WIP Wednesday

Well, I said I was subbing this week....What I didn't know was I'd actually be home recuperating from a nasty virus that knocked me flat.  Like seriously--I could barely move yesterday.  After lots of sleep, some medication and many Sprites, I am feeling a little more like myself today.  I am still dizzy when up for too long and I still have a killer headache, but the fever and body aches are gone and I am no longer only moving to walk slowly but felt quickly to the bathroom, so I am much improved.  :)

I did feel fit enough to get some more strips sewn today for Dad's quilt while I wait on that navy fabric to roll in.  But after ironing and trimming about 5 strips, I had to call it quits.  So much for lots of progress...

At this point though, I'll take the kind of progress that leads to feeling better.  I'm off to lay back down for awhile.  At least I've got a stack of books waiting on me.

Stay warm and well my friends!

Back to Work

Let me take a moment to give a heartfelt thanks to every man and woman who has served their country as we honor our Veterans today.  Thank you also to the families of those veterans who have also served by sharing their loved one with us during their time of service.  Your work and commitment to our country does not go unnoticed.  Thank you just doesn't seem enough, but please believe how heartfelt it is.

Today in America, many of us have the day off of work and school to celebrate Veterans Day.  But I actually got some work done--quilting work that is.  Each year I make a quilt for one of my family members.  This year, it's my Dad.  He's a kind and easy-going person who gets along with just about everybody he meets.  He's a born-and-raised Chicagoan that fell in love with a small-town country girl and ended up living in Florida.  He's a die-hard White Sox, Bears, and Blackhawks fan.  Both sides of his family hail from Ireland not too far back on either family tree, and so he's a born Notre Dame fan as well.  He's a retired football coach and still a history teacher.  He'd do anything for any of us and deserves something special.

So, I decided on what I'm making and got set to start.  Then I realized I didn't have any navy fabric and had to order some.  While I wait for it to arrive, I went ahead and started cutting and sewing my green and gold strip sets.  I'm about halfway done.

I can't wait to show you some blocks when I get the navy.  I hope it turns out like I drew it up in EQ, but I'm going to keep you on the edge of you seat for awhile.  haha

And now--for the winners of the birthday Etsy Gift Card Challenge.  We had 30 entries and our trusty friend Random.org helped me choose Sarah from Thrift Store Crafter and Allison C. as the winners!  I'm emailing you both now.  You'll both have one week to get back with me before I choose new winners.

Thanks for all the birthday love.  I had a great and quiet weekend.

Congrats again to the winners!  I'm subbing the next 3 days this week, so I will hopefully make it back to post again this week...fingers crossed!  ;)

Share the Love!

Y'all, I swear.  I need more hours in the day.  Because unless I'm not going to sleep, I just can't seem to fit it all in right now.

But, I am so thankful for how full my life is because it means I am truly blessed to have so many great people and so many great experiences filling my days.

And today is a special day.  It's my birthday.  I've already had so many people call, text and tell me HBD on facebook.  I am more blessed than I deserve and I want to share some of that with y'all, my special crafty friends.

So...I'm going to combine this giveaway with my blogiversary last month (bad bloggers tend to miss those important days!) and give away 2 gift certificates to Etsy.  That way, you can find something special to buy no matter what your interests may be.  And then I don't have to choose between my fabric shop buddies.  ;)

So, I've got 2 $25 gift certificates that may have your name on them.  All you gotta do is comment here with your favorite gift ever.  It can be a gift to you or from you.  It can be something amazingly special and expensive, or the perfect pair of socks to make someone's day.  Let's share the love and offer up some gift ideas at the same time.

Blog followers obviously get a second entry, since you're who I talk with the most, so let me know in a second comment how you follow me.

I'll give you through the weekend to enter and choose a winner Monday afternoon.

Alright I'm off to run and shower so I have time to sew before I pick up the kids from school.  Tonight is our Homecoming game, so we've got a parade and a game to help me celebrate.  :)

October Bee Blocks

Bee blocks are fun to make, aren't they?  Well, usually.  I mean, we've all had those bee blocks that throw us for a loop, or are in a color scheme we don't dig, or just aren't our style.  But for the most part, I like making a few bee blocks each month because it's kinda like trying on clothes--you get the fun and the gratification of finishing without having to commit to the work of a whole quilt.

This month, I had fun bee blocks.  

Katie asked for Rugby Stripe blocks.  I mentioned them last week but took a (mildly) better photo of them for you.

Shannon asked for "Fall" blocks.  I immediately did this pumpkin based off this tutorial which I found through Michele.

But then I wanted to leave Modern Maples for someone else, so I thought and thought and googled and thought and came up with this.

And I really really love it!  I just used 2 1/2 strips yellow and tan scraps and a template I made to fit my size requirements.  Then I slapped some heat and bond on the back and ironed the dresden blades down.  I then zig-zagged around all of the edges for extra security and then did the same with the black center.  You can't tell in the pic (it was cloudy this morning) but my black circle actually has a brown dot pattern on it that I thought was perfect to represent the seeds.  I love it when serendipity and a plan come together!!  haha

Now I want to make both of these blocks again to make new pillows for my couches.  And since I accidentally cut enough squares for 2 pumpkin blocks, I just might do that.  ;)

What blocks are you making this month and what do you prefer working on?  One quilt at a time or mixing it up with bee blocks??

Another Random Thursday

I may not always have time to sew, but I always have time for Random apparently...

