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!

Pre-Easter Ramble . . .

I meant to blog last night . . . but I'm leaving town tonight and last night just got away from me with the laundry and packing and spending time with the hubby and cat. So I'm rattling this off during my lunch hour at work so I don't feel blog guilt while I'm with my family for Easter.

First, did you know it's Spring To Finish time at Tallgrass Prairie blog (see button on side bar)? That means we are going to finish at least one UFO (Un-Finished Object) by April 30. Woo Hoo . . . just the inspiration I need! I have several. The first (and most important) is a Monkey Wrench quilt for a new baby. Miles Hess should be born around the 14th, and I wanted to make him this quilt. Sorry, no pics yet; I'm not too happy with it. This is the first quilt I have ever made for someone other than family, so I'm extremely critical. But here's hoping! I also would like to get my Project Improv quilt pieced, more on that below. Finally, I have a quilt top from Moda called Portebello Market I bought as a kit after Christmas. I have it all cut out, but that's all. Maybe I'll get it pieced. I like it because of the name; I know it's supposed to be for a mushroom market, but it reminds me of Bed Knobs and Broomsticks with Angela Lansbury and that song, "Portebello Road".

Next, I finished this pincushion from Elizabeth's (at Oh Fransson) tutorial for Sew Mama Sew. It is awesome! If you look close, you can see 2 little green eyes peeking out from under the table. That would be Ralphie. She is a BIG help, as you can see. I wonder if this counts as a finished project?

Finally, a Project Improv update. I think I have stumbled upon my inspiration. I am typically a very traditional person; I use traditional blocks, I like to piece by hand, and I like vintage looking fabrics, especially ginghams and calicos. But I LOVE applique, I just don't do it often. I am also teaching myself embroidery from this awesome book. I have decided to put these things together. I want to do applique and embroidered "art blocks" and I have chosen the Texas wild flowers as my subject. I'm not drawing anything, I'm just going at it (watch out!). My first block is going to be the flowers below. I have no idea what they are, but they are on the side of every highway, and I love them.

I hope it works. Finally, I leave you with a parting pic of Ralphie "helping" (my material and embroidery floss is in that basket).

Happy Easter!

P.S. A shout out to Codi for helping me with my Aunt's sewing machine. The sewing/quilting community is SO HELPFUL! I'll post more later!

Improv Blocks

Wow. 12 days. I'm not a very good blogger, am I? I had TONS of great blog ideas last week, but I just never got around to sitting down with the computer. I guess I'll consolidate some of them, and save the rest. First, I want to introduce you to someone very special to me. Meet Maurice.

Maurice (or Mo, as we call him) is a Singer. We met my junior year in college, and I scrimped and saved for 6 months to come up with the $100 to buy him. I loved him immediately. But Mo is a grumpy old man (hence the name). He gives me fits, and I often abandon a project for several weeks just so I don't have to see him anymore. He will be featured a lot in my blog . . . probably he will be mostly associated with curse words, as he is in the house, but that's ok. He's practically a curse word himself.

Next, I wanted to show you a few blocks that I have pieced. (Have I mentioned I'm a quilter? A bad one, but on none-the-less.) I joined a group called Project Improv, and part of the group is to make improvisational blocks on your own (more about those later) and then make one Log-Cabin inspired Improv block for charity. See my two below.

Both pieced in the log cabin style, one just wonky, and one to look like a log cabin. I thought it was cute. In the next few days, I should have a button up to take you to the flicker group, I'm just working on the logistics (told you I wasn't a good computer person).

I have another few projects I'm working on, and I hope to show you those soon, if Mo cooperates.

See ya soon!