Last Minute Gifting

So i was done with most of my shopping, until I realized I was one present short. I scoured the stores for something my grandmother would like for Christmas, and soon came to the realization that not only does she not NEED anything, she wouldn't want most of the things I almost bought for her. I looked high and low for a nice wreath she could hang on her door year round, and came up empty handed. Then I found this tutorial: http://www.incolororder.com/2012/12/guest-post-holiday-wrapped-wreath.html. I made a quick trip to Joann's, and came home with this:

A short time later, the strips were half done and half ironed.

I wrapped the wreath while watching old episodes of Supernatural that i picked with my eyes closed on Netflix.

All in all, a super simple and cute wreath idea. The only thing I'm not 100% happy about is the way i tied the bow, but thats on me, not Jeni lol. I'm just not good at tying them I guess. I'll give the wreath to my grandmother today, I hope she likes it!

Happy Holidays! (hey, i'm trying)

So, here I am to prove that I have been working on things, even though i havent been posting. It seems like everytime my browser opens, I get more stories, more photos of last week, and sometimes its just too hard, too empty to post on such trivial stuff as sewing and holiday whatnot. I guess I just feel incredibly hopeless about it all. Hopeless, and eternally sad, sad beyond anything I've ever felt. I was a senior in high school on 4/20/99, the day of the Columbine Shootings, and though it affected me then, this time, it affects me so much more because I am a parent, and I can't fathom having one of mine gone, in a blink of an eye, to have all that hope and wonder and promise just...gone. Okay........enough of that. I have so much more to say, but not the eloquence to say it right. I finally made a Christmas Quilt, something I'll pack away on 12/26 (seriously) and wont pull out until next year. I'm looking forward to cuddling up under it and watching Elf for the third time this month :).

The backing is a couple yards of some seriously cute fabric i found at Joann's.

Ah yes, the Frosted Pumpkin Christmas Sampler. Yep. This is how far i am. I love it, but i am running out of time! Maybe I'll finish it for next year?

And, some mini trees for your viewing pleasure.

Tragedy

I was going to share pictures of my new quilt and other holiday things i was working on today. Instead, after a day spent wrapping presents, I turned on the tv at 230pm, to find a horrific situation being reported on out of Connecticut. I stood frozen in disbelief, tears streaming from my eyes. That some one could heartlessly kill so many innocent people is just... well, I dont really have words for it. I was supposed to leaving to pick up my own children, one a 4th grader, the other a kindergardener in just 10 minutes. After sitting in my car outside the school for 30 minutes listening to various radio reports on the shootings, I am almost numb. The kids who get picked up by cars line up along the fence as they wait for the person who will take them home, and i couldnt help counting them as they stood there, the first 20, and just thought- even one, THATS too many. My 6 year old asked, after I gave him the abridged version, "Well, did the police kill the shooter Mom?" I told him yes, that he was dead, and then told him, it doesnt even matter, because it wont bring back or change what has happened, and that is the real tragedy. My thoughts go out to all of the families that are dealing with this, and though i have no words of comfort to give you, I wish you emotional healing and closure, because that's all i can hope for.

I missed a holiday...

Somehow I feel like it cant be almost a month since i've posted!! First up, the baby quilt for a nephew due in January!

Next up, on November 8 my twins turned 11. Every year at their birthday I re-live all we had to do to keep them healthy and still inside cooking. Even at 6 weeks early, they were perfect. And still are. Still so innocent yet right on that attitude having, not listening to your parents cusp. I'm trying to enjoy them every day. They are so similar, yet so very different.

HMM...what have i been doing? Sewing a xmas quilt. Cross stitching the Holiday Sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin. Studying for school. Working. Not getting enough sleep. Xmas shopping! Hopefully I'll show some pics of the quilt i'm working on, i think i love it! I also hope to make an apron soon :).

\ They so thought they'd never get one....surprise!

Halloween (but not)

Happy Halloween! Our city rescheduled our trick or treating due to wind and rain from Super Storm Sandy, so it really doesnt feel like Halloween. I'll miss trick or treating because now I have to work the day they changed it to :(. Anyway! I probably forgot to say that I bought an Accuquilt Go! fabric cutter, and I haven't looked back! My number one gripe was that my seams and things did not line up right b/c apparently I can't trace or cut a straight line. I've been saved by the Accuquilt Go! I made my first hexagons, something I was avoiding b/c of the accuracy needed and also because I didnt feel like I had the patience to paper piece. The fabric cutter makes it so easy to have accurate and fast cut fabric! I was worried about fabric waste (b/c ya know, fabric can be expensive!) but I've been trimming the cuts down to just what I need before sending them through, and it's worked out awesome. Here are my first hexagons. The purple was the 2nd one, and I accidentally left the papers in. Oh well! It just adds to the stability, and hopefully the mug rug will only need spot cleaning.