• Athena performed yesterday and then acted in a play tonight about Hatsheput, the first female Pharoah.  I'll have pictures tomorrow.  She did so great!!

• The kids and I ran a color run this past weekend.  Where volunteers literally chuck colored corn starch at you while you run.  Sounds weird--but tons of fun.  Poor Emma was sick with a stomach bug but wanted to run so badly that she ended up puking about halfway through (we'd been walking for almost a mile anyway) and couldn't finish.  But Oren and I did.  It was kind of a let-down when Chris and Em were already in the truck by the time we finished, but we still had a lot of fun.

• I finished up my bee blocks for Katie today.  She asked for Rugby Stripe blocks via Alex's tutorial.  She's making quilts for her nephews for Christmas and asked us to help out.  Now I want to make an orange and blue quilt for Oren's bed like this.  I looked at everyone else' photos and my blocks are way scrappier than the rest...hopefully they won't stand out too much in the quilt.  I hate that when you question what you've made afterwards by comparing it to others...  Comparison is the thief of joy you know.

Better pictures to follow tomorrow

• On a lighter note--I got my hair cut yesterday.  And when I say cut--I mean cut--like inches and inches cut.  I am never afraid of change with my hair because it grows pretty fast and I really trust my hairdresser.  Is that correct terminology--hairdresser?  I kinda feel like an old lady when I say that.  Is stylist better?  Anyway, I showed her these pics and told her to go for it.

This color

with

this cut

Here's what I ended up with...

I am not the queen of selfies.  In fact, I am like the anti-selfie-taker.  I cannot successfully take a good picture of myself!!

• I think I'll actually like it even more as it grows out, so fingers crossed this style works for me for awhile.  I think so.  Also, sometimes I dye my hair dark about this time of year, but decided to go with a darker blonde this year for now.  I read that honey and caramel blondes are where it's at right now--and you know me--shades of hair color named after foods--I'm on that.  It's not near as dark as the picture I took in to show, but I do like it.  I can always darken it as we get farther into fall and winter.

• Now I'm working on fall-inspired blocks for Shannon and our Empower circle of do. Good stitches.  She told us "Fall...go." well, a little more than that, but in a nutshell.  Our circle is great about trusting each other and being creative which I love.  We've done many quilts with a general idea only and come up with amazing results.  I couldn't have asked Rachel to put me in a better circle of friends and quilters.

Any guesses on what this will be??

• Last Friday Oren and I went on a field trip to a local (generally-speaking--it was about 45 minutes away) farm that has an awesome fall pumpkin patch and corn maze.  They had all kinds of fun things for the kids to do and they had a ball.  I got some great pictures of their flowers since I did nothing with my yard this year and have only weeds to show for it.  

Zinnias are my favorite.

And the fields of sunflowers...be still my heart!!

• When I finish up these blocks for Shannon, I've got my d.Gs quilt from May to finish piecing the top for.  I had to wait on some solids and then lost my mojo, but I feel it coming back to me...  And then I'm starting a project for my Dad for Christmas.  I wish I had a day or two with nothing but sewing hours in them...

Phew..that's plenty of random and more pictures than you really needed, but I sure feel better.  I'm linking up with Cindy and her awesome randomness.

What have you been up to lately??

WIP Wednesday

I'm working on something!

Yep, bee blocks...for October...that month that's almost over!

But I should have them done tomorrow morning and then I've got all kinds of things to show y'all.  I finished Athena's dress and she wore it yesterday for her presentation.  The kids and I ran a colorful race.  I've got projects, projects, and more projects to finish, start or in my brain waiting on time to work on them.

I'll be back tomorrow to share...  :)

Lost and Found

So I had no intention of not blogging for a month.

Really, I didn't even know it had been that long.  But you see, my blog got lost.  My life got so full of other stuff--PTO, softball, karate, doctor appointments, subbing, running, etc, I couldn't find it.

So, after a full month of running around, I decided to take a few days to re-prioritize.  To look for what mattered most and you know what I found...

I found me.  And part of me is sewing.  Knitting.  Baking.  Creating.

So I found my way back here.  My blog--my time for me, my time spent with y'all, my very creative friends is important and has been found.

I've got a ton of things I wish I were working on, but this week I'm making something gold and silver and white.

You might look at the calendar and assume it's a Halloween costume of some sort.  It's not.  My sweet girl has been studying the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks in her Enrichment program at school and they're putting together exhibits and a play for the other 4th graders and us parents.

Emma's going to be Athena.  And Athena needs a worthy costume.  Em and I sat down with pencil and paper and she let me know just what she had in mind.  A gold bodice, white skirt, silver breastplate...she thought it through.  We went to JoAnn's where she picked out what she thought would work.  Athena's famous for wisdom, weaving, owls and war.  So we obviously needed fabric that showed off it was woven.  We needed silver for a breastplate, and we needed gold fabrics that looked regal enough for a Goddess.

I'm waiting for my little Athena to get home tonight so I can try this bodice on her before I add the skirt.  It looks awful small, like I messed up somewhere in my calculations...let's hope not.  Gathering all that sheer fabric over the (cheap) satin was a pain and I'd rather not do it again.  haha

I've missed y'all, my dear friends.  I promise to try and make time to always share with you and not let my creative endeavors get lost again.  It takes away a big part of me and I'm worse off for it.

What have you been up to and what are you working on this week?

p.s.  I THINK my bloggy birthday is coming up...  So that means there'll be goodies given away around here!  Check back soon!