The Sunflower Crafter

The Holiday Planning Binder!

2011-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

Check out my guest post and tutorial over at The Project Girl.

I absolutely love this Christmas Fabric called Holly Jolly by Jen Allyson of My Minds Eye for Riley Blake. The Gray Damask is lovely enough to use year round yet adds a touch of class to the Holidays.

Keep checking back because I will be posting more binder cover options here at The Sunflower Crafter.

The Project Girl, 2011 UFO Challenge and "The Big Dig"

2011-09-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to announce that I have been chosen to be on "The Project Girl Contributor Team!!!" Starting in October you can find me (and 6 other fabulous ladies) at The Project Girl blog sharing some great projects, tips, inspiration and craftiness. Below is a sneak peak at my first project... Holly Jolly by Jen Allyson of My Minds Eye for Riley Blake.

Speaking of projects.... I finally got a start on my craft room (husband calls it the crap room). Talk about a work in progress. One of the first things I wanted to accomplish is to get my computer and printer set up in the room. This way it forces me to enter the room and work on it a little each day. I think I filled up 3 large trash bags of just trash that had accumulated in the room. Then I pulled out all the empty boxes. My first idea was to box everything up and move it out of the room to paint but I found that I was just jumbling up the room instead. So this project is being called "The Big Dig." I am digging through the stack of stuff (crap) that has accumulated in the center of the room. I am tossing stuff that I don't need, donating stuff that is usable and not feeling guilty for the years it has sat untouched.

I also finished a UFO this last month and finally got a picture of it. This is my 30's Brown and Teal lap quilt. Just in time to start the decorating for fall.

Fall is just around the corner...

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I love the crisp fall weather, the smell of baking with fall spices and of course nightly fires in the wood stove. But this also means the Holiday season is upon us. School has started, Halloween is only weeks away, yikes! I have to have a plan in order to make it work so I am posting this plan hoping it will keep me on task. :) (I will be sharing a super sweet Holiday Planner soon)

September will be simple gifts, pot holders, cloth napkins and simple half aprons that are easy and quick to make. They make excellent last minute gifts or hostess gifts.

In October I will make full aprons, dish towels and Kitchen Aid mixer covers. (I have a special order already for one but have yet to make the pattern.)

In November I will get started on my decorations, filling in where I left off last Christmas. New stockings are in order for myself and my cousin who recently got married and has a baby due in November.

UFO Challenge: CathyO Mystery DONE

2011-07-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting finish for me. I started this quilt back in 2009 when I was just starting to quilt. (Do you see where I am going with this...) I can really appreciate how far I have grown after working with this one!

Here are a few things that I have learned since this quilt:

The most obvious is the color combination. I still like the fabrics and the colors but just wish I had used a white or dark chocolate to contrast the blue and green.

When sewing a ton of little pieces an accurate 1/4 inch is a must.

While many will tell you to only press seams to one side, again because of all the little pieces and seams, I should have pressed everything open. (I now press most of my seams open.)
I have been trying to get all these UFO's done and out of the way so I can make new and exciting things.... I will be working on 2 more this weekend. Hopefully I will have some new pictures to share by Monday.

UFO Challenge: Dan's Quilt DONE

2011-07-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

I finished another UFO in May/June. Dan's quilt started as a sketch during one of my more boring classes when I was attending grad school. My classmate Dan thought I was crazy. I love the way it turned out. I love the colors, the design (super simple half square triangles) and the modern guy feel to it.
Again taking advantage of my Parent's ranch for the awesome pictures. I was getting tired of my backyard fence.

A June finish... Picnic Scraps

2011-07-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

I'm taking full advantage of my Parent's ranch. I love my Mom's swing as a picture prop. This quilt was donated to the St. James Episcopal Church for their summer fundraiser. I love how it turned out and see many more in my future. In case you are wondering... the inspiration for the block came from Miss Print and this wonderful tutorial. I wanted the blocks to be big enough to see the design so I enlarged the blocks to 10.5 inches unfinished. So 4 single blocks across measure 40.5 inches. I used a thin muslin for a foundation so it was nice and sturdy. The center string consists of scraps that I sewed together and trimmed to 2 inches. The side white strings were cut to 1.5 inches. Then I just kept adding strings as usual to the sides. I finished this quilt in about a week.

I had debated using paper foundations but I like having the stability of the muslin foundation when I was piecing these big blocks together. I used Warm and Natural batting and had no problem free motion quilting this on my little Janome. I see a much larger version in my future for our queen sized bed. Lord knows I have plenty of scraps to use up...

Bags, Bags and more Bags

2011-06-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

I found some new bag patterns.....

The first bag is a hobo sling bag pattern that I found in a magazine. I love the simplicity of the pattern and how it whips up in no time. The second bag is a pattern by Kati Cupcake Pattern Co. called the Journey bag. This one is definately a keeper. The pattern has 2 sizes and both are easy to make. This one takes a little more time than the sling bag but is definately worth the time. I have more already cut and ready to sew....

My baby is still at the fix-it shop...

2011-06-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

My sewing machine finally gave out on me. I sew every day for at least an hour so she gets used a lot.... She has been having issues for a while but I kept putting it off because I had deadlines to make. Well she finally stopped and gave me the hint that she can't take anymore. She siezed up and I took her to the Dr.

And since I can't be without a machine for too long. I bought a new one to piece on. That will be another post for another day....

Some spring finishes...

2011-06-02T10:38:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you are having fun. Spring has not shown its true self for sometime here in California and to be honest I am getting a little frustrated with it. I want cool mornings with sunshine. I want to wear shorts and flip-flops. I want to eat BBQ and fresh veggies from the garden. Instead its raining, day after day after day. On the positive side... I have not had to water my lawn or garden in weeks.

This baby quilt was sent to my Cousin Olivia in Wisconsin. She just had a baby girl named Nora. I love the look of this little Irish chain quilt. I used all pink scraps and a dark brown polka dot inner border. I backed it with some vintage pink fabric my grandmother gave me a few weeks ago. Feels good to have it done and in use already.

On the fence...

2011-04-15T12:59:00.000-07:00

To buy EQ7 or not to buy EQ7 that is the question.

For those of you who have EQ7 (or 5-6) what is one thing that you can think of that would help sway me to purchase it. What is that one function you have found you can't live without?

For those of you who do not have EQ7, what has stopped you from purchasing it?

I design quilts by sketching them out on graph paper but have found the process a little time consuming if I want/need to change anything about the design. Which happens a lot! My designs are constantly changing or evolving. I'm an accountant by trade so the math is not a big deal to me; however, it would be nice to have it done for me for a change. ;)

Check out the fabulous Doll Quilt that was sent to me this week...

Lexis from Washington DC sent this blue beauty to me along with some thread, a yoyo maker, a fat quarter and an Odyssea charm pack!

