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

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

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

Where does the time go?

It's been a while since I've posted and I didn't even realize it.  Things have been busy over here.  I've been working to get a bunch of things finished so that I'm not stressing, getting the laundry done that I like to ignore (sheets, towels).... there is a reason why I own 8 sets of sheets for my bed and have 30 towels and wash cloths!  LOL! 

Some good no GREAT news came my way a couple of weeks ago.  I'm super excited and super nervous at the same time.  I GOT A JOB!!!  WOOHOOOOO!!  As much as I was enjoying my time at home these last 6 months, money has been super tight.  So I start a new full-time job on Monday.  I need some good vibes my way on Monday, okay?

Onto some other things.  On Monday, my aunt and grandmother came over and we had a "Pierogi Making" lesson.  Only my aunt and grandmother know the recipe and process.  My cousin has no desire to learn how to make them so I stepped up.  4 hour lesson and I have 15 dozen pierogi in my freezer.  Homemade.  YUM YUM!!  Now, I would like to post the recipe and I can for the filling but for the dough?  I have no measurements.  It's all by look and feel and I had my grandmother coaching me all the way.  But at least I know what to look for.  Here are a couple of snapshots from my lesson.

Grandma hard at work, rolling and cutting dough rounds

My batch before getting boiled

13 dozen - cooling for the freezer

I finally finished Amelia's "Amelia" quilt top.  Finally.  Now I can get backing for it and get it quilted so that I can give it to her for Christmas.

One last thing.  Ellyn received her chickens so I can post them here.  She and I had a mini swap and I made her a little chicken family.

Cute chickens!

I've also sent out my Santa Sack Swap gifts for September and October yesterday.  Melissa - be on the lookout for the box! 

Amelia is going to be home from school soon and I have to get a light dinner ready for her so that she won't be starving at her Karate class. 

Enjoy your day!
Jen

As promised!

Okay.  New card reader purchased and now I can show you what I have been up to.  Well, I can't show everything since some of it is a secret for my Santa Sack swap partner, Melissa.  :)

Ellyn and I did a mini swap and she included some Halloween charms with my swap items.  Instead of sticking them on a shelf for "someday", I whipped this table topper/runner up.  Super simple patchwork.  Nothing fancy but the top is done!  Now to get it quilted... that's another story!  I'll show you what I sent Ellyn as soon as she receives the package.

And this.  It's just a sneak peek but what I'm working on... it's coming out fabulous!  I love it and thankfully have enough fabric to make myself one too!  It's my December Santa Sack swap item.  I know.  Jumping ahead.  I have September and October done and they are ready to go into the mail.  November's gifts I'm still debating but December has been started.  Melissa, here's a sneak peek for ya!

And I need to share these.  Those of you "80s girls" will appreciate my handiwork.  Amelia's school had Crazy Hate/Crazy Hair Spirit day last Friday.  Since we don't own any crazy hats, we teased and sprayed 80s Old School style.  My hair prodigy.  I had big hair and I mean BIG HAIR back in the day.  Sigh.  I miss it sometimes.

LOL!
Enjoy your day!
Jen

Just some things

Well Hi There!  It's a been about a week since I've really posted on here.  Let me catch you up.  Power was FINALLY restored to my house on Saturday 9/3 around 7:00 pm.  A couple days sooner than we were told and I was super happy about it.  Life has finally gotten back to normal.

Speaking to back to normal.. SCHOOL STARTED!  WOOHOO!!!  The 1st day of school was pushed out 3 days due to the lack of power so instead of Amelia starting 1st grade on 8/31, she started 9/6.

new rolling backpack

It was raining so she wore her new raincoat.

First grade already.  I can't believe it.

Ellyn had admired my chicken pincushions and we decided to do a little mini swap.  Ellyn was totally on the ball and sent mine already.  Me?  I'm a little slow.  I'm working on it.  With the week of no power and my husband asking me not to sew "too much" and then Amelia's first week of school... I'm getting my sewing groove back.  I'm working on it Ellyn!  I promise!  Do you want to see what she made me?

all the goodies!

mini "Jen" embroidery hoop

Halloween mug rug

That embroidery hoop is hung up in my sewing room already and the mug rug is next to my sewing machine.  Ellyn also included a ladybug barrette for Amelia.  It's in the first picture next to the buttons.  Amelia loves it.  And there are some Halloween charms there too that I decided I would make into a table topper for myself since I have zero Halloween decorations.  But I need to get a new walking foot first.  Mine busted and right now, I'm too cheap to spend the 50 bucks to get a new one.

