A Milestone to Mark...

Last September my parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary!  This is truly a remarkable milestone in today's world.  The fact that this couple has honoured each other's vows and treated each other in a way that has encouraged their relationship is truly worth noting.  I find it so amazing that my parents continue to be role models for me in my adulthood.  I just thought that once I was married I'd find my own way and not 'need' their example as much.  Watching them go through life together, through the ups and downs and continue to treat each other with love and respect and to keep growing together, is an added blessing to my life.

I really wanted to do something special for them for their anniversary.  They aren't really big 'party' people and I already pulled that on them for their 25th, so it needed to be something unique. 

While I don't claim to have 'arrived' in the world of quilting, it is a hobby I love.  It's a hobby that allows me to turn a quilt into a labour of love.  This quilt was TRULY a labour of love for my parents.  I started in aaaaages ago.  In fact there's a few blog posts way back to prove it! ( here, here, here, and even here)

But finally, FINALLY, it was completed.  Not quite in time for their actual anniversary, but not too far behind.  

This quilt is a pattern by a local quilter by the name of Cheryl Wall.  Cheryl is a wonderful, gentle soul who designs quilts with such character.  Thanks Cheryl!  This particular quilt pattern is called 'Village Sampler'.  I knew it would be something my parents would enjoy.  To add my own mark on the quilt I incorporated nicknames, initials, birth dates, and anniversaries of my parents, Rob & I and the kiddos, and my brother, all over the quilt.  

This was the very, very, very first quilt I've ever had professionally quilted!  (insert cheering and applause here)  This is a BIG moment people!  I bundled this quilt and another (I'll blog that one soon) up and headed out to my dear friend Rhonda of Quilted Cats Hideaway.   I didn't know what to expect.  I knew she'd have to custom quilt it, as there is a lot of different themes going on in the quilt.  I had NO idea she'd put endless hours and love into going the extra mile to make this quilt truly unique! I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the finished product.  The amount of long arm quilting on this quilt is phenomenal.  Thank you Rhonda! Rhonda did a special post on her blog with some wonderful close ups of her quilting on this quilt...check it out here.

Happy Anniversary Dad & Mom.  Know that every stitch was made with love for you both.  I am truly blessed to be your daughter.  Does anyone have a kleenex....?

Getting there...

I'm sure ya'll are getting tired of me posting swoon blocks, but hey, I luv em'!  Remember THIS pile of scraps and squares...well I finally transformed them into these.  I still have a bunch more to go and I'm not sure how I'm going to lay them all out and quilt them, but I'll figure it out when I get there.  I'm not nearly done with these swoon blocks...I'm gonna keep trying till I get the perfect quilt!

Custom Order...

Although I've somehow wandered away from the 'primitive' type colours of quilting,  (there's just too much fun new fabric out there!) I still get an order here and there for creations in the traditional colours.  This was a custom order I completed awhile back but it never made it to my blog.  This is a pattern by our local quilting sweetheart, Cheryl Wall.  I've made this pattern a few times now...although if I recall correctly, one time (years ago) I made a set of these for a relative and they all fell apart in the wash!!!  I never did figure out what the heck happened, but I think we narrowed it down to faulty thread that time.  Anyway...I'm happy to say that these came together, and stayed together, just fine!  These are pieced and embroidered one stitch at a time!  The embroidery states: 'Love makes a house a home'.  How true.


One of Cheryl's amazing books:

One piece at a time....

Another Birdie Sling...

Lately life has been crazy.  Like-Uber-Crazy.  I'm not quite ready to put crazy into words yet, but it's an all consuming-wish-I-could-get-away-from-it-for-awhile crazy.  I've neglected the blog a little, but 'family first' is the name of the game.
It's been nice to continue on with sewing.  Sewing and baking and my Bible are what are keeping me sane at the end of each day!  
I have always loved Amy Butler's Birdie Sling pattern.  It's a great pattern and a wonderful bag.  
So...here's my latest Birdie.  I love the bright, summer-ish feel to it.  Turquoise and Red are such great colours together.  Pair this bag with some great flip flops and a pair of sunglasses and I'm ready to call it summer...now if only for a beach and a slushy drink...

