WIP Wednesday

I have a couple of bee blocks that I need to do.  I finally got started on them last night. 

 I got the individual components done, now I just need to assemble and then pop them in the mail!

I don't think they will look a lot different once they are finished,

 but will show them to you once I get them sewn. 

 I am not sure they will stay like this though!  LOL.  Love to play with them. 

 Some of the other bee members mixed prints in 

but I found that I really loved them made up with all solids.  I think it really shows the arrows off.

Linking up over at Lee's blog too.

What are you working on?

~XOP~

The Bridal Shower

The bridal shower went off without a hitch.  I thought I would share a few photos with you all. 

 It was also my birthday!  My sweet SIL made me some cupcakes so I could celebrate a little too.  

My even sweeter hubby planned an entire day of celebration that

 I will share with you all a little later in the week.

Notice the cupcakes say Happy Birthday Pam on them individually.  In chocolate!

Hydrangeas from the garden and this cute little swag with some photos.

Setting things up.  MOTB in the coral sweater with the bride-to-be next to her. 

 We hung photos from balloons around the room too.

My SIL, Julie, showing the pop she got with 

the names of the bride on one and the groom on the other.  

Such great attention to detail! 

 Good job Julie!

Julie and I did the game prizes.  Movie baskets and pedicure in a jar, jars.  

We also had a china plate that I had everyone write well wishes on 

for Ashley to remember her shower.

My SIL, Jackie, had her sister make the cupcakes (for the shower and mine). 

 She also decorated the desert table, so cute!

Two of the great aunts and one aunt (Julie)

Terrible photo, but you can see Ashley in the center opening some gifts, 

with her bridesmaids on either side.

One more quick look at the gifts I made.  A set of dish towels.

The whole ensam.  Two pot holders, oven mitts and dish towels, a trivet and a casserole dish with their last name painted on the bottom.  

The front of the trivet

And the back of the trivet.  Love me some ric rac!

It was a beautiful day and such a joy to share in celebrating Ashley's upcoming wedding.

Birthday celebration coming up soon!

~XOP~

Shower Prep

I managed to finish most of the things I wanted to do for the shower.  It is today.  

My birthday is also today.  

Not exactly how I would have chosen to spend my birthday, but we don't always get to choose.  Hubby and I will have celebrated on Friday.  More on that later.

I was prepping the shower favors.  I decided to make sugar scrub for the favors. 

 I had a friend print labels for the jar lids, and found the cutest ribbon (it says Happily Ever After)

 and all that was left was to make the scrub.  This photo was at the tail end of the making. 

 I used approximately 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of softened Coconut oil per batch plus some essential oil.  I used three different oils.  

Lavender and Tea Tree, a Citrus blend, and Jasmine.  I liked the citrus one the best. 

 The Jasmine was very nice, but very strong and I would have liked the Lavender better without the Tea Tree scent.  Just combine in a bowl and mix.  

I then packed it into the jars and put a lid and bow on it.

I found this adorable ribbon at Michaels but ended up using a little dab of Super Glue on the back side to keep the ribbon from slipping as I tied all the bows.

I had seen this really cute idea of using china markers to write on a plate/platter as a keepsake for the shower.  I picked up the marker set at Michaels and bought a plain white plate.  

Once everyone has signed or written their well wishes on the plate it will need to bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes to make it permanent.

I decided to add a few hearts.  I also made some "Pedicure in a Jar" jars.  

Again, printed out some labels, and used some pint jars that I had. 

 Included inside were, individually packaged foot soak, a pumice stone, a nail clipper, toe separators, nail polish and top coat.  I filled up the jar using Dove salted caramel candy, then tied the same ribbon around the outside to finish them off.

I printed out photos of the bride and groom to be and taped them together. 

 I will put a hole in the top and hang them from helium filled balloons over the food table or maybe over the center of our tables.  

I don't know what our venue looks like so will have to decide when we get there.  

I will take a lot of photos so you can see how it all turns out.

Enjoy your weekend!!

~XOP~

Of Oven Mitts and Pot Holders

I am trying something new. 

 I got a bee in my bonnet and decided that I wanted to try to make some 

pot holders and some oven mitts. 

I posted these on IG and someone commented that I was good at everything I try.  

OMG, I laughed so hard at that!  Please do NOT look closely at these as they are far from perfect.  

I hope to get better at this!  

 I have a few more things on my list but those were the first up.  

I Googled some pot holder tutorials and settled on this one.  

I think the Vintage Modern fabric drew me in, it's so adorable!  

The pattern was relatively easy although making bias for enclosing the seams was a pain.  

There were not clear directions about how to end the binding either, but I figured it out.  

