Saturday, March 28, 2015

Scrap Saturday -- Last Yellow

Here's two more yellow scrappy blocks.  These blocks are called Urban Classics by Nancy Mahoney.  You can find it and many other free patterns on Nancy's page here.

 
I'm linking up on Angela's blog, SoScrappy.  Check out all the other pretties that others made in the RSC15.  Be inspired!  You'll want to use up those scraps!
 
RSC 15

Friday, March 27, 2015

Urban Churn Dash QA -- A Friday Finish

Finally!  A Friday Finish!!!  It's 10:45pm, but it's still Friday.  Here's my Urban Churn Dash QA quilt.  I made it crib size at 44.5" x 55".  You can find out more about the full-sized pattern and the quilt along at Piece N Quilt here.

I'm also excited that this quilt is finished because it's #3 of my Q1 FAL goals for A Lovely Year of Finishes.  One more to finish by Monday the 31st... it's gonna be a nail biter!  You can see all of my Q1 FAL goals on this post.

 
2015 FAL at On the Windy Side
 
I quilted it with Circle Lord's Egyptian Eye pattern.  LOVE this quilting and how it gives the quilt so much movement.  I even quilted it with light lilac thread on white!  Love, love, love these colors together!  A couple of them were in a little fat quarter bundle.  I added a few too.


I always wondered where I would use this purple fairy fabric that I got really, really cheap when I first started quilting.  This is the perfect backing for a baby girl quilt.

 
My little guy took this photo.  I don't think I have many quilt photos where I am actually holding the quilt.  10:45pm... It's just too dark for a nice, outdoor, clothesline photo.

 
 
I happy to finally be linking up with Richard & Tanya
for Link-a-Finish Friday!  You can see all the pretty projects here.

LAFF - Richard and Tanya Quilts 
 
I'm also linking up with Michelle at Michelle's Romantic Tangle for Let's Make Baby Quilts!


Thursday, March 26, 2015

WIP Wednesday... on a Thursday

I'm too late to link up with the WIP Wednesday group, but here's what little happened this week:

I finally made a simple, one-fabric back for my Scrumptious Butter Churn quilt.  It's on the frame now.  I am quilting it with Baptist Fan pattern.


Here are the two sampler blocks for the RSC15 Rainbow Sampler.
 
I also made some Fortune Teller blocks for the RSC15.  I LOVE these blocks!
 
 
I also added six new chickens to my flock.  Two of them are roosters.  That's keeping me busy!
 



I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!  See what everybody is doing here.
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced


New Projects This Week
1.  None
 
Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn
1.  Underpants Project 
2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)
3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt
4.  Picadilly Circle
5. ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)
6.  MSBHQAL (Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt Along)
7.  Spring Sampler Series at Cora's Quilts
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Leah Day Building Blocks QA

10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA (turning this one into a baby quilt) 
13.  Super Mario QA
14.  Grand Illusion -- Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2014 
15,  Sew Sweet Simplicity BOM (made from shirt scraps)
16.  Kite Girl (RSC14) Need one more red block and sashing made
17.  Modern Trees QA (at Christ's Quilts)
18.  Cabins at the Lake (from Fons & Porter Magazine) (only one house block complete.
19.  Wanderlust (A Bonnie Hunter pattern -- only 2 blocks done.)
20.  Flowers and Watercan (wall hanging)
21.  Little Houses
22.  Split Stars (Block Lotto win)
23.  Spools (Leader & Ender project with Bonnie Hunter)
24.  Fortune Teller (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
25.  Slabs with White Rectangle (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
26.  Pat Sloan 2015 BOM -- Vacation Time
28.  Charm Square Sampler QA by Modern Tradition Quilts
29.  QM Bitty Blocks QA
 
Blocks Still Need to be Made
1.  NY Beauty
2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Sweet Simplicity BOM
5. Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Scrap Crystals (working on blue pieces for RSC15)
12.  RSC15 Sawtooth Star Sampler

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Orange/Yellow Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)
3.  Orange/Blue Fish Blocks (that I won)
4.  Split Stars (blocks won from Block Lotto; October, 2012)
5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  December 2014 Block Lotto Big O blocks that I won 12.31.14!
8.  Sonja's Windows string quilt
9.  Block Swap Adventure (2013) Churn Dash Blocks 
 
Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)
1.  Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2013)
2.  Surround Stars Pillow (one big block is here somewhere.  It will be a pillow when I find it.)

