I turn my back for two seconds....

:: Seriously?!....
:: Michael has been working non-stop for the past few weeks...so much so that we went out to dinner for the first time in I can't remember how long last night, and I felt compelled to re-introduce myself to him....Anyways, I thought I would bake him a carrot cake today as a "hey, thanks for putting in so many hours". It was cooling...so I was doing things around the house. I hear the back door open (which is a funny all in itself, because really our "back door" is on the front of the house...I'll explain some other time) and think oh, he must be home. I find him cutting in to the cake! OMG! He looks at me with a smile like, Oh, was I not supposed to do that?....I just replied with NICE! }:-/
:: So much for making his surprise look nice....dork! He hasn't seen the cake frosted yet...it should give him a chuckle! Its the thought that counts right?

She's back to feeling like her old (young) self...

:: Anna was sick for what seems like forever, but really only about a week and a half...she had me pretty concerned. I missed her laugh and smile. The other day we went to visit Linda, and she gave Anna these glasses. I'm not sure if Linda was Elton John in a past life, or maybe Anna, or both?....they seem to have a thing going with sunglasses. Linda finds all kinds of different ones for Anna. This is the latest model~
:: And, notice the quilt?....(insert self indulgent smile here). I'm so happy to see her using it:0)

A rare occurrence...

:: Why am I showing you a picture of our living room couch you ask?...That might be what most people see when they look at this picture. The actual purpose of this picture is to show you something that I don't often see.....THE FLOOR! No toys, no pillows, no blankets....just a nice area rug....aaaahhhhhhh.....
:: Look!....here's another view....careful you don't trip, oh wait...that's right...there's nothing to step over or trip on! Bring your eyes up to the mantel shelf....see my new cute barn stars. I bought them online from Etsy from a seller called lil' miss crafty pants (you can click to see her stuff). I noticed she doesn't have many stars left, but I'm sure she'll be making more.

Project Complete!

:: Well I'll be!....I finished it! I am usually one to start a project and then get side-tracked on to something else and end up with a few unfinished projects laying around. I'm so happy to say not this time! And, what's even better....when I gave it to Anna, who has been patiently waiting for "her quilt", she immediately threw it over the piano bench and made a fort out of it! Success!

I started another one...

:: What's that?....have I finished the last quilt I started for Anna? Well no, silly! That's not how it works....have you ever met a creative person who only works on one project at a time?....I sure haven't! We like the chaos of more than one thing going at once after all! :0)

::I saved 8 of Anna's receiving blankets from when she was a baby with the intent on making a quilt out of them. Well here I am actually following through with my plan....pat on the back for me!
:: Do you cheat like me and use the Shape Cut?....its so easy you SHOULD!

:: Here are the strips I cut with the Shape Cut guide. It seems even with a ruler I can mess up a straight line, so I love the Shape Cut guide. Where can I get one you ask?...I found mine at Hancock Fabrics, but if you search it on-line you can find them all over. There is also the Shape Cut Plus (the one I really wanted)...its 12x18 I believe.
:: And whalah!....here are the quilt blocks all ready to be sewn together. I haven't forgotten about the other quilt I'm working on....I'll probably finish that one before I get back to this one.

Amy Butler & Heather Bailey Fans...Check this out!

:: I just had the most exciting morning! I found a new little shop called "The Top Stitch". I was searching for Amy Butler & Heather Bailey fabric and ran across this little shop right here in Spokane. Imagine my delight! Something cool and funky in Spokane...almost seems hard to believe...I know! The owner, Carrie, is so nice and helpful. She answered all of my silly questions and didn't make me feel ashamed of my lack of sewing knowledge. She even offers classes. I am so happy I stumbled across this place.

Check out her website: www.thetopstitch.com

Thank you Super Bowl!

:: Lookie what I did during the Super Bowl! Well okay, I had the game on, but I don't think I watched a single play, because I was sewing my guts out! Um yea, I did look up from my sewing machine to see the commercials though.

:: There is still a lot to be done, but at least the quilt top is together. I'm pretty excited that I'm this far.

:: And, as you're admiring my little project, please keep in mind that I do this for the pleasure of creating something. I'm not looking to win any contest with my sewing...in other words, look, but not that close! ;)

How long should it take?

:: So I've started a quilt for Anna...heavy sigh! Why the sigh? Well, I'm wondering how long this is going to take.... snicker! It seems like when I have an idea in my head of a project I would like to finish, and the family gets wind of this idea, then it is sure to be derailed. Therefore I have decided that this is going to be one of those projects like many others who will sit and stare back at me each time I walk past it....saying, "you whoo!....remember me?...you ever going to finish?" My answer: YES I AM!....may just take a few months:0)

A few blog pages I simply love...

I love wasting what could be a perfectly productive morning looking at my favorite blog pages....here are a few that I return to every time...(after I've cooked, cleaned and organized of course...wink wink):

www.thefarmchicks.typepad.com (Serena is my organizing country girl hero!)

www.kwernerdesign.com (Kristina is my mac loving crafty girl hero!)

www.frugalchicliving.com (Crystal is my coupon clipping professional who saves me money hero!)

The above three women who create these pages are my heros! If I could be these three woman in one I would be my own hero!....tee hee ;0)

And, for the baker in me:

www.bakerella.com