I finished this block last night, but a migraine put me out for the day. What is the deal with all these migraines! 

This was a hard block for me. I can never seem to get all the squares to stay squares. I still like it...

I finished this block last night, but a migraine put me out for the day. What is the deal with all these migraines! 

This was a hard block for me. I can never seem to get all the squares to stay squares. I still like it...

A measly pile of laundry is no match for Clay when he wants to sit on his favorite chair. 

A measly pile of laundry is no match for Clay when he wants to sit on his favorite chair. 

What was I thinking?

I'm sure getting a workout quilting this one. It measures 96" x 80". 

I'm sure getting a workout quilting this one. It measures 96" x 80". 

Quilt Dad shared his instructions for the first block of the Block-A-Palooza today. I've been looking foreword to this quilt-a-long. I do confess, it was a wee bit difficult to open my bundle of Sunkissed by Sweetwater.

Isn't it pretty all tied up in a bow?

I chose to use the pink and grey color ways in this block. Love that combination. It reminds me of the pink and grey saddle shoes I used to wear.

Here is the first block Flying Over Fields.

Quilt Dad shared his instructions for the first block of the Block-A-Palooza today. I've been looking foreword to this quilt-a-long. I do confess, it was a wee bit difficult to open my bundle of Sunkissed by Sweetwater.

Isn't it pretty all tied up in a bow?

I chose to use the pink and grey color ways in this block. Love that combination. It reminds me of the pink and grey saddle shoes I used to wear.

Here is the first block Flying Over Fields.

Go check out this great give-away! Beautiful, huh?

Here is the link to Lila Tueller's blog. =)

Go check out this great give-away! Beautiful, huh?

Here is the link to Lila Tueller's blog. =)

Me: Rusty, I keep getting spam about dating single seniors.

Russ: *laughing* Really?

Me: I don't get it. Why would I want to date high school seniors?

Russ: I don't think that's the type of senior they mean, honey....

Me: Just what are you trying to say, Russell??

Russ: *laughing* Never mind, hon....never mind.

Me: Rusty, I keep getting spam about dating single seniors.

Russ: *laughing* Really?

Me: I don't get it. Why would I want to date high school seniors?

Russ: I don't think that's the type of senior they mean, honey....

Me: Just what are you trying to say, Russell??

Russ: *laughing* Never mind, hon....never mind.

I messed up...badly.

My husband, who is the most generous man I have ever known....ever...allowed me to...

(yes, I said allowed. He works hard for our money and I ask him before I buy things. I respect him and he cherishes me.)

...allowed me to buy a layer cake of Simplicity by 3 Sisters for a friend of mine.

The plan is to make a layer cake quilt together and I wanted to treat her with a layer cake of fabric to use. She was admiring my Simplicity lap quilt and telling me how much she loved the fabric. I did extensive internet searching and was thrilled to find a layer cake of Simplicity for her.

I love this line, too, which is why I used it to make a quilt for our bedroom. 

So, when I told him I also found a fat quarter set of it on Ebay for sale, he said, "Buy it!" I told him it was very expensive. And this is only one reason why I am the most blessed woman on earth...

He said, "I love you and I want you to have it." 

All together now...

Awwwwww....

And I did...Buy it, I mean. I checked out paying with Paypal. Now, I knew I didn't have enough in my checking, but I also knew I had a back up source, which was the credit card. It was all good...except for one teeny-tiny problem. When I was checking out, I forgot to tick the little box at Paypal that says "pay with alternative funding," or something like that...

Can you guess what happened?

Of course you can. 

I bounced...

And I was charged $25 in overdraft fees. My expensive fabric just got even more expensive. 

All because I was careless...Dare I say, stupid? 

And my darling husband said??

"It's okay, honey. Things like that happen." 

My husband is the most forgiving and patient man I have ever known....My boys would do well to grow up to be like their father. 

My husband, who is the most generous man I have ever known....ever...allowed me to...

(yes, I said allowed. He works hard for our money and I ask him before I buy things. I respect him and he cherishes me.)

...allowed me to buy a layer cake of Simplicity by 3 Sisters for a friend of mine.

The plan is to make a layer cake quilt together and I wanted to treat her with a layer cake of fabric to use. She was admiring my Simplicity lap quilt and telling me how much she loved the fabric. I did extensive internet searching and was thrilled to find a layer cake of Simplicity for her.

I love this line, too, which is why I used it to make a quilt for our bedroom. 

So, when I told him I also found a fat quarter set of it on Ebay for sale, he said, "Buy it!" I told him it was very expensive. And this is only one reason why I am the most blessed woman on earth...

He said, "I love you and I want you to have it." 

All together now...

Awwwwww....

And I did...Buy it, I mean. I checked out paying with Paypal. Now, I knew I didn't have enough in my checking, but I also knew I had a back up source, which was the credit card. It was all good...except for one teeny-tiny problem. When I was checking out, I forgot to tick the little box at Paypal that says "pay with alternative funding," or something like that...

Can you guess what happened?

Of course you can. 

I bounced...

And I was charged $25 in overdraft fees. My expensive fabric just got even more expensive. 

All because I was careless...Dare I say, stupid? 

