Quick--easy--awesome--scarves as gifts!

SO, I've been a bad blogger of late and had so much to tell you, but then I figured no actually cared about our Halloween costumes any more, so I'll spare you the details.

Moving on!! I saw this tutorial on One Flew Over, and thought it looked like a quick and easy project and I was right! I made 7 scarves yesterday! I love them! I've already got plans to get some more linen, since I've used all I bought yesterday!! Great way to use up those scraps! Most are Kaffe Fasset, but a couple are Amy Butler scraps--don't know which I like better, but these seem the perfect pay-it-forward prize that I need to be getting in the mail!!

I also made a scarf out of vintage hankies that I'm giving away! Six of the vintage hankies that I won in Rosamund's giveaway last month went in to this delicate, lightweight beauty! Just leave me a comment to win! I'll draw a name on Wednesday, December 2nd and get it shipped to you in time for you to re-gift it for the holidays!!!(Of, course you could keep it all to yourself!)

My awesome husband just made me a custom sewing table that I'll be showing off as soon as I get it painted! I am so thankful to have a husband who not only loves and cares for us, but who gets excited at the prospect of making ME a sewing table! Coolest feeling in the world--and no amount of money could have gotten me a more perfect sewing table!

Pay it Forward!

Happy Wednesday to you all! I signed up for a pay it forward on Sherri's blog--so excited as she is so very talented and an incredibly prolific quilter! What this means for you is that the first three people that leave me a comment saying that they want to play will receive something handmade by me and in turn, have to offer a pay it forward on their blogs making handmade things for three people and on and on, etc!

You have 365 days to get their handmade item to them, but I highly recommend just getting it done--much more fun for everyone that way--so if you don't have time right now, consider waiting to sign up for another one later on so no one has to wait a long time!

I did one of these in the spring and gave away soaps, but this time, I'd like to sew something--mainly because I'm out of soap! Maybe a bag or something Christmassy!

I made these little wire pumpkins this week using the instructions here. So simple and I just love them!

I also made this(rather difficult) chicken wire basket--which seems to entertain me as much as burlap right now! Elaine(I'm pretty sure!) sent a copy of the magazine Mary Jane's Farm to me with my block from September and the baskets were featured in there. Pretty hard on my fingers, but I will be making at least one more of them! Maybe you would like one as a pay it forward?

I filled it with yarn to take a picture and Tade said, "When are you going to make my socks?" The kid doesn't miss anything! The green on top was picked out by him MONTHS ago for socks and I've STILL never made more than one sock for a pair. I've knit 4 socks, but I need 8. Need to get on that!

Edited to add:  Sorry all but the pay it forward is full!  Stop on over at Kerrie, Mountain Mama, San-Dee, or Suzanne's blogs to try to get in on theirs! (Do give them a chance to post about it first!)  And yeah--I know that's four not three, but I'm a sucker!

What happened to fall?

We've had such a strange year of weather. First lots of rain this summer and then an early cold front that gave us 14 degree weather and 4 inches of snow! I'm not prepared for this yet! We're burning through the wood pile at an alarming rate!



Last weekend I had three events that I needed to make cakes for--it got a little busy around here! 120 cupcakes and a mini-tiered cake for a Saturday wedding, a three tiered wedding cake for 80 of Saturday, and 48 cupcakes and 36 iced sugar cookies for a baby shower on Sunday. I had 49 pounds of sugar in my kitchen and I only have about 12 left. Makes my teeth hurt! And yes--that is 12 pounds of butter!



Here are some of the blocks I've received in my quilting bee--this is turning out to be so much fun! I still need 5 more quilters for the second bee if anyone is interested. E-mail me your address if you want to. I really need to get on this!


I finished this bag that I've had the fabric for for quite some time. I was still using the lime green and pink, so was glad to get something more appropriate for fall done! I've had a love affair with burlap for a while and was glad to use it in this project. There are some great colors of burlap out there--I think I need to incorporate some into my living room curtains!

Hope you all have a great week!

Quilting with Amanda Jean!

Over on Amanda Jean's blog you can see more pictures of the amazing quilt that she has made as the grand door prize for those attending our quilting retreat November 6-8 at The Inn at City Park in Fort Collins, CO.

