Heather in Real Life

This week I have:

Made a yummy dinner, thanks to Pioneer Woman: Chicken Parmigiania. Go and try it, you’ll love it. The next night we had Macaroni and Cheese, Kraft that is.

Watched a cute movie called New in Town. It made me laugh out loud, several times. Even Mark liked it. But don’t tell anyone.

Drove into a gas station, and was told I pulled in on the wrong side, so I started to backup to go to the other side, and backed right into someone who pulled in behind me, it scared me more than anything… just have to keep it real here. Don’t worry we were all laughing, it was pretty funny.

Started quilting the adorable baby quilt, and the bobbin thread kept on sticking, so I pulled the plate off of the machine and realized how incredibly full of lint it was, holy cow!!! I am surprised my machine was even working. That showed me I need to take better care of my baby. I am IN LOVE with this baby quilt.

Went to Curren's Cub Scout pack meeting and cheered him on as he received his Bobcat patch. Go Curren!

I bought some pretty jewelry on Etsy…. *drools* Found some fat quarters of Heather Bailey’s new fabric Nicey Jane. It sings spring to me, how about you?
Organized some of my quilt patterns in this cute box I found at Target.
I haven’t gone to the gym once this week, and I am ashamed… I couldn’t stop quilting haha!

Listened to Carrie of Miss Rosie’s Quilt Company on Pat Sloan’s radio show. I downloaded the rest of her shows, and LOVED them so much. Thanks Pat for doing the show. If you want to hear some really great people talk about quilting and crafts, listen in, you’ll enjoy it.

Failed at being the tooth fairy for Jessie, but was redeemed the next day with a $5 bill. (I felt bad okay?)

Busy week so far huh? The weekend will be great, a post to follow of course. What is going on in your real life? :D

Baby quilt start

What a day! Did you watch the Canada vs. USA hockey game for the Gold??? It was a really excellent game. Canada pushed so hard in OT they really went for it. It was fun to watch! My house is now full of kids playing Super Mario Bros. on the Wii. So, I am hiding out on the computer for a bit.

I started two new quilts this weekend. One I won't show, it's for a wedding gift for my friend. It's really pretty though, trust me :) The other quilt is for a baby present. I have been wanting to do a aqua/orange baby quilt, and finally am :) Here is what I am doing, the quilt is from the Spring 2010 Quilts & More magazine. I'll be making a smaller version of it.

I found the drawing on the table, Jessie must have really liked the owls!

Also, I've been stitching, here is my progress on Plant the Seeds by Sam Sarah.

I'm going to go and sew some more! See ya!

Sunday Best Schnibbles quilt

I finished up Sunday Best on Friday. I stipple quilted it, really small. I like the look, it'll be all crinkly after it gets washed. On Monday the new Schnibbles quilt will be known... I am excited! Go and visit Sinta and Sherri's blog to check them out. I used Portabello Market for the charm squares on this quilt.

There was a lot of tan squares that I didn't use on the front, so I pieced them together for the backing. I used a red in my stash for the backing, and the green was from stash as well for the binding. This is a bigger Schnibbles quilt. It'd be pretty as a large quilt too wouldn't it??

My husband rides dirt bikes with his friends whenever he can. Last weekend he went to Brown's camp and took some pictures, it's so pretty. I had to share. I can't wait for the trails to dry up a bit so we can go hiking again, I've got some really awesome ones planned this summer! There are some really great hikes around here.

February Review:

Quilt and Bind the Pop Garden II quilt *done*

Make the February Schnibble Quilt *done*

Try to finish up Shores of Hawk Run Hollow *done*

Finish Spring Star Quilt top *done*

Find perfect quilt pattern for Catherine and begin gathering fabrics *done*

Making a list for February was a really good idea, it kept me on track! Also done this month: started Plant the Seeds cross stitch, and made a dozen patchwork heart cards.

March Goals:
Make the March Schnibble Quilt
Piece backing for Spring Star Quilt
Quilt and Bind Shangri-La Quilt
Work on Plant the Seeds
Start cutting and piecing Catherine’s Quilt

Quilting along

I was talking to my friend Charissa this week. Charissa and I talk a few times a week, about quilting, stitching, husbands, house cleaning… we are soul-sisters. I love her. Well, I was saying how I could not get myself motivated to quilt Jessie’s second quilt, that it seemed to exhausting. She told me to just start it, and go from there. Well, I started and 3 hours later (in between cleaning, dinner and laundry) it was done! Thanks Charissa, for giving me that push. I had to text her to tell her I actually did it, she gave me the return text that I am awesome. I love that! Good friends are amazing aren’t they? Now I want to get another quilt done. The pretty quilt made from my Shangri-La fabrics. This one remember? I had finished this top in October. I have the backing, which I need to piece. Wish me luck :D
Enjoy your Sunday, the weather here has been so nice, I'm going to go and enjoy it now :)

Sunday Best top

Happy Tuesday! I was able to finish the Sunday Best quilt top yesterday, so here it is :) I used Portabello Market Moda charm packs with Rounneries yardage as the cream background fabric.

