Some Purchases

I thought I would share with you a few cute things I found while out and about recently.

 First off were these adorable note cards. 

 Just one dollar at Michaels!

 Seems like I am always looking for note cards to send out with swap stuff, aren't you? 

Then I went to JAF to get the blue and yellow and the dark green for the tumbler quilts when I happened to go past the novelty fabric and this bolt just jumped into my cart. 

Well 3 yards of it anyway. 

 Since DD1 raises peacocks I am always on the look out for cute peacock fabrics.  

She loves purple too so this one was perfect.  

Although I am looking for the Hoffman peacocks 

 if anyone knows anyone that has them for a decent price.  

As an added extra bonus DD1 told me she loves this print!

I need to talk with Cori but

 we will probably be drawing names for prizes soon for the sliced apples QAL. 

I will talk with her tonight to decide a date and let you know but please

 be sure to post your photos in the Flickr group.  

We will be drawing from all the names of people that have posted photos of their progress 

(you need to have at least cut the quilt out). 

I have been sewing so much lately the cats are feeling neglected.  

Here is Jack, sleeping on my sewing chair just so he can be near me when I am cutting!  

Isn't he cute?  

Almost camouflaged on that chair isn't he?

Getting ready to leave work and go home.  

Quilting tonight with the "ladies", then over to Cori's to lay out a quilt top.  

Never a dull moment! 

 Have a wonderful day!!

~XOP~

PS:  If you haven't checked out Cori's online fabric shop in awhile take a look! 
She has Flea Market Fancy, and Lush (running stitch) listed with more coming in every day!! 
These are 2 of my favorites!!!

PPS:  No one answered me about another QAL. 
Christmas in July anyone? 
It's a cute quilt...just sayin'

Staying Home Is Bad For My Pocketbook!

This is so true!
I have bought so much lately!
I need to stop, please someone, stop me!!
I found some great buys on ETSY.
Someone was destashing.  I had to help out a friend right?

Ayumi found some more of the daisy fabric, kind of pricey but I want to have them all. 

Then some from another person. ACK!!

It's OK. My cat is praying for me!

~XOP~

Christmas Tutorials

As I was surfing the web I found quite a few wonderful tutorials or free projects.  It got me thinking that you might like to see them too.  So I am going to put up one every day for as long as I have them.  If you have a link to one that you think others would like to have too, please email it to me and I will use it.  My email is  mamaspark@gmail.com  I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Today I found the cutest little stitchery over on Gail Pan's blog.  It is only up for the month of December but it is adorable!

(Photo from Gail's blog)

I also wanted to share a cool thing I found for decorating.  I was out buying the cedar roping for my house and found an evergreen ball (not sure how else to describe it).  I took a photo of the one I bought that is hanging outside my front door.  Pretty cool huh?

I finished the first of the 3 Halloween tumbler quilts I am making, now it is off to see Liz!

Of course I couldn't have done it without my kitty helpers

I also finished my next star in the FQ Star QAL.

That's all the quilt related content that I will have now until after the new year, I think. I have some bindings to do but I had to put my sewing away so I can get out Christmas. I got everything all picked up and put away. After toting 4 56 gallon tote bins to the basement full of fabric I think I have no business buying any more until I can use some up! That's why those Halloween ones need to get done as they will use up all my Halloween flannels! I need to make a new "to do in 2012" list and work really hard to finish up some of the quilts I have bought materials for in the coming year. Right now there are 3 lines I am looking forward to getting so I really, really need to get to work!!

I will be posting new sewing/crafting tutorial links so there will still be some great things here. Come back soon!! ~XOP~

I Did It!!

I blogged every single day during the month of November!!  It was a challenge to have something to write about every day and I have no idea how people do quilt related posts every single day.  Kind of gives a new appreciation.

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment, a consultation really, but that's a topic for another time.  It was quite a way from my home and my work so I just took the day off work.  The appointment was in the morning so I had the rest of the day to do whatever I wanted/needed to do.  I went to Lake Street Mercantile and looked around but didn't buy anything.  Then I went home.

