One star, one orphan and 3 experiments

How I love an opportunity to sew just one block and feel like I've accomplished something! When I stumbled across the JUST ONE STAR challenge at Moda, supporting the Quilts of Valor Program, I knew I had found something I wanted to participate in. Here's my block - quick and easy:

But there were some itty bitty bonus triangles left over when I made the block. Rather than throw them away, I thought I'd see if they were big enough to make something with. This little baby Monkey Wrench measures 2" unfinished.

Very cute, but so much work! (much like real babies, I guess) I love the look of minature quilts, but seriously, it is as much work as a big quilt, but without the functionality. This little baby will not be getting any siblings. I suppose he'll find his way into an orphan quilt one day - right now he's hanging out on one of the design walls with all the other orphans.

While I enjoyed making the star and the monkey wrench blocks, they are all made of just two fabrics. Those who know me know, that just isn't enough! I need more variety, some scrappiness! So, as my leader and ender while I worked on these, I played around with some of my 1.5" squares since they have long since overflown their tin and are puddling around and making a mess of themselves. A four-patch of one color, surrounded by a border of another color, and floating in some 4.5" squares cut on the diagonal, a size that I have realized I pretty much never use and should probably eliminate from my stash management system. I'd need to make more of these 6.5" blocks before I decide if I'll actually pursue a top with these blocks, but for now, fun, fun, fun!

Hmmm, maybe they could be border blocks for something...

Anyway, it is raining cats and dogs outside today, which is perfectly fine with me; no guilt at all about staying inside today, reading (Jacobs Ladder by Lizbie Brown), stitching and sipping a warm beverage. Enjoy your Sunday!

It's 5 o'clock somewhere!

After the week I've had, you can probably imagine why this little embroidered tea towel caught my eye...

Oh, to be that crisp and pert! I feel like I've been hit by a bus and dragged for 3 blocks, and I'm sure I don't look much better. And while I've never actually had a martini, I always imagine that it is a "relax at the end of a long day" kind of drink. It's been a L-O-O-N-N-G-G couple of days, and some relaxation sounds pretty good right about now. So, I'll be making a little wallhanging of this gal to pull out on days like this. The pattern is in the June 2008 Crafts 'n Things magazine, a magazine that I've never seen before, but that my mom scavenged for me from some people at work who were throwing them away. I'm not particularly crafty, so there's not much in there that I can do, but I have pulled out a couple of ideas.

I also have been getting some ideas from Jenifer at Forty-Two Quilts. I first learned of her Wednesday Quilt Show when Bonnie Hunter had a quilt featured there recently. So I submitted some quilts and lo and behold, my Bright Idea quilt was featured there this week! So, while I was over there getting excited about having my quilt on someone else's blog, I came across the Diamond Argyle Quilt by Reeze Hanson of Morning Glory Designs. LOVE IT! It's on the same Wednesday Quilt Show blog entry as my quilt - go check it out.

Guess where I'll be going for eye candy every Wednesday...

Work, sleep, work, sleep (sew)

Somehow, my 8 - 2:30 workday turned into 8 am - 8 pm. Ugh! I did take a stroll through town with my hubby at lunch so it wasn't all bad, but oh, what a day! A bath is running right now because I need to ease the ache in my shoulders. It has been work, sleep, work, sleep for a couple days now.

I did manage an hour or so of sewing on Monday. These are my Bee Blocks for March - the focus fabric was to be the multicolored Asian print, and we could make anything we wanted. The first block is a variation of the Cheyenne block - a variation because I didn't have enough of the black or gold to make it the right way.

The second block is me trying to use up all the fabric she sent. I hope she meant it when she said to make anything we wanted.

It was fun to have a little bit of play time because that has been missing in my life lately. Once this scholarship event that I am planning is over, I'm going to take a little time off. I'm exhausted. And my bath is calling. So sorry to everyone whose blog I haven't read in weeks - I promise to get caught up when I have the time.

I'm going to pay for this...

...but I took ALL DAY on Saturday to do what I wanted to do. I figured I'd be more motivated at work if I took a teensy little break from it. You better believe that a large chunk of Saturday was devoted to sewing. I finished the blocks needed to make that extra row on my scrappy log cabin quilt, and then put the top together. It was technically Sunday when I put the last stitch in...




I also spent some time quilting my little ELLA name quilt. I went with a very Tonya-esque freehand Baptist Fan.


So I'm happy with how my weekend worked out - warm weather and sunshine, some sewing, a trip to visit my mom, yummy winnings at the kids' school fundraiser CakeWalk, karate, sleeping in, air hockey tournaments with the kids, videos with the family, and the list goes on - but I'll be kicking myself tomorrow when I realize how much work I have yet to do.

THX!

Another grueling week! So busy that I barely have time to speak or write complete sentences. I feel like all of my communication with others lately has been curt, hurried, much like a text message. So when I found myself with a few spare moments yesterday, I found myself thinking of how thankful I am for all of you and those emails and comments I get from you all throughout the day - it really lifts me up during this stressful time. When my few spare moments were over yesterday afternoon, before my husband came home and I had to go back to work (until 2 AM! Then back up again at 6 this morning! Ugh!), this is what I had come up with:

It goes out especially to Em, whose silly emailed photos always bring a smile to my face. Thanks for reading, and for hanging in there with me when all I do is whine about how busy/tired/overworked I am.

