Merry Christmas!

Before I forget, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!! Hope your holidays are filled with family, friends, laughter and good cheer!

Merry Christmas!

Hugs!
Jen and Amelia

Am I done?!

I keep thinking I'm not.  Well, I'm not.  Sewing, I am but I have tabs for those coupon clutches to cut out yet.  My hand aches just thinking about it.

Here is the last of my Christmas gift sewing that I finished today.  I made 3 fleece blankets.  2 are going to TX to my BFF's little girls and one to my sister in law who is always cold.

First is my SIL's.  Her favorite color is orange so I think this one fits her well.  I backed it with "tangerine".  I kind of want to keep this one for myself.  :)

Now for my BFF's girls.  This one is for Julia:

And this one is for Sydney:

They are going to super late for Christmas but that's okay.  They are getting wrapped right now and delivered to the post office tomorrow morning.

And just to finish out this post... Punkie got sick at school this morning so she was sent home and has to stay home tomorrow.  24 hour rule.  She was sick a little at home but now she is feeling much better.  She needed to pose for some pictures.

do  you like her "scary face"??!

Enjoy the rest of your day!
Jen

Getting down to the wire!

5 more days!  Just 5 more days!  And I hope these 5 days pass fast!  Punk is ready for Santa and I mean READY.  That is all she has been talking about the last week.  Hurry up Santa!  Everybody else ready or are they stressing to the last minute?

My "go to" gift this year were these coupon clutches.  Modified just a bit using a focal fabric instead of making a patchwork.  Kris was kind enough to send me her measurements for using one focal fabric as she did here.

Well, here are mine.  I took Punkie to the fabric store and she had a good time picking out the fabrics for everybody.  The 3 fruit ones (apples, blueberries and strawberries) are for her teachers.  Rest are for family.  I am working on getting all the inserts printed out, cut and laminated.  Which reminds me, I need more laminating sheets.

What else?  Oh.  I would like to make a couple of these for my cousins.  They look super simple.  I think I can do it.  I would also like to get my house picked up for Christmas morning.  We aren't hosting anything here at home but it would be nice for the house to be pretty for Santa.  Don't want him tripping over anything on his way to the Christmas tree.  :)

Well, I need to pop onto a 3 hour telecom soon.  Must get my water and snacks at the ready. 

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Santa Sack Swap - Part 2

MY TURN!  To be honest, I almost forgot all about gift opening today.  I am so wiped out from my traveling that I really want to be lazy today but I can't be lazy today so I won't be lazy today.  :)  My day started before 5 am yesterday because I just couldn't sleep anymore; my internal clock was still on east coast time and I was at the airport for 7:00 am.  I landed at 7:30 pm.  I stopped at Target on my way home to finish up some Christmas shopping last night.  Crazy, I know but I figured I was already out so why not?

Okay!  Present time!  Melissa made/gave me some wonderful gifts!

Here we go!  Just a little overview on my couch.  Not everything is in the picture.  I broke some things out.
3 wonderful wall hangings or table toppers.  Love that "Ho Ho Ho" one.  I think some short person in my house will claim it as her own once she sees it.  Fabric ornaments (that are already on my tree).  "Chocolate"mug with a sack of Dove dark on the inside.  MMMMMM.  All MINE!  And more and more!

"Citrus" charm pack.  Love the colors.  I think I'm going to use my Lil' Twister tool to make a table runner out of them.  A scissor keeper with a cute pair of scissors inside.  And a close up of the ornaments.

These trivets ROCK!  Melissa, please share what the pattern name is?  I would love to make these next year for Christmas gifts. And if I start in January; I should be done by Christmas 2012, right??  LOL!  They are SOOO COOL!

Hanging kitchen towels.  One is already on my oven door.

A pair of Christmas pillowcases.  Funny.  Pillowcases was on my potential gift list for Melissa but I never made them.  They are going on my bed today... before Amelia claims those too.  A zippered pouch that I can use for travel or in my person and the pattern to make more!

Melissa, THANK YOU!  I love everything.  And a thank you to Cheryll for hosting this wonderful swap.  It was a big commitment and I don't know if I could do it again.  Having the summer off this year REALLY helped but who knows?  If there is a 2012 version, I may change my mind.

Merry Christmas!!
Jen

Santa Sack Swap - part 1

Hello!  I can't show you what my partner Melissa made for me since I'm in San Fran for a few days but I CAN show you what I made for Melissa!  Check out her post.  She loves everything and that makes me really happy.