As you saw from the post yesterday, I put the binding on my quilt.  We had to purchase a new stove and it was delivered just as I was walking up to the house!  DH was there and he was supervising.  So that's when I worked on the binding.  He wanted to know what we were going to do about lunch and I suggested we go out to one of our favorite places (I'm not usually home for lunch out).  We went to Chopstick House and it was YUMMY!  Then we drove to get the cedar roping we usually put up on the front of our house.  This year they had this really cool evergreen ball.  I have no way to describe it to you so I will take a photo tonight when I get home to show you, but it was COOL!  DH even thought so and he doesn't usually care much about decorations.  Next stop was the Sally Ann for a working VCR.  DH picked one up for $10!  He is trying to copy our old video tapes on to DVD and our old vcr was not working.  I got this cool duck dish!

I now have 2 different duck dishes, 2 bunny dishes and one chicken dish!! DH asked me what I was going to do with it! Pffft, why put stuff in it of course, duh! When we arrived home this is what greeted us:

"Oh excuse us Mosen. Did we wake you up?" LOL He thought Holly's Mom's quilt was the purrrrfect place to rest!

In short time it was time for Wednesday night quilting. I brought the Halloween tumblers I had cut out with me to lay out. I cut out 3 quilts worth and thought I would take advantage of a BiG space to lay one of them out while I had it. I am going to love these quilts!!

Please pardon my shoes!

They should turn out to be throw sized. When DD2 was home she wanted me to hurry up and finish hers so she could cuddle up with it! What do you think? Would you cuddle up with this? ~XOP~

Shop Till I Dropped!!

Yes, I was up at 5am and there was almost no lines today.  I think opening up at midnight made the lines at 6am non-existent!!  I went to JAF and got some flannel for my chenille blankets for $1.49/yd!!!  Then I got some other bargains and I got an additional 25% off too.  It was a good morning.  I went to Kohl's and got some great stuff there too.  Sweet Christmas gifts there.   I went to Meijer and got a Pyrex bowl set to use (not for Christmas) and that was great too.  Then I came home and spent time with the family, took out the neighbor's dog and drove DD2 to a friend's house.  I also went to the gym and the Salavation Army store and got an ugly Christmas sweater for DD2's BFF for an ugly Christmas sweater Christmas card they are planning on making together.  I also got some new creepy elves to add to DD2's creepy elf collection.  Someone had randomly tied them to a really ugly basket!! 

I have to go pick up DD2 and all her friends after the bar tonight so I need to get some sleep soon so I will be able to get them at 2am or so!  HAHA at least they are being responsible!!!  I will be snuggling up with a cat or 5 and will look like Hallie does here. 

I hope you all got some shopping done today too. ~XOP~

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

I'm just about ready to begin the food prep for our Thanksgiving dinner.  I was able to work on that project I have been teasing you all with too and although it is not finished yet, it is at a stage where you will now know what it is.

I would like to introduce Ruby Turkey!

I need to stitch all the dresdens down and stitch all around him as well but that can wait for now. I love him and am excited to share him with you. I saw Mary's and new I wanted to make one too but in non-traditional colors. I need to figure out something for a border too, and since it is a rectangle I may cut some of the top and bottom off to use for a second one (yes I have enough, just barely to make a second turkey using a plain back.) The pattern can be found here at The Missouri Star Quilt Company. I would love to know what you guys think of him. I considered making him into a peacock for DD1 but maybe using terrain or some other line with purples in it. It was super easy to make (as you can tell by how quickly mine came together!) Although I had a little help.

So there you have it, my Ruby Turkey. I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!! Take a minute to be thankful for family, friends, health and having the things you love in your life (maybe even the trials and tribulations as they make us into the people we are today!!) I am thankful for all of you my dear blog friends!! ~XOP~

My First Block Swap

I guess that is not technically true but it is my first modern block swap and I am so excited about it.  I have to make 8 blocks from the Geese In A Ring pattern found here.  It is paper pieced.  (I am not a huge fan, but am getting faster at it).  I LOVE this block so much.  I have to make 7 blocks in the colors requested by each person in the group.  Then send them to the swap mama to re-distribute.  My good friend, Jeannette is participating.  We are having fun "choosing" from each other's stash which fabrics we want in our block!

