Thursday, December 29, 2011

Contemplating...

Have you ever had one of those moments that you really need to think about what you are doing? Yes that was me this morning (already).


A good friend asked if I was going to be joining in the weekly FIUF group, that was not what I had to think about, as I had told someone else that Friday's are Off Limits!


What I had to think about is... "I need to make some clothing for Ms. E's American Doll (Birthday Present), finish sewing the jacket I was making before Ms. Piggy, do the sewing on the jacket for the class I took... And start a major birthday quilt..." Ok, so my "To Do" list seems to be expanding too fast and I really need to finish the items on the WIP list before I start another...



Add to all that excitement and I may be getting another machine... my aunt called to ask me if I would care for another one as the person who has it now can't find the parts in TX where they live. That will be a trip to the local dealership to have the machine serviced. I'll have to wait and see... 
I really am excited :)  As it is always nice to get a new (even used - as it is new to me) sewing machine... Does it show that I love to sew? And No, it is not a Singer... but I could not resist the picture...




Back to that growing To Do list... 
So this is Not my pile of fabric scraps... though it really could be... it does look like the pile of projects that I need to get back to...

I do have a few to finish... and a few birthday's up coming... Nothing major, well... I think turning 5 would be considered major for Ms E. With that I am off to find some fabric to make some clothing for an AG Doll... Now where did I put those patterns...

Ciao for now!
J :)

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

It's BOM time :)

Ah yes, BOM time, I was among those suffering with a teflon brain due totally to sinus issues. Not fun... I missed seeing that Pat Sloan had posted for her contribution to Jackie at CVQW's Month 4 Bloggers BOM.

If you click Pat Sloan's PDF, a new window will pop up with the pdf pattern. Either way, I need to get moving on Month 4! I had been all caught up and do not want to get behind again...

This is a cutie:


Of course I will be doing mine in brights... with yellow being the base color... hmm, to follow the color ideas or not? That is what I am pondering at present. I really am thinking that I am going to have to make 2 additional sets of all of the blocks. If I made a total of 3 sets of the BOM's and mix in 2" sashing, I would have enough to make a cute quilt top for a Christmas present... Just a thought... We are having a DIY Christmas once again...

In the meantime I have spent the better part of the day applying for different positions within the Boston area... Enough... I need to get back to looking.

Ciao for now!
J :)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Catch Up Time...

Ah... Christmas time is a very busy time around our house. I am one of five and my husband is one of six. With no little children, we are the ones that travel all over the place to visit everyone. Christmas day I started at home, went to my mom's to open presents there, then to my SIL's (a hour drive from my mom's), to give and receive presents there, then back up to my brother's house (about a hour and a half drive from my SIL's) for dinner and more gifting, then home again (about a half hour away).

Some pictures:
At my mom's...
 The Christmas elves...

Then it was off to my SIL's (she is holding one side of the quilt) to catch up with D (my niece for whom I made the graduation quilt). This is us holding up the front...
 This is D's 1st reaction to the back of her graduation quilt...
 Yes, she was trying to wave away the tears...

Then it was off to my brother's house for dinner...
 and desserts...
A wonderful hectic time was had by all :)

Now it is back to finishing up a jacket before the 4th of January, some clothing for an American Girl that my granddaughter will be getting for her 5th birthday, and starting a few other projects... that are surprises for people who do follow my blog... hence the secrets... :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/Hanukkah this year. For a season of miracles, may we all be blessed with our own miracles.

Ciao for now! :)
J :)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

A very Merry Christmas to All!

I hope everyone is enjoying their Sunday holiday. While we are off to join family and friends celebrating the holidays, I would like to extend to you a warm Holiday Cheer.

Off to visit family :)

Ciao for now!
J :)

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve

As hectic as it during the month of December, it all comes down to Christmas Eve. Tonight at my mother's house was the annual family gathering. There where only 33 or so people for a sit down dinner. The age range is from 5 to 90... A lot of kids, grandkids, cousins, and in-laws... Yes a hectic, noisy time, but I love it! As crazy as it can be, this is my Christmas eve... and fun!

Tomorrow we will be on the road for about three hours, give or take. We go to my mom's for a couple of hours in the morning, then to my sister-in-law's (about a hour drive), then back up to my brother's (a hour and a half from my SIL's), and then home (about 20 minutes) some time tomorrow evening.

