Do You?

Applique?

Read Amanda Jean's Blog "Crazy Mom Quilts"?

I LOVE her blog! I have emailed with her a couple of times and she is SO sweet! I love her style and her quilts.
I fell in love with this quilt of hers.

I had a couple of free hours Sunday evening so I thought I would try me some applique.
Hmmm, I know that AmandaJean used the wax paper method of applique. I did some reading up on it (which really means I spent 1 hour on the internet) and gave it a try.

Not too good:( Its pretty lopsided. I love the look and the idea of hand applique. I love hand work so I really would like to be able to do this. Any hints or tips?

Do you applique? What is your favorite method?

Today is my grocery shopping day and I also have to take Cade to karate later today. I hope to try this block again.

Happy Monday!

Best Day Ever!!

Remember this picture?

I entered it here at Insights From SewCal Gal??

I WON!!!! (thanks Regina for the heads up) I have never ever ever won anything EVER!!! and this prize knocked my socks off!! Thank You SewCal Gal for hosting this!! I never thought I would win anything. I just wanted to show off Ruby and I had so much fun looking at the pets on quilts!

WOW!! You have to go here to see what I won!

Nothing New

No new sewing around here. I guess I can blame Ruby because she keeps going to sleep in my sewing chair. She looks too sweet to wake up. Actually, everytime that I tried to move her, she bit at me and hissed:(

Remember when I showed this apron? I made 2 aprons for the quilt shop that I worked at. I made them to display with this great book that we were selling.

Here is the second apron! I had so much fun making this apron. There was the sweetest lady that worked at the shop. Her name is Corrine, she was in her early 70's and was a quilting superstar!! She taught the beginning quilt classes (still does at another shop) and was just the best teacher! We loved to kid with her and tell her that she had to dress up in costumes for events. She is a very tiny thing! Anyway, she wore this apron around the shop. We told her to wear some ruffled panties under it but she didnt..she wore her little jeans. The trim didnt show up good in this picture. It is that "leather" fringe that you see on cowboy and indian things.

I am SO ready for Fall! It is still SO hot here in Georgia. We are in the upper 90's with heat advisorys almost everyday. I was downtown and saw that Bath and Body had their Fall/Halloween soaps in so I bought some of our favorite Fall soap. It is Carmel Apple and it smells just like Fall baking to me!

Come on Fall!

FNSI Results

Even with 3 eleven year old boys running around my house, I still enjoyed my FNSI! We had take out pizza for supper and lots of snacks:) I was able to sit and sew for most of the night...except when I was on bike-watch patrol while the boys rode their bikes.

I worked on a Christmas throw that I am making. Still in the planning stage. I have ordered some Kona Clover green to go with this. Not quite sure how it's going to turn out but I LOVE this Santa print. That is what Santa has always looked like to me.

I made a couple of Civil War bow-ties.


and finished the night with some chocolate and a mystery!

I went to bed around 1130pm and was woke up at 3am by 3 boys laughing! A nap is sounding very good right now!

Pets on Quilts

SewCal Gal is hosting a 2011 Pets On Quilts Show.

There are some really cute pics....if you like to see pets on quilts..and I do!!


Here is my Ruby keeping me company while I hand quilt.

FNSI

Are you ready for a Sew-In?? I am! I am a little uneasy about this one though. Cade uttered those words that send fear through the hearts of every Mom "I might have a couple of friends over Friday Night"

Sign up here!

Peef

What do you do when the fuel pump dies in your car and your car is hauled off to the shop and your husband takes his truck to the Fire Dept. for 24 hours and your daughter takes her car to college??? You sew!

Cade loved the sleeping bag that I made for Tank. I was surprised because he is 11 years old and doesnt play with toys anymore. He suggested that I make one for Peef. Peef is Santa's Christmas Bear. Cade read the story of Peef at school and was so happy when Santa brought him his own Peef Bear. Now that Cade is older, Peef spends all day in the rocking chair with Tank.



Since Peef is a Christmas Bear, I made him a Santa Sleeping bag.

Peef and Cade like this bag alot!

Peef is a large bag so he got the large size sleeping bag and it is a perfect fit! I LOVE this pattern!


Happy Monday!

Tank

This is Tank. Cade has loved Tank for many years. Don't let the Hot Pink Bow Tie fool you...

Tank dreams of being a Cowboy. Riding the range and sleeping out under the stars. This ADORABLE pattern came from Flossie Teacakes. I can't say enough about how stinking cute this little sleeping bag is!! and it was so simple! I plan on making a set for each of my new neice for Christmas. They are darling and great for using up (and showing off) fabric!

