College, Crumbs, Life...

I am what the college considers an adult student. I think it should say something like, the one who balances too much.The person that wonders why they are doing this. The crazy dedicated one.  There is so many fun things I could be doing, yet I still go and do this first.


We look happy don't we!

The professor thought it would be fun to take pictures as we were taking a test.  Nothing like a little anxiety!!!
Sometimes you just have to destress, so first free hour I have I run off to sew. Crumbs fit this niche perfectly.

This is what keeps me sane enough to want to continue with the less fun activities. A party for me at this point would be a bucket of fabric crumbs.

Wish'n upon a star

Wish I may,

Wish I might,

Have the wish,

I wish tonight,

Be for warned these stars are addicting.

That I may have more time to sew tonight!

These star's are not quite the full block size, there is still more to be done.

I'm just loving the crumb along. :) 

Crumb

Crumbs- the little bit that is left behind. The good kind, quilty!  Not the leftover chili that got pushed to the back of the refrigerator. I don't think you want to see the back of my fridge.

Admit it, you have some of these hidden in dark boxes.

Waiting for the day you pull them out.

It's time to let perfectionism go and join the crumb quilt along with Jo. It's fun to have fun, and let go of perfect.

Disclaimer: This is not Jo's original quilt idea. That would be the wonderful Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville. I know there are ton's of fans out there too.  Jo was wonderful to get permission to explain how she followed Bonnie's lead and start the quilt along.

In my opinion both ladies are wonderful, if you join the quilt along I'm sure you'll have the opportunity to see this too.

P.S. I'm still slowly working on my Farmer's Wife Quilt along. Right now with college classes starting again, I need something a little less regimented. This is the ticket for me.

Rain, rain, go away

Rain, Rain, Go Away! Come again another Day!

Here in central Pennsylvania, everyone has been bombarded with rain. There is flooding in places that I remember from my childhood, there is flooding on roads we travel everyday, there is just too much rain with no where to go. We have stayed inside and keep a silent wish that our home didn't see flooding. This is the only time that living near the water is not beautiful :(

 It came close, but we have been fortunate. I can't say the same for so many others. If I could, I would send well wishes, a bit of something to eat, and a ray of sunshine. I sure hope all of these things come to you soon.

Summer Bubble

Summer is kind of like a bubble. It's beautiful, it shines, and your fully engrossed in it. But all too soon the bubble pops.

That is sort of how I feel about August, it just came and went all too quickly. My summer bubble has been popped.

Sampler spree

Yesterday marked two weeks until the county fair. One thing that I have participated in the past couple of years is the fair quilt block. It's really quite simple (unless your me), all you need to do is make your favorite block that is 12 1/2" and 100% cotton.

There is endless possibilities, which is exactly where I get caught up. What color do I want? What design to go with? Here are some of the trial runs. Maybe I have sample on the brain.

This was my first attempt. I showed it to my husband, wrong move. He said it's alright. There was soooo much encouragement in that statement, and honestly it reflected how I was feeling. So I started something else.

This looks so much better in picture than in reality. The color choices didn't work out in fabric, like they did in my mind. So once again I started again.

This time I really made one I like.  These are my kind of colors. There is just one problem. If I square it up. It's too small. Now I have to decide to make it again or I could make something else? What do you think?

Time is running short. I suppose I just need to pick something and go with it. After all the important part is just having a block in the quilt. 

Binding

I'm not quite sure why I always think of summer as relaxing. Because the reality is that it is not. I'm just as busy during the summer, except there is a daily routine.

But last evening it rained, so I didn't have to water the garden. Love that nature did it for me! That gave me the opportunity to change my attention to something more relaxing, binding. As everyone went to bed, I sat and listened to it rain. I don't believe there is anything more refreshing than the sound of rain, especially when it has been so dry.

Granted I didn't get it all done in one evening, but at least it's started. Sometimes with me, that is half of the battle.

FWQAL- Week 8

Lately I have seen bow tie's all over the blogsphere. They seem to be the new hot thing for summer. So I made one too, for my FWQAL of course!  I can see how this block can become addicting. Simple yet stunning, there is alot to like about that combination. But I'm going to just stick to this one. At least for now.

