Loser Monday

No loss for me here in NJ.....guess I can be happy that I didn't gain though :)
I'll keep plugging along though.....ONE of these weeks I gotta lose something....

Buckeye Beauties

Robin, Michelle and I were talking last weekend about a swap again this year between the 3 of us. We tossed around quite a few block choices but not fabric choices. We all wanted to use up the Thimbleberries that we have in our stash so we needed a "stash/scrap friendly block".

Buckeye Beauty from Quilterscache was just the ticket..... We decided that we could each make 6 a month, 9-1/2 inches unfinished and still work on our BPF 2009 UFO Challenge Projects.

NOW, we weren't going to start them right away but ya know, over the next few weeks or so.....BUT.....I got a little impatient. I wanted to see what the blocks would look like.

Here they are!!!

Over the next few weeks I need to pull out my TB neutrals and start cutting into them for the next 6 but for now .......this is them. What's everyone else doing?????

Peggy

Sneak Peek

I've sure been busy today...... Here's a sneak peek at what I've been doing.....

I was at a birthday party a few weeks ago for the assistant superintendent of schools and got to talking to the superintendent's wife about quilting and she mentioned how sh'e love a homemade quilt for the back of her couch. She asked me tons of questions about blocks etc. and asked what I'd charge. I didn't want to commit to anything because I've never done a customer quilt so I didn't say much. I decided over the days after that if my good friends would donate some log cabins and churn dash blocks that we'd done monthly on one of our yahoo groups then I'd make the top. Well, Robin so graciously sent me ALL of her blocks and told me to go at them so today I laid them out row by row and this is what I have so far..... Once I connect the rows, I'll add a thin neutral border and a wide red border (because the sups wife mentioned wanting red) and then I'll call her and ask her if she wants the top.... I don't know what I'll charge her yet but the borders will be from my stash and I have backing fabric so that's no big deal but I also don't want to NOT make a little something for my time.... and then there's the batting and quilting...... I'll have to figure it all out before I call her.......STAY TUNED!!

Happy President's Day

Happy President's Day Everyone!!!

This month we got a nice 4 day weekend for the past president's birthday celebration....YAHOO!!! Schools, banks and the post office are closed today so I'm happy that there is no school, but the post office? What will I do without the mail delivery???? GEESH.....

Anyhoo, hope everyone that's off has a nice day, I know I will.....

Peggy

Loser Monday

Well, well, well, I see Pat S has jumped on our Loser Monday bandwagon....welcome aboard Pat!!! I can't post any loss since I am one of those folks that doesn't own a scale :) Yes, it's sad but true. I do my weigh in at school on Monday mornings but since we're off for the holiday I will have to wait till tomorrow morning to do my weigh in. Stay tuned.

Peggy

Chinese Coins Finished

Another finish for 2009......This is not the best picture, I mean come on, it's already 12:39 at night so I had to take what I could get. I started thinking about making this quilt last Sunday afternoon. I spent the week pressing and cutting the fabrics and yesterday I decided to sit and sew....and voile' I have a finished chinese coin quilt!!!

I didn't buy any fabric for any part of the top so it's a real stashbuster in my books......

Now to figure out what kind of backing it will get and how to quilt it.....

Peggy

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!!

I don't do much decorating for Valentine's Day as I've never been much of a fan of this holiday but I made this wallhanging I'm guessing 3 or 4 years ago from a Debbie Mumm pattern and I just love the patterns, fabric etc. so I look forward to hanging it each February.

Hope you all have a nice day.

PEGGY

PS: Michelle made the same wallhanging this year using different fabrics from her stash....check it out here: http://afwife85.blogspot.com/

Chinese Coins

No, I haven't been to China but I've wanted to make a Chinese Coins quilt and use up some scraps to do it, so on Sunday I found a pattern http://maryquilts.com/chinese-coins-easy-version-2/ and decided that was perfect I pulled out a boot box of novelty/bright fabrics and started to cut 2-1/2 X 5-1/2 in strips. NOW...I thought there would be way more fabric in here than I'd ever be able to use but after I started to cut, I realized that I didn't have the fabrics very neat so I thought I had more than I really did. I spent a few nights ironing the fabric flat and cutting strips.

I need 252 strips to make the top I want so I knew I'd be cutting for a while, but, I finished tonight and the pile on the left is what I got.

I have 2 nice piles of strips and under the 2 gallon ziploc bag of scraps are some half yard pieces that I didn't cut into that I can cut up if I need to.... Now, I can start the assembly process.