While working on Ellyn's swap items, I also started on my October Santa Sack Swap items for Melissa.  My September items are all done but I thought I would get on the ball and get October done too and send both month's gifts at the same time.  Here's a little sneak peek...

OOOOO!  I wonder what it could be!

From my blog snooping reading, I found out that Halloween is Melissa's favorite holiday so I thought it would be appropriate to make something "Halloweeny" for her October gifts.  Sorry Melissa!  You will have to wait until NEXT Halloween to use them though!


That's all for now!
Enjoy your day!
Jen

Fun Mail!

Oh boy!  My Santa Sack swap package arrived yesterday!  It's a wonderful grocery tote in the Christmas colors that I love WITH pinwheels!  Truly, it pales in comparison to the one that I sent Melissa.  She went totally out of the box and made me a tote while I made her a sack.  I'm actually embarrassed!  So now one of my gifts is shifting gears.  I feel I need to make up for it.  That's just how I am.  Oh!  I didn't realize it was REVERSIBLE too so that I can use it year round!  I need to step it up!

Oh!  I wonder what's in here....

I let Amelia do the opening...

TA DA!  Is it for me, Mama??

Close up of tag

Melissa - I love it!  Thank you so much!  Now I have to be patient and wait for December to open the rest.

Oh.  I should probably show you the sack I made for Melissa.  Sigh.

I also won a couple of giveaways in the last couple of weeks.  First up is from Michelle.  She split out a FQ bundle 3 ways.  Only thing was, we didn't know what colors we would get.  Here's my share:

Sorry for the lousy lighting.  I took the pictures last night.  And that cute "Laugh" plaque.  I needed to hide it from Punk.  She was ready to claim that too.  Thank you Michelle!

And from Wendy:

A super cool sewing basket pattern and some sewing inspired fabric!  I was ready to head upstairs last night to start that sewing basket but it was after 7:00 and the pattern looks like it really needs my full attention.  But I will be making it.  I think it's so neat!  Thank you Wendy!

closeup of sewing inspired fabric

With all this good cheer that came my way, I feel that I need to pay it forward so I'll be doing a giveaway soon.  Before the end of summer.  So stay tuned!

That is all for this Sunday.  I need to get some light housework done around the house.  It's tough going.  I twisted my lower back last week doing the same thing and I'm still not right.  Standing for any length of time can't happen.  My back starts to spasm.  I haven't been walking my 2 miles every morning and I'm starting to miss that exercise.  I think I need to call the chiropractor.  Ugh.  I hate going there.  Good news is that in the pool, my back is fine.  So I'll be hitting that thing in a couple of hours!

Enjoy your day!
Jen

Finished

But not quilted yet.  I just got the final border on my Sweet Pea top.  Love!

Pattern - Sweet Pea.  Fabric - Sanibel.  Both by Anka's Treasures

The colors just scream ME.  Seriously.  And I love it.  I'm talking myself into quilting this one myself.  Super simple like straight lines.  Nothing fancy.  I can't bare to mess up.  But for now, it will stay a flimsy until I find some backing for it.  I think I'm just going to get a brown of some sort.  Something that I can pick up locally.

Santa Sack Swap... ready to go!  Finally.  Slacker.  Now I have to get myself to the post office.  That will be tomorrow morning's chore.  Once Melissa gets the package and opens the ONE gift, I will show you the sack I made.

I have a few other things to show you but they aren't ready yet.  Amelia is away all weekend long.  She'll be back on Tuesday.  She's headed to NH with my in-laws for the holiday.  Which means that I have allll kinds of sewing time.  I have 4 more projects that are on my list that NEED TO GET DONE this weekend.

I'm going to be busy!
Enjoy your day!
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 :)