En Provence part 6...

It's done... I did it without having to buy Bonnie's tool... almost did... had in my shopping cart and everything. The bottom one doesn't look like it's an even 3 1/2" square but it is.. just the angle of the camera made it look wonky. 

 

Bonnie is all for saving all little scraps and not wasting any fabric... umm, that's not the case with here...

 

Just a little wasted fabric here... we'll see on the next step... I just may have to splurge and get it.

Last one..

I promise... at least for a while till it quilted. I ran outside and took the photo just as it started to rain. You can see the drops on it along with all the threads I didn't have time to pick off. I didn't even have time to iron it..

 

I had extra background fabric so I used that on outside border so I didn't have to go and buy anymore red. The first border and corner stones I used primitive Gatherings Muslim 1040...I think it will look fabulous when it's all quilted. Even the blocks I improvised look wonderful. 

Here's a tip... I have an ironing board that I re-covered in printed black fabric. When filling my iron it overflowed and it got all wet,( the ironing board) so as I'm ironing  the border pieces, I layed the border piece on top of the damp spot  thinking extra steam from the back would help... it did but also left black bleeding spots from cover onto the border fabric.. oops! SO.... if you are one that makes your own ironing board covers..... you need to pre-wash fabrics before you making the cover.. lesson learned!

Sew along....

Back to Primitive Gatherings sew a long...

 

This is what it's suppose to look like above...and this is how I tweeked it.

 

Couldn't take anymore of the 100 and something 1/2 square triangles that are less than an inch big...nope..

 

These are the 3 I made my own. The 1 has no star in it but oh well. Looking back on some of the squares, some are filled with those stupid triangles.. What was I thinking! Yuck! That's the one bad thing about a mystery... it's a mystery.. ha. I'm onto the finishing stage now, sashing is done and now laying it out.  the version I originally liked had itty bitty triangles ALL around the edge.. NOPE... not gonna happen. I picked a different version.

Stay tuned... taking Lollipop (dog) into get dental work done and a weird bump taken off her back leg. I am going to finish this up as I will need something to keep my mind busy while she's gone. Get er' done!!!!

En Provence part 5...

Purple 1/2 square triangles. 

 

Check ! Almost 70 of them. 

Oops... try it again.

These were made a LONGG, LONNGG time ago and just finished up recently. 

One...

 

Two....

 

And three...

 

They probably look familiar, I blogged about them just as a top.. but now they are washed and all krinkly...

Finish 1, 2 and 3...

These were made a LONGGGG, LONGGG time ago and just finished up recently. 

Merry Christmas....

 

Merry Christmas to all!

More cooking...

After running around in the pouring rain, we came home and never left the kitchen.

 

Tried making crock-pot peanut clusters and OH MY GOSH! I have to make plate fulls  for someone because I will eat every one. 

Then we made firecrackers... another OH MY GOSH!!! 

 

These things are addicting also!

Here's the recipe.

 

I used bite size Keebler crackers and salted oyster crackers... I'm gonna be sick!

Busy day...

Got our crafty on today. Spicy Pecans...

Here's my recipe.. turned out wonderful. I used to buy the mix and a spice shop in Temecula, but this tastes just the same and a fraction of the cost. I buy pecans at Costco also. Recipe is well used, don't mind all the spray all over it.

 

Then we made Old Fashioned Hot Chocolate...

 

Here's the recipe for that. It's been around a while, well used.

 

Made several gifts of both of those, Christmas cards ordered, printed, addressed (with Kelly's help) dinner made, chicken alfredo bread boat recipe off face book.. very yummy.. pumpkin cheesecake bread ready for breakfast in the morning and even spinach dip with veggies...

Watching Florence Foster Jenkins now, Pete's Dragon will have to wait till tomorrow because I'm just about ready for bed.

 

That's all folks! Have a couple of projects for tomorrow... might be just as busy again.

Elf on shelf...

Just a little "mom brag" here....

My daughter is an Assistant Principal in Waco Texas. She dressed up as a live elf on the shelf and made the news, BIG TIME!

 

Cafeteria window...

 

Playground...

 

Everyday the elf showed up in different places around the school. Kids LOVED it...

Kelly was interviewed by news channel and has been on tv everywhere. She's famous!

elf on shelf...

Primitive Gathering's sew along..

Trying to catch up on those 25 blocks... having a hard time. Now I know why people get UFO's. Those unfinished projects. My heart is just not into sewing all these tiny pieces. Lisa started out pretty good with not going too tiny, I know the tinier the better that she just loves... not me. I have 7 blocks left and I swear she saved the tiniest for last. Between all those blocks, I have almost 100 half square triangles to sew.. they are 1 3/8's".  Yuck.  

 

This is just 1 block of little pieces.. I have been staring at these for 3 days...I even wrapped presents and I hate doing that.. guess I'll just bite the bullet and finish em' up.

En Provence part 4

Here are 80 of these babies... my OCD Kicked in and didn't realize it till they were done... it's supposed to be scrappy!

Oops!

 

The points match... oh well

More trucks...

Here are a couple more.... 1st one isn't a truck, but still super cute..

 

 

 

Red truck...

I added another red truck pillow to my collection.

 

I now have 3! I have bought a new one each year at Christmas for the past 3 years. Found this beauty at Home Goods. I am kinda hooked on them thanks to Stacy at Buttermilk Basin. I'll try to take a picture in daylight of the other 2. 

En Provence part 3...

Here are all the purple 4 patches... all 168 +

 

I tell ya, Bonnie Hunter's technique and tips she tells us has made my squares perfect! Right on! I sure hope this is all we have to do with purple because I used every bit I had. Just like the majesty color in part 2. Not a bit to spare. 