Ready to longarm
1.  Little Letters QA Quilt (A RSC14 project)
2.  Julianne's Grand Illusion
3.  Customer Quilt #2 -- Scrap Squares
4.  Customer Quilt #3 -- Bonnie Hunter Stars pattern
5.  Customer Quilt #4 -- Browns and Golds
6.  Customer Quilt #5 -- Scrappy Fun
7.  Julianne's 2nd Celtic Solstice
 
 
Quilted, needs binding
1. 
 
Completed this week:
 
 
61 -- Current WIPS
05 -- Finishes for 2015
 
 
 

Monday, March 23, 2015

Pluto the Rooster

Pluto is my new rooster that I got this weekend.  He is not afraid to pose for the camera.  Here he is this morning.  Today I fed him bread by hand.  It was so sweet that he would gently take it from my hand and drop it on the ground to where his three "ladies" were waiting.  He would make sure they had bread before he ate his.  What a kind gentleman.  Pluto already had his name when we got him.  He is a lavender Ameraucana.  The three pullets that I got with him lay gorgeous light green eggs.  He does crow, but is quite quiet compared to the F1 Olive Egger that I got.


Wiggles (named by our almost eight-year-old son) is not so quiet.  My son likes the singing group, The Wiggles, from Australia.  That's where his name comes from.  Pluto is the boss.  Wiggles knows it.  Wiggles is a F1 (first generation) Olive Egger.  Can't wait to see what happens when I breed him to the other girls.  He did come with a pullet to make a pair.  She is still small.  I don't think she lays eggs yet.  She is very sweet.  Her name is Raven.

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Good Morning New Chickens

I was excited to see how well my new chickens and roosters did over the night.  These two boys were in this small space for the evening.  They did great together!  Whew.  What a relief that I can still keep them separated from the other hens for now this way.  This group of new chickens are very friendly.  I can tell that their previous owner handled them quite a bit. 

 
The little black Easter egger pullet wants to be really close to me all the time.  What a cutie!  I have a feeling I'll be able to mix them with my other chickens smoothly in 2 - 4 weeks.
 
 
Looks like this girl likes the pine needle bedding.  Whohoo!  It's free!!!



 
'If you like cucumbers as much as I do, then you will LOVE this one!!!! 

<3 CREAMY YOGURT-DILL CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE <3

Super easy to make!!!

Ingredients:
3 medium cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup thick, Greek-style yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons minced dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

( I added onions and tomatoes to mine wow very good)
Mix all together and chill for an hour then serve!

(¯`v´¯) 
`*.¸.*´
¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•:*¨¨*:•..•...
┊  ┊  ☆ 
┊  ★
☆
FRIEND OR FOLLOW ME! I am always posting awesome stuff!'
 
If you like cucumbers as much as I do, then you will LOVE this one!!!!
heart emoticon CREAMY YOGURT-DILL CUCUMBER SALAD RECIPE heart emoticon
Super easy to mak...e!!!
Ingredients:
3 medium cucumbers (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1/2 cup thick, Greek-style yogurt or reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons minced dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Scrap Dance Mystery QA

My dear friend, Julianne, at Quilting With Calicos has pointed out yet another QA that I won't be able to resist.  It's the Scrap Dance Mystery QA at FROM MY CAROLINA HOME Blog.  The first clue is right up my alley.  I think I have those sizes already cut.  I just need to find a fun neutral.  Ready, set, SEW!!!  Here's more:
https://frommycarolinahome.wordpress.com/2015/03/19/scrap-dance-mystery-quilt-along/

Scrap Dance Quilt Along


Saturday, March 21, 2015

New Chickens to the Flock!!! 3.21.15

I'm soooo excited to introduce some new chickens to our flock.  We brought them home today.
Pluto (the rooster) is gorgeous!  He is a lavender roo.  These are not Easter Eggers.  They are pure Ameraucanas.  Just look at his long, flowing feathers.


