WIP Wednesday

Happy Halloween! 

I had a baby shower to attend last week and started this quilt in hopes it could be my gift.  It didn't get completed in time.  But I did finish it up Monday night.  

I have seen chevron quilts all over blogland and have made a couple of my own here and here, but wanted to do something a little different, fun and bright!  I had originally bought these fabrics to make another quilt using this pattern, but have never gotten around to it.  I'm trying to use up my stash so I can continue to add to it (I go in spurts - good for awhile and don't buy a thing, then go wild and buy everything I see.  Do you have that problem?  I'm currently in a wild phase)

I'm trying to decide if I would rather have it going vertical instead of horizontal.  Thoughts?  Its kind of a weird size.  Not a rectangle and not a square....so I'm having a hard time deciding.

I do love the fun polka dots and stripes.  Hope to get this quilted this week.  I think I'm going for a simple all over stipple.  

I also tea dyed my star blocks in this quilt.  I've got the blocks trimmed and ready to put together.  So I hope to have that ready for next week.  Amazing what an hour here and an hour there will get ya.  A finished quilt in a week!

Linking up to WIP Wednesdays

Fall Quilt Festival 2012

I love looking at all the beautiful quilts people have submitted to the Fall Quilt Festival!  I couldn't be left out of the fun.  This quilt hangs in my sewing room on the wall.  I love this block and the fabric collection.  It is one of my favorites to this day!

Fabric is Mistletoe Manor by 3 Sisters for Moda.  

Pattern is from the book Quilting with My Sister and is called New Prairie Flower

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Stats

Finished quilt measures : 60″x 72″

Quilted by : Pam Smith

Best Category : Throw Size

I made this quilt when I was working at a quilt shop for a store sample.  It was one of the first blocks I made with so many pieces and I was so nervous to have it hanging in the store.  I loved the simple quilting and feel like the block and fabrics really are showcased in this quilt.  I smile every time I glance up at it from my cutting table.  

Menu Mondays

Monday - Freezer frenzy - anything I can find is what we're eating
Tuesday - Pesto Chicken w/angel hair noodles
Wednesday - Hamburger Tator Tot Casserole
Thursday - Pizza
Friday - Baked Cream Cheese Spaghetti

Happy Birthday Jake

It all started with this - the day I found out I was going to be a mother....

And 5 years ago I brought home this little bundle of joy.

Since the moment you arrived Jake, you've been the center of our world.

You are a fun, imaginative, sweet little boy, and you always have been.  You are very curious and always want to learn.  I love when you say a new word and then ask me "what does ___ mean?"

You will go so far in life if you continue to grow and learn.  Always ask questions and want to grow your mind.

I love how you zoom up the driveway on your scooter these days.  I can see how much you've grown over the last few years and I can't believe you are now 5 YEARS OLD!  Your words and actions and daily conversations with you enforce to me how you are growing up.  

Just the other day you said this to me.  "Mom, if I worked at Toy R Us, I would never save any money."  How does a little boy know that?  I couldn't stop laughing at first how these things enter your little mind to begin with, and how smart you are to put work and money together at such a young age.

You are such a fun big brother.  Sammy idolizes you.  Walking around repeating all the things you say, and copying all the things you do.  He loves to play legos with you and explore your fantasy lands you are always putting together.  You created a ferris wheel in the exercise room recently.  I love to hear you and Sam in there playing and laughing.  No sound is sweeter to hear then the two of you getting along and making each other laugh.  I hope as you grow up you will continue to be his friend and to always remember know matter what, family is what matters most.

I love your sweet smile - please always remember to smile at life.

Your laugh is contagious.  Laugh through life, it will get you through the "bad days" you have every so often.

As a mother, I don't have a favorite child - but you and I will always have a special bond.  You taught me how to be a mom.  How to make a fool of myself, and live in a messy house.  You taught me what is important in life.  You are my first born and gave me the best role of my life - which is being your mother.  So you and I will always share that special bond.

