Projects projects projects

I've been super busy the last couple days. I've been a little lazy with the working out but I have done some running and some stairs and I have been walking at least thirty minutes every day. Back again tomorrow to try to do the 30 minutes of intense working out tomorrow. 

Tomorrow I am going to do a quilt back for the high river quilt. I've been meaning to do it the last couple days but I haven't gotten there because I've been carpet cleaning and trying to rearrange a new sewing area. My last one has been taken over by a TV with the great living room shuffle of 2013. 

Currently I'm waiting for my printer to give me the Scrappy Trip Along instructions. I'm super far behind in the project I know. Most people were blogging this quilt a year ago. But my sister made one and I LOVE hers. And every time I see it I think about stealing it. So I've decided that I am going to make one... But mine is going to be christmas and winter fabrics. My jelly rolls arrived this morning! So I'm calling it Santa's Scrappy Trip Along! 

Back To The Blog

Now that summer is coming to an end I have a feeling I'll be back at the blogging! I've had a couple really great busy successful days! 

Yesterday I started my Disappearing Nine Patch quilt. I got all my nine patches sewn together and then I got them cut into quarters. I forgot to take photos because my phone was dead and my iPad was playing music. 

I also did 108 flights of stairs. Which means that I can walk up to the chapel in the stratosphere where I am getting married in about 5 weeks! (Holy crap time goes by sooo fast) I also ordered my necklace and earrings for my wedding day! WIN! 

Today was another super busy day. I went out to coffee this morning with *LB* and then home to clean the carpet in my bedroom and the hallway and the top two stairs and the landing! I then sewed the quilt top. I'm a super fan of the quick and fun disappearing nine patch!

 Then I ran for 36 minutes on my treadmill. I've started to try to do at least 30 minutes of activity a day. Day 2 a success! 

Now off to plan something for dinner! I promise I'll get some better pictures of my quilt top up soon!!

Ps! For everyone whose been following you know I have a love for the dodgers and they have clinched the western division! 

Long Time Gone!

A million and two "Sorrys"!!! I didn't realize that so much time was going by! A lot has been happen. Some I can't share just yet but some I can.

I've been working on a Fence Rail Blanket for *LB*'s birthday gift. I have until the end of June to get it finished!!! So far so good! I have two more squares to finish embroidering (well really 1.5 but if I say two and tell you I finished them I feel like I've gotten farther along than I have) which isn't too bad considering its a super secret and so far I don't think he has any idea its coming!!! I've got all my top quilt blocks assembled and they are in rows so hopefully after I finish the corner blocks I can finish the quilt top today.

I've also been working on a top secret project which I can't say anything about yet. But soon I promise I will spill and include pictures!

The other thing that has taken a large portion of my time lately and is the really exciting news... *LB* and I got engaged!!! It happened in May and we are getting married on our 11th anniversary on October 25, 2013. We're getting married in Las Vegas so it should be a super good time. And with a family like mine I'm sure it will be the best day and weekend ever! My unofficial Official wedding planner is a super giant amazing help! I hope she knows that too :) So I'll have to dust off my air miles cards because between now and then I have a lot of traveling to do. This month I'll be heading to Calgary to go Dress shopping! After that in July we are heading to Washington DC to see the Dodgers play the Nationals! Super pumped for that and all the museums there! In August we are most likely having our Wedding Social (Which one of my amazing friends is planning for us!!!BIG BIG BIG BIG THANK YOU FOR THAT), then rumor has it in September I'm going to Vegas for a conference (I don't have the official word on that yet). Then wedding in October!!

Now off to work on his blanket I shall go!!! I'll add pictures later!

Slacking!

I've been totally slacking when it comes time to blog... and almost everything else these days! However now that spring is here I'm hoping that'll change!
I've been making serious progress on my Sherry Sometimes blanket! I've gotten about half my circles appliqued on!

My Juggernaut blanket is coming along very slowly. I have to do some serious machine applique learning to get those circles just right. So far I get anything but circles.

I've also been working on a Guild Along Block Party Quilt. Its coming along nicely. Aside from the fact that I squared my blocks to 6 inches rather than 6.5 but I figure as long as I make that same mistake all the way through it should be fine. I'll just have to add some sashing and maybe a border or something if its a lot smaller than I was hoping for.

I've also got the material to start a baby blanket for a friend's baby and the materials to make another Boo Davies quilt for someone that my sister works with!

I have also been doing a lot more working out! Stairs are evil!!! My running is coming along. I did still have some knee issues but after making LB watch me run from all angles it seems like it might be form issue. So the stairs should help build up some good muscles and concentrating. All that comes down to slower runs while paying attention. All things that I should be able to do without too much torture!

Stitchy Tuesday

At least once a week I would like to do a post about Embroidery, hand embroidery, to be more specific. I really enjoy making things this way. I normally do things on pillowcases and tea towels for my Etsy site B.S. Crafts or for friends. I don't normally hang on to a lot of the things that I embroider but I do have some that friends have made for me.
This week I would like to share a project that I've been working on for a while. Mostly because I was slacking so they took me a lot longer than they should have. But I did finish them this weekend and I will be going to the post office with them later today.
My brother got married on December 31, 2012. So aside from the "Presentation" that we gave them I thought it would be nice to give them something embroidered. Now if you know my brother communication isn't his strongest skill. So I didn't have a lot of information about the wedding. Then he asked me to do a speech with my sister *K*. (WE KILLED IT!). So I tried to get more information about the wedding and the only thing that he would tell me was that there was a website with the information and that the wedding colors were "Peacock!"
So here's what I came up with

The feather picture was my reference point and the next picture was me getting started while I was on the airplane flying home after the wedding. 

 Side by side, you can see that the feathers are colored a little bit differently. But I actually really like how the heart turned out. I wasn't sure when I first started. I also have to thank my sister *B* and my niece for helping pick out the colors.

 Finished, washed, ironed and waiting to be packed up and shipped away!

Close up of one of the pillowcases. I hope they're loved in their new home!

New Book!

I think I am going to try to make a blog a month about one of the quilting books that I have gotten.
I love buying new quilting books. I find it helps me get new ideas for future Projects and it also helps me learn new things. As someone who hasn't taken a quilting class and is very green in the world of crafting.
I by no means know anything about writing a book or critiquing books. I just know what I like about books. So I'll tell you all those things. And who knows maybe you'll like the same things. Or see a book that you haven't seen before because I've learned that not all book stores are created equal... So that being said Here goes nothing!
This week I had an orthodontist appointment! (Less than a year left with these braces) I went to the book store there and found "Modern Patch Work" by Elizabeth Harrman! I love the Hexagon blanket on the cover to begin with. And it after a look through I loved the way she showed an idea for the back of the quilt and the different color options!
After reading through I love the instructions and her general color choices. I also really like the pictures in the book. They're interesting. They show off the quilts really well and let you see the amazing quilting.

Pictures from Yesterday