I am making all these things for a bridal shower that I am co-hosting with all my SIL for our niece.

I love the colors and hope she does too.

As usual, Autumn was "helping" me.

Then on Monday I wanted to make the oven mitts.  I used this pattern right here.  

Although, the directions on how to put on the bias binding were pretty much non-exsistent. 

 I think I will take some photos and post how I did that at a later date.  

First I had to quilt the fabric for the mitts.  I decided to go with a diagonal cross hatch. 

 I put a piece of tape down so I had a straight line to follow.  

Then I used the walking foot guide thingy to do my straight lines.

I managed to get 2 and a half done before I ran out of thread!  Awe, NUTS!  

I had to run to JAF for more thread.

One kind of cool thing while I was at JAF.  I spotted the magazine I am in on the shelf!

I came home, had dinner and then back up to the sewing room.  

I was kind of crabby (like Crabby Appleton), so hiding away and sewing was probably for the best.

I got a ticket for turning right on a red (I thought it was a timed deal like by my house), then the IRS sent me a letter telling me they think I owe them a few hundred more dollars, and I ran out of thread.

Yeah, it was *that* kind of day.

At the end of the day though, as a good friend pointed out, at least I could see.  

Another dear friend is undergoing chemo, so I am thankful that I am healthy. 

 It is wonderful that my friend kept my pity party of one from getting too absurd. 

 Perspective is important. 

 ALWAYS.  

I did manage to get one oven mitt finished!  

Look, I made the lower peninsula of Michigan!!!

Autumn and I were exhausted!  I still have one more mitt to make. 

 I would like to experiment with making a trivet too.  I have an idea and will share soon. 

 For tonight though, bed!

~XOP~

Happy Fourth of July (a little late)

I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. 

 We went to Austin Lake to celebrate with my husbands gigantic family! 

 There was a lot of good food, good conversation and even a boat ride with my sweet husband.  

I think it may be one of the only times I have been out on our boat with him. 

 Maybe once before.  Mostly he uses it for fishing.  

That's our boat in the foreground.

I even managed to snap a photo of my nephew with his incredibly adorable daughter,

 and my son with our dog, Abbey.

 Here is a view looking back toward the house

I managed to capture Abbey on the dock.  I was going out to get on the boat, and she waned to ride.

This shows some of the fam relaxing.  It's a fun group!

All in all a very relaxing day spent with family.  How did you spend your holiday?

~XOP~

Lizzy House Mini Quilt Swap

I'm not sure how it happened but I got yet another amazing mini quilt from the last round of swapping!

I made this quilt to send away to my partner and I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

My outgoing pack looked like this.  I included a charm pack of all the Pearl Bracelets too.

This is the incredibly amazing quilt I received in return for the one I sent!  Can you believe it?  

I especially love the alley cat in the bottom right corner.  See how it looks like he is missing an ear?  It is really there, just a darker gray like the background.  Cute though.  

Even an orange one just like my Jack!

She also sent some tissue, an adorable cat note book and cat Washi tape. 

 I think I made out like a bandit!  Such a beautiful quilt.  

It is hanging on the wall in my sewing room even as I type this.  

Just look at all that Lizzy House gorgeousness!!!

The back was made with this wonderful green Hello Pilgrim fabric, so lush. 

 She even used LH fabric for the label.  

Thanks Megan, for sending me such an amazing mini quilt.  I just adore it!

~XOP~

Weekend Happenings

I can't believe how far behind I am with blogging.  So sorry, but will take a few days to catch up.

Two weekends ago was my niece's graduation party.  

It poured down rain!  

The food was excellent and I got to give her the quilt I made her for graduation.  

Here she is with the quilt.  I am pretty sure she liked it!

She is the one that everyone has called "Dora" her whole life as 

she kind of looks like Dora the Explorer.  I put Dora on the quilt label too!  How could I not?

On Sunday I was back in my quilting room working on this lovely Sea Glass quilt.  

I am loving how it is coming along, but I still have 6 more rows to sew before the top is finished!

Autumn was checking it out, making sure I got the colors placed correctly.  

Thanks Autumn.

I have 10 of the 16 rows sewn and the first 6 rows are even sewn to each other!

I am not sure if you remember but I had to take EVERYTHING out of my closet 

for the ceiling fan installation a few months ago.  T

hey were supposed to install a second fan in the other bedroom 

(which also required access to the attic hole in my closet) but since that is looking less and less likely, I went ahead and put the closet back together. 

 I did some massive rearranging and was able to (mostly) put my B & C fabric all in one place.

Oh look, there is my kitty quilt on the wall under those shelves!  Now, whenever I look into the closet from my sewing machine I can see it!

More catching up to come soon!

~XOP~