I love you to the moon and back - and hope you have a wonderful birthday and 5th year of your life.  You have made the last 5 years of my life the best I could have ever know.

Love you - Happy Birthday!

Mom

Halloween Finish

Are you sick of seeing this quilt yet?  I am so excited that it is finally done and before the actual holiday!

I got the quilt bound just in time for the Cousins Carnival and we even used it for story time!

I used the Monster Bash fabric by Sandy Gervais and the Wild Things pattern by Thimbleblossom.

BFF's

Tuesday night I spent the evening with these lovely ladies Emily and Courtney.

I have known these girls all my life.

Courtney and I grew up in the same neighborhood and have been family friends since birth.

Emily is part of the Blodgett clan who are also lifelong family friends and I have known Emily for as long as I can remember.  We became besties in middle school.  We often had sleepovers on school nights - isn't that weird that our mom's let that one happen?

While we were at dinner last night I kept thinking of little memories.  First day of preschool with Courtney, church functions that should have been sacred - my memories are of Courtney and I touching toes during a prayer.  Park City stays with Emily's Grandma Betty, days spent at the pool all summer long, haunted houses in high school and sneaking out to meet Brett Dyer and Brandon Lloyd.  I was amazed at how many memories I have of these girls.

Court sent us this saying this morning over Pinterest which sums up our friendship to a T.

Source: itsirrational.com via Abby on Pinterest

This saying is so true for us.  We can go months without contact - and when we get together we don't stop talking.  We pick right back up where we left off last time we saw each other.  After a long couple of days - there was nothing better then spending the evening with these two.  They have been my lifelong friends and I know we'll always stay that way.

Love you girls!

Cousins Carnival

A few months ago Marta  came up with the brain child of having a Cousins Carnival with light night movies, light sticks, and smores.

She went and had a baby and somehow didn't get around to throwing the carnival....I love fall, and I constantly feel like I'm a boring mom - so I decided to take Marta's carnival idea and run with it.

You know in the movie You've Got Mail when Tom Hanks takes his aunt and his brother to the carnival in New York City?  That is the feel I wanted....except my backyard isn't New York...and I'm not a millionaire who lives at on 152nd Street or his yacht.

But here was my attempt at our first annual Cousin's Carnival.  It was so much fun to plan and a lot of work, but so worth it.  Everyone pitched in to help with games and food.  Marta even spent a full day at my house helping me get everything in order and ready.  Mike even got into the action hanging lights on the back patio and helping me clean up the yard.

We had games stationed and prizes for each game.  The kids got a bag at the beginning of the carnival to hold all their prizes in.  They took home glow sticks, cotton candy bags, and caramel corn.  With some trinkets and prizes.  SO MUCH FUN!

So here you have it - the Carnival in pictures.  PICTURE HEAVY!!!!

Whit put together the pumpkin balloon game

Cotton Candy/Popcorn popping station

 

Jake and Benji

Jake, Benji, Dylan and Sam

Marta and Baby Seth (love this pic!)

Quilts for story time Halloween themed of course

My excuse to buy fall flowers

Table - Pinterest inspired food

Amy made these cute Frankenstein puddings!

Mummy juice boxes

What is a party without apple dip?

Halloween banner - added so much!

Guess how many in the jar game

kids throwing darts at the balloon game - they loved this!

Jake holding a dollar - Whit added some money in just like Grandpa Jiggs use to do

Amy made this cute bean bag toss.  SO CUTE! and the cute pumpkins to throw

Sam at the plinko board

Oma and Kate eating some cotton candy

Miles at the bean bag toss

Grama Polly's cookie decorating station

Apple Cider bar 

Tattoo station

Cotton Candy making

Wrap the mummy

Sam being shy

Story time

Oma's old lady who live in a shoe doll

how did Dylan get in there?

Best part of the carnival - Tuesday morning when Jake woke up, the first thing he said to me was "Mom, yesterday was the best day ever!"

Makes all the hard work worth it.