When I get home, I'll do a post with everything that I made for her and of course, show what she made for me.  I can't wait to get home and open presents!!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Candy Sleighs!

Ellyn posted some very cute candy sleighs that she made a few days back.  I put them in the file for "next year" and then, as always, I needed to make them NOW.  I made a list and hit Target on Saturday (finished my Christmas shopping, btw) and loaded up on chocolates and candy canes.  Amelia and I set to work last night and we finished what we could this afternoon.  We had enough mini Hersheys for 11 sleighs.  I have one lone one waiting in the wings.

I intend to buy more mini Hersheys (and Kit Kats) when I get back from my business trip to make more.  I have another whole box of candy canes to use.

Cute, huh?  We'll be giving them out to the little kids in the family and maybe some "big kids" too.

A little bit of sewing has been happening here.  I'm almost done with those coupon clutches but they will have to wait until I get back this weekend.  Unless I find some spare time to finish those up before I leave.

Enjoy the rest of your day!
Jen

Quilters ADD

I have Quilters ADD.  Seriously.  I have 4 more coupon clutches to make and I need to finish them all up (sew the turning hole and print out the inserts).  I would like to finish 2 pillowcases for my bed.  I would like to start a new tote for myself.  I am traveling for work next week.  Yes.  Week before Christmas and I need to fly across the country for 4 days.  You would think that's enough on my plate.  Nope.

I want to make this.

Sigh.  I love it.  Here's my dilemma.  I have been collecting pinks and oranges for a pink and orange quilt for myself.  But I love the bright and happiness of this scrappy look.  Now, scrappy is not "me" but then if they were MY scraps, it WOULD be "me" right??

So do I make a pink and orange version or a fun scrappy version (using some of those pinks and oranges that I've been collecting)?  This is going to be a "when I'm bored with other projects, I'll work on this one" kind of project.  No rush.  No hurry.

What do you think?

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Sunkissed Wallhanging

I have a goal to get a few quilt tops that I've had done and in waiting, quilted in 2012.  I started small.  Jill is starting a little quilting side business and I sent her my Sunkissed Schnibbles and had her quilt it.  She did a wonderful job on it and I'm very pleased.

She did a mini paisley design and it matches the top just great.

close up of backing and quilting

Now it's up to me to get the binding on.  I have no good pink yardage in my stash or enough for a binding so a trip to the fabric store is needed!  Awww shucks!  LOL!

Thank you Jill!  You did a great job and more will be coming your way!  Oh... and my payment too.  In the mail tomorrow.  LOL.  Almost forgot about that part. 

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Okay. Christmas can come now

Last December while scrambling to finish all my other Christmas gifts, I felt I NEEDED to make stockings for our family.  I got one made for Punk and hadn't thought about them again.  Fast forward... Sharon had a fabric sale this Spring?  Summer?  and I bought fabrics for my stocking and Chris'.  You would think having all Summer off from work that I would work on them.  Because believe me, the fabric stared me right in the face and I totally ignored it.

Then the scramble started.  Thanksgiving weekend.  And I finished them last night.  I'm happy.  We don't have a fireplace or mantle so they are hung on our staircase.  It's the only good place for them.

Countdown to Christmas by Sweetwater for Chris

Christmas Candy by Riley Blake for me

All three together

Ahhhh.  That's better.  Santa can come fill our stockings now.

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

My Santa Sack Is FULL!

So, ummm, WHEN are we allowed to open our gifts?!  I'm soooo ready now!  The last of my gifts were waiting for me on my front porch when I got home last night.

Sorry for the lousy lighting.  I snapped these pictures last night.  Melissa was even kind enough to add a Christmas card to my package.  I was so focused on getting my gifts to her in the mail on time, I spaced adding a card.  Sorry Melissa!!

I really enjoyed this swap.  It was a big time commitment but not working all Summer really helped me there.  I had fun creating my gifts for Melissa and I hope she likes everything that I made/gave her.  And I found a new blog friend.  :)

I had another nice surprise in the mail.  You'll have to come back tomorrow to see.  :)

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

A Little Bit Super Hero, A Little Bit Girly Girl

My favorite short person is into super heroes these days.  So much so that she was "Super Girl" for Halloween.  Did I ever show you Super Girl?

A few weeks ago, Punkie came with me to the fabric store and she spotted Superman fabric.  Ever so sweetly, she asked, PLEASE Mama?  Can you make me Superman pillowcases for Christmas?  Well, what do you think?  I also made her pillowcases out of Sugar and Spice by Riley Blake.

a little bit super hero, a little bit girly girl

She will be happy come Christmas morning.

