Staying Busy Continued...

Well, I guess when you don't post too often, it is easy to hit the wrong button and publish a post instead of going back and adding more after uploading a picture. Making an entirely new post seems easier than editing the last one so that is what I'm going to do. Besides, this way it seems like I've posted twice today and maybe no one will remember that I often go seven weeks without posting! Below is a picture of the Jacob's Ladder blocks that I made for a swap. The blocks finish 12" and are black background and batiks. I made 3 sets of 6 each and I'm actually ahead of the time to get them done. I will put them in the mail Tuesday and they didn't have to be done until the end of February. YEAH!!!
I am trying to decide what I am taking on retreat at the end of this month. I always take too much, but I'd rather have too much than not enough. I'm sure that I will find something that just calls my name while I'm there too, but you never know. We will be in Holmes County, staying in a condo. I love being there in the January because it is usually cold and snowy and I always get a lot done. My best friend Kare is going with us this year. She's a "virgin retreater" but I have no doubt that she will fit right in. We sew, laugh, shop, eat, sew some more and always have a wonderful time. I'll try to remember to take my camera and forward some pictures.

I took a break from organizing my stash and trying to decide what fabric I will use for my guild's retreat mystery next month. I'm finding out that I have been busting a lot of blue and "background" stash. I only have four or five pieces of blue in the tub and not much more of the light "backgrounds." Do you think that is reason to shop while I'm on retreat in a couple of weeks? :) Oh well, I better get back to work or I'll find some excuse to stop.

Staying Busy

As promised, I'm posting a couple of pictures of projects that were done for Christmas gifts, orders, etc. The little fish wallhanging is a variation of the pattern Gone Fishing by MH Designs. I have done the original a couple of different times, but wanted this wallhanging to be a bit smaller. The original has a fishing pole added to the right side. It is quite cute and easy to paper piece together.

The tote bags below are just 4 of the 18 that I made. They are easy to make and are a combination of lots of features that I like from various bags that I have seen.

I also helped a friend make 4 quilts for Christmas. She did most of the piecing on 3 of them, but I did the last one because of time restraints. I quilted all of them and added the bindings as well. They were simple patterns (2 of them are a square in a square, 1 is a 9 patch soduko and the last is a 16 patch soduko), but they were all fun to make.

I've Finally Done It

Yep, I'm updating my blog for the first time in over 7 weeks! Actually, I'm just letting you all know that I'm still around and that I know I am a slacker. This post is going to be VERY short because I have to get the guild information out to everyone today and try to get an accurate grocery shopping list together so I don't have to make umpteen trips to the store for all of the items I forgot.

Anyway, I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that the new year is shaping up to be a good one for you. I was going to make a resolution that was something like this: " I resolve to update my blog at least once a week, if not more in 2009," I knew that would only be setting myself up for failure so I didn't do it. How's this for a resolution: "I'll try to post weekly and not beat myself up if I don't do it"? I like the second resolution best!

Anyway, I have some pictures I'll share in my next post that include some of the projects that I made for Christmas, what I am working on now, and the projects that I want to start soon. Be on the lookout for that post sometime in the next ??????? or so.

Snow, Fun Hair and Christmas Shopping!

We had some snow yesterday and even though it is November, I'm not ready for it. I was in Avon all day and it rained there, but while driving home the rain turned to snow. It was pretty wet and didn't stay on the ground long, but it was snow and no one seems to remember how to drive in it. There were many people driving 35-40 mph while others were driving well over the 65 mph speed limit. It wan't that bad that we couldn't drive close to 65, and I'll never understand why the slow drivers stay in the left lane. Ok, my ranting is over.

Last night, Jack and I went to Ellen's house (my sister-in-law). We had a fun time visiting with Ellen, Sandy, Bernadette and Sam. We played a game called Sequence that was really fun. We're game people and always enjoy learning new ones and last night was no different. What are your favorite games?

I haven't done alot of my own quilting lately, but I do have a picture of a table runner that I made for someone to give to her parents. The runner is pretty simple but I embroidered the couple's names and wedding date and added the appliqued wedding bands. I like how it turned out and I was told that the couple loved it. YEAH!!

