Quiltilicious

Road 2 California leads to Los Cruces!

2012-01-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

First off, what was on the quilt frame this week? Here is an adorable kids quilt, made by Kim! I had a really good time putting some whimsical quilting on this one!

Went to Road 2 California quilt show last week as a helper-vendor for Nolting, and it was Crazee! Bummer part of it was that John was sick, so I had to go it alone. BUT I learned a lot of stuff from Julie, Tom, Lance and Dan, about how to present the product, set up and take down the booth, and all kinds of good quilty information.

I was humbled by the amazing talent, inspired by the colors, products and patterns, and awed by the number of people that went past our little corner.

Here are some of the quilts I loved:

Check out the trapunto butterflies. Ah mazing.

Handpainted, stitched, the bio says it took the quiltmaker 3 years to complete

Best in Show. Love the shading and the stained glass look.

Crystals were on most of the winning quilts. It's all the rage. This one was beautiful with, but would have been a stunner even without. Below is the quilting visible from the backside, almost as pretty as the front.

Super fun Halloween quilt, with lots of 3D effects

Side view, trying to show the 3D embellishments and effects

This is one I would like to try to make - individual grapes

Part of the special exhibit called "Bridges" featuring 2 bridges I used to know quite well.

Gotta love the name, and here is the quilt:

Mermaid Castle

Close up of a mermaid

This is a miniature, like 12 inches square!!

I adore the quilting on this! The feathers, the basket weave cross-hatching. Ahhh sweet!

Beautiful Christmas quilt, with a heart wrenching story, below

Detail from quilt above

I really like the color scheme and fancifulness (yeah, it's probably not a word) of this quilt

So I believe that inspiration can come from any source, and I am trying to find daily bits n pieces. Today I saw this color combo and graphic depiction of the cow at pasture and I thought it was quite charming:

weird, maybe.

Queso, next week, Feb 10-11, Sunshine Quilting will be a vendor at the Las Colcheras Quilt Guild Show, in Los Cruces, NM. We are looking forward to seeing the wonderful quilts, meeting interesting people and hopefully selling a Nolting quilting system or 2. .. or 3 . . .

Christmas Craft hangover

2012-01-11T21:20:00.000-08:00

December was a BLUR of activity. First of all, at a Christmas party, we decided to adopt this cute little Puppy. We named him "Booker" and he is a smart mischievous little black lab / cocker spaniel mix (we think). He is approximately 3 months old (we think).

Booker has some strong opinions on my quilting and crafting. Here, he is looking down at the quilt top I sorta almost finished for Jessica, and he is thinking that I really really should have finished this by Christmas like I said I would.

But it's ok, I did finish a lot of stuff. really. read on!

oh but first,

We visited with Santa. Kaitlynn worried that Santa might eat her because she looked like a candy cane. She was wrong!

These boots were a pre-Christmas purchase. K said that she wanted a pair of boots "like Caroline's" at school. Umm, that one stumped the salesman. BUT we did find them!

So, naturally I made a pink paisley corduroy jumper to match:

Booker is slightly interested, and semi-approving of this sewing effort.

Here is a quilt that I finished for my Dad. Been working on this for approximately ever.

Booker is amazed that I actually finished this one!

*Good sarcasm, Booker. Here is another example: Why don't you finish wrapping those gifts? oh yeah,I forgot, you do not have opposable thumbs

Nice try, though

Back to quilts, here is a quilt I made for a customer, start to finish. This is based on the tube quilting method found here at Missouri Quilt Co. Instead of 2 strip sets of 3 fabric, I used a strip of 3 fabrics, and then a solid for the other half to give a half square triangle effect.

You may recognize this, kinda sorta. I made the pattern for another customer a slightly different way, using the fabrics she had selected:

On the Design Wall

On the Longarm

It must be December, because I am using the winter quilting accessories, camo gloves.

Here is a quilt that a customer made for her husband and I quilted. Really cool memory quilt, t-shirts and denim:

I used gold thread on the binding, to emulate the jeans top stitching.

Booker is wondering if I am going to get back to Christmas-ilicious projects. Why, yes, Booker, thanks for asking!

Here are the family stockings I made for the mantel. I decided to make them all the same grey felt, then added embellishments to each to match everyone's personality. see, close ups:

Sometime while I was making them, some gnomes sneaked on to my dining table. Hmmm

Here is Carol's beautiful batik quilt, KING size, to which I added some luscious fern quilting:

Look closer

Look closer stillExtremely close

As Christmas drew near, we got a sprinkling of snow. SO, better put up our feet and enjoy the twinkling glow of the tree and of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" on the ol' flat screen

Christmas Day, Merry and Bright, gnomes still on table, Honey Baked Ham on everyone's plate.

And at the young folks' table:

Jammie time!

Onward to New Years. I made this little dress for a very tiny sister to a big sister celebrating her Quinceanera. This little one is just 3, but wanted to dress up too, so her Mom hired me to make a dress to match:

Booker is exhausted just thinking about all the work we did in December!!!

Next post, January Retreat in Napa!!

Don't forget to check out the website: www.sunshinequilting.com and the etsy shop, cherry lime quilts

We sell sewing machines, including Nolting Longarm Machines!! email us with what you are looking for!!

From Iowa to Black Friday

2011-12-01T14:16:00.001-08:00

Whew! Life is good, even when it whirls around you. It was so windy today I had a hard time thinking!

Queso, what's new? I have been busy doing customer quilts, my own projects, and starting another aspect of our business - distributors and representatives of Nolting Longarm machines in AZ, NM, West Texas and Southern Colorado!

We traveled to Iowa to meet with the company president and all of the employees, and got to see how these amazing machines are manufactured - all right here in the USA, starting with a block of aluminum and ending with a precision longarm machine. Iowa was beautiful, as was our trip from St. Louis and through Mark Twain land, Amish country and the Amana Colonies.

A barn in the quilts on barns project in Washington county, Iowa. Below is a sidewalk quilt in Kalona, Iowa, an Amish community

they also have a cheese factory that makes and sells cheese curds that squeak when you eat them. Yum

This is the entrance to a store in the Amana colonies, a really neat town, or series of towns in Iowa, founded by German immigrants in the 1800's.

We are looking forward to an install in Colorado in the next week or so - should be an adventure traversing the mountain passes - yikes!

OK, on with the quilt photos - first is an adorable sunflower quilt made by Julie in sections on her embroidery machine. SO COOL. I did little "seeds" in the center, left the light petals unquilted and did a very light quilting in the darker yellow petals, the leaves, and then did a radiating pattern outward in the "sky". Awesome quilt.

Next is a quilt made by Carol P and quilted by me with a sunburst type meander that I did in freehand over the quilt top - the sunlight photo shows off the quilting nicely. I used a lovely shade of So Fine thread that virtually disappeared on the top. The batting is Quilter's Dream 80/20 poly blend that I dearly love - just a wee bit of loft to show the quilting, but lays nice and flat.

Below is another customer quilt - a fairy godmother job - the customer gave me the fabrics and pattern that her daughter wanted her to make into a quilt. She passed it on to me, and I pieced, quilted and bound the adorable 52x76 quilt. The pattern is a "tube quilting" pattern that you can peep at Missouri Quilts. umm, and yes, I am wearing gloves while quilting this one. It is COLD here in the studio in the mornings now!!

I took a workshop day at my local guild, the Valencia Valley Quilters, and learned how to make this cute block: it is a combination of prairie point type folds and cathedral window style turns. It's going to be a nice pillow.

We also have attended a couple of craft fairs, making pot holders and scarves and other small goodies. I will have some of these listed on the etsy store by this weekend.

Queso, shopping anyone? I did the VAST majority online and in my studio.. So glad that I stayed in and continued to digest my turkey dinner instead of battling over the latest electronic gadget. I heard stories of hair pulling and pushing and shoving - nice, ladies, well done.

If any of you need any gifts check out etsy, the place to buy handmade goods. My and Kim's store is: cherry lime quilts by sunshinecherrygirl.

Stay festive!

Breaking Bad, Bad Quilts

2011-10-16T10:31:00.000-07:00

***we interrupt this blog for some important BREAKING NEWS!! The website is up and running!!*** go check it out! www.sunshinequilting.com. I will wait here.

queso, welcome back.

So, we live in the land of "Breaking Bad" and we have become unofficial location scouts. Every time we see a cool building or landscape, we think, "this would be a good scene for the t.v. show. Case in point:We were out driving around and came upon this building. I set the camera to "sepia" and took this picture. Is this not the coolest abandoned bar? I think Gus will be pulling up any minute. Uh-oh, this isn't looking good. Well, good-bye Bar. (See! You totally believed that they blew up this bar!! I told you i was perfect!)

Speaking of bad, I had to unsew a bad, misbehaving quilt this week. No fun. Seam ripper was smokin' hot.

Queso, I celebrated my birthday by enjoying some Irish food at a pub in Albuquerque. Fish and chips and a black and tan. Wrapped it up with a delicious coconut cake made by Jessica. Delicious.

I got a cute hello kitty snowglobe, an awesome Chargers shirt and the complete dino tot collection from Sonic. For real! I know, jealous, right?

The other great event in October is of course, Halloween! and yay, I found this wall hanging that Kim and I made in a class taught by Pati. I had lost it for awhile, but found it hiding in the Halloween decorations. Now I just need to add some binding and finish it off.

Last Sunday, we had a football watching and Halloween coloring party. Here is my Hello Kitty contribution:

Krysta and Meghan made these spooky cupcakes:

and we set up the "Nightmare Before Christmas" scene for our Halloween Decorations.

On a Quilty note, here are the potholders I made for a swap with the Atlanta Modern Quilt Guild. My swap buddy likes aqua (the color of the vintage mason jars) and white with splashes of red, so here is what I came up with. I have been drawing a lot of birds lately . . . weird. I can't wait to receive my pot holders.

And, as for customer quilts, here is "Stacked Coins" for Gina. I also did a few others this week, pictures to follow. Here are some feathers on a quilt for me: I plan to add some micro stippling later.

I have a temporary lull in my quilting schedule coming up, so if you want to get your quilt tops intended for Christmas gifts to me, I have the first week of November WIDE OPEN for you . . . and lots more openings the rest of the month too.

Next week, Sweetie and I travel to Iowa to talk to Nolting about becoming the distributors for them in NM and AZ!! Very excited about that!

All right, time to go cheer for the Eagles as my Chargers have a bye week. Cheerio

2011-09-29T21:52:00.000-07:00

So, yeah, I was going to try to post weekly, but THEN, I went to California to get the boys all set at their respective colleges, and THEN Sweetie and I both got really really really sick with a sinus infection that lasted three weeks and THEN I had a big backlog of stuff to do, including working -by that I mean quilting on some awesome quilts made by my friends.

We had a great time in Santa Barbara,GO GAUCHOS!!

met Kim down there and got the younger one all set for school. We got him the coolest orange beach cruiser and checked out some great restaurants and stuff. We took a side trip to Ventura and ventured into "Superbuzzy" headquarters!! Kelly was soooo nice, and let us wander the warehouse of her online store that specializes in Japanese fabric and other Japan-abilia like HELLO KITTY. We shopped, shopped, left for lunch, came back and shopped more. Sweetie was very patient. We got some luscious loot.

I'll take him, please!

Part of my haul

Happy Mochi Yum Yum by Monica Solorio-Snow

Even the scraps are yummy

Mystery Bakery set!

Is it weird that I am a grown woman, with a law degree no less, and I still love Hello Kitty??? I think this guy would stick up for me:

Antonio Garay, NFL football player, Hello Kitty lover. Picture snagged from Yahoo!

L.A. was our last stop, where we met up with older son, had some delicious food and went to the mall for some apartment and college essentials. His apartment is perfect for him, little kitchen, balcony, close to the bars (WHAT??) well, he is 21. . .

Go Bruins!!

OK, so here is what has been on and off the machine since the last post:

Wedding quilt, half quilted

A beautiful log cabin quilt made by some of my quilting buddies in California, for one of their daughter's wedding. I chose a grapevine and grapes panto for this queen size beauty.

Close up of quilting

"Modern Baby" by Gina:

With Minkee on the back! SOOO cute!

Here is Kim's blue and orange quilt, very bright and happy.

And, Jeannie's SF Giants quilt, with fleece on the back:

and . . .

Dr. Suess quilt by Gina

I also did an ABC's quilt for Gina, but forgot to snap a pic.

And, here is what I have been working on, on the design wall - a memory quilt made from calendar year tea towels, a commissioned quilt from my Aunt for her mother. It will be two sided when done. A great way to preserve the towels and see them all out at the same time.

OH, and we went to the New Mexico State Fair, yes to check out the fried foods, but also to check out my quilts that I entered. I entered 6 items and won 4 ribbons - a first, a second and two thirds. My table-runner and a wall-hanging did not place. Here is Spiked Melon proudly wearing its third place ribbon:

Cooking has been kept to a minimum, given the sinus infections, but when we did feel better, we made cookies. Princess cookies with our little princess.

Everyone say "sprinkles!"

Well that about does it to catch up. Chat at ya soon, and until then, I will be going to a quilt show and vendor fair on Saturday, watching football on Sunday, and quilting every chance I get. Oh, and in case I don't get back here before then, Happy Birthday to me on the 13th. Cheers.

Queso . . and Green Chile

2011-09-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

Queso, it's been ages since I posted. I am going to try something new. Weekly posting with categories: What's on the design wall? What's on the Quilting Frame? What's on the stove? and whatever else I can think of.

Before I get to all that, I really need to be marketing my fledgling business and the website is ALMOST READY. www.sunshinequilting.com is the site. Check it regularly and one day it will magically appear. Thanks to Lucy at Pearcenet designs.

SO, What's on the Quilting Frame? The Nolting 24 pro in the Sunshine Quilting studio is getting a workout!
Here are the baby quilts I did this week:

First up is this adorable cars quilt made by my friend Jeannie. I quilted each car differently. The blue one has flames, the orange one has a surfboard on top, the yellow one a banana,the purple one has a star, and the red one (that has the country boy in it) has rope like a rodeo cowboy.

