To Bind

I've got a few quilts I pulled out to bind this week.  I tried machine binding a table runner and I have to say I'm not a fan.  Sure, it wasn't perfect, but I think I'm the old fashion kind of girl.  Its gotta be hand sewn. 

Here are a few I got done this week (for sale in my etsy store), and there are a few still on the list for this weekend.  Hopefully I'll get them all done.

and a few more to go...

Guess which one I'll work on first?  Any guesses?  This is the one Jake voted for.

Loves his rocket ships!  Poor sick eyes.

Burning the Midnight Oil

I'm a sleeper.  I am just one of those people that needs sleep (a newborn really puts a cramp in this).  So I am as surprised as anyone when I have been up past midnight SEVERAL times in the last week.

It all started with my cousin Heidi deciding she wanted to make a quilt.  She came over on Saturday night and we completed all the blocks for a Pint Sized quilt.  We did it out of Simple Abundance and used a cream for every other piece.  I think its going to turn out great.  Point being, we sewed until 2:30AM!!!  I could BARELY function the next day, let alone wake up to feed Sam at 4am.  I don't really remember much.  Needless to say I went back to sleep several times Sunday morning and didn't get out of bed until 11:30am to begin my day.  It was worth it though.

The next late nights came from Jake who has been sick and not sleeping well.  Last night I looked at the clock at 3:45 before I finally fell asleep.

Tonight I have spent the night loading up my etsy shop with new fabric kits, quilts, patterns, and some way cute embroidery pieces created by my very talented sister Whitney. 

I love the feeling of accomplishing all things quilt related!

Here is a sneak peek of what I've been working on.

p.s. head on over to Marta's blog today - I'm the feature giveaway vendor.  Comment to win a little something from my shop!

Menu Mondays

So any weight I've lost, I pretty much gained back between my trip and the last week or two.  We had my in-laws over for dinner on Tuesday.  My mother in law makes the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.  They are Mike's favorite.  I usually can usually eat one and be done, but something about this batch.  I probably had 3 that night!  My parents came over for dinner on Thursdsay and my mom brought strawberry shortcake.  So my attempt at cookiing us all healthy meals did no good when adding in dessert.

I also had an eating fest yesterday that could make anyone sick, so I've GOT TO BE GOOD this week!  The weather is turning, the pool will soon be heated, I've got to start looking like I'm not pregnant anymore!  So here is this weeks menu.

Monday - Chinese Chicken Salad
Tuesday - Grilled orange chicken w/ roasted cauliflower and zucchini
Wednesday - Skillet lasagna (still haven't made it)
Thursday - Fish Tacos
Friday - Filets and veggies

Downtown Disney

We went to Downtown Disney several times, but I didn't take many pictures.  The Lego store is always a site to be seen whenever you may pass one.  I can't get over the big displays they always have out.  This is one I couldn't go by without capturing on film.

Is it really hip to be square?

During my maternity leave I brought my sewing room up to my kitchen.  I had to feel like I was completing some projects.  I had to have some time to myself.  Had to feel like I was accomplishing something other then getting through the day with a new baby and screaming 2 year old.

I started sewing together charm packs.  Pre cut 5 inch squares of the most beautiful fabrics.  Many of my creations can be seen here.  Although I love these quick and easy projects I was able to complete, as I look through all my pictures I have to say I'm getting sick of squares, squares, and more squares!

I've decided to branch out, try to complete a few other projects that aren't just squares sewn to squares.  That being said, as I look through the world wide web at other quilting projects I seem to be drawn to the simple square projects.  There is just something old fashion and simple about them that I love.  So I've continued with my squares, but have tried to at least make them a little more complicated.  Square in squares for example.  Or rectangles in rectangles.  I'm slowly trying to mix it up a bit.

Here are a few of my last two projects I did from charm packs.  They are some of my favorite fabrics yets!  The top two pictures is a runner out of Martinique by 3 Sisters.  I love this line, can't say enough about it.  I've bought a cute border to go with this one so I'll keep adding to it.  The bottom two pictures is a table runner out of Rural Jardin by French General for Moda.  I am loving this new designer.  Can't wait for the Christmas line to come out from them this year.  I don't do many long table runners so I decided to give it a try, and I love how it turned out.  Hoping to get this one quilted so I can throw it on my kitchen table for the summer.  