Nikki and Quinn were here Friday night and I got a fun picture of Quinn. It is hard to see, but notice the "helicopter hair" that she is sporting. They are standing in front of my Halloween cheater quilt that should have been taken down a couple of weeks ago. Oh well!!!

I finally finished planting my tulip bulbs. I guess it was the snow that made me decide that I had better get my butt in gear and get them into the ground. I put all of these in the front so we should be able to look out the kitchen window and see a sea of red tulips this Spring. (i'm crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer.)

I've started my Christmas shopping. I have to have all of the gifts for my side of the family ready for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but of course the only ones that I have bought are for other people. I've got a list going so that should help. I really want to get my shopping done early so I don't have to be out in the crowds right before Christmas. I don't care for shopping too much anyway, but get me in the middle of the crowds and I get downright pissy. I'll keep you posted on my progress.

A Quickie....

I don't have the quilt yet, but I do have a great picture of Quinn. (Imagine that!!)

I was cleaning some of the toys, etc. that Quinn has outgrown so they could be stored away. When I got this playtime mat out, she raced over because she LOVES the animal noises it makes. While she was playing, I finished up with the other toys and figured that since she was content I could start to organize fabric. RIGHT!!

I knew that it would just be a matter of time before Quinn started her facination with fabric (she is related to me afterall), but I'm glad to see that at least she has good taste. Here she is wrestling me for my half yard cuts of Mark Lipinski's Black and White Califon fabrics! I guess l'll have to make another quilt for her - either that or make myself one and let her use it.

Time to Slow Down and Catch Up

I decided that I needed to take a few minutes (more like an hour) and try to get organized. I have a lot of loose ends that need tied. I finally send my family's Christmas lists out and decided what I would be taking to the Thanksmas Party. (My family hold Thanksgiving and Christmas together the weekend after Thanksgiving and we each pick one name to determine who we exchange gifts with this year. Of course, we should have had our lists posted to the family about a month ago but I just did it!)

My family also puts together a family calendar and I am in charge of getting them printed. I think I now have everyone's and that I can get them ready for printing. I try to have them done and ready for distribution at the Thanksmas Party, but I haven't always been successful. There have been years in which I don't have everyone's month turned in and there was one year in which the printer combined our calendar with another family's. Imagine my surprise when I turned to July and saw a family protrait of people I didn't recognize. Fortunately for me, I noticed it at the store, but the other family had picked their's up already!

I am working on a couple of quilts, of course but I haven't taken pictures of them yet. Maybe tonight. I also have some really fun pictures of Quinn that I'll post next time. Anyway, that's all for now. I WILL post later!

Have a great week everyone!

And the Winner is.....

We picked the winner for our Breast Cancer 3-Day raffle quilt. The winner is Alicen B. from Norwalk, Ohio. YEAH!!! I have yet to reach Alicen to tell her the good news, but I'll keep trying. The raffle was a great success and I want to thank everyone who purchased a ticket or stopped to chat while I was selling the tickets at the various festivals, etc.

I have been very busy the last couple of weeks. I have worked quite a few hours and I have also been "stomping the pavement" asking for donations to "Girls Night Out" which is a fundraiser for Cancer Services sponsored by Curves and a slew of other businesses. The event takes place on Wednesday, October 29th and I have been told it is very fun. There is entertainment, food, a silent auction, and lots of other fun things.

I haven't gotten near as much quilting done as I had hoped, but maybe that will change soon. I need to finish the guild blocks and get them to Karen ASAP and I want to finish quilting my Pineapple Blossom and get it bound. Of course, there are other UFO's that need work, but I've been sketching and I want to get busy on those. I have also been checking out some blogs that have some awesome quilts that I want to do. Oh, there just isn't enough time.....

My "Quinn Update" includes that fact that she is now mobile! She can crawl pretty well but I think she really wants to walk. Nothing is safe now and I guess that means that I had better keep the pins off the floor!