March Review, April Goals

March review:
Put final border on pumpkin quilt, piece backing and mail to quilter *YES*
Mail Grandma’s Log Cabin to quilter *YES*
Work on Star Lights Quilt *YES*
Add border to Bent Creek Snappers *NO*
Stitch an ornament *NO*
Old McMary’s SAL *YES*
Snapperville SAL *YES*
Work on Garden Exchange *YES, Done*
Stitch Margaret’s NRR and mail to Von *YES*

April Goals:
Work on Star Lights Quilt
Work on two Carpenter Star Quilts
Add border to Bent Creek Snappers
Make a baby quilt for friend Lori
Old McMarys SAL
Snapperville SAL
Work on The Four Seasons, and try to finish it!

This month is busy, my kids' birthdays are next week, and mine is at the end of the month! :D

It's baaaack :)

I have pulled it out again! My last WIP photo of this was dated August of 2007... seriously how on earth did that much time go by since I've pulled this out???

It is my life long project, The Four Seasons (by Marjolein Bastin) it's very pretty and realistic, and that means it has lots of color changes :) We went on a weekend trip to Sunriver, Oregon. Which is about 4 hours from Portland. We had a wonderful weekend! We got to play in the snow, and in their indoor pool area. The kids sure loved it, and I liked getting out of the house for a few days. It was refreshing. Other than some awful white out conditions going over the pass, we had a great time :)

Back to The Four Seasons... I have very little left to do on it considering how huge this thing is. I stitched the little hedghog, the rectangle with the nuts in it, and the mushroom over the weekend. Still to stitch is a bowl of gourds and some leaves at the bottom of the mushroom and then... it'll be done :O I plan on working on it until it's done... so let's hope I can keep up my mojo and go for it!

Like the little train... I think I can, I think I can!!!

I’ve been so happy with a “prize” I won! I left a comment on Kendra’s blog (The Stitching Hour) for her blogaversary prize, I was a very lucky girl and won! She made me a pincushion with a log cabin design on it. It’s so ME, and it’s perfect. Thank you Kendra!

I finished stitching and finishing the upcoming exchange I am in last night. It is for the SBEBB Garden Exchange. I am really happy with how it came out, I wish I could mail it now, but will wait for a few weeks, we have until May 1st to mail it out. I like getting exchanges done early, because stitching is so time consuming, it stresses me out to wait until the deadline!

I’ve been working away at Old McMary’s when I get time. I have been bringing it to work with me, and filling in all of that red. I got the main body of the barn done, but still a lot more red to do :) It calls for Kreinik Green metallic thread for the interior of the windows. I just can’t bring myself to use metallic thread on this primitive design. So, I think I’ll use a dark green WDW floss to fill them in.

I kind of got off of my rotation on Bent Creek Snapperville because I was focused on that exchange piece. I was able to work on it for about an hour the other night though. Here is my progress on that.

I went and bought some three ring binders and page protectors. I am going to organize all of the ornaments and freebies charts that I have floating around all over my house, in the many “piles” of papers. I got several done last night, and I think it’ll help to have a central location for them :) I do scan most onto my computer and save them there, it’s so much easier for me to keep track of them that way. Plus, it lessens the paper problems I seem to have.

Another House built

I was able to finish Margaret’s NRR this week. I really like how it turned out, her neighborhood is so pretty. There are a lot of big houses on it :) Mine looks like the gazebo and garden to them LOL! I used the G is for Garden chart from Prairie Schooler. I had to laugh because Margaret just stitched this on Rowyn’s NRR this go round :D At least I know she likes the chart for sure :) I get Dani’s Fantasy NRR next, and I already have big plans for it, I am excited!

I’ve been working off and on stitching Old McMary’s still. Also I’ve been working on my Star Lights quilt. Last night I went to the church and we started our Carpenter Star Quilts. I was able to get a little bit done on one of them. It was fun seeing the fabrics everybody got to make their quilts, so many good ideas!

I really want to get a Q-Snap quilt frame. I am hoping to get one for my birthday next month. I have so many quilts I need to tie, and it’s a shame they sit unfinished in a box. This quilt frame appeals to me because it’s pretty small when it’s set up, and can be taken apart to store in a closet. I have 3 that need to be tied! My blue and yellow log cabin, my Holly Jolly Christmas quilt, and my Block of the Month quilt.

