Friday, July 29, 2011

girly monster

Um, so okay I guess I really like to make monsters!  I've got another one in the works even right now!  Hee, heee!  So, after I gave Brayden his green monster, Sherry's son said he'd like one for his new baby girl.  I think he was kind of joking, and totally didn't expect me to take him up on it but I did!  This one has super duper long arms, so you can tie them in a knot around her and she gives herself a hug :)  The eyelids sort of gave me fits, and really is not my best stitching ever and I almost didn't gift it because of that but  then I thought - eh. 

I love the pom pom trim - I picked up a bunch of orange, dark orange and olive green pom pom trim at the goodwill as is store at least a year or so ago thinking I'd use it for something.  And, so I have!
So, what's up for the weekend?  Today is a gorgeous sunny day, 83 degrees with a little breeze.  I have a scrapbook think tomorrow so I think I'll pop into the scrapbook store, which I haven't been to in for-ever. 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

monsters!

And so, without further ado....here was what I made last weekend:
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MONSTERS! Aren't they fun??? I made the blue one first, that was my prototype. For the pattern I just sketched out a shape on some tissue paper, and then cut out the fabric.  I was going to give it to Brayden, Kristin's son, for his first birthday. But, when I stuffed the feet the stitching showed through too much and I was thinking that would be a precursor to the stitches fraying out and coming undone. So, I made another one and gave him the green one. He seemed to really like it! He gave it a kiss, which was totally cute! The party was fun, it was nice to see Kristin's family again and meet her some new people. Brayden ate his cake like a champ, that was funny to watch :)
Yesterday I also finished another quilted pillowcase. I had seen a house style pillow at Joann's when they had their 4th of July decorations still, but was way too cheap to spend $20 on a pillow that I could make myself! So, here's what I came up with.
patriotic house pillow
I wish I had done the house all in the same fabric instead of doing the stripes on the one side. There was a pattern in a book that I borrowed from the library that used all different colors for each so I went with the pattern. And I've decided once and for all that I am not going to join that quilt a long, the Farmer's Wife one and here's why - each of the finished squares from the book are like 6" which is the size of the little house square of this pillow. And I can say for sure that me no rikey!
What else is in the works is a little granny square action:

granny squares
I haven't totally decided if I am going to make another pillow covering....or a rug. I saw a crocheted granny square pillow cover somewhere online and thought it looked really cute. I'm getting a little faster at making these, which is a good thing!
I also had an epiphany Friday night. So, I've been watching this video series at church called The Truth Project.   It's been really amazing, eye opening.  Basically it is a study of the "worldview" vs. the "biblical" view on various topics.  I'm not going to get very in depth with the meaning, if you have more questions there's a link which explains way better than I could.  Anyways, Friday's video was about "labor" and what is God's view of labor?  One of the things that the teacher said was the God is the creator and he made us to create.  That can take on so many different meanings!  He said that God has given us our abilities, the things we're good at and those are gifts.  Okay, so I know that I'm rambling, and I do have a point, for real.  The thing is, and this was my epiphany - I've always viewed gifts, spiritual gifts, as something really serious, businesslike  if you will.  And, I've struggled for years to figure out what in the world are my gifts???  It may seem obvious, but I didn't get it before - sewing, knitting, crocheting.....those are my gifts!  Now, I just need to figure out a way to make stuff for God's glory!  Can I get a halleluia? LOL  I'm kidding, but I feel very uplifted just knowing that what I can do, what I've always done, make things - that's somehow part of God's plan for my life, and not just because I enjoy doing it (which I do, very much) but because maybe somehow I can do good with it.

Friday, July 22, 2011

jam on

So here's a picture of the first batch of strawberry rhubarb jam that I made last Sunday.  I used the recipe out of my Ball Blue Book of Preserving.  It is a very easy recipe.  The thing with canning that I've found is that once you get everything set up and the water boiling it's easy to just make a bunch of stuff.  However, I didn't think ahead and had only bought one box of Ball pectin.  I had to stop after the first batch and run to the store for more pectin and then I did another batch.  
 
 So, you can kind of see up close here better that there are bubbles in my jam.  I'm not really sure how to get rid of that???  I skimmed the froth off the top of the jam after boiling it, but still all of the jars I made have bubbles.  But, all in all, I'm happy with the way it turned out!  I gave one jar to my friend Kristin who had said that she loves rhubarb and she said she liked it, so I think it was a success! :)
So, what's on the plate for this weekend???  I only have one thing planned, which is Kristin's son's first birthday tomorrow night.  I might make at least one skirt?  Last weekend I made one, it turned out pretty cute, very comfy.  I think I might add some lace to it, we'll see.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

