A Small Finish

I am pleased to show off my latest finish. It is a Christmas ornament that I just finished last night. It's called Alphabet Snowman. It is in the mini book called "A Winter Sampler" by JBW Designs. I'm still learning how to do the finishing, but I'm pretty pleased with it!

My goal is to make an ornament every month for the rest of the year. I've recently joined a new blog where a group of us blog our progress every month. I'll be updating my progress here and over there every month. It's going to be a fun year.

Never fear, I'm still quilting. It is just easier for me to stitch while I'm doing my mommy thing during the day. I'll post an update soon of my progress on my Going Coastal picnic quilt.

Have a great week!

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Hurst's Christmas Stocking

I know, I know, it's hotter than blue blazes and I'm writing a post about Christmas. Please just understand that it takes me forever to finish projects! If I'm ever going to have the handmade Christmas I've dreamed of since I was a little girl I have to keep Christmas projects in the rotation all through the year.

I am pleased to say I have finished the cross stitching portion of my son's Christmas stocking. I would also like to point out the it's not even Memorial Day yet. Maybe, just maybe, there is a chance that my children will actually have stockings to stuff this year!

Of course I was able to make such good progress because H was constantly reminding me to work on it. Not just when he saw me working on other sewing or craft projects, but anything. If he caught me on Pinterest or blogs, he'd ask me "Mommy, could you work on my stocking, please?" Of course how could I say no to such a sweet, polite request especially when he was always so excited to see each section appear on the cloth! I'm so happy that I am raising him to appreciate things that are made by hand.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that whenever we had company over he would show this to them and say that I was making it for him because I loved him and that he was going to keep it forever and ever.

And of course, he is absolutely right! I did make this for him because I love him and every time he sees it, I want him to remember that, even when he's big!
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Blogger's Quilt Festival--Spring 2013

I am beyond thrilled to be participating in the Blogger's Quilt Festival this weekend! While I have been blogging for awhile I've never been able to join in the fun until now! I have loved looking at all of the quilts, meeting new bloggers and can honestly say I am truly honored to have my work displayed among so many beautiful quilts.

Today I am sharing my latest Quilt of Valor with you. Quilts of Valor is an organization that is near and dear to my heart. As much as I love to make quilts for my dear ones, there really is something very special about covering our nation's military service members with a quilt. If you would like more information about this fine organization, please follow this link.

I have wanted to make to "Outside the Box" ever since I first bought "Modern Quilt Workshop". I was so pleased to see that even though it seems complicated it was so easy to make. I am so thrilled with the results! When I was planning for my first Quilt of Valor I knew this was the pattern I wanted to use. I thought it would be the perfect pattern to highlight some of my special patriotic fabrics. As with many of my projects it took a bit of time to complete, but I think it has been worth the wait. Here is the first post I ever made about this quilt all the way back in January 2012 here. I can't believe it took that long to make, but better late than never!

I made this quilt while sewing with the fabulous Quilting Angels in Germantown, Maryland. If you live in (or are in town for a visit) the metropolitan DC area do yourself a favor and stop by one of the meetings. I don't get to spend nearly as much time with them as I'd like, but I can tell you I leave every meeting revitalized and ready to quilt my heart out when I get home! I am honored to be involved with such a talented and generous group of people. I can't say enough nice things about them! One of the best things about the group is we have several seriously talented longarmers who quilt our quilts for us. Sharon G quilted this for me and I think you'll agree with me that she did a great job!

I can't wait for the next session of the Quilting Angels so that this beauty can be presented to a very deserving member of our military!

Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner of blogland! If you have never been here before please feel free to stay a little while. Especially if you like pictures of adorable children because what can I say, my sons are pretty cute! Enjoy your time perusing the other quilts on display for the festival, I know I will!

Quilt Stats: 

Pattern: Outside the Box from Modern Quilt Workshop by Kerr and Ringle

Fabrics: Various red, white and blue prints from my stash and Kona Marine for the sashing.

To be donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation

Thanks so much to Amy for hosting this glorious event! You can't imagine the excitement that surrounds everyone of these events!

Linking up with the Throw Quilt category at the Blogger's Quilt Festival

Mother's Day Weekend

I know it's a little late to talk about the weekend, but I had to share. Somebody had a big birthday party this weekend. My oldest son just turned 4. I know everybody says it, but how did that happen? Where did my toddler go and who is this little boy? He looks and talks like an eight year old! I can't believe not only is he four, but he's about to finish up his first year of preschool. Crazy! Before I know it he'll be in school full time, his little brother will be in preschool and I'll be in tears!

I've known for months my budding paleontologist would want a dinosaur themed party. Needless to say, I've been scouring Pinterest for all of the best dinosaur party ideas. What did mom's do before Pinterest? It is such a lifesaver, a time suck, but a lifesaver!

The first thing I found were these dinosaur tails. Jessica from Running with Scissors really out did herself with this tutorial! I knew I had to make them for all of the kids. I thought it would be adorable to see them all dressed up as dinosaurs and with a mask, I knew they would be the perfect thing for the kids to take home. Now that Hurst is in preschool we have been to our share of birthday parties and I have to say as a mom, I really don't like the bag of plastic junk that comes home with him. He loves it, of course, they drive me nuts! I was determined to do something else. I really think the mom's appreciated it and the kids loved dressing up like a dinosaur! I'm definitely glad I took the time to make them.