I guess I should show you the fabrics too that are auditioning for the sashing strips and borders.... I'm thinking that in order to use all these fabrics up that I will piece the backing fabric too so that anyone that gets this will have something nice to look at no matter which side is up.

I KNOW I am supposed to be finishing up old projects but sometimes a girls just gotta do something new when the mood strikes....

Peggy

Weight Loss Monday on Tuesday

So, I thought I had it right this time...I posted a note to Sharon about my 3 lb weight loss but didn't put anything on my blog...so now next week I have to remember, post to the blog and post to Sharon.... whooee....I WILL get it straight, I will get it straight......

So, can you hear me?? 3 LB!!!

UPDATE: All Roads Lead to the Sea

So....Here on the left is block #8 of the All Roads Lead to the Sea block of the month that I am doing with my local shop. What we have here right now is the 2nd floor of a store.

The cream colored fabric between the 2 roof units will get a name but for now I'm reserving naming it till I decide if it's going to be a general store, a quilt store or something else.

I have also laid the block below the some of the blocks that make up the row above it. Can you see the steeple to the church???

Peggy

Bento Box Finished

I finished the Bento Box last night.....I was going to add a piano key border but I auditioned the turquoise Nikki fabric with it and I think it looks awesome.....What do you think?

Peggy

Diet Challenge Monday

Well, darnit if I didn't step on that scale today and the # is still the same.....
I've stepped away from the M&M's and cake and chips but I guess not enough so I have to step it up a little bit this week....

I sure hope all you other girls had a better week than I did...

Peggy

Bento Box Update

I've been working on my Bento Box project this weekend and it's coming along nicely..... Right now it's 45 x 60 . It's 4 rows of 3 blocks which is a nice lap quilt, and I have more fabric so I could probably make 7 more blocks to bring it up to a single size but I kind of like it this size.

I am thinking I might put a small border around this then put a piano key border around that. I don't have anyone in particular that this quilt is for, I just loved the fabric and was dying to try the pattern.

Peggy

Bento Box

I know it's "git er done" time but I just had to start a new project last night....

I took this pattern and the "NIKKI" fat quarter pack from Pat Sloan, with me to retreat last May but never touched it. I have been thinking about it a LOT the past week so I pressed all the fat quarters and started cutting the appropriate size strips last night so now I'm ready to start sub cutting and making the blocks....

With the cutting instructions given, you can make 4 sub units or 1 large block.... Here's a picture of what I did earlier... I don't know if you consider this 4 blocks or 1 but I will not be assembling it as 1, I will be doing it like it is shown on the left.

The Nikki line is very bright and quite a bit different than the Thimbleberries fabrics I've been using a lot lately so I'm excited that I'll be getting something totally different and much brighter...... I'll be working on this most of the weekend so check back often for updated pictures.....

Peggy

An Honest Tag

My friend, Conni, recently tagged me for the "Honest Scrap"! It is my duty to reveal 10 honest things about myself that I have never blogged about, as well as list 5 addictions. Then I'm to tag 5 of my blogging friends to do the same.

Hmmmmm.....

OK, lets start with the 10 things I've never blogged about:

1) I am petrified of snakes

2) I don't like loud music, tv or loud places

3) I don't drink alcohol

4) I start new projects before I finish old ones (ha ha ha...like I'm the only one in the world...)

5) I have lived with the same man, aka Al, aka Big Popi, aka my husband for 30 years

6) I weighed 89 pounds when I got married. I probably weigh twice that now....

7) I love sappy Hallmark movies

8) I love to read

9) Can't drive further than 2 hours before I need a nap...ask Robin, she'll tell you :)

10) I don't like to cook

5 Addictions:

1) Bagels ( I could survive on bagels with peanut butter or toasted with butter)

2) Hot Tetley Tea (NO...I do not drink flavored tea, only Tetley)

3) The internet/reading blogs/shopping

4) Cleaning my house

5) Grilled chicken sandwiches

OK, so I am tagging Robin for sure......and geesh, everyone else I wanted to tag has the darn tag on their blog already......So, Robin, you're it for now...

Peg

OH YES I DID............

Yes, I did.....I caved. See this kit for a YELLOW BRICK ROAD quilt? Well, I'd seen Michelle's "Yellow Brick Road Good Enough To Eat" and decided that I needed one...It would make a perfect quilt to snuggle under when you're watching a movie or just plain ole TV, so I ordered the kit....

Not only did the above kit come, my little red caddy from Sharon came today too.... Isn't it cute? And, it's in my favorite color...RED!!! When I ordered it I'd wondered where I'd put it when I sewed at night since it was soooo big, but now that it's here I realize it's a perfect size for the end table where I sew...I'm happy that it's the size that it is.

