Here is the Christmas Project that I've been sewing for my kids for one of their Christmas presents. I actually gave each one of them one on Thanksgiving Day so they could use it before Christmas. Its my Show and Tell that I'm participating in. Every couple got one which excluded my High School Senior, so I got him a case of V-8. Yes that seems pretty weird, doesn't it, but he loves the stuff. I should probable count this as 1 quilt project so it will be Quilt# 45

Go here to see everyones projects this Show and Tell season.

Hello everyone. Here is what I call one of My Pride & Joy's. I'm really happy about Quilt #44. I hope there is others out there who finds such satisfaction when a quilt is completed. You may recognize this pattern from Gail Pan Designs free Christmas BOM, called A Christmas Wish. Following her blog has set fire to my desire to do some embroidery, which I haven't done in such a long time. I will be doing others.

There was 9 total blocks Here's Love

& Noel

& Peace.

Other blocks were Joy, Delight, Hope, Magic, Merry, & Believe.

Don't you think that all these words represent Christmas just perfectly? I just love what those words mean!

I hope we all can focus on those words as we are hurrying around, doing errands, projects, parties, etc. as we prepare for this holiday season. It'll be comforting to our souls. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Look at what came in the mail yesterday. I won this trio of books from Beth Strub and thequiltladies.com. I started reading them last night after I got home from work and looked at the pattern for the quilt that is included in each one. I suggest you visit the thequiltladies .com website and see these and the rest of the series of 12 in this collection. Thanks again!

Happy Thanksgiving

again!

I just had to throw another picture of my pumpkin babies in before thanksgiving was over.

Hope your Turkey Day is warm and delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my family and friends.

What a year it has been for our family!

*I have 4 new lovely daughter-in-laws, Jodi, Ashlee, Anna and Courtney, who I know will be wonderful for my sons.

*I have a new grandchild coming next year.

*I have a home, car, food on the table and a pretty nice job.

*I luckily have a talent that I can use to make things for either income or just to make someone happy.

*And, I know that I have a Heavenly Father that loves me, who has giving me all that I have, that has been my source of happiness. It is Him that I give all my gratitude to for who I am.

Enjoy the Holiday!

I sure have been busy lately. With all the holiday stuff I am doing, my friend from work wanted me to make some pillows from a nurse scrub top that she had that she loved the fabric, but didn't want to wear it. So...this is what I came up with. I'm substituting a smaller pillow form that I had so it looks a little floppy but you can get the idea.
Here is some close up's of the individual sun and moon appliqued on a yellow batik.

Sure hope you love it Robbie. Thanks for letting me do this for you.

I decided to participate in

Since I am already sewing like a mad women for Christmas, I my as well do it.Check this one out. I'll add a photo of my project later because its a surprize and I don't want it known. Later! Click on the button on the sidebar and see whats cooking with this project!

Here is a quick project for you. Somewhere I got this idea to make little hand towels for Christmas that I could give as little presents and of course for me as well. I have been trying hard to use up the stash of scraps that I have and not spend anymore money. I did buy the hand towels which I got from Target where they were sold in 4 packs and not that expensive. I will admit that they are not the best quality hand towels but they are perfect for the season.
The 4-packs only came in these 3 colors and I was hesitant about the sage green, but you can see that it actually came out just perfect with this little print. Some of my friends who see these photos will recognize some of the fabric from the scrubs that I made for them. And of course, with the quilter in me, I added a little quilting for stabilization and it actually adds to the cuteness! Whats your favorite? My favorite is the green one.

Now I am thinking of the other holidays! Whoa!, I guess I better remember the UFO's that I have first.

Have Fun! and Happy Holidays.

Yeah!!!!! I received all these disappearing 9 patch squares from my first swap to participate in. I am so excited. Now I get to dream up what I may do with them. I already know that I want to piece with white sashing. Should be lots of fun, especially as I get to see how the other people who joined in do with theirs. I probably won't get to start for a few weeks due to the up coming holidays and other projects that I just have to finish up first, but, as soon as I do, you will be the first to see! See ya!

Here is the finish Brrrrr Snowman quilt hanging that I started with my Sister Laura's quilt day when I was visiting Pennsylvania in Sept. I had only pieced the top with plans on finishing it here at home. This will be quilt #43! Plus, I can count this as one of my finished UFO's for the Joy in the New Year challenge I joined. Yea!!!!!

Lisa came to Arizona for my son Chase's wedding and we were able to quilt our projects during our relax time. It is always fun to share craft time with sisters. Just wish we didn't live so far away from each other. I hope that maybe I can have opportunities with my other sister Kristin, and all the sister in laws in Utah, Texas. Maybe some day.