Here's the three of his girls:

image 1

I also got a pair of F1 Olive eggers  (pullet & cockerel).  I guess it's mixed with an Easter Egger and a Black Copper Maran.  It will be interesting to see what color eggs their babies will have???  Dark, bright blue... dark chocolate?  Can't wait can't wait! 


This is the color of the eggs from the lavender Ameraucanas!  Sooooo eggciting!!!  I'm not sure if I'm officially allowed to advertise them as that breed since I'm not sure if they are not a recognized breed yet?  I'm not sure how that really works.



The plan is to let them get adjusted to the rest of the flock through the fence for two to four weeks.  Then we'll let them breed.  Then I'll figure out who my good brood hen is.  Hopefully by June/July we'll have some cute little chicks.  My son and sister-in-law are very excited about the process.  Here's "Aunt Jo" holding the one rooster in the front seat of the truck on the way home.  He was so gentle!  He's being a little loud and crowing right now.  I'm hoping for my husband's sake that he calms down soon.

 
 Here's me with one of last year's chicks on roosting on my back while I was working on the coop.
 
Now those are some good lookin' chickens!  And don't you like my "boots" planter
?

RSC15 -- Yellow



I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrappy for the RSC15 Scrap Saturday.  Check out all the fun others are having with scraps here.
http://superscrappy.blogspot.com/

RSC 15

Not much to say lately.  I'm almost over being sick.  For the first time EVER my husband and I were both sick together with the same thing.  We've been together for almost 17 years.  That's a pretty good streak.  The funny thing is that both of us were complaining about our elbows hurting so much too.  Well, turns out we have the same respitory/sinus infection and we both have tendonitis.  Yippee, skippy.  Isn't it true love.

Saturday, March 14, 2015

RSC15 Scrap Saturday -- Yellow

Here are the two sampler blocks for the RSC15 Rainbow Sampler.

I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrappy for the RSC15 Scrap Saturday.  Check out all the fun others are having with scraps here.

RSC 15

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

WIP Wednesday

Another busy week of life got in the way.  But it's a good thing.  Here's what happened in the quilting world:


I decided on a different 4" basket for my "ugly scrap" Itty Bitty blocks QA.  You can find it at Quiltmaker's Quilty Pleasures Blog.

Here's three Fortune Teller blocks.  I'm just getting to putting away my pink scraps for the RSC15.  I'm supposed to be working on yellow this month.  This pattern can be found in the book Sunday Morning Quilts. 
 
My sweet little prize arrived I the mail today.  I won this ADORABLE pin and charm in the Let's Book It challenge at Vrooman's Quilts.  Thank you, Sharon!  It's sooo cute!
 
 
I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!  See what everybody is doing here.
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced


New Projects This Week
1.  None
 
Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn
1.  Underpants Project 
2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)
3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt
4.  Picadilly Circle
5. ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)
6.  MSBHQAL (Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt Along)
7.  Spring Sampler Series at Cora's Quilts
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Leah Day Building Blocks QA