Several of her commenters have asked questions, so I'm going to try to answer them here.

Do we still have room?

Yes, we have room for about 5 more quilters.

Do you have to stay at the inn?

Absolutely not--if you are local or know someone in the area, we have a discounted rate that still includes the meals and workshops, but no bed!

What is the nearest airport?

Denver International Airport is about a 50 minute drive. Sweet talk me and I will arrange for transportation!!!

The prices are really reasonable for what you get--not to mention the chance to win this AMAZING quilt or a one night's stay at the inn plus lots of other fun things that I'm currently working on! I am a trained chef, so the food will be incredible(not to toot my own horn or anything!); it should just be an amazing weekend with lots of quilting, laughing and making new friends!

Feel free to ask me more questions in the comment section and I will answer them ASAP--Like AJ said--Only 6 more weeks!!!

I, for one, cannot wait to quilt with Amanda Jean!

Fall is in the air!

I signed up for a summer mini quilt swap--my first of it's kind, and finally finished the mini quilt. Now that's it's fall, it doesn't seem right that I'm mailing a summer quilt, but my swap partner is in Texas and it probably still feels like summer there!


My co-innkeeper Alexis drew this picture on our chalkboard at work. We try to put fun quotes and seasonal pictures up there regularly and this one just spoke to me!

I don't know if you can read it but it says, "Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability," by Sam Keen. So with the imagery of an afternoon in a hammock with a book and iced tea, I made a quilt that looks just like it!


I tea stained it and kept it wrinkly to give it a vintage feel. I left all the applique edges raw and then washed it to give the edges a frayed look and to give the piece some depth. I'm very happy with how it turned out!


The chickens are getting bigger all the time. They are so funny and have little personalities and quirks that constantly make us giggle!


New jammie pants for my little man--I love making these, they're so stinking fast!

Blocks are arriving from my quilting bee--I've gotten Jenny and Victoria's--Thank you!! I'll show you as soon as I have a few more!

I'd like to start a second bee if anyone is interested. I still need 6 more quilters to fill it up! If you want in, please e-mail me your address, so I'll know you're committing!

The Bee Balm quilting bee

I have belatedly gotten my fabrics together for my new quilting bee and they will be going in the mail tomorrow! I've been wanting to join a bee for a while, just never found one looking for people, so I decided to start my own! I'm so glad I have and I might have enough for another, just need a few more people!


Amanda Jean is making a quilt like Ingrid Press's and even though I thought I wanted wonky log cabins or some such, as soon as I saw her block I knew I had to do these houses! I've been stashing 30s repro fabric for a while and going round in circles as far as what to do with them, but this is it!

In other news there's a great giveaway of some embroidery goodies here! Check it out!

I've got chickens!

My dear, sweet husband built me a chicken coop for our 5th anniversary and yesterday we filled it up! I'm so excited--they are just too stinking cute!

We got two Buff Orpingtons(Buffy and Pecker(in honor of a dear friend--because chickens peck!)), two black sex-linked chicks(Monique and Unique), one Silver Wyandotte(Eagle), and one Rhode Island Red(Chicken Little).


Tade loves them so very much! It's so cute to watch. If all goes according to plan, we'll be getting 15-30 brown eggs per week beginning in late January. Hope I'm hungry!



I also received a swap package in the mail today. Thanks so much Solidia for such an awesome apron and package!

Here are the only confirmed quilters in the bee:

Bumble Beans
Yukon Viv
Solidia
Melina
San-Dee
Tara

This means I still need 6(!) to get this ball rolling. Some that had said yes have never gotten back to me so I don't want to count on them unless I hear from them. If you're interested, leave a comment letting me know and e-mail me your address. I have to hear from you in order to count you in! Invite your friends, invite your family, but invite somebody!

I still plan on having a giveaway of a bag made out of the curtains, but my sewing machine is in the shop, so SOON! (I hope!)

When I grow up I want to be an old lady

Hello Strangers! I've missed you all! Been very busy and have had bloggers block.

First things first--Congratulations to treevillemary who won my salt scrub giveaway! Please e-mail me your address and I'll get that in the mail to you straightaway!



