Pay it Forward!

Well, I've let something SLIP throught THE CRACKS!!!!! Big-Time! I know, you're so disappointed in me!

So, back in October 2009 (yes, 14 months ago!) I decided to play the Pay it Forward Game with Beth. Last week, I received my gift from her . . . but I have YET to do gifts for others!

I actually didn't have anyone sign up, so let's try this again!

Rules:

1)You must have a blog! (Sorry, I don't make the rules)!

2)You must comment on this post stating that you want to play (please leave a way for me to contact you, either through your blog or by email)

*This is for the first 3 commenters.

3)If you are one of the 3 lucky ones . . . I will make you a little something and send it to you! I believe I techincally have a year to do this, but since I am so far behind, I will try and get it out REALLY soon!

4)You will put up something on your blog with these rules, and send a little handmade something to the first 3 commenters on your post in the next year. Then they will do the same and the cycle continues!

It's like those crazy chain letters from high school (send this to 14 people or you will never be loved!), but I think getting crafty things in the mail will be WAY better, don't you?!?!

Please help me out!!!!

Here is what Beth sent me, a GORGEOUS bag (I've already started to carry it everywhere!)! Included were some cute oragami wreaths, some Best Press (yea!) and AWESOME candy (which I promptly scarfed down. Hey, I'm pregnant . . . I have an excuse!)

I LOVE them!!! :)

I hope you want to play!

See ya!

PS - there is a button, but I don't know how to do buttons yet, so you can grab it off of Beth's post! Just don't ask me how to do it! :)

Happy New Year!

I know, I know. It has been a long (long, long, long, long) time since I last posted anything! I was totally unprepared for pregnancy!

We have been blessed to have a relatively easy pregnancy, compared to what some of my friends have gone through, but there is a LOT that no one tells you about!

Just to get you caught up, we are still due February 7, and we are having a little girl, Alison Grace! Now, I have been doing a lot of crafting for her (well, a lot for me anyway), but I'm still better at starting things than at finishing things, so there's not much to show for it yet. Over the next few weeks, though, I hope to show you some of the amazing things others have made for us and the wonderful nursery that S has put together! I'm sure things will fall into place in the next 5 weeks (ack!) Right?

Anyway, I do have 2 New Year's Resolutions . . . to eat healthier and to be more organized. (I think these two things are going to come with the territory this year, so they should be easy to keep, right?) Maybe the blog will help me be organized with my crafty stuff!

See ya soon!

PS: I got a new present for Christmas . . . expect my pictures to be MUCH better this year!

Life . . . Part 2

So, I told you a while ago that life was getting in the way, and blogging was the easiest thing to take out . . . but I didn't tell you what life was causing all the havoc.

I'm pregnant!

I'm sure most of you know by now from Facebook, but I figured Google deserved an explanation, too! I don't really have any good pictures to show you, the sonograms so far are kind of blobby, and I haven't figured out how to scan them in well yet. But I'm sure I'll get one up here soon!

For those who want to know, I'm 15 weeks along, and due February 7 (that's the day after the Super Bowl, for those of you counting down!).

The crafting has been basically nil since I've been so tired and not really feeling well, but that all seems to be getting better, and I should be back crafting in no time! But probably crafting tiny things for a while ;)

Anyway, thanks for listening . . . I'll keep you updated!

See ya!

Life

Hey guys.

So, life has gotten in the way a little lately. I'm going to take a little break for now, but I'll be back soon! I just need to reorganize some things.

See ya!

3 Reasons

I can't get any crafting done!

Ralphie helps with the basting.

Katie holds down the quilt.

Oliver oversees Beth's quilting.

But they're so darn cute! It makes up for it!

See ya!

I've been a BAD, BAD girl!

You have NO IDEA! First of all, I haven't posted in . . . well . . . you can see that for yourself. Anyway, it's been a busy time . . . at work and at home, topped off by the most horrific illness you've ever seen!

