Friday Finish -- 2014 Pegasus Charity Quilt

I finally finished a project this week!  This quilt was pieced by members of my local quilt guild.  My part was to longarm it with swirls.  It turned out great!  Love these civil war colors!  This quilt will go to the annual auction that Pegasus Farms has.  This is a horse riding establishment that caters to those with special needs.

 

 

Thank you, thank you, LQG member that gave me a solid back to use for this quilt!!!  Although I love pieced backs (for myself).  I especially love it when someone else gives me a one-piece back!

 

 

It seems like forever since I posted a Friday Finish!

 

I'm happy to link up today's finish with Richard and Tanya Quilts for the Link-A-Finish FRIDAY.

Beach Towel Hide-A-Key Tutorial

Beach Towel Hide A Key Tutorial

I now that summer is almost done here in Ohio.  I'm posting this for a friend that recently went to the water park with us.  I'm also linking up with Kathy, the Chicken Chick for the Clever Chicks Blog Hop.

Welcome to my first tutorial.  This is my simple Hide-A-Key Beach Towel idea.  I don't like to take a bag or purse to the waterpark.  This is where I keep my "valuables":

To make this, you will need a cheap beach towel, about 10" of Velcro (both sides), and a sewing machine and thread.

Cut Velcro pieces evenly for both sides.  In this case these strips were cut about 4.75".  Securely sew Velcro with a zigzag stitch onto the ends of the towel, leaving a small space for where the towel will be folded.

 

Hook Velcro together and fold towel.  Double stitch on edge of towel to make a "hem". 

 

 

Stitch to make pockets on each end.  I made one pocket about five inches long to accommodate a camera, credit card, and key.

 

 

 

I stitched about 10" on the other end to accommodate a bottle of sunscreen.  The center area is void and not used as a pocket.  You could use the whole end of the towel, but I want to be discrete when getting things in and out of the pocket.

 

 

Hope you liked my first tutorial. If this is your first time here, welcome to my blog.

Scrap Saturday 8.16.14

I'm starting to get some of my sewing mojo back after having so much fun with our seven-year old son.  I finally unpacked the quilting items that I took with me on vacation (which I touched very little -- that's a good thing!)

This week I worked on Little Window Blocks for the August Block Lotto.  I used my green scraps, but then threw in a few other colors.

This is all thanks to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge, 2014. I'm linking up with Angela at SoScrapy: ScrapHappy blog.

 

Three New Chicks

Today I got three new girls to add to my chicken collection.  These girls are Barred Rocks.  I am a little nervous about them.  I got them on Craigslist.  The elderly couple that I bought them from didn't seem to be in it for the "pet" part of the chickens.  This pic shows three nice lookin' birds.

 

This girl took a moment to pose.

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!
Stephanie at A Ditchin' Time Quilts is having a giveaway.  You could win a super cute car trash bag!  Hurry, drawing ends 8/18.

I gathered eggs today.  The egg on the left is from the Barred Rock chickens I got today.  The egg on the right is a regular sized egg.  Holy cow!

And then I might as well post this pic.  The egg on the left was produced by one of the chickens that I raised from a chick that I purchased this spring from TSC.

Here's the part I'm a little nervous about.  After my research I believe the chickens are missing feathers due to feather plucking from other chickens.  I think with a little TLC I'll be able to take care of the matter.  I don't believe it's mites or lice.  Here's an ugly shot of the missing butt feathers:

 

They are isolated from the other chickens, but can still see them.  It will be that why for the while.  In the mean time I ordered some pinless peepers.  Hopefully another chicken was the culprit where I purchased them, and these chickens were just the victims.  Time will tell.  I hope they didn't learn any bad habits there.  Barred Rocks are a little more aggressive than my Buff Orpington.  But sometimes chickens pick feathers from one another because they are bored.  The place that I got them didn't seem to have any chicken toys in the run.  The didn't have any grass at all in their huge free range pen.  The pen was covered with nets because of a hawk problem.  Wish me luck with these girls!

 

Here's my count now:

 

1 Buff Orpington rooster (I think he's still too young to mate.  He doesn't crow yet.)

10 Buff Orpington hens (1 black, 3 red, 6 buff) all approx. hatched 5/13

2 Buff Orpington "teens"  They just started laying eggs.  Hatched approx. 3/14

4 TSC "red pullets" Hatched approx . 4/14.  (red/gold sex links)

3 Barred Rock hens hatched approx. 11/12 (wings clipped 8/14/14).

 

 

WIP Wednesday 8.13.14

My son and I are still planning TWO more trips this summer.  School starts 8/19.  Gotta squeeze in one more amusement park and one more waterpark!  I unloaded my sewing things from our motorhome yesterday and started sewing again.  Here's we go...

I made the Classic to Modern block for August at Sew at Home Mummy.  I LOVE churn dashes!

 

Here are all of the blocks for this BOM project.  As you can see, I am stepping more and more out of my comfort zone as the months go by.  I'm linking up this block for this month.