What will you be doing? I hope you have the opportunity to spend the day with family and friends.

Merry Christmas to All!

Ciao for now.
J :)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Early morning...

I was up early today... Checking different emails... Facebook... Blogs... Enjoying the peacefulness with coffee, the cat, and my iPad in hand.

This mornings chuckle is curtesy of Pat Sloan, her Christmas Memory is very hard to top!

As I am off to spend the weekend surrounded with love and family... I hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday Season! Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!!!


Ciao for now!
J :)

Thursday, December 22, 2011

And they are done :)

It has already been a very hectic week and we have not even had family arrive as of yet.

Last night we went to spend the 2nd night of Hanukkah with our grandchildren at their house. Then it was off to dinner with the family.

Today, I finally finished the binding on the two quilts that I have been working to get done by 5 pm today. They are both for nieces, one for graduating the other for her and her new husband.

D's graduation quilt:
The back... which we think may end up being the top... She has not seen this as of yet...

The front... which she saw last year, after she finished her classes.

This is C & S's Double Wedding Ring Quilt. Again, they saw the top at their wedding on October 9th, 2010, but had not seen the borders...

Or the back...

This year for Christmas our family is having a "Home made Christmas" so everything needs to be made by hand. We picked C & S, so the back of their gift is the same flower fabric as the quilt. This is their gifts (as they will not be coming here):

Opps! I need labels! Off to make some labels and attach them... I almost forgot!

Before I leave you... have you checked out Quilt Dad's Hey, Girl post? Oh My God you have to go and check it out! It is too funny!

Ciao for now :)
J :)

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Christmas card rush...

Opps... I almost forgot to do my Christmas (Holiday) cards... Not a good thing as I have received a few already... I just spent the past three hours writing them all out...

Still working on Christmas sewing... I have hemming left to do... not my favorite type of sewing to do, but the presents are for two of my nieces and need to be done before Thursday. I need to show them off, take pictures, and post said pictures (after I give them) here.

Are you still sewing? Have you put away your sewing for the year? Or do you have the joy of being able to close a door to your studio?

Hope you all are enjoying the Season :)

Ciao for now :)
J =)

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Back to the sewing machine...

Home again from class :) Ah yes it is done! Just have to prep for an exam within the next few weeks. In the meantime I have some projects screaming my name real loud!

Talking about projects, I was on FB and there is a group Quilt N Bee that posted the following challenge:
Join the Finishers . Just leave me a comment and I will add you to the group.

Ok Quilt N Bee is going to sponsor a UFO party for 2012. Here are the basics.

Find all of your UFOs
Post how many that you have along with photos of all of them we will set up a facebook group for THE FINISHERS 2012
At the beginning of the month let me know how many you plan to work on and finish.
At the end of the month post how many you have finished-along with a photo
Each month (the 5th of the month) the one with the most completed will be awarded a prize-if there is a tie we will draw for the winner.
Are you on Facebook? Have you "Like" Quilt N Bee? Their FB link is here. If your not on FB, don't worry... You can go to Quilt N Bee's Blog... As well I'll post my UFO's and WIP's and the progression on finishing them up.

Sew it is back to the sewing machine to finish up projects and enjoy the rest of Sunday evening as my hubby watches the football game on TV.

Ciao for now!
J :)

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Bright and Early

I used to love the "Weekend Wonder" classes when I was in collage... Not so much now... But, for the same reasons I took so many back then, I am glad that it is two weekends and done.

I am off to class already to start this weekend, hence why there will be no sewing done today or tomorrow.

So this is my weekend...

Hope you have a peaceful weekend!

Ciao for now :)
J :)

Friday, December 16, 2011

Sewing like a mad woman!

I know I was supposed to have these done by now... That's why I am sewing like a mad woman today, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... whatever is not done by then... too bad...

This is a sampling of what needs to be done...

A small center table mat, 4 table mats, table runner, one DWR quilt binding (all ready on the quilt, just need to finish it off) one Log Cabin (make binding, attach, and finish off)...

So, excuse me while I run over to my sewing machine, with study books in hand (class on Saturday and Sunday once again) to try to get some projects done...

