2013 Year end summarization

Am trying to list these on 11/7/14 to recap what 2013 were finished in my creative process.

1- Lone Star Quilt finished just enough for a quilt show but really wasn't- ;(  I learned my lesson x3!
2-Camper Bird quilt finished just enough for a quilt show but really wasn't- ;( I learned my lesson x3!
3- Forty Diamond quilt finished just enough for a quilt show but really wasn't- ;( I learned my lesson x3!
4-Appliqued I'm a bit biased Jopurnal
5- Beading a Kumihimo Bracelet softer green with Magatama irridescent glass beads
6- Beading- a Kumihimo Black with bits of Gold Bracelet
7- Beading a Kumihimo Bracelet with bright blues/blacks and purples
8- Beading a Kumihimo Bracelet with a red/violet mix
9- Beading a Matte Blue Kumihimo Bracelet
10- Beading a serpentine Bracelet with purples and greens
11- Embroidery, Designed and Sewn - Stitch Me Up Blog Hop, Gardening Organizer

12- Knitting - Lime Basket weave dishrag

13- Patchabilities - Ball Jar with Coneflowers

14- Quilt - Twin Field of Flowers for PGD#1

15- Quilted & Embroidered - It's All About Me Blog Hop, Irish Table Runner

16- Iron pad/Caddy

17- Quilting - Pom Pom Cheerleader Pillow Sham

18- Sewing - 2 Happy Birthday table toppers

19- Sewing 2 Superman capes

20- Sewing - 2 sided 60 shades of Grey and Beer Apron21- Sewing - 3 pillow cases to match Field of Flowers quilt   

22- Sewing - A Little Something Jacket w/Tropical leaves

23- CXS - BOO Balsam Pillow w/pompom fringe  

24- CXS - Santa's Reindeer

25- CXS - Trick or Treat (witch's boots)

26- Embroidery, Designed and Sewn - Stitch Me Up Blog Hop, Gardening Organizer

27- Knitting- Lace Mug Rug

28- Sewing the Medicine Tote bag

29- Sewing- 4 Pot Holders

30-Sewing Tea Bag Wallet

31- Sewing The Tammy Bag for a sewing necessaire

 

 

Now to clean up my blog page with 2014 projects completed.  I love seeing all that was accomplished in a year.

 

Jane

 

 

Wishing you plenty of Christmas Sparkle!

I just wanted to pop in to wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Thanks so much for reading and leaving encouraging comments on my blog during the past year.

Thank you for keeping me company, I appreciate it very, very much!

 

Time spent with friends and family.... priceless.

 

Age 5  and receiving the switch and Go dino.

 

 

Looks like Mema/Meme and Papa/Popi did just fine with the gifting. 

Age 8 and getting her McKenna Doll she's been wanting.

Age 20 and doing well.  Great to see him just before the Holidays for his drumming routine.

SCORE!!!

 

Wishing you Joy, Peace and much Love.

 

 Jane

 

PS:  (We never were able ot catch PGS#2 on film, he's a sly one.....lol)

 

Winter solstice 2013

 

Usually there seems to be magic in the air at this time of year. 

An Ice Storm blessed our region with plenty of beautiful sights.    It just takes a moment to notice. 

 

 

While all of that was being created,

this is how I spent my time, attending to a few cards I want to get out while enjoying a lovely spot of tea..

 

 

Still much to get done.  I know , but I think my inner child wants to go for a car ride and see what else is visable in our neighborhood. 

 

Today is glorious!

 

Just look at those magnificent sentries guarding our path to the river.

My photos are not doing this scene justice, that sunshine is making all the ice coverings just sparkle and look magical!

New FO's for 2014, here I come. also am sharing my ongoing UFO's too.

Barb from Cat Patches is hosting and challenging us for next year's New FO Challenge.  It's a way to get to those projects that you want to make but haven't even started yet.  With her enticement, several of my PIGs are done and have been gladly shared here and during their seasons throughout my home.  Thanks Barb, I owe you!




So with that shared, here's a line up of some of my New FO's I want to make for 2014 and they are in no particular order.




New FOs 2014

1. Make a kindle Bag- (am thinking of using linens for this and YES this was on last year's list but didn't even get to selecting fabric to the start it stage yet !)
2. A bag to store the "magic eyes" and their lenses safely and all together. (Ditto, about this was in last year's too!)
3. Patchabilities- the cardinals. (Ditto)
4. Frankenstein Wall quilt (another Ditto)
5. Baby quilt for a friend's first grand daughter. (it's for Peggy's new girl coming sometime this year 2014)
6. Counted cross stitch piece "Take Joy in the Journey"
7. Valentine kitted wallhanging.
8. Knit one hat.
9. Scrap quilt, (am thinking of making it tree themed or using the PB&J Moda charmpacks I have in).
10. Patchabilities- the Coneflower in the boot.
11. Patchabilities- Butterfly house.
12. Queen plus size quilt using the fall themed fabrics, my own concept and pattern- I want this one to be a WOWzer with an appliqued center motif.
13. Make a knitting needle organizer case.
14. Two more Pillowcases made for Camp Takumteh (Camp for children with Cancer- an annual drive).
15. Fourth of July pillow covering for one of my couch cushions by July.
16. Make 9 book earrings for Christmas 2014 book club gifts.
17. Start a Modern looking quilt perhaps the jelly roll in with that textured grungy black scratch background.
18. Make another purse or BAG.

