty fabric to get it done.  Used up the rest of my sock monkey faces.  Love how they are randomly located.  The top is sewn, need to find something for the back.  I want to use it now!

The Big Finish

It's time to work on some UFO's. I started sewing strips of Mom's Christmas fabric into wonky log cabin blocks over a year ago. I finished a bunch of them and made it into a queen sized quilt for Mom and Don. She had no idea, and that was the best part. Too bad it hardly made a dent in the bin of fabric.

Finished the Malibu Monkey top too.  Looking for backing fabric now.

I loved the Snow Fogies fabric.  Just had to have it.  I didn't know what I was going to do with it, but the purse turned out cute.

I have too many things that I want to do.  A larger quilt for each of my girls, another quilt for us...  never can have too many, right?

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Bucket lists...

I casually think of the things that I would like to do in my lifetime. I don't make any serious plans to do any of them. With the passing of my mother-in-law at the relatively young age of 63 last month, I realized that there is no time like the present to change the "wishes" into goals. Here is the start of my list:

Go on a cruise
Ride a train
Take a pottery class
Throw a coin in the Trevi fountain in Italy
Learn a fancy dance with my husband
Go on a honeymoon to a white sand beach with clear water
See the Grand Canyon
See tulips in Holland
Go to Seattle again
Take kids to the Oregon Coast
Learn how to make stained glass
Go to a National Square Dance
Cirque de Soliel in Las Vegas
Go to Ireland
Pay off debt (except house)
Stay at the Gingerbread Mansion B&B in Ferndale, CA
Take Jessica to a Strawberry Festival
Learn calligraphy
Build a round house
Learn Italian
See Mt. Rushmore
Square Dance in a foreign country
Visit Seeley Lake, Montana
Go to the Redwoods again
Stay in the Out'n'About Treehouse Treesort in Takilma, Oregon
Stay in the Railroad Park Resort in Dunsmuir, CA
Visit the Idaho Botanical Gardens

At last...

I made the new covers for the couch pillows. When we got the new couch about 4 years ago, I intended to make covers right away. The pillows that came with the couch were totally not our style. Southwestern is not my thing. I finally found inspiration from OhFrannson.com. I love how they turned out. Becca wants an entire quilt for her bed made like this.

More Erin Michael Monkeys...

I wanted to make an extremely wonky quilt. It really taxed my brain trying to fit the wonky blocks together without squaring them up. I didn't even square up the outside either. I really love how it came out. I started working on it last summer and finally got backing and binding to finish it. I was a little unsure about the binding choice when Jon said that he didn't like it. When he saw how it just peeked out around the edges, he told me that I chose well. I did the binding on the bias, first for me. It wasn't all that difficult, and I really like how nice it lays.

My May project...

did not involve fabric. I stripped and painted the old dining set. Well, I painted the table and one chair. The girls painted the remaining three chairs. It's amazing how when a person is 5 they paint whatever is in their hearts without worrying about what someone else is going to say. Jessica was way more concerned what others would say about her artistic talents. She painted over parts of hers. Becca is not finished with her chair yet. She is so close, but hasn't had the creativity for finishing the project. I finally got the clear coating on the kids' chairs about a week ago. I still need to photograph the chairs. My chair started out with a dessert theme, but as I started painting, I decided that it needed some bright colors. It ended up with chili peppers on the seat. I am not really a southwestern fan, but I like the way it came out. The best part about the project, having a nice place to sit outside on the deck.

What happened to the pics?

I swear I uploaded photos of the denim quilt. Imagine this times 3. Too fun using old clothing.

Recycling Denim

I have saved jeans from my girls for a while. Finally got them cut into 7 inch squares and made a raggedy quilt for each of them. I had to purchase some new scissors to cut the seam allowances. They are the right size for cuddling under while watching a movie or riding in the car. Hope they love them as much as I.

Latest and Greatest....

at least in size. I really love how it looks on our bed too. I saw a quilt similar to this on http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com/ and just had to make one. I made 4 blocks approximately 26x29 inches. I love the random strips. (I have a lack of patience with matching corners so much.) Then added strips to each side. I had the hardest time finding the right color of aqua to coordinate with our bedroom. I eventually found a solid sheet at Target that I used for the back.

All I can say is that this thing better last a darn long time. It was really challenging to get quilted with my little machine. This is the 4th quilt I have entirely made on my own. I stitched the binding by hand. I love how nice it makes the quilt look from the top.

Another one done!

I participated in the quilt-along on OhFransson.com. Took me just a little longer than the average participant, I suppose, but I did it. I used Moda Malibu Monkeys. I adore that fabric. I don't think I can part with it. I did the binding differently this time. I totally machine stitched it. I like it better when I hand stitch the final part. It looks so nice.

Today's project...

was a dress for dear Olivia. We went to the fabric store yesterday to get some more white cotton for the quilt top that I'm working on for my bed. Denim was on sale for half price so I thought that would make a nice skirt for the Patty Young pattern that I had picked up at the Quilt Barn a few weeks ago. I was really yearning for some Michael Miller fabric called Summer Soiree. Not able to find the three pieces I wanted anywhere, so... boo hoo for me. Olivia found some fantastic lime green and purple fabric that she loved. It had a coordinating dot piece in purple. I can't wait to make this pattern again. It's adorable on her!