Here is my first block, made for Amy (Calico Cat) in her choice of orange and aqua:

I did so much ripping and re-stitching making this block, but I am happy with the outcome.

When I came home from work yesterday I walked into my living room (sewing room) and saw this

Oh Aiden you are such a big goof! How do cat's do that? She has to be so umcomfortable! YIKES!!

Lastly I leave you with an amazing thrift shop find of mine from late last week.

I thought this little owl pin cushion was so adorable! Now, do any of you know that that hole in the bridge of her beak is for? Glasses? Scissors? Something else entirely? Inquiring minds want to know! ~XOP~

Getting Ready to Go Back to Dad's

OMgoodness!  This week has been a blur.  Work has been very busy and home has been busy too.  DD2 leaves for NC a week from Saturday.  This Friday I have to take off work and drive the 2 hours to see my dad.  We are going to go to the lawyer together.  Doesn't that sound like a lot of fun??  LOL  apparently the trust laws in Michigan have changed and now we need a lawyer to look over his trust and probably update it too.  I feel like I am on the never ending dad-go-round!!  HAHA.

I did go to quilting last night and I did get my tree top mostly done.  I just need to put the final border on it, which I am hoping I can get to tonight.  DH and I are meeting DD2 for happy hour with her work to celebrate her going off to grad school in a week.  It should be fun.  We have not met her work friends or her boss.

I feel like I am struggling to get things done. So sometimes when people ask me why I didn't get  "X" done I get a little testy.  Why?  I think sometimes people forget that I work at a job, away from my home 5 days a week.  I get up at 5am, leave the house at 6 am work from 6:30-3pm.  Get home, between 3:30 and 4 depending on traffic and potential stops for errands.  Two days a week, at least I am at the gym, 1 hour on Monday and 2 on Tuesday and then 2 on Saturday, sometimes more days if I feel like I need to.  Then there is that pesky cooking, cleaning, laundry, kids, pets, family, friends and husband that all need my attention before I even get a chance to *think* about sewing.  Now that it's nice weather, there is additional cleaning, outside yard work, blah, blah, blah.

So the next time someone wonders why I didn't get (fill in the blank here) done, please think before you ask me that question.  I'm working as hard and as much as I can.  I don't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours as it is!  Maybe this will get better when I finally get to retire.  I sure hope so.  I have so much creativity in my head.  For now it will just have to be patient and bide it's time.  It's NOT a competition to see who gets the most done for yourself or someone else.  I sew for FUN and because I need to get the stuff out of my head, (but mostly for fun).

As I was sitting down the other night my cat, Mosen, decided he needed a little kitty lovin' and jumped onto my lap.  I gave him a good pettin' and in return he purred his heart out.  Cats are so relaxing!  He also gave me a liberal sprinkling of his black and white fur all over my clothes, sigh.  Thanks, Mosen!  I grabbed my phone and, looking down at my lap, snapped this photo of him.

He's my cat that says "mama" to get my attention!  In case you missed it you can watch and listen to it here:

On another note, our peacock, Blu, had his surgery on his ankle joint yesterday. He is home, eating and drinking. They removed a hard mass, which they thought came from an infection he had in the joint. There was some major tendon damage so the vet is not sure he will use his leg when he gets better, but really,only time will tell. They are culturing the fluid from the joint and will see what they find!

OK, off to the eye doctor, then happy hour (no alcohol for me so I can finish the quilt tonight!!) then home. I will let you know if I learn something about the MI laws when it comes to trusts.