 

 

Check out the Halo giveaway that Lana is having at It Seams To Be Sew.

 

 

I made some blocks for the Block Lotto (see link on right sidebar to take you to it!)  Come back Saturday to see some more using my RSC14 scrappy bright greens.

 

This charity auction quilt is still on my frame.  I will work on it after 8/20.

 

 

New Projects This Week

None

 

Pieces Still Need to be Cut & Sewn

1.  Underpants Project 

2.  Digging up Bones (Owen's dinosaur quilt)

3.  Rock Island Campfire Quilt4.  Picadilly Circle

5. ...And Sew On BOM at Quiet Play (one block to go)
6.  MSBHQAL (Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone Quilt Along)
7.  Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Celtic Solstice Mystery
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Quilt Doodle Doodles Designs 2014 BOM
10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA

13.  Pat Sloan Globetrotting BOM 

14.  Super Mario QA

15.  Spring Sampler Series at Cora's Quilts

 

Blocks Still Need to be Made

1.  NY Beauty

2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Red Frosty & Friends quilt #3
5.  Maroon Star Sampler Quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt) (Set as a Q2 Goal)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt
12.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #1
13.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #2

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Butterfly Blocks (that I won) (Set as a Q2 goal)
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) (worked on these blocks this week.)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)

Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)

Ready to longarm
 1.  Market Day Sew Along (Heartspun Quilts)

2.  Pegasus 2014 Charity Auction Quilt for LQG

Quilted, needs binding
1.  Dutchman's Puzzle
1.  Born on the 4th (needs to be completed by 8/20 for the county fair)

Completed this week:


My WIP count this week is 39.  My WIP goal for New Years Day 2015 is 19.  I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

I am working from this list right now.  I need to get caught up on my BOM's and county fair projects.

 

1.  Complete my Born on the 4th flag quilt before the fair deadline of 8/20.

2.  Completed my mounted block before 8/20 for the same fair.
3.  Complete my Paris, France block for the Pat Sloan Globetrotting BOM.
4.  Pull bright green scraps for the RSC14.
5.  Pull black and white and bright scraps for the Block Lotto windows blocks for August.
6.  Pull fabrics and make Sweet Tooth row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
7.  Cut fabrics for the July Toasty Mugs row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
8.  Cut fabrics for the June Northern Hockey Skates row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
9.  Cut fabrics for June Star block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
10. Cut fabrics for July Cloud block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
11. Cut fabrics for August Mushroom block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
12.  Finish longarming Pegasus 2014 charity auction quilt for my local quilt guild.
13.  Select fabrics for the ugly churn dash block for the quilt for my local quilt guild.
14.  Decided how I want to quilt the Market Day Sew Along from Heartspun Quilts blog.
15.  Finish Block 8 of the Spring Sampler at Cora's Quilts.
16.  Finish Block 9 of the Spring Sampler at Cora's Quilts.
17.  Complete the August Churn Dash block for the Classic Meets Modern at SewatHomeMummy.

 

 

Sewing Mojo Returns

I'm starting to get some of my sewing mojo back after being on summer break for so long.  School here starts on 8/19.  I have mixed emotions of the end of summer vacation.  But what mom doesn't?  At least I'll have a lot of quilting projects to complete by the end of the year and some chickens to tend.  Here's some of the Block Lotto Windows blocks for August.  I love black/white backgrounds!

WIP Wednesday 8.5.14

Vacation was a blast.  It's time to get back to sewing.  Here's what happened the past few weeks.

I did take on one new project this week.  It's a charity quilt for my local quilt guild.  Each year we donate a quilt to be auctioned at the Pegasus Farms annual charity event.   It's one of their big money makers for the year.  Last year's quilt went for $1025.  Let's hope this quilt brings more.  My part is to longarm quilt the queen-sized quilt.  This quilt was pieced by other members of my guild.  IT's GORGEOUS!  I'm quilting it with my go-to Circle Lord Swirls.  The points are so accurate!

 

Kelly is having a giveaway on her blog today.  Check out My Quilt Infatuation.  Link up with the Needle & Thread Thursday.

 

 

I still can't decide how to quilt this mini.

 

 

I made a red kite girl block for the RSC14.

 

 

Here's a special little 6" block that I made for a swap.

 

 

I managed to make two spoke blocks for the July Block Lotto.  I already mailed them to the winner.

 

 

Remember this pic of Tiana?  Well, sadly ZERO eggs hatched.  I'm not sure yet what went wrong.  I'm thinking our rooster is still too young.