I also went on a shopping spree at Pink Castle Fabrics and stocked up on some basics. I hope to make a hexagon pillow with my new purchases!

Between school and work, I havent had a ton of free time, but did squeeze in a super quick bag! I followed a tutorial in a book I lent a friend, and I dont remember the name of :(. I used a WIP to make the patchwork. I do like it, it's far from perfect though! If i had to do it over, I would add some more interfacing to make it a bit more stiff, and probably make the handles out of canvas.

Thats it for now! I am going to clean out some closets...I just love getting rid of stuff and decluttering. It helps me feel more organized and in control :)

A baby quilt and some odds and ends...

There is a new baby baking in our extended family, due to make his appearance in late January, and i finally deccided on the direction i wanted to take to make a quilt for him. (really, i was waiting to find out what colors they wanted to use for his room and decor, so i could do something that wouldn't totally clash). Here is what I came up with, something simple with a few Alexander Henry fabrics.

Its mostly done, I just need to run to Joanns to get a water soluble marker to finish the quilting. I also found some time to make a quick zippered pouch for a nurse at work who was leaving for another job. I filled it with essentials (lotion, hand sanitizer, lip gloss and gum). I also attempted to make a metal clasp purse, and it wasnt a disaster. I did like the option of the sew in frame, the glue is a pain in the arse!

My only regret is that i didnt make a flat bottom for the pouch, because it's a little flat without anything in it. Lastly, I made a fabric envelope, via Jeni at In Color Order's blog. Yeah, it didnt turn out perfect, in fact, its FAR it! The pattern was super easy, i just went to quickly and had a hard time using the medium weight fusible interfacing. Its all good though, it really was only a test run to see how it would turn out. I hope to make some of the smaller envelopes for xmas to stick gift cards inside of! Well, thats it for now!

Losing your checkbook....

is probably one of the most annoying and scary things to have happen! Ok at least to me, in the scheme of just giving out your personal information and letting some onw walk away with your routing and bank account number. This is what i THOUGHT happened to me yesterday. Long story short, after a trip to the bank to open and new checking account, placing a stop payment on all of the checks in thought i lost (all 23 of them), a neighbor suggested "Did you switch purses earlier this week?" Ding. I found the checkbook and i felt like a complete spaz. Called the bank to cancel the new account. Took a deep breath. Crisis averted. So i went to Joann's, picked up some fusible interfacing and went to work on a new check book cover. Ive never worked with fusible interfacing, but it was super easy (not that i was expecting it to be hard...). Anyway, this is what i came up with.

The Peace of Wild Things

Need some new music? I did. I'm so glad i bought Paper Route's newest album. I tend to like slightly feminine guy singers (ex: Davey Havok; Freddy Mercury; Adam Levine sp?) and i do love me some electronica thrown in for good measure. This album is a little Cut Copy, a little Mat Kearney, a little Keane (only a teeny bit), and a bit of IAMX thrown in for good measure. That makes it sounds like the album would be far from cohesive. ITS NOT! Go listen to: Glass Heart Hymn. Sugar. You and I. Letting You Let Go. Those are the standouts for me. then, go listen to Rabbit Holes. But first go watch this clip from youtube. and yes. I am a huge loser. But i love this show, and this video is a great compilation.

Softly Against Black

And..

Doodle Stitching for CraftBuds.com

So i decided I needed some "less stress" projects to work on while I am in school. Meaning- the stress of studying and memorizing terms is not made less by large projects hanging over my head. I started a quilt in August that I hoped to have done by now, and though i am in the quilting phase (my least favorite) I just felt overwhelmed. So i folded it, and shoved it into my closet. Maybe I'll dig it out over xmas break? Who knows! Enter cross stitch and embroidery/needle work. I'm no stranger to cross stitch- my late Grammy taught me how when i was probably 10. I made all my children's xmas stocking via this method. It's the perfect way to start a little something here and there, without feeling obligated and pressured (ok, by myself, but still. I AM that kind of person who strives to finish the things I start). So i bought this book.