Keeping it Real.

2011-04-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Just keeping it real.... Notice the stacks of projects I have to move if I want to press. This is how it looks right now in my master bedroom. Yes that's correct, I sew in my bedroom even though I have a sewing room next door. Right now I can not even walk into that room. (hanging head in shame) My dear husband has given me until May 10th to get it together and back into the sewing room. I'm not sure I have the drive to get it done.

I have been really busy with work and in my spare time, I'm trying desperately to finish this quilt. It is for a friend who recently got married. I won't see her again until June so by then it has to be done. I wasn't so sure about it but it is growing on me. I love the scrappiness of it and how the vintage fabrics actually play nice with the modern fabrics. I'm thinking another one will be on the list of charity quilts to make using any and all scrap fabrics. I can't wait to free motion big flowers in the white blocks. Now I just wish there was enough time in the day to get it all done....

Storm damage

2011-03-30T14:06:00.001-07:00

Storm damage
Originally uploaded by melodylynn128

While I have been on a short (okay long) break from blogging.... We have been having fun cleaning up after the storms that hit Northern California this last week. This tree basically missed the backyard fence and only damaged the top of one board. We were soooo lucky. Our house however was not so lucky. The roof was leaking. Really leaking. I have contractors working on the stituation right now. I will post about that tomorrow.

Oh and yes I have been sewing. Maybe this weekend I can catch up blogging on those projects.

Funny Farm Part 3

2011-02-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Finally its Sunday and the weekend is almost over. My Brother, Jared and Sister-in-Law, Betsey, come to help me feed the cows in the pasture. This is the feed truck stuck in the mud. My Brother was driving not me! Betsey was not amused.

Jared walks back to the yard and starts up the backhoe. We load the last bale intended for the bull field and use the backhoe to feed.

Here is Jared hooking up the tow strap to tow the feed truck back to the barn. We got so much rain Saturday night that parts of the pasture were like soup. You can't really see it but it is raining, more like a drizzle, the whole time we are trying to feed. Not much fun...

So after this we decided to head back into town and Jared cooked us girls waffles for breakfast! Thanks Stu! (Stu is his nickname)

I have many more photos but these were the highlights of the weekend. Let's just say that I was glad that my Parents made it back Monday afternoon with their new addition "Hank" and nothing died. :)

Funny Farm Part 2

2011-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:00

Meet Toro. Yes that is the back door. He likes to look into the house and suck on the door knob...
When I head back to the Funny Farm on Saturday evening I have the usual chores of feeding the calf and dogs but also collecting the eggs. The girls were productive today and there were 9 eggs!

So back into the house to mix Toro's bottle. The new style of bottles are larger and have nifty screw on nipples. Let's just say the old style nipple is a pain to get on the bottle and you end up wearing half the bottle trying. And calfmana smells terrible! Notice the little bag of minerals in the back. Just like a human baby, calves receive so many different vitamins and trace minerals from their mother's milk. So it is very important that these vitamins and trace minerals get into the formula somehow. Mom supplements Toro's formula daily. (And yes that is the large batter bowl from Pampered Chef.... Doesn't everyone mix their calf formula in a Pampered Chef batter bowl?)
So back to Toro.... I go outside bottle in hand and call for the sweet little baby. No answer, no little clicking of his hooves on the sidewalk. I wait a few more seconds then grab a flashlight. I begin to panic and search the yard, he is no where to be found. Its really dark now.

Call again, from the distance a hear something. Darn he got out of the yard and into the front field. I think it happened when Mike came for JoJo the horse. Toro finally spots the flashlight and comes running to the gate. Poor guy he was starving and in a place he did not know.

So as I am letting him in the gate to the yard... Ginger escapes AGAIN! Really??? The dog really knows how to test me. So I feed the poor starving, wet and cold baby calf and wait for the darn dog to come back to the gate.

Fast forward to 10:30 pm, as I am laying in bed I start to here the pinging of the rain on the tin roof of the shop.... Great.

Next time my Parents are gone my Brother gets to stay here!!!

Funny Farm Part 1

2011-02-04T11:00:00.000-08:00

Because this weekend seemed to go on forever... I have broke the story up into parts.

This last weekend my parents drove from Northern, California to Deer Lodge, Montana to pick up their new dog "Hank." So while they were away I stayed overnight at the ranch so the animals' schedules did not change. I must say that this was quite an experience for me. Now I grew up with cattle and dogs but Mom and Dad did not get the chickens and the horse until after we left the ranch. Its funny that the chickens are the ones that kind of freak me out. Dad has 30 egg laying hens and one large rooster in a coop that we call the palace. They have a yard and a side yard (because one yard isn't enough for all his girls).

However the chickens were the least of my worries. The first night was fine, all went as planned. I was a little cold and their bed is a little hard but okay I made it. 7:30 am and I hear my friend Toro waking up. Toro is my Mom's bottle calf that lives in the yard. He gets a bottle morning and night. But when I go outside to feed Toro I notice something out of the corner of my eye... Jojo.

The gate is wide open to the front pasture and in the yard is the horse (Jojo) and three yearling heifers. Jojo was in no mood to get caught and continued to browse the very tall green grass behind the chicken coop. 30 minutes later and phone call to the husband, who was at the pond hunting ducks, the critters are back in their field. Here they are enjoying their hay after a morning in the front yard! The little black calf in the left corner is Charlie. Charlie was a bottle calf this fall and has graduated to the front field.

Then Ginger escapes. Ginger is my Mom's yellow lab that does not listen to anyone. She jumps the fence and bugs the guys at the pond. Finally some coaxing and a couple dog treats she's back in the yard and in the kennel. Ginger is the red one in the corner. Lacey is the old white dog.

Okay this is good its 9:00 am. Wait I haven't had my coffee yet! Then our friend Mike shows up to borrow Jojo for the weekend. I tell him good luck, I haven't been able to get close to her in two days. Somehow he gets her cornered and caught. So one less critter to worry about and I go home to try and get something done....

Design Wall Monday

2011-01-31T08:30:00.000-08:00

This is the begining of my Scrappy green Irish Chain. The squares are 2.5 and the blocks are 10.5/10 inches finished. I have 3 of the 9 rows together and on my wall. I am really enjoying this quilt. I am starting another one that will be completely scrappy for an April wedding gift. I wanted to make the green one first to make sure that I would enjoy the process and the finished quilt. I love the fact that the blocks finish at 10 in. so it makes the math super easy.

I might actually get this one done before March.

Sunday Stash Report #5

2011-01-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

This week I have not worked on anything remotely quilt related. My work space and design wall have not been touched. In a way this is good as I have not had the chance to add anything to the stash. It is really bad that I have some major sewing related deadlines coming up. Yikes! I will have to sew every night this next week and all next weekend. This weekend I have been busy and I will tell you all about it this next week..... But until then here is my report.

