rainylakechick

Austin Modern Quilt Guild - Member Spotlight

2012-02-02T09:39:00.005-06:00

This year, each month, the Austin Modern Quilt Guild is spot-lighting a member of the guild. And I'm the first one they are featuring! WOO-HOO!!! Love it.

You can read all about me here.

The Upgrade

2012-01-17T15:31:00.001-06:00

Did you know my sewing machine broke last summer? It started dropping stitches randomly. I fiddled around with something, but again, dropped stitches. Now, my sewing machine was 35 years old. Its a Viking Huqsvarna from 1975. It was the machine my mom got when she got married. And her mom convinced her to get the best. Because it would be the sewing machine she'd have for the rest of her life.

Except my mom didn't want a sewing machine! She hates to hem pants for my dad. She hates to sew on buttons. So when I asked to borrow it in college to sewing a quilt, she said to keep it.

I moved the machine to Texas and have gotten lots of use out of it. More than mom ever did. I even paid $300 in 2005 or 2006 to get the cams deep-cleaned. It was running in tip-top shape back then. But now? Dropping stitches? Ugh. I don't want to invest more money in something so old. And I couldn't even do a zig-zag stitch on this machine. Time to get over the sentimental value and upgrade!

With the advice of my comrades at the Austin Modern Quilt Guild, I invested in a Bernina Activa 220! Its their bottom of the line model, but its a major upgrade for me.

Can I just say... WOW.

Its so quiet. I'm in love.

2011 Recap

2011-12-31T11:17:00.004-06:00

What a fun year! So many quilt projects. I attribute my involvement with the Austin Modern Quilt Guild as to why I got so much done. I can't tell you how inspiring meetings are! Plus, I attended THREE quilt retreats this year. Lots of quilt tops made... and even a few quilts finished. Oh, and I made a cake from scratch. Happy new year!

1. Postage Stamp Quilt Top 2. Fave Fabrics Quilt Top 3. Scruffily Quilt 4. Charity Quilt 3 5. Baby Boy Quilt 6. Martha Stewart Cake 7. Baby Girl Quilt 8. Charity Quilt 2 9. Charity Quilt 4 10. Charity Quilt 5 11. Charity Quilt 1 12. Block of the Month Quilt Top

Solidarity

2011-12-08T22:49:00.011-06:00

Members of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild have collaborated on a solid block quilt to donate to Artists Against Cancer. We call it Solidarity.

Artists Against Cancer is a non-profit organization to help those who work in the arts in their battles against cancer. One of AMQG's most awesome-ist members is currently kicking cancer's ass and we want to help!

This Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Thunderbird Coffee on Manor Road there will be a silent auction of incredible art, including this quilt. All proceeds raised will be given to help our quilting friend Cindy C in her battle with cancer.

This is going to be a great event! If you are in the area on Sunday, please stop by. For a preview of all the wonderful art being donated, click here!

Quilt stats:

A large twin quilt - 66x88 inches
Constructed in solid fabrics only
100% cotton fabric used on the front, back, batting, and binding
Inspiration: 'a quilt to be' from the LA Modern Quilt Guild flickr page

A big shout out to all the AMQG members who donated one or more wonderful blocks! Cindy B, Heather G (aka Modern Day Quilts), Denise, Diana, Meghan (aka Scrambled Megs), Mitzi, Alison (aka Sew and Tell Quilts), Jessica (aka this is a splendid calm), Robin, Claire, Khanh, and Adrienne -- I couldn't have done this without you! Everyone made beautiful blocks. Not to mention that Jessica and Robin donated their time and expertise to long arm this quilt. Thanks again!

Blogger's Quilt Festival: My fourth charity quilt

2011-10-29T10:15:00.003-05:00

Welcome to my entry to The Blogger's Quilt Festival! I'm super excited to participate this year.

This a twin sized quilt (about 70x90 inches) which I made for Modern Day Quilts' Central Texas Wildfire quilt drive. This is my fourth charity quilt I've made... and third for the Central Texas Wildfire quilt drive. I have fallen in love with making charity quilts! I love the idea that something I make helps somebody, in some way. Plus, a charity quilt doesn't have to be perfect. I am allowed to work with fun fabrics and try new methods. No one is going to criticize the imperfections. Not even my own inner perfectionist.

I'm also excited to say I made this quilt on a budget! Most of the fabrics were donated by The Quilt Haus, who collects fabrics for Project Linus and donated them to the Austin Modern Quilt Guild. I only had to add a few fabrics from my stash, some which I had bought on Black Friday at the Crate and Barrel outlet. Yes, Crate and Barrel! Did you know they were selling fabric for a dollar a pound that day? I scored big time. I added a vintage pink sheet, purchased at Savers, and batting purchased on clearance. Besides thread and wear & tear on my machine, I have at most $20 invested in this quilt.

I took all the photos for this quilt at the top of Mount Bonnell on a gorgeous fall day. My dog Chauncey and I had just gone hiking at Turkey Creek and stopped at Mount Bonnell afterwards. This is a must-stop for any visit to Austin. There are great views of downtown and Lake Austin.

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to visit all the other quilts at the Fall 2011 Blogger's Quilt Festival.

Pretty In Pink: A Baby Shower

2011-10-04T14:29:00.006-05:00

In July I co-hosted a baby shower in my home with two wonderful ladies. Our little ranch house is less than 1000 square feet, so with 20 guests, food, drinks, and gifts, it was cozy! We still had tons of fun and got to shower a great friend with lots of pink baby gifts.

For decorations, I made ruffled streamers in pink, white, and black, hung up a photo collage of the parents-to-be when they were wee little ones, and added bunting to the cake.

For the cake, I followed these Martha Stewart chocolate cupcake and cream cheese frosting recipes. All I have to say is... delicious! It wasn't that much more effort to make the cake from scratch and its 1000 times better than a box! I still need to work on my food coloring skills, though. I heard investing in gel coloring is worth it!

By the way, I apologize for the quality of the photos! Most were taken with my iPhone because halfway through the party I lost my camera... I went to the fun room to show a party guest my quilting projects. While we were in there, I set down my camera and forgot where I put it! You get me talking about quilting and I lose focus on all other things!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 12

2011-09-28T06:47:00.002-05:00

Its the last block of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long! This block is choose your own adventure. Anything you want. Repeat something we've done so far. Make up your own block. Or... give one of these blocks a try!

Wavy Seams Block

Dare to curve? Check out the Wavy Seams Block, courtesy of Kathy Mack at Pink Chalk Studio. I love Kathy Mack's blog AND her online shop, Pink Chalk Fabrics! Her blog has some great categories: quilting, sewing tips, embroidery, photography 101, craftiness, and inspiration.

Wavy Seams Block by Pink Chalk Studio

Wonky Bento Box Block

Got lots of scraps? Try a Wonky Bento Box Block, courtesy of John Cary at Quilt Dad. Quilt Dad writes for the Fat Quarterly. This Wonky Bento Box block is part of a Old Red Barn Quilt-a-long he hosted back in 2009.

Wonky Bento Box Block by Quilt Dad

The Sky's the Limit!

And if you still don't know what to make, have you seen Quilting Bee Blocks? Oh my goodness... quilt block heaven!

Or you could check out the 2011 Summer Sampler Quilt Along... More gorgeous blocks.

Hope you had fun with the AMQG quilt-a-long! And don't forget to bring your finished block to the October meeting!

My third charity quilt

2011-09-21T13:16:00.006-05:00

I'm on a charity quilt roll this summer! One, two, and now three! This a twin sized quilt (about 72x90 inches) which I made for Modern Day Quilts' Central Texas Wildfire quilt drive. The front was made from Kona Grey and small fat quarter pieces that the Quilt Haus donated to the Austin Modern Quilt Guild. On the back I used an extra long twin sheet and leftover scraps from the front.

Since this is a charity quilt and I wanted to get it finished quickly, I quilted in wide, straight, vertical, horizontal, and diagonal lines. I love how the quilting is prominent in the back.

For binding I found a green, 1960s flowered fabric at Hancock Fabrics. In the Puppy Dog charity quilt, I machine-sewed the binding to the back. This time, I started off machine sewing the binding to the back and then did a heavy zig-zag stitch to the front, suggested by Heather from Fiberosity. Can I saw it looks awesome? It totally goes with the industrial look of the grey on the front! Last, but not least, I added a rainylakechick designs label to the back!

