No new finishes here this week.  I didn't get as far on the memory quilt as I would have liked to yesterday, but I figure playing with the kids is more important.  I have the weekend to sew while the hubby entertains the kids.   So far I have all the blocks made, I'm in the process of sewing them together.  Here is a rough lay out of all the blocks,  i have moved some around as I am sewing since I sewed the the wrong ones together and didn't feel like ripping them out.





Last night I had a date with my son who is 5.  We went to Applebee's (his choice, I wanted Chinese) and then we went to Build a bear and he made himself a dog.  I did manage to slip into C.J. Banks (my favorite store) and got an awesome deal on a cute skirt for me, now I just need to cut off about 6 inches so it isn't at my ankles and hem it.  I would truly hate to see the skirt on anyone shorter than I am.  I'm 5'9" so anyone shorter it would have been dragging the ground.  But for $10.50 I couldn't pass it up.

my son and his dog.

Happy Humpday!

waiting for 'framing'

All the yellow framed ones are done.

peak-a-boo  my favorite block so far.

 And yesterday, I met up with a friend to get some boarder fabric for the memory quilt, I don't know how I forgot that when I was at the store the other day... And we also went to one of the 2 local quilt shops which I had never been to before.  I don't think I would have found it on my own.  But I found this adorable charm pack and just had to have it.  

Yesterday, I showed you the lovelies that I received in the mug rug swap v.2.  So now that my partner has received her package I can show what I made her.

Front

back

Front

close-up of steaming mug

back

Today, I'm on ant patrol until the exterminator gets here. I have teeny tiny little ants in my kitchen YUCK!!! I don't even have food or dirty dishes laying around yet they are here.  I think it is because it has been so hot and dry the past few weeks.

I participated in round 2 of the Mug Rug swap over at Sew Happy Geek and I received my package from Pia a couple of days ago.

She sent some pretty's and a super cute little bag. It is about the size of a cosmetic bag, but since I don't wear make up.  I think I will stick it in my purse to house all the little things that I seem to lose, my tape measure (yes I keep a retractable tape measure in my purse) you never know when an idea will hit and you need help to visualize the finished size so you can buy the fabric.



 A pretty embroidered flower.



Pretty start with pansy's around it.


Some really pretty reds and oranges.  Check out the super cute sewing themed fabric on the bottom half.


I cut up a bunch of baby clothes for a memory quilt on Saturday, I still have some cutting to do and then on to sewing.  I need to switch machines so I can use my walking foot so I don't stretch out the knits.   And yes, I fused interfacing to them, I would rather be safe than sorry since it isn't my quilt.

Well yesterday totally got away from me and I didn't get anything done but have lunch with my hubby, got both kids to nap after a few empty threats and open boxes and take a couple of pictures.

First off the baby Go! that I won arrived so I was excited.  The kids have thoroughly enjoyed the massive amounts of air pack bubble things that were in the box, and are still playing with and popping this morning.



Then my hubby let me buy this nice little machine from someone at church.   I have never used a serger in my life so it is going to be a learning experience.


So now I have to clean up make room for all my new toys. to at least be stored while I am using something else.

My Dresden Plate quilt is waiting on me to quilt it, but they may not happen for a few weeks.



Yesterday I received 2 boxes of clothes to make a memory quilt for someone so today I will be sorting through all of those and trying to lay out a nice design.


And I'm about half-way through hand quilting the hand-pieced beauty.


The hand quilting is more tedious than I though and I'm pretty sure I've sewn my rows too close together, but live and learn, live and learn.  I have until Christmas to finish it up so I just try to get a row or 2 of stitching in a day or shall I say I put in about 1-2 hours a day on it.  I don't have a quilt rack and I hate the hoop I bought, so I just lay it out on my lap and work on it while watching random DVR'd shows. I love 'Deadliest Catch', I think it is mostly men who like that show, but I'm one of the few women that has to watch it.

Have a great day everyone and remember. Wherever you go, Whatever you do, go and do with all of your heart.