And my darling husband said??

"It's okay, honey. Things like that happen." 

My husband is the most forgiving and patient man I have ever known....My boys would do well to grow up to be like their father. 

We were discussing what to have for dinner the following night. Mitchell was sharing his thoughts....

{Mitchell: I think next time for dinner we should have Italic. I love Italic. We can have Italic dressing on our salad and have Italic foods, like lasagna or spaghetti....}

It's funny when things like this come from a 5 year old, but I think it's hilarious when your child is 14! Yes, he knows I am sharing this with you all...

We were discussing what to have for dinner the following night. Mitchell was sharing his thoughts....

{Mitchell: I think next time for dinner we should have Italic. I love Italic. We can have Italic dressing on our salad and have Italic foods, like lasagna or spaghetti....}

It's funny when things like this come from a 5 year old, but I think it's hilarious when your child is 14! Yes, he knows I am sharing this with you all...

I am trying to cut way back on my buying fabric frenzy. I have plenty here to start some projects. I'm simply waiting for my new patterns/books to get here to start on something in earnest and the Bloggers Block Palooza is starting up soon. Yes, there is plenty here to play with...

...however... 

{you knew there would be a catch, didn't you?}

...there is a fabric line that's at the very tippy-tip-top of my wish-list that will not-be-out-soon-enough that I will be buying...

Sherbet Pips by AneelyHoey

Oh, I ❤ this fabric...

I am trying to cut way back on my buying fabric frenzy. I have plenty here to start some projects. I'm simply waiting for my new patterns/books to get here to start on something in earnest and the Bloggers Block Palooza is starting up soon. Yes, there is plenty here to play with...

...however... 

{you knew there would be a catch, didn't you?}

...there is a fabric line that's at the very tippy-tip-top of my wish-list that will not-be-out-soon-enough that I will be buying...

Sherbet Pips by AneelyHoey

Oh, I ❤ this fabric...

I have pictures! No worries, they aren't graphic.

To catch up the new readers *waving*, on Nov. 26th, at 9:00 pm, I placed a shiny new rotary blade in my cutter....

{which, btw, is still being used today and is still amazingly sharp. I bought a titanium one at Joann's when they were on sale. I will definitely buy more of them in the future}

..and proceded to cut some fabric. Three or four cuts into my play time, I got careless and I lopped off a good portion of the side of my index finger. Ouch, is an understatement and a {not} fun trip to the ER was the result.

But lookee here...Six and a half weeks later, it's all better.

It's only slightly deformed on the one side. 

This is one experience that I don't want to repeat. Please learn from my mishap: respect your rotary cutters. They really can be dangerous.

I have pictures! No worries, they aren't graphic.

To catch up the new readers *waving*, on Nov. 26th, at 9:00 pm, I placed a shiny new rotary blade in my cutter....

{which, btw, is still being used today and is still amazingly sharp. I bought a titanium one at Joann's when they were on sale. I will definitely buy more of them in the future}

..and proceded to cut some fabric. Three or four cuts into my play time, I got careless and I lopped off a good portion of the side of my index finger. Ouch, is an understatement and a {not} fun trip to the ER was the result.

But lookee here...Six and a half weeks later, it's all better.

It's only slightly deformed on the one side. 

This is one experience that I don't want to repeat. Please learn from my mishap: respect your rotary cutters. They really can be dangerous.

If you recall, I won a mystery basket from Cozy Quilts on New Year's Eve during a Twitter party hosted by Stitchen' Heaven.

The mystery basket is no longer a mystery...

I won 2 books and 4 patterns of MY choice!

I could hardly believe it! Seriously, this was way beyond what was I was expecting.

Because I have very few patterns and only a few books, this was a real treat.

Here are my book choices:

And here are my 4 pattern choices:

 Serenity

Easy Goings

Big & Bold

It's a Cinch

Thank you, Daniela! I can hardly wait for them to arrive! 

If you recall, I won a mystery basket from Cozy Quilts on New Year's Eve during a Twitter party hosted by Stitchen' Heaven.

The mystery basket is no longer a mystery...

I won 2 books and 4 patterns of MY choice!

I could hardly believe it! Seriously, this was way beyond what was I was expecting.

Because I have very few patterns and only a few books, this was a real treat.

Here are my book choices:

And here are my 4 pattern choices:

 Serenity

Easy Goings

Big & Bold

It's a Cinch

Thank you, Daniela! I can hardly wait for them to arrive! 

It goes without saying, I love sewing and I love quilting

But I also love techy-gadgets.

One of my favorite things is my iPod touch. I have it loaded up with music and podcasts to listen to while I'm in my sewing room. I'm dreaming of an iPhone or an iPad, both of which are rumored to be soon available at Verizon and a new 2nd generation iPad is due to come out in a few weeks. Can't wait! 

Ooops...To get back on topic. 

Today, thanks to Creating the Hive - Arts & Crafts Community, I found a new podcast to listen to. A quilting podcast! Actually, Sandy found me, but I digress.

Sandy has a podcast called: Quilting For the Rest of Us. 

Cool, huh? 

