Yikes long time no blog.... again

Well I've been busy quilting everything g I can get my hands on. Learning to free motion quilt has been a wonderful journey for me so far.  I can't get enough of it. 

I entered 2 of my quilts and 2 that i had quilted for a customer in a quilt show last week they didn't win anything but I sure enjoyed walking though and seeing my work on displayed. I loved it when I'd see someone stop and look at them.  I also enjoyed looking at all the beautiful work of other quilters.  

Lexy went with me she was adorable looking at the quilts with her Lil white glove on. She would look at the backs and say "oh mamaw just look at these. Look at the details."  

Practicing....

With just beginning to free motion quilt I like to put just some plain fabric in the frame sometimes and go at it.  I like to practice new designs.... well new to me this way before I try it on a "good" quilt.

This is the design I'm working on for a quilt for a customer.  I'm very excited about it.  

Now remember these are just practice ones so your gonna see some goofs.  

I'm also trying my hand at a "One Block Wonder"  so fun how you can take the same piece of fabric and cut it apart and put it back together and it look like a completely different fabric.  LOVE THIS and can't wait to see how it all ends up.  Doing these also changes the way your look at fabric when you are in the fabric stores.  You should see me at work I'm cutting or putting fabric away and its like I look at everyone thinking oh wow that would make a great o.b.w.  LOL

Here is what I have so far..

Well today is my day off and I want to spend it sewing since my sweety is stuck at work.

Quilt.....away!

tina

19 years ago today

I married my bestest buddy!  I am so thankful that our love has grown into what it is!  Kevin you are my somewhere!  Thank you for loving me unconditionally and for always supporting me no matter what I do!  I love you more everyday!

Its a snow day today which means its a sew day today!  Going to be getting a backing ready for a quilt I am making a customer and a binding on another one.  

This is what I got done yesterday for a co worker of mine.  I hope she likes it!  I love quilting on a frame and using a quilt machine.  My friend is so nice to let me use hers.  I am so addicted.  I did all over stippling.  I think I'm getting it down.  Ready to try and learn another design.  

Happy snow (sew) day to you all!

tina

TA DA~~~~

I am so excited!  I posted in my last post about how my friend has been letting me use her quilt machine to quilt and today I got my first job done for a customer.  Very rewarding!  I just did a stippling on it as I'm still learning free motion.  I was very happy with how it turned out and I can't wait to begin the next one.  I got it loaded onto the frame today before I went to work.  This makes me happy!  This one still needs trimmed up and the binding put on but my customer is going to do her own binding.

As I mentioned above getting this one done and another one in the frame today before work really make me happy.   YEP I said Happy!  I can't wait till I can begin quilting this next one!!!

Well best head to bed.  

Happy Crafting!

tina

Gettin my quilt on!

In my last post I wrote about learning to free motion quilt on a Grace frame and a Juki quilt machine.  The juki is not a long arm but it sews beautifully.  I love the machine I do however wish that the throat was a big bigger it only gives me 9" of space to quilt in at a time and that is fine for small designs and once you get a good chunk of the quilt done that quilting space gets even smaller.  The quilt machine that I use is a friend of mine who is so sweet to open up her home and let me come over and quilt any chance I can.  I am very thankful for it for sure.  I've been back over there a few times now and I must say to add to my already long list of creative loves I have free motion quilting has been added and my new love and passion.  There is just something about starting a quilt and then getting to quilt it.  I've quilted a few quilts on my reg. sewing machine and I since I've had the chance to quilt on this I must say it's going to be really hard to ever go back to basting my quilt on the floor and pulling and tugging to quilt it on my domestic machine.  I think my friend has created a monster!

I've been practicing on paper to try and learn free motion quilt designs on so when I get a chance to go over and try it out on fabric I kinda have a idea how to try different designs and how to make them flow.

I've finally got it down how to run the fabric on the frame in the right directions to make it flow.

I love practice on just a solid piece of fabric with white thread so I can see my work.  This allows me to learn what works, what don't, and learn how to make it flow from one place to another.  I learned a new quilt term this week and that "travel" that is when you need to travel back over a spot you've sewn to get out of a corner you may have stitched yourself into.  LOL!  YEP I've gotten in a lot of "traveling" lately.  LOL!  Everything I've read has said you need to practice, practice, practice.  I love it!  I put on my headphones with pandora and I go at it.  Its very relaxing and has become my therapy to get though my winter blas!

Well its been a long day and I need to go get some sleep and rest my body.  My stomach has not been playing very nice past few days so I'm trying to just relax and rest while I'm off on this long weekend.  Today it was better then it had been!  Sorry had a little whiny moment there for a minute!


Until next time Happy Crafting!
tina

Back at it!

