October Quilt List

I made a list in August of what I wanted to complete for quilting to keep me on track.  I thought I would update the list as most got completed and start me a new list!

 -Quilting for mom (have a project I've been promising her for MONTHS!)  Seen here
- Quilting for Christine - a client quilt project
- Baseball #2 Turning Twenty - piece the backing, quilt, bind  Seen here and here
- Finish Lucy's Crab Shack Tumbler quilt and runner  Seen here
- Halloween quilt  Seen here
- Swoon blocks - seen here

I finished most everything on my list!  Maybe not all in the month of August - but I have gotten to them all!

October's list will include the following:
- Quilt and bind client quilt
- Binding client quilt
- Quilting client quilt
- Quilt and bind my Halloween quilt
- Finish Joy granny square blocks
- Start Blizten Hubble quilt
- ONE Swoon block - maybe I can get this quilt done one block at a time?
- Clean up sewing room

Here's top a new list and a new month!

Halloween Time

Here in our house, we love everything about this time of year.  The crisp air, pumpkins, leaves changing color, candy corns.  We go big for fall and especially for Halloween.

Source: gardenphotoworld.com via Abby on Pinterest

The house is decked out (now just needs to be cleaned) and I'm working on an October list of fun things to do for fall.  Since September rolled around all I have been thinking about is the different parties we could have.

A donut and wassail party...

Source: eddieross.com via Abby on Pinterest

A trip to Thanksgiving Point for all their Fall Festivities 
Head on up to Park City and see all the leaves changing colors and hit up the Alpine Coaster
Pick pumpkins at a pumpkin patch so I can make my porch look like this...

Source: decorating-ideas.blogspot.com via Abby on Pinterest

I don't think there is anything I don't like about fall.  I've been pinning up a Halloween storm of games, food, and ideas for the kids.  Feel free to follow my board.

Randomness

Getting back to reality after a vacation makes me tired! 

Yesterday was a rough day with work.  Rough day with kids.  I told Sam at one point if he didn't shape up I was going to sell him on eBay.  It was one of those days.  No naps, constant calls, and I even had help from my sweet mother-in-law for a few hours!

Last night the kids went to sleep at 8:30 - it was heaven!  I totally understand why parents enforce a bedtime.  HAHA - why have I never done this before?  (He's name is Sam and he's 2 and doesn't do anything I say - it was a miracle he feel asleep so early!)

Instead of being productive - I sat on the couch and watched New Girl and The Mindy Project (so good).  I then decided to be a little productive and pulled out a table runner to bind so I could justify watching the season premier of Private Practice.  It was only 10 - so I got caught up on an episode or two of General Hospital.  I could spend a month watching all the shows I want to get caught up on! 

As I sat in my quiet house - everyone asleep but me, the windows open, the sound of rain - the fall decorations surround me - it was THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!  Ok, not really - but a much needed break and mind numbing do nothing kind of night. 

I went to bed and couldn't sleep (I'm having issues falling asleep and staying asleep lately - is this cause I'm getting old?) I pinned a little and checked in on my blogs and couldn't believe my eyes when I read this post.  Do you see this? 

The winners are:

1. Grand prize winner Abby Latimer

I've never won ANYTHING from blog giveaways - EVER.  Not only did I win - but I won on a modabakeshop - the makings for a whole quilt!!!!  I was so excited!

Once I got over my shock of winning - I went back to pinning - and saw this pin.

Source: thechive.com via Abby on Pinterest

I woke Mike up because I couldn't stop laughing.  Not sure if it was because I'm so exhausted that I found it funny, or because of the day I had - but come on - if you've ever seen Dora - you know what this pin is saying.  And I couldn't stop laughing - for like 5 minutes.  Laugh out loud, tears, laughing....crazy I know over Dora - but I was smiling as I finally fell asleep. 

It was a good night.

Fall Tumblers Runner

In honor of fall - I whipped out a table runner with my new obsession tumblers!

I love the pops of purples in this line.  It is Moda - Primitive Gatherings - Little Gathers (or Seasonal Gatherings).  This line has got some great prints that would be good to stash away for back grounds!

I found this backing from my stash.  I'm going through all my bins and pull anything over a yard and putting it on mini bolts.  I'm thinking if I have the yardage readily available and can view it easily, I'll not only remember what I have but I'll be able to get at it and use it!  Since I started this process I have rolled over 150 bolts - and I'm not even 1/3 of the way through....who knew I had so much fabric!

