WIP Wednesday! (Work In Progress)

It is WIP Wednesday which means I have a little time to sew. I have finished Step 5 of my Mystery Quilt and I will be picking up Step 6 this afternoon. I can wait to see what it is. I think it will be a star of some sort. I also am hoping to do a little quilting. I have 2 that are ready to do.

I even took a few pictures of projects. The first is a Travel size pillow case made out of Minkie for Poop, it is on a pillow. It is the perfect size for a toddler. Yes it has monsters on the cuff. I made this out of the left overs from her blanket.

The second is a quilt I sandwiched last night that I need to start quilting. It is one of the baby quilts I am behind on. Since some of my friends can't take a hint THIS ONE HERE is for Sarah, HEATHER. I hope you like it!

Halloween pictures to be posted tonight. Be safe everyone.

Love Free Stuff

I love to get stuff for FREE. I just signed up to get a sample of the new Downy fabric softener for FREE! I got a FREE cookie from Kashi two weeks ago. They are running an add to trade in your snack. You get to choose your FREE Kashi snack to be mailed to you. The cookie was very good, only 2 points and I would purchase in the future. I don't limit the FREE stuff to just me. I got Scott a FREE sample of Folgers Gourmet Selections coffee. (Promotion has ended.) He in turn purchased another flavor in that line of coffee because he liked the sample.

I also love COUPONS! It's FREE money. So every Sunday we get the paper and I clip coupons. I don't clip all of them but ones for stuff we use, luxury item and new product I'd like to try. My favorite coupon it for FREE stuff. Last week I bought a Fabreeze candle, on sale, and got FREE Fabreeze airfreshener. Win, Win. Now I will tell you it does drive Scott insane to go grocery shopping with me. But he doesn't mind when I can save about $15 a trip just with my coupons.

I also LOVE using punch cards. Still drives Scott crazy. I have probably 15 cards ranging from fabric to scrapbooking to lingerie. Who would turn down FREE product just for buying stuff you were going to buy anyway. Speaking of I have a full punch card right now for $25 of FREE fabric at R. Lily Stem. Good thing I am going their Wednesday, 2.5 yards of FREE fabric just for me. I always get the FREE fabric for a project for me. I figure I deserve it after making stuff of everyone else that filled the punch card.

Poop has also scored on the FREE stuff. Pampers has a Gift to Grow program. On Pampers diapers, wipes and training pants are a 15 digit code. You enter the code and earn points. You can trade in your points for tons of stuff, toys, movie, pictures, ect. I got her a FREE Fisher Price reading system. It plugs into TV, has books on DVD and helps her learn to read. IT did cost me $13 for shipping. I figure I have to have diapers and wipes why not get FREE toys for using them? Of course I buy them on sale and with a coupon for extra savings.

What Do You Get...

When you take a White Wig and a bag full of Snakes to a quilt guild meeting? A LOT of questions. I am working on my Halloween costume for the party Saturday night. We are going as Greek gods. I have finished Scott's and need to start mine. Tonight was our guild meeting, so I took my wig to work on. I spent time sewing snakes into the white wig. I still have 2 snakes to go. I am then going to use the color hairspray to make the wig black, blue, green and purple to match my dress. I will post pictures next week of the party.

Big THANK YOU for those who have given me fabric for Poop's quilt!

Quilter's Cry For HELP!

Okay here we go. I am wanting to make Poop an I-Spy Quilt. I am in need of 5 inch squares of Novelty Fabrics, I am thinking around 90 squares. If anyone has a square (or more) that they would be willing to part with PLEASE let me know. I am hoping to piece the top as my New Year's Day Quilt project.

Please note I am NOT making the traditional octagon I-Spy quilt, I do have the template though. I am making Liz's last Mystery Class Quilt, scroll down to "What's Black, White and Red All Over." i am hoping to get to be big enough o fit her full size big girl bed.

Thanks Everyone!

Halloween

As some of you know we have Scott's company's annual Halloween Party coming up in a week. We look forward to going every year. The part we don't look forward to is coming up with a costume. Today is my only day off until the party, of course I have not spent it coming up with a costume. This year the party is back in San Francisco on Van Ness. We have our room. I have the time off work. We have no clue for a costume. How about tired parents?