Next up is an airplane quilt (transportation theme here)

Loopy planes in the borders and empty spaces, filled in by loop de loops:

And Kim's playful kitties needed some string to tangle up in, so I quilted loops and tangles all over.

And here is what's on the design wall. I had some leftovers from making a quilt (to be seen on this very blog after I quilt it), so I arranged the blocks thusly:

Then I pulled them down and came up with this pinwheel setting. I like much better.

And, what's cooking? As the title of this post implies, it is green chile season here in New Mexico. If you don't know how this works, it is pretty cool. Folks line up to buy a box or two or three of chile (15 lbs or so each), then take it outside the store and have it roasted on an open flame. Then it is placed in bags and it "sweats" for a few hours so you can peel the skin off. Wearing rubber gloves of course. Then when you are done, you put the roasted, peeled chile in zippered bags and freeze. When needed, you take a bag out, defrost, add garlic, salt, and add to recipes, to eggs, to pizza, burgers, mashed potatoes, as desired. Here is Sweetie laboring over the chile.

And the finished product. I know this looks like an episode of "Breaking Bad" (which is filmed here in the Albuquerque area) but it is really legit. ALTHOUGH now that I say that, this stuff is treated like a valuable 'commodity' that people will ration, bargain for, trade and hoard. It goes something like, oh crap, I only have three bags of chile left and it's only June -- the harvest is two months away. Maybe I will call Dad and see if he has any left - I can trade him for some when we get our new supply." SERIOUSLY.

SO my recipe of the week is anything and everything with green chile.

And, to wrap up this post, what have we been up to? Getting 2 kids ready for college and one off to preschool. Visiting Carlsbad Caverns, entering quilt shows. Oh yeah, I won 2d place at one local fair, and then 1st place quilt and best of show in needle arts in another fair. WHOO HOO!!

Tomorrow, I am taking my entries to the New Mexico State Fair. Awesome!! Wish me luck, see you next time.

Topsy, Turvy world

2011-06-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

In just 12 days, Sweetie and I are moving this quilt wonderland to New Mexico. We are starting our business, Sunshine Quilting, custom long arm quilting and sewing machine repair, and looking forward to decorating and enjoying our new home. . . we will link to the business website when it is up and running .. .

I am already going crazy with furniture purchases, fabric purchases for all the home decorating I will be doing. I am having sooo much fun!!

Here is the kitchen fabric. Capri by Pati Fried. I got this and a bunch of the other coordinating fabric.

Get it from the super nice peeps at over the rainbow

For the master bedroom:

I hopped over to fabric worm, and got some delish yellow and gray fabrics designed by Joel Dewberry (aviary) and Jenean Morrison (silent cinema)and a little Tula Pink, too . the plan is to make coordinating stuff to go with the bedding we got at macy's:

I know what you are thinking: why didn't I just make a quilt? CUZ. I like this one. and it's already made, so we won't be shivering waiting for me to unpack the quilty stuff.

Alrighty then, gotta go pack. TTFN

Orange you glad I didn't say plate?

2011-04-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

I have to have these plates from Crate and Barrel. That's all.

Fabulous Students in my Quilt Class at Thimble Creek

2011-04-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I am teaching another class at Thimble Creek, (see previous classes here) based on the pattern "Lady Liberty Goes to Hawaii" by Karen Stone, and my version that I call "Spiked Melon" and blogged about here. I would like to share the works in progress of my awesome students: This is Renee's version. She is going to do pinks, greens and blues, with hints of yellow. Awesome fabrics, lots of action with value. Another way to make this quilt is with a focus fabric. Above, Sue is focusing on the large cabbage rose print, and then giving variety in the way she complements the fabric in each square. Stunning, regal, french. LOVE IT Here is Maureen's quilt, which last week was getting to sweet and pink for her, so she spiced it up with some chocolate brown and some pretty, deep green. She is also going to add a spot of orange here and there. Very beautiful. Pati made hers in one of our prior classes and was so nice to bring it in and let us show it off. You must get close and check out her unique and beautiful quilting, and the detail in the curved border. Pati, you are phenomenal. HOT HOT HOT! This is Lindsay's wild and colorful version. I keep calling it "fruit punch". Believe it or not, Lindsay originally planned to use mostly solids, and mostly deep dark plums and magentas. The quilt had other ideas. Go, Quilt, Go! Next Monday is our final class, and I am sew looking forward to seeing these quilts progress.

Further Domination

2011-04-05T10:09:00.000-07:00

OMG. We bought a long arm machine!!! Yes, yes, yes, I am about to enter the world of long arm quilting. I have been test driving and borrowing and renting, and I have decided to "just do it" So we drove up to the dealer's place in Anderson in the shadows of snow-capped Mt. Shasta - beautiful drive -- and did the deed. I got a Nolting 24" with a 12 foot frame. WOW. It's so exciting!! Taking delivery this summer. I cannot wait to start quilting like a madwoman. . .

next stop: total quilt domination

2011-02-18T10:48:00.000-08:00

Sweetie has started a sewing machine repair and resale business to add to our efforts to dominate quilt making from all sides. Check it out: http://www.pedal2themetal.vpweb.com/

We have 4 machines for sale already. Refurbished, clean, running smooth. A Singer 185k, which is a 3/4 size Singer that sews like a Featherweight. Sweetie and his teacher estimate that the motor has less than 5 hours of sewing time on it!! It is soooo cool and retro, I want to keep it (see, bad picture of the cute machine above); a Kenmore 8, which is a clean, basic workhorse of a machine, very simple styling; a Brother VX 970, also super clean, rarely used by its prior owner; and a vintage Zig Zag Dressmaker that looks like a Rocket ship; like the kind of machine Jane Jetson would sew on.

Pictures to go up later . . . so, stay tuned!

Quiltilicious has gone Retail

2011-02-03T14:53:00.000-08:00

My sweetie (aka Jcakes), Kim and I have gone retail - we have a spot to hawk our wares, at a store called Ambiance, in Martinez. 816 Main Street. Quilts, totes, bags, quilt kits and other handmade finery or foolery. We are marketing our stuff as CherryLime Quilts.

Here is one of the quilts for sale:

I forget the exact dimensions, but I think it's about 48x54. Good baby quilt. $175 and it could be yours!! More pictures to follow of other awesomeness.

Recent Randomness

2011-01-14T11:15:00.000-08:00

Queso, I had a great Thanksgiving and Christmas with my family, yadda yadda, super happy with my wonderful fella, (ridiculously happy, if you must know), went on a quilting retreat to Napa with the fabulous Sandy Klop as our fearless leader, worked on the Alice quilt, etcetera etcetera. Now you are up to date, and I can tell you that:

I am the proud owner of a Sizzix big shot pro die cutter! seriously!! At retreat, Sandy had her Accuquilt cutter there. OMG, so awesome to cut out quilts in lightning fast speed. But after doing some research, I decided the sizzix was a better fit for me. It is compatible with sizzix and accuquilt and other dies. The accuquilt won't take the sizzix :-( The pro is a beastly model that is super steady and easy to crank with a super big opening. I am looking forward to "cranking" out some good stuff soon, so stay tuned, dear reader.

Queso, wanna see what have I done lately? Well, at retreat, I took some leftover corners from the Peeps Quilt, and made them into pinwheels. . . then, I took the pinwheels and tossed them on a design wall and started randomly piecing them together with leftover background dots (love that Lakehouse fabric) and here is where I am headed -- I hope to have a small wallhanging that looks somewhat like flowers on stalks - I will applique in some stems and leaves. Picture on the left is near the start of the process and picture on the right is further along. I just love the idea of using those leftovers - Kim calls this one "stale Peeps" since it uses the leftovers from the Peeps quilt. I love it. The name that is. Not sure how this one will turn out.

these yummy bits are going to be sewn together to make a cushion, called a "honey bun pouf" - Amy Butler pattern. I found all of these fabrics in Napa at Quiltworks, and they were all ON SALE. HALF OFF. woot woot! I think they will go so well with my lime green shag rug from IKEA, don't you?

From the beach in San Diego the week after Christmas: We had such a great time! Took Pumpkin and the giant boys to Disneyland, then to San Diego to meet up with my Dad and Polly. We had a fabulous time!! Stayed at the Loew's resort in Coronado. I highly recommend it.

no, mine is not the hairy leg, thank you.

We even made playdough party cakes! My apologies to the staff who had to deal with the crumbs in the carpet of the hotel. Yikes.

Here we are getting ready to have dinner. Pumpkin is entertaining us with magic tricks. She is sitting on oldest boy Anthony's lap. Brian is to the right, and Anthony's girlfriend Jessica (Pumpkin's new bff) is on the left.

OMG, how cute did these purses turn out?!?!?! I know, right? Hella cute. These were made by me, using the amazing Monica's pattern, for my cousins Katie, Meghan, Madison and Shelby for Christmas. I am really pleased! oh, and there is my lime green shag IKEA rug.

The rug, again, as backdrop for the poncho I made for Pumpkin to wear at Disneyland. too flippin' cute. After this picture was taken, I added a wide border of the minnie mouse flannel to the edge. This pattern was from a book that I adore by Lotta Jansdotter.

Lawn Chair quilt

2010-11-15T14:08:00.001-08:00

It's about 80 degrees out and I am working outside today. I can't believe it's November! Maybe this summer day was brought about because I was putting together the Lawn Chair quilt designed by uber talented Monica of Happy Zombie fame.

I was laying out and sewing the rows of this while watching all manner of guilty pleasure chick TV. "16 and pregnant," "the Locator," "Four Weddings," and "Dear Genevieve ." Hey this tomboy needs to keep the chick card current or it might expire. . .
Its ok. Tonight's football game will wipe out some of those credits.

I think I will work on something with a wintry feel to get this weather back to cider-sippin' and sweater wearing days.

Really?

2010-11-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

Doncha just love that new commercial with the texting while doing all sorts of stuff -- Really? texting while you are playing baseball with me? Really?

So, same attitude-laden expression here when it comes to my works in progress - REALLY??

I got some organization up in here, and I discovered that I have 6 wip's that are "nearly done," as in just need quilting and binding or less -- one just needs some more eyeballs sewn on. yah, figure that one out - not a Dexter quilt or a Halloween thing -- it's my What a Hoot! owl quilt that I am sewing google eyes onto. Nearly finished with them too, it's just that if I work on it too much I get this feeling like somebody's watching me. Great, now that lame song will be in all of our heads today.

Next, I have 7 wip's that are "in the middle," as in I have some of the cutting and piecing done, like in the 25-50% done range: Lawn Chairs, swanky pinwheels, Harmony and Alice in Wonderland, and three projects from block exchanges where I have all of the exchange blocks and just need to do the alternate setting blocks to finish the quilts.

Then, there are 5 wip's in the "out of the starting gate" mode, where I have all fabrics pulled and ready, and I have actually begun cutting and/or piecing the blocks. It's no longer a fantasy project, tucked away on an island of my mind.

Finally, I have 12, yes another DOZEN for you math people, of projects that are in the "gathering" stage - I have the pattern, I have a lot, most, but maybe not all of the fabrics picked out and lumped together in a bag/bin, and I have not yet cut one piece of fabric. AY! Really? Yep, really.

ok, and let's just say that I have at least 10 other 'ideas' in the brainstem that have not worked their way out into the light yet. and, you can bet that I have enough fabric to make them all. of course, I will still not have the "right" fabric for all of them, but hey . . .

SO grand total, I get 30 here (*and for purposes of this discussion I am ignoring the very large and complicated block of the month kit that I have only ever completed half of the first block - a feathered star - because I am saving that block of the month kit for when I am in the sanitarium, thank you.)

I am going to put my pedal down, (sweetie is going to try and fix my big machine, but I still have 3 others I can use, so no excuses) and work on at least getting the first 6 "nearly dones" out and into the world by the end of the year, along with Lawn Chairs and Swanky pinwheels. Wish me luck. Really.

PIQF favorites

2010-11-05T16:08:00.001-07:00

Here are just a smattering of the squillions of quilts I lurved at PIQF.
Sweetie took most of the pics so I need to grab his camera and get them too.

Quilt shows really get me excited to tackle my projects. I am making
progress on getting projects put together and organization too. In fact,
last night I reorganized ALL of my fabric and am getting rid of probably 100
pounds of fabric I no longer want. If you need some random fabric for scrap
or charity quilts let me know and I will figure out a way to get it to you!

Oh and got a curve master presser foot at the show and it so rocks my curved
piecing. Best gadget I have ever purchased, well other than a rotary
cutter. Got all the rest of the curved piecing done for the dotty quilt. I
would guess it's 5-10x as fast as not having the curved foot, and I thought I
was fast before. No pins, no picking stitches and no cussing.

Queso, next post: my w.i.p. list. Oh dear! That's like true confession time!
Happy Friday all

Quilt top finished!

2010-08-01T01:39:00.001-07:00

Should have it quilted before we head to Disneyland on Wednesday so I can bind it in the car on the way down n back before the wedding on Saturday. I really lke the way this turned out and I am glad I made it double the pattern size.
We are so excited to go see Mickey! Our little "pumpkin" has now idea how much fun she is about to have. Going with a 3 year old is so different than going with the big boys. Princess overload for sure.

I am finally getting back in the groove after our car accident a couple of weeks ago and here we are getting ready to log some serious miles in the new car. Kind of nervous still when I drive. This should cure me.

Cute alert

2010-07-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

Blast from our past! Pictures of us from 28 years ago, in my backyard in Phoenix. Then and now the cutest couple ever. We altered them to black and white and are having large poster size prints made. AWWW. I know, not quilt related, but I had to share. I look at these pictures now and I actually get a lump in my throat, and a tear in my eye. I was and am so totally in love. (Plus, I miss having those long lean legs, my gosh! that's enough to make me cry.)

Go forth and multiply

2010-07-04T07:43:00.000-07:00

The wedding quilt is growing. Here is the current layout. Went from a 5 by 7 layout to an 8 by 8. Cool. Now I just wish it would finish itself. I did all the hard work to make the blocks and figure out the layout, sheesh.