I'll host another giveaway next week for any and all to join, just because I really like to! It will be a bag out of this wonderful broadcloth. They are recycled curtains and I just love them! My 95 year old neighbor Wilma Borges passed away three weeks ago, and she was the sweetest, kindest woman I've ever had the pleasure to know. These curtains hung in her spare bedroom and were made by her daughter Virginia in the 60s.

She was a great friend of mine and she adored Tade. She lived by herself until the last few weeks of her life and I was truly blessed to know her. Her daughters generously asked if I would like anything of hers, and I requested her rag rug which now has a place of honor in front of my sink. Knowing it was made by her hands truly makes it special.

Then her daughters gifted me with some lovely cups and saucers, vintage milk bottles, some beautiful vases and a bag marked "quilt tops to finish". I certainly didn't expect any of this but feel so lucky that Wilma counted me as a friend too and let her family know that.


These 12 stars are rather crazy quilted out of what I believe are mostly feedsacks. These were peiced by Wilma's mother, which makes them quite a treasure!



These funky blocks were pieced by Wilma's husband Roy's mother. These made me smile because her daughter Irene said that Grandma Borges wasn't much of a quilter, yet I love them all the more for their funkiness.



I also made this Everything Tote that I LOVE from Weekend Sewing. There are quite a few errors in the pattern in the book, but I persevered and will be making another bag like this using burlap are the outer bag. SO excited to see it finished!

Now for a bit of business--the quilting bee. Here is a list of the joiners.

Victoria
Heather
Melina
Alexis
Viv
Amanda
Lisa
Solidia
Colleen
Jennifer(?)
Mary(?)
Tara

There are a couple that have expressed an interest but haven't confirmed, but I'll see what I can do to convince them. Please e-mail me all of your addresses, so I can get this thing organized. We also need a name for our bee so let me know if you have any brilliant ideas!

I'd like to start in September, please let me know if that works for everyone!

Tara

A quilting bee and a new friend!

SO....I'd like to host a virtual quilting bee. That means I need 9 more people to join in. I've got Victoria of Bumblebeans interested and my new friend Heather--a local blogger and artist that I got to meet and see her art space today(so cool!) plus myself.

If you think you can handle making ONE quilt block a month, following the requests and using the fabric of another quilter, you could be the lucky recipient of 12(really 11 plus the one you make for yourself) beautifully made quilt blocks-- enough to sash or border and have a really cool quilt top.


So if you're in, leave a comment in this post, making sure I can contact you. I think we should have giveaways and fun stuff like that too!

Starting Now!! Great idea! If you leave a comment in this post, you'll be entered to win a jar of my Nitty Gritty Gardener's Salt Scrub! It rocks--peppermint and rosemary and lavender! I'll leave the giveaway open until July 15. You don't have to be interested in the quilting bee to enter, but I do need to know one way or another



I'm ready to quilt this disappearing nine patch for my sister. I'd planned on having it done by the 4th, but who was I kidding? I really like it and did some piecing on the back that's a bit odd, but works. I should really learn when to take pictures--colors aren't remotely right.



And this wonderful package arrived in the mail today, so I'd better not like these books as much a Vanessa at V & Co., or I'm never going to quilt it!

Still space at the quilting retreat with Amanda Jean in November!!!


--Tara

Quilting Retreat with Amanda Jean!

So have you all checked out crazymomquilts? Amanda Jean Nyberg is an incredibly prolific quilter(the above marks her 20th quilt of 2009!!) with a great sense of color and a love of scrap quilting.

She's coming to Colorado for a quilting retreat at the Inn at City Park, a bed and breakfast in Fort Collins in November!!! I'm so excited! Really--I just want to keep doing a dance! So mark your calenders, book your flights and contact me or Alexis at the inn to book your spot! All the information can be found on the Inn's website.

Can't wait to see you there! We're working on all sorts of door prizes--everyone will win! Good stuff!

Lots of good stuff!

I'd like to welcome the newest addition to our family, Violette Elena Ledet, born Tuesday, June 9th at 7:14 pm! She's a beauty weighing in at 7 lbs 1 oz and 20 inches long. She and mom are doing great if a bit sleep deprived! Can't say I didn't warn you guys! Congratulations, Scott and Janie!