The last of my Santa Sack Swap gifts are done and wrapped and in the mail!  Melissa, be on the look-out!

That's all for now!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

*LOVE*

Yesterday I received an email from Quilt Patch Lane advertising new fabrics and I opened it.  Normally, I delete these types of emails.  I don't need the temptation!  But yesterday was a slow day at work so I opened the email for some light reading.

I am so smitten and in love with this panel, you don't even know!  LOVE IT!  I love it so much that I have decided to order it after the holidays if it is still available.  If it's still there, it was meant to be.


How can you NOT love these sheep?!

 Look at this border fabric!

The World of SusyBee is the fabric collection.  If YOU love it too, PLEASE save me some!  Because I will be ordering... soon.  :) 

Just to be clear, no, I'm NOT expecting.  I just love these sheep and I will quilt the panel and hang it in my sewing room.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Pillowcases

My BFF asked me to make a couple of pillowcases to fit her girls' travel pillows for preschool.  Of course!  Super quick.  I had them done in an hour.

Julia's favorite color is purple and Sydney's is yellow.  The request was for purple and YELLOW.  LOL.  I had to laugh.  I tried to find the brightest yellow I could.

The purple is a little more of a periwinkle blue-ish purple.  But I loved the Lakehouse stars for the cuff so I bought accordingly for the body of the pillow.  They will be on their way to TX next week.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Determination Pays Off

Morning Friends!  Are we all still in a turkey coma or did you head out early and hit the Black Friday sales?  LOL!  We had a lovely Thanksgiving.  This year, the dinner was hosted at our house and I was in charge of the turkey.  This was only my 2nd time hosting Thanksgiving and the first time I made homemade stuffing.  Everything was delicious!  And my stuffing ROCKED!

After Amelia went to bed, I wasn't ready to sleep myself even though I was exhausted so I made good use of my free time.

Country Snowfriends

So?  What do you think?  I LOVE IT!  I worked on it Wednesday afternoon and got as far as machining on the binding.  Wednesday night, I started hand-sewing the binding on the back and finished it last night along with burying my threads.

My quilting is minimal because I just wanted to get it done.  The backing is just like the border.  I love that fabric.  The border and maroon star fabric is a Red Rooster Fabrics collection called Winterberry Lane.  The binding is from Basic Grey.  I believe it was their last year's Christmas collection called Fruitcake?  That Winterberry Lane... I wish my fabric store had the whole collection.  Like I said, it's not truly my style but it speaks to me.  It has to be this guy:

close up of my minimal quilting

It's finished and it's on my wall and I'm happy.  I have prepped 5 coupon clutches so far.  My Santa Sack Swap items are all done.  I just need to wrap and put in the mail.  Be on the look out, Melissa!  They will be put in the mail on Tuesday.

Today Punkie and I are going visiting.  We're going to head out and see my friends who just had a baby girl.  I can't wait to see them!  It's been a year or so since we've last seen each other.

If you have today off, hope you have a creative one!
Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

For those of you here in the US, I would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Eats lots and lots and stay away from the Black Friday sales!  They aren't that great anyway.  ;)

Jen  :)

Snowball Snowmen

See.  Told you I would be back.  LOL! 

Did you see Rachel's super cute and fast tutorial on her Snowman mug rug?  If you didn't, you must go check it out.  Now.  Go ahead.  I'll wait....

Did you pop over and see it?  Cute, eh? -> put a little Canadian accent in there too for effect.  I love it.  I saw the tutorial this morning and could not get it out of my head.  When shopping for fabric for the coupon clutches, I picked up a little extra.  I had intended to make this as a gift but then stopped myself.  I said "self.  You NEVER make anything for yourself or the house.  Only for someone else.  You always tell yourself that you will make another one but that never happens."

You know what?  This is for ME.  I will make another as a gift because it will be well received but this one.  It's mine dude.  All mine.  Okay, it's for the house.

Here's what I have so far.  This only took me a little over an hour to cut and piece.

Now the colors that I picked really aren't "me".  Remember, this started out as a gift which the fabrics are perfect for.  But I don't care.  A little country colors isn't going to kill me. 

I intend to finish this soon. 

Enjoy your day!
Jen

I'm back!

