June Goals

Sadly, 2 of my 3 goals will be rolled over into this month.

I had a little bump in the road last month, and ended up needing to make this quilt much sooner than anticipated.

So this month I'll be doing:
- Quilt and bind my 'Took Me Forever' quilt
- Quilt and bind my 'Double Stuffed' quilt, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to donate it to OKCMQG
- Finish the top to my mint chocolate chip looking quilt (it's from a mystery quilt in my guild last year, so it does have a real pattern and name, just can't think of it now)
- Start putting together the pattern for my 'Double Stuffed' quilt, and maybe pull some fabric to make it non-scrappy.

That feels like a lot on the table for this month especially since school will be out the end of this week, but I'm feeling confident (for now...).

What do you have planned for projects this summer??

May Goals

What to do, what to do...

I've been thinking the last week or so about which goal(s) I'm going to set this month.

First, I was thinking about how this summer will most likely be insane, so moving the easier goals to June through August would probably be good.

Then, I thought about how I really wanted to stick with the projects I worked on in April so I could really eliminate some UFOs completely.

Then, thoughts of starting a whole new project have been popping up. I mean seriously, my list of quilts I want to make seems to have a few more added on each time I open my internet browser. Am I the only one that has this problem??



Geta Grama


I know that the third option really isn't sticking with the whole idea of actually finishing things, so that one should be crossed off the list. But, just look at that quilt by Geta Gramma! I bought the pattern immediately!!

Ok, back to reality... (I mean, that is paper pieced, and I currently have 5 kids ages 10 and under...)

With that off the table, I think the best thing to do would be to finish the projects I've been working on. Even though quilting the tops I've finished would be a easier project to keep up with through our summer schedule, I think I'd rather break up the quilting so I don't end up doing nothing but that for a few months straight.

Here is 'the goal' then:
- Quilt and bind my 'Double Stuffed' quilt
- Quilt tie-die quilt that is my friend's daughter's first quilt
- Quilt my first quilt (still unnamed, maybe I should call it: Took Me Forever. haha)

There it is, 'Took Me Forever', it's gonna be DONE soon!!! Yes!

Linked up with:

This Month

Ahh, these past few weeks have been pretty great.

The weather has been spot on. I even got out my clothesline! Mostly to photograph this:

But, I plan to hang some clothes out in a few days (Mondays are my big laundry conquering days). Gotta love the smell!

My goal was to finish this quilt top and the back so it would be ready for quilting, and with only 2 seams to go on the back (which I am doing later today) I would say I DID IT! WooHoo! Taking a photo of said back and blogging about it anytime soon is a completely different thing, pcht.

It always feels so good to get another UFO finished and out of the sewing area. Thanks to the Lovely Year of Finishes I have had a lot more UFOs finished than usual. Here's my goal setting and mid-month for April.

At times I feel like my sewing space feels so empty, then I remember I'm being productive and cleaning things up. Did I say it feels great yet? It really does.

There have also been quite a few beach days, oh how I love the beach!

We've been going with Oma most days and it's so great to be hanging out with my Mom more.

We frequent Rehoboth Beach, it's only about an hour for us, and we like it. My Mom introduced me to Greenman Juice Bar & Bistro the last time we went, oh it was good.

In the midst of all this I was also able to finally pull all the weeds out of my garden on the side of the house. I bought some daylilys to put among my nandinas, can't wait to plant them.

Why is it that the weeds seem to do so well in my garden on that side??

It's just not fair I tell ya.

Another thing I whipped up last week was this wreath:

I saw something similar on pinterest, but I love me some hydrangeas so they were substituted. I also added a shovel, I liked the shiny in with it all.

Hopefully there will be some realy hydrangeas to grace my front garden this year too!

Is there anything you're hoping to plant this spring?

Goings of the New Year

I am typing this while 'watching a movie' with the kids. In case you don't have 5 kids, that means saying "sit down and watch" at least 50 times... no really. Maybe tonight will be an early bedtime kind of night.

To completely change the subject, what are your thoughts/feelings about New Year's resolutions?

Honestly, I think it's dumb. Just make a goal and keep it. What magic does January 1st have? How many people really keep resolutions anyway?

Now that I've said my peace about New Year's resolutions, wanna hear my challenge for the new year. (you like how I did that? hahaha!)

I am commiting to the 'take a photo every day for a year' challenge! And, naturally I decided I wanted to it at 10pm on January 1st (enter photo of browning bananas, uh huh). I have come to realize that there will be days with lame lame photos, but I guess that's ok cause some days are a little lame (laundry days mostly).

