#31 Winter Has Arrived

So this week in Ontario, Canada winter  arrived......It was cold all week and wet, but this is what I woke up to Saturday! Our first snow storm!! (don't worry, I was the passenger for the road picture!!)


And along with the cold weather comes colds and flues, which I have been battling this week.....oh well. But better this past  week than this coming week!  because my daughter gets married this week!!! And this week is going to get crazy!!



What I've Been Up To:

I received a very lovely bundle of Art Gallery Fabric from a dear friend Frances Newcombe, newest Art Gallery designer!! Her first fabric line, Safari Moon, comes out in December.  She wanted me to try some of Art Gallery's fabric out and see what I thought!! It's lovely fabric, really nice to work with. It must have a high thread count too because there was minimal fraying, which is fantastic.             

Lunch Tote:

 So I promptly made a lunch bag tote,  with a tutorial I found online at Pink Penguin (There are a few things I would change about the pattern the next time I make this tote, but over all the tutorial is great). Just read through the whole tutorial before you start, because some information you find out later in the instructions would be useful to know before you cut your fabric.

Baskets:

I found a pattern for crocheted baskets over at Crochet in Color.   I found it a great project to keep me occupied while I was feeling a little under the weather, and I needed a baby shower gift (the peach ones) and thought this would be perfect! So of course I made one and than another one the larger size, which turned into 3 sets of baskets!!! 

Christmas Gifts:

I finally started quilting  my nephew's quilt! I wanted to echo the wave pattern but quickly learned it wasn't that easy. I needed to use a ruler to stitch the angle, so I ordered 2 rulers. The rulers came and I realized I needed an extention table for the throat of my long arm, so the ruler would sit properly!!! I am learning a lot.....so now that will be ordered....but I needed to get this done...and I wanted simple lines, so what is simpler that straight!!! lol My machine locks in veritical and horizontal so this is going to be easy and I think it is going to be perfect!!                                                               

13 a bakers dozen placemats for my Mom! I need to bind them still, but the quilt as you go part is done!! If you look close you will see that they are all made with the same fabrics but not one of them sewn the same!! Making 13 of them I didn't want to have to think about it too much, just sew, and I think they are so fun and bright! Christmas Cheer!! All the backs are the same though with a fall theme, making the placemats 2/4/1!!

Tester Block/BOM:

I also tested a new block for Kristy at Quiet Play . I can't share the block with you, but below are the fabrics I chose for the block, and I can share....

 

Kristy is going to be doing a Retro Kitchen BOM starting January 1st 2014. I can't wait, you should check it out!!

City Sampler:

#30 Christmas is starting early....

It's been wet a lot here, which makes it great for sewing and baking! At least that's what I like to do on rainy days, unless I'm bundled up reading a book, with a hot drink close by. So instead of letting the weather get me down,  I started my Christmas sewing projects.
I know Christmas already!?? We still have 65 days till Christmas, but if you plan on making any gifts, like I am, you have to start early!! So my Christmas sewing has begun!!
 Truthfully I love Christmas! I love the snow, the music, the decorations (which I put up in Nov) and baking!! I love making cookies! How about you? What's your favorite part of Christmas?

What I've Been Up To:

Modern Trees QAL My second QAL over at Christa Quilts!! The above picture was the lay out for the wall hanging. You add white strips along each side to make the rows even. I chose to make a lap size quilt and didn't want that much white, so I chose to sash the blocks! (basically I went for the easier piecing layout!! lol )

 Count Down To Christmas QAL I couldn't help myself, I had to jazz it up with a border and even incorporated the Modern Trees Block along the top!! It was meant to be, they are the same width!! I didn't follow the instructions for assembling the calendar to the letter either, but I am so happy with the results!

Blue Wave
I finally have my nephew's quilt loaded on the frame and knew how I wanted to quilt it, only to realize it wasn't as easy to accomplish as I thought!! eek!! I need a quilting ruler!! So that is now on order.....

 This is the back! I forgot to take a picture of it after I sewed on the gray strips top and bottom. I used Kona iron.

Christmas Placemats

I am piecing them, quilt as you go, with a variety of Christmas fabrics. I randomly cut  different widths of strips from all the fabrics, and am randomly placing them together. So none of them will be exactly the same. I was going for fun, and being as I am making 13 of them I didn't want to have to think about it, just sew! The backing fabric however is all the same and has a fall theme. Making the placemats a 2fer!! 2 placemats in 1!! Gotta love that!!

City Sampler QAL

Virtual Quilting Bee
All blocks done. Next up adding the on point triangles!!! So cool, but it maybe a few weeks...or after Christmas before I get there!

One last item....told you I love to bake cookies! These were too tempting to resist. Second recipe shared over at Jacquelynne Steves blog, Pumpkin Spice Cookie with Maple Cream Cheese!! So easy and so good! Too good I ate 3 on Sunday at lunch before I had to put them away before I ate more.

#29 Happy ThanksGiving.....

I know early for some...but I am Canadian....and really, is it ever to early to start being thankful....or to express our gratitude or to be generous... I know I need to take more time to think about how fortunate I am and how I can give back to my family, community and the world I live in. In the business or busyness of life I forget sometimes. So I thought I would make a list of things I am thankful for....

1    I am thankful for Family, I cherish
2    for  Friends, to laugh with and cry with
3    Home,  a safe haven, and space to create!!
4    Food, an endless variety of choices
5    Nature, Seasons, sun, moon, stars- all spectacular
6    Technology- that can keep us connected in ways that are amazing when the distance is far
7    Health- to enjoy it all,
8    and isn't taste and touch and all our other sensory abilities fantastic...can you
      imagine not having them??
9    I am thankful for today!!!
10  I am grateful to God for all these gifts and more!!!

Hope you are having a great weekend and taking time to enjoy life and be thankful......


What I've Been Up To:

I made my own ice cream sandwiches! I used Dare Simply Delicious Cookies, Chocolate with Black Cherry and Spice with Praline Crunch, but find a combination you like. Just make sure you make them the day ahead and leave in the freezer over night to soften the cookie.     

I also tried a  new recipe that I found on a new online friends blog, . Jacquelynne has a wonderful website and blog, and puts out a free e-magazine, The Art of Home,  full of great ideas. 

even shared with friends that moved to an amazing new home, they designed, last week!! ( ok I was a bit  behind on delivery, lol )   

                                                         

Finished appliqueing all the red and green numbers, only brown left to do! Then I can start assembling the pockets!!

 Finished the tester pattern for Kristy at Quiet Play !  I loved this paper pieced block and quilt pattern. It went together so quick and easy! Great beginner block, but with such versatility great for all. (I took some pictures of other ways the block could go together)

3 more City Sampler Blocks down!