Opps, what do I have for my niece for her birthday!?! It falls on the 28th of December... Ah! I need to think about this one later...

Back to the machine and the books...

Ciao for now :)

J :)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

HA! How very true !!!

Have you caught the Pinterest 'bug' yet? Guilty as charged... What can I say... So many things that I see online that I love...

My ToDo list has a slew of stuff to be completed... I'll be back later today (with pictures... I hope) to show some progress.

Ciao for now =)
J =)

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Hectic Unemployment Life...

Let me say that life is not stagnant for me... As I remember that I have not posted in a few days...

I am still chuckling over a comment that I overheard last night. We went out to dinner with my folks and at the table next to us, seven women where enjoying a Christmas Office Dinner along with gifts for one another. During the course of their conversation, one of the women sayed "my sister is a stay@home mother, who is a re-incarnation of Martha Stewart, she has themed Christmas trees in every public place in her house... She went on to explain how one in particular was only homemade gingerbread cookies, with the matching hole for the ribbon, icing for the clothing... She obviously has too much time on her hands." everyone at the table was chuckling, as was I (as I was seated not more than 5 feet away from her and heard her very clearly).

It got me thinking how most people think that I have "too much time on my hands" where as the truth is that mine are full of errands, job searching, applying to different jobs (and the different requirements that each and every job is looking for), preparing for phone interviews, preparing for in-person interviews, reality is that all of these items really fill most of my days... Add to that, that somewhere in there I need to keep my skills current, study for the classes that I have signed up for and am taking... Personally I also need time to sew/quilt/create...

Oh... Did I mention errands? For others? Because I have so much time on my hands? Which brings me back to the seven women chuckling over the stay at home sister... We all think that if you stay at home you are trying to find things to fill your day... There are so many things to fill your day that I find it is the opposite issue.

As I think about all this I remind myself that I really need to check today's To Do List... Yes, I do have a daily To Do List... It started after I had overbooked myself and missed a very important interview... and I don't want to repeat that ever again.

Enough of my rambling for today, I need to get to the sewing machine for an hour, get ready for an interview, and try to fit some gym time and cleaning time into the schedule today!

Thanks for stopping by, I do hope you enjoyed your coffee break and that you had the opportunity to have a chuckle or two :)

Caio for now!
J =)

Sunday, December 11, 2011

AWOL...

My apologies fo going AWOL on you all! I've been busy sewing quilts, place mats, and in class both Saturday and Sunday for 10 hours a day! I am a little wiped out.

Before I for get... My SIL delivered Ms Piggy to D! She loved it :). Did not get a chance to meet up with them all as I have been trying to finish off some Christmas presents that had been put on hold for Ms Piggy. They all went to a local farm to create some Gingerbread Houses, I caught some pictures and it looked like they had a wonderful time.

Now the weekend class is half way done, I have some studying to do and sewing to complete. I do need to pick up a quilt from CQS that Georgette dropped off over the weekend. That will require some trimming and binding. It is not a Christmas present, but rather a graduation present for a dear niece. She saw the top... last year... so I really need to finish it.

Catch you soon, thanks for the wonderful thoughts :)

Ciao for now :)
J=]

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Give-aways

While going thru emails, Facebook, and blogs, I have come across some give-aways that I thought I would share :)

Let me start with ...

     Pat Sloan has a give-away of a glue stick and charm packs  I love following Pat! She has a wonderful sense of humor and some cool tools as well. Go check out her blog here and you'll see what I'm talking about.

     Joanne Figueroa is on Day #9 of the 12 Days of Christmas: Fig Tree Style! of her give-aways... Check out today's choices of red or green fat quater bundles.

    








Monday, December 5, 2011

Ms Piggy has left the house

Bright and early this morning I was off to my brother & sister-in-laws house to drop off Ms Piggy quilt and pillow. I did attach a note to them and am sharing as there where so many who helped along the way! Thank you to all who donated fabric, expertise, support (emotional & physical), and ideas!
The story behind the quilt…

I was thinking about you and how I would love to know that you are wrapped up in warm hugs. So one Sunday, over lunch, at my mom’s, I asked P if you collected or had a favorite item/animal/flower (M was not there) and he said yes, but could not remember.

Monday morning I touched base with P & M and found out that you enjoy pigs.