I like this pattern a lot, I haven't done a bowtie pattern before.

In other news, it has been quiet here. I have been trying to get better from the cold I got last week, I just feel so tired, it's annoying. The Olympics are going on and I have not hardly watched them by the time I can sit down to watch tv, I fall asleep. I'll try again in a few days! :D I am going to go now, I am being rather boring. Have a good week!!!

This and That and the kitchen remodel

You guys!! You are making me blush, seriously. Thank you for all of the nice comments about my finish for Shores, you are awesome! I love you for it :D

I've finally been caught, by the cold bug. I thought I was lucky and was able to avoid this winter, No way... on Wednesday I was very sick and I am just now feeling okay again, even though it sounds like I have a frog in my throat. I am just grateful to be able to function again.

While I was sick I started a new cross stitch. It is a Sam Sarah design called Plant the Seeds that Katrina gave me a few years ago for something I did for her. It was all kitted up and I could not help but start it. It is nice to work with over-dyed threads again!

And today I finally am sewing. I am working on the February Schnibbles, Sunday Best. It's coming along nicely.

I have been wanting to show you the kitchen. Mark remodeled it in December. The dishwasher had been leaking, ruining the floors, so he put in all new hardwood flooring, beadboard, chair rail, trim, and painted it this gorgeous blue/green. I am in love with it. So I have to show it off.

I hope you all have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Shores of Hawk Run Hollow is finished!

Shores of Hawk Run Hollow is finished! It was such a nice piece to stitch. I did not stitch at all on anything but this from January 2009 to February 2010. Which would explain why I was able to actually finish it. (sorry to all those who got sick of looking at it last year!) I used a 32 count linen, and stitched 2 over 2 using DMC threads specified on the chart. It’s huge. Really huge.
I love all of the small details on it. It used so much thread, I don’t know how many times I had to go back to JoAnn’s to buy another skein of black, or blue! I could have had this done on Sunday but I was out of color 927, again, so it had to wait until today.
It was nice working on it because each block felt like a “finish” and it kept me motivated to continue working on it. Thank you to everybody who left comments on my progress, it helped me a lot to keep up the work.
This is going to hang in my dining room! I love it!!! :D

And yes, I’ve already started something NEW, it’s really refreshing to work on a different project.

The weekend... so nice

So far this weekend has been great! On Friday night I watched Julie and Julia, and it was fantastic! Have you all seen it? If not, please do, you will be glad you did. It really made me laugh. I stayed home with Jessie on Friday. She has been sick with a bad cough all week and by Friday she looked so exhausted. We had a nice day together playing the Wii and making these cards.

I am not taking credit for the awesome-ness of them. I got the idea from Cluck Cluck Sew! Aren't they too cute? We made about a dozen of them for our teachers and family. Here is Jessie sewing her heart out.

Today we went shopping at Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe. It is always good to go to that store. I come home all excited to make things.

I found Sunday Best there and picked out the charm packs from my stash to use. I did buy some Rounneries yardage for the cream background fabric today. It was too pretty to not buy :) I am going to use Portabello Market charm packs for it. Yummy.

Guess what... I am *this close* to being done with Shores! I hope my next post will be a finish... I am sooo excited! Well, time to go and sew and finish cleaning the house. Enjoy your weekend!

Spring Stars Quilt Top

After writing my post on Tuesday with the list of things to look forward to, I felt better. I also went and took some sunshine pills, AKA Vitamin D. You know what? I felt so much better after that. So, I am in a different frame of mind now, and I am glad. I just can’t stand it when I feel down.

Yesterday after work, I sat down and started working on my spring star quilt. I needed to get the top done so I could put it out at church on Sunday and people could sign up to make it. I finished the top! It took about 3 hours to sew it all together, all of the blocks were already done. It felt good :)
Most of the fabrics I used are from the Heather Bailey line called Freshcut. I’ve had them for a few years, and finally got them out. Heather has another new line out called Nicey Jane that is gorgeous. I haven’t bought any yet, but I plan on it! It’s so pretty. The February Schnibbles is Sunday best. I have an idea for the fabrics I will use, but can’t make a decision. Still mulling it over. And, last night I stitched 5 more fish on Shores, only two left now.