There are those days when there are photos like this one though!

My boys need more bowties! It's officially official.

Yesterday Was A Good One

First, I want to share with you the best part of yesterday: we got my oldest sons school pictures back.

Now, he's the joker when it comes to photos, and is always the one making faces. Needless to say, my fingers were crossed all day picture day that he would take a nice photo.

I couldn't be happier!!

It was somewhat painful to pay for these photos considering I just got a nice new camera for my birthday, but I am a sucker for school photos. (The color is a little off since I took a photo of a photo)

Another awesome thing about yesterday is that I did little selfish sewing and made a journal cover. I quite like it, I'll put together a tutorial the next time I make one for sure! It went so quick.

Front

Back

Inside flap

This cover came about because I am starting a scripture journal. I found this really really great site called The Redheaded Hostess and her journal is simply amazing! I have never thought of putting one together like this, and I am so so glad I found her site and can be motivated by her spectacular example. I'm a really looking forward to studying each of the topics, I used her outline as a jumping off point especially since this style of studying is new to me. Even if you are not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, you can adjust this outline to topics that fit.

So, naturally I 'needed' a cover for my new journal. I did press it like madness, but after having to flip it to be right sides out those creases just wouldn't come out (starch and all).

Another bonus yesterday was that my oldest son had a half day at school. We headed to get free frosties with our Halloween coupons at Wendy's and then went to the bank to cash in their piggy banks (this is a super exciting thing in these parts...).

Thanks to my kids for a great day!

Our Creative Spaces.

September 'To-Do' List

It is quite amazing how much can be accomplished when the big kids are off to school.

I can say that I am much much closer to crossing a few things of my UFO list. The first one to get knocked off will be my first quilt. Yes, it is a pre-blog project, and I can't find any pictures of it, but I got the top finished last week. I kept it all set up the same way I had originally planned it. I am planning to use the blue variegated thread I have, I'm thinking it will really pop (and I want that this time, lol - remember My First King incident??)

Either way, I have a few things on my 'list' for this month:


- Pin and start quilting both My First Quilt and Mom's Pink n Green Quilt
- Fruity CAL with PlanetJune (how bout them apples??)
- Make new curtains for dining room (and hang...)
- Hang the other white curtains in the living room
- Make some flat front pants for my boys, check out Dana's tutorial it's a great guide!
- Pajama Dress for my daughter's birthday
- Finalize and start prepping for Christmas presents!!

Needless to say, I am a list maker. LOVE LISTS!!

On another note, I have been cranking away on my Grandmother's Bobble Square blanket. It's coming along quite well, and I'm loving how it looks! I'm planning to finish it up soon and take lots of photos!

Another thing from my UFO list that I've been working on is repairing clothes and making patterns from others. That basket is slowly but surely emptying! WooHoo!

How is your back to school to-do list coming along?

Save Me! Attach of the UFOs

First, I'll share with you a completely unrelated photo that makes me laugh every time I see it. I managed to take 2 photos within seconds of each other that I feel successfully captured the moment. See:

The best part of it you can't even see, he was laughing too!

Ok, now for the post:

How many of you have UFOs?

Seriously, I think I could go on and on with this one... but for time sake lets just say I have a few.

Yesterday I committed/convinced myself to finishing as many of these UFOs this summer as possible.

The way I look at it, they are all things that are cluttering up my, well, my everything. Granted, they are packed away in baskets/boxes so I don't see them out and about, but I feel like they are clouding my thoughts.

I have:
- The first quilt I ever started (wish I had a teacher to recommend something other than a larger than twin size pinwheel, yea I was set on it)
- A sashiko sampler I finished that has yet to make itself into a pillow.
- Knitted hat that needs a felt brim on the inside and tassels, yea that's all it needs!
- A king sized granny square quilt
- Little girls Christmas Dress that I started about 2 years ago (everything is cut out)
- Counted Cross Stitch of a Wizard, what was I thinking?? (this one may be permanently abandoned...)
- Lots of clothes to make patterns out of or upcycle to cover stains/tears.

I know I've got to have more, and have simply forgotten about them. But, I'm feeling determined to finish these, and I'm pretty sure that I will come across some others on the way.

Now, I am not considering any of these to be current WIPs (yet), since each of these has been somewhat abandoned.

Maybe, I'm feeling a little guilty for quitting on them... I think it's mostly my recent need to clean and get rid of un-needed things. De-clutter here we come!

What about you? Do you have any crafting goals for this summer?