Used this week: 0

Used Y-T-D: 10.86

Added this week: 0

Added Y-T-D: 30.24

Net used in 2011: -19.382

Lily the sunbathing weiner dog....

2011-01-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

Like Judy L's Speck, Lily loves to follow the sun. Here she is with all her toys. When its not sunny you can find her burrowed between two big dog beds or snuggling with her big dog friend Sugar our yellow Lab. Lucky for Lily we live in most of the time sunny California!

Sunday Stash #4 (one day late)

2011-01-24T11:26:00.000-08:00

This is my first attempt at a Valentine's Day quilt. I finished it last year and it now graces my Husband's chair. It will stay there until after Valentine's Day and will be replaced with my scrappy green double Irish chain quilt. Note all the pink.... I hate pink but for some reason this quilt is OK for me. The husband and the weiner dog love it. Anyway back to the stash report...Not much sewing this week. I worked on a few projects but nothing really looks done. Good news is I have not added anything this week! Which means my numbers are the same as last week.

Used this week: 0

Used y-t-d: 10.86

Added this week: 0

Added y-t-d: 30.24

Net used for 2011: -19.382

It would be nice to be in the black sometime this year :(

Check out the blog list to see who is busted the most this year! Tiny hint... it sure isn't me!

Sunday Stash #3 (a few days late)

2011-01-18T11:12:00.001-08:00

This should be me hiding instead of Lily the weiner dog. Lily likes to sleep burrowed in between two large dog beds. When she wants to watch me sew or watch me walk about the room, she sticks her head out like this.

Anyway back to my purchases this last week:

I knew that I needed to purchase some background white-on-white for the scrappy Irish chain quilt I am making for a friends wedding gift, but ..... Yes the "but". I had to buy some valentine's day fabric too once I saw Giddy by Sandy Gervais for Moda. Once I had my hands on it, I was done. So here are my numbers for last week....

Used this week: 0.44
Used y-t-d: 10.86
Added this week: 18.379
Added y-t-d: 30.24
Net used for 2011: -19.382

The 18.379 includes 4 yards of WOW and 5 yards of muslin. Although these purchases are "legal" purchases, I feel compelled to report them so I have an accurate count of "ins & outs".

Sunday Stash #2

2011-01-09T20:27:00.000-08:00

So this week I dug into the stash a little bit more and cut up a bunch of greens for a scrappy green double Irish quilt. Then I finished my tree skirt started in 2009 pictured above. So the stash totals this week are:

Used this week: 7.94

Used y-t-d: 10.42

Added this week: 0

Added y-t-d: 11.86

Net used for 2011: -1.441

Maybe next week I will be in the black....

Scrappy Blue Flowers DONE

2011-01-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

My first finish for the UFO Challenge. There are a few things I want to mention about this little quilt. First, the whole quilt is from my stash. The backing fabric was gifted to me from my Grandmother this summer. She was cleaning out her hall closets and came across a bunch of fabric. This fabric still had the original tags stapled to it from Demas' Department Store which was located in downtown Lincoln. My Grandmother managed this store when I was little. Demas' was the only place in town where you could purchase clothing, fabric, notions, shoes and many other odds and ends. I spent many hours there with my Mom and Grandmother and brings back many wonderful memories of Pete and Ellie Demas.

The next thing I want to mention is the binding (again gifted to me from my Grandmother from Demas' Dept. Store). I tried a new technique in machine stitching the binding. I attached it to the back of the quilt and then top stitched it down on the front. I like this method for quilts that will be used or washed frequently. My only regret is that I should have used a matching thread color. Oh well....

My Official 2011 UFO Challenge List

2011-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Judy L has asked us to make a list and number the UFO’s 1-12, my list is located in a seperate page here on the blog. The first number picked for the month of January was number 6.

6. Blue scrappy flowers (flimsy) January

As I finish the first 12 I will work on the second list. If I finish the current month’s UFO with at least 2 weeks to spare, I will start and try to complete a second UFO from the second list. When UFO is finished I will scratch it off the list!

Sunday Stash Report #1

2011-01-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

Lily the red weiner dog with the sad puppy dog eyes...

To help keep myself on track with not buying needless fabric... I will be reporting my weekly stash busting efforts. As you can see with this weeks report, I am not doing so well. But I did purchase the fabric with projects in mind, mainly I purchased binding fabrics and a red to finish the Roll, Roll Cotton Boll mystery by Bonnie Hunter.

Used this week: 2.48
Used year to date: 2.48
Added this week: 11.86
Added year to date: 11.86
Net used for 2011: -9.383

PS: Using the end of year sale and coupons at Joann's I saved over $62 on my $75 purchase including batting at 60% off.

Something new for 2011

2010-12-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

This year I will focus on completing projects.

Not just new projects that I start in the New Year but projects that I have already started. Many things work against me in this goal; one, that I am the world’s biggest procrastinator. (There I said it…. But it doesn’t make me feel any better.) Two, I have yet to clean out or establish any sort of order in my sewing rooms. Yes, rooms. I have made such a mess of my sewing room that I have expanded (exploded) into our bedroom. See above picture of the mess in my bedroom ;)

My modes of inspiration and encouragement will come from two online places; Patchwork Times by Judy L and Stashbuster’s yahoo group. Both are hosting 2011 UFO Challenges. By participating in one, I can easily qualify for the other. The big question is, can I commit to it and finish it?

When finishing these said UFO’s I will be trying out a “no buy” on fabric. I will however be able to purchase some neutral backgrounds, solids, backing and binding fabric, but only fabric to complete the UFO currently being worked on/finished. I must shop my stash first before going to the store.

I can only start something new after I have finished two UFO’s. Finishing includes machine quilting, binding and label. (I have a huge habit of starting and bagging projects, right now I am close to running out of bags, should be a clear warning sign but somehow I keep missing the signs...)

Cue the song (Tesla version) “Oh, Signs, Signs, everywhere there’s signs, blocking up the scenery breaking my mind, do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?”

The best intentions....

2010-12-28T14:21:00.001-08:00

Sometimes go without happening. In my case my best intentions for a homemade Christmas were a bust. So I am leaving the Christmas countdown header to remind us of what is ahead. The pictures above are gifts that I did manage to make.

While looking back I think of the highs and lows of 2010. Highs - Finishing grad school and walking across that stage, my brother's wedding, Graham coming home for Thanksgiving, Uncle Jim, Savannah and Tiffany visiting twice! Lows - Grandpa's health, Brian's dad's health, losing Amos to cancer RIP my furry friend.

So here is to a Happy and Healthy 2011.

