My Holiday Weekend Projects

Project #1
Fabric Canvas Painting from Anna Marie Horner.



I started this project first because the tutorial said to coat the fabric with mod-pog after it is secured to the canvas frame. And as you can see I didn't pull the fabric tight enough, which will be something to keep in mind the next time. And while the mod-pog dried I worked on project #2.



I found a silhouette picture on istockphoto.com & used transfer paper to get the image into the fabric canvas.



I just really loved the birds and flowers in this image!




Project #2
Carry All Grocery Tote made from the book One Yard Wonders






Didn't really read the directions that well, because it said to use medium/heavy weight fabric. I used quilting weigh fabric and boy can I tell that I did. The bag is sturdy, but it's also very clumsy. So I'm going to let Alex carry this around to haul toys & his blanket to & from the babysitters....it would also work great when he goes to the library. Next time if I use quilting weight material, I'll make sure to use an interlining as well!

WIP for the Holiday Weekend

Since this is a Memorial Weekend....I'll be spending time with ot so I thought.

Planned on taking the boys to see Grandma Wofford's, who we haven't seen for awhile. But instead Baby Landyn decided to make his debut today. Which means that Grandma Wofford will be at the hospital with my sister, Angela, Landyn's new mommy. We are just waiting to get the phone call to let us now when he is finally here.

So, since our plans our are somewhat ruined (in good way!), the boys will be staying the night at Grandma & Grandpa DiTommaso's. Which means I'll have the rest of the holiday weekend to myself to work on some non-quilty projects.

Project #1

An idea from Anna Marie Horner!

Project #2


I.LOVE.THIS.BOOK!
My idea is to make at least one project out of the book every month....there are a LOT of projects, which means it may take a few years. But the reason behind this is I buy books like this all time and I've only made several projects out of about 15 books. So what I'm hoping is to start getting my money's worth out of them. (I've already made one project....there are instructions for a potholder & oven mitt, so I used them for the Potholder Pass #3)

Nature - ology

I've been working on this quilt through out the week....I able to get most of it done on Monday & Tuesday, since LJ was sick and I had to stay home with him.



I while back I purchased some pre-cuts by studio-e, which were 5" x 9 1/2", charm park, and jelly roll....I've been waiting fo just the right project to come along to use these little gems, but I have to be careful, since there are only 33 pieces in each pack.

For this project I used the 5" x 9 1/2" rectangles & some solids that I purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics. I've been inspired by all the "brick" layouts that I've been seeing around blogland...wish I would of saved the sites, but I was just clicking around here & clicking around there. So since I didn't have a picture of reference, just what I could remember in my head, I came up with a pattern of my own.

Whirly-Gigs

....or also know as Dutch Windmills.



Last weekend I worked on this quilt top....I used a fat quarter bundle of Plume by Tula Pink for Moda,


Which I purchased from the Fat Quarter Shop.



This is the pattern I decided to use.....actually I got lucky on the pattern....I knew I wanted to use a whirly-gig pattern for this fabric, but was unsure about how to go about making it, since I wasn't sure about the measurements.....than a couple of weeks ago I bought "Quilt" #112 - June/July 2010. I bought the magazine for a different pattern....once at home and flipping through it, I started to squeal with delight when I came across Dutch Windmills.

Back for Wheels

I finished the backs for the "Wheels" quilt tops.

Not sure which boy (Alex & LJ) will get what color, but I'm sure there will be a fight over it as always.....I asked Alex first which one he wanted and he kept changing his mind...so I think that after they are both completely finished, I'll wrap them up & not put a name on them & hand them to the boys to open up, which ever one they open will be their quilt.

Quilt Back #1



Quilt Back #2


Personally, I favorite back is the light blue one, so light & airy feeling, like it's meant for a nice spring or summer day.

The brown back reminds me of autumn & winter, snuggling up with it and a nice over-sized mug of hot cocoa.

Blogger's Quilt Festival - Spring 2010

First of all WELCOME! I'm glad you stopped by.

This is my first quilt festival that I'm participating in and I'm very excited!

It was hard for me to decide which quilt to enter into the festival, so I decided to only go with quilt(s) that have only been worked on this year, which that helps elimate some of my enteries.

First up is the quilt that I made for my Aunt Fay...she was only person in the family that did not get a quilt made by my grandma (her mom). I worked on this quilt for about 3 or 4 months before I got all completed and just yesterday it was mailed out to her, making trek from Indiana to Arizona.

