Feeling crabby

I decided to do a little applique by hand this weekend. I wanted to applique this guy but I didn't want the look of fusing. I wanted the I-did-this-by-hand look. And that's what I got.



I have a great respect for those that hand applique for many reasons. Here is a short list:

1. You can see every.single.stitch. (blech!)
2. My fingers look like raw meat even though I used a thimble (no one told me you needed one on EVERY finger!)
3. OMG I was so bored! (I just can't sit still for that long!)

There's a few more pieces of "shading" that I want to add. Not sure if I will. I like it as it is and really don't want to put my hands, fingers, and mind through anymore torture.

For those that hand applique: keep doing what you do- it's a work of art! :o)

You could be the next....

FABRIC DESIGNER!

Not me. I'm not looking for you. These guys are:

Do you secretly wish to see your name printed on fabric selvage?

Well wish no more and make that dream come true.

Visit project selvage for more information.

Oh, and GOOD LUCK! :o)

Viva

I'm taking a little trip this weekend. No business, no quilting. Just catching up with some old friends.

Hope you all have a good weekend! :o)

Happy Valentine's Day!

When I think of Valentine's Day I am reminded of one of the worst days in my college life. (And we all know that if it happens in college it's legitimate!). So, I was dating this guy whom I really liked (...I think). Anyway. On the day-before-Valentine's Day he decided to break up with me. Harsh! What made it worse is that the next day (on v-day) he brought me the most beautiful roses I have ever seen. To this day I don't think I've seen roses as beautiful. I thought he had come to his senses and was asking me back. So we left for class and he held my hand as we walked out of my apartment. *Sigh* But the moment we set foot on campus he let go of my hand and started walking further away from me as if to say "This doesn't change anything." Insert broken heart here.

You would think this has scarred me for life (It did happen in college afterall). But NO. You see, it would have except several years later ("we were on a break!") I married that guy! I know, can you believe it!?

Now, I've had many not-so-good Valentine's Day's since then too. But I choose not to remember. Because I was thinking- Valentine's Day is for KIDS. Isn't it?

My weekend has been full of fighting with my 5 year old about what to put on her FREE Krisy Kreme doughnut cards (her name only!) and convincing my boys that no one really cares about a piece of paper with a cartoon character on it- their classmates would much rather have some candy.

I'll drop my kids off at school this morning and await their suger-high return. In the meantime I'll have ME-time. I think I'll go meet the hubs for lunch even though we already celebrated on Saturday with a movie but that doesn't really count since it wasn't actually Valentine's Day. I'm also thinking of surprising the fam with heart shaped doughnuts because they're not just cute but yummy too!

And that will be my day.

Hope yours is wonderful too! :o)

I've been playing

I belong to a little neighborhood quilt group. We get together once a month after the kids have gone to bed (the the hubs is watching his TV). Each month someone gets to do a quilt. That person supplies the fabric and the instructions and everyone takes it home to make their blocks. The next month they bring the finished blocks back and someone has all the finished blocks to put together their quilt. Make sense.

Well, today is my turn. I decided to get out that delicious Heather Ross fabric that has been sitting (only a few months because I spent my life savings buying it on Etsy!) and let everyone play with it. I also threw in some extras just to make my little Heather Ross stash go further. The cool thing is that I'll get it all back in finished blocks!

Since some of the pieces are odd sizes I wanted to go non-traditional. Sometimes making free-form blocks is harder even though it's easier. Right!? I mean, we're all getting really good at following instructions so sometimes when there isn't any we panic. But there is no need.

YOU. CAN'T. MESS. THIS. UP.

I made a few blocks to show the other gals so they get the idea.

There's a log cabin

Courthouse Steps

Random piecing with fewer and larger strips

Random piecing with many and smaller strips

I am so EXCITED! The blocks went together super fast. Can you see how cute this quilt is going to be? I'm going to add white sashing to all the blocks to make them the same size and then slap 'em together. It might be a couple months but I promise to show when I get the top done. :o)

Oh yeah, I promised a recipe.

Well I can't take all the credit for this one. Last week I was visiting my LQS and I was treated to a little lunch while I was there. I had the most fabulous (and EASY to make) cream of broccoli soup and delicious pumpkin trifle for dessert. It was so good that I couldn't stop thinking about it so I decided to wing it and make it for the fam. on Super Bowl sunday. See how pretty:

Now. I'm going to tell you how I made mine. Keep in mind that I was "wingin' it" and Marsha's was much more divine. But since I don't have her recipe...yet...I'll share mine.

Ingredients:

1 8oz tub cool whip

1 package toffee bits (2 candy bars crunched up work well too)

Caramel syrup (I used smuckers)

1 loaf pumkin bread (I didn't have pumpkin bread and I wasn't about to make it so I bought some pumpkin choc. chip cookies at my local bakery and used them)

Cut the bread (cookies) into small cubes.