Block 10- Bowtie

Block 70- Prairie Queen

Sometimes's it's hard to resist the urges of the internet. There is so many good projects out there.

Block 98- Waterwheel

Do you feel the tempation to start something new? Even if you do have plenty to finish first.

Is it because of something you seen, or just because you feel the need?

Block 93- Swallow

Personally I have somethings on my creative wish list that is stronger than the desire for chocolate. That means something right there, because sweets are one of my weaknesses. With this in mind, I would love to know what creative thing is temping you? 

Beans, Beans, Cantalope

The garden is in full swing, I've been able to pick green beans twice this week. This is my first year trying bush green beans. I'm very happy with them. I don't think that I'll go back to the climbing variety. These were just too easy and productive. What's not to love?

After picking  I quickly retreat back indoors. The heat is just too much. So there is no open windows, or laundry hanging out. Because it says 97 degrees but it feels like a 123.  Yes! this is a whine.

 .

Normally I like summer, I like to be warm,

I like the sunshine,

I like to see the butterflies upon the flowers,

these are a few of the things that say summer to me.

I caught this while going from the car to the house. Apparently it doesn't mind the heat.

But this week it is the sound of the air conditioner running, so back indoors are we are.

In an effort to find things to keep him busy, I let him make melon balls. There was a ton of funny faces involved, as he put way too much effort into this. It was seriously hard not to take over and just get it done. I successfully resisted that urge and by the end of it he was getting the hang of it.

Thinking that everyone may need a refreshing snack we shared our snack/rine with the pullets. I'm not sure if I have shared these 3 with you, we got them late May. Until they are get a bit bigger they are residing in the dog kennel.

Because these 3 believe in ruling the roost.

something new

After many false starts, I have started on something new.

The only down fall, this one could take a while.

Summer Bug & FWQAL week 7

I was going about summer in my usual fashion, each day there was plenty to do.
The garden has and still is abundant in cucumbers. More than we can eat each week. So I made some bread and butter pickles.

Each of the boys have had doctor's appointment's, so we have spent plenty of time in waiting rooms. They are two healthy boys, or they should be after these appointments.

I managed to make 2 blocks for the Farmer's Wife Quilt Along. This seems to be the only quilting I manage to get done these days, and even this seems a challenge.

Block 84- Spool

How is it when there is more time to be had, I still can't seem as productive as when I have less time?

Block 91- Strawberry Basket

Anyway when I was busy doing all of these things, I got a bug bite. It got red circle and  I ignored it. Then it caught up with me in a big way. I started to run a temperature of 101.5. Once I got to this point I was getting nothing accomplished. It took everything I had to make through the doctor's appointment. There is a possibility it could be Lyme's disease, or just a really bad sinus infection, or both. As of right now I'm on a great antibiotic that should knock it Out!

I sure hope this summer time bug never bites you!

Welcome

If you are stopping by from Sew we Quilt, Welcome!

Please feel free to look around my blog, it's new and little, but it's a place that I can branch out my creative self. Unfortunatly the holiday weekend took a toll on me, so there isn't any sewing or quilting here today, but soon!

4th & More

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

May you enjoy the holiday weekend, with safe travels, time with family and friends, an opportunity to be off work for an extra day (real independence) that you can use any way you wish!

But please return on tuesday,

because I will be featured...

FWQAL Week 5

When I first started this I was being really confident with adding colors together. As I go along, I'm becoming more predicable. Like this one here. In my mind I thought the colors would pop. Reality is it all blends together. I thought about pulling it apart and starting over. I just didn't have the desire, maybe later.

Block 32- Farmer's Daughter

Now this block could be one of my favorites. I think that I'm just drawn to the orange. How could someone not be happy around a color like that?

Block 28- Cut glass dish

Because I missed last week I decided to make 4 blocks this week.

Block 20- Churn Dash

Do you see what I see? It's a mistake. Two of the birds are flying the wrong direction. Must have forgotten something. Maybe I'll tear it apart one day or keep it just for honesty and giggles.

