Quilting Fun

Finally finished the Granny Squares quilt. I enjoyed making this quilt quite a bit, I just took three months off between finishing the top to actually get around to quilting it. 

I learn a lot every time I quilt, usually along the lines of - Wow - I sure have a lot more to learn.

What I really like the most about this quilt, though, are the colors. This was just a very inexpensive jelly roll I found at Hobby Lobby more than a couple of years ago before I knew that better cottons are found at real quilt shops. I bought it because I liked the bright happy cheerful colors. 

Originally I was going to make this for our quilt guild to sell at their craft show in October but it became too big of a project for me and I couldn't get it done in time, and I was afraid the quality of the fabric wasn't good enough, but now I've decided it's all good enough. And I've decided I'm not selling it. Quilts become like my babies. I learn so much from them and I learn so much about myself that its just too hard to part with them yet. Of course if I ever get grandchildren, no problem. . . they'll be perfect for them.

I used modern quilting for this traditional block. Up closer you can see how there is a flower quilted onto each of the granny squares and squiggles along the sashings. All of this was quilted using free-motion quilting on my mom's Bernina which we moved to my house this year.  I know - Lucky Me!!!

 These circles were all done with a pattern that I cut out from tracing a large refried beans can onto freezer paper. I'd pin the center of the circle pattern where I wanted and free motioned around it. By far, that was the hardest part of this whole experience. Let's just say some circles are better than others. And you can see down below that they didn't quite match up exactly even all the way when I was finished, but close enough and frankly it turned out better than I thought after I'd completed my first one. I was seriously thinking of picking the whole circle out and finding a new pattern, but forced myself to complete this challenge, giving myself permission to be imperfect. . . I am still learning! I came to realize that I want to be more a perfectionist than I am, and yet I've been trying in every other area of my life not to let the perfectionist side take over, so its all a balancing act, you know?

When I played the piano it was All about learning how to play the pieces perfectly. Sometimes I did, but that was rare and took YEARS of learning. In parenting I've realized that you can't expect perfection because they are all learning and that's a continuous process too.  In housecleaning I've learned that I can't be perfect and function as a normal human being. How others do this I have no idea. And as a human being I have found much more joy in just living as best I can and laying the perfectionism down. I'm not even expecting it of myself, but when it comes to my crafting, I want it to be perfect and its not, so again, I realize its going to take time to learn this skill. Fortunately I enjoy it more than I enjoyed piano practicing as a kid.
So back to the quilt . . . .

 Here is an example of the flowers on the front.

 Here is an example of the flowers on the back. I love the quirky, fun way they add life to the random polka dot fabric that's on the back.

 Here's a general view of part of the back. Wow, the color looks completely different in the lighting here. The truer to life color is the green above.

 And this is how I display it in my house these days. Laying over the bannister you can see it from all the upstairs rooms and coming up the stairs and its the easiest place possible to put it. I don't have large empty wall spaces upstairs. This is the open concept house, for sure.

Here's a sneak peak at the Valentine's table runner I've been working on this week. The binding has been sewn on, now just need to finish it. . . will be the perfect project on this snowy night.

 Since I'm highlighting quilts, I'll throw in a blanket too. This is how BigBuddy eats his breakfast, wrapped in a Bronco fleece blanket. He's also wearing Bronco slippers, has a Bronco calendar in his room and already has two shirts and is awaiting his new jersey to be delivered today. This is an exciting time for all Broncos and Seahawks fans. No offense to my Seattle friends, but we've loved the Broncos since John Elway was the quarterback. Its just in our blood.

 Here's a picture of MyGirl cuddled up in a quilt that I think that was made by my Grandma Hatch many years ago. The yellow and blues are cheerful. Its all hand quilted, and kind of kills me that my family just loves it to pieces and wrap themselves tightly in something that is such an heirloom, but at the same time makes me so grateful that it is well loved, for I'm sure that's exactly why my grandmother made it. That's why I make them.

Valentine Cards

 Waking up to 6 degrees this morning. I love the beauty of white snow and blue sky.

 At the beginning of last week I made some cards with a new paper pack that's being released in the new catalog Feb. 1. Its called Ivy Lane and has greens, pinks, purples, creams, and browns in it. The current Stamp of the Month looks like cross-stitching, so I used it for these cards, as I'm more in the sewing frame of mind usually than paper crafting. For the glitter paper I used the darkest brown or silver, and they both seemed to work well. I liked the combos of big damasks, herringbones, and subtle patterns. The pink ribbon is actually paper.

 This is the Ariana paper pack. At first I wasn't sure I'd like the large floral paper for cards, but used in small doses, I think its beautiful. Pairing this with Ruby cardstock works surprisingly well also.

Stay warm everyone! And GOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!

More Cards

 Cowgirl made this card for her Christmas Thank-you's. Love the glittering steam and the cute hot cocoa mug and gorgeous papers. The sponging really sets it off too - - - LOVE!

 My mom's thank-you was so fabulous. We all love to see the deer whenever they come into our neighborhood. She embroidered this on her machine then outlined it in gold ribbon, set against the rounded edge dark green paper - just wonderful!

