Saved From Humiliation!!!

Quick Update!

I do have finishes for January!!

With all the running around and life in general I was starting to wonder.

I dug through my UFO pile and found these little lovelies that needed finishing and they saved me from failure in month one of the OPAM challenge.

I finished the last 4 and added them to the chicken coop.

Joy has a tutorial for these little cuties over on her blog.

And yes, that is a giant kitty back behind the basket.

I am going to go try to finish one more thing, so I am off.

Happy Sewing everyone!!!

L,A-





Christmas in July--Who'd a Thunk it Would Actually Happen???

There has been some serious elf activity going on around here.

Thanks to Di's Christmas Club I managed to get started on Christmas presents and decorations long before (really long before) I usually get around to it.

Promising that maybe when December rolls around I can sit with my feet up and drink a cup of eggnog.  Wouldn't that be a hoot!!!!

So what did I do???

Two tops that will be tablerunners

and those colors led to starting a couple of mug rugs

...obviously not completed either, but there is hope.

Then there is this tablerunner from Jenny of ELEFANTZ, love all her patterns.

This is one from quite a while ago

I am making it out of PomPom de Paris from Moda.

So, I have made some progress. I have a ton of non-Christmas going as well and found several BOMs that I like, so not sure if I will keep going with these or wait until next month when we do Christmas Club again.

For now--I am going to go encourage my DH, who is making chili for the Humane Society Chili Cook-off tomorrow. This is his first try at competition--personally I think he makes some darned good chili.

So, it will be a busy weekend because I may be volunteering on Saturday and at the adoption event on Sunday. We shall see--definitely tomorrow.

Must find time to finish one project before the end of the month.

MUST and what happened to my organization??

Breathe in--Breathe out!!!

Until next time!!

L,A-

Happy New -Habits- Year!!!!

I hope everyone has had a great holiday season.

It seems like such a long time ago already.

Is everyone stuck into their resolutions, going full bore into something new and exciting????

I am moving slowly, but moving.

As those of you who read Joy's blog already know that my word for the year is ORGANIZE.

A word that in years past has been spoken but forgotten in the chaos that is usually me.

Here are two embarrassing pictures:

the before

and after several hours of shuffling

 Hmmmmmm???????

Really I did get stuff put away, found a few things that I was looking for and tossed out stuff and added to the Goodwill pile and it is still awful.

So I will be continuing for quite awhile.

It is the year of Organization, not first 5 minutes, so I must hold out for hope.

I am planning on joining Di's Christmas Club so that I will not be insane at the end of the year.

I obviously have lots and lots of fabric and patterns and and and...

Don't need to buy anything for a very long time.

Remind that I said that!!!!!

So, I hope you will all encourage me from time to time.

I am off to pick a corner to work in.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!!!!!!!

Quilt Show, Sew-A-Long and A Winner!!!

WOW! I can not believe how fast February vanished. Time to get busy on this month.

It certainly has come in like a lion around here with lots of wind and rain.

So let us announce the Finishing Stitches winner for February!

Once again it is Bonnie at Bonnie & the Sister's Lair. 

She has won a Fresh Flowers charm pack.

Perfect spring fabric for us here in the US and hopefully it will brighten up a chilly day as you cruise into fall over there in Australia.

Go check out Joy's blog to sign up for March finishes and see if you can win next month's charm pack. GO!!!

So a little over a week ago I had a day off with Lola of ...and Sew On and we headed off to the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.

Good times were had that is for sure.

Gorgeous quilts:

This last photo is a small piece of the most precious quilt. Naturally my large photo is a giant blur!! The detail on it is just amazing.

And of course there was lots of buying.

I had originally planned on buying some yellow for the black and white blocks I am working on, but I just could not pick a shade so:

 So I bought lots of yellow and I will decide later. I did have a serious shortage in my stash, so this was actually a good thing.

Course there were these lovely Stonehenge ones that I have been staring at since I saw them awhile back:

Love, love, love them!!!

Then patterns--who can go without getting patterns???
Anyone?????

So here are a few that came home with me:

There are more, but they seem to be hiding. Possibly because I am supposed to be finishing things???

And then there is this Sew A Long:

I am not a red person, so it is going to be purple work. It is time to make some goodies to match my tree that is decorated all in purple--well purple and cats--purple, cats and cows...

It suits me perfectly anyway.

OK, that is enough for now. I need to get busy sewing don't I???

I really do!

Hope you all had a awesome weekend!

L,A-

Real Live Sewing Accomplished

I have finishes!!!!

My sewing kit is complete and mailed off to help the folks in Queensland and other parts of Australia that were affected by all of the horrible floods.

 Hope it helps bring a little happiness.

So much is happening lately, now there has been a terrible earthquake in New Zealand.

Not to mention all of the extreme cold weather we are having here.

Prayers go out to everyone.

So I have also done some other sewing.

I have finished the first three blocks from the Florida Cabin Fever BOM.

  And I may be a little late, but I am almost finished this heart wallhanging that I started for Valentine's Day. So I will be early for next year.

Hopefully I will have lots ready for next year. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday I do think.

How could it not be when I have a dear sweet hubby who sends singing Valentine's.

Yep he did!!!

So here are my hearts:

It is on the machine waiting for me to come back and finish quilting it.

I am working on a few dozen other things as well, but I think I better save some for later.

Hope you are all staying warm and safe.

L,A-

 

We Have A Winner!

Well, Joy is busy settling herself into her new palace in Saudi Arabia, so I will announce the January Finishing Stitches winner.

Drum roll please...

The winner is Yvonne of Bonnie & the Sisters Lair.

You really have to go check out her blog--she does some of the most gorgeous things.

Not really sure how many things she finished--I believe on Joy's sidebar it says lots.

She did more than anyone else.

And for her efforts she has won a Sherbet Pips jelly roll oops my bad, that would be charm pack.

Very cute!!!

I am sure that we will see something sherbet-y coming from Yvonne real soon.

Also wanted to make sure that everyone is still sending out prayers and/or sewing kits to help the many people affected by the horrible flooding in Australia.

So many have lost everything.

If you have not read the post from Among The Gum Trees go here.

Now everyone get back to work on those blocks and UFOs. Joy will inform us of the February challenge as soon as she has a free moment.

L,A-

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOY!!!!!

We have started a tradition. Some people go out for a nice dinner for their birthday--Joy and I sew together whenever possible.  Well, this year it was not possible because of a giant ocean in between us. 

But sew we must!!!

So, Lola of ...and Sew On came over and we ate cake, and pizza.

Not a healthy thing in sight!!! Wasn't on the resolution list!

And yes--we sewed!!

And sewed and sewed some more.

Lola actually finished getting all her blocks sewed together.

Looking good!

I finally finished all my blocks a few minutes ago, so picture will be coming to a post real soon.

Really!!!

So Happy Birthday Joy!!!

Wish you were here!!!

And for a party giggle.

Murphy is the special of the day!

He is special!!!

L,A-