I have lots of great plans for the New Year starting with a couple of challenges to complete things from the past and get on with the future! I will be posting these new and exciting things starting New Years Eve.

Handmade Holidays 2010... My Challenge.

2010-12-01T09:15:00.000-08:00

This year I fully intend to make everything I need from gifts to decorations for Christmas. There are so many wonderful free patterns and tutorials that I don't even need to spend money on patterns. I have tons of fabric but not a lot of time.

From Aprons to bags to purses to kitchen acccessories to book covers.... do you see my dilema now??? How do I organize myself so that I can accomplish this handmade holiday without killing myself or my husband???

Then I have a list of must have holiday decorations such as holiday buntings, new stockings to hang by the fireplace and the dogbed makeovers....

As of today there are 24 days until Christmas. I have a gift list of at least 12 people as of today. That gives me at least two days per person to get it all done! Yikes.

Things I'm working on...

2010-10-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have been working on lots of things lately. I have an ever growing list of things I want to make and I need to force myself into making a list of what I need to make. Because we all know what we want is not always what we need.... These are some fall pillows that I finished this weekend. I hand embroidered the center blocks and just added strips around them. I then practiced my free motion quilting. Feels good to get somethings done in one day.

Family happenings...

2010-09-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

What a roller coaster ride September has been... A report on Grandpa: he is home now resting and recovering in his own house. Yay!

A couple weekends ago I attended the bridal shower of my Sister-in-law to be. I have been slaving away on a quilt for her for the last few months. It is still not finished but I did have it done enough to present it to her at the shower, then bashfully take it back to finish it. It is called Deep Blue Sea and was designed by Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt and is available as a free tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop.

This is a picture of me with my Cousin Ashley. It seems like yesterday that I was changing her diapers, now we share glasses of champagne. Boy do I feel old!

Grandparents Day

2010-09-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart. ~Author Unknown

My Brother and I spent last evening with our Grandfather, Marshall, who is in the hospital. Last night he was telling us funny stories, swapping information on cholesterol points and telling bad jokes to every nurse who came in to check on him. Today he is in surgery to unblock all those clogged arteries that have kept him in his chair and out of the sunlight. It has been 19 years since his first by-pass surgery and we have cherished everyday of that 19 years.

He has been able to see us grand kids graduate high school, and our first round of college. He partied the night away at my wedding 4 years ago. He will miss my second graduation this Saturday but we hope he will be at my Brother's wedding in 4 weeks. Even if we have to wheel him down the isle in a wheelchair, he will be there.

So to Dr. Longoria and his wonderful surgery team, "work your magic!" And to Grandpa Marshall we will see you roaming the ranch soon..... We love you.

The Hive Virtual Quilting Bee Quilt

2010-09-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

Finally Finished!

I started off the Hive Virtual Quilting Bee back in May with Kristi's very pink quilt. I am glad to say that it is finished.

I even finished the binding with my machine. I still need some practicing but I loved that it only took me a couple of hours instead of days. I used a great tutorial video by Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara.

You can see that I also broke out of my comfort zone on the quilting and quilted large free motion flowers instead of stippling. I love the affect it has on the back of the quilt. I will definately be using this one again.

4:30 am I think I have a problem...

2010-09-05T04:37:00.000-07:00

It is 4:30 am. The husband left at 4 am to go fishing and I can't sleep because I have to finish this monster by next weekend. This is Deep Blue Sea for Betsey and Jared. My brother is getting married October 9th to a wonderful girl named Betsey. Her bridal shower is next Sunday and I am having a panic attack that I will not be able to finish this in time.... So here I am at 4:30 am adding the final borders and attempting to get this basted so I can quilt it all this week.

The pattern can be found on Moda Bakeshop and was designed by Natalia Bonner of Piece N Quilt fame. By the time I started this monster I could no longer get most of the fabric Nautical and Nice. So after finding the panel and some coordinating fabrics I think it works. It has been a while since I attempted such a large quilt. I am already dreading the quilting process...

Santorini Baby Quilt

2010-09-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

Say Hello to Santorini Baby. This was a fun pattern by Katie Cupcake called Vintage Baby. This little quilt is for sale....

I love the Santorini fabric line and I love the pattern however I am not in love with this quilt. I think it is a little to busy for me, plus my dislike of the color pink plays a role. But I know that someone will love this little beauty. It is a baby quilt that would be perfect for a stroller quilt, play matt or for the crib.

August Finishes for The Hive

2010-08-31T17:00:00.000-07:00

Kristin is making a fun Alice in Wonderland themed quilt for her Dance Studio fundraiser. I loved this fabric. I couldn't resist making a classic card trick block with the blue card fabric. I can't wait to see this quilt finished. The long white random blocks are for the dancers to sign their names.

Flirty Apron Swap

2010-08-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

I registered for another swap the other day.... This one is a Flirty Apron swap hosted by Shawnee. The theme is Back to the Future! The movie trilogy is one of my favorites. I remember going to see them in the theater. Now I just have to figure out what kind of apron I am going to make.... Any suggestions or links to cool apron tutorials?

Kristi's Very Pink Quilt

2010-07-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

May was my month for "The Hive" Quilting Bee. I wanted pink string blocks with a brown stripe down the center. I received many great blocks from the bee and here is the quilt in progress...

I raw edged appliqued the words "sweet" and "sassy" because this quilt is for my co-worker's daughter Kristi who is both sweet and sassy. Kristi graduated from high school in June and is off to college next month. I have quilted it with light pink thread but I have yet to get it bound. Maybe this weekend....

June Finishes

2010-07-12T12:14:00.001-07:00

Here are my three June finishes.

I finished the Savanah quilt for my baby (she's 3 1/2 years old) cousin Savanah who lives in Scottsdale AZ. Savanah and I represent the youngest, at 3 1/2 and oldest, at 32 1/2 of the cousins on my Mom's side of the family. Savanah and her Daddy, my Uncle Jim, came to visit us in California this last week. On Sunday we celebrated my Uncle's 50th birthday. Lots of family, friends and good food out at the ranch. Next we have the Hunky Dory Baby Quilt. This was an easy finish for my Grandma's neighbor who recently had a baby girl. I used natural colored linen as the sashing.

The third quilt I got done in the begining of June but kept forgetting to take pictures of it.... This is the OZ quilt. I still need to get it to its owners in Chico, CA. Our good friends Bob and Emily were married in April of this year and we did not make it to their wedding ;( but I did manage to get this beauty finished in the same year!

Modify Tradition Swap and June Happenings

2010-06-22T12:40:00.001-07:00

My modify traditions quilt is finished and on its way to its new home. I really enjoyed working on this small quilt. Below is my quilt bee blocks that I received and are now on my design wall.