If I need more New FO's or want to change the above list, then these are also wishes and want to start someday items.

1. Wildwood twin quilt, bought as a kit from Stephanie Brandenburg, gorgeous browns and a lovely tree in it.
2. String queen size quilt in the mauves,golds, greens and browns- perhaps do as a humpjumper style.
3. Amish sampler kit.
4. Urban Grunge quilt kitted.
5. Stephanie Brandenburg fabrics for a floral wall hanging.
6. Start cross stitching The Red Thread.....
7. Make book ornaments for book club.
8. Start the Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Mystery quilt in burgandy, pinks, yellows and black?
9. Counted cross stitch another Shephard's Bush scissor fob
10. Knit another dish rag to learn more about stitching, would love to make a shawl sometime.
11. Urban Couture basic Grey that's all kitted up and I want to start sometime.  Just wondering with all this listing..... Do they make a 29 month year?   

I have many more that I could list here (July 4th stars, Yellow star BOM, Amish Sampler BOM, some beaded items and bracelets, dishrags, wolf/fox  quilt for PGS#1, etc, etc. etc...  - but I'll stop now before I go into overwhelm which seems to happen so often and so much easier lately.  AND Since I'm writing this in a list format I also figured that I'd list my UFO's as well, in no particular order here are many of them but not all.  They are:


UFOs 2014

The first three listed were in the quilt show unfinished and they need completing, I only quilted enough to let them hang without too much shame but will never do that to myself ever again, How embarassing!

1. Finish quilting Tweet Camping Quilt (Am trying to make a template for diamonds on pont in the sashed areas, any hints would be so welcome.)
2. Finish quilting the 40 diamonds Quilt- hopefully by Ground Hog's Day since that's our 40th anniversary.
3. More quilting on the Adirondack Star Quilt (aka: the lone star of greens, burgandy and pink)
4. Assemble the 12 Redwork Santas blocks already embroidered into a top and perhaps finish by Christmas 2014 am waiting til my muse tells me how this needs to be done.
5. Embroider the last 3 Lil' Miss Shabby blocks yet to be done, maybe concentrate on one per month.
6. Make the quilt top of the four patch "humpjumper" quilt.   All of the block units are done but need to assemble then applique the borders on, thinking of machine applique for this part.
7. Make the pumpkin pillow PGD#1 colored two years ago now.  Inserting Bad Grandma statement here!
8. Cross stitch Santa with reindeer needs finishing - perhaps I can even get to this for 2013 since it's rather small.
9. Wool pincushion making of peach with aqua on moss green background.
10. Stranger in the woods wallhanging UFO since ??  years!
11. Bonnie Turner's Chocolate baskets in Strawberries -N- cream, I started this in May 2013 and love it so far.
12. Fourth of July wallhanging an art quilt, we'll see.
13. Pillow to match the Bird song quilt that was made 5 years ago, was started in a Joan Ford class the spring of 2013.
14. BOM from the guild's BOM program that uses the purple, blue and green fabrics
15. BOM from the guild's BOM from 2 years ago using the pinks, yellows and oranges.
16. Jacket from Just Another jacket? in the butterfly toned fabric- it was started this summer and I don't care for how it's hanging or feels.  I was adapting the pattern to fit better with a buit of fabric shortage and it's a bit off, need to decide if it's worth finishing or should it be reclaimed and made into something else.
17. I have several beaded items I could list here too but will just share whatever I accomplish when I do.
18. Finish the Scaredy Sheep counted cross stitch fob.
19. Mater quilt needs the top made and then finished, comunity project?
20. Not to mention the Baltimore Album I started over a decade ago but am realistic that this will not be attempted yet.
21. Which brings me to one I'd love to re-start some year, the Jenny Beyers' Moonglow.  I have one star block made and want to get to the rest.  Who knows, maybe 2015 could be the year for that.  Just saying.

That's 50 projects mentioned all total and if I divide that into 365 days in the year I figure I need to push out one project every seven and one third days.  IMPOSSIBLE!  Do I dare?  Even that, I figure if I get two done a month which seems to be my normal, than I am a happy girl and will gladly relist many of these for 2015.  Sly ain't I?

Other UFO's now that I'm a thinkin' about them are the Pineapple wallhanging, Bar Harbour vacation picture, another landscape quilt, the BOM wreath blocks I  think I need to get an excell spreadsheet out to help me remember where all these are and what step I'm on for each but will leave that task for another day.

So are you going to join in Barb's challenge allowing yourself to play with thsoe new ideas and pigs you couldn't resist?  You know what they say, the more the merrier. 