Some Goodies For Sale

I don't know about you but in the past I had lots of crafty hobbies until I settled into quilting.  One of them was counted cross stitch.  I can't even begin to tell you how many patterns I have and many that I have never made.  I came across some recently and thought maybe someone else might enjoy them so I am putting a few up for sale here.  If you are interested please email me and we can work out the details.  Remember that they are used so they are not in "mint " condition.  OK here goes:

First up, Liberty Sampler $2.50

For the Love of Crossstitch Magazine. It includes this Noah's ark towel pattern and the towel with all the Noah's arks on it and a place to stitch the pattern. $5.00

Two Fanci That patterns full of adorable necklaces to cross stitch $5 for both

 

Cinnamon Stick Christmas $2.50 SOLD

Primitive Bird with fabric $2.00

As I was trying to do some work on the computer last night Jack came up and layed down right next to me. How do cats do that? They can sleep anywhere can't they? He looked so cute I just had to share with you.

I wish I could fall asleep so quickly! He is the sweetest cat ever!

I have another swap to share with you but will wait until tomorrow. I bought some more vintage sheets and pillowcases and need to show you those too but I didn't take any photos of them yet. I will try to do that when I get home so I can share that haul with you as well.

I made an appointment to go and see a lawyer with my dad (again) on Friday. We had to postpone the other one due to his surgery. I sent him a list of all the paperwork he will need to bring to make a new trust, will etc so hopefully we will be on the way to getting that done soon!!

Have a great day and we will talk again tomorrow. Love to hear how your weekend went and what you worked on too. Also if you have done a trust how you found getting that done. ~XOP~

We Clean Up Pretty Good

I told you that I would show you what my sewing room cleans up and looks like didn't I? It is really my living room but is usually covered in my sewing stuff. If I stand by the front door and look to the right and then to the left this is the view.

I have this fabulous marble top table and I usually cover it with my DH's Santa collection.


Then last night I walked into the room as I was heading up to bed and happened to see Hallie under the tree. It was night time and I thought I would try the night time picture mode on my newly fixed camera to take a photo to share with you all. Isn't she cute?

Look at that old tree skirt would ya? I made it when I was first married and had no idea how to do quilting, so it was tied. The fabrics are kind of old but I still like it. I really should make an updated one. Maybe it will be on my list for next year!

I got my Origins Plus quilt back from LTW today but no time to take a pic. I dropped my Bernina off for a cleaning and tune up today too. I managed to get some Origins for the binding on the quilt while I was dropping it off. Then I went to the gym for Body Pump. Came home, ate the bean soup I made yesterday and baked some chocolate chip brownie thingies for the Quilter's party tomorrow night. I need to get a small gift for the party tomorrow, so will probably stop at JAF on the way home to do so.

For now I need to get into bed before I drop. Have a good evening.
XOP

One More Day

That's right, just one more day and I will have blogged for 30 days straight. I'm glad I did it but I think I may take a break. It's difficult to keep coming up with things to blog about that others might find interesting.

I went to the grocery store on the way home so when I got home it was too dark to take the photos I wanted to put up today so you all will have to wait until tomorrow. HA at least that ensures there will be some photos for tomorrows post.

I want a photo of the table runner I made for my swap partner before I put it in the mail so that won't actually get mailed out until Wed. I hope she will love it.

So I will leave you dreaming on like Jack here, about what you will get to see tomorrow! Have a good evening. XOP

Gardening with my Friends

I have needed to get out in the garden for so long now and beat the weeds under control but it has been so wet out that I haven't been able to do anything lately. Yesterday I finally had a nice sunny day and also some great helpers (or at least one really good helper). DD2 happened to come home and told me she would help me weed (not a job anyone else will help me to do) so we gloved up and went out in the front yard first. I didn't get any before pictures but trust me it needed to be weeded! As we were weeding we saw this beauty, just hanging out on a bush.

It was beautiful and about as big as my hand! It stayed there quite awhile. We also saw a million toads! We were moving the rocks and re-doing them as the grass grows between them and they sink in so every spring I pull the grass and move them around a bit. I didn't think to take any pics of the toads either, or the billion wolf spiders with their egg sacs (you're welcome). DD2 decided to work under some of the bushes moving rocks around.

Nice shot of her by our Mustang.
The BIGGEST helper though was Hallie. She was the Hosta inspector first.

Next she made a wonderful look out cat.

Followed by some very patient weed flattening. A difficult job to be sure.

I have more gardening adventures planned for today. I need to take advantage of the sunshine and lack of rain while I can.