This block is for Lisa and her June block request for our bee. I made a few more but this one is by far my favorite. I think I will use the pattern again for a pillow or two ;)

Memorial Day: camping and organizing...

2010-05-27T14:30:00.000-07:00

What is a girl to do for three days without her sewing machine? This girl plans to organize her quilting thoughts and get them on paper. I have tons of ideas floating in my head and I rarely have the time to properly get them on paper. I have searched the Internet/blog land for some worksheet help but to no avail... I really do not want to "re-create the wheel" but looks like I might have to.

I am looking for a worksheet of sorts to attach to my sketches where I can add things like the pattern name, the size options, who it would be for and their information. You see I have been planning to make my classmates lap quilts for graduation. We have been together for over a year in our MBA program and will finish in September. Yep September, and that means I have about three months to make ten quilts. I will be making them scrappy from what ever fabrics I have in my stash but I have to have some sort of organization to make this work.

Do any of you organized quilters use such a thing? Are you a planner or do you just wing it? I am a procrastinator who needs a little organization to keep this from falling apart! Any help, suggestions or tips would be appreciated.

This is a picture of where we are going, Eagle Lake. I can not wait to leave... only 23 more hours to go.

One for You, One for Me!

2010-05-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

I finally made some progress on my small quilt for the Modify Tradition swap. I chose the "Odd Fellows" block that I found in the Fons & Porter's Love for Quilting magazine May/June 2010 issue. I loved the combinations so much that I had to make one for myself as well.

Now I have to decide on borders, quilting and backing. Should I hand quilt? (I have never hand quilted before.) Should I add an envelope back for a pillow or a regular back with hanging tabs? Anyone have any suggestions? I would love to read them.

Mel & Brian WPGA 2010

2010-05-21T12:17:00.001-07:00

Mel & Brian WPGA 2010
Originally uploaded by melodylynn128

I have not been sewing lately. I have not been at the office either. I have been in Reno, NV at the Western Propane Gas Association Convention. That was last week....

This week I am trying to play catch up. I have some major deadlines including my Modify Traditions Small Quilt Swap. I have finally found a pattern/idea and purchased the fabric last night. I plan to cut out the fabric tonight and if I am lucky, get some sewing done.

Here are some of the projects that I need to finish this month:
Bob & Emily's quilt - I need to sew the binding to the back and add label
Santorini - needs binding and label
Savanha's quilt - finish quilting, binding and label
Modify Traditions Small Quilt Swap - cut, sew, quilt, bind & label

The list could go on but these need to be finished for sure!

Modify Tradition Swap

2010-05-04T09:28:00.001-07:00

1. nine patch, 2. cs13, 3. quilted picnic blanket, 4. Table Runner, 5. Practical yet beautiful

I have recently signed on to participate in my first small quilt swap. I have been trying to find my style in this very diverse universe of quilting. Finally through many hours of reading quilting blogs I have found my style, Modified Tradition. I love traditional blocks yet I love modern fabrics. The Modify Tradition Blog summarizes these two loves into a complete style. My style.

The above Mosaic is to help my MT Swap partner know what I like. I am not a pink person by any means. I love to make quilts with pink in them for others but anything I make for myself does not contain pink or purple. I love blue, green and brown. I like yellow, red and orange. I hope this helps my swap partner...

Mill House Baby

2010-04-13T13:00:00.001-07:00

Mill House Baby
Originally uploaded by melodylynn128

This is my latest finish. Mill House Baby is for a Coworker who is due in May. She is having a baby girl.

I used one charm pack of Mill House, vintage cotton lace and fabrics from my stash to finish off the borders.

Looks much better in person as the rain is still coming down here in California.

Melody

Stash Report #1

2010-04-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

I have decided to start reporting my stash usage. As my husband can tell you, my stash is reproducing like bunnies! I am determined to use my stash this year. I didn't do well yesterday as I went to our local Quilt Show and added 14 yards to the stash but I couldn't resist the prices. I found a large piece (7.5 yds) of vintage goodness. I am a sucker for 60's-70's fabrics and this one was just singing to me, loudly, it even made me smile when I saw it. It made an older lady give me a weird look. I'm sure she was yelling to herself, no don't! But I did and for $5 it was the bargain of the day.

So without further a do here is week #1 stash report:

Date 4/11/10
Week # 1
used this week: 4.653
used y-t-d: 4.653
added this week: 36.5 (yikes)
added y-t-d: 36.5
net used for 2010: -31.847

Spring is here, finally!

2010-04-09T12:51:00.000-07:00

Yes I know it has been a long while since I have posted. It has been a long and crazy winter/early spring. I have been planning projects, purchasing fabric I don't need, and day dreaming of the time to transform said fabric into completed treasures.

I did come across a great find.... this Katie Cupcake pattern.

I can't wait to make it and I even pulled fabrics from my stash last night so I can whip it up this weekend!!!

Folding Chair Slipcovers

2010-01-29T14:53:00.000-08:00

Look what I just purchased....

The Slipcover Chic pattern by Jona purchased from Fabritopia. Jona has lots of fabric and patterns available at great prices. I can't wait to play with this pattern over the weekend!

Baby Blankets

2010-01-21T15:50:00.001-08:00

Our friends, Matt and Sylvia had their baby, a little boy! Here is the quilt, changing pad and burp cloths I made for them in the begining of November. Thank goodness I didn't use too much pink and purple. I will have to make him another one that is more boy when he turns one.

January Finishes

2010-01-21T15:43:00.001-08:00

Sorry about the awful pictures but it has been raining non stop here in Northern California. I finally finished a flannel quilt for my future sister-in-law. She is giving this pastel elephant quilt to her younger sister. (Younger sister is 21 and loves elephants.) SIL purchased the flannel in the form of receiving blankets and gave them to me to work my magic. I purchased the backing fabric (Floral) from Joann's. I think it turned out well.

This is a quilt for Nick. Nick is 7 and loves to hunt and fish with his dad and my husband. I have been promising him this quilt since I made his sister Emma a pink and white quilt in June 09. Sorry I took so long Nick! I used an assortment of Hunting/Outdoors fabrics that I have collected over the years. I have a few more quilts to make in the hunting/outdoors theme but I have the hardest time finding patterns that I like. I really need to sit down and brainstorm a new design like I did for Nick's. The combination of sashing and large tumblers made this quilt quick and easy to piece.

What I have been up to...

2010-01-21T15:34:00.001-08:00

I have the winter blues. I have been craving warmer weather and daydreaming of spring. My Mom belongs to a group that manages an old grange hall in our home town. It is the hall that my husband and I were married in. It is the same hall where my brother and I grew up going to 4-H meetings and Cattlemen's functions. They have a Country Store every two years in March. This March happens to be the year. So I have been busy making crafty things to donate to the group. The money raised helps with the upkeep of the hall. I made some journal covers and I am working on some simple table runners using recipes from the moda bake shop.
I love the Moda Bake Shop for inspiration and ideas.

