Sew and Tell Friday- Scrappy the Dog

I have been seeing quite a few of these little guys out in blog land. He is a free pattern by Denise Schmidt. I had a little yesterday and thought he would be fun to make. Being as he is so scrappy and my theme at quilt guild is Scrap Happens Make A Quilt. And I wouldn't be a very good leader if I didn't set a good example and make something scrappy. So I pulled out my 2 1/2" squares and went to town.

I didn't do a very good job with the inside corners so his ear and tail are a little skewumpus. But DD loves him. I was thrilled to have the fun blue, pink and yellow ric rac that I had found at a thrift store to make his collar. It matches him perfectly don't you think.

And the timing in get him done couldn't be better because now I have something for Amy's fun Sew and Tell. Thank you Amy for hosting Sew and Tell. It is always so much fun. Go check out what everyone else has done. Amy has some very cute bags that she made.

Admiration

My friend and neighbor came over yesterday with a little show and tell. Just look at this wonderful circle quilt she made. She got a circle cutter for Christmas along with a book and she has put them to good use. I love the beautiful batiks she used in the quilt. Lucky me she said if I would like to try one of these quilts she would let me borrow her cutter and book. I think I might just have to take her up on her offer.
I have finished my last grandmothers garden block for Lyn's challenge. As I was stitching around I noticed that my sister stitcher from the past ran out of fabric for the outer ring. How frustrating it must have been for her. But she was inventive, and found a piece that would work.

When I say she was inventive I mean she really was inventive. She was not going to let this obstacle stop her. Because not only did she have to use another fabric, she had to piece it. Notice the seam between the two white flowers. What an inspiration she is. I admire her on so many levels.

String me Along

Since I had already made more than a dozen of Jacquie's fun hearts I worked on some more string blocks at quilt guild. I added those to the ones I had made here, made a few more at home and this is the result.

I just need to baste, quilt and bind it now. It measures 60"x 70", the perfect size for snuggling under while reading a good book or watching tv.

I had so much fun making these blocks as I put a dent in my 2 1/2" and 2" strip drawers. Remembering all the quilts I had made from these leftover scraps of fabric. Thank you Stephanie for your joyous no strings challenge.

Scrap Happening :)

Yesterday was my quilt guild meeting. Oh what a lovely time we had. Before the meeting we had a little sew in to learn to make Jacquie's hearts. Here is one of here beautiful hearts and a bunch more made from the scraps. Lovin' the scraps!
Then Vivian made this charity quilt from strips in her scrap bag.

Marlene made this very cute and very scrappy quilt. I have this pattern and really need to make it. Oh, so many quilts and so little time.

This adorable dragon quilt was made by Nikki. There's a dragon drinking soda, one taking a bath, one singing,

and my favorite this one roasting a marshmallow. Isn't he just fabulous?

I am so thrilled and tickled with how the wonderful ladies in my guild are taking my theme of Scrap Happens and making so many wonderful quilts. I am also so excited for next month I feel like a child on Christmas morning. The wonderfully gifted Amy of Park City Girl will be coming for a trunk show. YIPPEE, YIPPEE! See me shake with excitement.

While Watching the Olympics

I hope everyone is having a delightful time watching the Olympics. I know I am enjoying it. The successes of Lindsey Vonn last night was especially touching. Seeing the men's half pipe was amazing and a bit frightening since I know my boys try to do some of that stuff. While watching I am doing a little hand work. Little may be the key word in that phrase. I get so caught up that I forget to stitch. But I have finished binding a quilt for display in a local shop and appliqued these grandmothers garden blocks for Lyn's challenge.

My N has been busy at school. He made this nine patch pillow. I think he did a wonderful job, but I may be a wee bit biased.

Welcome to This and That

Not a lot of sewing going on here over the three day weekend. I did make some of Jacquie's hot pads in Stephanie's style. But I forgot to take a picture of them before I gave them away as birthday gifts to a couple of friends. Where does my brain go when it leaves me? I wonder this a lot.

So I'm sharing with you my families greeter. He lives on our front porch. The first time I met him he was in my living room. I woke up to his smiling face. Alex made him in his metal scultpting class. The art class his advisor at college said would be the best for someone going into engineering. I like this happy fellow. And I like him a lot better on my porch than in my living room. He is quite a conversation piece. My neighbors ask, "What is on your porch?" Grandma wants one for her yard. Sadly we do not have a metal shop and Alex is no longer in metal sculpting. So she will just have to come and visit. He will kindly greet her every time she does, along with anyone else that would like to come and visit. Welcome one and all.

I also read The Hunger Games this weekend. It was a great book. I could not put it down. I am now waiting for the next one in the series to be available at the library. It may take a while. These are the most popular books at my library right now and #163 on the waiting list.

Today I got to teach art in DD's class. The featured artist was Alexander Calder. I was so happy to learn his studio was messy and he loved to use scraps. I felt we were kindred spirits. The children got to make mobiles. It was a fun project. I love teaching children art.

Show and Tell Friday and Happy Valentines

I've done it I've finished another of my PhD's. And just in time for Amy's Show and Tell Friday. This little thing was my first attempt at raw edge applique. Thank you, dear Jacquie for all your help in teaching me. The wonky piecing is also thanks to Jacquie. She is so good at inspiring me and getting me to try new things. If you have not visited Jacquie you should, prepare to be inspired.

