Fall Walk

I am going to blog a little more about life amidst the crafting :) Hopefully It will help me post more often. :) I finally talked Britton into going on a walk with me on this lovely little path that the "Papa John" built near his parent's house. It is almost exactly 2 miles around (we only had time to do 1 mile) but it was beautiful and hopefully he'll go again soon... (or I'll go anyways :) )

Chi home

Today, I made a pouch using left over insulator for my chi (hair straightener). I used some of my firework fabric that I bought in Vegas on sale as a fat quarter. ( I love it even though its random) It has fireworks (which I love) and bold colors (which I love).
I quilted the fabric with the insulator, added the ric-rac and ribbon and then added the infamous bias tape. I wanted it to kinda match my chi which is royal blue and I think it looks good. Now he has a home. :) I am almost done with another fall project which I will hopefully post tomorrow :)

vote for me! :)

I have been considering making potholders after seeing some lovely tutorials (here and here). I was procrastinating as I don’t really know what colors I want in my kitchen. But my local quilt shop was having a contest so I went for it. I made them patchwork and that added a while and I love the bias tape I picked but I cut it pretty narrow trying to be conservative with my fabric and that was a mistake! I ended up having to attach it by hand because I couldn’t get it straight through all the layers. ( top, batting, insulating layer, bottom fabric) ARG! It was so not worth “conserving fabric”.
Oh well. So I finished two in time to enter them in the contest (to win a tote full of quilting fun worth $75)! There are 10 other entrants and I am #10 so if you go by Among Friends quilt shop on Taylorsville Rd. (next to Kingpin bowling) make sure and vote for me! ☺ I like how they turned out but I was so over them because they took a lot more work than I thought. My mom would really like them so they might get sent to her…

So exciting!

I love blogland! ☺ I won a yard of fabric from Chaletgirl in Australia! It has brought great excitement. (when I found out and when it arrived) I am not sure what I am going to use it for- It is beautiful. I love the colors!! I am saving it for something good. She also sent me a adorable tissue cover. I am thrilled to have a present and a new friend. Thank you!!!

progress

We are housesitting, which is wonderful. It's nice to have space (and electricity). I made my bias tape the first day we had electricity. (the iron requires it, since I don't have a "williamsburg" model) I like how it turned out, I cut it wonky, so the pattern runs in 2 directions. I don't think I have enough of one direction, so I will probably use each with its parallel.... but maybe I'll pair it to make 2 corners. What do you think? I am not to worried about it... you live you learn. I did put a white boarder on the front and back pannels, I thought it looked better sitting on the white than trying to match it with all the colors.

I am thrilled with how the back patchwork turned out. I am almost sad it's the back, since I am planning on hanging this on my future "doll quilt wall" in my crafting studio. Doesn't studio sound so much more hardcore :) ? I used the same 25 colors from the front, I really tried to use scraps, think I did well. Plus, I made 2 more kartwheels from my new heather bailey that I love and some totally great firework fabric I got in Vegas out of the cheap fat quarters. I ADORE fireworks, and wasn't sure how I was going to use it. I am sure it will pop up again but I like how it turned out. (I added white around the edge, post-photo)


I realized I hadn't shown the front together.

Finally I found this tute, from Crazy Mom Quilts about making a message board and made my log cabin squares to make one for my bedroom. I totally made them up as I went and love that I didn't screw it up :) I almost just want to use it for a 8x10 black and white or something. A pink and orange one could be really cool with my wedding pic. What a fun wedding present.... Sorry thinking outloud :) Anyways I don't have the board and linen, so it's probably on hold for now.

I am really trying not to spend any money and just use what I have... so I don't think I am going to finish my quilt because I don't want to spend money on batting... we'll see how long I can hold out. I wish money didn't stress me out. Hope you are having a wonderful first week of fall!

decor and excuses

So, I said I would post more pics of the decor from Lindsey's party. I had some random coasters from a wedding shower. I just messed with the photoshop invite and created a smaller icon. Then I cut strips from the same paper I used to make the invitations. I modge-podged them :) and they turned out lovely. :)
Then I made flowers using this tutorial. I made the gobes and the flowers. The larger pink flowers are extra leftover strips. The multicolored flowers are following the tut. In the next pic, you can kind of see the globes made using the same tutorial (by the pillars). I really liked them and will probably make some kind for Christmas decor. They would be cute halloween in black and orange.

I had some left over scrapbook paper in the pink and orange, I made some old-school paper lanterns (no light) and hung them over the bar. They looked cute.
Here is the last glimpse of the crazy pink puff balls. I bought them for 90% off 50 cents- for 4 so 1.25 cents each. I didn't know what I was going to do with them. I ended stringing them on VERY thin pink yarn from the Mexican swap meet :) They were ridiculous but worked perfect for the occasion.

So, I showed you the decor... now for the excuses. I was quite uncrafty all week :( Louisville was hit by a category 1 hurricane... how crazy is that!!! Ike left TX and came through the Ville, the 'natti, Columbus, etc. And left hundreds of thousands without power. (Ours was out Sunday early afternoon until Thursday (yesterday) late afternoon.) It was a little crazy. Restaraunts (even fast food) were packed and Gas stations were nuts, because they were all either without power or out of gas because of the extra traffic. We did just fine. My friend Melanie loaned me a bunch of books (and I read all of them), but the LGSM requires power. :) It was also frustrating because the school district ended up taking the whole week off which is frustrating when I am anxious for them to process my paperwork so I can sub or offer me a job! Tonight I finished the bias tape, added a white boarder to the quilt top, and made coffee sleeves for Holly and Lindsey. Here is Lindsey's. It's been kind of a crazy week. How about you?

1 done, 1 wip, lots of decor

I finished Olga's friend, her name is still being debated. Kelly likes Galina, Britton thinks Anya. I haven't decided. I love the colors. It took me awhile to find the yellow fabric, but I love it.
I did my first chain piecing.
f I am making a kartwheel doll quilt. I was inspired by this. I do like how it turned out. I want to put white around the edge, because I don't want to cut into the colors. I picked out my binding, but I haven't cut it yet. I think I am going to piece the back some too. I decided I am going to make a few doll quilts, to get better at quilting and maybe eventually to hang on the wall in my craft room.

I spent today decorating for Lindsey's party. I had bought all these puff ball things at work and spent today stringing them and hanging them up and decorating. I made a bunch of other stuff that turns out really cute, so I'll post it later.