(I laid my rotary cutter in front of it so you could see it's size).

I did see that Sharon's hunka still has some available, and he takes orders for specific colors too so if you're jealous, and i just KNOW you are, head on over to Sharon's Red Geranium Cottage and ask Sharon if she can hook you up with one....

Peggy

Loser Monday

Loser Monday or NOT.................
I didn't lose anything but then again I gain anything so I'm happy.....
Guess I gotta just buckle down and put my hand in my pocket when I see those darn M&M's....
Peggy

A Finish

January 2009 was the start of our "FINISH ER UP" Challenge and since one of the teacher's in school is due in less than a month or so I figured I better get a move on getting her quilt quilted.

In the past (and present) I've always sent my quilts to a wonderful quilter named Sandi. Sandi was or is a part of the challenge group and I have to tell you, she does some beautiful quilting. I didn't want to send a small baby quilt out to her because I kept telling myself that I have a GRACE FRAME up in the spare bedroom and I NEED to learn to use the darn thing since it's been up there exactly a year......SO....I took the quilt up, pinned her down, made some bobbins, threaded the machine and voile.....I have a quilted baby quilt that only took me an hour!!!

NOW, it's not perfect and the quilting design needs some work but I know that Kerry will LOVE and APPRECIATE it and not even see the flaws that I do.

I picked a moda marbelized red for the binding so since i'm on a roll or as I was told this morning I'm like a "runaway train"this weekend, I'm going to cut the binding and attach that so tonight while I watch TV I have some hand work to do....

Hmmmm....what will I work on next????

Peggy

Holey Kamoley

Yes, I said it, holey kamoley......It's Saturday night and I'm just posting now.....I can't believe I haven't done a thing since Tuesday? AYE KARUMBA...where have I been?

Oh well, I'm here now and that's all that matters....

So, this week I got one of my favorite BOM's in the mail....The Pint Size Traditions from Main Street Cotton Shop. It's a Thimbleberries book and the projects are all traditional Thimbleberries in small sizes. I've done quite a few of them so far but over the holidays I took a little leave of absence and just put them in the cabinet. This one really caught my eye though and since I need a table topper for my living room I made it right up today....

The book is on the left and I was excited with it because I liked the yellow and blue they showed...well, Main Street sent more of a brown/green/gold colorway which is also nice but I think I'll be making it again in some lighter colors too... ( I have no clue why the picture of my topper is so off color but I can tell you it is nicer in person :)

Now to get it quilted and on the table....

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway

I just wanted to write and tell you that I received my present today from Sherri Dodds
(http://walkerlady.blogspot.com) I won a pair of Gingher Embroidery Scissors and she wrapped them in a cute piece of lime green & black polka dot fabric!!!
Sherri, thank you so much......

Lets do this again soon :)


And, on the weight loss front, I lost another 3 lbs this week....I just wish I felt like I did.
I thought I'd feel different, but I don't. I did have a couple days that I grabbed a handful of M&M's and a cookie here or there but for the most part I was really good....Can you imagine the weight loss if I'd been GOOD? Hmmmm...may have to give it a try next week :)

Peggy

All Roads Lead to the Sea Update

As I posted yesterday, I pulled my All Roads Lead to the Sea BOM back out and have been working on it. Here's what I have as of today....

On the left there is supposed to be a cabin with 4 trees...well, I have to tell you, right now, there are tree tops and a partial roof. It is giving me such fits and I don't want to waste a beautiful snowy day getting frustrated so it's getting put back into it's baggie and will get pulled out another day. I'm reading the instructions and I'm cutting accordingly but they are sooooo vague that I've even shot an email off to the designer asking for some help.....I do love it so far.....

BEAUTIFUL

This is what I woke up to this morning.....being a snow lover I find this to be BEAUTIFUL!!! Only thing is, it's not deep enough. I can only hope though that we get more tonight and I get to stay home and sew AGAIN tomorrow.....

And, the reason for being home today is because it's Martin Luther King Day. I noticed when I checked Pat Sloan's Blog out this morning that she had a link to his "I have a dream" speech so of course, I had to go have a peek.... Do you have a dream? I have a lot of dreams that include deeper snow, a bigger sewing room, no more aches and pains, a cleaning & laundry fairy and other things, but mostly I'd like to turn on the news and not see abductions/murders/killings etc., no more bombings overseas and mostly I'd like to see our servicemen and women back in the US where they belong and can enjoy their families. I don't think I'm asking for too much, am I?????