Off to celebrate our Nation's birthday. I do love a parade!

Curse you Alexander Henry!

2010-07-01T22:22:00.001-07:00

I have blown my self imposed fabric diet, but he made me do it. Not fair really, I go weak in the knees for Alexander Henry fabrics anyway and THEN this fabric has my favorite holiday and with my favorite color pink! Mr. Henry please stop! No wait just kidding Al (can I call you Al?)
So I scoured the store and found these very different fabrics to go with.

The menswear looking plaid is by our local quilt shop owner Joe Wood. It's gorgeous! Gives the illusion of the texture of a fine wool. Then a pink star fabric that could be right at home in a baby quilt, and, natch, a polka dot. Kim and Sandy in our drop in group also each bought the same group of fabrics so I guess I chose well.

Oh you are wondering about my progress finishing things? Well the baby turtle is done. I made this from scraps left over from my big turtle quilt. If I knew how to link to my prior posts I would show you that one. ha ha. Thanks to Kim who whipped on the binding. Thank you! Just need to find a baby that wants a turtle blankie.

Queso, I traded a new project for a finished one so that's better than starting a new one without finishing another right?

Ok, well sock Al in the arm for me if you see him, k?

Happy Birthday America!

Pop Quiz

2010-06-28T09:45:00.001-07:00

Which one of these checker board type configurations would I rather be playing with right now? Hmmm.
Queso, Kim came over and we made another snap bag (get your own pattern here) and almost finished binding a wee tiny turtle quilt and then I got the above checkerboard quilt arranged. It will have navy blue sashing 3/4 inch finished and a piano key border. The pattern is from Fons n Porter October '07 issue, it's called "Checkers."

I made enough blocks for two quilts but then I realized that each quilt would be too small (48 x 60) so I am going to make one big quilt. It is a wedding present for the second cutest couple I know. They like simple clean lines and bold but dark colors so I think its perfect.

Alas it is a keyboard I must attend to now. . . I will work on the quilt more this week while my guy is out of town. Sigh.

Snap Happy.

2010-06-26T21:32:00.001-07:00

I have been wanting to make one of these for a long time. The open and close mechanism is made from a spring metal tape measure. Yay dollar store! The pattern is by Stitchin Sisters. Wissinkah@aol.com.

And check out our sweet peas sprouting. These pictures were taken just 3 days apart. Wow!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T19:59:00.001-07:00

Braved the traffic and the sun to take in some NASCAR racing at Sonoma today. Great race, great day. Hope you all had a good one.

This is not helping my AADD

2010-06-14T22:39:00.000-07:00

Why do I have this look on my face? Porque I have made this "vow" sort of thing to FINISH some quilts, make the quilts I have already cut up, planned or bought the fabric for. . . but, in addition to the Happy fabric I raved about in my last post, I had to go and travel around the blog world, and find the amazing quilts of Don't Look Now! I mean, clearly it is not my fault if I take a detour to make the I (heart) pink quilt or the monster quilt. OMG, must have, must make. Maybe I can make a DLN quilt with Holiday Happy fabric.

. . Hmm, I love it when a plan comes together -- (nice A-Team reference, yes?)

ok, but there are also the awesome new fabrics and quilts out there, like Caramel Town, also by Lecien, Cherry House quilts and the awesome book, City Quilts; Elizabeth at Late Bloomer Quilts and her gorgeous, fun, happy, bright new fabrics that, in my opinion are like electric versions of Cath Kidston's fabrics. Then there is Holly Holderman of Lakehouse Dry goods. Check out pictures of her booth at market on the blog and her new fabric line Fun Flowers 1, 2 and 3. OMG again.

I am back to head spinning, quilt planning and drooling on my computer. I love love love the amazing variety of fabrics and inspiring designs out there. It is worth the AADD despair of knowing I will not be able to make all the quilts in my head and out in the quiltiverse, just to be able to make a few and admire the rest.

Hey, back to my AADD, I realize that I have an apron that I got in an apron swap that would fit right in with that black, white and hot pink and orange color theme of the Lakehouse booth:

(modeled by my blonde twin, ha ha) Actually it's me when I was blonde, about a year ago. Speaking of hair color, today I was brunette and tonight, I am a red head!! Well, Cherry Chocolate is the actual name of the color that I gooped onto my head tonight. (why are hair colors named after food??) It seems like a very mild and subtle color here at 11 pm in my house. I can't wait to see it in the sunlight tomorrow. ciao

Revised. Table Topper, finishing projects, I heart Sundays

2010-06-12T17:23:00.001-07:00

Summery table topper I made out of my stash. Perfect for this warm breezy day. It's 36 inches square, no overhang off the table to make your legs all hot when dining "al fresco" (Who's this Al Fresco guy anyway?)

So my adorable man pointed out that this is one of the only projects he has seen me complete from start to finish in the almost one year we have been together. HMMM, got me thinking that I am not a "finisher." I am a starter, a dreamer, a planner. I have AADD. Artistic attention deficit disorder. I am distracted by new fabric, new patterns, dreams, greeting cards, whatever idea pop in my head, so I leave the boring old quilting or binding or rest of the piecing on one project to start another.

I took his comment to heart and (drumroll please) I actually put the binding on a fairly good sized quilt last night as well. My celebration (party cake) quilt. So, yay, cross another one (well, one) off of the list.

BUT I CONFESS! I really want to start a whole new project using Miss Happy Zombie's bright and happy Christmas gnomie-licious fabric. It's actually called "Holiday Happy." Luckily, the fabric isn't available to me yet, but when it is, I will be hard pressed to avoid my AADD - I dreamed up a great design for this. I love that she used such fresh, bright colors for Christmas, don't you? I have decorated Christmas in this color scheme before and it is truly holiday happy.

Sundays are such great days lately. It has been really fun for us to find new restaurants to go to, and then going to eat and out to the movies with youngest son. He is so much fun to be around. Even if he wasn't my kid, I would want to hang around with him. This past Sunday we decided to go for pizza instead of our usual breakfast fare, and saw the "A-Team" and it was GREAT. Surprisingly great. I mean, I love action movies, but I thought this was going to be very cheesy and kind of immature. BUT it was a wonderful balance of funny, unbelievable stunts and plans, great dialog, great casting. I highly recommend it. Pay for the big screen to see the big action. Then, go home and bind a quilt. Like I did. If I can finish a project, so can you.

heck, I might even bind another one of the multitudinous unbound quilts roaming about the abode this week.

So close

2010-06-10T23:51:00.001-07:00

I thought I had all of my pieced arcs complete at drop in tonight but alas, when I laid them out on the table, I was, you might say, a few tacos short of a fiesta pack. But don't they look purdy. Next step is to piece those curves eh? But I am not afraid. Nossiree, bring on the circles.
Queso, why can't the rest of life be as cheery as these dotty fabrics? I think my weekend will be just that: dotty. I think that's my new word for great/ wonderful/ happy. How was your weekend? Dotty, thanks. What kind of movie should we see? Action? No, how about a dotty one this time. Queso clearly it's time for bed. Dotty dreams all.

Week in review: dots, frickles, dads, tickles

2010-06-01T15:52:00.001-07:00

Happy week. Dots: got a lot done on my spotty quilt
Frickles: found a great BBQ restaurant that serves fried pickles aka frickles. Also great breakfast as younger son will attest, battling his chicken fried steak. (The steak won.). Dads: Went to visit family. We took "pumpkin" aka "princess" aka "sweet pea" on a road trip to northern AZ to see my Dad. So we both got Daddy time. Tickles: playing with pumpkin / princess / sweet pea and reading the latest Skippyjohn Jones book was so much fun.

Dizzy. Spinning dots

2010-05-24T12:16:00.001-07:00

I have started the spinny circling dots quilt, everyday best, and here is my proof. This one is going on the bed. We went and bought dotty sheets at Target to match. Yay! I wonder if I will have spe-dotted dreams?!

Promilicious

2010-05-22T01:42:00.000-07:00

My youngest went to prom last week. In his words, it was Sooooo Awesome!!

I am not permitted to "tweet the deets" actually I am not allowed to even know the "deets" but here are some sooooo awesome pictures:

Prom attire has changed quite a bit from when I was a teen in the Awesome 80s. Remember these getups?

OOOh, yeah, lots of shiny taffeta, asymmetrical hemline, off the shoulder and a big poufy flower. ALL the ingredients for an awesome dress. I can almost hear "True" by Spandau Ballet, or Journey "Faithfully"

Queso, if you are in need of a diversion, google this: ghetto prom dress. or redneck prom dress. but don't be hatin' on the most awesome vision ever, the Hello Kitty prom dress:

2 words to describe this: sah-weet!

Wish I had an appropriate event, alls I'm sayin' Here me, honey? Bust out the top hat, tails and cane, dust off the ruffled shirt and we will go to town.

Deep thoughts about perfect paper pieced points

2010-05-17T12:43:00.001-07:00

The Spiked Melon Class has been so much fun to teach! One session left, and we all have such different quilts in progress. I do love paper foundation piecing; the results are so fantastic. Perfect points rock. I have actually started the dotty one, too; that's how much I love paper piecing. Photos to follow; for some reason I can't mobile upload them to my blog.

HERE THEY ARE:

What should I ask to teach next schedule?? I am thinking Peppermint Twist, my original design Christmas quilt. hmmm.

I will ponder that on this rainy day, while I ponder why my feelings run so deep, and why life keeps trying to give me lemons even though it knows I just love lemonade. Keep the faith in whatever you're passionate about - I believe that you know what you are doing, and that it will all work out if you stay true to you.

2010-05-02T21:10:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung, and is launching us into summer.

I LOVE QUILTS

Can I just tell you how much I love quilting?? And teaching quilting. And shopping for quilting stuff. . . and reading about quilts . . . and watching an episode of Hoarding on TLC that featured a quilter who had shloads of fabric strewn about. Oh, my sewing room looks so tidy in comparison.

It was so nice teaching a class at Thimble Creek yesterday. I so enjoyed helping everyone with their fabrics, figuring out how to make their quilts work for them. I love it. I am teaching the "spiked melon" class again, based on Karen Stone's book and pattern. Here is my quilt:I can't wait to show you all the different versions in class, from Kim's miniature "fruit punch" batiks, to Christina's melange of happy and colorful florals and geometrics, to Pam's baby quilt in soft blues, greens and tans, to Cindy's wonderful mix of greens, rusty reds, golds in all types of fabric from batiks to 1800 reproductions. Marvelous.

Oh, and mine that I am making in class too, which is based on my lovely "ugly" fabric in gold, cheddar, brown, purple and black, paisley weirdness.

I am looking forward to session two on May 15 and our final session on May 22.

I also visited a few quilt stores this week as my work had me travelling from Sacramento to Newark and San Jose all last week, so might as well make the most of it, right? oh, I got the cutest pattern at this little store in Fremont. For a minature dracula. TDF. I love Halloween, too. And, let's see, some cute bird in a tree fabric from the fabulous folks at Quilter's Inn.

QUESO

I have this habit of sayin, "K, so . . " when I change topics, which when I say it, sounds like the mexican word for cheese, "Queso" which is pretty funny because I do love cheese. K so, I am going to use "Queso" whenever I introduce a new topic, as such:

Queso, my boyfriend and I are working on finding some great breakfast places. Easter we took the boys to Sandy's Home of 101 omelettes in Fairfield and the men all had "kitchen sink" omelettes. 6 eggs, all manner of crazy fillings. I went for the less major 3 egger with stuff, lotsa cheese and linguisa. The biscuits were awesome. I highly recommend.

Next up is a place called, "Lois the Pie Queen" in Oakland. We are going with the boys for Mother's Day. I can't wait. They are famous for chicken and waffles, and of course, pie. Lemon icebox pie. My younger son and I are crazy for lemon desserts. crazy, I tell ya. I will report on the grub after we check it out. I will present our greater bay area findings on breakfast joints here when I have something to report.

Queso, went to the movies with same younger son last night. Saw "The Losers" and I know it is based on a comic book and all, but it was pretty cheesy. (queso fits, right?) although the bad guy is kinda darkly hilarious and the character Jensen is quite buff and funny. I think this is a definite wait for dvd/netflix/on demand kind of flick.

Queso, I love baseball. BF does too. He is a Phillies fan, I am a Giants fan. So we really enjoyed going to the game last week! Especially since the Giants won! YAY!

Back to Quilting. . .

I am anxious to start a new/waiting project, so I am going to continue the paper piecing progress and work on a dotty one from Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith's book, Quilts with a Spin. This one is called Everyday Best, and I have been collecting the fabrics for it for a couple of years, so I think it is ready to come out of its box and be sewn now. I have even precut about a squillion rectangles so I am ready to paper piece. I am only using dotted fabrics, so it should be quite cheery to go with the sunny weather. I think I may even make it big enough for the bed. we shall see.

And look at this version made by the wonderful quilter at redpepperquilts

I really shouldn't start on this one, though because my friend Kim and I are trying to finish 12 quilts this year. My first quilting year I made 34, so 12 should be doable, especially since we are talking about finishing, not start to finish, and we both have a lot of works in progress. I have a tough time getting my quilt tops to finished. I even have a hard time getting quilted quilts finished. that binding always taunts me so.

So, Kim has finished 3 and I have finished 1, but have 3 that just need binding, one needs to be quilted, one needs borders and then quilted, two that all the blocks are done and just needs to be pieced into rows, and about 5 more in various stages of over half way done.

Until next post, have some pie, and think about joining in on the 12 finished quilt bandwagon.

I am going to read some quilting blogs. Did I mention, I love reading about quilts??

HIATUS is OVER

2010-04-14T23:01:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been on a hibernating hiatus long enough. Time to get back to bloggy land. I have not been idle. I have been lurking around the bloggernet, working on quilt projects and trying to create some order out of the chaos of my personal life. I will spare the details on the divorce, the lack of employment, downsizing my surroundings and possessions and INSTEAD focus on the wonderful details of a re-discovered me, a happy heart, a wonderfully romantic soul-mate, my recently landed awesome job, and a renewed creative spirit. Pictures and junk to follow.