More Blogger's Blocks...

I recently posted here about a fun little bloggers block of the month I was following.  It's a great project for using up scraps.  I've completed a few more blocks since then and am anxiously awaiting the next block next week!  Here's the latest...

Tuesday Time Out

Ahh..Spring Break is here and snow is in the air.  Yup, snow.  Ugh.  Luckily the kiddos aren't too housebound yet.  Kim and I decided that we weren't going to let a thing like kids being home stop us from getting our Tuesday Time Out on!  Her kiddos had a craft day of their own at home and mine managed to keep themselves busy for a few hours.  Kim and I had chatted last night and decided to tackle the 'Bloggers Block of the Month' tutorial.  There's a gazillion out there and some of them cost $$ but we found this one and had fun making a few blocks today.   I'm working with the leftover scraps from American Jane's 'Punctuation' line that I used in my pinwheel quilt..which, by the way, is still waiting for me to finish it.  It's on my not-so-distant-finish-up list...honest!  Anyway..here's a few pics of the blocks.  Super easy, just time consuming.  Fun project for a rainy/snowy/sunny/crazy, but typical weather day here on the west coast.  

Just For Fun...

Last Saturday I decided to throw caution to the wind and have a sewing day!  I know, I live on the edge, baby.  Hubby had to work and I just didn't feel like doing the ever growing list of housework.  I called my partner in crime ( aka Kim) and she enabled me.  We sipped coffees and sewed the morning away!  I pulled out a purse pattern from Keyka Lou that I've been wanting to make.  I'd picked up the fabric at Joanne's a few weeks back and was itching to try them out.  They were super easy to make and I got them both DONE in the SAME day.  (Applause please.  This NEVER happens)  I'm very happy with how they turned out!

Blissful Swoon...

I have yet to grow tired of this lovely pattern, Swoon.  I've seen some beautiful fabric combinations for this block.  Here's my latest swoon done with some Bliss fabric that I had in my ever depleting stash.  I have 3 more blocks all cut and ready to go.  Now I just need the time...

I made a few swoon blocks last fall...you can see them here, here and here!

Thanks for popping by today...have a great day!

Popular Placemats...

I have made enough placemats in the past few months to set a table for the masses!  I have enjoyed creating different colour combos in these and recently completed a custom order for these black, grey and white placemats with a matching runner.  I think they have a fun, contemporary look to them. This order was for a set of six.  If you're looking for the name and source of these patterns go HERE to read about it in a previous post!

Tuesday Timeout

Kim and I decided to have our regular Tuesday Timeout yesterday because today I'm fieldtrippin' with my Grade 1 girl!  So I guess yesterday was more of a Make-it-Monday!  I hummed and hawed about what to make yesterday.  I have an order I still need to finish, but I rarely use Tuesday Timeouts for orders...they're more of a fun day!  I dug out a bag full of cuts I had ordered online from the 'Bliss' line.  I got the bag of fabric for uber-cheap but didn't know what to do with it.  They're not the exact cuts I would've chosen from the line, but hey, beggars can't be choosers!  I decided in the end to cut the fabric for more 'Swoon' blocks.  I've seen lots of beautiful swoon quilts made and although I liked the 4 blocks I previously made here, I didn't think the fabric was the best for the project.  So, I started cutting this bundle today and hope for different results this time!  The cutting for these blocks is insane, but I got it done!  Next week I hope to start sewing!

Here's a few pics....not much to look at...YET!

Cutting for 8 completed blocks, here's cut number 1:

And...cut number 2: (poor photo quality..didn't realize it at the time!

Fun with Felt...