Here's the great old wooden file cabinet that my mom and I found at the flea markets while waiting for little Violette to join us! It was a whopping $7.99!! What a steal! It will house all of my fabrics and free up the kitchen table which is currently stacked shoulder high with plastic boxes of fabric. It's a little big for the space, so it might find another place in my house, but for that price, I couldn't pass it up!


After making Janie's diaper bag for her shower, her friend Celeste, due in August, seemed pretty envious! So Janie and Scott had me make one for her shower next month. I didn't use a pattern and it didn't turn out like it was in my head, but I still really like it! Especially the Kaffe fabrics!

On this great new chair that I've been wanting for YEARS, you see the package I put together for Susan in the Vintage 4th of July Swap. The pillow has the pledge of allegiance printed on it, there are 6 fat quarters of stars and stripey fabric, three repro stars like you used to see on buildings, two packages of napkins, a "vintagey" tin with red white and blue(and black?) thread, a few Colorado treats AND a-- pretty cool if I do say so myself --mini-bunting banner. I'm going to have to get some more red star fabric so I can make on for myself!!
I decided yesterday to knit Drew some socks for Father's Day. Needless to say, they won't be ready in time, but it's the thought that counts, right? Here's Tade "helping" me with some yarn of his own!
And, lastly, the selvege belt that I made a couple of weeks ago!!! I just love it! It goes with everything and fits around my hips!!

Have a great weekend! I have some very exciting news about a quilting reteat and Amanda Jean of crazymomquilts! Check your calenders for the first weekend of November!! And then plan on coming to Colorado! More details to come.....

Sugarloaf Mountain Cake!

The wedding of Megan and Ryan was yesterday and the "mountain" cake I made for them turned out great! I was so very pleased with it all and of course the best part--that it tasted awesome! I despise going to wedding where the cake is gorgeous, but tastes yucky! (I don't really even like cake, but I have very high standards!)



The details like the tent, fire and canoe just made me smile so much! I made about 150 trees in 4 shades of green with a few "beetle kill" trees thrown in for some realism. If you don't know--the Japanese Pine Beetle has made it's way to Colorado and all of the lodge pole pines are dying. It's sad, but also nature's way of rejuvenating the system. There are entire mountain sides that are rust colored and are just a fire waiting to happen--kind of scary for those folks with mountain homes.


Can you see the bear?

With this done, I still have a very busy month, but am so excited to be getting back to my sewing machine! I have projects in the works for my Vintage 4th of July Swap plus a diaper bag of my own design and a selvage edge belt to show you! I'll post those later in the week!

My Brother and Sister-in-law are scheduled to go into the hospital Tuesday to have their first baby!! It's so exciting for all of us. The oldest of the three kids and the last to jump on the bandwagon--they say boys are slower developmentally, so what could we expect, right?

I also want to show you my garden--but we got about an hour of pea sized hail today which didn't help my plants at all! Those poor lettuces! So I'll give them some time to(hopefully) revive!

Have a great week!

Busy, busy!

My handsome Tade, learning to ride his trike. Every time he presses down he says, "Pedal, pedal, pedal." So cute!



Everyday for the past two weeks, I've planned on posting more project pics and such. Everyday I am so busy that I seem to fall into bed without even checking my email!

So, what have I been doing? Not cleaning my house or doing laundry, that much is obvious! I made a skirt from Weekend Sewing. I love it, though I wish I had looked for the errata before I made it! It now works but with an extra seam and zipper rather than the wrap skirt it was intended to be!


Busy Bee Swap for Heidi! Apron, gardening bag, salt scrub and some soaps

I finished two swaps, the Nancy Drew swap and Busy Bee Apron swap, both of which will go in the mail tomorrow! I became an angel for another swap to make up for the flakers and finished her apron tonight! I have one more swap, the vintage 4th of July swap, to fulfill before I'm all caught up, but it doesn't have to go in the mail until June 15, so I'll wait on that one.


Nancy Drew sneak peak for Wanda! And my beautiful Hodges--such a sweet girl!

