Friday {Old} Finishes!

It's been a while since my last post . . . I think that last one is hard for me to look at, so I've been avoiding my blogger page.


Things have also been busy lately . . . with the warmer temperatures, I've been getting the kid out more. We've gone to . . .

the Dallas Arboretum,

the Dallas Zoo, 

and now we have gymnastics every week.

The only problem is that by the time nap/sewing time comes around, I'm pretty pooped too! So my sewing and blogging time is down a bit, but I'll try to be better for y'all.


But I have been working on things!

Mother's Day was last weekend, so I made my mom an Anna Maria Horner Art Student Tote.

(I'll dedicate a whole post to this one; it was hard but definitely worth it!)

We (S & A & myself) made my MIL some yard art.

S & A built and painted the frames, and I made the stencils.

She worked HARD!

Both moms loved their haul!

The day before Mother's Day was S's 30th birthday. Among other things, I decided that 30 deserves a quilt!

I haven't gotten any great photos of it, and I'm still working on the "perfect" label, but I'll get on it and show y'all as soon as I can!

I've also been working on a St. Louis 16 Patch for a picnic quilt. (The fabric is Picnic Pals by Penguin & Fish. Just too perfect, isn't it?)

I ADORE this fabric! Remember when I did some embroidery for Alyssa at Penguin and Fish? She sent me a fat quarter bundle as a thank you, and I can't wait to finish this up!

Just look at this chipmunk and turtle. Too cute, right?!?!

Tomorrow I'll be at Saturday Sew for our Dallas Modern Quilt Guild, and I hope to finish the blocks (and maybe piece the top!).

Next week I'll be taking Miss A to see my parents in Lubbock. We'll be flying, and I've decided I need a new bag to take with me . . . so we'll see if I get it done in time!

See ya!
EL

WIP Wednesday

So, I was going to post this last week, but things got crazy and I didn't  have time . . .  the funny thing is, I couldn't tell you what I did that made it so crazy! That seems to be happening to me more and more lately, I feel like I run and run, but I have nothing to show for it except a dirty house and a hungry kid!

Maybe that's why I like to quilt . . . at the end, I have something tangible to show for the work I've done!

Anyway . . . off the soap box, and onto the WIPs!

I'm working on a little something for the DMQG swap next week! I'll tell you all about it after the meeting!

I'm about to start on a little string block (these paper squares are 3.5").

This will soon become a pillow for my bed! I plan on using I'm A Ginger Monkey's pillow tutorial to make sure it's pretty!  (I got this extra Hope Valley fabric from my friend Lisa's big destash!)

These strips will hopefully be a pillow for Miss A's bed.

There are things afoot for Mother's Day! (Sorry, I love to say afoot! I'm a Doyle fan!)

I'm *this* close to finishing another receiving blanket! All I need to do is add my sign and wash it! Then it's off for a new baby!

I've whipped up the top for S's birthday quilt. It's the Modern Cross Kit from Pink Chalk Fabrics. It's not long enough for the hubster to stretch out under, so I'll be adding some borders before I finish it!

Hopefully, I'll have something finished to show you on Friday, or at least have a plan for some finishes to tell you about!

See ya!

EL

Mother's Day . . .

So, almost a week late, here is my Mother's Day Post.

For my mom, I made this.

It's just a little tote for her garden. My mother has an AMAZING garden. Everywhere we have lived, our yard has always been beautiful. Her house now is the one place we have lived the longest, and her backyard gets more lovely every year. In addition to amazing flowers, she also has vegetables and herbs. Her tomatoes are crazy big. S's favorite garden is when she makes her pico garden, with peppers and onions (but I think he just likes the resulting pico!). So back to the tote. The bottom is hard (I cut up a warped cutting mat) so it would hold up a little better. The black and pink material is separated into pockets so she can stick her tools in there. I thought it would be good for her because right now she carries her stuff around in an old box top. When I told her that, she laughed and said that the box top was for weeds, and the bag was too pretty for that. She wants to use it when she harvests her vegetables.

For S's mom, I made these.

They are pillows to match a wall hanging I made her when I was dating S. I was trying to get in good with the family, and I think it worked. It's hanging in their bedroom and they love it. The hearts are mostly from my Grandmother's stash (she helped me a lot with the original hanging). It's so funny because she has had her stash for a LONG time! I have found the same material in the stash that is in the quilt she made me when I was born! (It's lovely, a pink and blue double wedding ring. I pull it out when I'm sick or sad because it makes me feel better.)

So there are 2 more for the Spring To Finish! That makes a total of 3! Woo Hoo :)

Also, I have an update on the Improv quilt. I'm quitting. (Sorry Jacquie). I tried, but I couldn't find a way to be happy with it. I think that I haven't grown enough as a quilter to branch out on my own yet. I need a few more "safe" years of copying patterns and coloring inside the lines before I get a little crazy. But at least I tried. That's a big step for me! Anway, at least that's one less UFO! Woo Hoo!

See ya!