Here they are tied to our stairwell so the kids could see them as soon as they walked in. Not only were they a hit, but I was able to use fabric from my stash that I have been hoarding for a long time. As in before I got married ten years ago long. If you have been reading my blog for anytime at all, you know I need to do some  stash reduction! A good project all around!

We played some cool games:

Here's Pin the Tail on the T-Rex (which I made from this tutorial):

We had a pinata. Here are the kids after it was on the ground, gathering the fruit snacks and candy. See some of those dino tails?

After pizza and cake (quite a combo, eh?), we all went out to the front porch to dig for dinosaur fossils and dino eggs (tutorial here). It was the best! They had so much fun and played so nicely together. Here are my munchkins in the bottom right digging together. What little loves!

A good time was had by all, but most importantly this guy had a blast at his birthday party.

 If you have a little one who is dinosaur obsessed, any of these tutorials would make for big fun this summer. I'm already saving coffee grounds to make more dinosaur eggs to dig up this weekend. I think we will be doing a lot of that this summer!

Sunday was the perfect Mother's Day. My husband got up with the boys and let me sleep in. That was seriously the best gift he could give me! After the party, I was pretty wiped out! Once I finally got up, we went to the park and flew Hurst's dinosaur kite and played on the playground. As usual, my wonderful Mother-in-law met us there. Toots (as she is known to the kids) always is such a big help to me. She took two days off from work last week to help me make the dinosaur party happen. I really couldn't have done it without her. Needless to say, I wanted to make sure she got a nice present for Mother's Day.

I made her a Figuring the Eight Scarf from Anna Maria Horner. If you haven't made one yet, do yourself a favor, buy a kit and make one. In voile. Seriously, it was so easy and the scarf is so silky and soft.

Doesn't her scarf look beautiful on her? I think these are definitely her colors.

This turned out to be a long winded post! Thanks for reading all of it! It was such a great weekend. I love making memories with my family!

Quilts for Those in Need of Comfort

The last ten days have been brutal for the state of Texas and the City of Boston. When these horrible things happen I know as a quilter I always wonder what I can do to help. One of the things I love about this addictive hobby of mine is that quilts are so comforting. Quilts help cure the most simple to the most complicated of ills. While it is a small gesture, it is amazing what a quilt and the love that is sewn into it can do!

The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is collecting 12.5 inch tall by width of your choice blocks in blue, yellow, gray and white to make quilts for those in need of support after the bombings at the Boston Marathon. They also need donations of fabric for sashing, binding and quilt backs. More information can be found here. There is also a Flickr group to upload pictures of your blocks once you are finished. If you can, I think this would be a great way to help the Boston area start the healing process!

Judy who writes over at Patchwork Times is collecting quilts for the people of West Texas who are in need of comfort after the fertilizer plant explosion and fires. She is collecting completed quilts of any size or if you have completed tops and she has time, she can quilt a limited number. You can find more information about this quilt drive here. I'm sure some of you have quilts that are either finished or nearly finished that you don't have plans definite plans for that could provide comfort to those in Texas.

I hope you can find some time this week to sew for people who I'm sure would love to know that they thought about and loved. Spread the word to your friends, co-workers, church members or blog readers.

Tonight after the kids are in bed, I think I'll pull some fabric to make this block for the Boston Modern Quilt Guild. I collect the charity quilts for my quilt guild, Burke Quilter's Unlimited in Burke, VA and one of the very nice members gave me a quilt last week and I will send it off to Judy this week for the people of Texas.

WIP Wednesday

I've been busy, busy, busy sewing lately! Unfortunately I don't have much to show for it, but I've been making good progress.

This one just needs the binding sewn to the back and it's finished. My plan is to wear my children out this morning and then work on it this afternoon after they've crashed. I really want to take it to my Guild meeting tonight for Show and Tell. I just love this quilt so much! I can't wait to show it to you once I'm finished!

I really need to add the borders to this one, but I just haven't found the time or space.

 I think I will work on it Saturday with my Quilts of Valor sewing group. There is always lots of space there. Not to mention I get to sew without my children around. That always helps my sewing progress!

Remember this?

 I just need to do one more row and then I'll have a completed top. I really want to finish this in time for Mother's Day this year. I think I said that last year too, but this needs to be the year. My aunt deserves her quilt! I love Nicey Jane! It's a good thing I love her otherwise I don't know if I could give this one away...

I have finished two Quilts of Valor Anniversary blocks. If you would like to make a block (or two) to help celebrate please see this post. They are really easy to make and good for using up scraps of red, white and blue fabric!

Last, but certainly not least Hurst's stocking. I'm making good progress on this one! I think I can, I think I can finish this by Christmas. I so wanted to finish Santa's head, but he really wanted me to make the train. Needless to say, he won. I think it's looking pretty good!

I'm really hoping to keep up the momentum this week. A couple of these quilts have been in progress for a long, long time and it will be nice to finish them. My one big goal this year was to finish most of my WIPs. I have way too many and it will be such a relief. I hope this year will cure my bad case of "startitis". I have such lovely projects in the works. I really hate that I lose interest in them so easily.

I joining in today at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday. Won't you join me?