I'VE MOVED!

The new site is www.anchoredoffshore.weebly.com. See you there!

Coasters and preparing for a new project

I made these super quick coasters shortly after Christmas. I really needed to work on something completely improvised and easy. Nevermind the fact that we've never owned coasters. Ever. I made the mustache one for my husband, because as I was making them, I could hear his voice in my head saying, those are all too girly...so, hence the mustache one. I probably should have measured them, but i didnt, and they are probably 5x5 or something. Kind of big, but...whatever. I discovered my machine has free motion quilting capabilities. Lets just say I, personally do not! :) I dont usually do new years resolutions, but I would like to learn how to free motion quilt on my machine. That, and, um, sew a circle!

Also, i came across the year long quilt a long at pileofabric.com, and have resolved to join! I've never done a quilt a long, and never tried quilt as you go and I'm excited to start. Now if i could just make that Microbiology class disappear!

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 :)