10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA (turning this one into a baby quilt) 
13.  Super Mario QA
14.  Grand Illusion -- Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2014 
15,  Sew Sweet Simplicity BOM (made from shirt scraps)
16.  Kite Girl (RSC14) Need one more red block and sashing made
17.  Modern Trees QA (at Christ's Quilts)
18.  Cabins at the Lake (from Fons & Porter Magazine) (only one house block complete.
19.  Wanderlust (A Bonnie Hunter pattern -- only 2 blocks done.)
20.  Flowers and Watercan (wall hanging)
21.  Little Houses
22.  Split Stars (Block Lotto win)
23.  Spools (Leader & Ender project with Bonnie Hunter)
24.  Fortune Teller (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
25.  Slabs with White Rectangle (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
26.  Pat Sloan 2015 BOM -- Vacation Time
28.  Charm Square Sampler QA by Modern Tradition Quilts
29.  QM Bitty Blocks QA
 
Blocks Still Need to be Made
1.  NY Beauty
2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Sweet Simplicity BOM
5. Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Scrap Crystals (working on blue pieces for RSC15)
12.  RSC15 Sawtooth Star Sampler

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Orange/Yellow Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)
3.  Orange/Blue Fish Blocks (that I won)
4.  Split Stars (blocks won from Block Lotto; October, 2012)
5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  December 2014 Block Lotto Big O blocks that I won 12.31.14!
8.  Sonja's Windows string quilt
9.  Block Swap Adventure (2013) Churn Dash Blocks 
 
Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)
1.  Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2013)
2.  Surround Stars Pillow (one big block is here somewhere.  It will be a pillow when I find it.)
3.  Urban Churn Dash -- A Simple Sew Along at Piece N Quilt.
4.  Scrumptious Butter Churn  All blocks are made!!!


Ready to longarm
1.  Little Letters QA Quilt (A RSC14 project)
2.  Julianne's Grand Illusion
3.  Customer Quilt #2 -- Scrap Squares
4.  Customer Quilt #3 -- Bonnie Hunter Stars pattern
5.  Customer Quilt #4 -- Browns and Golds
6.  Customer Quilt #5 -- Scrappy Fun
7.  Julianne's 2nd Celtic Solstice
 
Quilted, needs binding
1. 
Completed this week:
 
 
61 -- Current WIPS
05 -- Finishes for 2015
 
 
 

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Scraptastic Tuesday

I know we're supposed to be working on yellow scraps for the RSC15 this month, but I am a little behind.  I'm just getting around to putting away my pink scraps.  Here's three Fortune Teller blocks.  This pattern can be found in the book Sunday Morning Quilts. 


Sunday Morning Quilts has several cute scrap ideas in it.  Also for great scrap ideas, I'm linking up with Scraptastic Tuesday at She Can Quilt.  Check out what everybody else is doing.

Scraptastic Tuesday

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

WIP Wednesday 3.4.15


I finished putting together Butter Churn & Dash from Jo's Country Junction for the RSC14.



Here's my block #3 for the Pat Sloan's Vacation Time (2015) BOM.  It's called Surf's Up!  You can  find the instructions on Pat Sloan's Blog
 
I finished longarm quilting on a customer's churn dash quilt.
 
 
I played a little bit on my longarm with a cheater panel and my new ruler.  It's still too cold there.
 
 
For the Let's Book It challenge at Vrooman's Quilts I worked on Bonnie Hunter design, Scrap Crystals.  All the 4-patch units are sewn and it's time to make little star patches.
 
 
Sadly I did not work at all on my February goal WIP for the All People Quilt challenge.  I was hoping to make a baby quilt with the Tall Churn Dash blocks that I won in the Block Lotto.
 
 
The UFO project number for March is #3.  This means that I should try to finish my Classic Meets Modern BOM quilt.  All 12 blocks of that quilt are complete.  I need to work on the sashing next.
 
