The Adventures of a Fabric Junky

Think Globally, Act Locally!

2011-05-09T11:24:00.005-04:00

That was the title of my Freshman Seminar in College. I started school in January ( needed the semester off), and jumped right into school with this theme. It has always struck me as a wonderful motto for life, and especially for this time in our world!

On June 5th I will be running the Covered Bridges Half Marathon in Vermont for the second time. And, for the second time I will be running as part of team " Upper Valley Haven".

The Haven "provides temporary shelter and educational programming for homeless families and adults as well as food and clothing to anyone in need."

Part of our team duties, aside from running 13.1 miles, is to raise money for The Haven. This time last year I put out a plea to my family and friends to help me meet my $400 goal. This year I will be doing things a bit differently. This year, I will be raffling off a quilt. And not just any quilt...

My beloved Fat Quarterly Quilt Along Quilt!

This is the back :-)

So, would you like to win this quilt?

Would you like to help Children and Families get back on their feet?

Of course you do!

So, simply go HERE and donate anywhere from $10-$1 million.

Make sure that you put :

CBHM-Sudi-Laura Overstreet in the comments section ( that way I get credit)

For every $10 you donate I will put a slip with your name on it in my raffle hat!

One June 5th, some time after I run 13.1 miles, shower and regain control over my limbs, I will draw a winner. I will then pop the above beauty in the mail to you!

Just think, you could win this stunning quilt for just $10!

What are you waiting for?

Go ahead, make someone's life just a little bit easier.

Remind a young child, and their parents, that this world is made up of amazing people who care!

* The Haven sends me home with a list of donators and their address at the end of the race!!!

Today is the BIG DAY!

2011-04-04T09:47:00.003-04:00

{Modern} Relief Japan is in full swing!

Hop on over the main page, and check out the quilts being featured this week.

My quilt will be up next Monday, April 11th!

{Modern} Relief- Japan

2011-03-24T10:39:00.004-04:00

The donate button for {Modern} Relief- Japan will go live on April 4th.

I have donated a quilt, and will let you know ASAP when it will be up for auction.

Weepy Mama

2010-12-08T09:43:00.003-05:00

That is the best way to describe me right now. Well, really for the past few weeks.

Our yearly trip to the Pediatrician's office resulted in an ADHD diagnosis for The Shmoo. I have known since he was just hours old that he had more energy than most, but the label brings tears to my eyes. It's not " that" label that makes me sad, but rather any label. To me, he is the most perfect, loving, kind, angel. And, one on one, he is just that. But, throw him in a class with 19 other pre-schoolers, and he loses all ability to self regulate his behavior. He is not a mean, or viscous kid, but he struggles ( on a good day) to stay focused, and calm.

Today has me down right lost. His current pre-school has waited until today, a month after our parent teacher conference, to tell us that they are not sure they can " support" him there. That it is very hard to have him in class. Really, just today? Now you think is the right time to tell us? I have my ear to the ground for a new place for him, but mid year is hard, and we are on a shoe string of a budget.

I am not a home schooler, but I told J today that I might have to be. It would mean boxing up all of my fabric, and diving head first into teaching. And not just teaching, but teaching my lovely boy all the important things while reminding him how wonderful he is. What a good person he is.

I dropped him off today and almost couldn't let go. He was so excited to see his friends, and I just wanted to grab him and run.

Like any parent, I want him to be loved, challenged, appreciated, and most of all to feel as if he is an important part of the world, and that is not happening for him at school right now.

I have piles of work to do, but I cannot seem to keep the tears at bay. Maybe a cup of tea and a good long cry will help. Maybe!

It's Halloween Season..

2010-10-10T20:15:00.004-04:00

or so says The Shmoo! We spent the day with a good friend doing " Fallish" things. That included visiting 2 local farm stands looking for the perfect pumpkins and feeding a few local pets. We took only back roads, got lost twice, and had the loveliest day!

J and our friend carved pumpkins while I cleared off the table so that we could actually eat dinner at the table! We all ( even the wild 4 year old who would rather be playing than eating) gathered together, and enjoyed a hot meal of pot roast, mashed potatoes, and fresh asparagus. We finished it off with locally made pumpkin pie!

The weather was beautiful, the leaves were well worth peeping, and the company extraordinary! I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such beauty, both in the place we live and the friends we have.

These are the outcome of today's carve-a-ton. We have a mama and another baby that need to be carved, but that will have to wait for another day.

May the beauty of the season bring you peace!

4!

2010-09-30T10:05:00.003-04:00

On Monday my baby turned 4! I can hardly believe that it has been 4 years since he was born. Most days it feels like just yesterday, and then others I'm sure he's 20 :-) His big present his year was a bike from his Grandmother ( mother-in-law). This picture was taken at around

7:45 pm ( way past this time he would usually be up and about). He was so excited that he ended up in the driveway riding with his same outfit on!!!

We ( I mean I) decided that this year we would have to move the party away from our house. Our new " cabin" is much to small for a party! So, we ( I ) made a reservation at Chuck E' Cheese! Now, for anyone that knows me this is the most off the wall plan. But, I have a wild little boy who loves games, the chance to run around, and be as loud as he wants to be!

So, with my mom ( GG), his two Godmothers in from London and DC, and my dear friend NayNay we hit the round running. The Godmothers and his Dada were game playing machines, and ended up winning us well over 1,000 tickets! Here is just the beginning of the stash.

And here he is in all of his glory. The glare is towards the person dressed up as a giant RAT! He was not a fan of that part of the day. He is SO my child!

And this, is him the NEXT day all decked out in his Chuck E' Cheese glory! The soccer ball was purchased with all of this tickets, and rounded out a wonderful day.

He was wearing his crown again is morning just to make sure it still fit his 4 year old head! It was a great weekend surrounded by family and friends. I feel so lucky to have him as a son, and honored to be his mother!

DQS9

2010-09-22T21:02:00.003-04:00

This is my 4th round of the Doll Quilt Swap, and I've yet to be disappointed!

My partner loves bright colors, birds, and underwater creatures.

So, I made her a quilt titled: The Grass is Always Greener..." ( on the left)

In return, I received the most lovely quilt from Viv. Each square if unique, and the birds are perfect in their simply forms! It's hanging in my living room so that I can admire it everyday, and I do!!! Thank you for the time and energy you put into my quilt, Viv!

I was much quieter this round, but it felt right for me. The threads of discussion were so active that it would take me hours to catch up to even comment. So, while I did follow the discussions my comments were kept to a minimum!

The last few months in photos...

2010-09-21T16:58:00.002-04:00

I've been MIA, but I am ready to make a come back!

My sewing machine has been humming, and I've ironed so much I had to purchase a new one a few weeks ago! So, I've been:

Quilting along with Tia

Playing virtual and in person scrabble with my DH! Yes, he wins every time. What can I say, he was a Business/ HR major, and I was an Art Education major!

Spending time visiting friends. This was taken in Burlington, VT where the pool temp was a balmy 69 degrees. No, I did not get in :-) I was happily sewing hexis together while these brave boys were swimming!

Making commission quilts ( more on that later)

Making quilts for all the babies being born around me. Pattern by Oh! Fransson.

Looking forward to spending more time in this space.

Happy Fall!

Happy Mother's Day...

2010-05-09T08:35:00.002-04:00

To all of you who are Mothers, Grandmothers, Godmothers, and Women who inspire and support others!

I plan on spending the day hugging on my sweet Shmoo, and remembering how lucky I am to be his Mother!

If you have not already, make sure you let those important Women in your life know how much you appreciate them.

Peace be with you

I'm not a runner...

2010-04-27T09:19:00.003-04:00

But I run. I am short ( 5' 3") and I DO NOT have a runners body!

I've never been a " sporty" girl. I danced throughout junior high and high school. But, I started running in college, and never looked back. I completed my first half marathon weeks after graduating from college, my second months before meeting my husband to be, and the third, well, funny you should ask. My third will be in 4 days.

This is my first big run since giving birth, and let me tell you...everything is NOT the same as it once was. I seem to pick up speed during the last stretch in order to get to the potty ASAP.