All I needed to do to finish this was add the boarder, quilt and bind. I chose this green. I know it is a bit busy but I love it.

Also last night DD informed me that she needed a box for her Valentines this morning. Lucky me she was able to find a pink shoe box. What are the odds of that? Especially in a house full of teenage boys and only one little girl. With a little heat and bond and a few scraps I covered all the advertising on the box. The strip that is bare on the top has her name underneath. She is pleased and so am I. No trip to the store required and it doesn't look half bad.

Hope everyone has a lovely Valentines Weekend. xoxoxo

Em

World Traveler

Pack your bags, big

and small. We're going on a trip around the world. By boat

By car. Oh the sights we'll see and the fun we will have. :)

.

When my sister gave me some of her Snorkel fabric and then I saw Riley Blake's Wheels this idea popped into my head. I had so much fun playing with these fabrics, and jumbo ric rac (how can you not love jumbo ric rac?)

BFF and BBA

If you remember in the beginning of January I started a little exchange. I didn't get a big response but two dear friends took me up on it. I have received my first blocks and I am so excited. By the end of the year I will have enough blocks for two quilts.
Karen and I decided to do red and yellow blocks. Hers is the one on the right. I think I went to dark with my yellow but I'm thinking that in the overall quilt we will be okay. Karen's block of course is just wonderful. My other BFF is Needled Mom. We are doing a blue and yellow quilt. Here are her beautiful blocks. She went the extra mile and sent me two.

And here is the block I sent to her.

I also received this kind award from Anita. Thank you Anita that was so nice of you.

There are a few things I have to do now.
1. Thank Anita, so many thanks Anita, This was so nice of you.
2. I have to past the award onto my blog.
3. I have to link the person who nominated me. Make sure you check out Anita blog.
4. Tell 7 interesting things about yourself.

a. I love to sing and dance to the radio. I'm sure I have put on a good show at several stop lights and know I have embarrassed my children more than once. But it makes me happy so I don't care.

b. I am not a great house keeper, hence the motto "Creative clutter is better than tidy idleness."

c. I like a good book. Reading relaxes me. It reminds me of when my dad used to read to me. And that is a good memory.

d. I love that my children are creative. Even if that does add to the clutter in my home. I love their pictures on my fridge, their pottery on my counter, their metal sculpture by my front door, I even like N's neon green room.

e. I like to write; poetry, in my journal, and here on my blog.

f. Whether or not she knows it my mom is the one person that can always cheer me up. Just to hear her voice brightens my day. If I am discouraged I just call her. I seldom tell her my worries and concerns. (She hates that about me. Me, I hate to be the bearer of bad news.)

I don't know how interesting these little things about me are. But they are me.

5. Nominate 7 blogs. I am not good at this I would hate to leave anyone out. So if you follow this block consider yourself a beautiful blogger. Because you are the ones that make blogging fun for me. Just knowing someone is reading all this gibberish I write means the world to me. Thank you.
6. Post links to the 7 blogs. If you would like to meet some beautiful bloggers click on their pics on my sidebar and go meet some truly wonderful people. Pick 7 or more.

The checks in the mail

Do you remember the first time I made a checkbook cover. You can read about it here. While I was at Riley Blake recently, going over some quilt designs for their new lines of fabric, they saw it and asked if I would do a tutorial for their Cutting Corners site. Well I changed the houses a little. Moved the pen holder to the back.

And if you would like to spice up your checkbook cover the tutorial is here. This cover is done in their Bloom and Grow line. As you can see it is full of fresh and whimsical fabrics. You should take a moment to check out all the fun fabric Riley Blake has to offer. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Treasures from the Past.

I was looking for something else when I came across this treasure. This Dresden plate was given to me by a friend who was cleaning out her mother's sewing room. This dear friend does not sew and told me. I don't know what to do with this and I know you do. So I added the bright yellow center and made a pillow. I need to get a bigger pillow form but this gives you and idea of what this cheery pillow looks like. She also gave me these hst. Don't you just love these wonderful fabrics. I think I will incorporate them into the challenge I am doing with Lyn.

With these wonderful grandmother's garden blocks. Thank you Lyn.

Also in my dear friends bundle were these quarter circles. I think I'm going to have to draw from the ever inspiring Jacquie and make a circle quilt.

Oh how the list of I really want to make that quilt grows. I better live a long and productive life so I can make a dent in it. hee hee.

Yo Yo

I never was very good with a yo yo as a kid. There were times I could get it to go up and down for awhile but I never could do any tricks. And before lone I would have it spinning at the bottom of it's string needing to be wound up again. These little fellows on the other hand I can do. Up and down I go with my needle and thread and quick as a wink I pull it all tight and wha la I have a cute little yo yo.

Until recently I would just cut out circles to make these sweet things. But if you will remember in my Santa Baby letter I requested a yo yo maker. Now my Santa is not real good at getting the things I request at the quilt shop. He is afraid he will get the wrong thing so he buys a gift card to insure I get precisely what I want. So armed with my gift card and coupons I headed for JoAnn's. Lucky me all quilting notions were 40%off and I had a coupon that took an additional 20%off. I bought a few things for the guild and these little fellows.

They make yo yo making a breeze. I had the yo yo's I needed for this quilt done in a snap. I've got them all sewn on and I'm hoping today to sandwich and start quilting it. Yeah, I'm that much closer to getting another of my PhD's done!

Hope you have a happy day with a little time for sewing:)