It's a Whole New World

My son will soon be leaving for Navy Boot Camp.  He has been talking about it for sooo long and now it is almost here!  I have been so overwhelmed with the newness of everything in my life, lately, that I haven't had time to be anxious until now.  YIKES!

Today I joined Navy For Moms. There is so much to learn and a huge support group to help.  I jumped in with both feet.

It will be a whole new world!!!

Outside

Here in East Texas we have really weird weather and this weekend was no exception.  However, it was beautiful, for the most part.  It was overcast and breezy on Saturday which made for a very nice temperature.  Saturday evening it POURED for quite some time which was nice since we need the rain.  Sunday was warm, breezy and beautiful.  I worked outside on various projects all afternoon.  Being outside did wonders for my mood.  I played with the dog, gardened and did a couple of other projects.

Here is Presley - TUCKERED OUT!!!

I had a great time making this cool vertical plant stand for my back patio.  

These are impatiens, and I think they will be beautiful when they fill out. I plan to plant caladiums in the top and maybe something cascading on the bottom.  I am also planning a craft day with some friends to make more of these for mother's day gifts.

Another project I worked on is this cute, retro typing table.

I bought this at our local Habit for Humanity ReStore.  It was so cute and I got it for a song.  Of course, it was its original industrial grey, so it definitely needed sprucing up.  I chose this cute medium teal shade and absolutely love it.  It was in really great condition with the exception of one bad "wing", that I fixed.  (One of the side extensions had a broken bracket that I was able to fashion a replacement part for.  I will probably use it in my sewing room for my printer and/or Silhouette.  

I worked on one more outdoor project, but I am not quite ready to show that one off, just yet.  It still needs some work, but the hardest part is done.

Thanks for visiting my little corner of blogland.  It feels so good to be getting back to normal in my life and here on my blog.

Happy Quilting!

Laura

Motivation and Direction

I have been a bit invisible on my blog lately.  Unfortunately there has been a reason that I have been unable to find the courage to talk about, until now.  I will not go into a lot of detail, but if you want to read a post that entirely uplifting, you should move on before continuing.

Here Goes:

My family suffered an enormous tragedy in January.  Just 5 days before my husband's 50th birthday, he passed away.  It is still a very fresh wound on our hearts, but my children and I are doing our best to keep going.  We miss him every day and our lives will never be the same.  One thing we have learned through all of this is that it would be impossible to get through this trauma without the love, care and kindness of our family, friends and community. 

Anyway...

As I struggle with the urge to bury myself under the covers, I know that would only make things worse.  What I need right now is Motivation and Direction.  It will take some time.  To help distract me, I have been sewing some.  Not nearly as much as I would like, but more than a couple of months ago.  I love to sew and just have not had the desire lately.  I always thought it would be my comfort in terrible times, but I was wrong.  It does distract me when I have the desire, but when the motivation is lacking, I just can't make myself do it.

So...........

I decided to join a block of the month to help with motivation.   I will be participating in the

Hop, Skip & Jump BOM Quilt from Sew Lux Fabric.

I am also participating in Quilts for Boston

I am anxious to get back to a normal life.  Check these out and get motivated along with me!!!

Happy Quilting,

Laura

Bloglovin

It seems strange for me to be posting about claiming my blog on Bloglovin when I haven't posted much at all for the last few months, but here goes.

I CLAIMED MY BLOG ON bloglovin' !

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/5198683/?claim=bpacc8wnm38">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

I would love to have you follow me on Bloglovin'.  There is a button on the sidebar.

Laura

 (I will explain my absence soon.)

Nancy Drew is a Clue Blog Hop

Today is my day!

I am so happy that the Nancy Drew is a Clue Blog Hop has finally begun.

My mom has a younger sister that is really close to half-way between my age and my mom's.  Her name is Jill, (or Jilly Bean as I like to call her), and I have always been very close to her.  She is the greatest Great-Aunt ever.


As a girl, Jilly Bean loved Nancy Drew books.  I bet she read every one available at the time.  After my daughters learned to read, she gifted several original copies she had to them.  They loved them as well, and still have them.


As soon as I found out about this fabric I knew what I wanted to make and for whom I was going to make it!!!  I knew I wanted to make Jill a pouch out of the Nancy Drew fabric to carry her Kindle in.  I bought the Idea Pouch Pattern from Michelle Patterns and got started right away.