Bet you thought I was going to post something that Isaac had destroyed with a felt pen right?  Well, I could, trust me.  This is a post about a different kind of felt...thank goodness!  I've been meaning to post this one for awhile and am just getting around to it now.  These cute creations were made especially for Isaac this Christmas.
If you know my little man at all you know one of his first words was 'onut'....aka 'donut'.  This little man loves his Tim Horton's timbits and donuts...thank you Grampa.   Auntie Kim picked up on the idea and created these adorable felt donuts.  She even went in to Timmy's and requested an empty box to finish the project off.   (Just between you and me, I heard they gave her a really funny look when she asked for an empty box)  Isaac loves his felt donuts....a little too much.

These next creations are adorable. Olivia and Emily & Julianna made these critters for Isaac back in the summer. It was the perfect project for a trio of friends to do on a summer day. Julianna made the bird, Em made the butterfly and the beautiful bag, and Olivia made the bear.

All made with love for little man.  He loves his animals and carries them around daily.  Isaac has all the women in his life wrapped around his little finger...and, if we're going to be honest, all the men too!

The Ladies Who Brunched...

Formally known as the Ladies who Lunch.  Our group of gals got together for our annual Christmas Brunch.  It was a lovely day.  This year the brunch was at my place.  There was so much laughter and fun and the time flew by faster than any of us thought!
The food was so delicious and plentiful, the cards were special, and the gifts were beautiful! Here's a taste of our time together:

Prezzie Time:  Rhonda recieved some beautiful hand knit gloves from Cindy as well as a few other goodies.  Jill recieved some lovely place mats hand-sewn by Sarah, and Sarah recieved a gorgeous quilt that Rhonda made her!  I had Cindy in the draw this year and I made her a table topper specifically for her bright and cheery kitchen.  I'm so glad she liked it!

And now for my present...this deserves a post all on it's own, but I won't hold you in suspense!  Jill had me in the draw this year and I am still overwhelmed by the beauty of the gift she made me.  This is an advent/family tradition calendar of sorts.  It is a flip style book that has a page for every day of December.  Jill decorated each page individually and it's all ready for me to add pictures of our family traditions.  I have never seen this before and I instantly fell in love with it!  I love anything paper crafted and this gift is so special to me!  I think I will have to make a few of these for future gifts.  Jill put so much love and effort into this gift, and that in itself is such a special part of the gift.  So, thank you Jill.  This is one of the most beautiful, and meaningful, gifts I have ever recieved.

Thanks Ladies...for one of our best memories yet made!

Sold out....

Sold the last of my advent calendars!  I love these advent calendars, and I trust the families they've gone to will too!  I sold one last year, gifted one last year, and have sold 3 more this past month.  That's it, I'm out!  The good news:  I've found all the supplies on sale in the past couple of weeks and have stocked up to make more for next year.
(Go here and click on the calendar link if you're looking for the original post with the directions I used to make these)

Top Secret...for now...

I've got lots going on around here these days.  Trying to fit in dentist appt's with volleyball games, work with babysitters, social visits with evening commitments, piano lessons with grocery shopping, helping with homework when I should be doing housework, I'm sure you all know the drill.  Right now my basement is looking like Santa's workshop.  My work room is full of one project, and I've taken over most of the kids' playroom with another.  I'm having a fun time creating in my santa workshop.  I've got a few new projects on the go, and a few old ones.  I don't get huge blocks of time to accomplish lots, but having it all set out I can go down and do small blocks of time here and there.  In the evenings Rob can watch a movie while I work alongside.  It's a nice time of year to transition to indoor work.  I'm looking forward to switching the decor over from fall to Christmas this weekend, I've got a few gifts bought already and the forecast is calling for snow on the weekend! 
I wanted to share a sneak peek of a project I'm currently working on.  It's a big project, quite an undertaking for me, and I've been working on it for awhile now, but it's getting to the home stretch!  So here's the sneak peek, that's all you get.  For now.

Lucky me...