For now, here is a picture of a little sewing tote I made in a class taught by the vivacious Pati.

I can't wait for Spring to actually be sprung here in NorCal. Feels more like Seattle lately with the rain and clouds.

Shop Hops!

2009-06-28T14:21:00.000-07:00

South Bay Shop Hop was a lot of fun. Stores I have never been to before. I like the charm bracelet idea -- each store gave out a charm to add to a necklace or bracelet. Really cute. I will post a picture of the charms once I get them on a bracelet. Here are some pictures of the stores.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/23532947@N03/sets/72157620549783357/

The weather was perfect for running all over the area and collecting charms. We ate fabulously, too and even drank a bit of spirits. MMMMOjitos on the beach in Capitoloa, it doesn't suck.

Finally got to check out Santana Row, in San Jose, which was a trip. Felt like Rodeo Drive, even saw a bright yellow Lamborghini. And shoes that cost more that one months rent on my first apartment, more than a plane ticket to Hawaii. yikes.

Also managed to work on the jellyfish quilt, in between shopping, eating, drinking and chatting, so hopefully I will have it done this week before the class. More pictures to follow.
Au Revoir

Peeps quilt

2009-06-19T12:33:00.001-07:00

Peeps quilt, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

I got the Peeps quilt back from Quilter's Studio, where Lori did her usual lovely quilting job. I really love the swirls around the two peeps in the center. And, then, lucky me to have Tracy hand stitch the binding!! Woo Hoo!! Now I just need Easter to roll around again and I am all set.

Ryokan block 2

2009-06-15T14:47:00.001-07:00

Ryokan block 2, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

Just so you don't get the idea that my life has been an endless stream of work, graduation parties, work, birthday parties,work and whipped cream games, I actually DID manage to sew last night. Yay. I made block 2 of the awesome Ryokan block of the month. I love those Cherrywood fabrics, and the Japanese Lecien, too. I love Thimble Creek!!

Whipped Cream Game

2009-06-14T23:28:00.001-07:00

Whipped Cream Game, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

Kaity shows off her mad skills at whipped cream toss. 8 years of education put to good use.

Cake Wrecks

2009-05-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

I have been too busy to blog, so let me redirect you to a great blog: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/ It is devoted to "professional" cakes gone wrong. Totally hi-larious. Enjoy, make sure to lick all the frosting off of your fingers when you are done.

Ciao, Kristin

Jimmy Buffett concert

2009-05-20T16:11:00.001-07:00

Jimmy Buffett concert, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

Here we are in the parking lot at the Jimmy Buffett concert. Lawn seating once inside, totally relaxing evening watching 40+ year old parrot heads get down with their bad selves.

I knew only 2 or 3 songs, but I still had a great time. Thanks Ro for the invite! It got me excited to see more concerts this summer, for sure.

It's ok, i'm a professional

2009-05-15T22:05:00.001-07:00

It's ok, i'm a professional, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

Safety is an important consideration when using a rotary cutter. However, I am very practiced and experienced at multi-tasking between eating wicked hot jalapenos, drinking a nice icy beer, dancing to The Roots cd, taking photos on my cool camera phone and slicing fabric for my cool jellyfish quilt.

You may not want to try this at home. Do so at your own risk. .. .

Modeling the blouse i made

2009-05-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

Modeling the blouse i made, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

I think I am getting pretty good at this self-portrait thing, eh? This is the blouse I made. It is going to be very warm today, so it's a perfect day to give the top a spin. It's Simplicity pattern 2962. Happy Wednesday all.

Blouse I made yesterday

2009-05-11T08:58:00.001-07:00

Blouse I made today. . ., originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

I forgot to tell ya, I got some sewing time in yesterday and made this cute summer top from an Alexander Henry black and yellow print fabric I got last year during the March Madness shop hop. I think it is tres chic!

Mother's Day gifts I made tonight

2009-05-08T06:39:00.001-07:00

Mother's Day gifts I made tonight, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

I hope none of the Moms in my world read this before Sunday! I made these adorable little pocket purses from the pattern by Monica Solorio-Snow in the Fall 2008 Quilts n More magazine. I have made so many of these cute purses - they're like potato chips, once you make one, you just can't stop.

The ladies in my drop in group really loved these, and asked if I would have a class at Thimble Creek to teach this. I will ask Monica if that would be okay with her. Really though, they are soooooo easy.

Oh, and I dropped off this quilt top at the quilter's - Quilter's Studio in San Carlos. This is Swanky Peeps, cuz I made it with Moda Swanky - a jelly roll of that cute fabric, and then if you look in the center, I made two little "peeps" in honor of my favorite non-chocolate candy. The polka dot is a fabric by Lakehouse, I think.

I picked up my finished Mary Engelbreit friends quilt, but I am waiting to post a photo until I get the binding on - so give me five or six months. ha ha.

I hope all of the Moms out there get a nice day of rest and adoration. Happy Friday everyone!

Ryokan block of the month

2009-05-04T14:52:00.001-07:00

Ryokan block of the month, originally uploaded by kristin.jenny.

I just got my first block of the month from Thimble Creek. It is called Ryokan, and I had to make it yesterday afternoon. Each of the twelve blocks has yummy Lecien fabrics from Japan, and each has a different quilt represented in the house, the quilts are made of sumptuous feeling cherrywood fabrics. I am so excited about this awesome quilt. The sashing between the blocks is also a gorgeous taupe and gold combination. Stay tuned, or go get your own at thimblecreek.com.

Up n' Atom

2009-04-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

I am excited that it is Saturday, and I did get up n' atom, went to work and got some stuff accomplished, but tonight, I am going to watch the UFC fights, Brian Stann is fighting - love that guy's style (my trainer says I box like he does. Plant and wreck.) Then after the fights, I am going to see my friend's husband's band, Replica, perform 80s rock covers.

I love old crate labels like this, and someday I want to do some artsy thing with them. For now, I will just share with you this one which fits my day today. Hmm, this bunny's big feet remind me, I need a pedicure today too. Better hop to . . .

I love stripes

2009-04-16T22:20:00.001-07:00

This is what I started working on tonight at my drop in quilt group. This is for a class I am going to teach in July. Here's an extreme close up

It's going to get even cooler when I add the squiggles so stay tuned!

Did ya notice all the nice stripes? You think I got a thing for stripes, huh? Well, I love stripes so much I even put them in my hair:

Here is a nice relaxing photo from our wine tasting day, this is Chateau Montelena, there's a swan in there, flexing his wings dramatically:

Things that make me smile

2009-04-15T14:10:00.000-07:00

For my friend's birthday we went wine tasting Saturday. First stop, Larkmead in Calistoga. I parked my sweet ride and then was met with this inviting view:

Although I am usually a very active person, and my kids tease me that I can't sit still through one tv show or movie, the idea of sitting in a rocking chair on a crisp evening watching the sun set, with a quilt around my shoulders and my man at my side holds a very very very charming appeal. Maybe I still believe in fairy tales, but I hold out hope that this will be me someday.

This also makes me smile, my two adorable nieces playing in the grass at Easter. The little one's new phrase is "I got it!!" everytime she runs for a ball. Adorable.

Planning quilts also makes me smile, and I just started dreaming up one that looks really good so far. In my head. I found this drawing a while back (from a United Airlines ad, if you can believe that!) and it is going to be the basis for the coloration and feel of this quilt. Hmm, with all the ufos I have, this may be completed in oh, 2012. But it's fun to plan.
ok, gratuitous sexy man photo. I think we all can agree that I have an overabundance of mad love for this man, Jason Statham, and his new movie, Crank 2 comes out on Friday, which will probably not be an Oscar contender, but if it delivers this kind of action, I should be able to sit through it. . .No popcorn, please, just pass the Statham.

2009-04-13T22:18:00.001-07:00

Quilt related post! I know, go figure

Here is a quilt I made my in-laws for Christmas, modeled on Easter by my cute nephew:

Made from swell fabric line (except the sashing) and sewn on my Hello Kitty machine. Lulu

I hope you all had a festive Easter. Kids are off this week, so they are looking forward to r&r. I will be working though. poor me

B. . . P. . .

2009-04-13T10:57:00.001-07:00

I cannot stop saying a certain phrase from Saturday night live. Angie Tempura, celebrity blogger. Check out the link in my side bar. . .

How can I think this is funny? Don't I need to grow up? Nah. I am just gonna roll with it.

Hope you all had a Happy Easter, Peeps:

I need to sell my car!

2009-04-10T15:01:00.000-07:00

Help me sell my car! I already bought a replacement, so it's time to sell the wagon, as much as I would LOVE to keep both. It's a 2005 Dodge Magnum R/T, hemi engine, 300 hp. In addition to being a fabric-a-holic, I am a car fanatic too, but it is much easier to store yardage than it is to maintain a fleet, so I am afraid this beauty must be going. I have it listed here, or if you know anyone who is interested (say, YOU would look great driving this down your street!), let me know!!

Happy Dance!

2009-03-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

Quick note of happy dance. Just got a call from the fabulous Laura Heine who said she is done quilting my Asian Log Cabin quilt and she says it turned out awesome!! She even asked if she could take pictures of it for her website. Oh joy! I cannot wait to see it! I also finished quilting the grad night auction quilt, now on to the binding. Also made two cute purses and a pineapple table topper. SO I need to post some pictures this week, I know. We all know how I fail to keep those picture promises, huh.

busy takes on whole new level

2009-03-09T23:40:00.000-07:00

oh crud. how am i ever gonna right this ship that is so tipped over in a sea of busy! I cannot remember working this hard in so many different directions since my kids were in grade school and I worked full time plus at a crazy law firm that had me flying all over the country. Now, I am self employed lawyering, so I have no one to blame but me, but whine, whine, I will. I have been referring to the convergence of all these cases and depositions and hearings as "the perfect storm" because it's all landing on me at once.

The bright light in my week will be thursday when I get to teach my first ever quilt class at Thimble Creek!! I am so excited and so ready to get a sewing break.

Last week, I finished the school auction quilt top and my peeps quilt top, but this week, nothing has happened in the studo (insert "cricket sounds") so I have to satisfy my quilting needs by looking at everone else's blogs!!

OH and I received a great package from Celeste in the fat quarter shop. I have never seen the fabric she sent before, it is so unique and springy!! I will post more and pictures soon, but I just want to say thanks! n case Celese visits my humble and not so quiltilicious right now blog.

Well back to the grind, ttfn

2009-02-07T13:57:00.000-08:00

OK So lots of pictures in this post! First, the APRON SWAP! OMG, I love my apron. My swapster must have been looking in my closet and my sewing room because it is SO ME!!

And, she sent swap goodies. (Not pictured: the m&m's that my husband and I swooped on and devoured) Pencils, more candy and the cutest cupcake iron on! yay!
Hey, ya know what's really cool, Marissa will make you an apron too, yup, she has a business making these gorgeous flirty aprons. Check it out:

I somehow forgot to get a picture of the apron I made. Duh. But lucky for me, Debi really likes it and posted a picture on her blog. cowgurlsblessing

More on the goodie I put in with the apron later in this post.

ALSO, we had an awesome girls' retreat in Bodega Bay.

This is Karen, sewing away while we watched chick flicks like Mama Mia!

Uh oh, Carol and I even got up and danced.

I am always annoyed at movies that show a bunch of girls sitting around and then breaking into spontaneous song and dance numbers, and then here we were, doing that same thing!

We also watched Hairspray an the Holiday to round out the chick film fest.

But of course, the retreat wasn't all about dancing and singing, we were there to CREATE!! oh, but first, better have a hot tub. That dancing wore me out, how 'bout you, Carol?

Ah yes, this didn't suck. Cosmos in the hot tub!

Ok, so what did we dream up in the tub?? I decided to make a pocket cowboy for the western themed apron I was working on for the sassy flirty apron swap. We named him Shane because he has an "S" on the belt buckle.

He kept staring at me with those blue eyes. Shane, I am trying to sew!!

Go hang out with Karen in the hot tub!!

When Karen had enough of Shane and his two dimensional conversational skills, he sneaked away to Donna's bed. Shane, Donna is busy working on her scrapbook now. Her WEDDING scrapbook! Get out of her bed.

No, no, no, I didn't mean for you to get into mine!

Shane, you are in need of a hobby!
Yes, read a book! Maybe that will improve your conversational skills.

uh oh, look what I found blooming on the patio. She says her name is Betty, but I think it is TROUBLE.

No sense fighting the inevitable, so Donna whipped up another batch of cosmos, and we let the two have the hot tub while we got to work:

Did we actually make anything? I am glad you asked! In addition to the cute apron and the happy couple, I made:

This is a log cabin with Asian themed fabrics that I started last century (ok, like 2004) and decided to finish this weekend. I came up with the colors and layout on EQ5. (On Tuesday I shipped it off to Montana, Laura Heine, to do some magical quilting.)

Then, I made this autograph quilt for the Grad Night dinner dance auction, in blue and gold fabrics for our school colors. I just need to add the borders and quilt it. I brought fabric for the borders but meh, I didn't like it at all!! Didya notice how the gold fabric blends into the floor. weird, huh?

Karen finished her Celebration quilt with the awesome applique'd balloons and presents (the flames on the candles were left behind at home), and all that's left is for me to quilt it for her. I wish you could see the stitching on the applique. It is tres magnifique.

She and I took that class together a long time ago. Here is my version of the same pattern:

Fun, huh, how different they can look depending on fabrics. Nice fuzzy picture, too I might add.

Carol made this awesome quilt. This was a funny process for her. She had all the fabrics picked out, but ended up changing her mind here and there before she cut them out. Then she cut, cut, cut and sewed, sewed, sewed. AND then, she DIDN'T LIKE IT for a while, until we all looked at it and decided that it was very aquarium-like. The orange dot fabric strips look like Nemo fish or these beauties I snorkeled with at Lover's Cove on Catalina Island. The center blocks have a wave like seaweed about them, don't they?? So Carol changed her plan on the border fabric, and ended up creating a gorgeous aquatic quilt. It's about 4 feet by 5 feet I think:

whew. So you see, I have been a busy bee. And I am happy to have my computer back and running faster than ever.

