Purple YBR Baby Quilt

Well I guess I have been incognito for a while. Friday night I went to a Sewing Slumber Party. I got my b/w quilt pin basted and spray basted this YBR quilt. It was just some left over purple fat quarters I had that didn't match anything so I thought I could practice FMQ . The blue really does have purple in it, but reads blue in the quilt. I free motion quilted it and had a lot of trouble with tension, thread shedding, and uneven stippling. I did start stippling about 11, so that might have had something to do with it. I am in the process of taking it all out, because it is too loose. I'll just practice more!

I love the swirly fabric on the borders and it is on the back too. Sat. I worked 9-3 and then went home with my mom. We went to the hall and the church and measured and decided what flowers, decorations, and such we would need. I also embroidered a little thing to put on the back of the tablerunners. We came back to Rapid Sun. night as she had to work this week while the boss was in Houston. We stopped at my brother and sister in laws and picked up some books on wedding planning. My brother gave me all kinds of advice and things to know and showed me the new stuff they got for their wedding. He was like a little kid at Christmas. Monday I woke up feeling crappy, so I stayed home and slept all day. I wanted to sew, but used what little energy I did have to work on my term paper. I got it done and ready to proof yesterday.

Tues. night we went to Scheel's and Paul bought the rifle he really wanted so he could use it for hunting next weekend. Last night I went with my mom to look for wedding stuff. We mostly just looked, but it was still fun. I am so looking forward to going to Sioux Falls tomorrow to look for my dress. It's going to be a great fun weekend.

Anniversary Supper

Tuesday Paul and I celebrated 3 years of dating. We go out to eat quite often, but we never go anywhere fancy. We went to a place about 20 miles from home called The Fireside Inn. You eat by the fireplace and they have the best prime rib! It's outrageously expensive for our area, so we don't go there except maybe once or twice a year. They start with ham and bean or spicy clam bisque soup, then spinach salad with mushrooms and a special dressing or a house salad, dinner rolls, and then the meal prime rib with choice of potato. We never look at the menu, that's what we always have. Well my friend just happened to be our waitress and wouldn't you know they are out of prime rib! I thought Paul was going to die! He ended up having the New York strip and I had Filet Mignon, but still it just wasn't the same. We were both disappointed, but they did give us each a free dessert. Paul took me there on our 2nd date and it was the first time I was there. It is just an awesome restaurant. It's one of those only on special occasions, type of places.
Last night I had really good intentions of working on my term paper that is due next week. Well wouldn't you know we ended up going to wal-mart and supper, so it was 8 when we got home. I was too tired to concentrate on writing a paper! I'm hoping tonight that once I pack my stuff I can get a good start on it.
Tomorrow night is the Sewing Slumber Party at the Sewing Center. I'm planning to work on my b/w quilt and get it basted and hopefully baste the purple quilt too and then probably quilt one or both of them, depending on how long it takes me. We will have supper and snacks there and quilt from 6-midnight! Should be lots of fun, but I'm not looking forward to working at the store the next morning. After work I'm going to my parents for the weekend. Should be lots of fun, but a lot going on too.

Living room to Kitchen

This summer we spent fixing up the house. Paul put in granite/absolute black granite/and pink marble tile in the kitchen, laminate hardwood in the room downstairs (my sewing room), and hardwood in the living room, and tile in the entry way to the house. I'm including some pictures so you can see his work. We also got a new table and chair set for the kitchen, new couch, and new chair which you can see in the picture. This is where the hardwood meets the kitchen tile.

Hardwood Floor

This is the beautiful hardwood in the living room.

Kitchen Tile

This is the kitchen tile and it meets up with the other side of the dining room where there is the same tile square.

Entryway tile

This is the entry tile he got done a couple weekends ago. We are replacing the door and screen pretty soon too. We got them this weekend, but it has to be stained first. It will be in before winter though. Paul did a great job of framing it out and then putting in the tile with the pattern.

Stairs

These are the new oak steps that Paul put in to the basement this weekend. He did an awesome job and redoing them. He still has to stain them, but that will be when we aren't going to walk on them. Paul will do the ones upstairs too, but that will be another weekend.

Western Purse

Here' the other side of the purse with a nice fussy cut horse pocket. I'm definately digging this new purse. I think I'm done for a while until I get another wim, or maybe when I get the Miranda bag pattern.

New Western Purse

Last weekend I decided I needed a new purse, so I put some more alterations into the pattern I had already made a couple times and came up with this one. I'm in love with it as it is so way cute and totally me. I used three fat quarters and a 1/4 yard of black fabric to make it. I know Kristie will be coming to find me now!