The other kicker is I have not had time to get out the Halloween decorations. Besides the house not being decorated I have not found Poop's costume. I purchased it last year and packed it away. It is still away! I have bought her some accessories for it. I guess this weekend will be spent getting ready for Halloween.

Gift Ideas For Boss' Day

Tomorrow, Tuesday, is Boss's Day. I figured I would give some gift giving ideas to you. I have ideas for everyone, to show your boss how you REALLY feel about them.
1. Candy
2. Flowers
3. Buy Lunch
4. Bring in Breakfast Items
5. Pen and Note Pads
6. Flaming Paper Sack of Dog Poop

For those of you self employeed
1. Spend some time on your own stuff
2. Go in late
3. Go out to lunch, not out to the kitchen
4. Work only 8 hours today, you deserve it!

By all means show your boos how much you care about your job today.

My boss did get a crystal bowl fill with chocolates. If she goes to her desk tomorrow she will find them, along with the "to do list" she had me leave her.

Shopping at PIQF

You will be surprised but I didn't purchase that much at the show. I got this stunning necklace, made by Susan Christi in booth number 307, which is where she is every year. I now have 2 of these. They are really stunning to see, I get complements on them every time I wear them. Yesterday I probably told 20 people where to get one.

I bought some batiks for a quilt I have been hired to make.

The rest is for me. I got half yards of cottons, I lean toward black, white and red. Some specialty silks because I loved them. Four spools of variegated quilting thread, I do some of my own quilting. Last three patterns, Winter Wonderland, Baby Jacket(I have the pant pattern already) and Baby Burro.

The Winter Wonderland pattern can be done as a BOM (Block Of the Month). I think I am going to try it for next year. I will have to make time to get a lot of red work done but I think I can do it! My snowmen from last year are waiting to be quilted, hopefully this week.

Home From PIQF

I had a wonderful day at PIQF. These are a few of my favorite things:

Who doesn't like a little elephant butt! The quilter did a series of quilts based on African animals in movement.

This is Watermelon Pie. A few close ups below.

The quilt above was originally done in blues. It was stolen in Italy. The quilter's friends recommended that she reproduce it. She did so in reds for the anger she felt. It is very cool and had a lot of beading and thread work.


Above is the complete quilt. Below is one block of the quilt with 36 log cabin blocks in it! They aren't big blocks either!

This is a quilt about the galaxy. There was a trend this year with quilt having paper pieced stars and crystals on them.

More tomorrow!

Accomplishment

Small steps and you get stuff done! I have been working on the Pocket Full of Posies Quilt since last March. It did get put on the UFO list. Tonight I finished putting on the top and bottom border. It has taken a lot of time to motivate me to piece the border. It is now waiting for me to go to PIQF to buy the perfect piece of orange and pink Valorie Wells flannel from the Stichin' Post. This way I can sandwich it and start the freemotion quilting on it. (I do small stuff on my own.) I also have another UFO out being quilted by Gina. It will be amazing 2 UFO's done in 1 month! Accomplishment.

I have been reflecting this week on my New Year's Resolution's. Trying to remember what they all were, how many I have finished and what I can still get done. I have gotten 7 cleaning projects done around the house, my goal was one a month. We have been cooking at home a few times a week 3-5, my goal was cooking once a week. *The exception was September we cooked at home 27 out of 30 days!* I have made 5 quilts for philanthropy, goal was one a month. My goal was to finish one UFO a month, I know of 1 that is completely finished. Here's the funny part when the computer crashed they couldn't retrieve the UFO list from Word. So I might have finished more and not know they were on the list! LOL Last was to read some classics. I have bought a few but have cut out most of my reading time, something about a kid and job. I know I will not Accomplish all of my goals. BUT I am telling myself that I set these goals not knowing I would be returning to work this year and telling myself that Poop would still be sleeping 16 to 18 hours a day. Both of those factors have changed.

What have you Accomplished this year? I am off to get my copy of The Complete Works of William Shakespear and to start writing my New UFO List.

Wonderful Wednesday!