Welcome 2010!

2010-01-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

I would like to welcome 2010 with open arms... This past year has been one of hardwork, choices, sacrafices, saddness and happiness. That is all in the past now.

A few quilting things that I would like to do this year are:

1. Finish all the wip's on my list, finally.

2. Make a quilt for my bed, yep mine!

3. Write out my original designs like a real pattern for record keeping.

4. Keep a log or journal in addition to this blog for my quilting.

5. Enter a quilt in the county fair.

I could go on and on but these will do for now. I hope you all are enjoying this cold weather. I work in the propane business and this time of the year is very busy for us. Keeps the days going by quickly but not a lot of time for quilting. There is always tomorrow!

Recipe Friday

2009-10-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

I have been busy with school lately but I did manage to sew a little last night. Thanksgiving is getting close and the meal planning has begun. Here is our family's favorite dish for Thanksgiving...

Grandma Norma's Jello Salad

2 pkg. frozen Strawberries
1 can crushed pineapple
6 oz Strawberry Jello
1 or 2 bananas
1 cup sour cream

First put a bowl and beaters in freezer.

Then drain juice from strawberries and pineapple to make 1 1/2 cups, bring to a boil then remove from heat add jello to dissolve

Let cool till it starts to harden then add strawberries, pineapple and banana. Place in fridge to set. When berries, pineapple and bananas are set, beat sour cream for 5 minutes with frozen bowl and beaters, then mix all together (sour cream and fruit mix) with spoon, return to fridge to set.

Enjoy!
Melody

Recipe Friday

2009-10-23T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here is another fall recipe that I enjoy making when I have friends over for drinks. It is not for the faint of heart.... lots of fat and calories in this one! Best when served with Pita Chips, I recommend Stacy's Pita Chips from Costco.

Hot Artichoke Dip Recipe

1 (14oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 (8oz) block of cream cheese
**1 cup of shredded mozzarella
Dash of Tabasco
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

** I used the already shredded cheese (6 cheese Italian blend, 2 cup bag) from the store and used 1 ½ cups in the dip and ½ cup sprinkled on top of the dip.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Then beat in the mayonnaise until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir together until combined. Transfer the dip to a shallow pie plate or gratin dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling. Serve hot with crackers, tortilla chips, pita chips or veggies.

Enjoy,
Melody

Quick start and finish....

2009-10-21T08:59:00.001-07:00

This is Lily helping me quilt. She has to be on the table looking out the window while I am sewing. When working on little quilts such as this one, it works, but when I have larger quilts on the table she gets demoted to the floor.

This is a little quilt I finished last night about midnight. I love the back! I used a Santorini charm pack from Moda and the pinwheel tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop website, less the prairie points. It is very quick and very fun to make.

Here is the front. I used a white on white flower print to keep the flower theme and the brown has a tiny white polka dot. The binding is green with larger white polka dots.

Below is some of my practice on free motion quilting that is not meandering. I took a class from Judi Dains a couple weeks ago to get some confidence in my free motion quilting without marking. I love the way these flowers turned out. I used a basic white cotton machine quilting thread on the back and then changed the front on the border to a Sulky Rayon variegated purple. It was my first time using rayon to machine quilt and I loved the effect. It has a shine to it that really helps the flowers stand out.

Melody

Recipe Friday

2009-10-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

With the holidays in the horizon, I have been feeling a little sentimental lately. It has been one year and eight months since the passing of my beloved Grandmother Norma (L). I miss her deeply and think of her everyday. She was robbed, in my opinion, by the deadly disease of dementia at the age of 81. Her sister Aunt Kay (C) is fighting the disease too and is currently in a care home. Aunt Midge (R) is all we have left of the ten brothers and sisters of the Gallino Family that can spend holidays with us.

One of my favorite recipes that my Grandma Norma made was Persimmon Drop Cookies. Grandma Norma wasn't much of a cook, being at the younger range of siblings, she was responsible for watching the older siblings children. But when she did cook/bake it was something we all loved. During the fall and winter, it was almost unheard of not to smell the freshly baked Persimmon cookies in her house. I am posting the recipe for all to enjoy this holiday season.

Persimmon Drop Cookies

1 cup persimmon pulp 2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar ½ tsp. ground cloves
½ cup butter ½ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg beaten 1 cup nuts
½ tsp. salt 1 cup raisins

Beat till creamy: pulp, soda, sugar & butter

Add: egg & beat well

Sift flour & spices

Add: flour, raisins & nuts to creamy mixture

Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet

Bake 375° 12-15 min. Makes 3-4 dozen

Figgy Trees

2009-10-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Figgy Trees is done, well sort of. It is quilted and I am currently sewing the binding on by hand. I should have it done in time for the Church's meeting on Sunday. I hope they like it. I sure do.

This little beauty is for my cousin's wedding in two weeks.... She is getting married in Redding CA and I can't wait to see her. I have not seen her since our Aunt's funeral last January. This time it will be a fun ocasion. I hope she likes it. It is quite a stretch for me, scrappy and not very symetrical.

Melody

My Fall Challenge Update # 2

2009-09-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

WOW, September is really flying for me. It is already half way gone... I have been super busy at work, school and with the Cattlewomen's Assocation. I did happen to find some time to quilt and here is my progress at finishing those quilts on my list:

1. QFK # 1 Done, needs a label

2. QFK # 2 Done, needs a label

3. Kelsea's Bento Box quilt Done, needs a label

4. Hunter's Zigzag quilt is quilted but needs binding and a label.

5. Figgy Trees top is finished, needs to be quilted, binding and a label.

Do you see a theme here???? "Needs a label." What do you do for labels? Because I give away as gifts or donate all of my quilts, they need labels. I find that I don't like handwriting on a piece of muslin type labels. I think quilt labels should be as interesting as the quilt, but easy to read. I could hand embroider my labels but we all know that takes time, something I usually don't have.

So there is my dilema... Any comments or ideas for me quilt blog world? I would love to read them!

Melody

Fall Challenge Update #1

2009-08-29T08:24:00.001-07:00

Did I tell you all how much I love the Figgy Pudding line??? Here are the courthouse blocks that I finished last night. All I have to do now is add them to the trees and the top will be done.

I can't wait to see this come together and I'm sad that I have to give it away.... But it is going to the St. James Episcopal Church for their annual Christmas fundraiser, and that makes me happy.

Melody

My Fall Challenge

2009-08-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

Fall Challenge Starts August 26, 2009 and ends September 30, 2009.