LOOKIE LOOKIE. My favorite blogger, Ms. Craft Rage herself, Rachelle, has nomitated me for a Kreativ Blogger award.

Because of my quilts and my sewing room. How awesome is that! Rachelle is quite deserving of this award for her wit as well as her creative sewing. Check out her blog and read about the hotness, her crazy animals and her quest to create the perfect wedding dress. So the rules are that I now get to nominate 5 blogs for the same award. I would like to nominate:

1. Inside a Black Apple Emily is an artist with an etsy shop you must check out. I got the most beautiful print of the girl from Pan's Labyrinth for my husband. He loves that movie and loves original art. I can spend a lot of time looking at her blog and shop!

2. Crazy Mom Quilts This is the most prolific crafter ever. She makes about a quilt a week, no joke. plus she knits, makes clothes for her cute kids and publishes tutorials on her site for the rest of us.

3. Marianne of Moonbeams in a Jar is so flippin funny and creative and she has two boys the same age as mine, so it's fun to read along with her adventures and that of her sidekick, Miss Kitty. (you have to go see Miss Kitty in her inaguration hat)

4. That Dorky Homemade Look. Lisa Boyer is a quilter, author and very entertaining blog writer. I love when she takes her audience on trips around the island. She lives in Kauai. Poor thing.

5. Monica, another fave, of Happy Zombie fame. Go to her blog and you will see. She creates stuff for magazines, like quilts and purses and pennie pockets for garsh sakes. She is uber talented, funny and cutting edge.

OK SO TWO HOURS OF BLOGGING LATER, I AM READY TO SIGN OFF FOR NOW! I got things to do people. Like sew! Next post: what I got in the mail from MONTANA. No, it is not Shane's brother. ciao bellas.

LUCKY LUCKY ME

2009-01-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally posted pictures from the January 1-4 retreat in Napa, see below, and here I am, packing for another retreat to Bodega this weekend. Lucky, Lucky me. This weekend I will be working more on the Alice quilt and hopefully I will remember to take pictures.

I am also going to work on an apron for the current, SSEN flirty apron swap and hopefully also get the Grad Night quilt finished.

tonight is sewing group, so also sewing before I head to my sewing retreat. woo hoo! hope you all get to do something fabulous this weekend, too!

New Year's Resolution

2009-01-07T13:35:00.001-08:00

UPDATE -- PICTURES ADDED

REDUCE! That's my resolution. But not reduce me, reduce my stuff. I intend to pass along 30% of my current stuff - clothes, linens, housewares, crafty stuff. So, I started with my hall closet. Whew. Then, I tackled the dining room drawers, cabinets. I got a hefty bag to go to the dump, and a car load of stuff for Goodwill, plus found some much needed storage room in that closet for when I get to the kitchen overflow - big platters and stuff.

What is it about organizing stuff that feels so dang good! Why can't it feel that good to stay organized and do the daily stuff to keep it up. I swear the container store is like my best friend/worst enemy. Keeps me tantalized with the illusion of perfectly matched storage bins neatly labeled and lined up in the closet. I buy all that stuff, get it all set and pretty and then what happens?? chaos seeps in. oh well, I fight on. Next item up for project organization is my horrid bedroom walk in closet. ha ha walk in . . . that's funny. hurdle in . . . shimmy and squeeze in maybe. I wear like 1/3 of what's in there at most, I swear. why do I have so much stuff I don't wear? delusion.

ok, so one area that is fairly* organized (*always room for improvement) is my sewing loft. And I have recently returned from a fabulous sewing retreat in Napa. I am working on a really fun project based on Alice in Wonderland. I am such a bonehead that I did not take a picture of it when I had all the parts laid out, but I will try to recreate it at home. It's basically a background with pieced and appliqued items to be sewn all over it. I really love how Alice turned out, and the Wicked Queen. You will see, later.

LISA PROMISED TO EMAIL ME PICTURES OF MY ALICE QUILT IN PROGRESS. LISA IF YOU ARE READING THIS . . . :-D

The other gals were super industrious as always, and on a variety of different projects. Pictures to be inserted soon. HERE THEY ARE:

Above: Diane's translation of a Russian Church

This is Sandy's marvelously huge applique extravagana.

Here is an easy peasy quilt I made for my brother in law's partner:

Chickie's sawtooth beauty. This is also a very large quilt, about 90 inches square I think.

Lara was making this for her boyfriend, who has always wanted a real log cabin. Now he will have the quilt, so almost there, right??

I so love hanging out with these amazingly talented, funny and inspiring ladies. I am blessed to have found this great group.

Below are Nancy, Nancy and Kathy showing off their retreat creations:

The hotel was awesome, too, and the weather was perfect (for me) kind of gray and misty rain and cold. I was in quilty heaven.

I got three quilts off to the quilter on Friday. These were sent to Laura Heine at Fiberworks for her magic touch. Retro kitchen is PICTURED ABOVE, Peppermint Twist is my own creation that I blogged about here, and then there is a Mary Engelbriet fabrics Turning Twenty quilt, too. I can't wait to see them all quiltilicious.

Pictures soon (soon as I find the cord I need to connect camera to computer -- do you think I can find a product at the Container store to corral that? I once lost my ipod cord for days and found it in a most unusual spot - ha ha)

Are we Ready??

2008-12-19T08:29:00.000-08:00

"Are we ready?" Trick Question. Irrelevant, because you are going to have to face the fact that Christmas will be here in less than a week, my friends.

It has been a whirlwind of activity around the ol' quiltilicious studio, and not enough on the quilt or 'licious side, but mostly on child rearing and my "day job" bleck. I really was hoping for that mythical relaxing-by-the-fire-while-making-my-handmade presents-and-sipping-cocoa thing, but instead it is squeeze in 10 minutes here and there for shopping, throw everything in the loft and sort it out later, throw on the same black sweater I wear to every holiday event and run for the car with my makeup bag in hand. oh well. next year?

I am the multi-tasker though, so on my way to another of my endless holiday obligations, I pulled over and took these pictures of fall foliage. Who says we don't have changing seasons here in CA?

On a completely different note, here is the finished quilt, renamed Spiked Melon. I am so excited that I get to teach a class on this! Woo hoo! (This is a pattern in Karen Stone Quilts that she calls Lady Liberty goes to Hawaii)

Last night we had our late night sewing drop in group and our White Elephant exchange which was a lot of fun. I managed to make progress on 2 Christmas gifts, so I am fairly happy with that turn of events. It looks like Saturday I will have some elf time in the afternoon, and on Sunday morning, too. (Party Saturday night and Sunday night, sheesh!)

Oh, just to see if anyone is reading this, I have an extra copy of the book "Cookies and Quilts" by Judy Martin that I would love to give you if you post a comment. I will give the book to the first person who responds that they would like to have it. Howz that for Christmas spirit? No guaranteed Christmas delivery though.

I am off to make gingerbread houses!

Have a Merry and Bright, and drink some eggnog.

Santa's workshop is buzzing!

2008-12-09T10:40:00.001-08:00

Ok, quick post with a shout out to the Happy Zombie who created this awesome project for us all to enjoy. Go make some Pennie Pockets!!

I managed to make my sugar and salt scrubs (thanks Martha Stewart) and this adorable penant-style pennie pocket for my friend's son last night, PLUS I finished my gift for our Thursday night sewing group white elephant exchange, PLUS I nearly finished my magnetic memory board thingy for another kid on my Christmas list.

OH P.S. Head out to Thimble Creek if you live in the area for their awesome sale. If you don't live in the area, you should.

Flirty Apron Swap, flirting with Jason Statham

2008-11-28T22:15:00.000-08:00

I received my beautiful apron in the Flirty Holiday Apron Swap. I am so overwhelmed! Here I am modeling it before we went to dinner on Thanksgiving. I actually wore an outfit to match the apron which is how much I love it!!!

This was my first swap. I had mentioned that I love black and white, sparkles and polka dots, and I got it all. My swap partner is an excellent seamstress, and made it reversible! It is so darn flippin' cute!!! Thanks Terri xox. I am definitely going to have to kick it up a notch for the next swap I do, these gals are amazing! check out the results at the Flirty Apron Swap

So, here is the first picture my nephew took of me in the apron, before I was "gussied up" I thought I'd share it here because it shows a couple of things: me in my natural state, no makeup, baseball hat. tomboy central. and me in my NEW natural habitat, the sewing LOFT which I have already trashed, and finally, there is a peek of my LibertyMelon quilt on the chair which I am in the process of whipstiching the binding onto (oops, ended my sentence in a weird preposition).

OK, so more pictures of the loft:

Here is my nephew holding the apron for me:
See the picture of the little girl in yellow? Me at age 4 in a smashing pantsuit, baby.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

by the way, and thanks for asking, Thanksgiving was fun - I managed to piss off my mom and mother-in-law both! M-I-L within 15 minutes of my arrival, wow, a new record! I love family. She did have a great line, though, told me I was "too sarcastic for my own good." Ouch baby, very ouch. Very true, but very ouch. Oh well, ON to the next batch of relatives, with Thanksgiving Part Deux tomorrow at my bro-in-law's. Wish me luck on not causing a ruckus with my OTHER mother-in-law, yes folks I get 2 - yipes.

BONUS: Movie review. Atonement. Amazing, tear jerker ending, excellent story, excellent cinematography, wish I had seen it in the theater. Definitely you must see it if you have not already, then we'll chat.

And, Transporter 3. Laughably bad story, terrible acting on the part of the "hot babe" but worth it to see Jason Statham (picture here from the first Transporter movie) without a shirt and kicking the stuffin out of bad guys. (glad I got to see his abs on the big screen. delish.) I really wanted him to do the same (kick the stuffin out of, that is) to his co-star though. That actress is annoying! ack.
So, I am holding my breath for the Brazilian Job.
Here is a bonus picture of Jason asking me what I want for breakfast. Oh wait, no, this is from the movie Crank. I get confused. I'll have a croissant and black coffee, though, in case he's listening.

oh, and pass the sarcasm, I seem to be running low.

Crisp Fall Weather

2008-11-20T14:57:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year! I want to put on a sweater, sip some cider, crunch through leaves and leaf through all of these shopping catalogs that are piled so high that they are doubling as furniture in my house!

Fall / Autumn whatever you wanna call it, I love it. I just wish that here in sunny CA there was more of a distinct break between our last 90 degree day and Christmas. I can usually squeeze in only a few sweater-wearin', cider-chugging days before I am eyeballs deep in ribbons and bows. Plus we have numerous birthdays in our family between October 10 and December 24 so we are constantly on the go, parties, celebrating, eating cake. . . oh gee, why do I love the Fall??

speaking of Christmas, I am going to make some really cool bath scrubs and fizzies for gifts this year. I bought the ingredients at soapgoods.com and can't wait to get started.

I am going to my weekly sewing drop in tonight to work on an apron for the apronista swap. I am doing a cool black on white scrolly fabric with an intricate applique.

My quilt studio is finally set up in the loft, all I need now is to address the lighting situation, so hopefully I can get that done before Christmas. I have plenty of daylight, and some general illumination at night, but I want to do some snaky track lighting to really brighten the area. Seeing is quite important when quilting, no?

Even without optimal lighting conditions, I sketched out some ideas for quilts and projects last night, and I am really excited to get some of them off the ground. 2009 projects, though, because I have enough going on to get me through the last 41 days of 2008. Yikes. best get to gettin!

except, ps: Can I brag? Someone at my gym seriously thought I was 25 years old today! Not bad for 41, eh?

Bits of Randomness

2008-09-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

My last post was over a month ago! Yikes. Work has been seriously very busy, not my usual very busy, plus school is in session again for my High Schooler. Well, I will try to collect some thoughts I have had over that last month:

FIRST THINGS FIRST: THANK YOU TO MAR for my AMAZINGLY lovely pif gift! I am going to add a picture in the morning when the light is better to take a snap of the gorgeous Mary Engelbreit embroidered tea towels and the sweet zip pouch made with ME fabrics!! I swooned when I got them. xoxo

It's weird when your child is an adult and living on his own. My son is adjusting better than I. My husband and I were supposed to go over for dinner tonight, cooked by son and roommates, but then we got the call: "uh, yeah, dinner's not gonna happen. We were planting a shrubbery and hit the water line, so, yeah, uh, we don't have running water and we're kinda too stressed too cook" FUNNY, right?! except we own the house in question. . . [gotta love the monty python reference he made to shrubbery though] OK, so, deep breath, the kids shut off the water, had the neighbor guy help them, and are fixing it themselves, so yay! the boy is growing up. . . maybe. I didn't have the guts to go see it yet.

My melon quilt is at the quilter's! whoo hoo! It's all done, and my brother-in-law helped me find the perfect harlequin design deep peach and orange backing fabric at my super local qs, Main Street Quilts. guess what, chickens, I forgot to take a picture. lame. While I was there, I also dropped off Hella Pink to be quilted, which I blogged about a long time ago . . .

While putting away the melon quilt fabric, I made another small quilt out of the leftovers, and it turned out pretty swell, so say I. Yah, no picture, but that one is still here so there is hope.

I found the perfect purse! I have been looking for a nice sized, i.e, big enough to hold day planner, makeup bag, ipod, lunch, cell phone, crazy huge George Costanza wallet. I wanted it to be leather, a really durable purse (cuz I treat my purses just a bit nicer than Pete Townsend treated his guitars) and I found it! I love the size, love the color. But that's weird, cuz I used to h8 orange. Now I decided I lurve it. And in my world, it's a neutral because I am sick of changing purses. harrumph.