I'm realizing with all of these swaps, I'm not really working on my projects! So after this next one, I'll limit myself to one at a time! And then work on the five quilts in progress and the commissioned diaper bag and finish the crib bumper for my soon to be neice. And make a few more skirts and dresses and pajama pants. And then maybe I'll clean my house and do my laundry!

Here's our new braided wool rug from Drew's parents! The colors are perfect for my living room! (I took down our lace curtains about 2 months ago, bought 10 yards of fabric to make new ones and I HATE it! So does Drew. Any brilliant ideas?)


I'm off to watch Deadliest Catch and do some crocheting! If I'm lucky I'll post before we leave for Illinois next week! When I get back I'm making a wedding cake that looks like a mountain! I'll be sure to post pics of that!

Apron swaps and finished projects

I've got lots to post about today--I'm realizing I should post more often so they're not so long! I received my apron from the Flirty Apron Swap yesterday! Due to some curfuddle or other, it got sent to Florida from British Colombia and then on to me in Colorado. A very well travelled apron!




I love it as it has a huge pocket for clothespins!




In the package was an apron pattern, eye pillow, bath salts, essential oils, embellished rubber gloves and a dishtowel! I love it!




Here's the package that I sent to Amy for the Mother's Day swap--she's giving it to her nephew to give to his mom for Mother's Day--isn't that so sweet? They asked for a baseball theme, so I made sure to include the peanuts and crackerjacks! Can't wait to see our aprons! Tade loves to "help" in the kitchen!




I finally finished my mom's birthday log cabin quilt. She seemed really pleased, but I wish that I had made it just a touch bigger. She thinks it's good because it's small enough that my dad--Big and Tall kind of guy--won't steal it!





And finally the tile backsplash at work that I finished last week. It was my first time tiling and went slower than I had pictured, but I'm really pleased with how it came out!



The baby shower on Saturday went great--the food was good, lots of people came, and best of all, my Brother and Sister-in-law had a good time! I forgot my camera, so you're spared those details!





I've got lots of sewing that I want to be working on this week, so I'll try to post again by week'd end with an update! Have fun, stay safe!

May Day Winner!

Out of the 20(!) entries for the fabric giveaway, Tade drew Eva's name out of the hat! Congratulations to you! Maybe you can make Z a dress or jammies to match Tade's! I'm off to bake cakes for the baby shower, but will post pics of all the fun on Sunday!

How cool is Spoonflower?

Have you guys heard about Spoonflower? You can design and they'll print your own fabric! So I'd been wanting to go to their site and play around with some things, so while I was waiting for guests to show up for Wine and cheese this evening I did! Of course on the work computer I had no images that I wanted to play with, so as soon as I got home I continued playing!





What do you think? It's the picture that I made for the wall in Scott and Janie's nursery! The repeats are 12" x 10." I feel like their rocking chair is screaming for a footstool covered in this! All you fellow nursing mamas might understand the awesomeness of a footstool! So go check it out! Have fun!

It was pricey, but kind of like buying stamps for your wedding invitations with your picture on them--really cool too!

Elephant jammies and baseball aprons

So, I finished the pants last Friday and the shirt last Saturday. They turned out so cute! I've been very busy at work this week, tiling the kitchen back splash. I'll get some pictures taken because it turned out really well! So not a lot of sewing or anything else going on.(Though I did get the house clean for my book club last Wednesday. Way overdue!)

I signed up for another apron swap--it's a Mother's Day swap--and I got paired with Amy and her 8 year old son Zach. They love baseball, especially the Mariners, but here in CO all I could find was Rockies fabric. No big surprise there. So off to the fabric store Tade and I went this morning and I'm so pleased with my choices! I got red and blue pillow ticking--which I LOVE--and made coordinating, but not matching aprons.


Here's a little sneak peak of the pockets; I'll post more once I get the go ahead from Shawnee to send the package--I embarrassed myself by sending the Flirty apron too soon. I really need to work on my photography skills! Sorry for the washed out picture!

There also a new apron swap with sign ups until May 6th. The Sassy and Flirty Apron Swaps are joining forces on this one. Garden themed--which should be a blast! I've requested a gathering apron to bring in all my goodness from the garden. So check out the Busy Bee Swap and maybe we'll be partners!

Giveaway is still open for another week, so tell your friends, tell your family!