So nothing exciting has happened today. I figured I would share anyway. First is our shopping find yesterday.



I purchase three toss pillow for my new bedding yesterday at Home Goods. I got a killer deal on the bedding all but 2 pillow on clearance. The mattress pad 2 pillows and new duvet all came in a set for $33. The goldie duvet cover and 2 shams were $29. Then I got 400 thread count flat sheet, fitted sheet, and 2 packages of king cases for $13.98 each. The coverlet was $14.98 and the rainbow stripe pillow $4.98. My pillows yesterday were about $15 each. I am very excited about it! I am still looking for a skirt though.

Our next goal yesterday was sewing.



This is a philanthropy quilt for my guild. I was able to get the whole thing done while Poop took her nap! I was sewing on the last row when she woke up. We had to go to Mc D' for burgers after looking at the fabric for 2 hours!



This is a quilt made with a nine patch and the 6 1/2 inch X Block template. The pattern is called Pocket Full of Posies. The border is more work than the quilt top. This a quilt for a friends little girl. I hope you like it! I am going to look for backing this weekend at PIQF, the Stitchin' Post is going to be their!

Terrific Tuesday!!!

Another week has come and gone. Now we are back to my day off. I have started the list of things to do and things I want to do. I really don't think both list will be finished. I think we'll start with the want to do list, sew and then go shopping!

I am still working on the Christmas gift list. I have almost finished the shopping for the ladies in Scott's office, I am waiting on a catalog order and need a trip to Costco. I am still trying to come up with an idea for Scott's "Girlfriends" and my "Boyfriends", Kymn and Heather too. I feel like I need to top last years gift, how do I do that? Last years gift was amazing if I do say so myself. Anyone with any ideas would be helpful.

I have been asked to make a quilt for my friend Ang's mom. It will be blues, greens and a little purple. I am going to PIQF this Saturday so that is where I will start shopping for fabric. The Vendor List is impressive, I can't wait to shop! Should I sew something for our friends? Hmmm.

Poop went to the doctor yesterday for a 18 month check up, yes we are a month late. She weighs 26lbs and 10oz and is 34 1/2 inches long!!! This takes her back up to the 97 percentile, she dropped to 90 for awhile. Here's the funny part her doctor keeps telling me she is going to be tall. I have to keep saying that she will top out soon. According to Dr B she is smart. She was trying to get his cell phone and use his laptop. She knows more than the required 7 words for her age and can understand some basic commands, sit and run. So now she is going to be a tall genius. LOL!!!

Speaking of genius my friend Nathan is going to be teaching a Economics class in the spring for the community college in Texas! I am very excited for him. He is currently working on his PhD in economics at UT, you know the big football school. I think we should all move to Texas and take Mr. Benedict's class.

Sometimes I wonder...

Do you ever wonder how your mates mind works? Do you ever just look at them and think or say out loud "where the hell did you get that from?" I live with Scott so that should just end this blog but I will go on...

His mind works like NO ONE elses. Tonight Delaney and him walked down the hallway, as they got to the end she stopped at the light switch, pointed at the switch and made a noise. Now I figure when she does this she wants to turn it out. Scott has no clue what this all means so asks me. I tell him "she wants to turn it out." Scott stands there and looks at Poop while she jumps with her arm in the air to turn off the light. Important facts here Poop is about 30 inches tall, light switch is 48 inches from the floor, and Poop can only jump an inch off the floor. I said "she might need some help." Scott says "I thought she could do it herself." Me "you really think she is going to jump high enough to turn it off? PICK HER UP!!!!"

Now I realize this is the same person who thinks it is easier to install my ceiling fan with live electricity because when it zaps you you know your doing it right. The one who poured a half bottle of bubble bath into the tub and turned on the jets and didn't think the bubbles would get taller than the small children. The same one who has shot himself with a nail gun numerous times, removed them all with a nail puller and didn't think a tetanus shot might be needed. Also who thinks a 2 foot long 4x4 is a chew toy for the dog.

The photo is of us on the cruise. I'm in the background enjoying the sun at the pool. Joe is standing behind Scott and Scott is wearing his BJ's t-shirt.