My previous two runs were for me, to prove that I could. And, I did. However, this one is for others. I will be running as part of a team. Upper Valley Haven is a shelter/ food pantry/ transition center. Of all the teams I could be running for, I am proud to be a member of this one! My family and friends have been so generous in their monetary support as well as emotional support!

So, while I have been sewing quite a bit ( new post tomorrow on all that), most of my free time has been spent running. Hopefully all of my hard work will pay off, and I will not be the LAST person across the finish line:-)

Peace be with you

Census 2010

2010-03-23T08:39:00.002-04:00

* Warning- this is a political rant written with the sarcasm of a mother who's been home with a sick toddler for 2 days!

So, last week I received the Census in the mail ( nope, not the letter telling me that is was coming...or the post card to remind me to complete the census, but the actual CENSUS). I opened it up, and began to complete it. Name, check. Birthday, check. Do you rent or own, rent! Blah, blah, blah. Then I get to the point of Race. Now this is where it gets GOOD. Are you Hispanic? Yes or No- No. Next, check as all that apply....

White? Well, yes, one of my parents Caucasian- but I'm going to let this one slide, as I understand that the Census needs to be accessible to everyone regardless of education.

Black? Well, no, in fact at this point in the year ( living in snow covered New England) I am more of a soft caramel color.

African Am.? Well, is that asking if I am of African Decent just in the morning time? Nope, I am BROWN all of the time. 24/7.

And this is where I really start to loose it... wait for it...

NEGRO? I'm sorry, but it is at this point that I had to check the front cover to make sure it said Census 2010 and not Census 1960. I circled the word and wrote " What?" next to it.

This is how I see this playing out in a lower socioeconomic house hold.....

Am I Hispanic? No

Am I white? Nope

Am I Black? Well, I am closer to brown, but let me keep reading that line to make sure this is the one I should check

Am I African AM? Well, no,I am brown all day long. Let me keep reading.

Am I a NEGRO? Oh, yes, that's me! Why didn't they just say so?

What is the world is going on here? Really, in 2010 we don't think that people will understand what Black means? And do we need to abbreviate African American? Do we really think so little of our country men and women that we would need to bring back a word that has been socially unacceptable for decades now?

We have a multi-racial president. I wonder what President and Mrs. Obama will be checking as they fill out their Census. Will they be pleased to see such an archaic word used to describe themselves and their lovely daughters? I sincerely hope NOT!

There are a myriad of other things I could go off about in regards to the Census, but I'm going to stick with this one point. Let's get it together people!

DQS8- Sent and received!

2010-03-09T10:33:00.002-05:00

So, yesterday was the FINAL day to mail off our Doll Quilts for DQS8 over on Flickr! And, true to my usual fashion I was in line at the post office at 3 pm yesterday:-) However, I must say that I am very proud of this quilt. I pushed myself technically and design wise. J even asked if it was for us, as he thought it would look just perfect in OUR HOUSE!

But, it is traveling west, and should be there tomorrow!

I have titled it " Dresden Fruit Plate" even though there are veggies and even one nut in the bunch. I was so taken with how well it turned out that I have started a lap size version for my mom ( who say a picture and proclaimed me the most brilliant daughter around)!

And this lovely beauty is the Doll Quilt I RECEIVED from Erin! Erin and I have swapped before, and it was so nice to "know" who had made my quilt. A definite bonus to the whole swapping adventure!!! And, I just love it. The colors are perfect, and I am in love the fabric. It is going to be hung in the living room for all to admire.

Erin commented today that she was afraid that I would take offense to the naked mermaids...she clearly has not been reading my blog:-) So, no Erin, I am not offended, and frankly did not even notice. I was too taken by the quality of quilting, and the flow of the design. Thank you so much for the time and energy you put into this quilt!!!

I will have more fun things to share soon.

Peace be with you!

Winter Wonderland...

2010-03-01T07:53:00.005-05:00

Some may say, but I myself am done with the snow! This is what we woke up to on Saturday morning. Beautiful, yes. Fun to drive in, NO! So, we played outside, took long naps, and did a little sewing!

This is my Doll Quilt for Series 8. A Dresden Fruit Plate. My partner asked that I make something that I wanted to make. Something that represented me and my style. Well, the fruit and veggie line is my all time favorite, and I've always wanted to make a Dresden Plate. So, here it is. I will be quilting it today, and will hopefully have it in the mail by Friday. I'm not adding a boarder, but rather will bind it in the same polka dot that adorns the center. What do you think? Will my partner like it?

The Loves of my life...

2010-02-19T07:53:00.003-05:00

Enough said!

Note: Someone thought that my 3 year old son's bum was inappropriate for my blog, so it I have blurred it. Takes away from innocence of it, but seems that's the world we live in! Too bad, really!

Finally!

2010-02-08T13:32:00.006-05:00

A quilt for US! I have started a couple of quilts in the last year with the intention of putting them on our bed, but none of them have really fit the bill. However, these scrappy stars are jut what the doctor ordered.

These amazing stars are the products of 2 virtual quilting bee groups...This one, and this one. I've used the extra white fabric that was not used by each person to fill in the gaps, and I am loving it. The stars range in size from 15.5 inches to 6.5 inches square. I am in love with the 6.5 inch squares. The are just so dang cute!!!

Even J loves it, and he is not always such a fan of such scrappiness!
There are about 6 blocks that I will be using on the back, and a few more than hopefully will make their way to me in the mail soon. I've picked out a Kona cotton for the back in Grass Green- read: BRIGHT! The only question now is do I try to quilt this on my small sewing machine, or do I rent some time on a long arm and take some of the stress out of it? We shall see!

Peace be with you!

A week worth of sewing

2010-01-18T22:44:00.002-05:00

Last week was a very productive one for me and my sewing machine...and my knitting needles. The above projects ( minus the neighborly sweater) have been sitting in piles of blocks for months. MONTHS I tell you. From left to right: Red and Aqua swap hosted by Jane. This is one of the two toddler quilts I was able to put together out of the 100 disappearing 9-patch blocks I received. The rail fence has been sitting in strips since last May. This is the first quilt along from this group of lovely quilters. The scrappy log cabins were gathered from this group, and the pinwheels from this group. All of these quilts will be making their way to various organizations to wrap children with warmth and love. I hope to spend more time in 2010 using my crafting skills for good. Being a mother, with a son who sleeps under 4 quilts, I cannot imagine my child being cold during the winters months or without a special blanket of his very own. So, I hope to use up my stash for good this year!

If you are a knitter I highly recommend the Neighborly sweater pattern. I knit this cutie in less than 2 days. The one pictured above will be flying to a good friend of The Shmoo's just because I think it will be cute on her in cold New Hampshire. The one on my needles right now is destine for a classmate of The Shmoo who happens to also be our neighbor. I promise there will be many more of the puppies appearing over the next few months.

Well, I bid you all a great week, and check back here for this weeks projects. I've been very busy!!!

Peace be with you

Welcome 2010

2010-01-04T07:01:00.005-05:00

It feels like 2010 snuck up on me. Really! The Shmoo and I were flying home from North Carolina on the 31st, so I had no bubbly in the house, no sparklers, no snacks...NOTHING. We arrived in a snow storm, and slowly made our way home. I felt like I needed just one more day to get myself together before the New Year arrived. Well, I didn't, so I did what I do best...started a new quilt. This one was for my Grandmother-in-law. We exchanged gifts with J's family on the 3rd, and so I had 2 1/2 days to get this baby made. And, I did it!

Here she is is all of her glory ( the quilt that is). J stood on the porch while I hiked out into the yard to get a nice snowy image.

I love it. You cannot see it in this picture, but I stippled it using a variegated King Tut thread in pinks and creams. And, if I do say so myself, and I do, it turned out beautifully. The fabric is from this line, and is about as far from my usual as you can get. However, after seeing this quilt, I was inspired to step out of my comfort zone for Gram. She loved it, and told me that she would think of me each time she used it! It totally melted my heart!!!