 

 

 

New Projects This Week
1.  2014 Pegasus Charity Quilt for Auction

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.  Bonnie Hunter's 2013 Celtic Solstice Mystery
8.  Gypsy Wife QA (recycling  Red/White Flower Basket Quilt into this project & duds.)
9.  Quilt Doodle Doodles Designs 2014 BOM
10.  Love Laugh Quilt Christmas Improv QA
11.  Classic Meets Modern BOM
12.  Mod Mod QA

13.  Pat Sloan Globetrotting BOM 

14.  Super Mario QA

15.  Spring Sampler Series at Cora's Quilts

 

Blocks Still Need to be Made

1.  NY Beauty
2.  Orca Bay
3.  We Can Do It Skill Builder Sampler
4.  Red Frosty & Friends quilt #3
5.  Maroon Star Sampler Quilt
6.  Color coordinated hexagon quilt
7.  Gourmet Quilter Sampler
8.  Bluepatch Mystery Quilt
9.  Amanda Murphy Designs (ugly fabric quilt) (Set as a Q2 Goal)
10.  Drunkard's Path Variation baby quilt
11.  Finding Nemo Scrappy Trip quilt
12.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #1
13.  Blue Frosty & Friends quilt #2

Blocks are made but need to be sewn together (and/or some sashing)
1.  Block Swap Adventure Sampler (2011-2012)
2.  Butterfly Blocks (that I won) (Set as a Q2 goal)
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) (worked on these blocks this week.)
6.  Tall Fly
7.  Block Lotto Dud (Orphan Block Quilt)

Quilts back needs to be made (tops are done)

Ready to longarm
 1.  Market Day Sew Along (Heartspun Quilts)

Quilted, needs binding
1.  Dutchman's Puzzle
1.  Born on the 4th

Completed this week:
1.  OSU Baby Quilt

My WIP count this week went from 39 to 38.  My WIP goal for New Years Day 2015 is 19.  I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

What a Summer!

What a great time our family has been having this summer.  We will never have this time back again.  Enjoy, love, and make memories.

School starts here on 8/19.  I am waaaaay behind on some of my BOM, QA's, and other projects.   So in this post I need to make a list of what needs done.  This is a little different than my WIP Wednesday because it shows my priority "to do" list vs. what I got done for the week.  It's also my handy guide to all the patterns and notes I need.  Here it goes:

1.  Complete my Born on the 4th flag quilt before the fair deadline of 8/20.
2.  Completed my mounted block before 8/20 for the same fair.
3.  Complete my Paris, France block for the Pat Sloan Globetrotting BOM.
4.  Pull bright green scraps for the RSC14.
5.  Pull black and white and bright scraps for the Block Lotto windows blocks for August.
6.  Pull fabrics and make Sweet Tooth row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
7.  Cut fabrics for the July Toasty Mugs row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
8.  Cut fabrics for the June Northern Hockey Skates row for the Quilt Doodle Designs BOM.
9.  Cut fabrics for June Star block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
10. Cut fabrics for July Cloud block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
11. Cut fabrics for August Mushroom block in the Cora's Quilts Super Mario Brothers QA.
12.  Finish longarming Pegasus 2014 charity auction quilt for my local quilt guild.
13.  Select fabrics for the ugly churn dash block for the quilt for my local quilt guild.
14.  Decided how I want to quilt the Market Day Sew Along from Heartspun Quilts blog.
15.  Finish Block 8 of the Spring Sampler at Cora's Quilts.
16.  Finish Block 9 of the Spring Sampler at Cora's Quilts.
17.  Complete the August Churn Dash block for the Classic Meets Modern at SewatHomeMummy.

Is that a LOT or what???  Holy, moly!!!  I've got my work cut out for me, BUT I've got a plan!!!

Row Alongs

I found a couple of Row Alongs someone might be interested in.  I don't know if I'm going to do them, but I grabbed a button just in case...



Both can be found at FunThreads Designs.

A new subject...

I don't usually post on my blog about my weight loss journey, but I think it's time.  Okay... and it's also a chance to show my tumbler quilt that is on my bed.  Anywho...  what a difference a year makes.  The light denim shorts on the bottom are the shorts I wore last summer on vacation.  The shorts on top are the shorts I wore this week.  Packing for vacation really made my weight loss a reality.  I only lost 35 pounds.  But I LOVE the results!

 

I got these results with the 21-day fix and Shakeology.  I also walked most days after dropping my son off at school.  I didn't do all of the 21-day fix workout dvd's.  I can't wait for school to start so that I can continue my journey.  I am so happy that I have maintained my 35 pound loss from May 25 to now during summer vacation.  It's a lot of fun being a more active mom with our 7-year-old!  I can't WAIT to see what shorts I get to pack on our summer vacation for 2015.

 

The 21-day Fix is a Beachbody product.  It focuses on eating the right sized portions in the right combinations (so many vegetables per day, so many carbs per day, so many proteins per day...)  It's the longest I've stuck with a program since my 20's.  I have stopped binging for the most part with this program.  I feel great!

 

Oh... and if you are interested in any Beachbody products, let me know.  I don't push the products.  I am only a "discount" coach.  This means that I am a "coach" that sells the product, but right now I am my only customer.  Maybe someday once I have more AMAZING results I will have a website and sell more.  For now, I am learning the product and working it!