Um, and my other big find is my NEW (to me) CAR!! I got a 2007 BMW 335i coupe. It is so dang cute! It's silvery gray, very sporty and fast. I bought it from a private party - a dentist - who is a car fanatic, so it's very well cared for. Isn't it weird though, going to buy a car from someone? You have that, "I hope this isn't a scam or a criminal lair I am being drawn into" feeling, so of course, you bring your girlfriend with you, like the two of you could fight off a gang of crazed chop shop meth fiends. Then you get there and you realize the seller is thinking, "I hope this isn't a scam or a lure that leads to my story being featured on American Justice." But of course, it was all legit and civilized, so now I have a new-to-me car.

My eight year old nephew, Hurricane Morgan, is returning for a visit on Friday. He will be staying for a week, so I plan on being exhausted the following weekend. He told his Mom that he hoped that he got to cook with Uncle while he is here. Isn't that so cute? Every time he visits, my husband gets him involved in cooking for the family. We also sew gifts for his Mom.

We are rearranging the house. Swapping the quilt room, which is currently in the downstairs bedroom that is off of the family room, with the upstairs loft library. I am excited because the loft is a bigger, open space with room for friends to come over and play. Yippee. BUT I am also weary of the ginormous effort this is going to require. Thank goodness my boys are big and strong! I am excited to re-organize and clear out some clutter. I think I am going to get a book on quilt room set up to help with the layout. Any designers or organizers that want to come set up my new space for me?? [cricket sounds]

I have a magazine recommendation to all of my legions of fans: Clean Eating has menus, meal plans and shopping lists for really tasty and healthy food. I have been cooking on Sundays all of my lunches for the week with recipes from this magazine. The website is good, too.

So, here I am, a virtual Girl Scout-knock off, knocking on your virtual door: I am on the fundraising committee for Grad Night at my son's High School and we are having a Longaberger sale to raise funds for the cause. If anyone is interested, you can visit this website, and 25% of anything ordered goes to safe and sane Grad Night. And I promise I will buy your kid's girl scout cookies if you do!

OK, survey: Monday Night Football is over and I have two options: clean the kitchen, or sit in my quilt room and ponder the quilty makeover . . . yah, noo need to survey or take a vote, pondering wins.
ciao.

Back to School, Farmer's Markets and Tote Bags

2008-08-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

It's the most wonderful time of the year! When the kiddies return to school.

A bit different when one is starting college and the other is a low-key easy-going sophomore in High School, but still and all. . .

So, in honor of the end of my summer, I packed up my fabulicious fabric, my trusty Janome, a bottle of wine and assorted tote bags filled with stuff, and, after inviting myself along, hopped over to Marin County to quilt the weekend away with some fabulous and talented women, courtesy of Sandy Klop's retreat. Wanna see what we can do? (obscure cultural reference to the character "stuart" on madtv)

First up, cuz it's my blog an' all, is my Melon Liberty quilt that is based on Karen Stone's fab pattern. I am getting ever so close to finishing this sucker, doncha think?

I also discovered that the blocks fit together so much more nicer when I trimmed them to the right size first. ack. Did I mention the hotel had a free "happy hour?"

Next we have Linda, the HAND QUILTER, who finished quilting the inside of this gorgeous Irish Chain quilt. Amazing.

Linda's table buddy, Patty was probably the most productive. She worked on finishing an assortment of projects, continuously pulling fabric and quilt tops out of her gorgeous new RED Lexus. Here she is working hard, and next to her is a really cool quilt she is designing as a teaching project.

Speaking of projects (typing of projects??) Sandy brought a project for us all to do from her collection of flannels. We made the most adorable little purses: (mine is on the left, Lisa's on the right in the left picture, Suzanne is modeling hers at right)

Suzanne whipped up this table runner for an anniversary gift: The photo does not do the fabric justice. It was totally yummy Asian print with gold metallic accents. Diane meanwhile was stripping away. Making a strippy quilt. Gawd, you guys!

OK, so WTH?? (What the Heck!) Look at the size of these blocks! Jane is making a quilt called "Nearly Insane" I say, there's no "nearly" about it! Two or three of these blocks and I would be totally nutted up. Nurse Ratchet!

Nancy gets the ooh and aah award for this Jane Austen quilt. She has made four others like this. Wow. The pieces are TINY in that border. She is a very organized quilter. She and her work space is on the left, Diane is on the right.

And then, my bloggy friends, we have the piece de resistance, in my opinon, from the very arty Stacey, who created this work as she went, cutting and hand sewing these awesome organic shapes, embellishing with beads and metallic thread. I just love the energy of this piece. She also discovered yo-yo maker. (no not him!) the clover yo-yo maker. She used organza and added beading though to make the most elegant starry / jelly fish looking embellishments ever. This is probably 36 inch square or so, fyi. I can't wait to see the finished product.

I took a break from Melon to work on my Dad's quilt, that I started years ago. I am pleased to report that I got one whole more block done. At this rate, I should have it done in 2025 or so. But I did cut and organize strips for more fun sewing later. I do love this pattern.

Tired of looking at my ufo's?? Me too, so here are some pictures from the delectable Farmer's Market in San Rafael:

Project Quiltway!

2008-07-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I am finally getting a chance to visit blogland. I have been working on an original design quilt for my LQS challenge, "Project Quiltway" which is a contest to create an original quilt and pattern. (speaking of which, Project Runway is coming back tomorrow. whoo hoo! can anyone top Christian?)

The winning quilt will be displayed in the store and the pattern will be marketed and sold by the store. Cash prize, too. Anyhoo, today was the get-the-picture-of-the-quilt-top-to-the-store deadline, so here it is:

It needs a good pressing, and the lighting is pretty sucky, but it is really cute and bright in person. 40 x 50 inches. I like it. Funky trees, lots of presents, some stars and a candy border. I can't think of a name. The trees are like a wintergreen color, and the background is cream with rosy pink dots, and then there are bright pinks and black dots thrown in. I was thinking of "visions of gumdrops" or "gumdrop trees" but there really aren't any gumdrops on it. LOL. Any suggestions??

(oh, and the melon quilt? I only need to finish the border! yee hah!)

Why is it that every year I think that I am going to have so much free time in the summer when the kids are out of school? what a crock, huh? we get busier!!

We are leaving on a Mexico cruise on Sunday. 18 people in our group, families with kids. I am really looking forward to it and have been mentally packing for about 2 weeks what I am going to bring. Guess I have to do it for real for it to count. Speaking of which, I have also been making clothing. I made the most awesome skirt EVER but I don't have a picture yet, so that's a tease. I made some tops for the cruise, too, and some dresses for my one year old niece. guess i need to get on the ball about pictures, eh?

By the way, here is a picture of my baby boy, who just graduated from High School:

TTFN all and stay fierce.

Monday, Monday!

2008-06-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

What a month it has been! My oldest son is graduated, registered for college and moved out (sort of - his room here still has a lot of stuff in it). My youngest son is enjoying the lazy days of summer. He and I just went to Universal Studios Hollywood for a few days - I went to a conference and he went to to the amusement park with a friend. It was a nice little getaway.

Sewing, you ask? Oh, yes, I have sewed a bit. I made two large, piped, square bed cusions for my niece's daybed, two smaller pillows, and a neck roll pillow. I am proud of how they turned out. Zippers, custom made piping and all. Now I just need to do the bedskirt and a simple quilt. woo hoo! I have also made some random purse things and placemats, and I am *this* close to finishing the melon quilt. Hopefully, I will get to finish it this weekend.

Rachelle, who writes one of my fave blogs ever, Craft Rage, (see sidebar) has gifted me with 3 lovely patterns from her vast collection. All in my size, and so mod and chic, that I am going to try to whip one of the dresses up for the fourth of july. We are going to an outdoor concert and I think a chic retro dress will be perfect. Thanks Rachelle!!!

I know I have been remiss in posting pictures lately. I see that I keep promising. Alas, I don't have my camera with me right now, so I will try ONCE AGAIN to get on and post tonight.

In the meantime, enjoy these 6 unspectacular quirks about me, that I have been tagged by Alison at My Little Stitching Corner to provide:

1. I do not like tomatoes, yet I like ketchup, salsa and tomato sauce.

2. I cannot stand anything between my toes. No flip flops, no pedicure sponge thingies, no toe-rings. Freaks me out. I have considered having my nerve endings numbed so I can wear all those cute shoes!! ha ha.

3. I don't like gorey movies, but I watch reality medical and crime shows like Trauma Life in the E.R. and 48 Hours. And I love watching MMA (mixed martial arts) fighting, like UFC. My husband thinks its funny that I can't stomach fake gore, but the real stuff doesn't bother me. He is the opposite.

4. I spend a crazy amount of money on stationery and organizational supplies that I don't really use very well. I am terrible about sending actual written notes, and my stuff is not that organized.

5. I hate to be barefoot, except when I am sewing, then I cannot wear shoes. ???

6. I have recurring dreams about a house that I redecorate over and over. I have never been to that house in real life, nor do I ever redecorate the house I actually live in, nor do I always really like the way I decorate the dream house. I attribute this to the fact that I watch HGTV way too much.

That's it! So now I get to tag the next! And, the rules are:
Link to whoever tagged you
Mention the rules
List 6 unspectacular quirks about you
Tag 6 folks by linking to your post.

I will now tag:
Mar at Pincushion Diaries
Rachelle at Craft Rage
Mary Anne at Moonbeams in a Jar
Miss Kitty at Moonbeams in a Jar
Amanda at Busy Little Quilter
Pam at PamKittyMorning

Hope you all will play along!

Where Have I Been?

2008-06-16T08:06:00.000-07:00

Wow. Where have I been, indeed!

What a stress filled few weeks I have had since the last post. Our oldest had his senior prom, which we hosted the pre-prom dinner for 22 kids. Wow. It was a success! The kids looked great. I will get around to adding pictures hopefully tonight.

Then work was just a big ball of crazy with two or three big cases commanding a lot of attention.

Then we bought a house for my son and his roommates to live in while they go to school, so a lot of time had to be devoted to that endeavor and getting it ready.

Next was a craft-a-palooza weekend I organized with my friends where I worked on my awesome melon quilt.

Followed by graduation!! Yay, our son is all graduated!! And we had a party at his new house that was just wonderful.

So, now that all that is behind me, I should be back in quilt and blog mode!! Just wanted to give y'all an update. (I have still been reading everyone's blogs even while I checked out for a bit.) I got tagged to tell some fun stuff about me, so I will post that later today when I post pictures.

Can't Find It! FOUND IT

2008-05-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Found it, thanks to Mar. I feel like Dorothy -- it was in my lap all along. It was in a magazine, not a blog. ha ha.
Ugh. I saw the simplest tutorial on how to make tiered skirts for little girls when I was roamin' the blogs yesterday, and now I forgot where it was, or even how I found it. If anyone is reading this and has a suggestion, please let me know. The author had broken it down by size 2-4, 5-7, etc. and used really pretty pastel fabrics. I want to make these for two little girls I know, but it would help to have the directions!

Thanks!

Pay It Forward!

2008-04-30T22:24:00.000-07:00

Joining in the fun is so easy!! Leave a comment for me, I will select three at random to receive goodie from me. It will be handmade, and definitely quiltilicious. All you have to do in return is offer the same to those who comment on your blog. This will be interesting! Let's see if three people read this.

Let's Review.

2008-04-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

I made a zippered pouch from this tutorial. OMG, how much fun is that! Thanks to Lisa for directing me there!

Hey, who is that peeking out?? Little Miss Thang!

Speaking of which, my friend Carol and I had a quilt-a-palooza last Friday, stayed out till 2 am. WOO HOO!! I know how to party, my friend! Here are our funky Janomes:

My lilliputian Lulu is working on SWELL:

She sews a fine seam, but she is LOUD.

While Miss Carol's HK machine (no name??) was hard at work making Carol's very first quilt!!

Wow, chicas, this girl is FAST. one day, one quilt. You go girl. (I haven't told her about borders, basting, walking feet, darning feet and binding yet . . . hee hee.)

Carol loves Fourth of July (well, all Holidays!) and this is going to be a mighty fine table topper.

I also finished the quilt top for Hella Pink. I like it. I confess that I don't love it like I thought I would. I do love that it is done, and it is cool that there are no fabric repeats in the interior of the quilt, and that I got the fabric at quilt stores all over the state whenever we would travel, but it is just not as wow as I thought it would be. I dunno. Plenty of other projects to love.

Anyhoo, now I just need to yup, baste it, quilt it, bind it. Thanks to Amanda Jean who gave me the inspiration to finish it!

Speaking of Amanda Jean, I started her quilt-a-long. Go check it out. Looks like fun. Can't wait to see everyone's results. Here is my block number one:

ok, I am trying another pink quilt. This one is softer, though. Maybe I will like it more.

Gotsta getta sewin,

Kristin

Too Much of a Good Thing can be Wonderful!

2008-04-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

(mae west)

I tend to get mad at myself for not being content with finishing existing projects. I am always planning the next one, and looking at new fabrics and new patterns and new ideas. BUT THEN, I met this delightful woman who gave me permission to want more!

This is Marilyn Doheny with one of her stunning pieces of art.

In fact, one of her sayings is something along the lines of, if you are not wanting more, you are not reaching the limits of your creativity, and if you are not creating, you're really not living to the fullest. (She said it all poetry-like, but all I heard was it's ok to want more!)

I took a great class with Marilyn last Sunday, and as I told my husband when I returned, it was life-changing. Well, quilt-life changing, but still and all. She is amazing and her techniques are so freeing, you cannot help but become an artiste! You need to get her to your local quilt store or guild. You will be amazed at her quilts and her art, and even more amazed with her spirit. She is so inspiring.

ok, so, do ya wanna see some stuff I made? well, let me start by saying that the idea of this class or workshop was to make fun "critters" and flowers out of strip sets (strata) that are cut with a special angled wedge ruler, which are then appliqued on a background. the magic is in the fabric selection and the whimsy of it all.

My quilt is going to be loosely based on Alice in Wonderland. It is mostly going to feature the quiltilicious fabric from Tula Pink called Flutterby, (see earlier post) although there are more non-flutterby in this picture than others.

Here are some butterfly wings. Trust me. Imagine the body at the bottom of the arc. Then, I made some flowers, some caterpillars, some bees. BUT I can't show you those cuz they are supah top secret. (naw, I just forgot to take pictures and I am too lazy to do it now.)