I was good this week, I finished the backing for my pumpkin quilt, and added on one more border to it. I got the pumpkin quilt and my grandma’s log cabin quilt off to the quilter’s house this week! I’ve been wanting to do this for a few MONTHS now, so it’s about time. Getting the NRR done was a big deal for me too. I’ve felt so swamped with things, it was a weight off of my chest to have these accomplished. :)

I am going to finish up my SBEBB Garden Exchange now, I only have a border stitched on it, so gotta get cracking! :) I am having a hard time staying on task. I think I need to make a list :D

Finish Garden Exchange by end of April
Work on Old McMary’s at least once a week
Work on Snapperville at least once a week
Work on The Four Seasons
Make baby quilt for friend Lori
Make baby quilt for friend Jennifer
Finish sewing squares on Star Lights Quilt

Why do my lists keep on getting longer???? Auggghhhhh!

The Four Seasons has been on my mind a lot lately, I think that means I need to stitch on it. I really don’t have much left on it… there are other commitments I have to make first though :)

Mark and I get to go on a date tonight! I am looking forward to it. We’ve both been so exhausted at night we just do our “chores” like feeding kids, cleaning house, chasing the dog, doing homework, laundry, running errands etc etc etc… and I feel like we haven’t even been able to talk much, so it will be a good night. I wish you all a Happy Easter this coming Sunday.

Be Mine Valentine

Happy St. Patricks Day everyone! You are all wearing green right?

I’ve been having trouble sitting down to write a post! I was able to have a small finish last week. I stitched Be Mine Valentine by Lizzie Kate. I loved this chart! I bought the flosses recommended for it too. The pink heart is my favorite part :) I stitched it on 25 count linen, and it’s a very pale pink color. I never know what to stitch on this pink fabric I have, so this was perfect for it. And I know it’s past Valentine’s Day, but hey, that is alright! :D I think I’ll finish this into a pinkeep.

I’ve been busy getting ready for the upcoming quilt class for church this Thursday. We are making Carpenter Star Quilts (pattern by Calico Carriage). Here are two I’ve made already.

I have two more kitted up (have had them kitted up for a long time now)! I ironed, and cut the two out in preparation for the class. Colleen and I are teaching it. I should say mostly Colleen teaches and I assist :) I am excited to see how many different quilts will be made from this pattern. For those of you just learning to quilt, I highly recommend this pattern, it is very simple, and nice looking! Quite a few people signed up to make this quilt so we should have a big group.

I spent a lot of Saturday finishing a few things up. I had made a pillow and needed to make one more in order to mail it to my parents, and I got that all done, then I finished making a dowel rod for my mother in law’s (very belated) birthday gift. I also did some cleaning and organizing of my fabric. It seems I am always doing that, but it feels good to get some things cleaned up. I don’t feel so cluttered that way.

Also, I’ve been busy stitching on Margaret’s NRR. It is turning out really nice. I am stitching “G is for Garden” by Prairie Schooler on it. I will post photos when I’m done because I am getting close now. I am listening to the book The Streets of Laredo as I stitch this, it’s really good. Sometimes I feel like I am wandering in the plains of Texas instead of stitching LOL!

I hope you all had a nice weekend, it’s a dreary Monday, but I am not complaining. Have a great week.

Two finishes

Oh this weekend has been fun :) Well, as fun as it can get with a lot of laundry and cleaning to do! So, last Sunday I started making a baby quilt for a friend of mine who's having a baby girl. I had received the invite to her baby shower last Sunday, and thought, I must make her a quilt! Well, I used the Strip Twist pattern from Quiltville. I've been wanting to use one of Bonnie's patterns for a long time. I just love her website :D

So, I got the top blocks pieced last Sunday, and then got up early this Saturday to finish the quilt because the shower was that afternoon. I finished it 30 minutes before the shower. I then called the host of the shower to get directions and found out that, the shower is NEXT Saturday. Boy did I feel silly! At least I got her present done in time right? *wink*

The quilt is made completely from my stash! :D




Then I started and finished this little ornament in two days. I have loved this pattern since I saw it in the JCS 2007 Ornament magazine. It is called "fill with love" as you can tell :) I like how realistic it looks. I am not sure how I'll finish it yet.





I've been craving lasagna, and last summer I made the best lasagna EVER, and I'm making it again tonight! We invited friends over to help us eat it all :) If you love lasagna you must try this recipe out. It is from The Pioneer Woman, and she gives great instructions for the cooking challenged (ME). I've tried several of her recipes and they've all been good :D