I used this pattern, which I purchased at the LQS in Chapel Hill. And, just so you know, this pattern will be used again shortly!!!

One down, and many, many more to come.

Peace be with you!

Santa came to GG's house

2009-12-25T09:28:00.002-05:00

Oh yes he did! The Shmoo has been telling everyone for weeks that Santa was going to bring him 5 presents! There were no details about what these 5 presents were to be, so we went with it. Well, Santa came through with lots of cars, new markers and blank book, puzzles, and a memory game. We are now watching the movie UP! that GG gave him for Christmas, eating cinnamon buns, and playing with all of our new toys ( ipod touch for me:) ).

Sending warm holiday wishes to you and yours from rainy North Carolina!

I promise to me more present in the new year here on my blog! See you then.

Peace be with you now, and in the new year.

What have I been doing?

2009-11-19T06:25:00.003-05:00

Well, I've been working on this beauty! Two of the circles are hiding right now, but this " baby" quilt was a commission from my cousin. She has a baby shower this weekend, and wanted something that would be the hit of the party. So, 8 hours of my sewing retreat, 24 different fabrics, and my new beautifully quilting sewing machine turned out this love. I have to admit that once I pulled it out of the dryer I almost couldn't stand to part with it. I used the tutorial/pattern from here, and copied the quilting recommended ( free motion circles within the circles, and stippled the backgrounds). It crinkled just perfectly, if I do say so myself, and I do :-)

It has arrived in its new home, and so it is on to my next big project...my very first craft fair in just over 2 weeks. Hmmmmm...maybe I should be sewing rather than blogging....

Wishing you all a most wonderful day. The Shmoo will be in his very first pre-school play today ( the 3 little pigs), so I am off to dress the part of the very proud mama.

Peace be with you.

Hellllooooooo.....

2009-11-12T16:06:00.002-05:00

My son just got the Winnie the Pooh Movie, so that " hello" was in Pooh's voice :-)

I have been MIA from blog land for quite awhile, but for very good reason...I've been sewing..A LOT! I have lots to show, but they will have to wait until next week. Some of them are for people who have just now realized I have a blog, and have been stalking it! So, next week I shall reveal my newest sewing creations!

I can share that I spent last weekend at a Quilting Retreat on the coast of Maine. I even took time away from my machine to visit the beach, and it was totally worth it. We had unusually warm weather, so the experience was just lovely. I got 3 baby quilt tops done, and put a dint in a couple of quilts for myself ( it seems that I am creating a ton for others, and our bed is still naked)! One of these said baby quilts is a commission for my cousin. She requested a quilt that would be the hit of a baby shower she is attending next weekend. So, almost 30 fabrics later, and a new to me sewing of circles, I think we hit the jack pot. Well, all I have to say is if she doesn't love it The Shmoo will happily take it off her hands. He has already asked if it can sleep on his bed. I told him that seeing as he already had 3 of my quilts on his bed I thought this one could go live somewhere else. It was good enough for the moment!

On other sewing fronts I have been building up my collection of bags for 2 big events. The first is a craft fair the first weekend in December. This will be my very first craft fair, and I must admit that I am a bit nervous. The second is that a friend of mine is opening an Artisan shop in our small town on December 1st, and I will be putting both quilts and bags in there. So, I have been planning, organizing, and sewing up a storm to prepare for both of these events. Christmas presents will have to wait until December 6!

Wishing you all a most wonderful day.

Peace be with you.

Pay it forward...

2009-10-25T18:05:00.004-04:00

I signed up for a Pay it Forward on Audrey's Blog a few weeks ago. So, that means that I need to pay it forward here on my blog. I will take the first 3 people who respond, and send them something handmade within 365 days. The catch? Well, you must then old a Pay it forward on your blog. See, it just keeps going spreading handmade goodness to the world. I will send anywhere in the world, so please ( please oh please so I don't feel like the kids with no friends) sign up!

Peace be with you.

Tying up loose ends!

2009-10-09T20:58:00.005-04:00

This week I have been tying up some loose ends in my sewing room. You know, the projects in various stages that have been pileing up for ....YEARS. Yep, those are the ones I've been working on. I found these blocks hidden at the bottom of a box, and decided to sew them together. After putting them up on my design wall and moving the around for a little while I decided on this lay out. I had 10 blocks...not such a great number, but I realized if I saved one out I could use it on the back. The colors are much brighter in real like, and I am in love with it. I only wish I had made more blocks. It would be a great baby quilt. This little baby only measures 18X18. I am still contemplating boarders, but for now it is hanging from the roman binds in the living room. It gives a new meaning to " living with " a creation! And yes, those are my feet :-)

I have been sitting on a charm pack on Moda Sweet for about 8 months now, and finally decided to cut into them. I found this quilt while blog surfing, and decided to give it a go. This baby measures 32 1/2" square with each block a whopping 16 1/2" . I think I'm going to add white boarders and keep it simple! ( sorry for the less than stellar photo)

I am currently working on a placemat for Place Mat swap #2 over on Flickr. I am really excited about this one, and just hope my partner loves it as much as I do! I will post a photo as soon as I know it has arrived safely in Australia!

Happy Fall, Happy Weekend, and Peace be with you.

The big 3 and DQS7...

2009-09-28T19:03:00.010-04:00

Yep, The Shmoo turned 3 yesterday, and it feels like I have been working up to the big day for weeks! My mom arrived on Wednesday to help out, and see her " Spider Monkey". She whipped our house into shape, put up all of our pictures/quilts/etc. on the wall, cooked 3 nights in a row, and took care of The Shmoo while J and I went on a DATE! Yep, she's awesome, and we all wish she lived closer!!!!

In the sewing world I received the most wonderful Doll Quilt for DQS7 over on Flickr.

Yep, it's amazing, and that is me in all of of my glory :-) The quilt was immediately snatched up by my mom and J. They had been looking through all of my swap quilts in search of the "Perfect" one to hang in the dining room. Well, this was the one they were waiting for, so it went from the envelope up on the wall! You can't really see it in this picture, but there is a woman, a man, a little boy, 2 cats, and a dog all in the various windows of the houses ( I have a house obsession at the moment). Terri really did her homework on this one. AND, she sent The Shmoo a book. We love books at our house. J and I are book addicts, and The Shmoo has a decent library for a three year old!

I'll be back tomorrow with some up to date project photos!

Peace be with you

A week of projects!

2009-09-07T08:29:00.009-04:00

After getting over super sensative self I decided to get some work done. So, this has been a week of many projects.

Sunday, I made these bags for my former advisees. There are actually two more, but I figured this post was picture heavy enough. My girls ( yes, they are still mine) started the first day of their Senior Year in High School last Monday, so I put these bags filled with goodies in their mailboxes bright and early Monday morning. They were a big hit!

Monday I tackled my Old Red Barn quilt along Zig Zag quilt. I have been collecting fruit and veggie fabrics, and decided that this was the perfect project for them. I had the squares cut already, but drew all of the lines, sewed, ironed, cut, and sewed some more for almost 5 hours to get the top done. However, once I put it on our bed I realized it was too small. So, this week it will get large white boarders on it to make it work!

Tuesday I threw this baby quilt together. I had a charm pack of Snippets that I was holding on to for...well, that was the point, nothing really, so I decided to make a mini version of Crazymomquilts 9-patch quilt along to see what my larger one will look like. Note to self: make sure your blocks are all 6.5" BEFORE you start sewing. I did quite a bit of Un-sewing to make the sashing line up properly.

Wednesday I finally put this little cutie together. I have had the blocks sitting around for almost 2 years now. I made a similar one for a friend's baby, and ended up with extra blocks. So, I threw the blocks up on my design wall last week, and have been looking at them for awhile. It was not quite big enough on its own, so added a coin boarder. I really like the way it turned out!

Thursday was basting day. I commandeered a friends kitchen floor ( ours is about 1 square foot total) and got to work. Let me just say that this is the first time I have taped the backing fabric they way you are " supposed to", and it really works---imagine that :-)

Friday I turned a King size flat sheet into an XXL twin sheet for a friends son. He is about 6'5" and has never had a sheet that fits him. Well, he is off to college and so I went to work. It ended up being 56" by about 133" long....HUGE really. But, it fits him perfectly, so it looks likeI will be making a few more once they find some fun sheets.