Okay, Here is the biggest reason for the time delay on blogging a post for you. My 5th child - Chase married his sweetheart Courtney last Friday. This is just one photo of all my children, minus my Navy son, and Courtney. We didn't get the best of photos from the camera phone and hopefully I will be adding a more suitable picture of the whole family. It was a beautiful day.

Here are just a few photos of my daughter in law Anne making a surprise quilt for her husband for Christmas and of how my sewing room looks like. I thought I downloaded a photo of the UFOs hanging on hangers but you can see tips of them behind the door frame. I store a lot of the scraps that have been cut in these containers which really make it handy when looking for that particular size. Looking at the photo makes me realize that I really need to organize that closet. You can barely walk in there and you can imagine what it looks like now with all the moving around for wedding preparations

Here's whats happening at my house. Not much crafting on my part, but a craft it is. These guys are from church and are helping me with the labor for this desperately needed roof. Its very much appreciated in helping me keep the cost down. Thank you, thank you and thank you

The other project I have at my home is this new raised garden bed that my one son is helping me with. It still needs the capstones put on the top and then I'll be ready for the dirt. I look forward to gardening again. I just couldn't get up and down anymore so this will make it much easier. Yeah!!!

When I do a lot of cutting out fabrics I usually throw the usable scraps in a basket for sorting out later. When the basket is full, its time for me to sort, cut and divide the scraps for later scrappy quilting. It occurred to me that maybe I should have a scrappy quilt that I want to do and then cut out for that as I go. Put the rest in divided categories as I usually do and then I would have a project ready to go already cut. Well, this is the box full of the pieces cut and stack just perfectly and

this is the pattern that I am working from. 70 Scrappy stars total

This is the first of those stars ready to go. I figure that this will be one of those projects that I work on here and there, in between other projects.

Okay everyone. I am celebrating! this is the last of 25 blocks on my hand pieced project.Its almost completed! Its been fun especially after each square is completed. Now I look forward to putting it together with some plain squares, sandwiching the quilt and Yes, I plan on hand quilting it. I hope it will be awesome!

The past couple of days I have been sick with a horrendous head cold, so with that and that conference was on t.v., I've managed to hand piece a couple more of these blocks that I have been working on for the last 1-1/2 years. I only have a couple more blocks to go out of 25 and then I will be able to piece them with plain blocks for my quilt. The goal is to have this quilt finished by Oct. next year for the Arizona State Fair. It has taken me a lot more time then I originally planned due to all the weddings my family has blessed me with.

As I go back and review some of the 1st ones finished I see remarkable improvement. The decision to tear them out and redo them is still a decision I am battling with.

I was also very excited to find Gail Pans free BOM for Christmas embroidery blocks. I originally over sized the blocks because I was afraid of tightening up the fabric with the stitches. I need to cut them down to 5 inch squares and then do the quilt work. Another WIP. Hopefully I'll finished before the Christmas season

I am still learning all the ins and outs with blogging and I wish that I could "click here" on the site for you, but you can find here at gailpandesigns.typepad.com If you go there, you will be able to see what other people are doing with their's. Its a very easy project to do and needless to say, it has excited me into doing other embroidery quilts.

Any suggestions for where to go to learn how to manage my blogsite?

Blogging is fairly new to me and one of the things I have discovered while checking out other quilt bloggers is this thing called "Block Swaps" Intriguing! I decided that I would like to be a part of one, but the trick is to find one before it fills up! Well with a beginner's eagerness, I found one via another blogger and quickly signed up.

I am proud to say that I am #88 out of 100 participants in the Aqua and Red Disappearing 9-Patch Block Swap. I'm laughing out loud at how silly I get with this little excitement, but there must be other quilters out there who can understand me.

Here's a picture of my Disappearing 9-patch blocks.

Another blogger mentioned that it was surprising at how difficult it was to find Aqua color fabric. I agree. The Aqua color is easier to see if you blow up the picture.

I wonder how many blocks I will receive with matching fabrics.

Now for the pondering on how I will put together the finished project.

During my trip to Pennsylvania, My sisters Laura arranged for a little traditional quilting fun. This photo is of my sisters Laura, Lisa and myself.

We have been doing this for 3-4 years now and it has become such a cherish time for us. It gives us a chance to learn from each other as well as strengthen us as sisters who unfortunately have to live so far away from each other. How grateful I am for them and also for this small yet significant new tradition we have.

Here we are in action, along with a new quilting friend Kate with her daughter Josie. Laura arrange tables where we could face each other as we sewed. It was fun to be able to watch each of us as we took little changes in color, placement to suit our taste. And of course to watch each other as we talk, share laughs and smiles.

