Meet, Madeline...

This is my Madeline, Schnibble...  a UFO carried over from last year.  I finished piecing her this week and she is ready to be quilted.

She may look familiar... 

You see, I first saw this layout last year over at Kim's Big Quilting Adventure. I was infatuated and asked permission from Kim, if I could duplicate her layout and she was gracious enough to say "yes."   I am a BIG fan of Kim's. She has a fantastic eye for color (brights, especially that I just love) she is VERY creative and she can can always turn a quilt "into her own" her talents put me in awe.

I spent the afternoon working on Madeline.  I sewed two and ripped out one, or was that sewed one ripped out two?  It is slow going.  I am not to crazy about this quilting but, my last attempt at free motion was a disaster and I am just not up to attempting it, at this time.  I am going to give it at rest for tonight.  I am tempted to rip it out and start over, just not the effect I was looking for.

Kris and Kelly thank you,  for hosting a delightful afternoon! 

OKAY...I kid you, NOT!!!

STRESS RELIEF!!!  However, I am not sure just one will do today!  This is the last one in the house, so I am safe.  It is a raspberry, dark chocolate dessert bar from Weight Watchers and very yummy, you would swear your being naughty!

I kid you, NOT I have been working on this post for over an hour and this is as far as I have gotten.  I can not get my project pictures to load.  They just spin and spin and then when I finally did got one loaded it covered the page and was extremely distorted.  I am wasting time, precious sewing time!

My project for the day is a UFO, I started last year at this time.  It is my Madeline Schnibble and she is decked out for Valentines Day!  I have to admit, I like this one and it really irritates me that I can't share pictures of her (YET!).  She is ready to quilt and I am hoping to get done to send off to DD in time for V-Day. 

I am almost afraid... with how today is going, is this day an omen?  Will my quilting be doomed???

FEAR NOT...I shall PERSIST!!! 
 P.S. my sewing room is upstairs and computer is downstairs, so it will be a while before I try and post again!

What a day...it's so nice to come home to you!!!

I just got home from work and I can't tell you , how nice it is to come home and join in with the Charming Chatter girls and their "word up" sewing party.  I had to work this morning and a typical Saturday is light, stress free, and goes fairly quickly.  WELL...not today.  It was a busy, stressful, and simply a frustrating day, that seemed to go on FOREVER!!!  Enough whining...

I am happy to home with you gals and anxious to get started.  Give me a few minutes to catch my breath, get a quick bite, and get things in line and I will be back to give you a peak at what I am working on!

FYI... my word for the year is "persist" which also, translates into "I shall have perseverance!"  I am going to carry on, keep on moving forward!

Be right back!

What's a grama, to do???

I have mentioned before, that I have two grandsons Logan & Lane.  They are just 5 months apart in age (respectively 2.2 & 1.8 years old). I found this adorable flannel (great quality and super soft) I bought all they had.  Not exactly enough to make a decent quilt for both of them.  Keep in mind both little boys have been born to parents with,  STRONG agricultural back grounds, and it will be part of their lives too.  My dilemma, which one gets this adorable print made into a quilt???

Neither... because grama, has to be fair!!!  So, I split it and made, pillowcase's...

These are going to be their Valentine's with a little extra love from grama, inside!

If only, I could deliver them in person...

One, step forward... ten, steps back!!!

Tackling, a UFO... I pulled out the "heart quilt" I had pieced 4-5 years ago and finally got up the nerve to attempt quilting it myself.  I would attempt, meandering loops w/ random hearts.  I have a fab-u-motion for my machine (the Viking version of a stitch regulator. Not difficult to use but, not something I want to set up and tear down daily) I figured it would take me a week or so to complete,  trying to space out my sewing, as to not reek too much havoc on my shoulders and back.  I don't use the fab-motion enough to be "good" but manage. 

Anyhow, I plugged away at it and did a good amount on Saturday and finished on Sunday.  WELL.... apparently on Saturday, I had not adjusted my tension (something that has to be done, every time you turn it on!).  I did not discover this, until I was finished or so, I thought!

SOOooo, now I have to rip out, all that I did on Saturday and "redo."  I am wondering if I should just rip out the whole thing and start all over???  I suppose, I can chalk it up as "good practice" but, what a waste of time.  It looks, like this will remain an "unfinished Valentine," another year, or two!, GRRR....

Just the right one...

I finally have it!