Our vacation was a good one we didn't go anywhere but we sure enjoyed our time off together.  We spent every minute that we could together and loved it.  Some people I've heard say I things about when they retire or their husbands that they will drive them crazy.  But I don't see that being our case at all.  We love spending time together and doing things together which was exactly what we did during our vacation.  We stayed up late and slept in, went antique shopping and spent time with family and friends.

But now, well now its back to work.   It dawned on us our first day back to work that between my schedule and his schedule that we won't have a evening together for 4 days or a day off together for weeks.  Kevin is off this weekend and I'm off the next when he is working.  But that is just the way it rolls sometimes not just for us but for many couples.

I also got some quilting done done while on vacation.  For one a friend of mine invited me over to her house where I got to learn how to use a quilt frame and a quilt machine and girllllllllllllllll or boyyyyyyyyyy let me tell you this chick is totally in love.  I'm not very good but wow is it fun and rewarding to quilt like that.  I first did a sample piece of fabric just to get the feel of the machine.

I practiced steppling and my signature swirls I do on everything from doodling to scrapbook and now my quilts.

After this practice piece I loaded my round robin from last year for my quilt group in greenville.  I peiced the center and then 5 other ladies added the borders you see.  Each taking it for one month and add on to this.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this yet I may find a wall to display it on for a while.  So here it is my first quilt done on a quilt machine.

I was so excited how it turned out.  A few boo boo's here and there but over very pleased.  I learned the hard way after having to rip a section out to remember always and I DO MEAN ALWAYS put the presser foot DOWN before you sew.

I've also now quilted my Christmas Quilt and I will show you that next It turned out pretty good for amateur.   My quilt holder is not home tonight or I would have a picture for you to see.  It amazes me how much faster and easier it is to quilt this way.  Like I said earlier.......... this girl is IN LOVE with quilting.

Someone posted this and It has become a great inspiration to me...  I am trying to do better about not being afraid to try new things and to go out and fly and be who I want to be.

Well only a few hours till my sweety pie will be home so I want to work on my mystery quilt before he come home and we can have some snuggle time.

Go create something!
tina

January Vacation 2015

Thursday was the first day of my vacation.  I am so ready for the time off but sure wish it was warmer but just as welcomed.  I so needed this after our busy season at work.  What is even nicer is that my husband, Kevin, is off as well starting on Friday!  We've not had a lot of time off together for past few months so this will be nice and we've not had a vacation off together in well over a year.

What did I do on my first day?  I packed up my car and headed to my friend Linda's house where we along with Cathy spent the day sewing till 300p.m.  We had a great time. 

I got my Jan b.o.m. (block of month) finished for the Winchester quilt group I belong to. I was planning on taking them to group last night but it got canceled due to the bad weather.  I had a hard time picking out what fabics I wanted to use and I was also trying to pick from my stash.  

Day 2 was spent doing a lil Antique shopping at the Centerville Antique mall where I found two Friendly Village Plates to start my collection of them.  I want these to use during the winter months.  This collection may take me a while to get a complete setting but it will be so worth it and I love the hunt.  

While I was shopping Kevin and Bruce looked though records and picked a bunch of fun ones to buy!

Day 4 I spent in my room working on my Bonnie Hunter's mystery quilt!  I loved having some time to get to sew on a snowy winter day!  

I got my 100 Broken dishes blocks all finished for step one.  Now moving onto step 2.

Below you can see my leader's and ender's blocks are growing.  Each square I am using in these blocks are 1"finished.  It is going to be a miniature star quilt.

Last night we had some fun with some friends of our that came over to have dinner with us and play wii.  I totally stink at bowling but had a lot of fun.  Also Andy taught me how to make his yummy salsa.  So good!

Well it's a icy-snowy day here and I'm back in my sewing room.  I've started working on step 2.  Going to take a break in a bit and go out with Kevin I want to go to the store and get the fixings for chili.  Then plan on spending some time with him either playing a game or just snuggle on the couch and watch tv.  Even though its not warm enough for us to be out much I'm really enjoying our time off together this week. 

Make something today!

tina

The Last Day of the Year 2014

Last night of the year 2014 was time with my sweet husband.  We usally have family over on new years eve but this year a lot of family members were either sick or working or in my oldest daughters case starting new family traditions and having friends with kids too over to celebrate the new year beginning.  Or is it celebrating the old one ending?  Either way it's time spent with family or friends.  Most of the past years we either scrapbook or play game, eat, share thoughts on the past year or talk about our new years resolutions (more on resolutions in my next blog.)

Since this year we wasn't able to do our norm Kevin and I had a date night and went out to eat at Frickers.  Dinner was nice but what I found that was really nice was the number of family's that where out.  I thought it was great to see people spending the last night of the year together having family time.