And then i stocked up on floss.

I decided to sit and start Once Upon a Time through Hulu...and started stitching.

I'm hooked. This book is awesome! It comes with a cd of pictures to load onto your computer with all of the motif's so that you can change the sizes of the pictures to suit your project. I now have a running list in my head of all of the things I want to make next, and it feels great to finish something small! I decided to make a small wall hanging for a co-worker's soon to be born granddaugher.

its here-

It started d/l to my ipod at 12:04am, been listening ever since....

Please read-

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern! I love to read, and I don't have the opportunity as much anymore, due to busy schedules, and the fact that I have to be reading Anatomy and Physiology this semester. BUT- read this book! I'm not even going to say any more about it, you'll have to find out for yourself.

Then, go listen to this album.

Free!

Today, my baby started Kindergarden. It also happens to be his 6th birthday, and its making me nostalgic. When i took pictures of him this morning, i had flashbacks of my older sons first day of school. It makes me sad to know they are growing up, but at the same time i am excited for us to move on as a family and find out who each of them will grow up to be. (although, maybe we could skip years 13-16? yeah, thanks).

He's always been a character...here's his Austin Powers pose.

"chicken wing, chicken wing, hotdog and baloney..." is all we heard through March and April. Some thought it was funny. Others thought it was ANNOYING! I vote both. He sings himself to sleep, whether it be "Firework" or the Power Rangers theme song, this boy loves to sing. Here's some additions to my stash, all purchased from Pink Castle Fabrics recently.

Lastly, a quilt i've been working on....more on that later. My school has started again, fun times!

A finish!

Here's the Mario Fire Flower all finished. The back is scrap left over from the front, and a huge piece of that Bouyancy print i've been hoarding. I gave in and used it, if only for the simple fact that my kid is going to drag his quilt all over the house and I'll have the pleasure of seeing it over and over again :). I've also been totally obsessed with making these drawstring bags, also from ayumills.blogspot.com. (why cant i get a link to show up?)

I used the same simple idea, only increased the dimensions a bit to make the bags bigger. I also used fabric for the strings on some of them instead of the cording because i think it looks cuter.

Only one more pic i promise!!

Canvas Crazy

These canvas' are addicting! I was in need of a way to keep my kid's hands (all 8 of them)off of the walls going down our stairs. I whipped up these covered canvas' today while watching some White Collar on Netflix. I plan to make more and possibly cover the whole wall, although I'm not sure my husband will love it as much as i do! How can bright fun fabric ever be bad!?

Gotta love that LouLouThi Boyancy print! (one of my favorite fabric prints EVER! i have in 2 of 3 colorways :)

I followed a tutorial on ayumills.blogspot.com to make the above wristlet. Simply bored today and wanting to sew something quick and fun, I found the tutorial pretty easy and certainly functional. Who doesnt love rainbows and Hello Kitty!?

Almost there!

Ive had a productive week, now that baseball and swimming is officially over for the summer (thank god). The only sport we've still got going is gymnastics, and that is all year round. I repainted my living room and dining room ceiling as well as repainted 3 of the 4 walls in each room. This was a big achievement, considering our little (not little) Easter Fire was back in april 2011. That being said, the ceilings werent too bad just some gray smoke damage you could only see from across the room, but then again, the ceilings hadnt been painted in 7 years- since we first moved in! I scrubbed down the walls and baseboards and tried to remove all those fingerprints and pet hair. If you have animals or kids, or both, you know this is an ongoing chore!! I feel better for having part of my house deep cleaned, and hope to get the kitchen and upstairs cleaned as well before school starts up again! I picked up a canvas that was on sale at Joanns yesterday, as well as some clearance'd Alexander Henry "Rain Flowers" fabric, which i had see previously and loved, but didnt have anything to use it for. I decided to make an art hanging, and it worked out awesome, only costing me about 12.00!

So i know the placement is a bit odd, being so high up there on the wall, but it is cleverly hiding a hole from the wiring to our door bell which doesnt work. I like it, and bought the rest of the bolt of fabric, so i plan on using it for many other things! The fire flower was basted during the Olympics Opening Ceremony, and is almost done with the grid quilting i chose. I really need to check this one off my list for the summer because I have one more quilt to finish up before September!