We only had the better part of the morning and early afternoon for our get together but "ta da" this is the project that we work on. Mine is squished up between 2 sewing machines with the buttons laying on top. Its not quilted yet, but when it is, I'll post another post for you.

I plan on hanging it outside my front door this Winter. I think most of us were so excited about this cute snowman, that a lot of our doors will be adorned by him. I brought enough scraps home that I plan on making more, which some additions from my own fabric stash.

I do have to make a confession. I left with one suitcase and came home with two. Whats up with that? Yep, more fabric. But, I know you will understand. How can someone pass up a good sale. Unfortunately, a quilt shop owner in my sister's community has had to close her doors and I was one of the lucky ones to acquire some beautiful fabrics for a very good price. May her dreams come true as she works on establishing another store.

Time flies in blogger land. I can't believe that it is already Sept. 26 and 16 days since I last blogged. I suppose I can give myself credit for the last 9 days in which I took a much needed trip to visit my son Stephen and his wife Jodi down in Mississippi and then up to Pennsylvania to see my two sisters Laura and Lisa. Here are just a few photos, not much to show all that happen, just the highlights. One day we drove down the highway along the gulf and stopped to take photos of these wooden sculptures. The sculptures are works of art performed by a man using the trees that were uprooted and damaged from Hurricane Katrina 4 years ago. This bird one was rather striking because each bird is sculpted from a different branch of the tree as it splits off. These sculptures are all located in the island of the highway as you travel up and down the coast.

This second photo is Stephen and Jodi in New Orleans. A little day trip that we took. We visited the French Quarter and because it was so humid, my hair was all plastered down so therefore you don't get to see a picture of me.

My photos are out of order - oops!

In this one Stephen, Jodi and I are standing in front of a seahorse, another one of the sculpted trees. Its hard to visualize because we are standing in a odd spot.

These are the photos for my wedding quilt for my son Chase and his fiance Courtney. They are to be married Oct. 30th, but the bridal shower is this Saturday, and its usually its at the bridal shower that I give them this gift. This is quilt # 41 and I'll be starting quilt #42 pretty shortly for the next child of mine to be married this year. These weddings have been keeping me quite busy this year. Its been a delite, especially with the quilt making. I sure hope Chase and Courtney like it. I think they will.

This pattern just came out in the American Patchwork & Quilting Aug. 2009 issue. My photos don't do justice compared to the photos in the magazine. When you pull up a close up on this photo you can see my ever learning machine quilting. I don't use a giant long-arm with my quilts. I have often thought of maybe someday purchasing one, but I have mixed emotions about my own ability to maneuver the quilt on my mega-quilter over the computer controlled designs. The long-arm does have its advantages, but because I don't have money or space I guess I'll side with trying to strengthen my own skills on my old faithful machine.

With this close-up, you can see that its a great pattern for using up a lot of your scrappy leftovers. I'm convinced that scrappy never has to look like leftovers. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. - if you see Courtney before the Bridal Shower, Don't tell her!

I decided to make my granddaughter some big blocks for her 1st birthday. She is 14 months here and she is able to grab on to them and usually just throws them around. Her Dad is here helping her with building this tower. She is just so cute and its such a joy watching her grow. I just love being a grandmother. The blocks were pretty easy to make. I can imagine making pretty swirlly, pocka-dot, multi-colored blocks. That would be fun, maybe I will do that in the future.

Meanwhile, I have been very busy making bags. Just finished a couple of scrub tops for nurses at work and preparing to finish a quilt for my son Chase's finance bridal shower next week. Lots to do. This will be wedding #4 for the year. My daughter will be a couple months later. Soon I will post pictures of her dress that- yes I am making and is turning out very pretty. I am happy that she is pleased with the results. You'll be able to see photos of those soon.

Another project will be starting in 2010. Since this year has been quite a hectic year with a total of 5 weddings etc, my house is in deep need of purging. Closets that have stuff that I don't have any idea of whats hidden in the back, Cabinets with old sheets from way long yesteryear from kids growing and leaving the house. So each month I will pick a area that needs deep cleaning and just go for it. Purge, donate or just throw away.

How funny it is that my craft/sewing room is probable the most organized. Is that a sign of a true Procraftinator? lol Wish me luck!

I've been making more Bags! I will go in spells making serveral, go on to do some quilting and then back to bags. Actually I make them for serveral of my friends who buy them which helps with my income.

A BIG THANK YOU to all my friends!

A couple of new tote bags. One for my daughter and one for Me! Think that I will make a few more!

Heres a project that I have been working on for about 1- 1/2 years. My sister in law Elaine has made several quilts all my hand and has inspired me to make one for myself.

So far, I have 21 of 25 squares done. It has been a great car project and great in front of the T.V. as well.

No doubt I probably won't get much more done till after the next two weddings.