Peggy

No, I haven't given up................yet

As I said above, no, I haven't given up on my All Roads Lead to the Sea BOM....I just got a little frustrated with block #4 so with the frustration and the holidays, kits # 5 and 6 just sat in their basket. This morning I decided to bite the bullet and pull the fabric out and start cutting #5 and voile...here it is with # 1,2,3............

I am going to cut # 6 now and with luck it will be assembled on Monday. YES, you heard that right, MONDAY. School is closed for Martin Luther King Day so I will sleep in, have a relaxed breakfast and sew ALL day :)

Oh, and YES, I will go back to #4 as soon as I get # 6 done......I promise!!!

The First Block of the Month

I don't know how Robin didn't do it but Michelle and I both caved and joined The Fat Quarter Shop's Thimbleberries Block of the Month Club for 2009.... My addiction to Thimbleberries fabric and books has been going on for years and sometimes I wonder if I'll put myself in the poor house trying to keep up with them.

My 2009 promise to myself is to finish each month's kit within 5 days of receiving it. No falling behind and no procrastinating!!! So, on the left is a picture of what the finished product will look like and below on the right are my month 1 blocks.

I also wanted to thank Debi and all the people that entered my Whirl into Winter Giveaway Contest. I was overwhelmed with 190 entrants....I'm sorry I couldn't respond to each and every one of you but I will tell you, I did try and look at all your blogs and I did enter quite a few of your contests.

I won 2, yes folks, 2 prizes. When they arrive I will show you what I got and tell you which blogs I won on. I am so excited knowing packies will be arriving in my mailbox soon.....

Hope you are all having a nice weekend....we're freezing our butts off here in 21 degree New Jersey!!!

Peggy

And the winner is.........................

I just had my son pick from my jar of 190 entries and the winner of this arrangement of gifts is...................................................

Mary Grace Mc Namara .

Mary Grace, I will be emailing you when I finish here and will put your package in Saturday's mail.

Thank you everyone for joining in on this fun giveaway and I'll see you all soon.....

Peggy

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway

I am a winner, can you believe it? I was so excited to log onto the computer today and find an email from Walker Lady http://walkerlady.blogspot.com/ and she told me I won her Whirl Into Winter Giveaway..... I get a new pair of Gingher Scissors!!! I am so excited.....
I am going to get my dinner going and afterwards I will have someone in my family pick from the jar the name of the winner that posted to my blog.....

Peggy

Whirl Into Winter Giveaway

The countdown has begun......you can't win it if you aren't in it!!!
Come on girls...tonight's the final night..... when I get in from school tomorrow I will have one of my kids draw from the jar....... Get on back to the original post and get your name in......

Peggy

Weight Loss Challenge

Since I can't seem to get the camera to work right today I am posting an older picture of me. This is my "before" picture...and yes, I am in the orange top. EEK!!!

The other gals look much thinner than I do and you can tell can't you that the mid section is where I'm attempting to do the most work.

So, week 1 loss was 3 lbs. I did have a couple of days where I cheated, especially since hubby and I were on the road with Sarah this past weekend.

I promise that this week coming up will be as good, if not better!!!

Peggy

I DID GET A LITTLE SEWING IN

I was able to manage a couple of hours at the machine today while hubby watched his game.

These cute 4 inch Shoo Fly blocks are for a retreat in May.....yes, I know I'm early but I signed up to do these and a brown bag mini and also need to do a charity top along with all the blocks of the month I'm signed up for and keep up with Liz's challenge....so, in order to keep on top of things I started these today. 3 down 21 to go.................

Peggy

On the Road Again

I sound like the Willy Nelson song all the time don't I?
We left Friday night to go to State College to collect up all Sarah's stuff from Penn St. and bring it home yesterday. Hubby and son are out unloading the trailer as I type this (since I'm in jammies) and son will return the trailer in the am. THEN this afternoon, after the GIANTS game, hubby, Sarah and I will venture north to Johnson & Wales Univ. where she's been accepted as a Fashion Merchandising and Retail Marketing major. We are going to look over their program and campus and decide if she starts there on 3/10.... wish us luck, 'cause I'm tired of singing that Willy song.
As a disclaimer.........Sarah LOVED Penn and will miss it a lot, but they just could not offer her the major she wanted. Anyone looking at Penn, certainly should. Wonderful campus life and great architecture.....she loved it up there, if only she didn't have to go to class!!! :)

Have a great Sunday, GO GIANTS, and we'll talk tomorrow night if we get back early enough.

Peggy