So, tonight Tank will be dreaming of shooting 'em up in the Wild West!

Friday Friday Friday

Well Folks, we made it to Friday! Always a good thing. Cade is still liking school. He hasnt had any homework yet..so that may be why:)
Kelsey left this morning to go back to school :( It really makes me sad. We had a great summer together. She did alot of knitting and crocheting while I sewed. She went along to a Saturday Sewing at church with me. We walked together, cooked together. I cleaned up after her;) and she worked very hard at Old Navy to earn spending money for this school year. I hope that she has a great year at college! Here is the pillowcase that I made to match her quilt.

I had to laugh because Kelsey has long made fun of my pillowcases. She teases me about how many I make and how when ever I buy fabric I offer to make her a pillowcase out of it. Let's just say that she has many, many pillowcases!! She has told me many times that she has enough pillowcases and doesnt need anymore! Imagine my surprise when she asked if I had enough fabric to make her a pillowcase to match her new quilt! HA!! She should listen to her old Mom!

Have you seen all the bow ties going around? Here, Here and here? Even on Facebook!
I had to join in on the fun. I have a small stash of Civil War fabrics and fabrics that may not be CW Repros but I think they "go with them" I am LOVING making these blocks. I don't want to stop! I spent a few hours cutting a little stack of fabrics (my back was screaming when I was done) It is SO nice to sit and piece some now. My husband loves Civil War quilts but for some reason he doesnt like this chedder. Who cares? cause I do;) It is a Moda Bella solid.

I have a sweet niece that is graduating May 2012. That girl has been asking for a graduation quilt for 3 years!!! I have been trying out some blocks and patterns. Still havent made my mind up yet. Here are a couple made with some scraps. This block is huge!! 21 1/2 inches.

This block was fun but alot of cutting! Pattern and inspiration found here. I could look at these quilts all day long!

Andy will be home this afternoon from helping Kelsey move. We plan on having a quiet evening, maybe take Cade out to celebrate his first week as a Middle Schooler!
Enjoy your weekend!

Staying Busy

We all made it through Cade's first day of Middle School. He said that it was fun. He fell asleep moments after getting home! He just crashed! We had to wake him up for supper:)

He was not quite so excitied to get up for school this morning;)

Yesterday, I got a great comment from Judi

She said in her comment that I should bake an after-school treat for Cade. To take my mind off of worrying. I took her advice and Kelsey and I made sugar cookies for him. They were good and I enjoyed the time spent with my girl.

Speaking of my girl, I finished up her label and got it sewn onto her quilt. Now the quilt is packed up ready to go to college on Friday. She designed the label. She wanted the little squirrel because that is her sorority mascot.

Now, I need to hem up Cade's new karate uniform and maybe a little fun sewing later!

Hello Middle School

My baby started Middle School today:( He was excitied and very nervous. He got up and got ready super fast which meant that we had alot of nervous time to kill. He talked about silly stuff and got in some last minute hugs with Ruby.

He is such a fun kid! I really do miss him when he is not around. I am trying to stay positive about Middle School but it's my least favorite school experience..for me and my kids.

I have started my laundry and gone for a stress relief walk:) Now, for a shower and some stress relief sewing:)

Have a great Monday..I am sure that I will be just fine and so will Cade...I just wish that his voice hadnt sounded so shaky when he said "bye"

How I Spent My Summer

Woo Hoo! I finished my Kelsey's 3rd year of college quilt! You can see the first here

and the 2nd here

For her 3rd year quilt Kelsey picked out her own fabric. We were at a quilt store and she fell in love with the animal prints in Kate Spain's Central Park collection. I bought a layer cake bundle of the collection. I needed to find a pattern that was fast, simple but that would show off the beautiful fabrics. and I only had that 1 layer cake. I did decide to order backing instead of piecing a back or just making do with something that I already had.

I decided on "Flower Show" The pattern is from the Spring 2010 issue of Quilts and More magazine.

The quilt was soooo fast and fun. It finished at 67 x 98 1/2. I handquilted it by simply quilting an X in the blocks and sashing. I outlined the "berry" solid stripes and just did some straight line quilting on the borders.



The back is one of the animal prints front the collection. The solid is Kona cotton Berry. I loved making this quilt for my sweet girl. It is hard to believe that this time next year I will be finishing up her 4th year of college quilt!! Time sure does fly when you are having fun:)

Our summer is winding down fast. Cade starts school Monday and Kesley goes back to school next week:( I look forward to being able to post more!