Chauncey approves!

If you would like to make one of these quilts for the quilt drive, I wrote a tutorial! If you use the tutorial, please let me know via a comment here. I'd love to see photos of your creations.

nerd alert!

2011-09-20T13:04:00.005-05:00

One of my Austin Modern Quilt Guild friends made this awesome quilt.

a-squared plus b-squared equals c-squared.

Yes, the Pythagorean Theorem!

My second charity quilt

2011-09-16T13:06:00.001-05:00

After all the fun I had auctioning off my my first charity quilt, when I returned home from vacation I was excited to make another charity quilt! The Quilt Haus in New Braunfels, Texas has been very generous to the Austin Modern Quilt Guild and given us lots of fabric to be used for Project Linus quilts. In February I chose some blue puppy dog fabric from the donation pile. It took me till September to make something. This is what I came up with....

I really like the back more than the front! There wasn't enough blue fabric from the donation pile to create an entire top, so I added some red and green colors. I experimented with different shapes and just added stuff as I came up with it. When it came time to the back, I had very little blue fabric left, so I went into my stash and used a green solid along with some adorable hedgehogs!

Since this was a charity quilt and I wanted to get it done quickly, instead of hand sewing the binding to the back, I just used my machine. I tried to stitch-in-the-ditch from the front onto the back, but there are times when my binding didn't catch. I had to go back over a few spots. Its not terrible looking and it gives the quilt more of an organic look. However, I'd rather it look better next time. So I'm going to give the glue method a try! I'll let you know how it goes.

Please forgive the terrible lighting in these photos, even though Calibos won't! I took them in my backyard at high noon, with the light coming through the trees. I was hurrying to get the photos taken during my lunch break, so I could bring the quilt to the AMQG monthly meeting that night. I knew Heather from Modern Day Quilts was going to be there, where she was collecting quilts for the Central Texas Wildfire quilt drive. And yes... there is still time to donate twin-sized quilts to the quilt drive!

My first charity quilt

2011-09-15T07:39:00.003-05:00

I made a charity quilt! Its the first quilt I've made, where the recipient might not be a family member nor a close friend.

The quilt was constructed from a layer cake of Hideaway fabric. I added some Alexander Henry lemon fabric to the back. The pattern is In a Jiffy, which I got at the Moda Bake Shop. The quilt top was super easy to put together! But I wanted the size to be slightly larger than a lap quilt, so I added two white borders. It was perfect! The Hideaway fabric was so summery and the white borders really set off the bright colors.

Each year my father's family church holds a picnic and auction to raise money for the church grounds and 100 year old building. The church is located in Karlstad, Minnesota on a dirt road in the country. If you are frequent IKEA shopper, you might be familiar with the Karlstad sofa series. Yes, as you could guess, the Karlstad in Minnesota is named after the Karlstad in Sweden.

The church no longer has a congregation, so all of the painting, roofing, structural maintenance, and mowing is paid for by donations and the annual picnic and auction. My dad and his sisters always go to the annual picnic. I was fortunate to be visiting Minnesota the weekend of the picnic and was able to attend this year!

The day started with a service in the church. Young & old sang songs.

Even Chauncey came along! But he wasn't welcome near the food, so we kept him back, next to a tree. Adeline was super sweet to visit him and say hello. Even Adeline's sister was happy to see the dog.

My grandmother's sisters also were there! They posed with the little girls for a photo opportunity.

Its time for the auction to begin! This was the best part!! My aunt Linda donated this rather creepy figurine. It was so hideous, its no wonder that it only sold for $5.

My quilt being auctioned off! It was fun to see people bidding on it... It went for $150, bought by my cousin! Her oldest daughter is pretty excited! Her younger daughter was pretty over-whelmed from the day and needed a nap break with her auntie Donnalee.

Last but not least on the auction... Pinecones! The little girls felt terrible that they didn't have anything to donate to the church auction, so they collected pinecones! And they sold for fifty bucks a bag. Not bad, ladies!

I had such a good time at the auction and with family, that I am really excited to make more charity quilts. I'll definitely have one for the 2012 Karlstad picnic. And I'm working on making a couple for Austin-area recipients too.

Fires in Austin - call for quilts

2011-09-06T11:46:00.005-05:00

copyright Deanna Roy

After months of extreme heat and zero rain, the city of Austin and surrounding areas have fallen victim to wildfires. In three short days, more than 700 families have lost their homes. Tens of thousands of acres have been destroyed. And the fires continue on. Above is an image of the Austin skyline, with the smoke from the Bastrop fire.

If you quilt, sew, crochet, or knit, now is the time to donate a blanket! If you are looking for a donation place, Project Linus is always great. Also consider the quilt drive being spear-headed by Modern Day Quilts!

I've already got one quilt to donate. Can you help out?

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 11

2011-08-31T06:56:00.000-05:00

Its the second to last block of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long! We began with Friendship Stars. Now try out a Wonky Stars block. The Wonky Star block is courtesy of Victoria Gertenbach at Silly BooDilly.

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the September meeting!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 10

2011-07-09T12:54:00.004-05:00

Its taken us 9 months to get to crazy mom quilts! She IS the mama that loves to quilt.

Block 10 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long is the Modified Nine Patch Block from Amanda Jean, aka crazy mom quilts.

Amanda Jean really IS a crazy sewing machine! In 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009, she sewed up a storm. Almost every other week, there was a new quilt on her blog. She has hosted at least three quilt-a-longs. The first quilt-a-long was basic blocks, one of which we're doing for our quilt-a-long. The others were a star quilt-a-long and the one-a-day quilt-a-long. Her blog includes a plethora of quilt pattern tutorials, quilt making tutorials, and other fabric related tutorials. She has a video on how to free-motion-quilt. She contributes to Moda Bake Shop.

In 2010, she took a break. Slowly, but surely, she's back! Not at the same rate as 2009, but that's alright by me. I still love when a new crazymomquilts post appears in my blog reader!

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the August meeting!

Rooftop Pools

2011-07-07T15:47:00.004-05:00

You know what's really cool? Hotels with rooftop pools!

Over the fourth of July weekend, we went to Dallas and spent a night in a hotel downtown. My boyfriend's cousin and his wife were the artists in residence at the Fairmont Hotel for three months! We hung out with them during their last weekend of living & working at the Fairmont and enjoyed rooftop swimming & hotel breakfast buffets. LUV!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 9

2011-06-07T05:53:00.000-05:00

Here is Block 9 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long. This month's block is a Pieced Center String Quilt, courtesy of Kaye Prince, aka Miss Print. This block, like Block 4, uses lots of fabrics and scraps!

Note: The tutorial uses a 6.5" square sheet of paper. Since all of our blocks so far have been 12.5", use a 12.5" square sheet of paper. Or... you can always make four 6.5" squares and put them together!

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the July meeting!

Follow Up: Modern Siggy Swap

2011-06-06T08:38:00.004-05:00

Well, I got burned on the Modern Siggy Swap. Boo! :(

I made my blocks, sent them in, waited patiently for the return blocks... and then nothing.

I never got a return package from the organizer. According to the message blogs, I was one of three who didn't get a return package. I'm really disappointed. I know my block got part of the group, because I can see it in this finished quilt and this finished quilt.

There ended up being a round 2 of this swap. But I declined to enter because of my previous hard work went no-where. Again... I'm disappointed. I like these blocks more than the first swap! How awesome is this quilt? Its like a modern take on stacked coins quilt.

Feather Extensions

2011-05-12T09:59:00.001-05:00

My little sister was way ahead of the feather extension trend.

Circa 1986.

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 8

2011-05-05T08:52:00.000-05:00

Its summer in Texas! And you know what that means... the beginning of the heat. Let's pretend we live in northern Europe with the Dutch. Imagine feeling the cool breezes off the ocean, fields of tulips blooming, and watching the windmills blow...

That's right, folks! Block 8: The Pinwheel / Windmill, courtesy of Rachel Griffith from p.s. i quilt.