Saturday I had a request for 16 bags for my former employer. They need them by Wednesday, so I've been a sewing machine. Here are the first 6- well, actually there are 8 in the photo, but the baby ones are just for fun!

Sunday was spent at a Family reunion for my Husband's family. It was a long day for family, and everyone slept soundly last night ( to say the least). Today will bring more bags! I'll post a picture of the finished projects soon.

Peace be with you.

Thin skinned!

2009-08-31T09:50:00.004-04:00

My mother has always told me that I was thin skinned...you know, get my feelings hurt easily. And, you know what, she's right ( aren't they always). Well, today while I was visiting bloggy land I got my feeling hurt. Was it intentional? I doubt it, really, but none the less, I am taking it as a sign to step away from the computer for a bit.

My weekly list of chores and sewing is long, so I don't think I'll get bored. Any-who, wishing you all a wonderful day, and hoping that someone says something kind to you!

Peace be with you.

Ladies of Leisure?

2009-08-28T13:10:00.005-04:00

That is what I am calling the women I know who have been laid off from said school ( no need to name names). Most of us have kids, are educated, and are now with much too much time on our hands. Today when I dropped The Shmoo off at school I was asked by another mother, "what are you going to do now?" My reply..."go for a long walk, eat some breakfast, and then sew the day away." She did not look amused. But hey, being lady of leisure is hard work!

What I failed to tell her, since I was sure her question was more sarcastic and judgmental than actually friendly was: I will be calculating all of the expenses I'm not sure I can pay while on my long walk, and hope that when I get home I can find something that is remotely interesting to eat. And while I am sewing the day away I will be anxiously waiting for the phone to ring with a job offer! Nope, I did not share that with her. Because, really, it's none of her business what I will be doing with my time!

Clearly I needed to walk longer than an hour!

However, J helped me take this lovely photo last night. This quilt has been on our spare bed for almost 2 years with no binding on it. Yesterday I washed and dried it, and laid claim to it. Last night, I snugged under it while reclined in my new recliner, and nearly fell asleep. Now that's a good quilt I tell yah!

This was my first true scrap quilt. The only purchased fabric is the boarder, and well, I needed it! I asked J if he was jealous, and he said " yeah! The Shmoo has my quilt on his bed, you have this new love, and I have nothing." Well, if this lady of leisure stuff continues I'm sure I can find the time to make him his own quilt. I mean, one that he can actually use, because I think The Shmoo may have staked some claim on the original!

Peace be with you

What? You say you need a new Bag?

2009-08-26T16:22:00.003-04:00

Yep, that's what The Shmoo told me on Monday. Okay, he did not technically say that, but his school did. The new law for Pre-Schoolers in our area is that if they eat lunch and stay for rest time----they must brush their teeth. So, I clearly had to make a cute bag to hold said toothbrush and toothpaste ( fluoride free says the state). I happen to find this amazing tutorial over at Orange Flower last week, and it seemed like the perfect fit. Plus, I was able to use my favorite fruit and veggie fabrics ( always a plus)

While I was whipping up this little baby I also made The Shmoo a wet bag to hold all of his wet clothes from school. It's currently in the wash, so I'll have to post a picture of that another time. But, we have moved from 3 sets of wet clothes, to two sets, to only one today. We have lost 2 pairs of Thomas undies to the trash though....poor Thomas.

Peace be with you!

First Day of School...

2009-08-24T10:18:00.003-04:00

Today marks The Shmoo's first official day of Pre-school. I dropped him off armed with his Cars lunch box, his Cookie Monster sneakers, and 7 pairs of underwear. What I did not bring was my camera! Yep, failing motherhood-101. Every other parent was taking a picture of their child in front of their cubby. But, no, not me. I dropped him off on the playground, put his lunch in the fridge, and reminded his teachers that he would need to be pried off of the climber in about half an hour for a trip to the Potty. Well, hopefully I can get a photo when I pick him up after lunch...he may be naked- if he's peed through all 7 pairs of underwear and the 4 pairs of shorts they have for him! Don't laugh, he's got more pee in his tiny body than I ever thought possible.

Well, I've sent in 2 applications for jobs on-line, and now I am off to SEW!

I hope your Monday includes some sewing, and that you remembered your camera for the first day of school!

Peace be with you

Note*** The Shmoo came home in school issues shorts and 3, count them THREE, bags of soiled clothes. One pair of Thomas undies was so bad they had to be thrown away. Hopefully his system is all cleared out and today will be process!

How time flies...

2009-08-21T22:44:00.002-04:00

A month, what? It's been a month since my last post. Well, a lot has happened in the past 4 weeks. We (I ) packed up our house, facilitated our move, and started the unpacking process whilst waiting for my mom to arrive and save the day! She did arrive from the heat of North Carolina, stayed for 10 wonderful days, and is missed dearly by all!

The Shmoo and I have been home together this past week waiting for Pre-School to re-open. Most of our days have been spent with The Shmoo in nothing but a t-shirt POTTY TRAINING, and me asking him every half hour if he has to use the potty. He seems to be getting the hang of it, and spent a few hours out and about with big-boy underwear on. I informed his teacher that I would not be sending him to school with diapers on Monday, but rather a bag full of clothes and underwear. That is why we pay the big bucks for pre-school, right? But, I cannot have his soiled clothes coming home in a plastic bag, so I purchased some water repellant fabric today to make him a wet bag. Come on now, only the very best for my boy.

Monday marks the beginning of our new life. Pre-school drop off is 9am for The Shmoo ( YAhoooooo). I am still unemployed ( with my name on the sub list for the local elementary schools- I've had enough of high school kids for right now), and hoping to take this time to figure out what I really want to do when I grow up. My family is pushing me to use my sewing skills to make some $$$, and I may....but I need a plan. So, Monday is the start of my planning process. Part of that planning includes spending some more time here in Blogland with all of you lovely people.

Until then, Peace be with you!

life update...

2009-07-20T16:05:00.004-04:00

we have a place to live, the kitchen and office are packed, and we have 2 weeks from tomorrow to get the heck out of dodge!

My sewing has taken a bit of a back seat to getting my family and all of our "stuff" across the river to our new space. But, I am actually on track with all of my swaps, and working on 2 quilt alongs. My 9-patch quilt is getting there, and then I'm starting the zig-zag quilt along over on Flickr. You can never have too many projects going on at once, can you?

I hope to be more active on this here blog once we move and unpack. I will be unemployed, so I will have nothing but time...

Peace be with you.

home, house, dwelling, abode, casa..

2009-07-10T20:49:00.002-04:00

We have one! Well, " we" don't " have" one, but we will be renting a house-let beginning August 1. You might ask what a " house-let"is...well, it is a mini house that is less than 1000 square feet, three stories, and will house 2 adults, one toddler, 2 cats and a jack Russell terrier. Yes, a HOUSE -LET :-)

I feel like a weight has been lifted. One item I can check off of the list of stuff to do to move on! Next up is finding a job... that should be easy, right!

Now that we have a place to move to I have begun the process of packing, and man it's not fun! I started with books ( J and I are avid readers), then framed photos- really we're cute and all but are 4 boxes worth of photos really necessary?, and I have ended the week in my sewing room. That is NO FUN! I bought 6 Jumbo bags that you suck the air out of to make them smaller, and I need about 4 more to even touch my stash. I found fabric I did not even know I had. Heather Ross gold fish- WHAT!!!!!! I even came up with 4 trash bags full of fabric for the Hospice Shop....and still there is more.

Well, I am taking a break from my house, and helping a dear friend pack up her house to move back into the dorm. It's much easier to pack other peoples stuff :-)

May your weekend be relaxing, and your sewing abundant.

Peace be with you!

Quilt Around the World...

