Kitchen Remodel

YES, the kitchen remodel started last week.

We made the decision to do a remodel back when Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey but the work had to  be delayed due to the fact our contractor had to help the families that needed their houses worked on more than we needed our cabinets changed.

Since about Thanksgiving we've been plotting cabinet colors, flooring, new sink etc.....and then last week all the planning became a reality.  We're excited to have it finally underway but aye yi yi.......the mess is crazy!

We previously had oak laminate floors that went with our oak cabinets that was laid over our blue vinyl that was laid back in 1991 or 1992 when the house was built. 

Once the cabinets and old appliances were taken out and carted away they started with the new lighting...........

Updates to follow as things progress.........

OH, and did I forget to mention that while the contractor is here we've decided that we want a door from the living room into a 9 x 11 room I used as my sewing room back in the day closed off and the wall in the laundry room opened to make it all 1 big room?   Oh yeah!  Am I crazy?  Yeah, I guess so....

The mess is in the kitchen, living room, laundry room, small side room and it's spreading into hubby's office and dining room.  OH yeah, I forgot, we're having new lighting, flooring and paint in the dining room too.   I think "crazy" is saying it lightly.  I'm certifiable!!!  This process is supposed to be done by May 15th-20th so say some prayers for me that I can keep it together that long.  It's not easy washing dishes in a bathroom sink!!!   LOL

Plumbing work on the washer/dryer/sink is in the works as I write this post so I will have more pictures of that project later this week.....

Sewalong Updates

I'm sewing along with a few different groups doing a few different blocks so as I catch up, I'm updating my status.

The Red Sky At Night Sew Along is I think my favorite right now, but that could change like the wind.....   I LOVE red so when  Jodi from Tales of Cloth did her blocks in red and white I did the same.  The first block "Peace and Plenty" was last week's block.  Don't even ask what I was doing last Monday when it came out.  I don't remember 2 hours ago so I won't remember why I didn't do that last week.  The next two are today's block.  Jodi said she'd be doing a couple of weeks with 2 or 3 blocks so there we have it "Broken Dishes & Whirlpool".
We are up to 9 blocks now and i'm thinking this might become my all time favorite quilt that will for sure stay living in my house!

The next sew along/BOM is the Fat Quarter Shop's Designer Mystery BOM.
I just got my kit on Saturday but had last month's kit sitting on my cutting table so I decided last night that I needed to get them done right away.  I'm always afraid with these projects that the fabric comes in the mail that I'll set it aside and lose it and then what do i do?





































First up Block #9 is called "Dear Robert".  It was designed by Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles Quilters  www.KTQuilts.com    Lynne says "My biggest fan and supporter, my best friend and hero".

Block # 10 is called "Sunshine Lily" and it was designed by Anne Sutton of Bunny Hill Designs www.BunnyHillDesigns.com.  Anne says "My grand-daughter is filled with happiness and laughter.  She makes me smile like no one else can, and her hugs and kisses are the best."

I love that each designer said something nice about their block and explains how it got it's name.

I pulled the finishing kit out last night to see how it's going to be set and was pleasantly surprised to see it's not really set sampler style but more like each block borders a center one.

I had all 10 blocks up on the design wall to see how they looked and fall in love with them every time I see them all together.

Only 2 more blocks and it can all get set together!

If anyone likes this project and want to make it, I'll send you the patterns after I'm done with them.....

Moda Modern Building Blocks Update

     I came in from being out for the day yesterday and my daughter said "when will that kid next door stop with that darn basketball?"  To which I replied "it's only just beginning since the snow just cleared like 2 days ago".  Well, i'm sitting here in my nice warm bathrobe, a nice cup of tea made and all I can hear is thump thump and yelling  :)    Why isn't that boy in school, it's 9:15!  LOL

     Anyhow....  I posted a few in progress pictures to instagram of my Moda Modern Building Blocks the other day so last night even though I was exhausted, I finished the last one for March and took a picture.

This month the blocks were all 6-1/2 inchers so I knew they'd go fast, and they did, until I had to sew up the 2 left top row blocks.  Those HST's are 1-1/2 inch square and although I got them trimmed nicely and I sewed nice and slow, they're just SMALL and not for me.  They look fine, and lay flat, but I'm truthfully not a fan of working with such tiny pieces.  