Block 7- Birds in the Air

Sometimes it hard to see how something will come together, especially  since I am trying to break out of my traditional color pattern. I tested all of the blocks out together on the design door. It gave me a lot more confidence to see it this way. What do you think?

A fan

I admit it, I am a Bonnie Hunter fan. I love that she uses every bit, and thinks of quilting green. Back in April, I had the opportunity to see one of her quilt trunk shows. If I wasn't in awe before, I especially was then.

Sorry about the picture quality. I have never gone to see a guest speaker before. Let alone one that I really like. I didn't know if people took camera's or not, and how the person would feel about it. So I ended up taking pictures with my phone. While trying not to look like a following crazy fan.

She was absolutely wonderful to meet. I so wish that I could have attended the workshop the next day. But I was two weeks away from finals. So I could only do the evening quilt show. It was enough to have me addicted. Although I don't think that I would jump to do the one she has shown.  

Anyway while I was there I ended up buying her new book. Because after seeing the Rectangle Wrangle in person, I knew I had to make one. Our 16 year old had asked me to make him a quilt and this would fit the bill. After many hours, I'm still a devote fan. But I'm not sure I want to do this quilt again. I made it without the border because he only has a full size bed, I knew he didn't want stars, and to  just throw borders on it seemed out of place.

With the top done, I'm now ready to get started on quilting it. Thanks for the inspiration Bonnie, your awesome! from a shameless fan, aka me.

Garden update

I missed blogging last week, seems there just wasn't enough hours in the day. I wish that I could say that everything was eating icecream and enjoying the summer. But it was alot more like running around to doctor's appointments, and trying to keep up with all the normal activities.

Somewhere in all of that madness I was able to spend some time out in the garden. While I was there I found the start of this cantalope, and a few cucumbers. No matter how old I get it still amazing to watch vegetables grow, vs. just picking them up off the grocery store shelfs.

Since then we have been eating the cucumbers with lunch & dinner. It's just a simple sugar, vinegar, water, and cucumber mixture.

Not only does it look great, but thanks to a friend I finally have a use for these gallon size canning gars I bought years ago.

Week 3- FWQAL

This week seems to have flown by. Suppose that happens when you’re having fun, or installing ceiling fans. But really I can't believe its Friday all ready when did that sneak up. This week late last night, I did manage to get done two of my blocks for the farmer's wife quilt along. This week with things being busy, I am thankful for the quilt along to keep me on track. Sometimes it's good to be accountable to someone or something. The group over at Flicker is now 327 strong, Wow!


A big Thanks goes to Happy Zombie, for a blog button.

As for this time I used some fabric in my stash that seemed to go along with the color scheme. I'm not really sure if it is part of a collection or not. Just that for my purposes, it works. Today that's all that matters.

Block 72- Railroad

I also tried a more complicated block, something that I needed to print a new template for. Let me just say that these little half squares are only an inch and a half. I think this was my first experiment with teeny.

Block 38- Four Winds

As for the weekend, I have so much more I want to accomplish. There is quilting, lawn mowing, sewing, fishing with boys, quilting, laundry, sewing...maybe a drive in movie with friends? And we can't really forget that it's Father's Day this weekend. What are your weekend plans?

No Summer Worries

Before summer even started I was worried. Why? Because I have a special needs teenager. As if typical teenagers aren't difficult enough. Having one with special needs is interesting, And I was worried that there wouldn't be enough to keep him happy and occupied. But we have been having a wonderful time, and so far I haven't rushed to go replace the broken wii.

Today we went to the park and flew a kite. While hanging out with friends.

When we went to a friends house, we found out she has a tricycle. So he had his first opportunity to ride a bike on his own. Now we are adding this to the wish list of things to buy for him. Let me just say a bike like this is expensive to buy. As a parent I wonder if he would still enjoy this as much if it was at our house. Because the toy you always have access to, is sometimes the one you ignore.

Of course we have also spent time at the pool. But most importantly, one thing that we have done together is sew :)  

Sew as far as summer goes, there was no need to worry. At least not yet!