Hand Quilting

I love the whole quilting process.  The piecing, sandwiching, binding: all of it is quite enjoyable.  But probably my very favorite part of making a quilt is the actual hand quilting.

All those tiny stitches making patterns across the quilt…

Being able to work on it while I watch television or sit chatting with my friends…

My kitten pouncing on my thread or snuggling in my hoop...

The feeling of being so close to the end…

Yes, this is the good part.  :)

The Quilting Stash

When I saw Bonnie and Camille's line "Happy Go Lucky" at my favorite local quilt store, it was love at first sight.  I knew I wanted some.  It didn't take long for me to become a fan of both of their fabric collections and blogs (check them out for some great inspiration!).  And since "Happy-Go-Lucky" was my first love, I indulged in my first precuts.

Four charm packs later, I decided they were perfect for a pinwheel quilt.  It will be my first experience with precuts, and I'm very much looking forward to it!   It's next on my list after I finish my nearly pieced Marmalade Squares quilt.

I also adore Bonnie and Camille's new line, "April Showers."  Unfortunately none of the quilt stores I usually visit carry any!  I even looked along the way when my sisters and I took a 17hr road trip to visit some good friends, but it was not to be found anywhere I stopped!

I had decided to order some online (even though I prefer supporting local stores) when, on the way home from my grandma's house, my sister suggested we stop in a little store we were passing but had not previously visited.   I'm so glad we stopped, because they had an April Showers jelly roll!  (And now I know of another great quilt shop ~25min away!)

I really wanted yardage to make this cheerful quilt, but I'm happy to have found anything from the collection.  Not completely sure what this jelly roll with eventually turn into, but with two other quilts to finish, I have some time to decide.  :) And in the meantime, I get great joy from just looking at it!

Happy Independence Day!!!

Wallpaper Drawers

It's a beautiful thing to be known for something.  Because people know that my sisters and I like to craft, we are often given crafty things (from cleaning out closets, when grandmas pass away, etc).  Because people know that I love nautical things I am often given nautical gifts.  Or, in this case, old wallpaper.

Yep, a girl at my church went to visit her grandmother ~8 hrs away and when she came home she brought me a roll of wallpaper.  Her grandmother was getting rid of it and she thought I might like it.  She was right.  :)

I have come up with a few different uses for it, but my newest discovery - it is perfect for lining drawers!

Before they were just plain wood...

And now they are lined with the best wallpaper ever!

Just goes to prove that someone's junk can be someone else's treasure.  Or drawer liner, as the case may be.

Sailor Dog

My sister found this sailor dog panel at JoAnns and gave it to me for my birthday because she knew - being the lover of all things nautical that I am - that I would love it.  :)  It made such a fun and easy project.  And is completely adorable!

The cats love a good quilting project!

Because it is a printed panel this was really just a hand quilting project.  It was made even simpler because there were no bulky seams to go through.

I went really very basic with the quilting, outlining the print and going diagonally through the sky.  But I did decide on a scroll pattern that resembles waves beneath the boat.

I just love it.  What could be better than a baby quilt with a sailor dog on it?

21 Day Fix

Hey, all!  I know I tend to stick pretty much with crafting, but I'm currently on day10 of BeachBody's 21 Day Fix program and thought some of ya'll might be interested in hearing about it.

I first heard about this program from a friend who is a BeachBody coach.  She was doing it to help lose baby fat from her 3rd pregnancy.  I liked the idea, but it was my sister who really jumped on it and wanted to try it.  And with both my sisters doing the program, I figured why not?

This is my first time trying a strict eating plan.  I have never consistently worked out.  Well, other than this 8min ab workout I did a few years ago...   I did it every night for over 6 months.  Gotta love the 90s!  :)

We started...  and I found it much harder than I expected!

Firstly, I have to plan my meals ahead of time.  To really do clean eating I have to make sure I have a plan for tomorrow's food, and have things packed to take to work with me.  It takes some forethought to be nutritionally sound all the time!  I do like the simplicity of the colored box system.  Once you figure out the system, it's all really quite simple and easy to follow.

But the hardest thing for me is; I usually can eat whatever I want.  I'm used to picking up Starbucks on my way home from work on a whim.  Or walking in the kitchen to eat a cheese quesadilla with salsa.  Or making cookies constantly.  I LOVE COOKIES!!!  I usually bake at least 2-3 a week.

So, this has been different for me.  I think it's good for me, though, too.

On the other side of the program... The workout dvds are really great!  You really feel worked at the end, often with a lot of sweat.  There is a different video each day of the week, and each is only 30 minutes long.  Makes it pretty easy to fit into a busy schedule.  :)

If you are looking for a great health and fitness plan to try, this one is great.  I'm almost at the halfway point and (with all my complaining about not eating cookies) am really enjoying it.  And as much as I'm looking forward to eating cookies again, I'm also looking forward to having toned muscles and a healthy body!

Square Blocks

My marmalade square blocks are going together wonderfully!  At least, they were until I realized I hadn't cut out quite enough squares...  Just a little cutting and I can finish the last block!

These are really fun and easy!  Makes me want to try a postage stamp quilt.  :)

And look who my cat brought home with him the other day:

Literally, my (boy) cat walked inside our house and right behind him walked in this kitten.  He is so adorable, and very friendly.  Kittens are absolutely delightful!!!

Marie Antoinette in Wool Felt

Ever since I was little I have always enjoyed reading about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette.  There was something fascinating about this rich queen with ornate dresses, expensive parties, and a mountain of hair that forced her to sleep on a wooden block to keep it nice.

So when I stumbled across this little doll in the Wee Wonderful book (which also contains  the Vera worm pattern), I was drawn to it.  And I knew it would be the perfect birthday gift for a good friend.

Light pastels just seemed perfect for this little Marie Antoinette-esque doll.  I chose gold thread for the french knots on her skirt and hair, then added the ribbon and beads for some outward detail.

I haven't done much embroidery in the last couple years, so I really enjoyed this different take on my crafting time.  And it was fun to do a feminine, soft, and girly project!