Sewing for my Valentine

I did a little sewing for my little Valentine.  My big Valentine will be getting chocolates and some new socks.  Pretty romantic, huh?  LOL!!

I ordered the cutest throw pillow kit from Emily Ann's Kloset etsy shop.  The iron-on is just too adorable.

I sewed the turning hole after taking this picture.  :)

Lori Holt had shown on her blog a while ago, some cute glass jars with fancy glass knobs and it's been on my mind to make some.  I made a few for the house and of course, my little Valentine needed one for herself in her favorite color.  I filled it with her favorite chocolates - Dove Dark and some Hershey Kisses.  The kitty's name is Caramel.  She was napping on my bed when I disturbed her with my photo shoot.

Here are the jars I made for myself.  I plan on using them on the dessert/candy buffet at my in-laws 50th Wedding Anniversary party happening later this summer.  For now they are hanging out in my kitchen.  I plan on using them long term in my sewing room.

I stopped at Hobby Lobby last week and spotted super cute Valentine fabric and bought some yardage for pillowcases.  I love them and want a set for myself.

I have been trying to keep up with things.  I pulled out a few WIPs/UFOs and working on getting things done.  Need to snap a few pictures.  And I've been working on some swap items for a few new swaps I've joined.

Enjoy your day!
Jen  :)

Pillow Talk

I worked on three requested personalized pillows for friends.  One was requested back late last year.  They aren't hard to do; just time consuming.  I figured if I was busting all the equipment out for one, I might as well get all three done.

I made some pillowcases for Amelia and my husband for a little something for Valentine's Day.  I love the fabrics I used for Amelia's.. Honey Bee Mine.  I want a set for myself.  How can you not smile when you see those bears!  Vintage trucks for my husband.

I have been keeping busy with various other projects.  I got a few more string blocks done and I'm working on a Schnibbles for the March 1st parade.  Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to join this time!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

In the nick of time!

I have a big finish for 2013.  Only 2 years in the making.  Maybe I should have held off and blogged about it on the 2nd anniversary of the first block.  I made the first block early January 2012 and here it is... December 30, 2013 and I can say it is finished and ready to be quilted... when I get backing for it.

SWOON!  FINISHED!!!  WOOOHOOOOOO!

Happy to have this one finally finished.  Sad that it took me so long since all I had left to do was to sash the 3rd row and sew the three rows together.  I made some little pinwheels for cornerstones in the sashing for fun.  I used a lot of red in this quilt.  I should have taken a better look at the blocks as I was making them. Another gray one would have been nice.  Eh.  It's done.  I'm happy.  Moving on.

I made a travel pillowcase for one of my BFF's daughters.  She lost her pillow and case that I made her a couple of years ago.  Requested another pillowcase for the replacement travel pillow.

Last for right now, some looming fun.  A warm scarf and a little hat for my God-son.  This loom knitting is super fun and addicting!  Christmas night, I was home alone.  Husband working and Punk went to my Mom's for a few days.  I sat in the recliner for 5 hours, just looming away.  I had to force myself to turn the TV off at 11pm and go to bed.  I kept telling myself "just one more row".  This scarf only took me a couple of hours over a 2 day period.  What I was working on Christmas night is just a fun project.  Using up some yarn.

The little hat is more of an aqua and celery color combo.  I couldn't get them to come through correctly in any picture I took.

 OH!  The memory quilt for my Grandmother.  I gave it to her last week on Sunday.  Unfinished but that's okay.  I will grab it from her in the next couple of weeks to put the binding on.  She cried after REALLY seeing it and figured out what it was.  She thought it was just a quilt.  The pictures in the blocks kind of got by her at first.  Once she really looked at it and saw pictures of my Grandfather, her children, her grand-children and great grand-children... waterworks.  It was a big, big hit.  Even my Dad shed a tear.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

Let me catch you up

Well hello there!  No excuses on my blogging absence.  I just didn't have much to say.

Let me catch you up on the last 6+ weeks or so.

Amelia graduated college and she's off to Super Hero school.  Just kidding.  She successfully passed 2nd grade and on her way to being a 3rd grader and a "book buddy" to a kindergartner.  She's looking forward to that.

Last day of school

Ellyn made Amelia the dress that she wore for her last day of school... 2 years ago!  It finally fit her.  She's a petite little thing.  I wish I had her metabolism.

Her teacher loved the apples wallhanging.  I had Amelia write the label.  She added the last sentence all on her own; "Thank you for this wonderful year".  She really liked her teacher this year.

I had some quilting done by Jill again.  Wonderful job, as usual.  Here are 2 of the pieces I had done.  I finally got my pinwheel quilt (quilt in my header) quilted but I haven't had a chance to trim it up.  I will show you that one soon.  The Valentine heart wallhanging - Carol made one earlier this year and I really like it so I made one myself.  The Lucy's Crab Shack table runner... I pieced it last summer.  Nothing like procrastination at it finest getting it quilted.

Lastly, I made a couple of pillowcases.  Next week, Punk and I are flying the friendly skies to Texas for a mini vacation.  We're off to go spend some time with my BFF and her family.  We haven't seen each other in 3 years.  We email/Facebook pretty much every day so we keep in touch but there's nothing like face to face.  We are all super excited about the trip.  The pillowcases are for her girls.

That's it.  Not much.  Trying to keep cool in this mega heat we've been hit with.  Spending lots of time in the AC and pool.  My sewing room doesn't have AC so it's a bit warm in there.  Probably why I've been staying away from my sewing projects.  I have a few things in the works that I would like to get motivated to finish.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

To ease myself back into sewing, I worked on getting all the pillowcases made that I bought fabric for when we went away back in April.  Our weather for the Memorial Day weekend was terrible.  Raw, cold, and raining.  We were very happy that we decided to stay home and not go up north.  My in-laws went and New Hampshire got 4 inches of snow Saturday night.  I heard that upstate New York got upwards of 3 feet of snow!  It felt more like March than the end of May!