With that, the idea for Ms Piggy was off and running… I wanted to do a ‘paper-pieced’ pig… but I did not have anything in my ‘stash’ (my collection of fabrics)… I went looking for ‘cute’ pigs… found some, but none that would work for paper-piecing… then I found one that I thought (silly me) would work… Three days later I gave up on that one! I found another one and thought, I’ll make it look like paper piecing… Ms Piggy was found :)

Off to my stash to look for fabric… I had some Valentine squares that I thought will be perfect! Ms Piggy is pink and the quilt will be pink and white… I also put out a call to my friends, looking for pig fabric… I did not know how hard it was to find fabric that had only pigs or even any pigs! But there are some donated pieces of fabric from friends within this quilt, pig, and pillow, as I did not have a lot of pink fabric.

Off to the fabric store because I was still thinking of a quilt being the giver of warm hugs… I needed to get fabric for the backing and from there my mind went to flannel or fleece… warm hugs :)

Well Ms Piggy had a mind of her own and did not want to go onto the quilt, she wanted her own space so she became a pillow… The quilt (still called Ms Piggy) also had a mind of it’s own as well. So there are many different things that when I did them, I looked at it and said “Ok, Ms Piggy, that’s the way it will be…” Ms Piggy is a one of a kind!

So that is how we reached this point in time… your reading about Ms Piggy the pillow and quilt. I hope that you are wrapped up in Ms Piggy and getting a whole bunch of warm hugs!

From us to you, sending you warm hugs by way of Ms Piggy :)
See you soon! So we can give you warm hugs as well!


 I truly hope that D falls in love with these and that she is wrapped up in a lot of warm hugs.

Thank you to my friends and family who shared in the creating, making, and delivery of these. It has been fun! Now on to making Christmas presents!!!

Coffee and sewing, what a wonderful combination!

Ciao for now! :)
J :)

Sunday, December 4, 2011

And we are done!!!

I finally have finished Ms Piggy :) Yay!!! Life has gotten in the way since the beginning...  Ah well. :)

Ms Piggy the Pillow and Quilt


Ms Piggy the pillow...

Ms Piggy the quilt!

So now I will be dropping it off to my SIL tomorrow morning. I hope that the wonderful women who is going to be receiving these feels the love and blood (split a little on this one), the hugs that are all wrapped up into this quilt and pillow. More than anything, I hope and pray she will be able to enjoy these for a very long time to come! She is a special person.

Back to the sewing machine, too many projects to be finished within the next 19 days!!! Christmas is coming!!! I am not done yet! Oh, I'll post BOM's, jacket sleaves, and Thanksgiving pic within the next few days. Boy am I behind!

Ciao for now! :)
J :)

Saturday, December 3, 2011

The Weekend!

One would think that while not working the weekend would not make a difference... But it does! I get to spend time with my husband!

Of course today, I am at another quilt shop for a class... Hence why no pictures of Ms Piggy...

While waiting for the teacher to arrive I have been checking out other blogs and I found the cutest one about pincushions that I must admit I really want to make a few... Then I came across these table runners that are calling my name... Do have this listed on my To Do List....

As this is a DIY Christmas at our house, I need to get into the sewing mojo to finish up my gifts... Maybe I'll make some pincushions.... or a table runner or place mat....


Catch you later!
Ciao for now :)
J :)

Friday, December 2, 2011

Oops! Missed a few days...

I have been working on the Ms. Piggy pillow and quilt. I swear it has a mind of it's own!!! It is almost done, but like the title says, Life has gotten in the way once again.

Monday I was able to post and do some sewing, while waiting to hear from my daughter. She had an infected tooth. With no insurance, we went to the dental clinic at one of the medical schools in the area. Since they close at 4 pm, Monday was out. So Tuesday at noontime I was picking her up at school and off to the dental school. That was five hours at the school waiting for her. After which it was driving her home and then myself. By the time I got home, no sewing...

Wednesday and Thursday I did get to sew, but I felt like I was all thumbs! The seam ripper and I where close and personal for both days... I felt like I was tearing apart everything. I over cut when I went to square off... so I added borders to enlarge the quilt.

It's off to Finish Up Friday and I hope to get a few pictures to post.

Ciao for now!
J :)