Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.
  ~Albert Einstein

Bella Dia had a post about posting. Putting up a picture with a quote on Fridays. I really liked the idea. Short and sweet but with a little food for thought.  I drew this silly little illustration yesterday morning while I waited for the migraine medicine to kick in. I was thinking of my worry wart husband when I started it, but I don’t know? I think my subconscious was telling me something. Lets just say, I’m having a party for about 30 people tomorrow. That not what’s giving me a headache. I’m really looking forward to it. And we actually have people over fairly often. Several of them from out of state or long distance come stay over. However, for some reason these last couple days I’ve decided to paint a room, put in several flats of flowers and 7 hydrangea bushes, did some other serious lawn work, re-did the gravel in the drive way, re-arrange my computer area, cleaned out my closets, among other little silly things.  I had to put my sewing machine up because I had the strongest urge to make my daughter some curtain and my son his quilt. I think I like deadlines or have some last minute adrenaline illness. Well, off to make cupcakes. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

But not sad party blues. I have parties coming out my ears here lately. Weddings, graduations and Boy, do we have the birthdays. Five family members all in about a week.

I went to Target the other day because that was were the bride & groom’s gift register was at. Most of the stuff was already bought. There was just a few home decor things left along with a lot of swifters and cleaning weapons. I know she will NEED all those things to keep her house clean and in order but I didn’t want my gift to be the bottles of soap, scrubbing pads and a mop. That’s like your kids buying you a vacuum for Mothers Day.  So, I opted for the table runner on her list which I really liked. It’s beige with embroidered circles on one section and printed circles on another.  Then I bought a few other things not on the list, but trying to coordinate with the plates and other things that was on the list and already bought. When I got home I decided to add something homemade to it. I had sewn a few things for myself the other day and still had those fabrics out. They were brown, beige with a little blue colored. I thought they looked nice with the mugs and table runner, so I patched together a few hot pads for her table. The first one, I messed up the edging. It wasn’t ready that bad, but bad enough that I wouldn’t give it as a gift. The seam ripper and I had a fallen out. He was always taunting me. So, I did the only thing I could do. Keep it and Put in on my table. It matched a mat and pillow I had made earlier anyhow.  I know I’m going in circles over this machine quilting but yes I added a little crazy almost sloppy looking circle design with brown thread in the solid beige fabric.  I SO love how it looks.  Now that I had kept the one hot pad, I had only one left. And I didn’t want to give her only one, so I cut it up and made a few coasters to go with her mugs. All in All, I’m pleased with it.

I wasn’t kidding about loving machine quilting. I have been experimenting with doing circles. It was this amazing quilt that got me on a circle kick. I love her work and all the colors she uses just seem to all click together. I know I should have really practice on a scrap piece of fabric but I didn’t. I practiced on my toaster cover I made.

And since I have been adding just a little touch of orange in my kitchen. I did a little more experimenting with circles by making these orange lollipop flowers. The hardest part for me is when you need to move your hand to get a grip on a different section of the fabric. When I start stitching again, I have lost my flow and there may be a slight bump in the curve of my circle. Maybe that something you just get better at controlling with practice. Other than that, I feel like a kid with new crayons. Drawing all over my fabric.

But I have a question. Is what I did on this runner called machine embroidery instead of machine quilting?? I looks like embroidery to me but it is actually holding together a couple layers of fabric. I know that sounds silly but I got to thinking about that and what exactly defines the difference?  Is this machine quilting or embroidery?  So educated me on this.

The roof is fixed on my soon to be craft room and we are just waiting for the contractors to re shingle it. And then for my hubby to hang drywall on the ceiling. I’m so excited about this. My own room! I’ve been waiting for this for a couple years now. No more going up an attic ladder to get fabric or behind the pillow case in my closet to get postcards or in the kitchen for paints. And beads? I’m not sure what room the beads are in. It will all be in one place. I’ve been thinking of ways to organize it and decorate it. And when I seen this idea in Somerset Life Magazine, I thought it was a such a great idea. There are actually several amazing ideas in it but this one I think is perfect for an art studio. Inspiration boards, one for each color.