stuck

I am officially stuck on what to do with the back of the vintage sheet garden quilt.  I'm at the stage that I just stare at it for awhile and do something else, then come back again and stare some more.  Usually this stage lasts a day or so and then I sleep on it and when I wake up it comes together.  Not this one..........we're going on at least 2 weeks!!!  It's just not looking right.  Today I turned the squares on point and that was better, but then laziness set in when I realized I'd have to do some triangles to create a straight line and then I didn't like it so much anymore.  Anywhoozle, just thought I'd let you know why there is a lack of finished pics. 
I did, however, make some new stuff this weekend.  Fun stuff.  I think stuffies could be my favorite thing ever.  I'm risking sound like a total kook here, but the whole time I'm making them I'm just giggling.  I sketch it out and they look fun and cute, then once I get the fabric together I start thinking of a little story in my head to go with them.  Then once the faces are sewn on they really have their personality and I just love it!  Finishing is a pure joy :)  Alas, no pics yet because one of them is a gift!  Sorry, that wasn't a nice teaser, was it?  Eh.

Monday, July 11, 2011

rhubarbiness

And so...........I have two grocery sized bags of rhubarb.  I am quite excited to try something fun with them!  I'm thinking maybe some gelatin jam?  Which I've heard is yummy.  And who doesn't love a good pie???  This crisp looks delicious!  I don't even know, I just know I have to make something with it!  Or freeze some and save it for later.  For some reason, and I don't even know why, liking rhubarb just seems so "grown up" or southern or something kind of romantic to me. 

Sunday, July 3, 2011

things that go on at my house

Happy Independence Day weekend everyone!  I am just enjoying having a loooong weekend and nice weather.  Today I rode my bike to the library, and even though it was a little windy it felt nice to be out in the fresh air and sunshine!  I've been busy sewing, too.  Here is the table runner I started last weekend (?) and finished up last night.  It's on the table now and fits in well with the rest of the decor.  The white stitching really stands out in this picture but really in person it blends better.
patriotic table runner
And, here is the pillow. I was kinda worried when I was trying to stuff the pillow form into the cover, it was a tight squeeze!!! But, fit just right. I think it turned out well.
patriotic pillow stuffed
Okay, and then I was inspired by the other ladies who were in the vintage sheet quilting bee who either finished a quilt or a quilt top.  So I saw theirs in the flickr pool and then I was like, hmmmm I really need to dig my squares out and finish mine.  Which I did. Check it out:
vintage sheet flower quilt top
I'm telling you what - this thing is so cheery!  And I've been saving that pink/orange combo daisy sheet for this quilt for-evah.  It's my fav.  I wasn't sure how wide to do the outer border, I was thinking a little wider, but honestly I didn't want too big of a quilt.  All of my quilt somehow end up like twin sized.  Except the baby one.  I sort of wanted just a throw size, but eh.  So, if you were participating in the bee and don't see your square on the front, it will be on the back.
Back of quilt
I really had an abundance of squares! I received all but one of the squares back from the bee ladies, and I had made two of my own. Then, a couple ladies sent extra sheet squares back with their finished squares so I made up some more from those. Really, this thing could have turned into a monster, quick! Maybe it is a weedy garden?
Okay, what else is new besides sewing/quilting?  I finished up another book called The Case For Christ by Lee Strobel.  I loved it!  It's nonfiction, and normally I find it harder to read nonfiction.  This was really easy to read, it had tons of facts but didn't seem monotonous to read.  Basically Mr. Strobel started out as an athiest and set out to possibly discredit christianity and Jesus.  You can feel about 3/4 of the way through he starts to change his mind and attitude.  It's really great if you are searching for facts, historical backing. 
Oh, and I way overspent on a magazine.  Ugh.  The new "Stuffed" magazine.  For some reason I just HAD to have it.  But, in my defense it was on sale.  But, $12something for a mag is too much for me, in my opinion.  Really though I do love stuffed animals and things and it was a pretty pink cover and I will read the entire thing.  I was lurking around in Joann's as I tend to do.  I was thinking about buying the Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt book because there is a quilt a long going on and I thought maybe it would be fun to join.  Sort of.  Then I started to think maybe I just wanted to do it because some other bloggers I admire are doing it and not because I really want to.  Does that ever happen to any of you???  And I didn't really want to pony up $27.99 for the book, so naturally then I overspent on a magazine.  Ugh.
I'll leave you with this.  And I apologize in advance if this grosses any of you out.  Sorry.  The other night I came home and George was not in the front yard as she usually is.  I opened the back door and she came running up, with something hanging by her mouth area.  I thought it could be a spider web with leaves stuck in it or something like that.  Nope.  It was a bird leg!  I assume that she killed a bird, although I didn't go searching for a carcass.  She was incredibly proud of herself and very protective of her grody leg.  So there you go, things that go on at my house! LOL
grody bird leg