We are down to the wire on this project now too.  Only 7 more blocks to go and it's a finished quilt.  

I did not even make a dent in my Denyse Schmidt stash....something I thought I would do but it wasn't to be.  

We are starting a 1st floor remodel in our house next week.  First up is totally gutting the kitchen.  I've set up a microwave, tea pot, toaster oven etc. in the empty apartment upstairs.  Breakfast and lunch will be fine.  Paper plates etc..... but dinner, well, dinner is another story.  I like a regular old plate and a cooked meal for dinner......I'll keep you posted on that :)    We are also doing the dining room but that's just floors, walls and lights.  A lot less messy.  AND since I can't have the living room floor different than the other 2, we're pulling that up, redoing that, painting, and even closing off the door to my old sewing room which will necessitate opening the wall in the laundry room and making the old sewing room part of the laundry room.  LOTS of mess and disruption to the house but since we're not moving anywhere any time soon, we want to update the house before hubby retires next year.  I just keep saying "I can do it".........

And, a Friday update wouldn't be complete without an Olivia picture.......

It's hard to get actual "sit up" pictures since she's not even 4 months old but after we dressed her for a trip out in the car yesterday we got little "serious" Miss O to semi smile  :)

She's getting so big...and is just the cutest!!!

OH....and this lovely thing is my "baby" Sarah.  She was a bridesmaid 2 weeks ago in her friend's wedding.  She looked beautiful !  She's here with my BIL (her godfather) looking happy I'm sure that all the shower/wedding/bachelorette party details are done and she can relax!

Happy weekend and  with some luck I get in the sewing room over the weekend and can have more sewing pictures....

Peggy

Binding

     I FINALLY got around to making binding for 1 quilt today and using up left over binding for another one.

     I took a string quilt off a friend's hands last week and immediately sent it to my favorite long arm quilter.    Sarah is such a great quilter and she knows what I like so for a lot of my quilts I let her pick the design.  She told me this was a new design and I was her inaugural test run..... I give her a 2 thumbs up!

     The second quilt I got binding on today was my "Have Yourself a Quilty Little Christmas" top.
I sewed along with a lot of others on Instagram back around the holidays but there was so much going on around here that I chose to hang onto it until after New Years before getting it quilted.
Sarah used a snowflake design on it and sent it right back to me but it took me 2-1/2 months to get up the energy to cut and sew the binding on.....

I love the little gingerbread man cookie, the christmas lights and all the other blocks.  I used a green, red and blue dot for the backing, but I thought it needed a striped binding so I found a green and white in my stash, which came out awesome!

To say i'm thrilled is an understatement.  I haven't had anything to do at night while I watched TV the past few weeks so these will be a welcome project.

APQ Quiltalong

Just a quick Sunday morning update on my sewing for the week.

I have weeks that I jump from project to project, but then there are weeks like this past one that I concentrate on 1 project, just so I can see some progress.

This week I worked on the APQ Quiltalong project.   I had all 1,089 2-1/2 inch 4 patch units cut, sewn & trimmed so I started assembling a 9 patch block with them and some 2-1/2 inch squares.
I needed 81 Block A's.....   Here's a picture of my progress....

I set those 81 blocks aside for now and will work on a few block of the month/sewalong blocks this week.  Most likely i'll get back to 9 patch making around Thursday.  Once the next 81 Block B units are made it's really just a matter of cutting strips, rectangles and setting triangles to start the assembly of the quilt.  I'd LOVE to finish this by the beginning of April but we shall see what comes up before that....wish me luck.

Here's a shot of our life this week.......

The official final count on the height of our snow was 9 inches.  Thankfully, it's been sunny for the last 2 days so it's starting to melt already, and thanks to Sears for the cadillac of snowblowers, Al was able to get right down to the ground with the new blower so the front is officially clear and blacktop is showing.....   Luna likes to go out and stick her face in it and make tracks but doesn't stay out long.  

I'm praying for lots of sun and maybe even a little rain to wash all this mess away.  After a year like this I fear I might have to be a snowbird next year  :)

Peggy