Thankfully, the sun found its way back and Monday it was nice and sunny.  End of this week, the weatherman is saying we are going to hit the 90s!  From winter to mid-summer with no Spring.  As usual for New England.

Question is... which ones will go on the beds this week?

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Every Plan Needs a Back Up

Happy Memorial Day!  How's everyone doing?  Any picnics happening or just chilling at home?  That's what I've been doing.  Just chilling out.  In my sewing room.  I spent most of yesterday in there.  Ran a few errands and then headed upstairs for 8 hours or so.  Felt good.

I had said that I was going to work on Swoon.  And I did - sort of.  I got block 7 cut and started piecing the parts.  Then I got another idea in my head and put Swoon aside.  I'm sorry Swoony.  I will get you finished soon.  I promise.

On my way home Saturday I stopped at Joann Fabrics for a few odds and ends.  I found some cute fabrics and decided to make Amelia's teacher a table topper as an End of the Year Thank You.  Minimal piecing.  It came out cute, I think.  I got it pieced and quilted and now I'm working on getting the binding on.  I will show you as soon as I'm done.

I've also had making couch pillow covers on my to do list for over a year.  I had the fabrics for all that time as well.  I decided that this weekend my couch was getting new accent pillows.  The accent pillows on the couch, the covers can't be removed and they are just getting ugly.  They are now pretty and I'm using those same pillows as the filler.  Good deal.  Pillows are expensive.  I used Pure by Sweetwater.  I busted out my Lil Twister tool that I never used and went to town.  Made some granny squares too.  Next set of pillows will be Make Life by Sweetwater.  I've had those fabrics as long as I've had Pure.  I started pinwheels way back when but I don't like them any more so I need to start over.  I think I will make another twister.  That was fun.

My Postage Stamp top is finally FINALLY finished!  Now to get it quilted.  I need to get some backing.  I have some fabrics for it but not enough.  But it fits my bed nicely so I would REALLY like to get this quilted this year.  Sigh.  I'm going to try.  Maybe I'll do it myself (HA!).  Most likely I will send it out.

Fabrics - Giddy by Sandy Gervais

Lastly, I made 2 new pillowcases for Punk.  Retro ice cream trucks and ice cream sandwiches.  Cute!  Heidi made the same pillowcase in the April FNSI and I totally fell for the fabric.  Found some and ordered it.  Washed it and put it aside.  Got them done this morning.  I think I want to keep them for myself.

fabric - Ice Cream You Scream Ice Cream by Timeless Treasures

I feel good, getting some of these projects done and out of the way for now.  I wish one of them was Swoon but the day isn't over yet.  ;)

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

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

Old Glory

Hello Friends.  How's things?  Things here are good.  I haven't been doing much in the sewing room, I'm afraid.  It's just been too dang HOT and I don't have AC in the room.  But I did get in there today for about an hour.  I got these two pillowcases done that I'm donated to Carol.  I'm happy that they are done and I'm not last minute with them.  Speaking of last minute, I still have to get my Santa sack made.  I only have 2 weeks to get it into the mail to my swap partner along with my first gift (that's all done) and I'm being really lazy about it.  I finally picked out the fabric for it so I'm a little ahead of the game.

Here are my pillowcases for Carol.

I have a feeling that I'll be making a variation for Amelia for her bed.  I REALLY like the flag with the white cuff.  I didn't think I would like it that much because the flag fabric is a bit busy but in a pillowcase?  Yup.  I like it.

We celebrated big yesterday.  My baby graduated Kindergarten.  She's now an unofficial 1st grader.  They had a very nice ceremony at the school last night.  Here are a few pictures.

pillowcase dress I bought off Etsy.  I love that Michael Miller fabric!

Amelia's teacher

Official Kindergarten Graduate!

Sigh.  Punkie is growing up way too fast.  I also have plans to make her another pillowcase dress.  I bought the fabric for it.  I just need to wash it and get it done.  I also have another summer dress to show you.  I hope to get Punk to model it next week when she is officially done with school (her last day is Monday).  Then it will be just Summertime fun!  This will be the first time I've been home with her for a whole summer.  It's going to be very interesting.  LOL!!

Have a great weekend!
Jen

Some easy sewing

Did all the Moms have a nice Mother's Day?  I did.  We went out to brunch with some of my extended family and Mom.  It was nice and we all left the restaurant fat and happy.  Chris and Amelia gifted me a double thread cone holder for my sewing machine.  I love it.  It actually clips to the top of my sewing machine.  I should go and take its picture to show you.  When my cone of thread gets delivered, I will do just that.

I have many projects to work on but I just haven't felt like concentrating on them.  I had some fabric here in my stash and figured it was enough for some pillowcases so that's what I did.  I made pillowcases.

The 4 on the left is from Kari Ramsey's Tidbits fabric collection.  2 for us and 2 for Punk.  The cupcakes ones... well, they were supposed to be for Amelia but you know what?  I'm keeping them for myself.  I have another idea for her using these two fabrics so you'll have to stay tuned.  Hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I'll show you.  :)

That's all for now.  I signed up for the Santa Sack Swap and I have some ideas brewing in my head for my partner, Melissa and a long list of small projects I would like to make for her.  I'm just not sure what Christmas fabrics to use for my sack.  I think a trip to the fabric store for some inspiration is needed soon!  I have been working on my Bliss disappearing 9 patch blocks too.  I have 20 of them done and since I shifted gears with these blocks yet again, I have some re-measuring to do.

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)