Work has been way too hectic this week, so I am anxious to get back to this funnery.

But I am going to sidetrack from this project (Marilyn says it's ok, ha ha) because I am going to introduce LuLu (my Hello Kitty sewing machine -- see earlier post) to quilting tomorrow. Lulu and I are going to work on a Swell jellyroll and see what happens. I don't really have a pattern in mind. I am sewing with my friend who has the other Hello Kitty machine now. She is working on her first quilt, a red, white and blue rail fence. She and I picked out the fabric when I picked up my fun, sunshiny sunflower quilt from the long arm quilter last Saturday. I can't wait to show you that one, but first I have to bind it and wash it - it has raw edge applique that needs to get all raggedy.

Here is a bonus quote from Mae West:

when choosing between two evils, I like to choose the one I have never tried before.

I guess that's why I keep trying new patterns. good justification, eh?

oh, and here is a fun blog. It's super cute. trust me. although I read the title of it, and thought it would be something different. see if you agree.

oh, and go here to enter for a chance to win a beautiful quilt!!

can a girl have too much?

2008-04-16T08:25:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of talk about being good and not buying too much fabric, using one's stash rather than buying more. . . well, I fell off of the wagon (oh wait, I was never on the wagon!) and bought a gawgeous bunch o' fabric for a class I signed up for at my LQS2 that was added at the last minute. Here is what I hope to make. My fabrics are yummy flutterby by tula pink for moda and a selection of randoms to mix and match. I did my own litle shop hop on my way back from Fair Oaks yesterday, where my job had taken me. No picture cuz I am running late and my camera is in the car, where I should be. BUT I did want to share the following with you:

A little craft humor sent by my sis-in-law. Pass it on to those you know who crochet. Now you know why the crochet:

The Dolls A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.For al l of these years , he had never thought about the box, but one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $ 95,000.00 He asked her about the contents. "When we were to be married," she said, " my grandmother told me, the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll." The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness."Honey," he said, "that explains the doll, but what about all of t h is money? Where did i t come from?""Oh," she said, "that's the money I made from selling all the rest of the dolls."A Prayer.......Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;Love to forgive him;And Patience for his moods; Because Lord, if I pray for Strength,I'll beat him to death, because I don't know how to crochet.

Happy Wednesday

Hella Pink!

2008-03-29T20:12:00.001-07:00

Working away at the Hella (or Hecka) Pink quilt. Here is the layout my husband helped me select. My photo skills are lacking, but you get the idea, yah?

Then I tried Lisa Boyer's trick and made Hecka Black and White. Still looks okay I think. I put the lighter blocks in the center, again as Lisa suggested:
Ok, and check this out. This is Hella Trippy: impressionist quilt. No need to match those seams! Thanks to my photo editor software.

And these little blocks are the not hella pink enough:

They did not make the cut. Benchwarmers. UFO's. Didn't play well with others. Loners. Voted off the island. Auf'd. Fired. (I could do this all day!)

Hey Designers! Gather round. I have some news. (Gosh I love Tim Gunn.)
What do youz guys suggest for a Fierce Border for this quilt o' mine. I am thinking narrow stripe, then sawtooth half-square triangles, just like the pattern calls for. Dang, I am clever.

Has anyone seen a good pink-a-licious stripe that would be good for this?? I have several stripeys, but none that seem to want to be in this quilt. Hook me up. Seriously.

ok, I am putting this one away for the night, and moving on to THE DRESS! woo hoo!

Spring Break!!

2008-03-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

HAPPY EASTER!!

Easter was so much fun and food! The weather was so nice, we moved the party onto the back patio.

This is me, all Betty Crocker-like in a hand made apron my husband got for me for Valentine's Day.

My unbound quilts make good places to lie down and recover from chocolate bunny comas:

That's my kid on the left, the one on the right is a stunt double.

On Monday, we went to Lake Tahoe with the kids and a few extra stow-aways. Always an adventure in the testosterone zone. Snow, buffet lines, whipping wind, Red Hut Waffle Shop, scary movies, igloo building, texting girls, building fires (did you know peanut butter is an excellent accelerant? Did you know that excellent accelerant is more fun to say than to type?) and being slug lazy all figured in to our plans on this getaway.

My younger son on the left. Igloo building commences on the shore:

Dad acts as building inspector:

My oldest on the right, with another extra, on the way to the Casinos to meet some girls (God, give me strength!)

I brought quilting projects to the cabin, of course. We needed some estrogen input. I put binding on the Ladybug Parade, and on the table topper I made last week. I also shopped for more pink fabric, and cut out the patches for 12 more pinwheels for the Hella Pink quilt. Awesome finds! And, I did some handwork, English paper piecing on a patriotic stars mini quilt. Very nice retreat indeed. We returned on Thursday.

Today, final weekday of Spring Break, we went to the Jelly Belly factory, about a half hour drive from here. We being my youngest son Brian, my bro-in-law, another relation (step-aunt-in-law?) and her 5 y.o. daughter.

Rows of pink! Reminds me of a quilt I know. . . I just read the article in APQ about getting inspired by photos of your surroundings. I took a lot of pictures of rows of Jelly Bellies, so I think some fun quilts are about to burst forth. . .

Mr. Jelly Belly himself!

We rode that sugar high, boy!

And, there was an added bonus -- it was STICKER PALOOZA with Mrs. Grossman stickers there and guess what? I met Mrs. Grossman and she signed my sticker how to book! She said we are like "two peas in a pod" because we both love stickers. She was so sweet. Do you remember when these first came out? The heart, the bear, the duck?? I was crazy for these from High School on. The sticker factory and outlet are also near to where I live. Jealous much? (well, I have to pay ginormous property taxes next week, so don't be too jealous if you are out of state - we pay a hefty price to be close to sticker and sticky paradise)

I am also happy to report that I resolved my issue with my HK sewing machine (see earlier post)- and the real LuLu is on her way here, this time from Mississippi - still a southern belle! and the impostor is going to reform school - My friend who is in need of a machine for her and her daughter will provide the rogue a good home and proper upbringing. I am throwing in some quilting lessons to sweeten the pot. (*note, it is not a bad machine, just not the one I wanted)

I found a great blog that you all probably already know about. It is Busy Little Quilter, and she wants to know about how we all store, sort and hopefully use, our scraps. So here is a picture of some of my more artful scrap storage. Hey, the picture on the right is kinda like the jelly belly factory's trays of colorful beans!!

oh, wait, that's my trash bin!

How bout visiting her blog and adding your two scraps?

Wishing you miles of endless possibilities and a great gooey sugar high!! Kristin

What I attacked the UPS man for. . .Photos of the Quilts are Up!

2008-03-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

p.s. I updated Monday's post with pictures of my awesomely quilted (by Laura Heine) quilts, so check that out below.

Sorry, UPS Guy!

Yesterday, I stopped by my LQS, which is dangerously a mere one block from my office. I just needed some brown fabric to bind the table topper. BUT while I was there, the UPS guy came in with a delivery for Susie, and it was wrapped in CLEAR plastic, so I saw the contents, and flipped my lid. This is what I nearly tackled him for:

Although it is quite quiltilicious, . . .

It's gonna be a dress. tee hee
The fabric is bubbles and blooms by Beverlyann Stillwell, www.lyndhurststudio.com in case you are wondering. SHOOT. I just read the pattern (yah, I know!) and I need more of the red fabric. I bought enough of the main fabric, but short on the red for the contrast. Oh great. Do you think I can sneak in and out of the store without anything else jumping in my bag??? yah, that would be a first.

Stash busting, WIPs, Sad Goodbye, No Hello Kitty

2008-03-18T00:02:00.000-07:00

******UPDATED POST WITH PICTURES!!!!!!!!*************

Hope you all had a Happy St. Pat's. I have had a fill of corned beef and cabbage, and of my in-laws. ha ha. We had a lovely dinner, actually, cooked by my husband, the chef of the manor. Yum.

My m-i-l is going through cancer treatments, bleck, and it was good to have her over after a biopsy surgery she had on Friday. She is going to be fine, but it is still a big ol' pile o' crud she has to deal with.

anyway, I have not posted in a bit because I have been busy, and I have been crabby. I am better now, don't be afraid.

On the up side, I had a fun-filled week with my nephew, aka, the Hurricane.
We pal'd around all week, doing cool kid things, like feeding ducks,
bowling, watching trains at the depo, going to baseball games, lacrosse games, and the Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley. He is so dang smart, it was fun having him get his noodle filled up with science stuff. He had a squillion questions, and luckily I had all the answers cuz I can read the little boards really fast. Whew! He even quilted and sewed with me. He was like a caffeinated squirrel, but I missed him the second he left.

Ok, so here's a downer from the down side of my week:

My Hello Kitty sewing machine is a bust! I wanted this one, like Mimi, so I found one on ebay, bid on it, won it, and the sender was excruciatingly slow in even corresponding with me. A month later, I was told it was on its way, and then it arrived! Excitement and anticipation - - - dashed on the rocks when I opened the brown paper and and it was this one! the wrong one! she had a picture of the right one on ebay, yet sent the other one. I am not a happy camper, going through the whole dispute thing with paypal to get her to give me a refund. yuck. (don't get me wrong, the machine I got is also cute but it is CHERRY-less. Hello?? Kitty! I needs me some cherries.

I was also little Miss Crabby Pants the last couple of days because of THAT issue, plus customer service dolts, (small and irritating) issues with my family, my back "went out", yada yada. . . SOOOOO imagine my SHEER AND UTTER DELIGHT when I got to work today and found all 3 of the quilt tops I sent to the fabulous and uber-talented Laura Heine just a couple of weeks ago had come back all quiltilicious and perfect!! I am so flippin' excited I could jump and flip (watch the back!). I will get some snaps of the quilting tomorrow and fill in the blanks with photos.

Quilt one is a turtle quilt, cuz of the border fabric I stuck on my scrappy little Irish Chain. The turtles she quilted are outrageous, and Laura says to watch her newsletter because she is designing a turtle quilt because she learned how to do turtles just for my little ol' quilt.
*

Quilt two is a ladybug quilt from a Laura Nownes, Diana McClun pattern, Ladybug Parade, which Laura quilted antennae, spirally loopy patterns in the wings, flowers and vines all over. I am so happy.

*

and the third, Circles one is a Freddy Moran class I took, Freddy dot com. I asked for just a simple quilting here, and it is still stunning, with yellow swirlies. (kind of like Lisa's funky chicken heads?)
*

Aren't they all spectacularly quilted?? big sigh. All is right with the world!

AND, wouldya like to see the dang-cute little carrots I made? they still need some "hair" (green frond-tops, whatever you call 'em)

How 'bout 2 blocks towards the shop hop quilt? woo hoo!

And this sophisticated, yet rascally little table-topper for my brother-in-law, who really loves this fabric:

I have been reading alot of blogs dedicated to the concept of "stash busting" and I am all for that, considering that I have spilled out of the studio and into the spare bathroom bathtub as a place to store my fabric! One of the most fun sites I found on the subject is this one. I spent like a week on her website, blog, and then clicking on links she has, so make sure you get a cup of tea, and settle in when you go over there. You may be there a spell.

I have decided to add 2 great ways to reduce that stash and be happy.

1. invite a newbie quilter over and let her "shop" from fabrics you are no longer crazy about, and help her make a quilt. My friend Erin came over on Sunday (she is the one I helped with the auction quiltlet), and we found the perfect pattern and fabric for a baby quilt she wants to make as a gift. I am helping her with the construction. In exchange, she is going to hand stitch my binding on my quilts - she is great at this! what a win-win!

2. clothing! I was a pattern sewer before I was a quilter, and clothing takes a lot of fabric. I went to Wal-Mart today and found choice patterns for under $3 a piece, and I am going to make summery tops and dresses from some of my big chunks of fabric.
*

March of the Tools!!

Our final topic of the post, is my addition to the March of the Tools. This oh-so-humble ruler is da bomb! I have all kinds of rulers, like over 20. But this one is my new favorite. It has the clearest, thinnest markings evah. It is frosted, like donuts, only not, and this makes it easy to see on light and dark fabrics, as shown oh so dramatically in this picture. You must try this one, even if you have 22 rulers already.

What is your favorite tool?
do tell!
>

I feel much better and back to my quiltilicious self. I will try to get pictures of the quilts up tomorrow. I do so LOVE them. I was kind of afraid to send them out, because I usually do my own quilting, but I had a backlog, and I had to learn to let go. Success! g'nite, Kristin

Shop Hop results!

2008-03-11T15:24:00.000-07:00

I Loved the March Madness Shop Hop! I made it to 16 of 20 shops. Almost all were new to me. Each one had such a different personality. I made some new favorites, found a great place to drop off one of my quilt tops for quilting - I will post about that once I get the quilt, and of course, I blew all of my loot gathering up wonderful fabrics, notions, tools and patterns. Also I met Mar of the blog Pincushion Diaries. I hope we get to do a shop hop together soon!! What more could a girl ask for?

Oh, and I have been productive! I have already completed a quilt top, all from finds from my trip. I got a charm pack of Mary Engelbreit squares here, (one of my new faves!!) and some perfect just barely off-white for the sashing at a store in San Jose (that has no website), and the blue field with cherries for the posts here, and then the center panel here (which is funny because I had already cut and sewn the charm squares, the sashing and posts before I even bought the center panel, yet I "made it work" - as he would say). It is now 50 inches square,

but I bought a couple of more fabrics from Cloth Carousel in Winters (no website either!) that I thought I would use for borders, but now I am not sure I want borders, I may just use them for backing. . . what do you think? would you put any or all of these as borders or not??

I have a house guest this week. My adorable 7 and three-quarters years old nephew is visiting from Arizona. We are having so much fun. He is even sewing and helping me quilt. I don't think I will get a lot done this week, but I will have fun doing it! He thinks I am a great quilter - loves to sit on my lap while I "draw" flowers all over the quilt with the thread. He controls the auto. thread cutter when I say, "now" But he also thinks I am a great singer, so one can't really trust his endorsement of my quilting skills. My new LuLu machine is due to arrive tomorrow! yippee skippee, so I am looking forward to letting him try that one out. More later, but now I have a date with a certain small fry and a radio-controlled car that is a replica of my real car! see ya!