Hopefully I can break away from the squares and show you something new.  I have some cute blocks in the works using this pattern, I'll show you soon.

Epcot

Our plane didn't take off until 5pm and checkout was at 10am.  So we decided to head on over to Epcot since we hadn't been there.  They happened to be having their Garden Festival going on.  They had topiary's of all the different Disney characters throughout the park.  The most beautiful pots of flowers scattered everywhere you looked.  It was beautiful.  I love this park with all the different countries they have set up.  We just walked the circle, not really going into anything because the kids were asleep, but it was so fun and relaxing to walk through.  I loved this park and would love to go back without the kids to see all the sites.  I took the most pictures here of all the flowers and designs.  I wish I could make my yard look this good! 

One consistent thing we noticed going through the parks was Disney sure pays attention to every little detail.  I am still in awe over everything we saw and the details in every house, every display, every ride was just amazing.

Here are some pictures from Epcot.

 
                                      Entrance to Epcot

 
                                           The Lion King

                                  Fairy Garden Entrance

                                 Jake playing in the Fairy Gardens

                                    Mickey's face in flowers

A pineapple garden.  I had never seen pineapples grow like this.  But I guess I've never seen pineapples growing before.  I think I had pictured them bigger and in Hawaii????

                                 Cinderella and Prince Charming

 
                                           Bambi display

         Teacups planted with herbs (I so want to copy this idea)

  
                                  Beauty and the Beast

                        Beauty and the Beast with friends display

       I don't remember the exact country, maybe Tibet?  Anyone know? 

                                            Mickey and Minnie

                  The pots all lined up in France and Italy country areas.  

                   Lady and the Tramp  - I love all the pink flowers!

                           In Italy - almost feels like I'm there!

The detail is amazing here, even the light post change when moving into the next country.

              A little village design in Germany or Switzerland?   

I was so busy paying attention to all the little details, that I didn't pay attention to what country I was walking through....

Again, I can't believe how much work goes into even the littlest displays. 

                
                               The year of the Tiger

          Another Mickey and Minnie display - had a fall look to it.

This butterfly display was at the entrance to the Fairy and Butterfly displays.  There was all these little fairy and Tinkerbell displays.  I love the village and displays they had for all the fairy's.

                                          A Fairy house

                                The Fairy fly boat

                                Another little Fairy house

                  One of Tinkerbell's friends.  I didn't get her name....

                                           Tinkerbell

I loved our quick visit to Epcot.  I really wish we would have gone over here when my parents were still in town.  My mom would have LOVED all the flowers.  

Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is kind of like a zoo, with wild animals that are roaming.  Jake was so excited our day here because he got to roam around himself.  The park wasn't busy at all, and he got to be free from the stroller and run around with the animals.

We started the day taking on a little jungle safari.

We saw all kinds of birds, rhinos, elephants, lions, cheetahs, etc.  It was a lot of fun.

After the safari you can get out and walk around the grounds and look at what we ran into.  Its amazing how close you can get to the animals.

Of course we had to hit another parade.  This one I have to say wasn't my favorite.  A little low budget compared to the rest we had seen this week.  But Jake loves seeing all the characters.

The Tree of Life is right in the center of the park.  It is a HUGE tree with animals craved into the trunk.  It was an amazing site. 

We had a great day here.  Wasn't too long, hit a few rides and saw some great animals.  What I loved most was that it wasn't busy at all!  Fun day.

Hollywood Studios

The last full day my parents were there we spent at Disney Hollywood Studios.  This is a fun park which is built to look like what else...a Hollywood Studio.  There are little acts going as you walk through the streets.  We watched a couple of shows, Playhouse Disney, Muppets in 3D, and went on a few rides, the Tower of Terror, Rock n Roll Coaster, and of course Toy Story.  Here are a few pictures from our day.