The tutorial for the Pinwheel / Windmill was block four of p.s i quilt's Pinwheel Sampler Quilt-A-Long. Rachel has also hosted the modern siggy swap. SUPER FUN STUFF!!

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the June meeting!

Do you know the way to San Jose?

2011-04-28T15:19:00.002-05:00

We flew to San Jose last weekend for a little get-out-of-town trip! First day we visited San Francisco. Saw lots and lots of views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp company on Pier 39. Second day was touring San Jose and Santa Cruz. Checked out the Egyption Museum in San Jose. Had dinner on the pier and played games on the boardwalk in Santa Cruz. I had fun playing with my Hipstamatic iPhone app, too. :)

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 7

2011-04-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

Six blocks down, six to go! Block 7 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long is similar to Block 4... but its WONKY! Its a Wonky Log Cabin, to be exact. Directions are courtesy of Jacquelyn Gering, better known as Tallgrass Prairie Studio.

Be sure to check out her blog:! She's got some beautiful, modern quilts: Techno, American Red Cross, quilting bee blocks, Urban Garden, and Hot Spots. And some wonderful tutorials: Spiderweb Quilt (for selvages), Starry Forest Tree Skirt, and a Pocket Change Quilt.

Don't forget to bring your finished block to May's meeting!

Not cool, Mom & Dad

2011-04-07T13:29:00.005-05:00

When I was four, I was a HUGE Sesame Street fan. Like, if I were a having a bad day at pre-school, I'd come home... chill out with my PBS peeps... and turn on Sesame Street. Who can tell you how to get, how to get to Sesame Street? That would have been me.

So when you are THAT big of a fan, and your mom & dad tell you that Big Bird and Cookie Monster were going to be in town... and you can MEET them?

I was pretty stoked.

Except, when we get there. Its a fake Big Bird. A total imposter. I was four and even I knew. And don't get me started on Cookie Monster.

Moral of the story, parents? Your four year old knows when you lie.

Japan

2011-03-16T13:32:00.005-05:00

Last April we were in Tokyo & Kyoto for 10 days. Sushi, the Tokyo Tower, udon noodles, the fish market, heated toilet seats, japanese baths, baseball games with girls sells beer with kegs on their backs, super fans at the baseball games, riding bikes around Kyoto from temple to temple, geisha girls, experiencing the end of cherry blossom season... What an amazing trip!

Less than a year later, disaster in Japan. The quilting community has really stepped it up with donations to help out. Like Oh, Fransson... she is giving away her Tokyo Subway Quilt for those that donate to the Red Cross between now and March 23rd! What an amazing gift. Check out her blog post and donate today!

Tokyo Subway Quilt by Elizabeth Hartman, aka Oh, Fransson

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 6

2011-03-10T07:55:00.000-06:00

We are doing CIRCLES, CIRCLES, CIRCLES for block six of the the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long.

This month, choose from three different patterns:

1. Circle Block from this & that.

2. Raw Edge Circle from Cluck Cluck Sew.

3. Stripy Circles with raw edge appliqué from Block Party Quilting. FYI: This is what I did.... Its super easy!

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the April meeting!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - My finished blocks

2011-02-14T10:33:00.000-06:00

I'm kind of obsessive compulsive. I start a project, and if I really, really, really like it, I don't stop till I've finished it. Which probably qualifies me to be a good quilter? :)

I hope y'all have been following along with the Austin Modern Quilt Guild's Year Long Quilt-a-long! Last weekend at the AMQG quilting retreat, I finished four blocks. And over the past week, I have finished the other eight. I just couldn't stop working on the project... hence the obsessive compulsiveness! All blocks are finished and the quilt top is DONE!

For this project, I wanted to make a Christmas quilt, with the hopes that I could give it as a holiday present in 2011. I bought a Classic Christmas Fat Quarter Bundle by Michael Miller Fabrics, which contained 12 fat quarters.

Actually, I'm glad that I finished! It allowed me to answer the question (asked at the retreat), "How much fabric should I use for the quilt-a-long?" Answer: If you have 12 fat quarters, it will be just enough!

Blocks One and Two

Blocks Three and Four

Blocks Five and Six

Blocks Seven and Eight

Blocks Nine and Ten

Blocks Eleven and Twelve

AMQG Quilt Retreat

2011-02-12T17:30:00.002-06:00

Last weekend the AMQG had its first quilting retreat! It was awesome. The facilities, the quilting, and the company were awesome.

We stayed at the Wimberley Quilt Ranch from Friday at noon till Sunday at 3 p.m. What can I say about the Wimberley Quilt Ranch? Just that its awesome! Seriously, I hate to let other people know about this awesome little quilting getaway, but we all loved it! Its an older home that sits on roughly four acres in the Texas Hill Country. The house is wonderfully remodeled: 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms that comfortably sleep 12 people. The kitchen is fully stocked with cooking supplies, including 3 coffee machines! The dining room table sat all twelve of us. And there was internet access for when we needed it!

The quilting room? Its awesome! It is a converted carport space, located directly off the kitchen. There was a large table for every quilter, along with three irons and three cutting mats. Oh, and I can't forget the design walls! I've never used a design wall! They are awesome! If I had a sewing room all to myself, I would totally put one up!

While I was at the retreat, I was a quilting maniac. I finished the top of the postage stamp quilt along. I made a baby quilt for a friend, minus the binding. And I finally got around to the BOM for the AMQG quilt-a-long! I finished four blocks at the retreat. When I got home that night, I finished six more blocks. Today I completed all the blocks and got my top completed! Its a perfect lap quilt that I'm not sure I'll keep or giveaway as a gift.

Can't wait for the next quilting retreat... I'm hoping we plan something for summer!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 5

2011-02-10T09:47:00.000-06:00

Block five should be an easy one, folks! Just squares.

Its the Double Four Patch from Amy's Creative Side, formerly known as Park City Girl.

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the March meeting!

I had THE BEST weekend!

2011-01-17T15:16:00.005-06:00

Yes. I had THE BEST weekend. Let me share.

Besides hanging out with friends on Saturday afternoon and taking Chauncey to the Zoom Room to play with 15 other golden retrievers on Sunday, I got to sew! It felt great... I love my new Bernina.

[Long Story Short] My sewing machine broke this summer. I upgraded. After three months of sitting in a corner, I finally sewed with my new machine yesterday. [/Long Story Short]

Here are my jelly roll strips for step two (the leg work) of psiquilt's Postage Stamp Quilt-a-long.

Hopefully instructions for step three appear soon... I want to sew again tonight!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 4

2011-01-13T09:55:00.000-06:00

Three blocks down, nine more to go! For Block 4 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long, we are following Elizabeth Hartman's Scrappy Hedgerow Block. Hopefully you've accumulated a few scraps from the last three blocks to use in this month's block.

Elizabeth Hartman is better known as Oh, Fransson! Like the other modern quilters we've been following, she has done some amazing and fun projects. Like the Tokyo Subway Map quilt-a-long. This little Fat Quarter/Ikea sheet experiment. This Birch Quilt. This Charm Squares Baby Quilt pattern at Sew Mama Sew! The Bleach Discharge Experiment. A quick tutorial on quick-piecing tiny squares using fusible interfacing.... The list goes on & on.

Last, but not least.... if you didn't already know, Elizabeth is the author of The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker. You know, that hot, new quilting book we've all drooled over!

Don't forget to bring your finished block to February's meeting!

Postage Stamp Quilt! (the beginning)

2011-01-09T22:05:00.008-06:00

Okay, so my New Year's resolution SHOULD be to hold off on buying new fabrics and finish all my work-in-progress projects before I jump into a new project, but I can't resist! I'm going to "quilt-a-long" with p.s. i quilt for a Postage Stamp Quilt. Details on the quilt-a-long here! Check out all the progress on flickr!

I had leftover money for a gift card at my local sewing shop, which I used to buy a jelly roll of Central Park. This was before I even knew about the quilt-a-long! After I learned about the fun idea, I picked up Kona Cotton in Ash to use as my solid. I plan on using the Kona Cotton as my binding and will pick up some Central Park yardage, when it becomes available.

2010 Recap

2011-01-01T16:16:00.002-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-28T21:24:00.005-06:00

Hope your Christmas was merry and bright...