Put enough bread/cookies bits in the bottom of a trifle bowl or any other deep bowl you have. You could even use a 13 x 9 and just to 1 layer and I think it would still be AMAZING!

After you have enough bread/cookies in the bottom, sprinkle some of those toffee bits on top. Don't use all of them if you want enough for the subsequent layers!

Next drizzle some of that caramel sauce on top. Enough for flavor and to moisten but lets not down those puppies, K!?

Then put a dallop (you know what a dallop is, right?) of Cool whip on and spread over the top.

Alright. Now it's time for some more bread/cookies.

Keep layering until you run out of goodies!

I drizzled a swirl of caramel on top and sprinkled a few more toffee bits on top.

My dessert recieved rave reviews at out Super Bowl shin-dig. So...if you're snowed in and need a little divine dessert- go for this one! :o)

p.s.- I'm sorry, but blogger keeps smooshing everything together and not letting me put spaces in. So...sorry.

Slow Start

Sorry, I'm getting off to a slow start this morning. I guess that's apparent since it's almost NOON here.

I have enjoyed reading all those comments. I can't believe the crazy weather all around the world. Places where it's usually cold are having unseasonably warm trends. Other places are getting pounded with snow and snow and even more SNOW. And the temperatures are insanely cold. Brrr!

I wish I had enough fabric to send to EVERYONE.

My hubs is home this morning so I asked him to scroll through all the comments and pick one. I told him to use any means that he felt since he's not too in to quilting. I figure it wouldn't be too biased. So he picked a winner.

DELTA DAWN

She said: "Here in Mississippi we usually fall off of watermelon wagons but...snow 2 times!!! One time we got on the golf course and scraped enough to make a snow man if you count one body part and a head. Falling off a watermelon wagon is more fun!!!"

I asked him why he picked and he said "Man I love watermelon!" LOL I guess it's lucky for you Delta Dawn because I'm not such a big fan of watermelon (sorry).

See you tomorrow with some FUN pictures to share and maybe a recipe!

WANTED!

We're all friends here..right!?

A few weeks ago I was visiting a shop and picked up a bunch of yellow and grey fabrics.

I LOVE yellow and grey right now.

So I did a quick search on the web and found this:

Amy Butler. Lotus. Yellow dot. Grey background.

Can't stop thinking about it. Really wanting it for this quilt.
I found one listing on Etsy for $42 a yard. REALLY!?

So I'm putting the call out to all you friends. If you happen to have a few scraps; A fat 8th, Even a skinny 8th, ANYTHING that you would be willing to part with. I could do a trade with some goodies of mine or even some PATTERNS. As long as I don't have to pay $42 a yard! Yikes.

Thanks.

(p.s. picking the winner of the Fig Tree bundle tomorrow!)

A little bit of SPRING!

Last week I was greeted with a surprise package of fabric on my doorstep. The note inside said it was to brighten up the winter blues. So I decided to treat someone to a little 'SPRING' in the midst of what feels like never ending winter. (Didn't that groundhog just say 6 more weeks!?).

I'm offering 16 fat 1/8's of Fig Tree goodness!

Aren't those beautiful? And wouldn't they just make you feel all warm and spring-y inside?

Leave a comment telling me where you are and what kind of weather you've been dealing with. Even if you live in a sunny place- please share so the rest of us can live vicariously through you. :o)

In a few days I'll pick a winner and ONE of you will get this wonderful bundle in the mail!

Ups and Downs

This thyroid thing is a pain. Just when I think I'm all regulated I have an off day. I was beginning to think I was bi-polar. But alas, it's just my body, these meds, and not having a thyroid. Oh yeah and I'm sure being sick had something to do with it too.

Yesterday I got a surprise package. Yummy goodies inside. And when I say yummy, I don't mean for the tummy. :o) sorry I can't show you....YET!

I'm going to lunch with Thankfully Sew today. I LOVE her! She always brightens my day. Except last time she got me to thinking about some stuff and I darn near had an anxiety attack the rest of the day. It wasn't really her fault (again, thank you thyroid). Wanna know where we're going? Click here.

Thanks for all the positive comments on my 'mistake'. I've been sketching and I think I've come up with a whole new design based on that variation. Sounds like some of you have too. I'd love to see when you get them sewn!

My tummy is growling- time to go! :o)

Hello February!

January is a tease.

Some mornings I wake up and I swear it's spring already.

Other mornings I look out the window to a fresh blanket of white.

It's not that I don't like the snow. I do. It's beautiful.

But I don't sled. I don't ski. I don't snowboard.

I don't really do much in the snow except shovel and pray my car doesn't lose traction.

You see, I'm a California girl.

I live for the sunshine. I LOVE for the sunshine.

So now that it's February (even though the sky is so thick right now I can't see the mountains outside my window) I am excited.

If I made it though January I can make it thought February and soon it will be SPRING!