2009-06-25T14:52:00.007-04:00

I am participating in the Quilt Around the World hosted by Summer Sadie. Each week we make a block for another member's quilt, and pass it along to the next person. There are 25 of us, and it is so much fun. I contemplated making the same block for each person, but quickly realized how much fun it is to look through the blocks that arrive let them guide me. Below are a few of the blocks I have made so far....

This one was my sewing project while we were in North Carolina. It is hand pieced ( not English Paper Piecing, although I love that technique) hexagons, and was both a challenge and a pleasure to make. I hope its new owner enjoys it!

In other sewing news I am working on my 9-patches for this quilt along, my strip sets for The Old Red Barn quilt along, many ( maybe too many) swap blocks to put together, and a few goodies for my mom to give her when she visits in August.

Hopefully I will be back here more often as I get into my Summer School schedule next week.

Peace be with you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY.....

2009-06-10T15:27:00.004-04:00

TO ME !

I have spent the day on the beach with the fam. I have been doing this...

and The Shmoo has been doing this...

and this...

A perfect day with my family, the ocean, and no schedule :-)

Peace be with you.

VACATION!

2009-06-08T21:46:00.003-04:00

Yes, you heard me correctly, we are on vacation. J, The Shmoo, me, and GG are all on vacation. We arrived yesterday at the wonderful beach, and everyone over 3 is sun burned. It happens every year...we forget that no sun has seen our skin for some 9 months, and that it needs a layer of protection. So, it was aloe and lots of lotion this evening! The Shmoo is just a lovely golden brown, as he was smeared every 3 hours with SPF 55. Even his Boot ( as he calls his bum) is golden. We are in the midst of potty training, so he spent the day Nakie on the beach . Man is he cute...and he peed on the potty twice today :-)

We plan on spending quality time on the beach, eating out, and reading the stacks of books we all have ( even The Shmoo).

Not to fear thought, I bought a weeks worth of wireless access from the best shop on the Island and have some hand sewing projects as well. I'll have pics as soon as my camera's battery is re-charged!

Wishing you all a wonderful week where every you may be!

Peace be with you.

We saw a BIG TURTLE...

2009-06-05T14:11:00.005-04:00

If you asked The Shmoo what we did at Tante's house he speak in rapid fire about the BIG TURTLE we saw, and the zebra shark, and the men swimming....continues for about 3 minutes straight.

The Turtle might be big, but he was FAST I tell you. So, we got this drive by shot. The Shmoo clung to J the entire time we were on vacation, but the minute we got back he could not stop talking about our trip! Well, I guess it was money well spent :-)

While we were away a package arrived for me from The Kindred Crafters Coaster Swap made by Nikki. What a lovely bundle of wonderful goodies! The coasters a beautiful, the mug screams summer, and the tea is one I've never tried which is fun.

I forgot to take a photo of the coaster I sent to Nikki, but they were lots of fun to make, and I'm looking forward to the next Kindred Crafters Swap!

Happy Weekend. Peace be with you.

Bueller....Bueller....

2009-05-28T15:20:00.002-04:00

I'm here, I really am! Things have been a bit crazy in the house of Shmoo, but I have not forgotten about all of you quilt sewing blog readers.

We graduated the class of 2009 on Sunday. I shed far too many tears. We cleaned out the dorm, had a little graduation lunch with my most favorite girls from the dorm, and then.....we hopped in the car and headed to Maryland to see one of The Shmoo's Godmothers. She works at an all girls school outside of Baltimore, and many is it different than what I'm used to.

However, we are here, on vacation, and loving every minute of it. The Shmoo has 2 new cats to chase/ play with, and J has never been to the DC area. We braved the National Aquarium in Baltimore today, and it was wonderful. It was quite possibly the most expensive day trip we have ever taken ( $55 for the Aquarium tickets, $20 for parking- come on now people, and $48 for lunch), but the most fun too. Tomorrow will take us back to Baltimore for the Children's Museum, and Saturday we are off to the Zoo.

Grades are due by 9am tomorrow, and instead of writing comments I am writing to you all:-) That's the way it should be if you ask me!!!

Well, I wish you all peace filled weekends, and I will be back next week with a zillion photos of all the sewing I have been up to.

Until then...Peace be with you.

Happy Mother's Day....

2009-05-10T12:52:00.002-04:00

To every mother out there. I hope that you feel loved, appreciated, and valued on this beautiful day.

Peace be with you!

Overdue Thanks

2009-05-05T22:02:00.007-04:00

Oh do I have some overdue thanks. My mailbox has been over flowing with swap packages, and

my manners have been poor in the " Thank You" department!

The first goes out to Andrea who made me this beautiful table topper for the Spring Swap.

I love it, and cannot wait until we find a new home to use it

in.

The next goes out to Hermione who was my partner in the Seams to Me swap. Although I don't have a photo ( I know, shame on me), I wanted to thank your publicly for the beautiful bag she made me ( the Taxi Tote) from Anna Maria Horner's book. It will definitely be used quite a bit this summer for the trips to the pool and lake this summer.

And finally, a THANK YOU to Jennie for the beautiful quilt for the Doll Quilt Swap 6. I am a huge dot fan, so this could not be more perfect. She also included 30+ 6" charm squares of Amy Butler fabrics, the coolest coloring/ sticker books for The Shmoo, and a lovely card. I have to admit that I have not hung this beauty on the wall. Instead, it is living in my car so that I see it every day. That may sound a bit strange, but I spend quality time in my car bringing The Shmoo to and from school.

On another topic I have joined 2 more swaps....it's an addiction, I'm aware!

The first is Amanda Jean's Quilt-a-long where we make 1 nine patch a day for 10 weeks. This will be the new quilt for J and my bed once we move. It will be scrappy, completely from my stash, and hold many, many memories. These 9 patches are a bit addictive ( I've made 24 in the last 7 days). Here is my first round of blocks:

The second is Quilt Around the World hosted by SummerSadie. I will keep you posted on how things are going in swap world...cause I know you are interested :-)

Peace be with you.

I love my Fruits and Veggies...

2009-04-20T23:02:00.006-04:00

Some of you may remember that I'm currently in love with RJR's Farmers Market line. Well, one of The Shmoo's babysitters ( okay, the only one not related to us) just had her first baby last month and so a quilt was in order. She and her partner are very " back to the earth" kind of folks, so the fruits and veggies felt like the perfect fabric. I started with pinwheels....

...but the quilt felt too narrow. It needed a few inches on both sides without adding more pin wheels-- not enough fabric.

But, I did have the "scraps" .....

... I made two sets of piano keys, and added them to on. I love it! I'm so happy with it, and hope that once it's quilted, washed and dried it will be even better. This is the first quilt that I have not washed the fabric for before cutting and piecing. Fingers Crossed!

And, seeing as I had 12 blocks left over I whipped up this little baby---

It's soooo cute! Would make a cute doll quilt for some little Shmootle out there. It needs a little boarder or something. I'll have to see what I can scrounge up in my scrap pile.

It has been a productive weekend, and hopefully I can complete these beauties over the next week.

Peace be with you.

Blogger Quilt Festival

2009-04-17T17:40:00.006-04:00

I've never been to an actual quilt show, so when I saw the posting on Park City Girl's site I had to join. It took me awhile to decide which quilt was my favorite, but I had to go with this one of The Shmoo's nap quilt for school. The story goes a little something like this....

When The Shmoo started Nursery School last year he refused to sleep at school...okay, he didn't really sleep at home either. Well, as he got older ( and wiser) he started napping at school EVERY DAY. One day I asked the teacher what he slept with. She pulled out a rag. No, really, it was a rag. I was horrified. How could my Shmoodle sleep under a rag when I have more fabric than a quilt store? So, that weekend I started a " Nap Quilt" for him. I pulled out scraps, and yardage, and began cutting 2X7 rectangles. I wanted it to be scrappy, and happy, and fun. I wanted him to be able to look at all the different pieces while he fell asleep, but more than anything I wanted him to be wrapped in my love while he was away from me. Once it was complete I knew it needed to be professionally quilted to last the weekly washings it was going to have to withstand. I picked red thread to match the red and white polka dot backing fabric and a dragon fly pattern for fun and funk. I love this quilt. The Shmoo loves this quilt. There are fabrics from almost every quilt I have every made. It has pieces from pajama pants I wear all the time, Grants Qwillow, my mom's many quilts, etc. It has history, and when he sleeps under it his is wrapped in all the love that went into it. At some point he will out grow it, but I made it 36X47 so we have a little time before that happens:-)

Hop on over to Amy's blog and check out everyone else involved in the festival. There are so amazing quilts out there in Blog land, and the best part is you can look at them all in your pajamas!