Fat 8th Quilt

I finally got my pictures downloaded to webshots of the projects I worked on last week. This is the Fat 8th wall hanging I made. It is using the four blocks I got back for an exchange I did on Carol Doak's site. We had to send a half yard, cut up into 4 pieces to the host, then we were put in a group of five and I had to make one of Carol's blocks for each of them. Tiffany, Sherry, Monica, and Mary made my blocks. The fabric I sent was the same as the border and backing. I really love this fabric.

Sew Crazy

This is my crazy week. Monday I sewed like crazy to get the wall hanging I was working on completed It is from the blocks I got in the Fat 8th swap. I got it quilted and bound! Then I packed my stuff for Loopy Ladies. Last night I went to Loopy Ladies serger club. We learned how to do blind hems. I even hemmed my pants to wear today! I got home relatively early, but my computer through a hissy fit, so I just went to bed. Tonight is the big Kick Off party for the 25th Anniversary of the Sewing Center. My mom works there and I work occasionally when they need help. Tonight they are demonstrating all the different feet for sewing machines. I made some of the samples, so I'm excited to see how they are used. Tomorrow night is the big intro of My Label Software by Bernina. The Bernina and Janome reps will both be there tonight, so I'm hoping to learn from them. I can't wait to find out more about the My Label software as I enjoy making garments and it would be great if they would fit me better. We'll see how it goes. I'm off to the land of sewing supplies.

Four ... Getting to Know Each Other

Here are the Fours.....
Job's I've Had:
1. Speech Communication/English/Spanish Teacher
2. Prior Learning Evaluator
3. Lead Sales Associate at Mt. Rushmore
4. Speech publication assistant for state 4-H office

Movies I (do) Could Watch Over & Over
1. Save the Last Dance
2. Ladder 49
3. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
4. Meet the Fockers

TV Shows I Watch:
1. Private Practice
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Men in Trees
4. Bachelor

Places I've Lived:
1. Milesville, SD
2. Brookings, SD
3. Buffalo, SD
4. Keystone, SD

Favorite Foods:
1. Medium Rare Steak
2. Kettle cooked potato chips
3. Sour cream raisin pie
4. Manicotti

Favorite Colors:
1. Purple
2. Pink
3. Blue
4. Lavendar

Places I'd Love to Be Now:
1. With college friends
2. Sewing room
3. Asleep in my bed
4. Rodeo

Names I like but would not use for my children:
1. Mychael
2. Miaken
3. Dawson
4. Maren

I'm tagging:
Jen
Cindy
Michelle
Maureen
Jill

Office 6

Then there's my computer and all the office supply junk I need to do my job. I have several table toppers I keep changing that go under my phone. This is a fall one. Well there you have it... a tour of my work space. Mind you these quilts are always changing. I have winter ones, spring ones, and change them frequently.

Office 5

This is my my other shelf of stuff. Everything I need for work is online, so I really have nothing to put on these shelves, so I like to decorate. Pictures of Paul and I, calendars, postcards from online friends, my diploma from SDSU (Go Jacks!) , and the birthday calendar for Philip.

Office 4

These are some pictures of friends and family, plus a few of my willow tree statues. I have a large collection at home, but these are from my friends at work, and the couple Paul got me for my birthday last year. Notice the little square in the right hand corner. It is a little wood puzzle Paul's mom gave me that says I love sewing! All the crocheted doilies are from my grandma.

Office 3

This is the quilt I made a couple weeks ago and an irish chain table runner. I also love old barns, so my mom got me the calendar for Christmas.

Office 2

This is my space, I have a woven star table runner on the filing cabinet next to my desk and then the mission statement quilt. Yes the walls are purple and yellow in the pictures. We also have green and light yellow. Our room used to be the graphic designers conference room.

Office 1

Since Jen gave us a few pictures of her office, I thought I would share how I decorate my little cubicle. I share an office with three other people, but there are four offices spaces in our little room. This is a wall hanging that I made last year in a class my mom taught. It is a lot of applique.

October BOM

This is the October Block for the BOM.

September BOM

This is September's Block of the Month for Carol Doak's group. It is 6" square and really easy to make. I think I am going to enjoy using scraps from my B/W quilt.

Lots done!