Kevin had his fill of boneless chichen wings to which I say ICK!  I had grilled chichen pizza to which I say yummo and Kevin thought so too he ate the rest of it.

Afterwards we went to Kmart.... you know Walmarts cousin as my sister taught my daughter to call it when she was little.

As you can see below Kevin was just too happy to be ornament shopping.  LOL  Poor guy he is such a trooper.

After being mean to Kevin with the shopping we went home and brought the new year in on the couch watching our new favorite show.   I really enjoyed spending the last evening of the year with my sweety missed the rest of my family though.  Hope they all are feeling better.

Have a crafty new year

tina

The Quilting Ninja

Through quilting I've met some wonderful people.  One of which you will often hear me refer to master, she calls me grass hopper.  If your my age or a lil older you know what that reference means.  Do you remember?  If you do please post the answer in my comments.

I also call her the quilt ninja.  Linda can cut fabric and sew them together faster than anyone I've ever know in my life.  While I sewing along on one block Linda cut out and sewed together step one of Bonnie Hunters "Grand Illusion" mystery quilt.

Here is a picture of her "Broken Dishes" 200 of them to be exact.  Plus the extra 80 half square triangles.  

A month or so ago Donna (another quilt buddy) posted a photo of a scrappy star quilt block that I fell in love with and just had to try.  I got it in my head that I wanted this particular block to become the starting block for a "Round Robin" I will be participating in.  There was one problem I had no idea how to make it the size I needed it to be.  This is where the Master comes in and taught me how to graph and create this desired size I needed.  I just can't believe how easy it was to do this and wow does it ever open up some doors for me.  I so need to make a trip to the office max and get me a table of large graph paper.  Below is a photo of our graph.

Who would have thought it could be that simple and fun even if math can make my head hurt.  LOL!

WOW what a mess I can make!!!  

And here is the results of that mess...  I'm not sure who originally created this block but thank you for the inspiration you gave me.  This block combines two of my favorite quilt style one its scrappy and the other its a star.  I've got a lot to learn and I'm so very fortunate to have a super awsome ninja master to teach me.  Thank you Linda you so rock my friend!

And although I'm no ninja I felt very good with that fact that I not only got my star block done but I also sewed together 280 half square triangles need for step one.  I do need to square them up and cut off the lil dog ears.  I wish I could stay up and sew the blocks together to create my broken dishes blocks but I have to work tomorrow so I best get to bed. 

Oh by the way if your interested in Bonnies mystery quilt go here

Happy Crafting!

tina

Christmas eve tradition

I guess you can tell by now I post thing a Lil late but hey at least I'm getting more constant on blogging. So I'll work on that too.  Most days there is just not enough hours in a day. I'm sure you feel the same way.... most days!

My dad and mom started this year's ago and those if us who are lucky enough to be off work on Christmas Eve try and continue  the family tradition. We start Christmas Eve out at Cracker Barrel for breakfeast.  This year it was Alexandria, Caleb, myself, and Kevin was able to get off work to meet with us.  Some years there is more of us and some just a few but we always try. 

Caleb and Lexy playing a game while I shopped a bit

Me and my mini me... Alexandria!  Isn't she a cutie pie!

My nephew Caleb joined us even though his momma (my sissy) had to work he still went with us!

I bet you know why I'm smiling and where I was heading...

Yep picking up a starbucks before I head home to get our Christmas dinner ready.

will post more about my christmas another day!

Have a crafty evening!

tina

Some defragging going on

I decided today that I get way too many emails and Facebook posts from people, groups, businesses and so on that I decided to Defrag a bit.  Off and on today I've un-subscribed to a ton of emails I get a day that I don't even open half the time I just delete till I get to the good stuff that's interest me.  Also I had a ton of groups and people I don't know and some how friend ed at some point and time but decide to un friend them today.  A lot of times I've had people ask me if I'd seen their post and I've found that I've missed a lot of good stuff from close friends and family because such an such group had someone pissed off and they posted a million times about it.  I get tired of missing out on the events of those close to me because I get so many thing on my page that I don't have the time to scroll though it all.  So I've really cleaned house so to speaking keeping family and close friends and even a few groups of things that really interests me.

OK enough about all that.  I can not be leave that Christmas is here already.  I've truly enjoyed all the party's and good times I've had this year with friends and family and my quilt groups.  

We'll I most likely won't post again until after Christmas and wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas

Tee

19 years ago "Somewhere"

19 years ago today my bestest buddy asked me to become his wife. I would without a doubt say "yes" again! We went to the Christmas Walk at Metamora and he tried all evening to find the perfect place to ask me. The evening was almost over and it was time for us to meet the kids in our youth group back at the bus. When he asked me to walk down one of the little roads that lead to a little "Old Chapel Church." There was a bench outside with a little Christmas lights around it, a very beautiful Christmas Scene. He got down on his knee and asked me right there to marry him. I started to cry but said yes over and over. Like any couple we had a hard time adjusting to life together, a good relationship is work but its so worth it when you meet and love a person who loves you back and you never doubt that love.