I just realized how many projects are in my "to be finished" list. WOW! My husband will be leaving next Wednesday for the first of many weeks this fall to guide elk and deer hunts in Oregon. This is my challenge.... I want to finish all of my projects (already started) on the list before he comes home from his last trip (sometime in late September). I will also not purchase any new fabric or start any new projects during this time. I really want to go into Fall with a clean slate, that way I will have two full months for Christmas projects/gifts.

I will try to blog/check in about my progress at least every other day and you all will be more than welcome to join me. We can help keep each other on task... So are you ready for the Fall Challenge?

Leave me a comment and I will add you/your blog to our Fall Challenge list. I will also send out a prize to the person who finishes the most "already started" projects during the Challenge time.

Melody

Design wall Monday...

2009-08-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Two projects that I am working on....

Vacation ...

2009-08-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

At least I thought it was... So we have been back a week or so from our quick trip up the north coast. I have to say hands down the most beautiful area in California. I love the north coast. We stayed two nights in Fortuna, CA then went on to Cresent City, CA. Here are some pictures:

Cresent City Harbor

View from Cresent City Lighthouse back towards Cresent City

Cresent City Lighthouse

Fortuna, CA
Hubby standing next to big tree at Mystery of Trees in Klamath, CA

Big Diamonds

2009-08-04T20:11:00.001-07:00

Big Diamonds is officially finished and Lily is testing it out. I have it on my bed and we have slept under it for 2 nights! It is the largest traditional quilt I have completed to date. I love the colors and fabric (mostly Urban Couture and MoMo from Moda).

I have also been working on some donation quilts for Quilts for Kids . These two just need binding and they will be finished and on their way to new homes.I am on fabric restriction... My stash has been growing over the last couple of weeks so I have plenty to work with for a while Plus my husband has been laid off work for the rest of the year. (He worked in Non-Profit fundraising in California, not a good line of work here in this economy.) He has some odd jobs lined up for my parents and grandparents at the ranch, also some guiding (elk & deer) work in Oregon for the month of September. Sort of a bummer but we will make it work.

We had a weekend trip planned long ago to Fortuna, Eureka and Arcata, CA for this weekend. We have decided to go regardless. We both need a break far from life here at home, even if it is only for a couple of days.

On my machine right now...

2009-07-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

This little beauty is on my maching right now just waiting for me to finish her. I bought a couple of charm packs this spring and had yet to use them sooooo..... I looked at Moda Bake Shop and found this pinwheel baby pattern designed by Jodi at SimplyThisThatandtheOther. Jodi used Snippets in the original pattern but I love how Natures Chorus gave it a more elegant look.

The quilt below is for the Loomis Mule Deer Foundation Banquet to be held this Saturday. It is our local chapter of MDF and my husband is the Regional Director of California for MDF. So I donated this quilt to the chapter to be auctioned off at Saturday's Banquet. This was the first time I made a tumbler quilt. I was amazed at how quick it went. I purchased a plastic template at my LQS Cabin Fever Quilt Shoppe in Auburn, CA. It is perfect for a lap quilt or for a toddler's bed. As you can see Lily is inspecting the work as usual.

A Couple of Finishes

2009-07-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the cowboy quilt for my friend's little boy Wes. I also finished my Stars and Stripes quilt just in time for the 4th. I love how it turned out. I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July Celebrations. We spent the afternoon/evening at my parent's ranch. We had bbq and enjoyed the company of family and friends.

The Clara Quilt

2009-06-20T15:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest project I started this week. My cousin's little girl Clara has a birthday on July 3, so I decided to make her a quilt. It is of course the same pattern as the "Emma" quilt but this time I made it not so controlled scrappy. I bought a jelly roll at WalMart, of all places and starting sewing yesterday. It has bright colors of yellow, pink and blues.

As you can see I have hung a new design wall in my work space AKA the bedroom. Some day I will clean out the Craft room so it can be used as the craft room!

Stars & Stripes

2009-06-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! I have blogged 2 days in a row now.... Having the new laptop sure makes a difference. Well here is my Stars & Stripes quilt. I have it basted and ready to quilt but not sure as to how I am going to quilt it. I normally just do stippling (that is what I taught myself) but I think this one needs something extra. Maybe stars on the border? What do you think?

New Computer & "Emma" quilt

2009-06-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

I finally purchased my new laptop. It has been over a week and I am still trying to get it where I want it software wise. Today the mission was getting the camera/download pictures to work. It took me almost an hour just to find the cd that came with the camera. So here are the pictures of the finished "Emma" quilt. I took it to her last weekend and she loved it. I made a matching pillowcase out of the left over material. Had I known how easy they were, I would have been making them a long time ago. French seams are my new favorite.

Wow where has the time gone?

2009-06-03T11:33:00.000-07:00

Did you think I was gone for good? I thought I was! I started school again. The mission this time is my Masters. I attend class every Wednesday night from 6pm to 10pm in Sacramento. That gives me one very long day each week. I leave for work at 7am and do not return to the house until 11pm. I have been finding time to quilt in between the reading and paper writing though.

I finished piecing the "Emma" bento box quilt a couple of weeks ago but have not been able to post the pictures on a timely basis. Since this picture was taken I have quilted and finished the binding. I also made a pillowcase with the leftover backing and binding fabric. Maybe I will get those pictures posted next month.

I have started a new project, my first mystery quilt by Cathy O. from an online group I belong to. Here are my colors and fabrics. I just love green and blue and paisley!

Tax Day has come and gone, Finally!

2009-04-16T12:34:00.000-07:00

So now that the taxes are out of the way... And yes I did wait till the last minute! I have a couple of things to show today. First: I went to my very first quilt show at the beginning of the month. I was sick and had been branding calves at my parent's ranch that morning so needless to say I am glad they let me in. It was very small and hosted by the local quilter's guild. Of course I had to purchase many little things.

I like to think that I am green in my sewing but I couldn't help but try the new Dream Green batting. It is made from recycled plastic bottles. We shall see how it quilts sometime soon...

I have some WIP's going on right now. This is the diaper bag to match the stacked coins Jungle Quilt for my Cousin Erica. The Baby Shower is Saturday and it looks like all will be complete tonight! YAY for me.

These Bento Box squares are for Emma. Emma is a darling little girl that belongs to our friends Allen and Jennifer. She is the tiniest little thing and she loves pink. I think she is going to love this quilt.

These are rectangles or hst's ready to be sewn together to create a wonderful quilt of diamonds without sewing the diamonds! I have some wedding gifts I owe to some friends and this is going to be one of their choices. I have decided to sew up some quilts and just let them pick out which ones they want.

So yes I have been bad about posting, but I have been really busy too. I am off to Napa this weekend for some much needed time out of the house. I love that I only live an hour and a half from the California Wine Country!