2008-03-07T23:33:00.000-08:00

Hello and Happy Saturday morning! I have been participating in our local area SHOP HOP the last couple of days. Can anyone identify the shop that is pictured above??

No??

Okay, it's a trick question - this is the stuff I bought on DAY ONE!! All laid out nicely on my cutting table, all innocent-like. The fabric is saying, "what? how did I get here?" and "I look so cute, why do you want to cut me up into bits?" and a lot of "You're not going to ufo me are you?" ah, boy, tough questions all.

Here is the pink section of my new store.

And, welcome to the red and white and blue and yellow sections:

SWEET treats with no caloric value for my "birthday celebration" quilt. Actually all of the fabrics are for WIP so I don't feel too guilty.. Well and also because I haven't received the credit card statement yet.

Why is it that I cannot resist Alexander Henry floral prints???? This is going to be a top for me from an Amy Butler pattern. Oh yeah baby. some strappy yellow sandals would seal that deal nicely.

The shop hop is great fun, at each stop hoppers receive a block for the shop hop quilt. Each store has interpreted the pattern in its own way. Here is the quilt from the fabulous Sew Ewe Quilt in Brentwood, which is ginormous, btw. You know I am digging the pink. It kindof looks like a colorized black and white picture, or Ted Turner movie colorized. or a photo shop trick.

However thisis not the quilt I will make. I LOVED the one at Stitches in Time in Livermore, 'cept they won't let anyone photo it cuz they want to sell the pattern - I bought the pattern but the picture is pretty fuzzy on it, and I am thinking they don't want me scanning it anyhoo. SO, you must visualize with me, that there is a center medallion with a beehive applique, like their logo, then surrounded with sawtooth border in primary/white, then thin border, then the shop hop blocks with thin sashing of primary colors, then a dark floral. It is SO quiltilicious!! I spoke to the creator of the quilt who is fabulously talented. Leslie. Awesome. I think that was my favorite store. I spent the most scrilla there, that's for sure.

They also had the best freebie. It was a pattern and the materials for this pincushion, which I made when I got home Thursday night. Love it!! My french knots are lame. they don't deserve to be called French, they are more like Belgian, or Calais knots - kinda French but not really. (geography/history humor)

Here are the other freebies:

Nice assortment of fabric, candy, tools, patterns, candy, water bottles, candy, notepads and candy!

Hey from this shot out of my car window on the way to one of the shops, can you tell where I live? What is all of this snow doing here?
OOPS. Another trick. These are acres and acres of almond trees in bloom!!! the fragrance was intoxicating as I whizzed past at 60 mph to get to my next store. This is on Highway 120 which leads into Yosemite. I was on my way to Oakdale to the Quilter's Cabin. Notice my door is locked for safety.

Here is a final look at the haul, before I start cutting and shaping this into fun projects!!

next post I will talk about Day 2 and I will add hyperlinks!!! I am officially too tired to link.
Yes, there is much more to tell. Leave a comment if you participated in the No. Cal. March Madness Shop Hop. I would love to hear what you thought and see what you bought!!

Kristin

2008-03-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

good monday morning!

Had a great WIP weekend. Almost as productive as amandajean, but not quite. ok, not even close. But this is not a competitive sport, right?

I made one more block on my Dad's quilt, (see below) but then I got bored with teal, so:

I did some fun stuff, like turned a $2.99 placemat into a purse

And I worked on this quilt, which I call "Hella Pink" because my son blurted that out when he saw the collection of fabrics I had for it! As in, "those aren't just pink, they are 'hella pink!'"The design is a simple pinwheel block - the quilt pattern is from "Fabric Shopping with Alex Anderson" In her book, it is a monochromatic yellow. I wanted pinks. A wee bit of estrogen in my testosterone-laced world. I have collected the fabrics for a few years - every time we are in another town, on vacation or business travel, I pick up a bit of pink for it. I have not repeated any fabrics yet, and I have 21 of the 42 blocks done. I am going to try to not repeat any in the entire body of the quilt. The border is going to be half-square triangles, set in a sawtooth design, separated by a stripedy narrow border. For the half-squares, I may use the fabrics from the body of the quilt.It's kinda crazy, but the more blocks I make, the more I like it.

I also got a wild hare and made some yellow and blue half-square triangles by using some pre-printed triangle paper. Have you tried it? It's wicked fun. I had nothing in mind to do with these triangles, but for some reason, last night at about 10:30 i decided to make this tulip thing. The center block is 11.5" and now I think it's a bit too large but who knows what I may or may not do to it. . . into the ufo pile? maybe I will make it into an Easter table runner? I dunno. It may have to wait until tonight's crazed inspiration strikes. I work better in the morning, but I do quirky thinking at night. Not that a tulip is so quirky, but ya know what I mean? I did also start drafting a pattern for a tree that appeared to me in a semi-dream, semi-awake moment. It's kinda Jane Sassaman-esque maybe, but with more geometric shapes than organic. I started planning it but who knows if it will get past my sketchbook and become a quilt. Many, many ideas have never escaped the sketching phase. mwa ha ha. locked up tight.

Alright, so here is a bummer. I know, it's Monday, who needs a bummer? Well, I just have to share because I know you will understand, and I also get to throw out a shameless plea for sympathy -- the flower garden quilt I helped make for the school auction (see previous posts) did not do so well.

I have made several quilts over the last 5 years for this school - each one sold for over $500 with the highest being $1200. Well, this one only fetched $125 and the person who bought it was my friend who helped make it!! I am so upset. (not that she won it - I am happy about that) It's just that so much work went into this and I thought for sure it would go for more. Part of the problem was that in the program it was described as a table runner, with no mention that it was handmade and that it was quilted. It also was displayed folded up on a table. ARGH! I wish I had been there - I would have grabbed the mike and started talking about it, and taken it around to each table to show it off. ok, now I will be accepting blog hugs.

the only cure is retail therapy. I went to etsy and bought some cool jewelry. got on ebay and bought some other stuff. got some espadrilles at smartbargains, got on a swimwear site and . . . nope, couldn't pull that trigger! ha ha.

off to work now. thanks for playing along, we have some lovely parting gifts.

Kristin

Flower Garden is Done

2008-02-28T14:06:00.000-08:00

My size 11 feet are doing the Happy Dance!!

I have finished quilting and the machine binding of the Flower Garden quilt!

I passed it back to my friend to finish whipstitching the binding. It is the perfect size for either a table runner for a big table, or to rest on the foot or topper of a twin bed. I think it's darling (natch). Hey Mar, by the way, Susie at Main Street is the one who helped my friend pick out this adorable sashing fabric. It has pink ladybugs, so cute!

I wish you could see it better (how do I get photos to turn out better on the blog?) I did blanket stitching around the flowers and centers (the first-graders wrote their names in the centers), free motion meander in the white parts, and a squiggly vine and leaves in the green sashing, with spirals in the star centers. It is really cute. It goes up for auction on Saturday, at the school's annual dinner dance, so keep your fingers crossed . . . we want to raise lots of dinero!

Here are my WIP boxes:

ok, I am pulling out the Dad quilt now - which of course is in the bottom box. This is going to be a quilt for my Dad from Judy Martin's Cookies and Quilts, and ladies and gentleman, this is our next item up in the piecing category (I have 9 of 16 blocks done), here are four of them:and my Garden Party Ladies is the next up for resuming quilting (I had put it aside to do the flower garden).

Is anyone out there in blog land going to do an event in connection with the Northern California March Madness Shop Hop? I think it would be fun to have some sort of a plan to meet or a carpool if anyone is interested . .

I found out that my new HK sewing machine (tentatively named LuLu -- thanks Mar), is going to be shipped FedEx tomorrow. I hope she has a lovely journey. I think I am going to have special projects just for her . . . funky fresh stuff only.

ok, two hours till workout time, so I am going to try to get a block done,

ttfn

Kristin

Daffodils! and other flowers

2008-02-27T10:47:00.000-08:00

Happily quilting away on the flowers, (see yesterday's post) but I took a break to inhale the fresh spring air and peep my daffodils

Aren't they awesome! I wish I was an expert photographer, but I also have other stuff to do today (quilt the flowers!) so this will do:

OK, and since I had the camera out, I had to take a picture of my 18 year old son's latest painting. This is a large, 36 by 24 painting he did at school. This is one of his guitar heroes, Jimi Hendrix. I think it is amazing the way he captured the emotion, and also the details of the ruffles on the shirt and the embroidered vest. He is so very talented!! Again, I wish I was a better photographer to really capture the detail. Proud mama.

Have a great day and take time to smell whatever flowers you have!

WIP, OPP, what it's like to be 18, and my latest ebay splurge

2008-02-22T22:44:00.000-08:00

Today was supposed to be a WIP Friday -- a day to work on my Works in Progress; however, it turned into an OPP -- other people's projects. I am helping a friend make a project for her son's first grade class, to be auctioned at the school's annual dinner dance. She has done a great job with the cutting of the fusible applique', the piecing of the blocks, but she is too newbie to do the stitching around the flowers, so it was passed back to me today for machine blanket-stitching, and then quilting. I really enjoy helping others, especially when they have a genuine interest in learning to quilt, it's just that I was longing to play with my own toys, ya' know?

I will post a pic once I finish . . . it is a super sweet, bright pastel - Springy Eastery table runner that each child has signed his or her name to the center of a flower.

I also made my world famous chocolate cake today for my son's 18th birthday (e-gads!) I think he has requested the same cake for his birthday for about 16 of those 18 years!! It is the best chocolate cake EVER. The recipe is on the back of the Hershey's cocoa canister. Check it out. I double dare ya. But I do warn, if you make it once, you will be requested to make it for every family birthday and event. Trust me.

We went to Benihana's for dinner - the four of us (two sons, husband, me) and four of my son's large, hairy, (yet polite and funny), friends. Yes, it was the "testosterone zone" as usual. I cannot wrap my head around this 18 thing. He can vote, buy lotto tickets, and, as he informed us tonight, go to certain male entertainment establishments. I swear I am going to pass out. As he left the house after cake, I told him to be home by 10:30 and he just laughed. oy. where is my baby? somewhere in the midst of that 6 foot 4, 215 pound, hairy legged man that lives in his room . . .

EBay Splurge! For a third degree black belt shopper like me, EBay is like ultimate cage fighting. (I so agree with the ad campaign - it's better when you win it!) I totally scored and got a "Hello Kitty" sewing machine for $46 that is in transit!! Woo HOO! and a big shout out to Monica at the Happy Zombie for introducing her "Mimi" and thus sending me on this quest. I have been a Hello Kitty fan since High School, and I cannot resist anything with cherries on it. (which leads to another shout out to PamKittyMorning for the cherry sneaks) SO, the current count of sewing machines will increase to 4. Got Big Bertha - the Brother 1500S for speed racer piecing and quilting the big quilts, the Janome Quilter's Choice, apparently for OPP (see above), the husband's Featherweight, (yup, he quilts now and then) and soon to arrive, my very own Hello Kitty! No excuse for all these WIPs with four machines, eh what?

Maybe if I am really lucky I will get to sew my own stuff this weekend. . . stamp, pout, hands on hip, eye roll. . . If not, I can always pop on my cherry sneaks, eat a big piece o'cake and work on attaining the next level of blackbelt in shopping . . . hi-yah!

Until next time, hug those kiddies, they grow up FAST
-Kristin

Repurposed skirt - now it's a purse!

2008-02-21T10:59:00.000-08:00

Last week, I took a break from quilting my Garden Party Ladies quilt and went shopping! I only intended to get some post-Valentine deals, but I bought the cutest green skirt, on sale at Target - then sliced it up and made a purse! It is a lovely almost bark cloth fabric. Here it is before the mad quilter got at it:

I actually bought two skirts. One in my size to wear, and one in a size 2 (not *ever* my size ha ha) to make a purse. I just measured down from the waistband 9 inches all around, stiched it up, right sides together,

then at the side zipper of the skirt I made a square patch for the inside so that now my purse has a pocket.

Then off of the bottom hem edge of the skirt I cut pieces to make straps, hemmed them nicely and sewed them on the inside, ironed on a velcro closure and viola! A purse.
And, it matches my skirt perfectly! The best part is that the skirts were only $10 each, and I have fabric left over from making the purse, so I am going to use that fabric to make big yo-yos to sew onto the green cardigan that I bought to go with the skirt.

I HAVE AN ENSEMBLE! Woo Hoo!
OKAY enough silliness now back to quilting. . . ! -Kristin

First Post

2008-02-20T15:30:00.000-08:00

With great wonder as to whether this will ever be read by anyone, I post my first entry.

It is a fabulously sunny day, much to the disappointment I am sure, of the Debbie Downer who reads the weather report to me on my local cable station. She loves to get us all depressed over the worse-case scenario weather. Which cracks me up, because here in mild Northern CA, we don't have much weather to begin with.

I am currently working on several major quilt projects, and I always have the minor ones going on as well. Like a symphony of UFO's. I enjoy planning, designing, shopping for fabrics, thinking about the quilts, then cutting, sewing --- it's all so much fun, but sometimes I want to do certain parts and not others, which is when the UFO's come in handy - I can pick one out that is in the stage I want to play. What is it though, that makes me want to continue to start more, when I have so much already in progress? I dunno. I will just accept it. That's how I roll. (can you say that when you are 40, suburban, two teenagers?)

Speaking of my teenagers, the oldest will be 18 in 2 short days. This is very strange for me -- stranger than my 40th birthday which I handled with grace (and a new pair of high high heels). But a son who is a man is quite another thing entirely. . .

Well, little nascent blog, I must return to real life for a bit - I did want to get this first post out of the way, so that the blog is officially set up. Next time, a lot more action, maybe a car chase, some photos and other interesting stuff.
Ciao, bellas,
Kristin