Happy Weekend to you all! Peace be with you.

Scraps to share?

2009-04-15T14:55:00.004-04:00

You may have noticed my " To Do" in the right hand margin on my blog....well, if not take a look. Well, one of the items on my list is a scrappy braid quilt for Grant ( the son of Isaac's God Father and the only real father figure I've ever had).

I made Grant a Qwillow when he was about 7 years old. We went to the fabric store together, and he picked out 3 coordinating fabrics - on his own. 9 years have passed, and this qwillow is still on his bed. He brings it on all car trips, and allows no one to touch, much less use, it. When The Shmoo and I visited in March Grant was a bit jealous of The Shmoo's braid quilt. Realizing that his next birthday is the big 1-6 I thought he might just need a braid quilt of his own.

SO- that is where you all come in. Might you have some scraps to spare. I have many, but it seems there are more pinks than blues in my pile. I am in search of fun and funky fabrics roughly 2.5 inches by 7 inches. Please leave a comment if you are willing to share your scraps with an almost 16 year old who truly appreciates the art of quilting :-)

Thank you in advance. Peace be with you.

Hopping Bunnies...

2009-04-12T22:26:00.011-04:00

Well, I've felt like a hopping bunny this past week. My sewing machine has been going non stop I tell you, and it didn't stop until 9am this morning! I sent a fabric basket filled with chocolate, and other goodies to both my mom and my aunt ( they loved them) .

I then made 4 more baskets for my Senior Leaders ( one was still on the sewing machine when I took this picture). They are made based on the tutorial on Orange Flower.

This will be the last holiday for my Advisees, so they got

mini duffel bags filled with pencils, note pads ( with their first initial on in), bubble gum tape, jelly beans, and chocolate. These were made using a pattern from Love the Fabric. The pattern I used is not actually on her web site, but she has great patterns non the less.

Now, I am a glutton for punishment, so I also made a little drawstring bag for The Shmoo's favorite student in the dorm.... The embroidery pattern is from Orange Flower, and the bag pattern from Pink Penguin.

Whew....All bags and baskets have been delivered, and appreciated. Now I have some serious catching up to do on all of my swaps. Plus, I am determined to make J and I a new quilt for our up coming move. PS- we have no idea where we are moving, but we're going to have a new quilt on our bed if it kills me!

Peace be with you.

Pictures...FINALLY!

2009-03-29T22:18:00.006-04:00

I have been sewing...I promise. I sent out all of my March Swaps on time, and even with 8 days away from my sewing machine! I've made 2 hexagon quilties this month, and I think I have a new obsession ( cause I need one you know)!

This was for the STUD Japanese inspired quilt swap. I made this while I was home in North Carolina, and I love it. I don't always feel good about what I create, but this one makes me happy!

The above is yet another Hex mini. This is a scrap buster, and stress reducer. I hand pieced this top in the 24 hours before school started back after spring break. I even brought it to the movies with me :-) J loved that!

In other swap news...I received my final Fat Quarter from the Sew Mama Sew Fat Quarter Swap ( one is missing in this photo). The are great, and I can't wait to use them. They actually work well in 3 different groups...isn't it funny how that works out? Thank you to all of my swap partners. Each package brought a smile to my face!!!

Last but not least is this beautiful Weekender Bag from Angel. She and I were partnered up in the most recent We The People Swap, and we live less than an hour away from each other. I love my bag, and cannot wait to use it. She received her bag safe and sound, and has already taken it on a trip ( LUCKY)! It was a very difficult pattern, but well worth the effort!

I am working on 4 blocks for the virtual quiling bees I am a member of, 2 wedding quilts, and Easter Baskets for my senior leaders and advisees! More photo soon.

Happy Spring to you all. Peace be with you!

Fabric, oh Fabric...

2009-03-17T19:40:00.006-04:00

Yes, I did some retail therapy while I was in North Carolina. I spent a few dollars ( few meaning more than 2 :-)) at Thimble Pleasures my favorite quilt shop, and Mulberry Silks where I have been shopping since I was in middle school ( and they still know my name). When I returned to MA there were several packages waiting for me. One from my WTP Fat Quarter Swap, my most recent order from Z and S Fabrics, and a set of 4-patch squares from the My Favorite Quilters flickr group.

I've made 3 quilties for my Flickr swap groups...I can't post photos as my partners have not yet received them, but I promise to post all 4 ( yeah, swap-aholic right here) next week.

I finally finished the Amy Butler Weekender bag for the WTP Swap. Whew- it is not something I plan on repeating again anytime soon! And then, I just had to make a box bag to go along with it. It was hard to put in the mail, but hopefully my partner will love it as much as I do!

Well, I have many, many projects on my sewing table, and only 3 more days before the students return from Spring Break. It has finally hit me that I only have 10 more weeks before my contract is up here...my home. It feels a bit better after some time away, but it is still hard. I have a few leads on jobs, and places to live, but nothing concrete.

Happy Spring to you all! Peace be with you.

Spring is here.....

2009-03-11T15:17:00.004-04:00

Okay, it's not Spring at my house, but it has hit North Carolina. The Shmoo and I are visiting my mother in Pittsboro, NC for 8 days, and boy are we enjoying the spring time weather. We have spent more time outside playing in the last 3 day than we have in 3 months up north. The crocus are out, the daffodils are blooming,and the tress are starting to bud. Ahhhhhh Spring. It truly does make all the difference in the world. I have had 2 full nights of sleep, and feel that by the time we head home I may just be able to deal with life.

As I have no sewing machine here I have been forced to do some hand sewing. There are few hexagons scattered around my mother's house, and I may just have a quiltie completed by the time we have to leave!!!

Will post pics tomorrow. Peace be with you

Life happens

2009-03-04T16:50:00.002-05:00

Yep, and while it has been happening I have not had the energy to blog. What's been going on you might ask- well, I'm going to tell you wither you want to know or not :-)

J and I put a bid in on a house, it was accepted ( yikes), and then the loan we thought we could get from a family member for the down payment fell through. So, we have spent countless hours and many many tears on my part realizing that although we " could" buy this cute house it would mean living a life style that would not be healthy for The Shmoo. In desperation I turned to my current employer to see if they could help us out by allowing us to rent a house from them...lots of hemming and hawing later they say " we're not sure...we'll know more in a month". A MONTH? Did I mention that we will lose our housing in 3 months? That we have a 2 year old son who needs a roof over his head?

Well, as I said: Life happens. The Shmoo and I will be heading to North Carolina on Sunday to visit my mom, and hopefully gain a bit of perspective on this mess of a situation. I need some space between me and the school, and no where is better than home with my mom! Let's just hope they have some sunshine, cause I am so over the snow!!!

On a crafting note I have been working on the Amy Butler " Weekender Bag", and all I have to say is---I will try anything once!!!!! Never, Never again!

I wish you all well, and I hope to post a photo of the complete bag on Friday. Peace be with you.

Spring, where are you?

2009-02-24T21:30:00.005-05:00

I mean seriously...where is the sun? I am so tired of being cold I cannot even talk about it. So, I've been working on Spring swap quilts!!!!

This one is paper pieced with my own added little creature :-) I almost couldn't send this one in the mail. It made me smile the whole time I was making it. Hopefully is makes its new owner smile as well!

This one was also a paper pieced quiltie made for a Flickr swap. I was able to use only scraps for this one. The white and flower fabrics were left over from my Bushfire Quilt squares, the batting was from my mom's Valentine's Day quilt, and the backing was a piece I received in a scrap swap! So, I would call this a" Green" quiltie :-)

I'm still working on my charity quilt for school, and one for our bed :-) The one that I made in the 9th grade is not quite cutting it anymore.