I seriously feel like I got a lot done on my quilting this week. The other night I wanted to start something, but nothing big, so I went to my UFO pile, which is small in comparison to most, but none the less, still a pile. I took out the Fat 8th swap blocks I received from the Carol Doak group. I think I got them back around the 4th of July and just put them to the side since I was working on other things. Well, I had four blocks that were very different, but one fabric in common. I put a sashing between them, a border around them, had Paul help me take all the paper out, and got it basted all Tues night! It is ready to quilt and I don't have the perfect thread, so I'm waiting till I go to the Sewing Center tomorrow night for Sit and Sew to get just the right one. Last night we ran errands and then I was bushed.
Tonight I offered to make the Sausage Lasagna out of the new Taste of Home magazine. Paul thought that sounded bad, so I told him he had to cook then! He made regular lasagna, which was really good and hit the spot. While he was cooking I took the patterns for the Carol Doak Block of the Month and started working on them. I had zilch intentions of starting it, but she came out with the same pattern in a 6" version, so I decided sometimes I just need a small, can be done in a night project. I am making the out of the black/white scraps I have, so I won't have to buy more fabric. I got the BOM's done for Sept. and Oct. tonight!
Tomorrow night is Sit and Sew. I am going to put the mitered corner on my b/w quilt, pick out thread for the wall hanging, and get advice as to which purple fabrics I should use for my yellow brick road quilts and start cutting if I have time. I know I have way more than I need, but I need advice on all three, so better safe than sorry.

Black White Quilt

Tonight I had the energy to put the second to last border on my black/white quilt. It is the same as the center pieces. The last border is a b/w with squiggles. It has to have mitered corners to look right and so mom is going to help me put those on Friday night at sit and sew. The b/w is accented with a bright pink and I absolutely love it! Even Paul likes it. I am making it queen sized because we want to get a queen bed when we get married and I want it to fit so we'll use it and not just let it hang on the rack. I've been working on this since March when Kay Capps Cross did a workshop on B/W quilts and how color adds texture. This pattern is called Autumnal Texture. The bottom picture shows the brightness of the pink better!

Busy Weekend

It sure was a busy weekend and I didn't really get anything accomplished on my quilting projects. Sat. I had to work from 9-2:30 and then mom and I went to the two fabric stores in town. I picked up samples of the fabrics I want to use to make the bridesmaids dresses. I also picked up fabric for the table runners we are making for the tables at the reception. We got a good start on that project. When I got home we went to supper and the crazy store. We were gone till almost 9:30! Sunday I slept in, the Paul cooked breakfast for me and I went to church. When I got home I cleaned the bathroom, bedroom, and finished up the laundry. I also washed all my purple fabrics I got yesterday. I made two types of bread, an herb one and a sesame and parmesan one. While they were rising, I laid down to watch the race and ended up sleeping for two hours. I guess I needed it. Then I cooked the breads and made a chicken dish and potatos. It was a pretty fancy supper, but I wanted to try some new recipes. Then I did my homework for my class. I got the two quizzes done and I was too tired to sew, so I watched Desperate Housewives instead! Guess it's time for lunch. Glad to hear everyone else got some sewing/quilting in this weekend.

Many Thanks Maureen!

I just want to say a huge thanks to Maureen for the Easy Skillet Chili Mac recipe. I try new recipes all the time. Some Paul likes (he goes back for seconds), some he can't stand (but eats and then has a snack later), and some he really loves (and goes back for 3rds). Maureen's recipe that she shared on Sunday was so easy and I didn't have to go to the store to get anything. I had everything on hand that was needed. That's my kind of recipe. Plus, it was so easy I was able to quickly make it after work and we were done with supper and could enjoy the evening. Thanks again for the wonderful recipe Maureen.
I was so tired last night that after supper I took a hot relaxing bath and then laid down and watched TV all night! I couldn't even bring myself to work on my black and white quilt. I did make a plan though. I need help on the mitered corners of the last borders, so I want to get the 3rd border put on in the next week and then I can go to sit and sew on Fri. night and put the last border on. At the end of the month we are having a Sewing Slumber party, so I should have it all ready to quilt and bind by then. Guess we'll have to see if I can get it all done. I know I'm keeping some of you in suspence of actually seeing the quilt top, but I don't have room to take a picture of it yet. Maybe this weekend. Tonight I'm going with my mom to Spearfish to a Taste of Home show. It's about a 45 min. drive, so it'll be late when we get home. It should be fun and hopefully I'll learn to make some simple dishes.

Black & White Quilt

Tonight I got busy and put the second border on my black/white quilt. It was the pink border that will accent the whole thing. Then I took it up and tried it on the bed. It's at a double size now and I want to make it a queen. I have two more borders to add, so that shouldn't be too bad, but I'm tired tonight, so thought I better quit or I would cut the borders wrong. I've been working on this quilt since March, so I am ready for it to be done. My goal is to have it done by the end of Oct. so I can focus on the wedding stuff. Guess it's time for me to go relax.

The Rings

Everyone I haven't been able to see since we got engaged has been asking what my ring looks like. I tried to take pictures of it on my hand, but it kind of shines the wrong way and the picture doesn't turn out, so I decided to look them up online. The one one the left is my ring, the bottom part being my wedding band that will go on later. We also ordered Paul's ring and picked it up Sat. His is the one on the right. They were both hand made by people his mom works with, so they are the best quality and were personally made for us.