 I have been reading so many post, on "Word Up."  The idea is to find the one word that will describe you in the year to come.  Believe me, I have mulled over this word.  I have read many post and everyone seemed to have, just the right word.  There are some GREAT words out there!

But, what would be "MY word".  I had a short list and occasionally, would add too it or scratch one off.  But, my word... just wasn't there.  I really wanted to be "true to myself and my expectations for my quilting journey."  Then it hit me, and I'll be darn... it was already on the list!!!  So, that must be "MY word."

PERSIST, is my word.  I want to persist, to move forward, to continue, to carry on, be persistent, in all aspects of life!!!  However, linking to my quilting journey...  I think about quilting,  ALL the time, it is ALWAYS in my head but, when it comes to doing it!  That is another story...

I often ask, what is it, that is holding me back?  It's generally, me (right now, I am dealing with the winter blues).  I sew for me (well, usually it's gifted to someone else) but, I sew to satisfy me, to find a creative outlet, to enjoy the process, to have a reason to buy wonderful fabrics (fabric fondler, here!), or simply because I can.  I love the feeling of accomplishment, when something is completed.  I get bogged down with guilt when I start "another project" and I have so many unfinished, that could be done if I would just give it the time! With all this being said... I am going to become a MUF's girl,  MUF's "Masterpieces Under Fermentation." 

I am going to let go of the guilt and sew for myself, what I want, when I want, and enjoy it!!! Occasionally the "deadline," will loom and that is OK, too!!!  I know a long post  but, it's been building inside and I just had to let it out!

P.S.  If all of this seems like mumbo jumbo to you and you want to make  sense of it, you can  read about "word up" and "MUF's" over at Kelly's blog Charming Chatter.

I am letting go of the guilt... and it feels good!!!

First Finish, 2011...

My first finish of 2011, has been a WIP (work in progress). It was a wool kit, project that Lynn (my Idaho, friend and hand project expert) had gifted to me a couple of years ago. It sat in the packaging the first year out of shear intimidation, as I had never worked with wool. Then last winter I was able to spend a few days out in Idaho.  That is when Lynn got me started on a smaller project, which I quickly finished.  Feeling more confident, I went home and started in on the cardinals and a year later...here they are!  Thanks Lynn, I love working with the wool and definitely see wool in my future.  I like having something to work on when SO are watching TV.

This weekend was great!!! SO, treated me to my "Christmas present."  More on this later...

My Holiday Adventure, 2010...

Warning...  this post is a bit lengthy.

The week before Christmas, SO and I took an evening trip to Galena, IL for the Christmas Walk.  The town on any day is incredibly beautiful and oh, so charming.  The Main Street remains in it's original form.  It is a quaint curved street lined by small gift, boutique shops, and numerous fine dining restaurants on both sides.  This winter night, is was particularly beautiful... The town was lined with over 5000 luminaries.  The pictures just do not do it justice and it didn't help that my camera batteries were low and my camera kept shutting down...grrr. (clearly, operator error) ohh, and did I mention it was cold...VERY COLD!!!  here are a few poor quality pictures...

 Anyhow, after dinner we were strolling the streets enjoying the romantic ambiance and gazing in the store windows, pretending the cold wasn't bothering us when...There "I saw them!"  Houses, Beautiful Glittery, Christmas Houses.  I collect vintage ornaments and these houses would be a great compliment to my collection.   My camera was dead by then and it was getting late and we needed to head for home.  I woke in the morning still thinking of the beautiful little houses.  SO, suggested I check on line.  Well, I forgot to get the name of the store, I started putting random things into Google to see if I could find them.  Finally I put in Galena shops and after calling only 3 shops, I found them @ Fairytales Too!!!  The clerk at the shop guided me to their web-site and there they were!!!  I showed them to SO and he confirmed , "yup, that looks like them!"  In the next breath, he told me to place my order and yes, you can get the trees too!!! 

SO, you are RIGHT...I am spoiled!!! But, then who is to blame for that???
 *wink,wink*  THANK YOU!!!

They arrived just in time for Christmas and I must say, I was every bit as tickled unpacking the boxes as when I first saw them in the window.  I am truly infatuated with them...

I did not get them "displayed" as I would, had it been early in the season but, I did put them up and here they are...

 I ended up with a church, 2 houses, and 6 trees. Yes, the houses light up and next year I will do that as they are properly displayed. This year, I was simply satisfied to have them.



 I put the bottle of Fantastic, next to the houses and trees to show the size.
 The pictures just do not do these justice.
                                              
                                                                     I want to live here!!!