 This card I've made for an upcoming wedding where the colors are purple and blue. I wasn't really sure which shades, so I went with light and dark purples and a medium blue. The shadows are from the dimension created by using the pop dots. . . so fun to get to use those, especially since I'll get to hand deliver the card.

This card is just one of those serendipity cards. I was making this card for my nephew when I realized it had the street sign of US 93 Nevada on it. He had told us to make sure and drive on that when we saw him this summer and were heading out of town. Now here it is on that paper. Fun!

Baby Cards

I have a new niece so I made this card for her. Have to use my paper flower stash once in a while.

 This card is for a baby using the Babycakes paper pack and one of the new single stamps. They're under $3 and I can see myself using this one a lot for last minute baby gifts. However, today I was in card-making mode, so I made a few simple ones to be a little more prepared. This one is for a boy.

 Last week right before the nation turned frigid, the fronts were starting to form and this was the view outside my great room window. I love watching the clouds and their colors sometimes are just spectacular! However, I forgot to take my camera out of auto mode and it picked up the reflecting Christmas lights from our tree. Christmas is now all put away, the weather is no longer frigid here, and we're back in the school and seminary routines .

How quickly things change. In less than ten minutes later this was the same view from the same window. Light makes all the difference, doesn't it?

 I just finished reading The Count of Monte Cristo. It was slow for me, as the grammar was not common English, and yet I enjoyed it thoroughly. I had only seen the movie and wanted to read the book. . . its quite different, especially at the end. I feel so much more satisfied having read the book, and find myself once again inspired to reach deeper within to be my best self. The themes of vengeance, forgiveness, and trusting the Lord were woven together so well. Its easy to understand why it is a classic and I regret not reading it earlier in my life, as I feel with all the great books I have been reading lately.  Anyhow, on the last few pages we are reminded how to go on when there has been grief and yet one is trying to follow the Lord. These simple words will remain with me for a long time. . . "wait and hope." 

Meal Planning

I used to have a daytimer, where I would write down every month what our family's meals were. I learned many many years ago that when I know what dinner is going to be before nine in the morning, the rest of the day is less stressful for me. However, I didn't get the refills to my daytimer this year because I have a tablet, and am saving paper.  Its a little slower for me than writing, but typing here is fast, so I'm going to be listing my monthly meal plans once a month.  Just pretend that the last few days were already included. School just starts tomorrow so I've still been in vacation mode.

Before the Food Nanny had themed nights, I had also realized those made sense for me. Mexican Monday has long been a happy dinner night at our house but she introduced me to a weekly plan and that has been great for organizing things and not repeating within the month. Most of my recipes are either from my own experience, the Food Nanny cookbook, Our Best Bites blog, The Food Networks Ina Garten recipes or Sunset Easy Cooking cookbook that I got for a wedding present. I do cook all our own meals except for Fridays when I go out with Mike (we're recommitting to more regular date nights) so if it says beef and broccoli I'm not planning on ordering out for that.

Sunday - Comfort Food
Monday - Mexican
Tuesday - Seafood (trash man comes on Wed.)
Wednesday - Soup or Meatless
Thursday - Italian
Friday - Easy foods the kids can fix themselves - Not necessarily a balanced meal, but this is my night of rest
Saturday - Fun foods we all like and are good for if the kids have their friends over

6 Mon - Taco salad with ground turkey
7 Tues -  Salmon, broccoli, mashed potatoes
8 Wed - Minestrone soup, bread sticks, green salad
9 Thur - (Missionaries coming)  Turkey breast with cranberry, baked sweet potatoes, green beans, rolls
   apple crisp for dessert
10 Fri - French toast with blueberries and whipped cream
11 Sat - Bbq chicken tenderloins, home fries, zucchini tomato saute
12 Sunday dinner here - Crockpot tri tip and root vegetables, green salad, creamed spinach and garlic knots
13 Mon - Crockpot Salsa chicken with blackbeans, cilantro lime rice and green salad
14 Tues - Tuna melt sandwiches, fresh vegetable sticks, homemade baked potato chips
15 Wed - Crockpot chicken vegetable soup, garlic biscuits, Italian green salad
16 Thur - Ground turkey marinara with whole wheat penne, roasted broccoli and cauliflower
17 Fri - Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup
18 Sat - Grilled burgers with mushrooms and onions, mini cob corns, green salad
19 Sunday dinner at Mom's   Dessert - me - Cheesecake bites with blueberry sauce
20 Mon - Chicken tortilla soup with green salad
21 Tues- Tilapia with bruschetta, Greek salad, crash red potatoes
22 Wed - Spicy quinoa cups with black bean soup, fresh vegetable sticks
23 Thur - Spaghetti with ground turkey, spinach salad
24 Fri - Coleman hot dogs on buns, baked beans, sliced cucumbers
25 Sat - Beef and broccoli with rice, mandarin orange romaine salad
26 Sunday here - Crockpot cherry pork tenderloin with carrots, roasted cauliflower, garlic herb scalloped potatoes, red and green salad, rolls
27 Mon - Chicken fajitas with green salad
28 Tues - Shrimp curry with rice, kale chips, apple slices
29 Wed - Baked potato soup with green salad
30 Thur - Sausage ricotta manicotti with broccoli
31 Fri - Pizza with root beer and Italian salad

Bon Appetit!