Quilterblogs.com

2009-03-30T17:45:00.000-07:00

My Blog has been added to Quilterblogs.com! I am so excited about this new adventure. I use this site on a daily basis to find inspiration and tips, it is such a great tool for quilters and crafters. I am honored to be among the list of artists.

I finished my first machine quilted quilt a couple of weeks ago. As you can see my Lily loves this quilt. It happily fits in her kennel and she sleeps on it every day.

Here is the Jungle quilt that I finished last week. It is the stacked coins quilt and my 2nd try at machine quilting.

I love the Zebra stripe back and binding. This is for my Cousin Erica and her baby boy. I am making a diaper bag to match. If you haven't tried the stacked coins quilt, you must! It was super easy and Amandajean has a great tutorial on the Moda Bake Shop site.

My next project is a Bento Box quilt using these yummy fabrics.

And last but not least... I happened to sneak up on my precious Lily checking out my sewing area the other day.... Bad puppy!

Crazy Weekend Ahead...

2009-03-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has been a while since my last post. I have a ton of new pictures to add but sadly they are at home still in the camera. Yes I am at work right at this very moment. I finished the Jungle Stacked Coins baby quilt for my Cousin Erica. It is definitely one of my faves. I have the matching diaper bag cut out and ready to sew. I have been collecting a couple different stacks of fabrics for future projects. Again I have pictures but again they are still in the camera. I hope I can post them for you all soon.

So I have a crazy weekend ahead. Tomorrow I have the day off from work so I can help the Tahoe Cattlemens' Association set up and decorate for their annual Spring Dinner and Dance. Then I leave that wonderful dinner (sadly) at 6:15pm to arrive at my California Cattlewomen's Association (CCW) Spring Executive Meeting in Folsom, CA. After I am done there I meet the Cattlemen again back in Loomis to help clean up after the dinner. (And Yes I am still talking about Friday night.) Saturday I have another meeting in Folsom for the California Cattlewomen's Heritage Foundation at 8 am. After this meeting the CCW is having a wonderful workshop on Marketing and 21st Century Beef Promotion. At 3 pm I am back in Lincoln for the 11th Annual California Waterfowl Association fundraising Banquet. Brian and I have been on the committee for this dinner since the beginning. So Sunday I get to rest right? Well not so fast. Sunday morning at 8 am it's back to Folsom for the CCW Spring General Membership Meeting. Can you say CRAZY?!? Yes I am crazy, but after this weekend, I have all the time in the world to do what I love, Quilt.

The Weekend Project

2009-03-07T10:54:00.001-08:00

This weekend's project is cutting the fabric for my Cousin's baby quilt. Her theme for the nursery is jungle with bright colors. I am going to try my hand at a stacked coins quilt. You can see a great tutorial of one on the Moda Bake Shop website. There are many cool ideas for crafting and quilting. I visit at least three times a week! The tutorial was written by Crazy Mom Quilts who also blogs here. I visit this blog at least once a day for inspiration... Such talented people on the web these days! Another great location for inspiration on the web is Quilterblogs. There are hundreds of blogs to browse in one location.

Finding Inspiration during this depression....

2009-03-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

It's been a great while since I posted here... But I have been hooked on reading other's "Quilt Blogs". I have found so much inspiration in the middle of this financial down turn. I love sewing and lately I have been too busy to finish a few projects, one being my Mom's Christmas Quilt. Sorry Mom! Others include two quilts for my cousin's daughters in Colorado and serveral baby boy quilts for all my prego friends. I will get to it tomorrow as tonight is Bunco Night!

Sew, its been a while!!

2008-06-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry the pun was intended... Yes I have been sewing up a storm. I have been averaging a quilt every 2 weeks. Seems I really enjoy it and it has been calming my stressed nerves. I received my college diploma this last month. I had been finished with classes since December but I got the "paper" in the mail. I am signed up to participate in Graduation Ceremonies on September 6th at Arco Arena. Work has been stressful and quilting seems to help me forget about the work stuff. Here are a few pictures of the latest creations...

This is a baby girl quilt I made for the Mule Deer Foundation. It will be auctioned off on July 19th with the proceeds going to the conservation of Mule Deer Habitat here in California. I have also made a boys quilt that will also be auctioned off at the same event. I have not finished it yet though...

This quilt I made for a wedding gift. I must confess that I liked the material/colors so much that I made it smaller than I first planned so I could make a second one for myself! I am toying with the idea of taking special orders for quilts. I love making them for friends and family so why can't I make some money too?? I have one ready to be sold and I am going to list it on Etsy.com. Etsy is all handmade items for sale. No bidding and no crap like Ebay. Etsy has quality handmade items from all over the country. You should check it out... In the meantime if you need a quilt for a gift or for yourself, let me know.

Melody

So here we go again.. Take 2

2008-04-03T15:23:00.000-07:00

So here we go again... It is April 2008 and yes this is the first time I am posting this year. LOL I have made some cards this fall and winter. I was extremely busy working and finishing up my schooling. I am happy to announce that I have unofficially graduated from the University of Phoenix in December of 07. I will officially graduate sometime this spring. I now have a Bachelors Degree in Business Accounting.

Logan's 1st Birthday

2007-08-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

My friend Shannon, her husband Jake and a bunch of us friends and family celebrated their son Logan's 1st Birthday on Saturday August 4th. I made him is own overnight bag complete with a matching blanket. The material was flannel and denim. The tan flannel had a complete rodeo scene on it. It was adorable!!

I also made this card with the new Outlaw Designer Paper from Stampin' Up! This paper makes wonderful cards for guys of all ages...

Materials: Chocolate Chip Card stock & Ink, Really Rust Card stock, Kraft Card stock, Outlaw Designer Paper, Misc. western embellishment (found it in a drawer!)

Project for the week (Last Week)

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So here is a great gift to make for anyone on any occasion. I bought these tins from my great friend Sue, who bought them form Oriental Trading Co. I used a total of 4 sheets of 12x12 patterned paper and 6 sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 card stock. The large flowers are actually the white silk flowers that fake Hawaiian lays are made of. I got them at the dollar store and took them apart keeping the white flowers. I needed Perfect Plum colored flowers to match this great paper so I took my SU! Perfect Plum marker and colored the white flower. It worked wonderfully!!! Just be careful cause you will get ink all over your fingers! Let it dry a good 15 minutes cause the material really soaks up the ink. I then layered with a green prima and added a new SU! Rhinestone brad.

Paper: K&Co. Pattern paper, SU! old olive card stock

Accessories: SU! ribbon, misc purple ribbon from my stash of scraps, primas, white silk flowers, SU! Rhinestone Brads

Inks: Versamark with Vanilla embossing powder, Chocolate Chip

Here is a look at what is inside this cool tin:

So here we go!

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Blogging is where it is at, so I am told... So here we go. This is a blog to help inspire the inner craftiness in all of us.