But you don't want to hear about that, do you?

You want to hear about the crafts, don't you? I have finished one quilt on my UFO list to the side . . . the Green one. Also known as S's quilt.

Isn't it pretty?

It went perfectly with our room, and it's so . . . I don't know . . . modern (at least comparatively). It really goes with our style, simple and clean. I LOVE IT!

It's the Denyse Schmidt pattern Stacking the Odds, and the prints are all Denyse Schmidt's Hope Valley (the green and blues). I love it, but the pattern is a bit of a . . . handful. I don't recommend it for new quilters, but it is a simple pattern. Confused? Sorry. Here's my little review: Ms. Schmidt's directions are amazingly clear and detailed (what every pattern reader hopes for), but Ms. Schmidt is also a perfectionist (and rightly so, have you seen her stuff? AMAZING!). I recommend this if you have experience piecing and quilting, and know where you can cut corners and make your own way. If you are still in the stage where you must follow every direction exactly to the "T", please hold off on this pattern. You will end up stressed and angry, and nobody wants that! Once you are in a more relaxed place, this pattern is clear and easy, and very satisfying (I pieced it in an evening)! (The white is Kona Snow that I got from Fabric Shack, and the Hope Vally I bought at the City Craft, my favorite LQS)!

So, here's the part where I've been bad. The week before I finished this lovely piece of quilted goodness, I started THREE MORE PROJECTS! Now, bear with me, 2 are for Mother's day and one is for a competition. I can't pass up those opportunities to create, can I? Can I? Please validate me! ;)

So this next month will be pretty busy . . . in addition to Mother's Day, and the deadline that imposes, my SIL is graduating on 5/14, and she will be getting a lap quilt (cross your fingers) and the competition quilt is due 5/15 to "Happiness is . . . Quilting". Also swirled into the mix is S's birthday, and his brother's birthday (probably not a crafty gift, boys are difficult to craft for) and the bee blocks.

OH NO! The bee blocks! I'm 3 months behind! ACK! Sorry sistas!

Thankfully, the Dallas Modern Quilt Guild is having their Saturday Sew this weekend. I plan to focus on the bee blocks and get those caught up, then work on the graduation quilt (on the list as the Pink Quilt). If you're in the area, you should come! It's a great day full of chatting and sewing! Last month was so much fun! You can find the details on the site.

Since this post is a little bereft of pics, I'll leave you with a shot of my Cherokee Roses intertwined with another bush (I can never remember what it is). I think it is SO PRETTY! Yea Spring! :)

See ya!

P.S. I just posted my first ever tutorial on the Dallas Modern Quilt Blog for a personal ironing stand! Check it out!

Spring Fever . . .

has turned into Spring Cleaning. Not a lot of sewing, but a lot of BLAH! So, unless you want me to show you all the dirty little corners of my house (and believe me . . . I'd love nothing more than to show you), you'll have to be content with some older things and some rambling.

First of all, I should catch you up on my bee. I've let you know about everything up to December, which was my month, but I have not told you about anything else.

This was the block I made in January for Cassie.

She asked for all pinwheels, but we could use any one we wanted. I LOVED the fabrics she picked. It made me think of the French Riviera. Have I ever been there? No. Do I know much about it? No. But the cool spring colors just made me feel the sea breeze in my face and a cool drink in my hand. LOVED IT! I can't wait to see the whole thing put together! I was so proud, I actually finished this one on time and packaged it up to mail out . . . and then it got lost in the clutter of my sewing room . . . so one more package was late. Sorry Cassie!

I haven't finished Meagan's block for February or Beth's block for March . . . and I'm sure I will receive April's fabric any day now. So what little sewing time I have left this week, I will be working diligently on these. I PROMISE, I'm turning over a new leaf RIGHT NOW!

That's it for now! If you don't hear from me soon, send search parties in the direction of the fabric pile in Richardson!

See ya!