So I went on a little search around the house to start gathering things up and into color groups  At first I seem to wander aimlessly around trying to remember where everything was or where I was, for that matter.

And made a few wrong turns and ran into some creepy stuff. And had to stop and clean it out.

Of course, I also had to do the usual potty breaks…..

But I finally found some loot stashed here and there. Here’s a little of what I have gathered up so far. Now, I have an excuse for why I HAVE to go thrifting and yard sales. And why hubby has to watch the children all day Saturday so we can hit the flea markets.

Bubble Gum, Bubble Gum in a dish. How many pieces do you wish. One, two, three…. 

Did you as a child have a favorite saying or rhythm?  I remember all of us girls doing the bubble gum game quite a lot.  But if gums not your thing, How about cupcakes? Can’t go wrong there.

blue bird

Suppose to be a sheep, but I don’t know???

Sneaky Snake

 

 A bunny rabbit

My 3 year olds, bear and she did this all by herself.  She was proud of herself.

A kitten, my other daughter was trying for a sheep too???

Just one happy gang.

I know it’s still cloudy out and rainy off and on but I can’t stand waiting any longer.  So, I took the picture knowing it could have been better with a little sunshine. Hope you don’t mind. Ignore my weeds in the picture, they are loving these several days of rain more than us.  

I used this quilt binding tutorial along with this tutorials pictures. Sometimes when I read a pattern, it sounds like Charlie Brown’s teacher in my head. Show me a picture and it all clicks.

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

This is also a first for me, machine quilting. Well, machine quilting anything bigger than about a foot big. I tried the straight lines, it wasn’t working for me. So, I did the the swiggley, wiggly, no real pattern lines. I had so much fun. That part I really loved. I actually was a little disappointed that it ended. I guess that means, another quilt is a must in the near future. Practice makes perfect, and I think practice with this is really the only way to learn and become better at it. I can see myself freehand machine quilting anything and everything for a while. Now, I really want to get my hands on one of these! The part I had the most trouble with, was keeping the speed of the needle correct with the speed I was moving the fabric. I wanted to move the fabric to fast and the peddle not fast enough. I ended up with loose threads at times. I did have to do some seam ripping to fix it, but not nearly as much as when I was working on the quilt top.  This postalso help me out a lot when it came to the best way to handle the bulky quilt while quilting it. Rolling it made it a lot easier to handle. As soon as the sun comes out I will take a picture of the whole thing. It is quite gloomy, rainy and gray right now. I was lucky to get this one picture to turn out.

Oh, and if your wondering. It’s a king size quilt. I had to find an over-sized king flat sheet to fit the back. Now, that part I did not like doing at all! Lining and smoothing out the 3 layers. I’m guessing because it was so big but it took me several tries to get it. And since I have other quilt planned for the future, I’m going to go out and get me some of these pins so that they don’t bunch up the fabric as easy as the straight ones will.  I also used Amy’s suggestion in her bookas flannel for the lining. I liked the idea. Thin but snuggly warm. My kids, as well as myself like to curl up under a heavy quilt.  It reminds me of grandma’s hugs as a child.

And this little guy has came into our care. He was found in a family members garage/barn. If I understand right, he was somehow in the wall. The only thing we can guess is, a wild mommy cat was moving her kitten and accidentally dropped him. Then she couldn’t reach him?? We never could find a mommy cat or the rest of the little ones.  So, I was called and ask if I would take him. The kids of course were excited about it. I couldn’t say no, to such a tiny fluffy little thing. My daughter had been wanting one for sometime, as her other cat had passed away due to the neighbors dog. He was a sweet dog in all other ways, but he hated cats with a passion and had chased it into the road.

Soon to be baby birds. I do love birds and eggs. 

And what about that cute little mouse that Jen has given away. And she was worried about people not knowing since she is new to the blog world. WOW Jen!  Because she had such a huge amount of people stop by, she has decided to do another giveaway. Go take a look.