 

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!  See what everybody is doing here.
WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced


New Projects This Week
1.  None
 
Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn
1.  Underpants Project 
2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)
3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt
4.  Picadilly Circle
5. ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)
6.  MSBHQAL (Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt Along)
7.  Spring Sampler Series at Cora's Quilts
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Leah Day Building Blocks QA

10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA (turning this one into a baby quilt) 
13.  Super Mario QA
14.  Grand Illusion -- Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt 2014 
15,  Sew Sweet Simplicity BOM (made from shirt scraps)
16.  Kite Girl (RSC14) Need one more red block and sashing made
17.  Modern Trees QA (at Christ's Quilts)
18.  Cabins at the Lake (from Fons & Porter Magazine) (only one house block complete.
19.  Wanderlust (A Bonnie Hunter pattern -- only 2 blocks done.)
20.  Flowers and Watercan (wall hanging)
21.  Little Houses
22.  Split Stars (Block Lotto win)
23.  Spools (Leader & Ender project with Bonnie Hunter)
24.  Fortune Teller (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
25.  Slabs with White Rectangle (RSC14 started -- need blocks each month)
26.  Pat Sloan 2015 BOM -- Vacation Time
28.  Charm Square Sampler QA by Modern Tradition Quilts
29.  QM Bitty Blocks QA
 
Blocks Still Need to be Made
1.  NY Beauty
2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Sweet Simplicity BOM
5. Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Scrap Crystals (working on blue pieces for RSC15)
12.  RSC15 Sawtooth Star Sampler

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Orange/Yellow Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)
3.  Orange/Blue Fish Blocks (that I won)
4.  Split Stars (blocks won from Block Lotto; October, 2012)
5.  African Violet baby quilt (Block Lotto inspired)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  December 2014 Block Lotto Big O blocks that I won 12.31.14!
8.  Sonja's Windows string quilt
9.  Block Swap Adventure (2013) Churn Dash Blocks 
 
Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)
1.  Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter Mystery 2013)
2.  Surround Stars Pillow (one big block is here somewhere.  It will be a pillow when I find it.)
3.  Urban Churn Dash -- A Simple Sew Along at Piece N Quilt.
4.  Scrumptious Butter Churn  All blocks are made!!!


Ready to longarm
1.  Little Letters QA Quilt (A RSC14 project)
2.  Julianne's Grand Illusion
3.  Customer Quilt #2 -- Scrap Squares
4.  Customer Quilt #3 -- Bonnie Hunter Stars pattern
5.  Customer Quilt #4 -- Browns and Golds
6.  Customer Quilt #5 -- Scrappy Fun
 
Quilted, needs binding
1. 

Completed this week:
1.  Customer Quilt #1 -- Churn Dashes
 
64 -- Current WIPS
05 -- Finishes for 2015

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Too Cold to Longarm

It's still too cold where my longarm is located.  It is in a house that we are building (all by ourselves without a contractor).  The house is only partially heated.  Temps here have been between the negative teens to the low 20's (F).  I know that's not as cold as it is where some of my followers are in the negative 30's, but my longarm says it's too cold.

When the Nolting 23 isn't warm, tension varies on the back of the quilt.

I threw this little cheater panel on the longarm to just practice some ruler work.  I have no idea what I will do with it when I'm done.


Judith Madsen at Green Fairy Quilts is an AMAZING artist when it comes to longarm quilting.  For Christmas my husband got me this A-1 ruler (well, you know how it goes, he gives me cash and I get what I want... It works best for everybody!)  I bought mine from Judith's shop here.  I got this one before they started putting her name on it -- YES, her NAME is on the new rulers!  But I LOVE the grip on this ruler.  Have you watched any of her YouTube videos?  She is simply AMAZING!!!  Here's one of her videos.  She just makes it look so easy!

Monday, March 2, 2015

Pat Sloan's Vacation Time BOM -- Surf's Up!

Here's my block #3 for the Pat Sloan's Vacation Time (2015) BOM.  It's called Surf's Up!


I'm linking up at Pat's Blog.  You can also find the instructions on how to make this block -- both at Pat Sloan's Blog

I'm using colors from the previous month of the RSC15 for the background and the primary color is the current month of the RSC15.  Happy quilting, everybody!