4 little bears and snowmen...

Usually, it's the story of the 3 bears but this time it's 4 bears! :o) These are the bears that I made to give the kids this Christmas. These are keepsake bears. David gets the dark brown one, Anna gets red, Lizzie gets the cream one, and Jimmy gets the light brown. The boys have buttons on their vests and the girls have flowers... I love how they all look a little different (besides colors) even tho they're made from the same pattern. These bears stand about 7" tall. :o)

And I made some snowmen last week... Out of chenille! Wool felt angel wings, sticks for little arms. (Thanks to my Boy Scout for whittling them sharp for me, to be able to insert them!) Added a little snow glitter to them... I *love* the way they turned out. :o)

stuffing...

Not your traditional Thanksgiving stuffing! :o) I'm stuffing bear parts! This is a different bear than the four that I'm making for the kids, but another Christmas present to someone sweet... :o)
Happy Thanksgiving!

14 and bear parts... :o)

My "babies" turned 14 years old earlier this month! Time is just flying!

Trying to work on Christmas... Remember last year I made a bear for my Mom, and I've made a few others over the year... I'm making keepsake bears for the kids for Christmas. Lizzie's is the yellow "pooh bear", Anna's will be the red, Jimmy's will be the light brown, and David's will be the dark brown. I have all the pieces sewn on three of them (have to work on the dark brown today). I will have to have Jim turn the pieces for me. I can't do it anymore with this arthritis...! (these bear kits were purchased here)

busy, busy

Been busy, busy since my last post! Finished up this customer quilt! Twenty paper-pieced 12" stars, and then just a simple sashing. Hope she likes it! (She supplied the fabrics.)  

I also put together my "Friendship" row swap rows. I will probably hand-quilt this one. This row swap was SO fun! Our group is doing another one in 2012. (I'm the hostess! Yeah!) I need to start thinking about my theme... :o)  

I got my "Snowmen A to Zzzz" quilt top together. Still have to get batting, and then I think I'm going to tie it, with all sorts of red buttons, in the corners of the embroidery blocks. This one will be for my Mom for Christmas.  

And last but not least... I made this rag quilt using the "Wanna Be a Cowboy" fat quarters from Riley Blake. It went into my Etsy shop this morning... It'd be perfect for a new baby boy, or for a take-along quilt for a wanna-be-cowboy! :o)

Not much else going on besides that... :o) Besides my Mom falling and breaking her arm 2 weeks ago... Oh my! :o) 

Connecticut Stars and "W"

Been sewing along on my paper-pieced Connecticut Stars, and now have all 10 done! Woo Hoo! There are two each, of these 5 color combinations. Like I said, this will be scrappy, mostly purples, but with some other colors thrown in. All fabrics chosen by the customer... :o) Now to put together the 10 "Tennessee Stars"! :o)  

The only embroidery was "W" for Wreath, since Lizzie had 3 home basketball games this past week. :o)

A, B, Q, and Y and Z...

More of my "Snowmen A to Zzzz" blocks! First off, A for Angels. This is a wider block, it will take up "3 blocks". Love it. 

B for Bells.  

Of course, my favorite! Q for Quilt.  

And Y and Z... :o) These are going pretty fast. I'm *considering* giving this as a Christmas gift to my Mom, if I can get it stitched up and have it quilted quick enough. That may be pushing it tho. Can't believe September is half over already!

Happy Helper and Etsy...

Jimmy came running out of school one day last week, with THIS! He was the "line leader" that day, so he got the "Happy Helper Award"! He was so Happy! :o)

Been working on new things for the Etsy shop.  First off, is this "Winter Pinwheels" throw in "It's Snowing" fabrics. This is the Schnibbles "Jacks" pattern. Very fun, and I love the secondary designs that the blocks make. I've had these fabrics since at least before last Christmas, and decided it was time to do something with them! :o)

And then for Fall, I made this "Scrappy Autumn Owl" pillow. It was fun to just randomly put together his body section, using all kinds of fall colored scraps. David helped me draw up the pattern. :o) Thanks for looking!

Vintage Chenille pillows

I worked on these two matching vintage chenille pillows for our couch today! Fun to make something for me! Especially out of vintage chenille! :o)  

I added this cute two-tone blue pom pom trim! It was easy-peasy using this "Fussy Cut" tutorial!

I made "envelope" style backs so I could wash (soak) the covers, as needed...
I used the edging of the vintage bedspread piece, which gave it the back these cute chenille stripes! :o)

"Jewels In My Flower Garden" and "N" and "O"

I've been working on this quilt top for a customer, it's for her granddaughter. Couldn't get really good pics today, as it was breezy! (I'm not complaining! We have had absolutely PERFECT temps, mid 70s this week! Hooray!) She sent purple minky for the backing, and it will just have a sheet for batting.   

This quilt finished to about 60" x 72". Click on the pics to see an enlarged view.

And in the evenings, I've been getting alot of embroidery done. "N" for "Noel". 

