Sunday, March 30, 2014

box avoidance

I amaze myself sometimes with the projects I can come up with to avoid emptying all of the boxes in our garage. Truth be told, the house is basically full and there is still a ton to be unpacked (or perhaps disposed of?). At any rate, a friend has a birthday this week and I decided to make her a little pillow.....
 One economy block featuring teacher-ish fabric that reminds me of her (she's a teacher).
 I even like the back. A few special details like ricrac peeking out from under the binding and a little "handmade" charm I found at Joanns....
 I did some big stitch hand quilting on the front in contrasting pearl cottons....

this was such a fun project! I do think there may be more like it in my future.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

one last mini.... for now.

I've really been enjoying making mini quilts for my new studio. They sure are addictive! Here's one more, the last one for a while. I need to get some other projects done!
This is a raincheck mini by Thimbleblossoms. It's a free pattern, that you can download here.  You might remember that Mom & I made a raincheck mini in January, when I was visiting her. Ours was different from this one, bright and colorful like most things I make. While we were working on it, I thought to myself, "wouldn't it be cool to do one all in grays with just a tiny pop of color?" Well, it only took me 2 months to get to it, but here it is! I think it's really fun.

Have you made anything that is outside your normal box lately?

Monday, March 24, 2014

House update and teapots!

Happy Spring everyone! I know it's really spring when the daffodils show up at the grocery store. They don't last very long, but while they do I always have a vase full in my kitchen....
 Or, if I can't seem to find the box my vase is in, a pitcher works too! My house is still pretty much box filled. This is what my studio looks like right now...
 Ugh. I promise those will all be put away by the end of the week! There. I said it, so now it has to happen, right? Today I washed and put away all of my teapots....
 Which for most people would not be a big deal, certainly not a whole afternoons job, but I have a collection of teapots. Three moving boxes full, in fact! I think I could write a whole book with stories about my teapots (hmmmm intriguing idea!) but I will share just a couple with you here today.

These 2 teapots remind me of my 2 Grandmas. The one on the right was my paternal grandmother's teapot. I love those sweet girls on it, and the simplicity of it! I has been well used and loved and everytime I use it I think of her!

The one on the left belonged to my maternal grandmother. In fact, it first belonged to HER mother, my great grandmother! Near the end of her life (Grandma died in 1995) she spent several months in a nursing home in Ohio. I would visit her often. On my birthday that year, she gave me this teapot. She apologized for not being able to get out and buy me something new! I assured her that this treasure meant more to me than any new item possibly could.


This next teapot is the very first teapot I ever owned! It was a Christmas gift to me when I was 16 or 17 from my little brother, who was 5 or 6 at the time. I always loved to drink tea, even when I was a little girl, so this was the perfect gift. I have treasured it ever since, and I still use it often.

 Do you want to see my teapots all clean and in their spots? Here you go!
I have about 25 teapots all together. Also, I love that in this house I have room for some of my little quilts around my hutch. Look closely, some of you might see something you made for me! So, one little corner of my house is all put together. Whew!

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

another mini finish

I took some time out from my box-unpacking yesterday and today to make another mini for my studio! This one is the Mini Spools pattern by Thimbleblossoms (yes, I am hooked on these minis!) I made it with some charms from a Wishes charmpack I found in a box & completely forgot I even had! Yay! Don't you just love when things like that happen? Look how nicely the colors play with my Mini Swoon...
 And I can't wait to hang them both on the aqua walls in my studio.... photos of my space coming soon! Progress is being made.


Saturday, March 15, 2014

moving days

For my birthday, Ally gave me a beautiful new sketchbook. The thing I love the most is that it has a spiral binding and I can open it flat. Yay! It lay empty for several weeks while I decided what I wanted to put in it. Then I decided to create a monthly calendar journal. And why not begin with March? 

 I drew out the whole month with the intention of filling in a box every day. And for a few days I did really well.....

 And now I have some catching up to do. I think the entry in my very first box explains it all...


 Yes! We are moved into the new house...

and my sewing machine is all set up and running even if there are boxes (which you can't see in this photo) piled up all around it...
oh my. the walls look really green in this picture! They are still aqua, I assure you.

can't wait to share sewing projects with you again soon!

Friday, March 7, 2014

Color Me Chronic

As a senior project, Ally decided to collect coloring books for the kids at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. She called her project "Color Me Chronic" and put the word out around Christmastime that she was accepting donations of coloring books. Today she delivered her books to the hospital....
 There were seven big boxes to be loaded into carts provided by Child Life...
 They were heavy!
 The grand total? 715 coloring books! I'm so proud of my sweet Ally. I know those kids will love coloring for a long time to come. If you were a part of Ally's venture, thank you so much! It means a lot to her.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

a pouch received!

The other day I shared with you the pouches I made and sent to Michell. Well, yesterday I received a wonderful bundle in the mail from her! Look at the fabulous goodies she sent me all the way from New Zealand....

 soaps, fabric, a magnet and keychain, a postcard from her home and this absolutely adorable zipper pouch....
 I adore those fun and cheerful owls so much! Love it's fun curved shape. And inside, some of my favorite Denise Schmidt print...
Oh thank you thank you thank you Michell! I love it and will use it all the time!

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

projects at the new house


Quite a while ago, long before we bought our new house, I pinned this pin on Pinterest. I'm sure I'm not the only person who hates those big giant bathroom mirrors with the ugly light bars above them. Well there were two of those in our new house....
 I showed our handyman the plans I had gotten off the internet and now both bathrooms look like this...
So much better! And once I deck them out with pretty nick backs, a stack of new hand towels... it's going to be great! Have you completed any pinterest projects lately?

Saturday, March 1, 2014

February finish(es)

Well, sewing-wise, February did not turn out as planned! Due to the new house find, packing and moving, sewing was put on the back burner pretty much. I did, however, have one finish early in the month that I can finally share with you! I entered the international pouch swap that Jenny (the Patchwork Mummy) set up. Jenny partnered me with Michell from New Zealand! Since I didn't want my pouch for Michell to get lost in the moving shuffle, I finished it up early, popped it in the mail, and learned yesterday that she has received it.
 I used Anna (Noodlehead)'s pattern for the open wide zipper pouch for the first time. What a great tutorial! Have you tried it?
 I had so much fun making this one that I couldn't stop! Before I knew what hit me, I made a second, smaller pouch too....
 I gathered some goodies (Texas fat quarters & salsa mix to represent my home and some other treats) and sent them off to Michell...
I hope she enjoys them! And that's it for February finishes. Pathetic, huh? Now off I go to pack some more boxes....