Come on, I dare ya! 

Okay,  make that a double dog dare ya!!!

 

Enjoy your day,

 

Jane

 http://catpatches.blogspot.com/2013/12/kicking-off-2014-newfo-challenge-linky.html

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy 81st Birthday!!!

 

Wishing my Mom a wonderful Birthday!  Mom, You rock and I love you so much.  Many times through our travels I always feel so blessed to be your daughter.  You are an amazing women, friend and Mom. 

 

Thank you for being you and sharing yourself so graceously while doing it so well.  I've been paying attention and hope I can do as well with my life.   

PS:  And did you notice I actually told every one how old you really are? 

lol  Evil aren't I?

Last weeks items:

1. Flowers stitched onto Lil Miss Shabby
2. 2 threads sewn onto Scaredy Sheep fob- did 6! 
3. Start the knitting the slouchy hat (Need to purchase some knitting needles, I have everyother size but these!)  Didn't do this but changed it up and did start knitting a dishrag!   Just could't find the required circular needle.
4. Label PGD#1 advent calendar - DONE!  Elfie, the elf on the shelf loves it too and actually sat in one of the advent pockets a couple of times now.  McKenna did an excellent job on her advent calendar and I hope she enjoys it for many years to come though she generously give it to her Mom for Christmas.

The list of four I wrote out didn't get totally done, only two of the items were done and the one I changed did get started so not too bad attending to three especially since I've been sick again with the yearly bronchitis, sinus, ear and asthma situation.  Both DH and I are wondering when we'll need to move south for our health.  Each year it's getting more difficult for my lungs.  SO I'm on antibiotics, steroids and more steroid inhalers besides the nebulizer treatments.  Never realized when I was sick how difficult my breathing was until my lungs started opening back up.  Can I say how nice it is to breath! 

 

So this weeks list of Four are:

1. Flowers stitched onto Lil Miss Shabby
2. 2 more threads on Shephards Bush scaredy sheep
3. Finish the completed CXS Santa and reindeer as a balsam pillow to hang in the master bedroom
4. Finish knitting dish rag with the wrap over technique every 5 rows.

 Meatloaf for dinner and while thats cooking will make up some spaghetti sauce to freeze for a

quick dinner another night.  Of course I need to start with my Christmas cards and

go downstairs to find some more decorating items for the kitchen. 

 

 

It's so beautiful outside with it snowing.   DH is plowing the driveway and the Christmas carols are playing. 

At least that bitter cold is now insulated with the 8 inches of snow covering our area. 

Enjoy your day.

 

Jane

 

 

December beginnings and November's New FO.....

Was  away for Thanksgiving and now that I'm home am getting the home ready for Christmas.  My creativity has hit a slump recently and  it's been slow progress with several UFOs.   My lungs are also giving me their usual fits that happens at this time of year too. 

 

 

After receiving an order from Annie's Catolog with items I thought could be helpful with marking the "Tweet Camping quilt" that I'd like to quilt more in three different area.  I received the Sullivans 6 in 1 marking pencil, not sure if I like this yet) and the Clover quilting transfer mesh. 

My ideas for more quilting on this quilt is"

1.  the brown sashing with a diamond row,
2. the wild print of birds fabric using either a small meander or quilt the outlines of the birds and flowers it contains
3.  the stacks of four blocks to be quilted with an X in each.

Since some of it is quilted, the measurements are a bit off and I'm trying to find the easest and best way to mark those diamond rows in that dark brown.  Wish me luck!

 

The lil' MIss Shabby June block is almost done. 

Only the flowers left to sew after they get marked (ah hum... for the fourth time that is!).

 

Started this next project in November as a NEW FO.  It's a counted cross stitch fob from Shephards Bush design called Scaredy Sheep.  It's been on my want to do some day list for several years so with  

Barb's New FO challenge, seems to be just the right push for me to start something new, thanks Barb!

 

While cleaning up to decorate I thought of hiding my CXS (counted cross stitch) project in a quote worthy box on the mantel.  Makes it readily available, but not so messy by setting it on a TV tray which is my usual mode.

Looks so much better doesn't it! 

 

Currently the stockings are hung, some decorations are out, and many gifts wrapped.  Who knows, perhaps I'll be ahead of the game this year.

The list of four for this week are:

• Flowers stitched onto Lil Miss Shabby
• 2 threads sewn onto Scaredy Sheep fob
• Start the knitting the slouchy hat                                                                                                                           (Need to purchase some knitting needles, I have everyother size but these!)
• Label PGD#1 advent calendar

Keep sane and warm,
Jane

Did you know that Schmetz needles has a "cheat sheet' of which needles are which for their color banded needles?
Here's a handy link where you can print out that chart in an 8x10 format or here for two 4x6 versions. 
I printed out both for a reference though I do have a needle wheel where I can select which needle is in my machine whenever I change it and that way I always know what is in my machine.  It's very handy and when I see another sale with these will get a couple more for the granddaughter's machine and my portable Bernina too.  They are that handy!