So soon??  LOL!!  I do have a couple of things to show you that I've worked on in the last couple of days.  If you read Kris' blog, she posted some very cute coupon clutches that she made for gifts.  After speaking with her and her promising me that they are quick, I made one.  SUPER quick!  I have decided to make some for Amelia's teachers for Christmas gifts and I'm going to give some out to various family members.  I am following Kris' lead and only using a focal fabric versus a patchwork look.  I don't have the time to sew a patchwork clutch.  I wish I did because it is cute but I'm going to set myself up assembly line style and get the 13 I need done.

Thanks for the great idea Kris!  Amelia and I hit the fabric store this morning and picked out 13 1/3 yard cuts.  Yes, yes.  I could have shopped in my stash but I wanted the fabric to "match" everybody's personalities and I don't have many big cuts of fabric and what I do have.... I'm not willing to part with just yet.  ;)

Another thing that I whipped up just on Friday is a wipe holder.  My good friends Lori and Paul welcomed a sweet new addition to their family on 11/1.  Their family is now a family of 4 and Amelia and I are going to visit them on Friday afternoon; time better spent instead of fighting crowds for Black Friday "specials".  I bought the new baby girl a couple of outfits and of course big brother is getting a little something but I wanted to make a wipe holder too.  I ran out of time (and matching fabric) for the pacifier holder.  This time I used the quilted pattern instead of the stippled.  I like it much better.

just a little green on the inside for a bit of "pop"

Be sure to stop back again soon.  I have something else that I started working on just today.  I'm sure you'll want to see.  :)

Enjoy the rest of your day!
Jen

Still Surviving

Greetings!  I noticed it's been 2 weeks since I've posted on my own blog and I apologize.  Busy, busy over here.  BUT I actually got into my sewing room this past weekend after a several week hiatus and it felt GOOD!  Of course, I can't show anything that I worked on since they are for Melissa, my Santa Sack swap partner but it was nice to just decompress and be creative.  And I'm almost done with my Santa Sack gifts!  WOOHOO!  My housework took a back seat (and it SO SHOWS at home) over the last couple of weeks too.  We will be fixing that this weekend.  Let the purging begin!!  We need to let some of Amelia's toys go before Santa makes his most anticipated visit in just about a month.  I have NO ROOM for more toys.

Other than working, working and working, hanging out with my favorite short person and my husband... I'm surviving.

I HOPE to be back soon and show you something that I have been working on in between my Santa Swap stuff.  I just haven't snapped any pictures yet.

Until then...
enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Can't keep up

Did you ever feel so overwhelmed with just "stuff", you don't know where to begin?!  I need to finish up my Santa Sack swap gifts.  Christmas is around the corner practically and I'm soooo behind in my blog reading!

Working full time is for the birds!  LOL!! 

Oh... power is back on at my house.  VERY nice treat we got on Halloween night.

Back to work. 

Jen  :)

Deja Vu

If you haven't heard, the northeast got hit with some freak Autumn Nor'easter (Winter Storm Alfred - named after Alfred Hitchcock.  Very fitting) on Saturday and guess what?  We have been out of power since 3:00 pm yesterday afternoon. The powers-to-be are saying the damage done is 5x worse than what Hurricane Irene did to us.

Generator is running, husband is irritated.  Child is happy because she got to build a snowman and go sledding and I'm just happy that the internet came back so that I can work from home tomorrow.

Here are a couple of pics from this morning before the melting happened.  We only got about 3" of snow.  There are parts of the state that got a foot or more dumped on them.

catching snowflakes

my front yard - my driveway is buried over there somewhere

the beginnings of the snowman

Merry Christmas!  I mean, Happy Halloween!
Jen  :)

Being Creative

Howdy!  How's everybody doing?  Things here are good.  I FINALLY got time to sit down at my sewing machine this weekend.  Ahhhh.  Felt so good.

I played catch-up and got a few things accomplished.  I made a test "Swoon" block out of some Verna that's been in my stash.  I wanted to get a feel for the pattern and all that before cutting into my precious Ruby fat quarters.  My only mistake was using a directional fabric.  I didn't think it through all the way.  Some of my tulips are upside down but that's okay.  I have a new wallhanging or table topper for the Spring.

I need to pretty up my desk at work so I made a mug rug for myself.

Lastly, I finished part 1 of my November gifts for my Santa Sack swap partner.  Can't show the whole thing.  I'll give Melissa a sneak peek...

Hmmm.  What can it be?!

Amelia will be home soon from her weekend getaway to New Hampshire so I'll close it here.

Have a good night!
Jen