Inspiration strikes...

Today I felt like sewing. I had a charm pack of American Jane Recess fabric that I wanted to make a purse with. I got a pattern from This and That called Little Scraps. It's really a beach bag, but the small size works as a large purse. Took me all afternoon to cut and sew it, but it is done.

I embroidered a sweet saying on a piece of muslin quite a while back. I finished making it into a pillow today. I loooove it oh so much. I hope he will always do it... I know I will!

Twice in one week...

Today was a "work at the spa day" so I didn't do a darn thing. Yesterday I made a shower curtain look all pretty and started sewing blocks for a quilt for our bed. I can't wait to get it done. It is going to look great in there.

Tomorrow we will pick apricots for jam and other delightful treats. I hope my kids like that idea. I don't like apricots.

So neglected...

I always want to wait until I have pics of my projects to write about them. No more! I am just going to use this thing like a daily calendar to chart the things I got done.

Today I worked on some sewing. I finished the Malibu Monkey quilt top and got the fabric stitched together for the back. It was a sew-along with OhFransson. I'm just a little behind. I think it will be cute when it is all quilted. I wonder who will want it... Every chick in my family fights over the monkey fabric things I sew.

I fixed a pair of pj's too. One less thing to do.

The dishwasher flooded the kitchen about 3 weeks ago. We got new flooring put in. It looks great! We got solid oak. Tomorrow the workmen will be coming to finish up. The baseboards need done and the rest of the trimming. It is so much nicer to walk on than the laminate.

Liv's quilt

Today it seems that I am able to post pics. Here is the quilt that I finished this month. It's a wonky log cabin. Thanks to the inspiration from here: http://tallgrassprairiestudio.blogspot.com/

Shall I post quarterly?

It's not that I didn't get anything made. I'm just not interested enough to put it here, I guess.

My darling husband bought me a nice new Viking sewing machine for my birthday. Turns out that the darn thing was made in CHINA, something we specifically indicated that we did NOT want. It went back to the store for the next model up, since that was the only other affordable(lol) option for us. I ended up with the Sapphire 850. It came with quilting feet, something I have never used before. Talk about inspiration.

Anyway... I did make some things. My sweet nephew was the happy recipient of a sock monkey. I also stitched some fabric onto some towels to decorate them. I sewed flannel pajama pants for my girlies that are decorated with sock monkey fabric. Love the sock monkeys.

After the Christmas baking season, I got back into the sewing. I bit the bullet on the free motion quilting. I thought that I'd start with something small. I made Olivia an Olivia the pig vest. It turned out cute. Then I thought I'd make a small wall-hanging, but just jumped right into quilting a twin sized quilt. I like how it turned out. It's a wonky log cabin quilt done in reproduction 1930's fabrics. Mom made quilts from the same fabrics for the older girls so I used up some of the scraps.

The next project that I finished is a Christmas tree skirt. I love the one that crazy mom quilts made. I decided to do something similar, but using 9 patch. It didn't come out perfect, but I like it anyway. I'll have to do my math better on the next one.

How things change...

Been a long time since I've posted. We bought a house in August. Painted and all that fun stuff the end of August and beginning of September. Totally cool. I'm so thrilled to have a place of my own. We got moved in and had our housewarming party one month from the closing. There is so much to do. Jon worked over the sprinkler system. I've been tending to the weeds that are taller than the fence in the back yard and garden. I can't wait to plant things. I really want to try xeriscaping the lawn.

I've also been sewing a little. My old machine has been acting up for a few months. I'm still attempting to make it work. I made a bedside caddy for myself and have a quilt top for Small Daughter in progress. I'll post photos soon.

Ready?

Last week I got a wild hair and decided that I was going to recycle some old jeans that Small Daughter had grown too tall for. I cut the legs off under the back pockets and sewed a skirt for them using the Malibu Monkey sock monkey fabric. Oh, so dang cute! I have many a plan for that fabric. I can see it in my kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms. I love the monkeys!








Tomorrow is the day! I can't wait to scrap my day. Shimelle Laine has a project that is such a blast. Take pictures of your day on the 25th of each month, then scrap them in their own book. We started in April. It's so fun to see what everyone does. I love love love it!

Long day

Not much creating done today. I rode with my youngest sister to Boise. I do wish I'd remembered my camera. The wildflowers along the freeway are so beautiful. Indicative of the rainy weather we've been having.

Lovely oldest daughter had softball practice this afternoon. We spent the time playing in the park. The weather couldn't make up it's mind. It was breezy and overcast when we arrived. Started to sprinkle then totally cleared up in a matter of minutes.

I did manage to slice up 4 lbs of strawberries after dinner. Now I want some delicious Silver White Cake and a can of whipped topping to go with it. Yummy!

Intentions

I want a place to share my creativity. I like culinary arts, scrapbooking, sewing, embroidery. Too many things to mention. Uh-oh... they're coming to take me away!