I’m going to go take some more Vitamin D now. :D

Winter Doldrums

I am glad that it is February, it means we are that much closer to March and spring. Winter in Portland is not very pleasant. It’s constantly overcast and raining. It kind of depresses me and so, I have been just feeling *blah* Do you ever get that way? I am in "feel sorry for myself mode." Here are the few things I’ve made progress on in the past week.

First up: Shores of Hawk Run, the last block. The fishes are going to take awhile, but it’s getting there! I need to get more movies to watch so I can finish this up…

Second up: The Spring Star quilt I am working on for quilt class. I hope to get this started with my class at the end of the month. Wish me luck in getting this top finished.
Third: Finding some new cross stitch projects to start when Shores is done. Can you tell I am excited to be finished with Shores? As much as I adore working on it, I am feeling ready to start something new…

In trying to cheer myself up, I made a list.

Things to look forward to this year:
We planned a vacation to West Virginia this summer, tickets are purchased!

Sisters Quilt Show is coming up in July, I have reserved a house and even signed up for a class and have invited 8 of my friends to come with me (so awesome).

The Lion King on Broadway is coming to Portland and I am getting tickets to see it, my kids will LOVE it. (I didn’t go to Wicked last year and am kicking myself for missing it).

I am doing some exchanges this year with friends.

***What the heck do I have to complain about???***
nothing

January Review

The quilt class at church is wanting to make another quilt this year! I have started it so I can teach it at the end of the month. They are star blocks and my quilt is very springy and bright. The gray rainy skies of Oregon are beating me down, and I'm trying to fight it with color :)

I didn’t make monthly goal lists in 2009, this year I think I’m going to try it again. It helps keep me focused.

What I got done in January:

Progress on my current WIP:Victorian Garden Quilt: *done*

Blue Frost Quilt: *blocks were made* quilt & bind

Picnic Schnibbles: *done*

Pop Garden II quilt: *I basted it now to Quilt & Bind*

Also, I finished a block on Shores of Hawk Run, completed the January Madeline Schnibble Quilt, and started the Spring Star Quilt.

Goals for February:

Quilt and Bind the Pop Garden II quilt
Make the February Schnibble Quilt
Try to finish up Shores of Hawk Run Hollow
Finish Spring Star Quilt top
Find perfect quilt pattern for Catherine and begin gathering fabrics

I've been taking a break for the past week or so, and reading a book called The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I really enjoyed it, and picked up the sequel Catching Fire. If you are looking for an exciting read, pick them up you'll love it!

I've been bobbing along at the bottom of the beautiful briney sea!

{que Angela Lansbury} I've been bobbing along, bobbing along, on the bottom of the beautiful briney sea... can you all tell what movie I watched recently? That'd be Bedknobs and Broomsticks, it was great to see it again.

I have been at the bottom of the sea with Shores this month! I finished another block. You know what that means?? One more block and this puppy is done. Oh yeah baby.

Madeline Schnibbles Quilt

The Schnibbles a Month pattern for January is Madeline. It is the smallest one we've done so far at 28" x 28". I used some charm packs I've had in my stash for a few years called Madeira by Blackbird Designs. It's cool fabric, it has cross stitch sampler patterns on it. I like it. So, here it is...

This one went together quickly, and I stipple quilted it with maroon thread. All of this was from my stash *woohoo!* So on February 1st be sure to check out Sinta and Sherri's blogs to see the parade. It will be awesome again I am sure :)

If you couldn't guess what Jessie and I were making last Sunday, here he is.

Jessie fell in love with an owl stuffy from the Pottery Barn catalog I got in the mail, so I told her we'd try to make one. She picked out all of the fabric (again from my stash) and we went to town. It is not perfect, but it's cute and she loves it!

I'm working like a mad woman on several other projects. I have another quilt basted and ready to quilt on. Also I am almost done with another block on Shores of Hawk Run Hollow. I hope to finish it this week and post about it. Have an awesome weekend everybody!!

I'll bet you can't guess...

I'll bet you can't guess what Jessie and I are making today! *wink wink*

Hydrangea Garden Quilt

I finished the Hydrangea Garden quilt on Saturday afternoon, washed it and brought it to my former babysitter. Nan watched my kids for me for over three years, and was just awesome with my kids. I started it over a year ago for her, and put it way to work on other things, I finally finished it. It's not very big, a lap size. She loved it and declared she use it every night while watching TV. I was so glad she liked it!!

Jessie had a friend over to play so she got to be in the picture too :)

This is one of those quilts that I did because I fell in love with some fabric I found at a quilt shop. I found the blue hydrangea fabric on a shop hop I went on, and a magazine I had, it all just kind of came together. The pattern is called Victorian Garden, and it's from the Fons & Porter magazine dated Jan/Feb 2008.