I have fallen in love with the RJR farmers Market line. I have plans to make a star quilt with a different fruit or veggie for each star. We'll see how it goes.

This week will be spent mostly working on the Amy Butler Weekender Bag for the We The People swap due March 7th...yeah, it's the whole " works best under pressure" thing again.

Hopefully I'll have some photos to post later this week. Until then, Peace be with you.

Swapity swap swaps...

2009-02-19T13:59:00.006-05:00

Today was a swapity mail day! I sent out all 8 ( yes, 8) fat quarters for the Sew Mama Sew FQ swap, and received 3 swap packages in the mail.

This one is a paper pieced quiltie for the STUD flickr group. I love the bright colors, and the polka dot boarder makes me smile!!

This cutie is for the 6"-12" Flickr swap group. The theme was children's literature, and my partner used " The little old lady that lived in a shoe" as her inspiration. I am a shoe lover, so it could not be more perfect.

And this final beauty of a package is from my swap partner through Katy's swapity swap. The fabrics are not only beautiful, but so very soft to the touch. I'm not sure I can cut them up! And, she sent a sweet card, and the loveliest buttons all wrapped in fine ribbon.

I feel totally spoiled today, and after the week I've had....I NEEDED IT! Thank you to each of my swap partners for making my day! Peace be with you.

Any UK readers out there?

2009-02-16T14:17:00.003-05:00

I am looking for the Sew Hip magazine issue #1. I cannot seem to find it here in the states, but would love to own a copy. I'm happy to pay, or swap for some fab, mini quilt, or hand made bag.

Thanks in advance!!!!

Hearts, hearts, and more hearts

2009-02-13T08:23:00.007-05:00

That's what my week has been like! I completed 10 Valentine's Day bags this week! 4 for my advises, 4 for my senior leaders, and 2 for dear friends who have been my support system over the past few weeks.

These are made using the Bend the Rules sewing book...it's such a fun book and very easy pattern.

These were made using the tutorial from Pink Penguin's blog.

It's a fun bag to make, and is a great Scrap Buster project!

Will I get a lovely handmade bag in my mailbox this weekend? Probably not, but I love making/giving them and that is truly what it's about. So, I wish you all a love filled Valentine's Day, and a peaceful weekend! Peace be with you.

Live Laugh Love

2009-02-11T09:49:00.006-05:00

I finished my mom's quilt last night, and let me tell you that I will NOT be quilting another large quilt myself for quite a while! I had two things working against me:

1. I used flannel on the back. Lovely to snuggle up with, but a pain in the rump to quilt ( says me)

2. I gave myself 36 hours to quilt ( I wrote LIVE LAUGH LOVE around the entire boarder) , bind (hand sew it down ), wash and dry the sucker before I had to put it in the mail.

Yes, I work best under pressure, but The Shmoo started screaming " I don't like GG's Blankie" by the end of the day.

However, it turned out lovely, and I know she will love it...and really that's all the matters!

On to make some stars for the Brush Fire Quilt Project! Peace be with you.

Bushfire Quilt project...

2009-02-09T17:21:00.003-05:00

Please take a moment and check out the Bushfire Quilt Project over on Flickr. Tia is collecting 12" star blocks to put into quilts for the victims of the bushfires in Victoria, Australia. My heart aches for all of the people who have lost loved ones, homes, communities, as well as for this lovely country. Help if you can, and please spread the word among all of your quilting friends.

Peace be with you.

Hiding among the fabric....

2009-02-08T20:01:00.012-05:00

* Note- Blogger and I are usually good friends, but last night we had a fight....so we had to sleep on it, and now we seem to be friends again!

That's where I've been! When I get stressed I do one of two things- Eat or Sew. I got the stomach bug last week, so eating was out. My machine has been running at top speed for 6 days straight, and probably won't get a break until March when the Shmoo and I head to North Carolina for Spring Break.

You may wonder what exactly I've been working on ( okay, you might not have wondered, but I'm going to tell you any way)....

1. Blocks for Flickr groups- Sew Connected 2, Buzz Cuts, and the Cottage Quilting Bee

2. Mini quilts for flickr groups- STUD ( 3 minis), 6"-12" quilt swap ( 2 minis), and mini quilt in a bag ( 2 out of 6 completed already)

( This one was a " Plain Jane" using Liberty scraps from my Sew Connected 2 group)

3. 4 Valentine's Day bags for my advisees ( just have to put the drawstrings in them all)

4. 6 Valentine's Day bags for my Student Leaders and The Shmoo's nursery school teachers( just have to top stitch the tops closed)

5. Amy Butler Weekender Bag for the swap Tracey is hosting on Itching 2 B Stitching.

6. Valentine's Day quilt for my mom-photo above. She has been ( okay, always is) amazing since my job loss, and I wanted to send her hugs and a new quilt to tell her I love her!

7. Pillowcases for J as a " low budget" Valentine's Day gift.

So, I better get off this computer and back to the sewing machine.

Peace be with you.

And the winners are....

2009-02-05T07:58:00.005-05:00

...numbers 21 and 105 ( generated by Random.org).

So, the fabric will go to: Kelly at Handmade at Home, and the bag filled with scraps to: Doris at Threads of Conversation.

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog...come back and visit again soon.

Peace be with you!

Let the games begin....

2009-02-04T07:35:00.009-05:00

So, I have decided to give away two items in the IMAG's International Stash Busting Giveaway ( that's a mouth full. The first are these 4 half-yard cuts of coordinating fabs. Their cute, cheerful, and scream S-P-R-I-N-G which most of us will have to wait months to actually enjoy. So, tell me what you would use them for, and hopefully you'll win.

The second item is this bag I made which I will fill with scraps before mailing off to its new home. It has a square bottom and holds a small grocery bags worth of stuff. It's fully lines, and STURDY! So, get commenting and let's have fun!

Sneak Peak....

2009-02-02T10:28:00.004-05:00

Well, not really a sneak....

When it rains it pours and a Cutie Hooty!

2009-02-01T22:13:00.010-05:00

I thought losing my job was enough bad news/ drama for one week. However, I was wrong...I " caught" the stomach bug from The Shmoo, and spent 6 hours with my head in the toilet Friday night into Saturday morning. I hate to throw up-I haven't done it since I was in labor with The Shmoo, and I cried about it then. I used words that rarely pass my lips, and forced J to sleep with The Shmoo so that he didn't get sick as well ( and so he did not witness my sprinting from the bed to the bathroom every few moments). Well, as it turns out the little man was not over his bought with the stomach monster. So, I spent last night in bed with him as he threw up on 3 sets of sheets, 2 sets of jammies, and a very tired and weak mama. I had to snap this photo of him this afternoon watching Thomas and resting his " ouchie tummy". He then had a sudden burst of energy and needed to take some pictures. A budding artist maybe?

It's a good thing he's so cute, cause I am one tired mama tonight!

On a crafty note I completed this cutie tonight for one of my students. She turned 18 on Friday and loves Owls. So, a Hooty it was. This is a Melly and Me pattern. It was very easy to follow. He's pretty cute if I do say so myself ( and I do!).

Stay tuned tomorrow for the stash giveaway preview. Peace be with you!

Stash Buster Give Away Feb. 4th.....

2009-01-29T21:07:00.004-05:00

Make sure to check out this amazing giveaway here and at a number of other fab blogs. The brilliant Katy has all the information. I will post a sneak peak of the stash I will be giving away on Monday!

Peace be with you.

sewing like mad...

2009-01-28T16:16:00.004-05:00

So ( sew) I've been sewing my blues away. With blocks to make for the Sew Connect 2 and Buzz Cuts flickr groups, 1 swap quiltie ( STUD watch it, read it, sing it theme), and my fat quarter swap to finish I've been busy. I mailed off both the quiltie and my swap package this morning, and will send my blocks out tomorrow. The Shmoo loves to sing, and so I had to do a kids song for this one. It was my first time making pieced letters, and clearly I aimed a little larger than necessary! But, I love the final product, and contemplated keeping it to hang in The Shmoo's room.