I was happily surprised to receive this lovely table runner as a hostess gift previously this summer.  Whatever happened to the art of the hostess gift anyway?  I used to love to show up to peoples homes with flowers, or wine or whatever.  The odd time I still do, but it really seems like a lost art.  My 'Chilliwack' besties (aka Ladies who Lunch) keep this art alive!  They are so thoughtful and generous!
My sweetheart of a friend, Rhonda, made me this lovely gift.  It's all quilted and done in colours that fit right into the house.  Fortunately it's the perfect size for my antique stove. It's a reminder of the gift of friendship.  Thanks Rhonda...you're one of the most generous people I know.

Curtain Call...

So I've had the fabric for well over a year now. I purchased it for 50% off at Joanne's. I bought the .99 cent pattern to use for measurement/reference sake. And it all sat. In a Pile. In my 'office'. Until now. I finally dug it all out and tackled the project! I go in waves with this house. Sometimes I'm really excited to take on a new project here and re-invent a space, and other times, not so much. Well, I am getting tired of the lack of texture and colour, so it's time. I took from the pattern what I liked, made up what I didn't and now I'm well on my way to some new curtains!

I'll show you the finished product once I get some curtain rods!

This Week's Block

This week I had major catch up to do on this quilt. Each Tuesday I would get the majority of a block done during the day. Once school pick up comes then things got put on hold until the evenings once the kids were in bed. I'd usually sit down and catch myself up so I was ready to start a new block the following week. At some point over the weekend I'd try to do the prep for the upcoming block. Well, that didn't happen for the last week or two, everything got put aside and didn't get picked back up. I don't mind, my family has to come first, but I think I got myself caught up today. I managed to finish up a few blocks that weren't completed, fused on all my flowers and tree trunks, AND completed my block. It helps that I bathed the kids earlier today, and all the kids were tired tonight and happened to cooperate at bed time, and that hubby had a business meeting and I had a quiet, peaceful house. That rarely happens! Technically I should be one more block ahead, but hey, I'm cuttin' myself some slack! Here's a few pics....

This block is fairly straight forward. The blocks are called Friendship Stars. Each block uses 13 pieces for a grand total of 39 pieces in this completed block.


This block is the 'Shops Block'. Each shop in this block will get a sign appliqued to it. The 3 names of the shops are: Dry Goods, Antiques, and Grocery. This completed block has a grand total of 50 pieces.

Here it is! This is the progress so far! I can't believe how it's coming together. It is truly a labour of love. I think I'm safe in saying that approx. 3/4 of the top of the quilt is done. I think that for the first time ever I will look into having this professionally quilted by my friend Rhonda.
Thanks for checkin' in!

Girls Night Out...

A few gals got together the other night for a girls night out with a creative focus. It was a night to simply get-together and work on a project of your choice. I decided to sew, although in truth I never got that far! I brought my machine, but somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was a longshot that I'd get to the point where I'd actually start sewing with the project I'd chosen. A couple of years ago my Mom had given me a gift of cash and told me to spend it only on myself, and on something that I wouldn't necessarily go out and buy. There are a million things on my 'want but don't need' list. Well, on this particular day I was at a local quilt shop and saw this kit that I fell in love with. It was all red and cream flannels, with a wintry theme. I didn't show a picture of the pattern because it doesn't do the quilt justice. Long story short, I bought this kit ( I NEVER buy kits) and it's been sitting in my craft room ever since. It intimidated me, I read through the pattern when I bought it and thought, 'I can't do this!'. So, this was the project I tackled. I only got the cutting out done, but hey, 50 11" x 11" squares is no small feat for one evening...at least not for me. Not to mention that I had to iron every single piece of fabric that had sat in the bag for so long! It was a nice evening out with friends. Rhonda and Cindy worked on a block of the month quilt kit they had, Sarah worked on a cute purse for her daughter E., and Marcia, our gracious host, worked on shoes for some handmade dolls she had given her girls for Christmas. Thanks ladies..it was a fun night!