Oh, and I almost forgot. At some point this week I found the time to put the scrappy border on my first Birdie BOM. I love using up those 2.5" scraps, and I love how bright and cheerful it is going to be. Of course, at 2 months/block, it will take me two years to complete the top...

Remember me?

Oh, my goodness, what a week! I'm not going to go into details because that would just stress me out, but I can say, I sure am glad it is OVER! This weekend, I was so wiped out that I didn't do much. On Saturday, I took the boys to the park for 3 hours after Jason's basketball game. They rode bikes and skateboards and played on the playground equipment while I laid out on my Orphan Block quilt reading and soaking up the sun. If you are looking for a good mystery that takes place in a little town that I wish I could visit, check out Still Life by Louise Penny. To my delight, there are more in the series!

Today, I didn't really want to get out of bed. I finished the book and then hunger forced me into the kitchen. But not long afterwards, I was back on my bed, watching Gilmore Girls videos while working on my January Birdie BOM. Ah, Stars Hollow, another fictional town I would love to visit! And look, I am ALMOST done!

Look more closely and you'll see the DIRT on the block where Donald STEPPED on it. {sigh} Life with boys.

But surely, what you are hoping to hear from me is how LAST weekend went with Bonnie Hunter. So without further ado...

After work on Friday, I parceled my kids out to friends and arrived at dinner with Bonnie Hunter and the officers of the Guild only about 10 minutes late. When I walked in, it was surreal seeing Bonnie sitting there! A real live celebrity in our midst! They saved me a seat next to her, and I had a great time listening to her travel and quilting stories.

Then it was off to the trunk show and lecture. Again, my quilting buddies made sure I had a seat up front, but then Bonnie asked for HOLDERS and FOLDERS for her trunk show. I'm too short to be a HOLDER, but I did jump up to be a FOLDER and what a good idea that was. As she talked about her quilts, I got to fondle and examine and revel in them up close as we folded them. Some were new to me, but many I had either seen on her website or in her books and they were like old friends.

My face hurt at the end of the evening from all the smiling!

That night, Nancy came home with me, and we stayed up late cutting fabric for the next day's workshop and catching up. Then, we were up with the dawn to go to the workshop the next morning. I truly meant to make this workshop quilt. Here are Nancy and I in front of the Class Sample.


And here I am with Bonnie and the quilt I made for my mom 3 years ago.

But as I sat there and started sewing and cutting, I just couldn't get excited about making the same quilt, even if I do LOVE that quilt and even if it is in completely different fabrics. So, I started wandering around, and look what I found.

This isn't how you are supposed to lay this out, but I like the possibilities. Plus, no need to subcut into four pieces - fewer cuts and fewer seams to make this variation. So I started to play.


And play.

And play.

And play.

And I'm still playing.

I still don't really like all these florals, but I'm excited to clear them out of my stash. And wouldn't you know, my mom mentioned the other day that she loves florals. Hmmm, another quilt for her, perhaps?

And Bonnie sat down to play at my machine, too! I had just bought Tonya's book and mentioned how I couldn't figure out how to make an S. She volunteered to show me. I thought she meant with pencil and paper, but nope, she meant with my fabric!

This S (which I wore on my chest for the rest of the workshop) will definitely make it into one of my quilts one of these days. A treasure! Thank you, Bonnie!

I had to leave early to go to the Blue and Gold Ceremony for Cub Scouts. Here I am with my co-den leader helping to paint the boys' faces.

See their quilt hanging back there? They were so proud, and everyone kept ooohhhing and aaahhing and the boys just beamed! We're thinking of leaving the quilt on display at the church somewhere (the church is our charter organization), and I'm also planning to send some photos in to Boys Life and see if we can't be included in a future issue - all of the boys receive Boys Life Magazine, and I know they'd FLIP to see themselves in print! Thanks to whoever suggested that - genius!

Sunday was a day at work for me, but I was able to bring the kids along, and in my breaks we made Valentines for their classes.

(Cupid, he ain't!)

Then, the week began, and I swear I didn't get a chance to eat or sleep or hug my children or ANYTHING, I was so busy with work. I certainly didn't get a chance to sew. And this upcoming week is not looking much better. June, where are you? I'm ready for your long days and warm nights and quiet moments...

I challenge you!

This morning, I don't have the time necessary to properly describe my wonderful weekend with Bonnie Hunter, but I do have the time to say this:

I bought Tonya's Word Play Quilts book from Bonnie during the workshop, and had a chance to read it cover to cover yesterday. I challenge ANYONE to read that book and NOT run right to your sewing machine and start sewing! It's so fun and inspiring! So, of course, the first chance I had, I ran right to my sewing machine and started sewing...

I'm working on a Pay It Forward gift for a high school friend a reconnected with on Facebook who is constantly posting about how much she adores her little daughter, Ella. I haven't seen this friend for over 20 years, but I figure I can't go wrong with a gift for/about her daughter. And how exciting to finally cut into my Urban Circus fat quarters!

More about my weekend when I have more than 5 minutes to sit still. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!!!