No Motivation

It's been horribly hot here.  I'm sure everybody else is feeling it too.  With this heat, I have no motivation.  None.  Zero.  Zip.  Zilch.  And I have a whole lot on my To Do list.  The heat and humidity are supposed to break by the weekend.  It can't come soon enough.  We are in desperate need of rain too.  Weather man is telling me big rain is coming Saturday night.  I hope so!!

We are leaving for a mini vacation next week.  Going to Lancaster, PA for some fun.  So for our trip, I made Punkie a quilted notebook using this tutorial, courtesy of Rachel.  She loves to write and practice her skills and spelling.  I thought this would help pass the time in the car.  It was quick, quick, quick!  My binding is a hot mess though because Amelia was desperate for me to be finished with it and she would not leave me alone until I got it done.  If she had let me be, I would have practiced my hand-sewing skills and did it correctly but sometimes speed is better with a 5 year old! 

Sorry for the dark photos.  I took these last night because I knew the notebook was going to go to Grandma's house this morning (and sure enough, she took it with her).

Amelia picked out the cute cupcake fabric during our visit to Joann's on Monday.  I bought extra to make potholders or something out of it. It's quite cute!  And it's a pretty, sunny yellow.  Not this drab looking thing.

Okay, now back to my To Do list.  I have a few potholders to make.  Stacy and I are doing a swap.  Have you seen my scarf?!?  It's GORGEOUS!  I can't wait to get it!!  And I want to know if I can wear it in the summertime because I don't think I'll be able to wait for snow in order to wear it!  I'm making potholders in exchange for the scarf and I have everything cut for the potholders; I just need to sit down and make them.  But if you read the title of my post... NO MOTIVATION!  But now that I've seen my scarf... these babies are getting done this weekend!

I also have a birthday prensent to get done.  AND my pin cushion for my swap.  AND a tote for my SIL's birthday.  

So much to do, not enough time!!

I better get going!  LOL!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Some Finishes

My computer and camera aren't friends anymore.  For whatever reason, the computer is ignoring  my camera hardware.  I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the camera drivers - no such luck.  I don't know what happened.  So I went out yesterday and got a external card reader; all is well again!

What I've finished up...

First off my To Do list and they have been there quite a while - pillowcases for donation to Jackie's quilt guild.  I am the worst procrastinator ever but they are done.

Next up, my potholders for the third potholder swap.  My partner is up for anything so I went with Verna and did some string blocks.  First time I tried them.  I think they came out okay.  Please IGNORE the fact that the little string block in one of the potholders is totally crooked.  I didn't notice until I was putting the finishing borders on.  Let's just pretend I meant it to be like that.  ;)

I also tried a Tuffets pin cushion out of some Verna.  I like it.  I'm making one for myself.  I filled it with crushed walnut shells and backed it with hot pink crushed velvet.  Of course, I pressed the darn thing and it doesn't look very "crushed" now but I like the texture.

And here are the potholders, one by one.

Enjoy your day!
Jen

A Little Show and Tell

I received my potholders for the second swap I joined.  Came all the way from the UK!  First time I had "international" swap items.  I love it all!  My potholders are perfect for me and I hate to use them but I will!  Celine did a wonderful job with everything.

I got a Patchwork & Quilting address book, a pencil, PINK measure tape and my potholders.

Here's a close up of the potholders:

Thank you Celine!

Next, my handy DANDY BAG!  Kris created a very easy and SUPER CUTE bag tutorial and there is a sew along going on today but I have a pretty busy day planned so I got mine done ahead of time.  I'm going to use it for my quick trip to Baltimore next weekend.  Wanna see?  Okay!  I'll show you!

I've been hoarding the Bubblegum Basics fabrics forever!  I almost gave up on my Dandy dream because I mis-read the instructions and saw that I needed a 3/4 yard for handles AND lining.  BOOOO!  I didn't have that.  BUT I did have a 1/2 yard of the Prints Charming fabric that coordinated great with all my colors so that's what I used for the lining.

I made a decision that all the little girls in my family will get this tote as a birthday gift this year and maybe I'll put a trinket or two in it.  It was very quick to put together.  Thank you Kris!  You did a great job on your tutorial!!

Tonight we're having a small birthday party for my husband.  He turned 41 yesterday!  He is an old man - well, compared to me he is!  :)  Prime rib dinner and an ice cream cake. Should be fun!

Enjoy your day!
Jen :)

I've become a Swap-Aholic!

I've joined the third potholder swap today.  I told myself - "Self.  You don't need to do the 3rd one.  Take a break and wait for the pin cushion swap to start this summer."

THEN I read that the third potholder swap isn't going to start until MAY (I thought it was April and I'm pretty busy in April).  Soooo I talked myself into joining this morning (which really isn't hard to do!  HA!).

It's not bad at all.  Pretty quick and easy to do.  Just need to come up with a clever potholder design.  Some of the ones in the Flickr group are just so pretty!

Enjoy your day!
Jen