... and Santa brought you everything on your wish list!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 3

2010-12-09T09:38:00.004-06:00

Another month, another block! Its time for Block 3 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long.

This month we are back at Block Party to create the Modern Plaid Block. Their site also includes a handy pdf, available for download.

This block was created by Handmade by Alissa, another favorite modern quilter. Check out her blog, her finished quilts, or her tutorials. She also has a quilt pattern published in the Quilt Scene book from the Houston show! Very cool.

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the January meeting!

Limo Wine Tour: Co-ed!

2010-12-05T22:58:00.002-06:00

Early in the fall my friend got an awesome "groupon" deal for a limo wine tour! Half-off the price we usually pay. Without hesitation, she bought, and then we had to decide... When and where do we go? And who wants to go?

With an expiration of January 31st, we decided to use our deal as soon as possible, hopefully during the Christmas Holiday Season. I suppose everyone else who bought the deal felt the same way, because Saturday availability was gone. So, instead of the usual Saturday trip, we went out on a limb and booked our tour for a Sunday!

Another limb? We invited THE BOYS!

Fast forward to the Sunday after Thanksgiving. Its early December, the weather has cooled down, and the leaves kind of changed colors. We were ready for the adventure.

Our first stop was Pedernales Cellars Winery. The wine was delightful. After our tasting, we had some free time, so we bought an extra bottle to share outside on the patio. Paired with fruit we brought along with us, it was a nice treat.

Our second stop was Woodrose Winery. What a wonderful place! They have a large deck in the back, surrounded by trees. It feels like you are at someone's home in the country. They had multiple fires going on the deck and they do the tastings by the fire! Plus, there was a live two man band playing for us. It could not have been a more enjoyable afternoon. I can't wait to go back! I'm thinking road-trip just for Woodrose.

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long - Block 2

2010-11-19T13:24:00.006-06:00

Its time for Block 2 of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild quilt-a-long.

This month create a Disappearing 9 Patch block. There are lots of instructions on the internet, but Allison Harris at Cluck Cluck Sew has a great tutorial.

Don't forget to bring your finished block to the December meeting!

FYI: If you haven't been to Cluck Cluck Sew before, add this blog to your must-read blog list! This is one of my favorite quilt blogs right now. Lots of bright, fun fabrics and there are lots of awesome tutorials!

Cookieees! (Kind of)

2010-10-25T10:51:00.005-05:00

My man had a birthday this weekend. We celebrated at Independence Brewery's 6th Birthday celebration. I brought Cookie Monster Cupcakes to share with our friends.

Yes, I made these cupcakes myself. They were super easy, but required a bit of task ordering. Instructions are all over the internet!

Austin-ites: If you haven't been to a First Saturday Tour & Tasting at Independence, I highly recommend it! Get there on time and you get a bracelet that allows you up to three beers of your choice. Bring a lawn chair and your best friends. Three hours and three free beers. Good times, good times.

10-10-10

2010-10-11T16:35:00.000-05:00

I always have the best weekends. Because they involve taking this guy swimming. Who doesn't love spending a couple of hours, throwing a floating toy/tennis ball/stick, for a sweet golden retriever?

This weekend he got to go swimming twice. Saturday morning and Sunday night. What a lucky puppy!

p.s. I think FALL has hit Central Texas! Or did I have too much fun playing with photoshop?!

New phone! Fun apps!

2010-09-27T08:50:00.000-05:00

I did it.

I switched over to the dark side.

And I'm loving every minute of it!

I can't say enough about HOW AWESOME the iPhone 4 is. Its a HUGE upgrade from my Blackberry Curve. I LOVED being on the Verizon network with all of my extended family, but I wanted an iPhone. The Droid wasn't gonna do it for me. Mostly, because I want apps. Lots and lots of fun and awesome apps. And only the iPhone can fill those shoes.

Speaking of apps... The Hipstamatic App is a new favorite.

If you own an iPhone and need a case, I highly recommend "Colors" at Switch Easy. The silicone case fits like a glove. And "Jelly Bean" tactile home button is da bomb!

Austin Area Quilt Guild - Quilt Show 2010

2010-09-18T19:22:00.007-05:00

This weekend is the Austin Area Quilt Guild's quilt show! I've never been to a quilt show... It was so fun to see all amazing quilts. Here are a few that caught my eye.

Self Explanatory by Martha Tsihlas

Its not an Austin event, without the city's motto: Keep Austin Weird.

Friends by Cindy Crowell.

Cindy is a member of the Austin Modern Quilt Guild. She debuted her "poop quilt" back in March at a meeting. She won 3rd place in the Show & Sell category!

Self Portrait by Laura Anne Brown

Laura has attended Austin Modern Quilt Guild meetings. I recognize this image from her Facebook profile photo! Only four fabrics were used in this 20x16 fused quilt.

Marilyn's Kiss of Approval by Marilyn J. Roskey.

Love the homage to Marilyn's favorite restaurants.

Sleavage quilt on the right! Using the edge of the fabric (aka, the sleavage) is all the rage online these days.

Ann's Sampler by Ann Laubach.

Very cool 19th Century inspired sampler quilt.

I don't have the details for this one, but I love the browns, pale blue, and pops of red. I would never quilt something like this, but I still love the style.

Another quilt where I didn't write down the info, but my... oh my! Look at those stars pop!

Make sure to catch the show tomorrow, if you haven't already yet!

AMQG: Year Long Quilt-a-long

2010-09-16T16:55:00.005-05:00

I'm super excited to announce the quilt-a-long that I am running for the Austin Modern Quilt Guild (AMQG). AMQG Officers wanted a small project that everyone could participate in to bring us together as a group. I suggested a modern quilt-a-long... and they went for it! The finished product will be a modern sampler quilt. Most of the quilt blocks will be from online modern quilters, who are also members of chapters of the Modern Quilt Guild.

This quilt-a-long features one quilt block per month and runs 12 months long. Each month, we'll introduce a new block. Feel free to join along! Its only one block per month, so it should be easy to keep up.

The quilt-a-long blocks will end in August 2011. The top assembly, quilting, and binding can be completed by Holiday Season 2011.

Tonight I will be debuting the first block at our monthly meeting. It is the Friendship Star from Block Party.

Image above is from Block Party's Flickr Site

Safari themed baby quilt

2010-09-05T20:43:00.003-05:00

Another friend is having a baby!

The mom & dad were in Africa late last year. When I saw "momma & baby" panel fabric at Joann's this summer, I knew I wanted to make a safari themed baby quilt for their soon-to-be little one.

Goodbye Doggie Dryer

2010-08-09T11:03:00.008-05:00

A few months ago our dryer stopped working. At first, it was just every once in awhile. The dryer wouldn't "start". If you tried an hour later, it worked fine. But over the course of two weeks, it stopped working completely. When we had to haul all our clothes down to the local laundromat, we knew it was time to get another one.

I tried to convince my boyfriend we should upgrade to one of those fancy dryers everyone else is getting. They are shiny and pretty! Of course, they cost a pretty penny, too!

He would have nothing of it. In fact, he didn't even want to buy a new dryer. We were going to search craigslist. He figured everyone else is upgrading to one of those pretty and shiny new dryers and getting rid of perfectly good dryers.

And he was right. For $100 we got a new-to-us gas dryer. I love craigslist! You get the best deals and everyone I've ever dealt with is super nice. And it feels good to reuse something that someone else was just going to throw away.

This weekend I put the old dryer on the curb. That dryer was good to us. Dried our clothes, but also protected us from burglars. See, our washer and dryer sit in our carport, exposed to the outside world. Anyone could drive up and take them away. To deter thieves, my boyfriend spray painted a bull dog's image on the side.

Oh, and I should also mention I used craigslist to get rid of the old dryer! Even though we suspected the heating element was out, it could still be used for parts. I posted an ad in the morning in the "free" section of craigslist. By 7 p.m. it was gone.

Baby Shower for a Baby Girl

2010-07-31T22:50:00.007-05:00

Mendy is having a baby and its time to celebrate! We played the baby photo guessing game, oohed & aaahed over homemade baby onesies, enjoyed food and diaper cakes, hung out with grandma-to-bes, opened gifts, and had a great time.