Let me say that this is the easiest pouch I have ever made.  The instructions are so clearly written and the whole thing came together from cutting to finished in a matter of one short evening of sewing.
















      The only modification I made to the pattern was cutting the directional fabric a little longer so I could cut it apart, turn one side and sew it back together along the fold lines so the books and faces were all going the correct directions.  (If you look closely at the photo to the right, you will see that the books on the top are upside down when the flap is opened)




We are a sentimental family and we save treasured items from the past.  (My children call it hoarding, but they do it too, LOL)  The buttons on the front of the pouch are some that my grandmother, (Jill's mom), saved.  I used to play with her buttons as a child and was so lucky to get them after she passed away.  These particular ones were perfect for this project.

On my side of the family, we celebrate Christmas at my parents' house on Christmas Eve.  We draw names for the adults and without saying a word, or manipulating the process in any way at all, Jilly Bean was chosen for me to give a gift to.  She would have gotten the pouch anyway, at some point, but this was GREAT.  The fabric...Jill's love of Nancy Drew...Drawing Jill's name.......OH, HOW THIS WAS MEANT TO BE!!!!  (the only thing that went wrong was that my husband was very ill, and I didn't get to be there to see her open it, but my children were and they took lots of pictures for me!!)

             


This past weekend, Jill asked me to make her a matching iPhone cover.  This is what I made from a tutorial by luellabella.  Fast, cute, DONE.  The button was another from my grandmother's collection.  The iPhone cover was loved as much as the pouch!

                       

Great big thank yous go out to Madame Samm and Carol for putting this hop together.  It has been fun!!!

Thank you for visiting my little blog and I hope you will check out all the other blogs in the hop.  Here are the blogs featured today:

Thursday, March 7, 2013 

Simple Sew

Sewing By Moonlight

Beaquilter

Pat Sloan’s Place

A Stitch In Time

Judith Handmade Treasures

Gingersnaps Fabrics and Quilts

Judy At That Other Blog

Fabric-ating  (You are Here!)

Melinda Quilts Etc

QuiltCon

I am so excited to be going to QuiltCon this month.  I love any chance to get away and especially the chance to get away and sew!!!!  Since I live in Texas, I will be driving to Austin.  I will be traveling with my sewing bestie, Meredith.  We take classes at our LQS together and get together often to sew and spray baste quilts.  (I am also lucky enough to work with her, and we have show-and-tells at work so we can oooh and aaaaah at each others projects!)

Here I am with my three children.


Five facts about me:

1.  I was born in Texas and have lived in the Oldest Town in Texas since 1978.

2.  I have been sewing for as long as I can remember.  I was taught by my mom, who learned from her mom.

3.  I have only been quilting for about 3 years (the right way).  I muddled through some quilts as a self-taught quilter, but now understand so much more about piecing.

4.  I have a teaching degree and taught for over 16 years.  I have been working as a legal assistant for the past 7 years, and I love my job.

5.  My grandmother made my mom's wedding dress, my mom made my wedding dress, and my daughters want me to make their wedding dresses.  (I am so blessed)  I have made wedding dresses for two very close friends, already.

Sewing, Sewing, Sewing and other stuff too!

I have been busy in the sewing room lately.  I finished some charity blocks for the Bliss Circle of  Do.  Good Stitiches. 

These are so easy and were quick and fun to make up.  I would really like to make a quilt out of this pattern in the future.                       

Next are two blocks for Quilting for Kids.  These were 17 1/2" blocks.  I love the way they went together.  I will be making more soon.

I was inspired by Maureen Cracknell to make these cute shoestrings.  I modified her pattern a little, but used  her basic tutorial from  her blog.  I love the way they turned out and have had requests for some!!!

                                

This houndstooth quilt will be for a friend's new baby that is expected in February.  This is my first try at houndstooth and I think I am hooked.  It was simple and fun to whip up.

                   

This is what the backing will be made out of.

                                            

I just love this print and it will coordinate with the nursery.  It was a lucky find at my LQS!!!

Now fur the "Other Stuff".

This is a wreath my daughter and I made for her college home.  I really love it and she was excited about it too!  We made it while she was home briefly for Thanksgiving. 

                                      

She had to leave early because she was a bridesmaid in a wedding that weekend.  

Here she is with two of the other bridesmaids.  She is the one on the left.

                                

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of Blogland!!!

Have a wonderful week,

Laura