Progress Report

Here's what has been keeping me busy the last couple of weeks. The first two quilts I made using this quilt pattern. It is the coolest quilt pattern I've ever done. I absolutely love the sashing made from the jellyrolls. Love, love, LOVE it. Love it so much, I'm making two more. Maybe three. No, definitely three. These two were made from the Oh Cherry Oh line. I divided them into blue/green/yellow and pink/red. I'm liking them, even if the pink red one is a smidge smaller.


I'll take some close ups of my favorite blocks - I have several. Sorry about the poor images - I took some earlier in the bright sunshine, but that totally washed them out. These are going to quilt up so snuggly and cheery - I just may use them in the winter specifically to drive away any blue feelings.


These last two I used this quilt pattern. The fabric is the L'Amour line - I got the fat quarter bundle, which had, I think, 30 fats plus two panels. I'm going to use the panels to back each of these. More pics to come once I get these put together. I'm still learning the machine quilting basics, so it might take a while.

These are lap-sized quilts and they are for snuggling with a cup of cocoa around Valentine's day.

As for WIPs, I'm doing two more of the Matchbox quilts (the first pattern) using the Sent with Love fabric. I'm also going to do a half square triangle pattern called Chimneys and Cornerstones using red and aqua prints. With the same red and aqua prints, I'm going to make yet another of the Matchbox quilts. I really love it. I might even make a big one for a bed out of that. I'm liking that idea!

Happy crafting.

Fabric Organization - Oh My!

While browsing the Sew Mama Sew giveaways, I happened upon this:


Here is how she did it. Truly amazing, and once we move, this is exactly what I'm going to do. I'm tired of going through all my little storage containers. Course, this may inspire me to purchase more fabric, but how can that be a bad thing?

I finished two quilt tops last week - working on two more, plus an apron, some grocery bags and two fun bags. Will I get it all done this week? Doubt it, but it's fun to try!

Project Completed!

For my birthday, Aaron got me a little Netbook. I wanted to be able to carry it around in my bag, but didn't want things like fishy cracker crumbs to get into the little nooks and crannies. So I found this tutorial and decided I must have one.

Then I got lazy. I looked around to buy one, but they are all boring and ugly. I wanted cuteness. So I went back to plan A and whipped this up today. Even with a fussy teething baby afoot, lunch for all the kids and several other interruptions, I still finished it in a couple of hours.

I'm liking it.

Here's my little Netbook with it's new "sleeping bag" as Laurel calls it. I can even have it plugged in and charging while it's in the sleeve. This I like.

And let's be honest about two things. First, cupcakes make everything better. And second, is anyone at all surprised that I made one food related?

P.S. Oh, and I finally learned how to use my walking foot on my sewing machine. Awesomeness!

Inspiration

I have to confess, I love blog browsing. I love reading about people I kind of know, or don't know at all. I love finding inspiration everywhere.

My latest inspiration is the wife of a boy who was in my ward when I was a teenager. One of those boys who was horrible in Sunday School. The kind I thought was soooooo immature. Well, he's grown up and married to a wonderful woman who is so talented and they have three beautiful daughters. She is talented musically and she continues to develop her talents. She's even promised a blog "concert" at the end of the summer.

I'm not gifted musically. I would have loved piano and flute lessons back in the day but it just didn't work out that way. As a side note, I used to be bothered that I didn't get to pursue these talents, but I'm okay with it now. Because I like the ones I have pursued. I love baking. I love sewing. I love embroidery.

So, while I cannot do an online "concert," I can be better about posting pictures of accomplishments and goals. Not a resolutions list.

If you've stuck it out through that rambling, you get brownies.

So, here's my latest goals:

Learn to quilt using my sewing machine (or the new one that I'm *hopefully* getting soon) - taking a class on this at a local quilt shop in a couple weeks.

Embroidery - I have some projects to start and finish. I'd also like to to learn ribbon embroidery. I'd like to get started on Laurel's baptism dress. I want to embroider flowers around the hem of her dress. Something I need to learn a bit more about.

Writing. I'm taking a humor writing class right now. BYU offers online classes, so there are about three or four of those that I can take as well. I'd also like to try my hand at a screenwriting class.

As for baking, well, I still have my ultimates lists to work on. I'll get that out and get back to work.

I'm not going to let the current uncertainty of our future decide what I do right now. I've got too much to do!

Pictures next time, I promise!

Why is it?

I don't know if there is a dessert out there that I've wanted this much.

Seriously, it's obsessive. And so silly, because I could make it. Anytime. I just made 5, count 'em, 5 cakes plus 24 cupcakes and 70-odd breadsticks for a Relief Society dinner. I think I could handle one little cake.

Here's the problem.

I would eat it.

That's my problem. It's a big problem. I don't need to eat it all. I need to share it. Too many of my friends are dieting and I don't have the heart to sabotage them. I'm not officially dieting, but I am trying to avoid consuming entire cakes. It's a worthy goal, I know. And no, I don't consume them in one sitting. But I pace myself, and the next thing I know, I ate it all.

Not good.

So. I will make this cake. When I have ten friends over who will help me eat it. Only then. Okay, two friends is fine. Or three. I'm okay with leftovers.

I so need to raise pigs. Then I wouldn't feel guilty about throwing it away! I'd just be making bacon and ham for later!

Something I'm seriously considering . . . .

Big Plans

We've got a whole week at Gran and Opa's house and I've got some big ol' plans.

In no particular order:

Rainbow cupcakes with Adrienne and her girls for St. Patty's Day! It's a homeschool party. We're going to watch Pollyanna and talk about prisms and eat rainbow cupcakes. Life will be good. Oh, and play outside and get dirty. Love it!


I got this pillowcase pattern and I'm going to make some fun pillowcases for Christmas gifts. Shh. If you get one, be surprised!

I love this bag. LOVE. THIS. BAG. I'm making more. For gifts. Because who couldn't use a few extra bags around?
Laurel is loving skirts, so I've got a few in the works for her. She chose the fabric and I'll whip them up. Adrienne, can we just have a sewing fest at your place? Henry and Phoebe will let us do that, right?
Something tells me that just won't happen!
For my birthday. I'm still going to have a Lemon Meringue Cake. But I think I want these too. Fauxstess cupcakes. I've got a killer recipe that I'll share once we try it. Super yum!
This book has a lot of super cute ideas, all with one yard of fabric. Hence the name. There are some grocery bags that I think would make great Christmas gifts. Found some supercute fabric and so I'll at least be cutting things out.
Crazy? yes. Super ambitious? Certainly. Will I get it all done? Doubtful. But it's fun to think about!

And before you ask, I will be writing too. But the writing schedule starts when spring quarter begins. And sewing will be my reward for getting my writing done. It's gonna work, I tell ya!

Remember this?

Remember when all I wanted was to make this Lemon Meringue Cake for my birthday? Last year just NEVER worked out. I had an accounting final, on my birthday, and it was all I could do to get through that final. I didn't get my birthday cake.

Well. Not this year. NOT this year.

I am making this cake. I've got big ol' plans for Aaron's birthday. This is all I want for my birthday.

So it's happening. Count on it, if you care.