            So, on another note... last week my long arm quilter texted me and told me that my quilt was ready.. 3 of 3. I had picked up the 1st 2, 2 weeks ago. Why the delay in between, not sure. I brought all 3 at the same time, saw her write them in her book 1 right after another. She also told me when I dropped them off they would be ready Nov 3rd.  And I remember that because it was within days of me getting back from Houston and I was hoping I still had money left to pay for them. I made arrangements a week ago that I would be there in the morning on Sunday, today. Good thing I texted her and told her I was on my way.. she wrote back and said... won't be there.. sorry. WHAT? Good thing I hadn't gotten on the freeway yet, the drive is an hour and half away. Alrighty.. I guess a week won't make much difference, she's had them 5 months already.. I think it's time to start looking for  a new long arm quilter. When I picked up the other 2, I had told her that I had a couple more and if she could put me on the schedule.. she says she's 6 months out this time.. eek... whatever... I definitely need someone else. 

En Provence, part 2

Here are all the points to the stars....

  

Part 2 complete... can't wait till Friday. Hoping I can keep up during the Holidays..

En Provence, part 1

I did part 1 of the mystery. 200 and something 4 patches made.

 

Go check out Bonnie Hunters blog for her mystery quilt, En Provence.

 

They were actually kinda fun. Mindless sewing. I needed it today to prep myself for tomorrow. 

The Magic of Christmas...

So, I have some catching up to do.

 

13 blocks finished, 4 cut out, 3 printed. 5 more to come. Primitive Gatherings sew along... Lisa says she is going to have all 25 posted by December 2nd... eek... that's so we can finish it before Christmas. That's a lot to do! I am sure I will get them all sewn & put together. Quilted, don't think so. It will have to take its turn in the next room. I think there's like 15 in waiting.

Let it Snow...

Another finish. 

 

This is Buttermilk Basin's free sew along. Such a wonderful pattern.

 

Miss Lolli-pop wanted in on the action also.

Blackbird Gathering...

Finished Cheri's free pattern up yesterday. 

 

I didn't embroider the words on.. not sure if I'm going to. I wanted to see what it looked like without. I have to stare at it awhile before I do. 

 

All in all.. it's pretty darn cute! Thanks Cheri!

Vintage farm girl.....

Finished this one up today...

 

I have to admit, I bought the book almost 3-4 months ago, maybe longer. Did like 3 blocks and I was over it. I guess bored. Then a friend texted me one day to show off some blocks she had made and asked me if I had heard of the pattern. Well yes, as a matter of fact! Told her the story and we ended up doing them together. Way much more fun than alone!

 

Now off to finish some others up that were put on the back burner.

Christmas card...

Took pictures today of my little man. I am pretty sure this one made the Christmas card.

 

Halloween...

A little late..

I forgot to share the treats I made for the girls at work for Halloween.

 

Aren't they just the cutest!? It's a Pinterest idea brought to my attention from my daughter Kelly.

Houston....

We had a couple problems. 

Someone got stuck in the elevator the 2nd night.

 

Had some WONDERFUL firemen come to the rescue. Kelly had came to visit me and we just sat back and watched. The next night, I'm alone recovering from like 16,000 steps... ( and didn't even see it all) and the stupid fire alarm goes off, only for a minute. Then an all call says false alarm. So I go back in my room and my heart is beating normal again and it goes off again! Crap! This time the all call is saying to evacuate. Crap again! Grab my shoes, room key & purse.. take the stairs down 6 flights with everyone else in their pajamas.. lots of them grabbed their purchases from market believe it or or not. And we get outside and we see people still in the bar. huh?

 

Seems someone burned tortillas in their microwave on the 7th floor. Only 6th floor and up were evacuated. So while we're watching the fireman AGAIN, knowing that there was no fire, they started passing out glasses of wine to all the people. After like 30 minutes we were escorted back to our floor by one of the fireman. 

But other than that Quilt market was FABULOUS ! We were within walking distance to the convention center. 

 

Made a few purchases... not as much as some of the other girls... there were 5 of us.

But all in all... I would LOVE to go back.

Big boy....

 

Just look at him with his 1st big boy haircut!

Idea!...

Took an idea from Primitive Gatherings and ran with it. Lisa posted a quilt on her blog made from honey buns, which is small strips of 1 1/2" fabric all from the same line. I didn't have any of those, so I took a jelly roll, and cut it in half. Trying to get a good picture was hard because it was windy.

 

It turned out pretty cute. I had visions of doing a thin sashing and then a piano border. But I'm done. I am leaving it as is. 

 

Test #4

 

Ok....I think I've got it

Test...

Blogger...blogpress?? New iPad has blogpress, old has blogger... Are they the same? New iPad won't upload pictures but old one does... I'm so confused. Looks Ike all the settings are the same on each...uggg
So I'm checking to see if it works without a picture


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sew along...

Finished the Fall sew along...

Now ready for quilting...

MIA....

Sorry about that.... It's been quite busy here...with just a lot of things, then down time to recover.

 Had grand baby duty for like 9 days, then at work/school, all the kids returned. So just lots of things going on. Really not much sewing, trying to stay caught up on all the sew alongs. I am though...starting a new paper piecing project and I am just SOOO excited. An Edita Sitar one. 

Is anyone doing Lisa Bongean's? I did block #3 yesterday and that stupid thing took me over 2hrs to do! That stupid thing!

O

It's the one on the left. Looks pretty simple, right? That block is only 61/2". So we're talking some 1" blocks. Yuck! It will have to do because I am not redoing it again.  Lost track of how many times I did the center block over and over. I am NOT a fan of piecing little pieces, I wish I was because they are just adorable.