This was a fun quick project for fall.  Glad I got something new done!

Halloween - WIP Wednesdays

In our house, we are BIG into Halloween.  The decorations have started popping up earlier and earlier each year - the kids are into costumes and spooky stories.  We try to hit up Disneyland around this time of year - because really what is better than a Mickey's Halloween party?

Back in 2010 I made a Halloween quilt and pillowcase for Jake - (Ok I bought the pillowcase already made).  I also purchased the same fabrics to make Sam one of his own, which never happened back in 2010.

Skip forward 2 years (time flies way to fast!)

This was a Riley Blake Halloween line a few years back.  I thought it was fun with spiderwebs, ghosts, and polka dots.

The backing fabric was cute and whimsically - just perfect for Sam.

Even though the middle squares were sewn together over a year ago - I'm glad I finally got the borders added and it quilted.  I even threw in a little spiderweb in the quilting every few squares. Glad Sam will have his own Halloween quilt this year!

Linking up with WIP Wednesdays!

Photo Shoot

Remember this photo shoot I tried for on my own in Fish Lake?  I will never understand how these professionals are able to get such good shots.  Watching the session take place, I thought to myself multiple times, how are they going to get any good shots with these two crazies?  Luckily for me - I came home with 91 pictures that I can't stop looking at.

LOVE how they turned out.  Here are a few of my favorites.

I can't get over how big these boys are getting!  We used FotoFlyAway.  They are so good with the kids and great at capturing those perfect smiles.  You also walkaway with a CD full of all the pictures they took edited.  For such a great price - why ever go anywhere else!

Problem is now picking a favorite.  I have updated my picture wall  with the new pics and I have to smile now every time I wander through that room.

Love these dang cute kiddos.

Menu Mondays

I think I've taken the last 2 months off from cooking.  I feel like if I get one meal cooked a week its been a successful week.  So pathetic!

I will have plenty of time this weekend to plan my menu and get back on track.

In the meantime thought I'd share a quick dinner idea I threw together last week.  I did cook spaghetti on Monday - and had left overs.  I had pulled out some salmon and knew I had to cook it Wednesday or toss it, and my family isn't thrilled with the idea of salmon.

I took left over spaghetti noodles and SLATHERED the in butter.  Cooked the salmon with butter and dill and shredded it over the noodles.  Although my husband still wasn't thrilled with the salmon, it made it much more tolerable for him to eat.  And Jake LOVED it.  I think anything mixed with pasta can't be that bad right?

I'll be back next week with my act together and a real menu!

LovePinWin

Its Saturday afternoon - this is the current view I'm staring out at while sipping my coke from a gobblet and eating mini rolos.

The boys are all taking a little nap and I should be getting caught up on some work, but instead decided to play along with this little game.  Such a more fun way of spending my afternoon then boring presentations!  Pinterest is quickly becoming my go to hobby when I have a few minutes to spare - what a fun contest to participate in.

I love a good modabakeshop pattern and I have made a few.

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

 

 

 

Chevron - made this one in Rouenneries Duex

Source: modabakeshop.com via Erika on Pinterest

Easy Bricks - made with Strawberry Fields just like the pattern

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Verna Table Runner - made with Verna by Kate Spain

And by far my favorite

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Starry Night - made just like this one - I mean you can't go wrong with these fabrics.

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Made several of these Simple Runners seen here.

Sadly - all 3 big quilts have been made in the last year or two and not one of them has been quilted yet!  My goal was to get the Strawberry Fields brick one quilted for the summer and I missed that deadline big time!

A few on my to do list are these.

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Endless Possibilities - Love all the options with this quilt.  Saw it in 2010 and haven't forgotten this pattern.

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Sweet Menagerie - Bought fabrics out of Verna by Kate Spain for this quilt

Source: modabakeshop.com via Abby on Pinterest

Charming Stars is one of my favorites - no idea why I haven't whipped this sucker out yet.

My afternoon as come and gone - Sam is now awake, and my beautiful view is on the its way to being a beautiful sunset.  I have pinned away my day - but feel free to take a look on my boards here and here.  You can also follow all my boards - not all quilt related here, you'll often see me pinning into the wee hours of the night and often times food related items....it may be a problem I have. 

Its Officially Fall

Here in these parts, its getting a little crisper in the air at night, the days aren't quite as hot, school is in full swing, and I've brought out the fall decor.