So are there more quilting podcasts I should know about? Please, do share! Inquiring minds want to know! =)

Edit: Well, well, well...Look at all the podcasts I found! 

Quiltcast Supergroup

It goes without saying, I love sewing and I love quilting

But I also love techy-gadgets.

One of my favorite things is my iPod touch. I have it loaded up with music and podcasts to listen to while I'm in my sewing room. I'm dreaming of an iPhone or an iPad, both of which are rumored to be soon available at Verizon and a new 2nd generation iPad is due to come out in a few weeks. Can't wait! 

Ooops...To get back on topic. 

Today, thanks to Creating the Hive - Arts & Crafts Community, I found a new podcast to listen to. A quilting podcast! Actually, Sandy found me, but I digress.

Sandy has a podcast called: Quilting For the Rest of Us. 

Cool, huh? 

So are there more quilting podcasts I should know about? Please, do share! Inquiring minds want to know! =)

Edit: Well, well, well...Look at all the podcasts I found! 

Quiltcast Supergroup

I do not own a dishwasher...

Some people are shocked when they find out I don't have one. It does get worse...I have never owned one.

Nope...Never...

Never saw the need nor had the desire to own one. 

I don't mind washing dishes...

And its good for my kids to learn how to wash dishes. That's my story and I am sticking to it. 

Because the dish drain isn't big enough to hold all the dishes, a towel is always on my counter for the freshly washed glasses to dry on. 

That is, until today....

Today, I traded in the towel for a new dish mat....

Lest you think I am very clever, I got the idea from Tipnut. If you don't read her blog, you are missing out! Here is the link to the tutorial for the dish mat, you will see I made mine differently, but the idea is basically the same. 

I definitely going to be making more!

I do not own a dishwasher...

Some people are shocked when they find out I don't have one. It does get worse...I have never owned one.

Nope...Never...

Never saw the need nor had the desire to own one. 

I don't mind washing dishes...

And its good for my kids to learn how to wash dishes. That's my story and I am sticking to it. 

Because the dish drain isn't big enough to hold all the dishes, a towel is always on my counter for the freshly washed glasses to dry on. 

That is, until today....

Today, I traded in the towel for a new dish mat....

Lest you think I am very clever, I got the idea from Tipnut. If you don't read her blog, you are missing out! Here is the link to the tutorial for the dish mat, you will see I made mine differently, but the idea is basically the same. 

I definitely going to be making more!

After sleeping off a migraine for two days, I woke up to these lovely Kona cottons from Jackie @ Canton Village Quilt Works to add to my stash. She had a great sale that I took advantage of. 

From top to bottom:

Robin Egg - I really like this shade of blue

Peridot

Aqua - would love to have a whole bolt!

Coal 

Pearl Pink - such a lovely soft pink 

Before the migraine, I got a ufo finished. A lap quilt made out of the left over fabric from my Simplicity quilt. I love this line...

More scraps turned into this, not-sure-yet-what-to-use-it-for mat where I did some free motion quilting practice. 

I was going to use this on the back of the lap quilt but decided to make a table topper out of it instead. It will go on the chest next to my bed. 

Last Sunday afternoon I made 35 tissue cozies for Sharon, a dear friend of mine, to take back with her to Chad later on this month to give to her friends as gifts. 

My inbox was full and I tried to catch up, but alas, it was way too much for me to go to all the blogs and comment. *sigh* 

After sleeping off a migraine for two days, I woke up to these lovely Kona cottons from Jackie @ Canton Village Quilt Works to add to my stash. She had a great sale that I took advantage of. 

From top to bottom:

Robin Egg - I really like this shade of blue

Peridot

Aqua - would love to have a whole bolt!

Coal 

Pearl Pink - such a lovely soft pink 

Before the migraine, I got a ufo finished. A lap quilt made out of the left over fabric from my Simplicity quilt. I love this line...

More scraps turned into this, not-sure-yet-what-to-use-it-for mat where I did some free motion quilting practice. 

I was going to use this on the back of the lap quilt but decided to make a table topper out of it instead. It will go on the chest next to my bed. 

Last Sunday afternoon I made 35 tissue cozies for Sharon, a dear friend of mine, to take back with her to Chad later on this month to give to her friends as gifts. 

My inbox was full and I tried to catch up, but alas, it was way too much for me to go to all the blogs and comment. *sigh* 

A project I began last summer...Make Life Disappearing 9 Patch 

I have to say, using the technique of  a faux piped binding is my favorite way to finish a quilt. You can find Trisha's  tutorial @ TLC Stitches.

A project I began last summer...Make Life Disappearing 9 Patch 

I have to say, using the technique of  a faux piped binding is my favorite way to finish a quilt. You can find Trisha's  tutorial @ TLC Stitches.

I WON!!

I participated in a great Twitter party tonight hosted by Niki@ Stitchin Heaven. 

I won a Mystery Gift Basket from  Cozy Quilt. 

What a fun way to begin the new year!! 

Happy New Year, friends!!

I participated in a great Twitter party tonight hosted by Niki@ Stitchin Heaven. 

I won a Mystery Gift Basket from  Cozy Quilt. 

What a fun way to begin the new year!! 

Happy New Year, friends!!