Did you know how easy it is to make custom homemade onesies? Buy a package of onesies and RIT liquid dye. Follow directions. Want to make them more custom? Applique a cute design to the front! Want more inspiration? Add ties to the onesies for your little man.

This is the baby blankie I made for their little girl. I made it quite awhile ago, before the nursery theme was chosen. Turns out, it matches perfectly!

Actually, I didn't even get to attend this baby shower. Two nights before the party, we found out a family member had passed away and we wanted to be with family that weekend. Here are the other co-hostesses and the mom-to-be holding my baby photo, used in the Baby Photo Game. They are so sweet!

In French, Please

2010-07-28T15:03:00.004-05:00

This morning before work I caught the beginning of Canadian Bacon on one of the movie channels. Best Canuck movie ever.

Boy Baby Shower Gifts

2010-07-27T18:26:00.006-05:00

A good friend of mine is having a baby at the end of September or beginning October! She's actually the first of three friends who are all due within a month of each other. She's having a little boy.

Of course I had to craft something up for the baby shower! Using a fat quarter pack I got on sale at Joann's, I made a baby quilt. I based the pattern on a quilt someone from the Austin Modern Quilt Guild showcased at a meeting. The fat quarter pack was puppy themed. Perfect for a little boy! The back was black with white prints of puppy paws!

The other homemade part of my gift were onesies with little man ties on them. Sizes 0-3 months, 6-9 months, and 18 months ... room for baby to grow. I dyed plain, white onesies the color black. They came out grey. I appliqued "ties" onto the onesies, using Crap I've Made's awesome tutorial. The tutorial was extremely easy to follow.

I also made two extra onesies for two other babies with the extra onesies. I love the shabby chic look of these little things!

Reasons I love Austin: KUT

2010-07-23T14:22:00.012-05:00

During my drive home for lunch today, I was listening to KUT. I listen to KUT most days. Its our local NPR station. Not only does KUT play great music, but they started a Song of the Day a few years ago. You can get one free download a day! I have a few favorite bands that are featured on Song of the Day and its nice listening to an acoustic version of your favorite artist. FOR FREE.

Song of the Day recently hit like half a million downloads, so they broadcasted the best of Song of the Day. Check it out here! My favorite song on the list? Its got to be Lucinda Williams' Crescent City.

Fishing, Family, & Friends

2010-07-13T16:05:00.005-05:00

I got to spend a week in Minnesota. We fished, picked fresh blueberries, swam in Rainy Lake, hung out with all the kids, drank Sha Sha teas, saw old friends, rode in boats, and posed on giant Walleye statues.

A Girl from the North Country

2010-06-30T10:22:00.008-05:00

Heading up north soon... can't wait to make s'mores with the family. Whether in the oven or over a fire!

Beach Weekend 2010

2010-06-14T10:21:00.002-05:00

Weekend at the beach with friends. Sno cones, card games, seafood, horseshoes, bloody marys, good reads, awesome music playlists, and sunshine. Nuff said.

Where's Waldo

2010-06-03T15:04:00.003-05:00

In May we attended a local Golden Retriever event, a benefit for Gold Ribbon Rescue. GRR is the local Austin Golden Retrievers rescue organization. It was held on a farm about an hour from Austin. Breakfast was provided for the humans: Upper Crust Bakery cinnamon rolls and Rudy's breakfast tacos! The dogs got to run and swim and play.

When we decided to go, we weren't sure how our dog would behave around the other dogs. Actually, we pretty much knew how he would behave. He gets to go swimming at Red Bud every weekend, we go to the neighborhood park to socialize with neighborhood dogs, plus we have plenty of friends with dogs, with whom Chauncey plays. What we weren't sure about... was something going to happen that totally embarrasses us in front of other well-behaved golden retrievers? Photos from the 2010 Picnic showed leashed animals NOT jumping up and NOT trying to play bite any other dog.

Turns out, there was no worry! Chauncey was well-behaved. His only faux-paw was trying to lick the face of a 3 year old girl. She fell down and got scared, but her dad told her to man up. Dad assured me that his daughter was used to rough play from her dogs. Um... I wasn't convinced and apologized profusely. I hate seeing little kids being scared of Chauncey. He is a bit of a close talker and sometimes intimidates little children. They think he might bite. On the contrary, he just wants to smell and kiss their faces.

All-in-all, it was a great morning. Half the time we didn't know where our dog was. He blended in well with the others... literally. Swimming, ball fetching, swimming, running, and more swimming.

I can't wait to go again next year!

Who is? I am.

2010-05-21T15:16:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we all need reminders.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-10T17:02:00.005-05:00

Yesterday when I was wishing my sister a happy mother's day, she wished me one too. "Because Chauncey is your baby!" she said.

And its true. He is totally my baby.

We spent the afternoon hiking Walnut Creek Park. Its a city park in Austin with off leash areas for dogs and lots and lots of mountain biking and walking trails. While we were hiking, we would return to the creek, so Chauncey could get water. Hiking is hard work, y'all!

Chauncey loves sticks... here's a video of the puppy finding a stick that sunk. But that's not going to stop him from fetching it. Oh no... he now ducks his head under water to fetch the stick.

Oh, and what a swimmer he is! Check out video of him swimming at Red Bud Isle, another local off leash dog park. I love my city. Such great outdoor spaces for the dogs.

Happy Birthday, Puppy!

2010-04-05T10:05:00.006-05:00

Happy first birthday to my puppy!

Can I still call Chauncey a puppy, now that he is one?

Zach drops by the set

2010-03-11T15:21:00.006-06:00

Anyone catch SNL this weekend and see Zach Galifianakis host?

It was hilarious.

He also dropped by my family's photo shoot.

Thanks for the photo-shopped image, Jay!

Check ME Out

2010-03-05T14:27:00.005-06:00

I've been published! The Newberry Eagle of La Pine, Oregon published a blog post I wrote about my first quilt.

See page 18 of the March 2010 edition!

Olympics!

2010-02-12T15:05:00.009-06:00

Tonight is the opening ceremonies for the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Will you be watching?

I actually got to work at the Sydney games in 2000! I have four scrapbooks of my adventures. My work involved setting up record keeping devices at the timed venues. Most of the time the venue operators could install the software on their own system... but every once in awhile a coworker and I would have travel to the Olympic Park and check it out ourselves. Tough job, I know!

On our free time my friends and I attended the games. Some tickets were given out by our employer, but the cool stuff (like opening or closing ceremonies) always went to managers. The rest of us got tickets to volleyball or wrestling or table tennis! It was also very easy to get tickets to events. I saw a semi-final of swimming, the finals for women's artistic gymnastics, and the finals for men's handball.

Kitten Mittens

2010-02-03T16:08:00.003-06:00

If you don't watch Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, you should.

Kitten Mittens!

Christmas Ornament Couples Shower

2010-01-24T17:58:00.021-06:00

A couple of weekends ago friends and I hosted a Christmas Ornament Couples Shower.

What does that mean? It was a coed wedding shower, where guests were asked to bring Christmas ornaments in lieu of presents. The shower was in January, just after the holiday season and not too far after the new year. If guests planned it right, they could buy a Christmas ornament on clearance!

It was a fun party. And I did absolutely no crafting for it. Which was kind of nice!

My cohorts and I planned a full appetizer, drinks, and dessert menu. We cooked all the food ourselves, but bought a cake. It was a ten inch, double layer chocolate espresso supreme. I had never ordered a cake for a party, but I may do it again. It was delicious!!!

We served chips and queso, meatballs, hazelnut shrimp in endive leaves, cranberry baked brie, artichoke dip, veggies & dip, chocolate dipped strawberries, and my "Minnesota Bars". Let me give you the recipe... they are simple to make and tas-tee!

Minnesota Bars

1 c sugar
1 c corn syrup
1.5 c peanut butter
6 c Cornflakes or Special K
1.25 c chocolate chips
.75 c butterscotch chips

Melt sugar and corn syrup until boiling.
Remove and mix in peanut butter and flakes.
Place in 9x13 pan.

Frost with melted chocolate and butterscotch chips.

Cut into bars when cooled.

Decorations were simple. We made a collage of photos of the happy couple using Picasa software. We bought 30 helium balloons from Party City that we left bunched together for a dramatic statement. Last, but not least, was the small white Christmas tree for displaying the ornaments!

