Help! It's Another Busy Day!

Just when I thought I would have some peace and tranquility for sewing and quilting, I realized that it was Teacher Appreciation Week at school.

So there goes my "quilt for the love of quilting" time for myself - at least for now. 

I spent much of the morning doing some research for teachers' gifts.  Each year, I try to do something for my sons' teachers.  I am very thankful for them because, with their help, I have two very bright boys.

I had found these cute owls made from paper lunch bags.  I'm going to add some kind of treat inside them - I'm undecided on what that should be at this time.  My son and I will need to finish them up so that he may be able to deliver them in the morning.

I'm still hoping to indulge myself in some quilting sometime soon.

Jane   <3

p.s.  My son ended up getting first place for his Science project!  I'm very pride of him but yet quite amazed of the outcome!!

Done With A Busy Month

It is already the middle of April!  I can't belief how fast the days seem to fly.  I guess that's what happen when you've been real busy, as it was the case with me recently.  Things seem to be settling down some now.  I say this with a sigh of relief!

The month of March was very busy for me.  The beginning was filled with preparing for my younger son's Cub Scout Blue and Gold Banquet and making decorations for it.  By mid month, banquet was over and then my older son needed to complete a Science project.

I don't know about you and your teenage son(s).  I love my son to pieces but he can be such a procrastinator.  He had to come up with an idea and have it approved by the Science teacher by the first of the month.  Once his idea was approved, we briefly discussed the overall look of his display board and... that was it!

Of course, it's basketball themed!

He put it off and put it off...and to sum it all up, I made him stay up late, the night before it was due, finishing up his Science project.

Now that things seem to be going at a slower pace, I have been able to work on some projects.  Although I have several blocks from the Just Takes Two BOM to catch up on, I HAD to start on the feathered star that was included in one of the units.

And I even finished piecing the quilt-top for my Runaway Quilt (from the Elm Creek Quilt book series).  It finished a little bigger that I realized, but I don't find that a problem.

So with a quilt-top done, I have an urge to pull out another UFO to work on - one that I haven't seen for a while.  We shall see...

 Jane   <3

Happy First Day of Spring!

Today, it is officially the first day of Spring.  It's my favorite season!  I have been enjoying the warm 70-80 degree temps for a while now.  So in my opinion, it has started about three weeks ago.  But based on the calendar, Spring is here!!

This last Saturday was National Quilting Day.  Unfortunately, I was unable to do any quilting.  My younger son had his Blue and Gold Banquet for Cub Scouts.  He has now successfully advanced to his next year as a Wolf Scout!  And then the day after, his was sick with a fever.  I was able to do a  little quilting while I was watching over him.

Tiger's display table

centerpieces I had made

He was home from school for a day, so I had spent that day working on my hexagon pieces.  Luckily, he was able to overcome from his illness on his own, without the aid of antibiotics, and he is at school today.  So I spent my "day of quilting" a little late, but I got it in!!

I'm planning on spending the rest of my day making more hexagons.  Maybe I'll take them outside with me and stitch in the fresh Spring air!  But once the boys get home, there's homework to do and a Science project that I've got to get my older son to get motivated on!

Have to go for now, hexagons are awaiting!

Jane  <3

March is National Quilting Month?

I realize that March is National Quilting Month yet it's ironic that I'm not doing much quilting this month!

March has me busy with Blue and Gold Banquet decorations.  I'm still keeping with the camping theme.

The little tents will be placed on the tables with some having the familys' names on them.  I'm planning on placing a photograph of the scouts' face sticking out of the opening of the larger tents.

Once that is over, I'm needing to help out my older son with his science project.

And the add to the to-do list, he is also wanting me to read the Hunger Games trilogy before the movie comes out at the movie theater.  For some reason, he's wanting me to know the WHOLE  story before we watch it on the big screen.  That only gives me two weeks to finish book #3!

Hoping to get a lot of work done in hopes to work on my hexagons before the month is gone!

Jane  <3

A Non-Quilty Project

I haven't had much time for quilting.  I try to squeeze a little when I can, but I've been able to do very little.  And the reason why? - Cub Scouts Blue & Gold Banquet!

The purpose of the Blue and Gold Banquet is to celebrate our Cub Scout pack's anniversary, to thank pack leaders and other adults who have helped the pack, and to inspire the leaders, Scouts and parents.  Simply put : we're celebrating Cub Scout's birthday!

Our pack tries to make it a special event by inviting friends and relatives to attend.  Our scouts will also receive their advancement badges and awards at this time.

It being our den leader's first year in Cub Scouts, and I had five years with my older son, I asked if I could start on the decorations.  Our boys are to help make table decorations and I will be assembling, what I call our "show-off" table.

I thought a camping theme would work good with our scout decorations.

I have made a poster that will be used as a backdrop for our "show-off" table.

This was my progression:

I have other items to work on.  I'll be meeting up with the den leader and we will be working together on some projects.  Our boys will also help out with some painting.

Like I said... busy, busy, busy!

Jane  <3

More Hexies

Happy Leap Day!  We get 365 days in a typical year. But every four years, we get a free day - February 29.  What did you do on your free day?

After a stormy morning and a school delay for the kids (it was nice sleeping in a little), my day turned out to be beautiful.  It's the last day of February and the temperature reached 67 degrees.  With the day so nice, I decided to stay at home and work on my hexies.

I still had to finish the embroidery for my off-white hexagons.

Then, by centering the hexagon template over the embroidery, I mark the hexagon lines.

And here they are!

I plan to use both hexagons, fabric and embroidered, when constructing this quilt.

I still have tons more to create so I'll be continuing with this quilt for a while.

Jane  <3

Obsessed!

It almost a year ago that the American Folk Art Museum, in New York City, presented "Infinite Variety:  Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts."  I had fallen in love, and you may have too.  The bold yet simplistic expression in these quilts were jaw-dropping.  I couldn't get enough.  I wished I was able to see the in person.

To my delight, Gay from Sentimental Stitches (sentimentalstitches.net) and Brenda from Dear Jane (dearjane.com) are creating a mystery quilt together, named Just Takes 2.

Each month, on the first and the fifteenth, they will present blocks for us the make.  Each block will represent a quilt that was presented in the Infinite Variety exhibit.  As of February 15th, we are at 18 blocks.


Here are the ones I have finished so far:

 Block One (6 inches square)

 Block Two (6 inches square)

 Block Three (6 inches square)

 Block Four (12 inches square)

 Block Five (6 inches square)

 Block Six (6 inches square)

 Block Seven (9 inches square)

 Block Eight (6 inches square)

 Block Nine (6 inches square)

 Block Ten (6 inches square)

 Block Eleven (9 inches square)

 Block Twelve (12 inches square)

 Block Thirteen (3 inches X 12 inches)

 Block Fourteen (9 inches square)

 Block Fifteen (9 inches square)

Block Sixteen (9 inches square)

Block Seventeen (9 inches square)

Block Eighteen - well, that's when I ran out of my white fabric.

More blocks will be presented on the first of March, which will be in a few days.   Looks as if I've got another trip to the fabric store in my future!

Jane  <3