I hope everyone is having/has had a great Tuesday.   It is extremely humid here, as in I broke a sweat walking the 10 feet from the car to the door when I got back from running errands a little bit ago.  I really hope it rains and cools things off.  I'm afraid to take the kids to the pool because I'm sure the water is going to be like taking a bath.

I'm super excited this morning.  I woke up to an email for Lee over at Freshly Pieced that I was the winner of their Go! Baby give away!   I'm getting a Go! baby Cutter and 3 dies.  

I spend a lot of my free time this weekend hand quilting and learned a trick to keep from getting a blister/sore spot on the side of my finger.    I cut a small scrap of fabric with some cotton batting in the middle and put on the sore side of my finger.  Worked like a charm, now I can stitch away.

Last week I started a quest to finish up my Dresden plate quilt. Well I got my blocks sewed together with some sashing, but it wasn't as big as I wanted so I slipped out to the fabric store on Saturday before heading to the grocery and got a couple of pieces to finish it off.

sorry for the bad lighting

I was a busy little bee yesterday, or so it seemed.   I finished up the twirly dress for my daughter that laid for 3 days waiting for a hem.

Why must she stick her tongue out for pictures.


I also finished up my 6 dresden plate block that I started several months ago that I kept pushing to the side while I worked on something else. I have completed 3 quilts since I started these.

Today my goal is to add some sashing and hopefully finish the top.

Kirea over at 'It's sew Kiki' has paired up with The fat quarter shop and is giving away this collection of beauties.

I don't have any pictures today,  I did a lot of hand quilting and catching up on the DVR'd stuff until my fingers got sores on them from my thimbles.  I think the kids got tired of watching 'mommy's shows' yesterday but oh well, I can only stand so much of Nick Jr.

Shhh....I even watched some of hubby's stuff and liked it.  I'm not sure what channel it is on History maybe, but there is a newer show on called 'How the States got their shapes'  it is quite interesting.  I never liked history in school but now I'm liking it more,  I think because it isn't being shoved down my throat.

I also like watching stuff on BBC america.  I think my favorite show there is Top Gear,  those guys keep me cracking up with their antics.   My son loves the one where they strap a Reliant Robin to a space ship and launch it.

Well I have missed sewing at the machine so I am going to fiddle around with that today. Come back tomorrow and I will have some pictures.  

Well, it is more of a 'wild Wednesday' in my house as the kids are running in circles at full speed in the living room having a 'race' I think they have been watching too many races with their dad and have watched Cars one too many times.

I started hand quilting this beauty and I have to say, I hate doing the hand quilting.  I'm ready to rip out what I have done so far and run it through the machine...





And I still need to hem the twirly dress.  I put my own spin on it this time.

someone was being silly while I was taking her picture

Well it is a cooler day here today (mid 80's) so I'm going to take the kids out before this morning to ensure I get a sanity break they take a nap this afternoon.

To my mug rug swap partner, I have yours done, I'm just waiting on hubby to get paid so I can hit the post office.

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you are staying cool if it is hot where you are right now.   My weather bug says it is 84F/29C out right now but with the humidity added in it feels like 98 F/ 37C  yuck! (I converted that just for my international followers (o:)  It might be a great day to go to the pool that is if one doesn't suffocate within moments of stepping out of the air conditioning.

A few weeks ago I won 2 fat quarters from Jenna over at Sew Happy Geek.  I got the beauties in the mail over the weekend.

Well I'm back I guess you could say it was a mini vacation. I accomplished some sewing. Cleaned out my sisters closet at my parents house of clothing that has been hanging there for close to 20 years or better.  There is now only 3 things besides empty hangers left hanging in that closet now.   

It's Done!!! Well the top at least.

Counting today, there is 175 days until Christmas. Which means I need to turn these Don Baker and RL Studio beauties along with a few other pieces into something my 5 year old son will love.


and...
I finished hand piecing my labor of love.  I am just thrilled with how it turned out.  You can't even tell where I added to it to finish it off..



And here is a close up of all those tiny little squares.

I said they were tiny.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July.  I shipped my hubby and son off to church camp this morning so it is just me and the girl.  We will probably go visit my parents for a night or two sometime during the week.