After mingling with guests, the happy couple opened gifts. My favorite ornament was the squirrel. Every tree needs a squirrel!

Look how cute the happy couple looks, getting ready to cut the cake... They are ready for the wedding day festivities!

To all my crafty & quilting friends in Austin!

2010-01-12T14:14:00.006-06:00

Are you crafty? Do you sew? Do you quilt? Do you love modern quilts? Do you have interest in meeting other modern quilters?

There is going to be a new modern quilting bee/guild in Austin!

Our first meetup will be in less than a week. We are meeting on Monday, January 18th at 6:30 p.m. at Rio Rita on East 6th Street.

Check out the details here!

Modern Siggy Swap

2010-01-07T10:36:00.004-06:00

I signed up for another swap!

Its called the "Modern Siggy Swap" and hosted by Rachel Griffith at p.s. i quilt.

We will be making 101 signature blocks using her tutorial.
Keep up with our progress on the flickr group!

The swap is opened till Jaunary 15th... or 100 swappers. Whichever comes first!

Looking back... My First Quilt

2010-01-05T16:38:00.004-06:00

In high school I belonged to the "gifted" program. First they called it "HEIGHT", but changed it later to "GATE". Gifted-And-Talented-Education was easier to remember than whatever "HEIGHT" was the acronym for. If we completed a gifted project or internship during the school year, we would get half of a high school credit. Since we were all nerds in school and wanted more A's than our friends, most did the project. I did two projects for GATE in high school. One was a paper mache cow (another post, another time!) and the other was a quilt.

The advisor told me if I were to make a quilt, I would need to design it myself. I said, "Okay". My mom and grandma were very familiar around a sewing machine. I thought mom would mentor me.

When mom heard of the project, she kind of freaked out. She had never made a quilt herself... So she took me to the local sewing shop and we bought Eleanor Burns' book Around the World, which was part of a quilt-in-a-day series. When I read the book, I remember thinking, "Why would I design my own quilt when I could just copy the instructions from this book?"

So began the lying.
And not making my own quilt design.
And not learning the true meaning of being gifted.

I might not have designed it, but I loved making this quilt.

I needed a book to tell me about fabric selection, tips-of-the trade, making the quilt top, quilt assembly, and quilting & tying quilts. This was 1995. There might have been internet, but there wasn't craftster or other blogs to guide me.

Almost 15 years later, this quilt is still in use. My family keeps it at our cabin on Rainy Lake. The high loft batting inside comes in handy during cold summer nights in northern Minnesota!

And look where I am now! I design all sorts of quilt tops. HA!

The greatest statuses of 2009

2010-01-01T22:58:00.000-06:00

.... via facebook.

Inspired: Crate & Barrel Bermuda Stripes Quilt

2009-12-05T13:43:00.007-06:00

A few years ago I fell in love with the Crate & Barrel Bermuda Stripes twin size quilt.

I had made a plaid queen sized quilt for my sister some years earlier and I still had fabrics leftover. Paired with some white fabric, they would be perfect for this quilt!

Creating the quilt top was fairly easy. I quickly cut stripes of the plaid and white fabrics. I varied the widths by up to 1/2 inch. Sew together and press. Voila! A top is made.

The construction of the quilt, on the other hand, was more intense.

This was the first time I ever "quilted" a quilt before. All previous quilts had been done with yarn ties. I wanted to recreate the quilting in the Crate & Barrel quilt. So, I stitched every stripe in my own quilt "in the ditch", aka stitching in the ditch. About 1/3 of the way into the process, I thought the quilting would never end! And I NEVER EVER wanted to "quilt" a quilt again after that!

Another first on this quilt? The binding was sewn on, but I had no idea what I was doing. This was before Heather Bailey's infamous tutorial hit the internet and the instructions I had tried to follow were confusing! I sewed the binding to the front and back and its kind of hideous to look at!

What does Chauncey think of the quilt? Eh, he could care less. Nor does he care for photo shoots!

Lessons learned from this quilt? Try, try, try new things. I saw something that inspired me and I went out to try to figure out how to make it. It might not be perfect, but it was great practice. And years later... I love this blanket!

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Giveaway

2009-11-30T14:18:00.000-06:00

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

- National Lampoon's "Vacation" movies
- The Beatles Rock Band (I already got this as an early gift!)
- A gift certificate to my favorite massage therapist
- A new desk that I can use for sewing and computer-ing
- Winter boots for my January trip to Minnesota

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

Ghosts made from Kleenexes that my sister made me and all our cousins when we were under the age of five. My cousin's response, when opening her box, "This is just junk!" and proceeded to toss aside the box. My sister cried. Good times, good times.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

A reversible stocking. I tried to make a reversible stocking for my boyfriend two years ago, but it was a disaster. The opening was too small and the fur I used on top was UGLY and pulled weirdly. Needless to say, I threw it away for him. I didn't want him keeping something around that was THAT UGLY! Maybe next year I'll try again.

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

I loved Barbie as a kid. And bikes. So whenever Santa brought a new bike or Barbie house/motorhome/apartment, I was always a happy kid!

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

No kids for me... but my niece and nephews will be getting fun gifts! My 7 year old nephew would like five video games, he has told me. Apparently, he needs one for his DS, one for his PS2, one for his Xbox, and at least two more games and I can chose the game platform. (Yeah, not gonna get you five, kid!)

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

Lefse. My ancestors may have left Norway three generations ago, but we still love lefse. Its a lot of work to make, so it only gets done during holidays. Always a fun treat!

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

I will be sewing two quilts for Christmas this year. One for my sister and the other for my niece. Both want quilts backed in satin-like fabric, just like their baby blankets!

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Miracle on 34th Street
- A Christmas Carol

9. Favorite holiday song?

Robert Earl Keen's Merry Christmas from the Family

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

Being with family and friends!

And now I'm tagging two friends: Beth and Janell

Flea Market Fancy Freaks: Giveaway

2009-11-24T09:01:00.002-06:00

Flea Market Fancy Freaks is having a giveaway.

If you haven't already signed up, go there now!

Modern Floral Baby Quilt

2009-11-20T07:37:00.000-06:00

Another baby quilt! Two baby showers, two weekends apart... The last one I made was the Texas/UTEP two sided baby blanket for a baby boy. This quilt is a modern floral patchwork for a baby girl.

A couple of months ago, I found this brilliant orange/yellow/gray floral fabric and I couldn't wait to make a baby quilt for my friend's baby. The front is random squares. The back is the floral fabric with a strip of the same fabric on the front. The blanket is quilted in the ditch around each square and then diagonally.

My favorite part of the quilt are the ruffles around the edges! I wish I had gotten more photos up close of them.

Here are a couple more photos in our living room. This blanket matches our furniture and decor. HA!

Oh, and I can't wait to use some of the floral fabric for when I make something like Liz's Quilt.

Matte Finish Oilcloth & Chalk

2009-11-19T15:11:00.007-06:00

I LOVE the matte finish oilcloth table runner featured at unclutterer.com!

I totally want to make one. It would be perfect for the holidays and entertaining!

Sewing Spaces

2009-11-10T15:45:00.004-06:00

I wish I had more space for a room dedicated entirely to sewing!

If I did, I would install Ikea's Expedit desk and shelf system.

This scrapbooking space is inspirational:

Here are some other great IKEA craft workspaces:
- dontcallmebecky
- modkidboutique
- yvestown

And a special shout-out to the organization skills of Marcy Penner... This space is amazing!

Block Party Fabric Giveaway!

2009-11-02T13:40:00.004-06:00

The group at Block Party are having a fabric giveaway...

Don't miss out!

Texas / UTEP baby blanket

2009-10-27T08:01:00.020-05:00

This weekend we were out of town for a wedding and I had to miss my friend's baby shower! I was so sad to miss it... I had come up with the perfect baby gift idea months ago. And doggone it. I couldn't be two places at once!

The mom-to-be is Texas Longhorns graduate. The dad-to-be is a UTEP Miners graduate. Both are big football fans. Their lil' baby boy even has a sports themed nursery waiting for him!

What was my baby gift idea? A Texas Longhorns / UTEP Miners baby quilt.