This evening holds more sewing, and some much needed quiet time with J. It's been a long week for both of us.

All the best to you! Peace be with you.

D-Day

2009-01-26T22:25:00.002-05:00

Well, the call came ( well, I had to call them...but that's a whole different story), and my position as it currently stands has been eliminated for next year. It 's been a long day. I've shed more tears than I thought possible, I'm mad, and tired. I know that everything will work out for the best in the end, but I'm still looking for my " easy button"! If I had more energy I could probably do some serious sewing, but I can barely keep my eyes focused enough to write this post.

J and I have been looking at houses to buy, and trying to figure out what we can afford financially and mentally. This growing up stuff is not for the weak and weary, that much I know!

Be well. Peace be with you.

Fabric Goodness....

2009-01-23T11:00:00.009-05:00

Today has been a good day, and it's only 11am. I " took to my bed" last nigh over come with sadness and fear as Monday moves closer and closer .

But I woke up this morning without the alarm clock and headed to the gym to start my day. I laughed out loud for 40 minutes on the elliptical while listening to Podcasts of A Prairie Home Companion. What a great show. The main event for today was for The Shmoo and I to go pick up his new Nap Quilt from the quilters. Yes, I often pay someone else to quilt my quilts.

And it turned out great! He will be the talk of the Nursery School. Every other kid has "rags" they sleep under....but not The Shmoo... not anymore that is! I love the red dots on the back. I hope they don't keep him awake. The child needs a nap--everyday!

The next fabric goodness arrived to the mailroom this morning from the UK. It was a package of Liberty florals from Katy for the Sew Connected 2 group. Aren't they beautiful? They came in their own linen and liberty drawstring bag. Rockin' fabs and a bag...packages don't get better than that! I'm not sure I can actually cut them up, but I guess I don't actually have a choice. So, off to do some planning I go.

Here's to a joyful weekend. Peace be with you

Retail Therapy....

2009-01-21T14:01:00.005-05:00

My LQS is having their annual sale, so I induldged in a little retail therapy this morning while The Shmoo was in school. I have a feeling that I will be back for Round 2 before the sale ends on the 31st!

The stack on the right ( dark red and below) are destine for a zig zag quilt. The others are for various and a sundry projects. Shmoo needs some new pillow cases ( okay, he has no idea that he needs them, but as his mother I must pay attention to these things), and the light yellow print on the left was just too cute to pass up. With Valentine's Day fast approaching I have bags to make for my advisees, Senior dorm leaders, Shmoo's teachers, and classmates. Whew...I'm making myself tired just thinking about it!

While I have not been blogging much this week I have been busy crafting. I'm headed off to quilt my final swap quilt for the month, piece a placemat for a friends little girl, and begin cutting out the fabs for my mothers Valentine's Day quilt.

Happy Day to everyone. Peace be with you.

Super Sunday!

2009-01-18T19:52:00.011-05:00

We got 5 inches of snow last night meaning that The Shmoo slept in this morning. I then spent the 2 hours working on my Cowl. The pattern is from Purl, and the yarn is Cashcotton Classic yarns. I started knitting it for my cousin who lives in Boulder, but decided to hand it over to one of my friends here as school. The pattern is very simple, but it seems to be taking me forever to complete. I hope to have it off of my needles by tomorrow...we'll see if it really happens.

On other fronts I finished my bits and pieces quiltie this evening while on duty in the dorm. Nothing like a little hand sewing to pass the time. I used some black batik for the boarder and binding, and loved the way it turned out. Even J inquired as to where it was headed. He was happy to hear it was staying with us. I can never tell with him sometimes!

This week I have a quiltie to make for a swap, and need to cut the fabric out for a Valentine's Day quilt I hope to pull together for my mother. We're supposed

to get more snow this week, so it should be a good quilting week.

I wish you all a good night. Peace be with you.

2009-01-17T11:56:00.003-05:00

It's been a long couple of days here in cold New England. It was -17 this morning when I ventured out to the gym. That my friends is dedication!

I have been working on a swap quilt based on the Gees Bend quilts, and finally completed it last night while snugged up by the fire. I hand quilted it ( my first stab at that), and have all the needle pricks to prove it. All in all I am very happy with the way it turned out, and hope that my swap partner ( who does not like brights!) enjoys it as well. Since no one is reading this here blog I thought it safe to post before it arrived at its final destination.

On a non-fabric related note ( I know, things not revolving around fabric, WHAT)...I will find out in 7 days wither I have a job or not next year. I guess I have not mentioned yet that I work at a Boarding School, and run/ live in a girls dorm of 56. The wonderful young ladies range in ages from 14-19. I also teach Health to the 10th graders, and advise the school Yearbook. This is my 9th year here, and I am an alum of the school. All that being said, notifications of position eliminations will be delivered on Monday January 26th. My heart aches, my stomach is in knots, and I am really not sure what we will do if I loose my job. Housing is included in my salary,and we do not own a home anywhere else. It is scary to think that come June we may very well have no where to go. I am very much aware of the struggles of many individuals and families due in large part to the economic fall, and feel so saddened that we are facing this again at my school.

So, I send my positive energy out into the Universe, and hope that the love and dedication I put into my job is enough...that I am enough and worthy of keeping here.

I promise to have something more uplifting to talk about tomorrow. Until then- stay warm and Peace be with you!

Shoes.....

2009-01-14T09:40:00.005-05:00

Our darling Shmoo is pretty laid back---as laid back as a 2 year old boy can be. However, he hates new shoes. It usually takes 3 separate occasions for us to actually get him to wear a new pair of shoes. If that was not hard enough, his feet are growing faster than the speed of light. Well, to make a long story short...his new snow boots arrived yesterday from good 'ole LL Bean, and he loves them. I put them on the minute we got home from school, and he wore them for hours around the house. It was such a momentous occasion that I had to take a picture! It was not until I snapped the photo that I realized there
were reflective strips on the sides. Cute in the photo, but what toddler is going to be running around in the dark so much so that they need reflective strips?

Here's to another very cold day in New England. Peace be with you.

Sew Connected 2 ...

2009-01-13T10:03:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I realized that while Kimmie's fabric sitting on my ironing board were great inspiration they were not going to cut, sew, and press themselves into a block. With the Shmoo home with me all morning playing Thomas ( an obsession in our house hold) it was not until late last night that I began cutting and piecing my block for Kim. I will admit that I struggled to stretch the fabric to fit the pattern I had chosen! But, I did it. It will go out in the mail today, and hopefully arrive safe and sound across the country.

Bits and Pieces

2009-01-12T08:13:00.007-05:00

I took a class at Valley Fabrics last year and there were tons of "corners" being cut off. So, being the fabric junky that I am I dug a handful of them out of the trash for a later project.

Later arrived yesterday with 8 inches of fresh snow on the ground and a napping Shmoo.

We'll see what happens when I sew all these little bits together, but for now I'm happy with it!

Happy Monday- peace be with you.

Post #1

2009-01-11T15:36:00.004-05:00

So, it seems that everyone has a blog. I am not usually a trend follower, but this seems like something I might actually enjoy. As a self proclaimed fabric junky I decided I should share some photos of my " stash". It is a large stash, and quite frankly I should be embarrassed to post it for the world to see....but I'm not!

I love fabric! I walk into a fabric shop and feel both calm and overwhelmed at the same time. The calm of such wonderful colors and textures surrounding me, and the overwhelming need to create something out of each bolt. I see bags, quilts, pillowcases, skirts, pj pants for The Shmoo.....So, I end up buying bits and pieces of fabric, and over the last 15 years I have developed a STASH.

In 2009 I hope to whittle down my stash through swaps (using my beloved bits and pieces to create quilties for others), and make quilts for those close to me. I've done well using my stash for swaps, but it seems that I am having difficulty not replenishing. Below is evidence #1- the results of the past week.

Well, everything takes time. A life time of collecting cannot be changed in a few weeks....maybe not even a life time. Until next time- may peace be with you.