Nature's Notebook Quilt


Second is a quilt that I made out of charm squars and jelly roll strips that were purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics....I thought I was getting a really great deal, because the prices were so cheap, but it turned out the the JR only had about 20 strips and the same with the charm pack. On the flip side though I was able to find coordinating fabric for the backing.

Exotic Quilt


Third is the quilt that I made for one of my nephews....I made this quilt twice since I had two nephews on the way, but only took a photo of the first one.....hopefully I can get a picture of the second quilt with my nephew, Landyn, enjoying it....he due to make his feature debut tomorrow, May 22, 2010.

Cheap Talk Baby Quilt x's Two





Well, I hope you enjoyed the quilts that I entered. If you'd like to see more of what I've done please have a look around....you'll notice that to the right is a list of finished projects for the year 2009 and what I've gotten done so far for 2010.

And don't forget get to check out the other entries of the quilt festival.

Banana-Blueberry Bread

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup heavy cream

Optional:
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup blueberries
Or experiment with other fruit and/or nuts

Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray bottom only of 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Please do not spray your pan if your cookware says not to. (I have that kind of cookware, Baker's Secret)

Step 2:
Beat butter in large bowl with a electric mixer set at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add mashed bananas, and beat on high speed for 30 seconds.

Step 3:
Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in medium bowl. Add mixture to batter mixture alternating between the cream, and flour mixture; ending with flour mixture. Add any optional ingredient if you want. Please keep in mind that this recipe is all measured for one optional ingredient. I do not know how the recipe will turn out if you add multiples. (My favorite is blueberries!)

Step 4:
Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.

Step 5:
Cool bread in pan on wire rack for minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. If you are having problems with removing the loaf, let it cool a little longer and try again. Slice and serve with butter, jam, cream cheese, or whatever you may like.

Potholders

The potholders for the Potholder Pass #3 are DONE!



Don't they look great! Especially since these are first potholders I've ever made!

Pot Holder #1 for Swap

Look what I've been up to today while the boys have been good watching movies or playing with their bazillion toys.



I've made for the Pot Holder Pass #3.....i still need to put binding and some form of loop on the pot holder in order for it to hang. Right now it measures about 7" x 8 3/4"....made from a jelly roll of "Rouenneries" by French General for Moda

Block #'s 4, 5, and 6

OK, so I've been a little behind on my blocks for the JRSQA, but three isn't that bad. Right?

I kept telling myself that I have other things that need to get finished first, which was totally true.


Block #4

But when I saw the layout for block 5, I froze....thinking what I have I gotten myself into....but after sitting down and reading the direction, that block turned out eazy peazy!


Block #5

And after sitting down this morning, I just started sewing away, I even caught up with block 6.


Block #6

Now, I have feeling that block 7 will be posted tomorrow morning, which mean if I want to stay up to date, than i need sew the block tomorrow, after the boys go to bed.

Garage Sale Bargin

Look what I found at a garage sale several weeks ago for $3.00....



It's about less that 12" tall, which makes it prefect for kids....the top even lifts open to store stuff!



Well, I'm going to sand it down and redo it....I'm also going to recover the top with new fabric that's more pleasing to the eyes, because right now I think it's VERY UGLY!

Exotic Quilt

I finished this quilt earlier this, but I'm just now able to sit down and tell you about it.



This is the first quilt top I put together this year, which means it's been sitting around my sewing room since January to be completed.

The Crafty Cupboard Giveaway

Want to WIN this sweet table runner....

Head on over to http://craftycupboard.blogspot.com/. Not sure how long this giveaway will last, so you better hurry on over and leave your comments soon!

Direct link to Giveaway!

Nature's Notebook

On Friday, I finally finished the quilt for my Aunt Fay....I've spent the rest of the weekend washing, clipping loose threads, taking photos, and spending time with the family....It was Mother's Day weekend. I hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day.

So I made sure I took some photos of the quilt before I ship it off to Arizona....









I hope she likes it!

Happy Mother's Day

See what the boys made for me at the babysitters!

ABC Book

I've been working on this ABC Book for about two months now! I'm using the "recipe" from the Moda Bake Shop by Angela Yosten.



For the past week my sewing machine has been humming. I've quilted two quilts, they just need binding now. And just a few minutes ago I finished the pages for the ABC Book...just need a binding ring now (I've been unable to find one so far, so I might have to compromise).