The UTEP Miners side was made using the school colors (orange & blue) and a white background. A friend gave me a Miners t-shirt, which I used for the UTEP logo and the Miners pickax. The best part of the t-shirt was the Texas Longhorn, stamped with a pickax!

The Texas Longhorns side is a myriad of Longhorns fabric and a t-shirt. Texas fabric is much easier to come by, especially in its hometown! I had the best time creating wacky, modern blocks with Texas fabrics.

The quilt was binded with black & white fabric, to tie the two sides together.

I hope Baby Brown enjoys his new blankie!

Working Girl

2009-10-26T11:05:00.005-05:00

Sometimes its tough being a working girl.... Thank goodness for Carly Simon.

Happy Monday!!!

Limos, Wine, & Karaoke

2009-10-17T17:06:00.002-05:00

Mimosas, great friends, wine tastings at both Mandola Estate Winery and
Texas Hills Vineyard, and lots of laughter.

We were having so much fun that we continued the party to a local karaoke bar! Did you know that you get in trouble when you sing your solo on the pool table? Just sayin'. :)

Puppy Graduation

2009-10-12T22:26:00.006-05:00

My puppy is a puppy school graduate!

Sunday was the big day. Graduation test included sit, lay down, sit & stay, down & stay, come when called, and tricks. Chauncey can "high five" and almost rollover.

For a graduation gift, I got Chauncey his first football. He is so ready to rumble! He's got fall football fever!!

Reasons I love Austin: Live Music

2009-10-02T15:05:00.006-05:00

Last night we saw a new "superband" play at Stubb's. Them Crooked Vultures features drummer Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters, Nirvana), vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age, Desert Sessions, Eagles of Death Metal) and bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin).

The show did not disappoint. Their album doesn't debut till later this month, but every song was HAWT!

What can I say? Josh Homme is my music boyfriend. I love everything he does.

And Dave Grohl? That dude gives 110% to every song. Crazy amazing.

Halloween Crafts

2009-09-21T17:07:00.006-05:00

My cousin* Jodi was featured over at craftzine.com!

* Jodi's grandma and my grandma were sisters. Our moms are first cousins. I randomly found her on myspace a year or so ago, and I've really enjoyed getting to know her these few years, via the web. Who knew we would both grow up to be craftaholics?

Seventy Seven 9 Patches

2009-09-20T21:42:00.016-05:00

FINISHED! I sewed my last 3x3 nine patch blocks today, which was part of crazymomquilts' one-a-day quilt-a-long.

Here they all are. No, I did not sew one block per day. I used my cheating method and sewed them in bunches. Today alone I sewed about 25 blocks!

I also sewed an extra seven blocks, which I am going to use for the backing.

Stay tuned...
Next step: completing the quilt top with sashing.

And I have to add... I could not have completed these blocks without being a BIG WINNER from The Pleated Poppy during her scrap bag giveaway! Some of my favorite blocks were using fabric from the scrap bag. The block with the guitars has got to be at the top of my list.

Not that I need more

2009-09-18T15:31:00.007-05:00

Not that I need more charm packs, but aren't these Vintage Sheet charm packs adorable?!

32 different patterns for just $9.25. If I bought 2 charm packs, I could make a little lap quilt...

Not now, not now. I already have too much fabric. And after watching Hoarders on A&E, I might have a fabric Hoarding problem.

If I finish the 4 projects I'm currently working on, by the end of October, can I buy some? :)

My Little Golden Irish

2009-09-17T17:06:00.008-05:00

I haven't posted photos of our dog since the week we got him! He's a bundle of energy and always has lots of love for everyone. Chauncey won't ever be a guard dog. He's a kisser, not a barker.

Did you know dirt tastes good? So does grass and sticks and berries, according to Chauncey.

Plus, rain is fun to play in!

Chauncey hates it when you take too many photos. Especially after a romp in the rain.

We're still working on his retrieving skillz. His favorite toys are of the squeaky variety. Sometimes he'll bring them back. Sometimes... not.

Why the trouble with retrieving, for a Golden Retriever? Because he might not a Golden Retriever after all! We are thinking he might be a Golden Irish, a mix between Golden Retriever and Irish Setter. Chauncey looks just like Archie. They could be brothers!

And no, I haven't sewn anything for him. No bandanas, toys, or blankets. I would like to make a dog bed cover someday. Because dog beds are expensive, y'all!

Off to walk Chauncey to the dog park! He gets sad when he doesn't get to play with all of his friends at the park.

Tag, Tagger, Taggiest

2009-09-05T16:08:00.009-05:00

I've been tagged by my friend over at Spare Pages!

Here are the rules...

Go to the place where you upload all your photos. If you don’t upload them online, just go to wherever you store your pics on your computer. Open the oldest album, and post the first photo. Then tell the story behind it. Then tag 3 people!

I have lots of places where I keep my photos, but since most of my blog photos are on Flickr, I used one from there. I don't have a Pro account, so only the last 200 photos are kept in the photostream. This is my 200th photo.

This toddler's tshirt was made as a birthday gift for a little girl who turned two. I've since made another one for another two year old! It was a fun present to make. Maybe one of these days I'll write a tutorial?

Next I tag: Rachel, Cindy, and Channon!

Uncork & Unwind

2009-09-04T10:37:00.003-05:00

The limo has been booked...

Departure: October 2009.
Location: Texas Hill Country.
Description: Fourth Annual Limo Wine Tour!

I can't wait!

December 2005: The First Limo Wine Tour

Head's Up!

2009-09-02T11:09:00.001-05:00

Last week my friends and I attended a local baseball game. The Round Rock Express are a AA "feed team" for the Houston Astros. Our friends have season tickets and didn't use all of them, so they were very generous to share with us!

It was a fun game. We consumed baseball staples: beers and 'dogs. We all chatted, enjoyed the shade while the sun was setting, and cheered on the team. We were in great seats! About 15 rows up, right behind third base line.

Did you know there are pop fly balls at baseball games? Oh yes! Most of the balls flew into sections behind home plate. But during the 8th inning, one came our way!

All the girls ran because we did NOT want to get hit! And as much as we tried to get out of the way, one landed in our row. And most specifically... it hit Lori!

Getting hit in the back with a pop foul ball hurts, y'all!

But Lori is a super trooper. She marched on and made it to the After Party in the VIP Bar!

Behind on my one-a-days

2009-08-30T07:20:00.003-05:00

Okay. I'm behind on my one-a-day-along. Here's how much I have... About 22 blocks when, if I had been following "the rules", I would have finished all 70 blocks a month ago. And I don't even like one of the blocks, so technically, I've only got 21 for my quilt.

I could finish the other 50 or so, if I really wanted to, but I've been trying to make this very scrappy. I don't want to reuse a lot of fabrics, so I wait till I get through one project, and use those scraps to sew my 9x9 blocks.

I'm also cheating a little. Sewing 9 little 2.5 by 2.5 squares together is hard work, ya'll! I wrote a little tutorial about it! You end up with two blocks and the same amount of work!

Oh, and with all the Christmas projects I have going on now, I kind of wish I had stuck to a theme. Like Bison Girl's Red & Green Christmas quilt. Its holiday fantastic! Maybe next year I'll do a Christmas 9 patch quilt???

Row of flowers

2009-08-28T17:15:00.003-05:00

I've completed my fourth row for the Row Robin Swap.

My flower is the blue & green flower on the far right. The rows are grouped in order of assembly. The flower row on the left was done first and mine was done fourth.

When I started this row, I originally wanted to do a Dresden Plate, but I never got the pattern printed before I left work last Friday. So, I winged it! My cutting mat had lines for 30 degrees and 45 degrees. I was going to have nine petals, each at a thirty degree angle, but when I put the fabrics together, I didn't like it. I think the petals turned out to look like a daisy. I love daisies and I love this row!

Christmas Blocks!

2009-08-27T21:44:00.004-05:00

This weekend I got lots of sewing in! First up... Christmas in July scrappy blocks.

For this project, I have three swap partners. I needed to sew two blocks for each partner: i.e. make six blocks. Since I would be getting six blocks myself, I decided to make 8 blocks in total. I would have 2 blocks of my own to add to the received blocks.

After choosing fabrics and cutting strips, the process went fairly quickly. I decided to make two types of blocks and sew them in an assembly line.