And "O" for "Ornaments" -- one of my favorites! I'm almost done with "Q" - can you guess what that stands for?! :o)
Thanks for visiting!

Preschool, 7 years and Jingle Bells... :o)

Wow, what a title, huh?! :o) Friday was Jimmy's first day of Preschool! My little boy didn't even cry! (I did, just a little...!) 

When I picked him up, he said they had a great time! I asked what they did: Did you color? "No", Did you play with blocks? "No", Did the teacher read to you? "No". So what DID you do?! "I have no idea", he says! I guess he just knows he had fun! :o) 

Seven years ago, Jim and I did this! :o) Happy Anniversary to my best friend! I love you more!

Jim made this cabinet for our CDs and DVDs and for our anniversary, he ordered this vintage doily for me... (Ok, I placed the order and told him about it afterwards! Works for him! HA!)

And I finished "J" for Jingle Bells earlier this week, for my "Snowmen A to Zzzz..." quilt... :o)

not much sewing, but some pics! :o)

Saturday night was the Father/Daughter Royal Purity Ball. This was the 5th annual Ball, and Jim and the girls have went every year. (I'll have to remember to post some of the older pics sometime, I can't believe how grown up the girls are becoming!) That's Anna in the purple and Elizabeth in the teal. Beautiful, even if I do say so myself! :o)  

And then yesterday was the first day of 8th Grade! And Jimmy starts Preschool on Friday - I'm not sure if I'm ready to talk about that yet! :o( He's excited tho, so that's good... :o) 

I did make myself a new "sunny" new ironing board cover! :o) In general, I followed this Moda Bake Shop tutorial. One note on that tutorial, if you have a wider ironing board like I do, make sure to add extra ribbon! I threaded three yards of ribbon thru that casing, and GGGRRR! It was about 3" too short to go all the way around, and I certainly couldn't tie it! So back to the store for four yards of ribbon, that worked just fine... :o) The fabric is from the "Fresh Palette" line by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co! :o) LOVE it! :o)

Hole In The Barn Door quilt

I finished up the "Hole In the Barn Door" quilt for my customer! I so love the colors in this kit! I'm tempted to make one for myself! :o) The scraps are going off to Beatrice, who is making her own scrappy version of this quilt... :o)  

And I finished the "P" for "Plum Pudding", for my "Snowmen A to Zzzz" quilt... Now I'm working on "J" for "Jingle Bells"... :o)

sewing up a storm...

Between school registration, school clothes and supply shopping, etc., I have been sewing! :o) I have all the blocks completed to put together a "Hole In The Barn Door" quilt kit for a customer! Love the fabrics in this kit, so patriotic! :o) Just finished trimming all the blocks this morning, so I'm going to start sewing rows together this afternoon, I hope! 

And I also completed my first letter in the Crabapple Hill "Snowmen A to Zzzz...." set! I for Icicles! One down, 25 more letters to go. :o) It's been awhile since I completed my "Winter Wonderland" quilt, and I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed hand embroidery! :o)

Row Swap and braces... :o)

I was lucky enough to participate (and hostess!) a Row Swap thru the Friendship Group that I'm part of! These are the BEAUTIFUL rows that I received back! The Log Cabin row in the center was the starter row that I made, and then 6 lovely ladies made 6 lovely rows for me! I can't wait to put this quilt together, although it'll have to wait a few weeks... Lots to do with school starting, etc...

If you're not a big fan of "teeth" than you might want to skip the next couple pics... David got braces! I'll tell you what, as a triplet, he REALLY got the short end of the stick when it comes to teeth! So he is one of those that is HAPPY to get braces! No having to fight him on that! Here are a couple before shots.

His favorite color is green, so here he is today, with his braces on, with green elastics! He still has more brackets to be added on the top, as time goes, and he will get them on the bottom too, in a few months... (Excuse the poison ivy on my Boy Scout! HA!)

And since I had the camera out, here are the triplets.... :o) I can't believe that they are 13 and starting 8th grade this year! Elizabeth (the basketball star!), David (my "adorkable" boy!) and Anna (the princess!) :o)

Jimmy will be going to preschool in a few weeks and is very excited about it, but wouldn't stop to pose for a pic with his brother and sisters today... :o(

Simple Things Quilt Along - quilt tops complete

I finished the quilt tops for the Simple Things Quilt Along! This small one is going to Carol (Cornfield Quilter) in trade for the small one that she made... :o) I finished it yesterday, before the trio and I went to see the last Harry Potter movie! :o) 

And today, I finished up the large sized one -- this one is for me... :o) I really enjoyed this quilt along, and can see making this design again! I really like the fun zig zag border, too! :o)

P.S. Come back tomorrow, I'm going to have a give away of the scraps from this quilt -- it's the hard-to-find "Rose Parade" fabrics, by Moda! :o)

Home Sweet Home

I started out wanting to make a pincushion from some of my wool felt, and instead, ended up with a little wallhanging! :o) All my own design, just a little sweet sentiment. :o) 

You can find the "Home Sweet Home" wallhanging, now on sale, in my Etsy shop! :o)