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Friday, November 8, 2013

Cross Something Off

My friends that know me, understand that being late is part of my charm, personality.
  

I go full out, often over committing, and consequently, run smack into deadlines like a speeding car hitting a brick wall.  It's not pretty.  However, I recover nicely and continue on as if nothing happened.  For this reason, I work best independently.  No point in frustrating others because of my idiosyncrasies.


Now that Halloween has passed and all of our school and family activities are completed, I've had time to actually sit and sew.  Sew for some of the swaps I signed-up for. 



This is a pillow cover I started the first part of October.  It was for a private swap from the Modernista Homemade Flickr group.


This morning, I finally finished all of my items. 


I know we said we'd do small things, but I just love pillow covers.  

Erica is receiving a pillow cover, a small lined container, and a QAYG potholder.  And a pair of cute Halloween spider socks because 1) I can't resist cute socks and 2) I don't wear them because I live in FL.  


I also have TONS of Halloween scraps, strips, and stash.  Sadly, this didn't even make a dent in it.  


From Erica, I received this adorable spider pincushion (we even have some of the same stash, just different colorways!), a crocheted dish towel, and a medium size goody basket. 


I love how she echo quilted the spider webs! 


More spiders on the goody basket, as well as hand quilting!  The lining fabric is something I also have stashed.  


I think I made out pretty good.  I hope Erica likes her items as much as I LOVE mine.  The best part though, came in the note Erica wrote.  "I had intentions of getting this sent earlier, but things got crazy."

Obviously, she and I have similar worlds.  It's okay to be late.  

I'm linking up to Amanda Jean's Finish it Up Friday because I really did just finish today!

Happy Friday!!     

Thursday, November 7, 2013

Something for Julie

I have a very artistic sister.  My whole life, she's been to the one to paint, or draw, or now, create intricate mosaics.







I am lucky, because she generously shares her talents.  This is the mural she painted 13 years ago on the walls of SweetP's nursery a few weeks after his birth.  






When I was pregnant, I knew I wanted our baby's room to be sea themed, and Julie offered to paint a mural.  (This was before the Navy started moving us around.)  She poured so much love into creating this vibrant space for my baby!    

It is from the children's book, The Runaway Whale, written by Keith Faulkner and illustrated by Jonathan Lambert.  I immediately fell in love, not only with the story, but the colors and whimsical underwater illustrations that long ago day in the thrift store.  


Every time we travel back to Virginia, I make a point of taking a picture of BigP and BabyBird with his mural.  

When I began sewing again several years ago, I fell in love with batiks because of the color and movement.  Mainly, because I CAN'T draw.  Or paint, unless walls & rooms count.  But playing with fabric and colorful batiks fueled my creative desires.



Julie admired these blocks from the start.  She even claimed them for her own before I was sure I wanted to give them up.  She suggested I make a GIANT duvet cover for her down comforter.  Um, I'm not quite up to that.  




Like so many things, I've put this project away.  Then, two weeks ago, terrible news came from my sister regarding her niece Holly.  She had passed away unexpectedly while sleeping.  A horror I can't begin to imagine.  Understandably, Julie was devastated.  



As soon as I heard, I knew I had to pull this project out of the WiP basket. Julie needed something bright and colorful.  She needed something made with love.  



I'm still not sure how this will look when it's finished.  As it is with all sewing I do for others, Julie has constantly been in my thoughts while I stitch and contemplate design.  I've always said sewing with intention, with thoughtfulness, with mindfulness, is a moving meditation.  I hope Julie will feel my love when this finally arrives on her doorstep.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

A Lovely Year of Finishes - #1, Sort of

This is the month I'm attempting to finish MANY of the WiPs that have accumulated.  My friend Wendi and fellow ECMQG member has inspired me with all of her completed quilts because of this linky.

Hosted by Melissa of Sew BitterSweet Designs and Shanna of Fiber of All Sorts, it's a year long nudge that encourages us to finish what we start.  (I should've joined earlier.)
My Button


I have good intentions.  I just get sidetracked by other things.  New fabric.  A new project.  Or maybe a challenge or a swap.  It's always something.  Sometimes, it's just because the idea I have in my head needs to sit an perk awhile longer.

However, after completing a quilt last month that had lingered for 18 months (yikes!), I'd like to make another one leave my house so it can be enjoyed and played with and snuggled under like quilts are intended to do. 

This particular quilt was intended for as a baby shower gift quite awhile ago.  Said baby is probably 17 or 18 months old now.  Not exactly a baby.  Time to finish.

Here is the original post.  And here are the pictures of my Peace, Love, & Happyness quilt as it was when I put it away.

The best part now, after all of this time, is I know EXACTLY how I'm going to quilt it.  




I can't wait to get started again.

Figuring Things Out

On advice from Nesta of Ella & Nesta's Little Room I'm attempting to figure out Bloglovin.

See, that's what happens when you decide to open your private little thoughts and creations to the world.  Someone gives you advice.  Someone helps you learn.  

Thank you.


Let's see if it works!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Can There Be Too Much Halloween?

Not in my world. 

This is what I've made, Halloween-wise, recently. 

First there was the Spoo-ky Swap I instigated via Facebook the day after our September guild meeting.  I had 10 or 11 takers, which was exciting because most  had never participated in a swap.  

My partner was Amy, who loves Halloween as much as I do.  I made her three small items - a coffee cosy, an improv-pieced stand-up bag/container, and a little ticker-tape mini quilt. 

This is the ONLY picture of them, and a not very good one at that.  



I began working on what I thought would be two pillow covers for another swap.





Neither has made it out of the WiP pile.  

I did some selfish sewing for me. 

I spend Wednesdays at my friend Bobbi's.  She and I had our children in the same school, during which time we'd visit our favorite LQS and Mexican hole-in-the-wall restaurant, bonding over fabric and food.  Now that her daughter is homeschooled, that doesn't happen.  

So Wednesday mornings, I pack cram a good portion of my sewing supplies and my children into the car, drop them (the kids) at school, and head up to Bobbi's.

She also participated in our guild's Spoo-ky Swap.  Last week, while rummaging through her scrap bag, I found all of her leftover HSTs.  They were calling my name!  I made a few more; added some of my scraps (the lime spiders) and by the end of the night, I had a pillow cover!



Thursday was the big day.  We cleaned.  I cooked.  The neighborhood driveway party happened as it does every year.  The kids trick-or-treated.  


  
Sunday and yesterday, still feeling the Halloween vibe, I played with more black, orange, and purples to make this.  



So you see, even though it's November, the Halloween spirit is still hanging out at my house.

I am linking up with Lee over at freshly pieced for WiP wednesday and Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday.  

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced   My Quilt Infatuation