And here is a preview of my quilt. One of my swap partners was super responsible and sent out her blocks ahead of schedule. :)

Favorite Things Swap: in the mail

2009-08-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

My things for the My Favorite Things Swap are in the mail!

My swap partner sounds really cool. According to her swap bio, she:

* loves crafting
* mother of a 14 month old daughter
* graduate in painting and drawing, but works as a graphic designer
* digs mid-century modern, vintage, most things yellow & stainless steel.

Details of what I sent:

* baby blanket for her little girl
* my favorite local candles
* vintage-y coasters: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
* mackintosh toffee

Christmas in July

2009-07-28T13:16:00.004-05:00

Its time for another swap! Now I've signed up for the Scrappy Christmas Block Swap over at modernjax.

If you want to join, there is still time! You have until August 1st.

Red & Turquoise Row

2009-07-25T16:34:00.016-05:00

I finally sewed something this summer! Because of vacation and the new puppy, I just haven't had time to sit at my sewing machine. Life has been busy!

Things at the Row Robin Swap have been slow. The swap has been really fun to watch, as it develops on flickr, but there have been a few hangups in my group. One person in my group went MIA. A participant sent her row to another participant. And then nothing. I feel very bad for her... No one wants to lose anything she has worked so hard on! With all the commotion, rows have been getting to me late, so I haven't had anything to sew since May. Its okay though. Like I said, I've been busy with life!

Without further ado, here is my row for Natasha. She wanted red and turquoise. I hope she likes it! My inspiration was this bento box from Sister Choice Quilts. However, I did the wrong measurements and didn't have the large inner square like she did! Oh well. I love what I came up with. :)

The row consists of four 12.5 by 12.5 blocks, separated by 3/4" white sashing. I wanted to match the sashing that Natasha used in her row. I love that she added this. It not only breaks up her blocks, but when I added it to my bento box blocks, it made each one stand out!

For the construction, I was able to use a lot of the scraps that had been sent my way. I also bought a considerable amount of fabric, including a fantasic red-orange wave fabric from Joann's. I used it in three of the corners. You will see this fabric in the future soon! I may be incorporating it into my next lap quilt, based on aunt june's Charley's Quilt.

On my way back home...

2009-07-19T16:51:00.003-05:00

Spent ten days on Rainy Lake this month! Beautiful weather and fun times with friends and family.

Now that I'm back in the heat of Texas, I guess I should sew or something. But I'm having too much fun playing with Chauncey. Yesterday we went to Redbud Isle to swim with the other dogs, including Chauncey's buddy Max!

Happy Canada Day, Eh?

2009-07-01T10:18:00.004-05:00

Tomorrow I will be up north.
In four days I will be fishing here.
WALLEYE!

In the meantime, I leave you with a little of Gord's Gold.

Beach Weekend 2009

2009-06-30T13:29:00.007-05:00

Its almost like an annual trip now! First 2008... now 2009! Same condo, but more space. We decided the boys don't drool, so they were invited along.

Ah, what a relaxing weekend! The sun, surf, sand, and friends... Can't wait for June 2010.

Favorite Things Swap!

2009-06-26T10:29:00.003-05:00

Do you like getting stuff in the mail? Aren't presents fun?

If you think so too... join the Favorite Things Swap!

The gist:
You get a swap partner.
You pick out three items of your favorite things and send them to your partner!
The items can be crafted or store bought.
You get three items back from a someone else!

If you've never done a swap before, I highly recommend it! Its always so fun.

Facesbook

2009-06-24T11:11:00.002-05:00

Are you one of those couples who are joined at the hip? Can you not have your own facebook page?

Good news! We now have facesbook.

Girls Rock

2009-06-23T15:01:00.007-05:00

Another baby shower!

A couple of weeks ago, I co-hosted a baby shower for our friend Debbie.

This party's theme:

Let's Potty Like Rock Stars!

I crafted all sorts of things. From the invitations, diaper cake, baby onesies, and earrings that were thank you gifts for the guests. Plus, I made her one of my infamous baby blankets and a Spongebob Squarepants onesie!

One of the games we played was "Name that baby". I asked all guests to bring a baby or kid photo of themselves for the party. To help guests from forgetting their photo, I suggested they email the picture to me and I printed them out myself. A few guests, including the mom-to-be, did that and it worked out great!

For dessert we had adorable baby cookies made by the dad-to-be's aunt! And since the mom-to-be is a huge Dairy Queen fan, we got her a Dairy Queen ice cream cake.

It was such a fun party! Good times with friends and family.

Chauncey playing with a tennis ball

2009-06-08T19:01:00.003-05:00

Cuteness Overload

2009-06-07T21:44:00.006-05:00

Today I got a puppy.

He is a nine week old golden retriever. He's already lived up to his breed! During his second excursion in the backyard, he found a rotting bird carcass. Yeah, a present!

We might call him 'Chauncey'.

The Beach!

2009-06-01T12:58:00.002-05:00

This weekend I am heading to the beach! I hope we don't have any awkward family photos taken....

I <3 bicycles!

2009-05-27T23:29:00.005-05:00

Do you want to win? I do! Click on the image above... and then add the "code" to your blog/twitter/facebook page!

Too Flashy?

2009-05-25T23:53:00.003-05:00

I like these shoes.

Oops, I did it again... twice.

2009-05-18T14:49:00.014-05:00

I'm going to participate in TWO "a-longs"!

The first "a-long" is crazymomquilt's one a day. It sounds so easy... just make one 6x6 nine patch block a day. And we can use scraps for this -- BONUS! In no time, I'll have enough blocks for an entire quilt top! I already made two blocks on my lunch break. Plan on sewing a few more after work tonight. I'm behind, but I should catch up quickly.

The other "a-long" is Old Red Barn Co.'s quilt-along.

She is going to show us all the steps of creating a quilt. I already have the "mechanics" of this project, but still need to gather my fabrics. Another excuse to go to the fabric store? Yippee. :)

The best part of this quilt-along... there are prizes involved.

Including a new sewing machine! WOO-HOO!

I forgot to wear flowers in my hair

2009-04-28T16:01:00.003-05:00

Between overtime with work and traveling, I haven't had much time to sew. That's okay... My boyfriend and I spent a long weekend in San Francisco last week! Purpose of the trip? Cheap tickets! I'm almost afraid to give away my travel secret... but we got $150 round-trip tickets on Southwest's DING program. Yes, 150 each.

Our fun began with a trip to Alcatraz. This is the second prison we've visited on vacation. Sure, the Yuma Territorial Prison would be a wretched place to be incarcerated, but this was Alcatraz. After looking at the photos from the trip, my dad told me, "Do you remember visiting Alcatraz when you were little?" Um, no. The only memory I have of my first trip to San Francisco was riding the trolley, in shorts and a sweatshirt (typical Minnesota summer attire) and a woman on the trolley told me that my sister and I shouldn't have on shorts. It was too cold. Yeah, if you aren't from Minnesota, you don't get it. San Francisco has nothing on Minnesota!

But I digress... I think I liked the ferry ride most of all! We got to take some great shots of the sights. The beautiful weather was also on our side!

Afterwards we grabbed a bite to eat on the wharf before joining our friends for sushi. I love eating sushi in new places! This restaurant we visited in Richmond was super tiny and super packed. It took almost 30 minutes to order drinks, another 30 to order food, but when the food came... it was well worth it. Check out the cute appetizers! The sushi piece was placed on top of seaweed paper. You picked up the ends of the paper with your hands, dipped it in your sauce, and ate it!

Saturday we spent sight-seeing! An extended family member took us to some fun sights. We got to drive down Lombard Street. We had lunch in North Beach. We got to see an art exhibit at a small art studio in the Tenderloin District. Ron English had a Marilyn/Mickey piece showing at The Shooting Gallery. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park!

Oh! And that evening we saw Jeffrey Ross from Comedy Central Roasts perform at Cobb's Comedy Club. He offered to take photos with everyone in the audience after the show!

Sunday we woke up bright and early (11 a.m... haha!) and drove out to Tamales Bay for fresh oysters! We shucked, we grilled, we slurped... all in the record 90+ degree heat.

Goodbye San Francisco! We will miss thee!