I always try to get quilts finished up before the season starts so that I have some new decorations for the house.  But most the time, I can't pull it off and find myself whipping up fall quilts during fall, Christmas quilts during Christmas....I just can't stay one step ahead of the game!

Last year I went on a BIG fall bender of quilt making.  Pulled out my fall bin of fabrics and decided I was going to clean out the bin by making quilts and/or runners.  In case you want to be reminded go here, here, here, here, here,  or here.  All small runners or table toppers.  I also finished off another at the beginning of the year here.  The fall pinwheel runner is still one of my favorites today!

Sadly - I have a few more runners/quilts I made last year but never finished.  I've spent the last few weeks quilting and binding a few unfinished projects.  My goal for the end of the year is to have every quilt that is currently quilted - bound and complete.

I made a version of this same quilt last year, but this one I added an extra border to make it larger for a table topper or small baby quilt.

I'm a sucker for anything plaid, stars, and fall - so this was a perfect combo in my book.

The back fabric - LOVE THIS PLAID - and this picture doesn't do it justice.  

Nice to get another quilt off my floor and off my to do list!

WIP Wednesday

Monday I decided to make a quilt for a baby shower we were having at work for someone on Wednesday.  Yes I like to stress myself out.

Monday night I set out to find the perfect fabric and a quickish pattern I could whip up.  I went for 1 swoon block.... I forgot how long these suckers take!  So Monday night I got it cut and sewn.  Tuesday night I add the border, quilted it, added binding, and around midnight got it bound.  

I have to say I love how it turned out.  Baby Swoon for baby Nora.

I did a loopy design to save on time, but think it turned out well.  Love the pops of orange!

Fabric is from Joel Dewberry - love this line!  Backed with a solid yellow flannel fabric that was super soft for the babe.

It was a happy end to a quick project.

Linking up to WIP Wednesdays!

Today I Love

Jake

This week we started school up again.  I know he's only in preschool - but sending him off for 3 days a week...boy is he growing up fast.

Can you believe how grown up he looks?  My sweet little 4 year old.

What an imagination this boy has.  Today I came home to him putting together a theater for me.  Yes a movie theater.  He created everything from his trio blocks.  A projector, a popcorn maker, had chairs set up and a screen covered by curtains (closet doors) which he opened up to show me the screen (the ipad) on which we watch Curious George.  He had movie tickets ready which we had to pay for, and he tells me he now goes to work each day just like me at the movie theater.  

He also played me some music on his guitar before the show started just like they did in the 40's (his exact words).  I don't know where this kid comes up with these things, but I am so glad he has such a fun imagination and funny personality.  He is a kind, funny, smart little guy and I love watching him grow up.  I can't wait to see what this year has in store for him.

Love you buddy.

WIP Wednesday

I had big plans last weekend to get a lot of sewing done, house clean, fall decor up, etc etc.  Of course I didn't get to everything, but I did stay up til about 2:30am sewing one night and I happened to get this quilt top done.  YAYYYYY!!!!

I'm a sucker for Halloween - yet haven't ever had a Halloween quilt I love and want to hang up.  Last year I saw this pattern made out of Halloween fabrics and have kept it in the back of my mind ever since.

This quilt went together fairly fast and to be honest I thought it was kind of blah when I laid out the blocks.  Once I added the black stop border I feel like all the blocks kind of popped.  I did a white border with a black spider web.  I haven't done a light border before - not sure why - this was something different for me, but I like the way it turned out.

The quilt pattern is Wild Things by Thimble Blossoms and the fabric is Monster Bash by Sandy Gervais for Moda.  I'm going to use a monster fabric for the back - I think the kids will love it.  I have a couple of client quilts to quilt this week, but hope to get this quilted next week and take it on our up coming vacation to bind.  We'll see how that goes....

Another little project I've been working on is my Joy Granny Square blocks.  I am loving how these are turning out.  I'm up to 6 blocks.

I was going to go with 16 blocks, but I think I've decided to keep plugging away and go with 20 blocks.  I bought a solid red for the border and the white background with Christmas lights for the backing this week.  I'm excited to get this one done!

I have to say I love WIP Wednesdays.  I look forward to seeing what everyone is working on each week and seeing the progress in quilts.  I've got some quilting ahead of me, but hopefully I can add a few more blocks to my granny squares this week!