 Our song was a Barbra Streisand song "Somewhere."

 

Life was so busy for us between work and Church and raising "our" daughters (I say "ours" because he loved them just as much as any natural dad loves their children even though they were from my previous marriage) that at times it was hard for us to find time for just us. So we always said that "Somewhere" there would be time for us. After almost 19 years I feel like we've have recently found that time. We've learned to "make" that time, to take off for long rides either by car or on our bikes, long walks on the trail or curled up on the couch watching t.v, work on the house together or the yard or hanging out with our family or friends.  We have recently really begin to enjoy life more then ever with each other.  Life is too short to sit back and wait for your "Somewhere" or sometime to happen.  I really love where our "Somewhere" has gone lately, we spend more time then ever together and I am loving every minute of our life together.

Kevin,  I LOVE YOU MORE!  

Grand Illusion Update

I finally got all of step 1 of Bonnie Hunters quilt cut out.  I've also got a few of the broken dishes blocks done.  Gonna have to play around and adjust my seam allowance a bit they are a lil off.  But will now set that aside and start on step two.  Bonnie suggests for us slower working quilters to do a few of each step at least to keep up with the group so that's what I've had to do.  Just not enough hours in a day.  With work and life going on.  But I do what I can when I can.  If your interested in doing Bonnie's free mystery quilt you can follow here...Grand Illusion Mystery Quilt

Here is my first lil block it's called Broken Dishes.  Can't wait to see what we are going to be doing with all 100 of these, 4 down and 96 to go on this one.

I will store each step on a cookie sheet till I can get back to it.  

I love doing this even if I am slow and not so perfect of a quilter.  But I'm learning and enjoy every step.   Last night I started cutting out step 2 and got 200 2.5 by 4.5 rectangles cut and 110 pink squares this morning.  I've decided since I am out of ink anyway to do step 3 of the 3 she choices she gave us to do.  Plus I love the idea of having the extra half square triangles to play with later.

Happy Quilting!

tina

YEP some more Christmas Decor!

Are you getting tired of my Christmas Decor posts yet?  Hope not cause they gonna keep on coming.  Above is my lil Green tinsel tree with Purple ornaments on it.  Its just a lil 4 foot one I put in the family room so we can have a lil Christmas in that room too.  

Last year me and my sis made these lil glass light boxes.  They are very easy super fun to make.  I may have to make a few more this year if i get time.

 As I drove up last night and saw our tree from the window it warmed my heart and felt to homey and cheery to me.  I love to pull in and see this after working all day!

I'm not sure if you remember but Kevin's work had a pumpkin contest at Halloween and a friend of his had this one made for fun.  I asked Kevin if he thought it was time to get rid of it and he said no and put this santa hat on it. LOL!  Merry Christmas!

Sunday Night we were invited to a ugly sweater party.  We had a blast.   Below is me and Kevin in our snowman get up.  Not sure this past for ugly but it was fun and Kevin was a trooper and put up with me doing this to him.

Our Friend Andy!

And the D.J. for the night Bruce and he made it really fun with his "Name that Tune" game.  

Memories:

I was at work the other day and saw we had some really cute puzzles and it reminded me of my dad and mom sitting up the card table every winter to work on puzzles.  We all took turns finding and placing the peices.  I thought it would be fun for me and Kevin to do one this year.  In memory of them.  So I picked up this one.  It may be after Christmas before we get to it but I'm looking forward to making the time to do this with my sweet hubby!

More On Antiquing

I wanted to share some more about my trip to the Antique mall!  You will be shocked to hear this but I have a love for quilts there its out there.  LOL!  I know you that read this know I love quilts I was just being a silly.  Guess its later then I thought!!!

Ok back to the quilts and antiquing.  I sure saw some really pretty one some in very poor condition but still beautiful to me.


This first one I hope to try to make some day.  Yep it's on my quilt bucket list.  The three below were my favorite ones that I saw.

I saw a lot of neat antiques and hope to go back again soon.  Of course while I was there i saw some of my new love "Flow Blue China"  I also saw some Blue Willow dishes that I hope to add to my set to complete it someday.  

 So I bet by now you are wondering if I bought anything?  OH YEAH Baby some flow blue found it's way home with me.  Three did in fact one of which is hard to come by and that was the ladle.  LOVE THEM!

Well I need to get busy and get some sewing done!  What's on your craft table right now?

Happy Crafting!

tina