Journaling Away

So geeked! I'm on vacation this week, and I actually have time to catch up on my personal quilting. I've kept current on my journal quilt, but I need to sew several rows together before sharing an update.

This was the perfect year to do this journal quilt! Olympics, Presidential Elections, Mayan Apocalypse, a new love.... Can't wait to see what the new year brings!

Guess the Mayan Apocalypse Didn't Happen?

Good thing.. I need more time to work on my Some Kind of Wonderful!

Happy Winter Solstice!

In The Holiday Spirit!

Tee hee… just figured out mobile blogging and giving it a go!

Happy Tuesday!
Elisa

Winter Makes You Think Of.... Log Cabins?

Like several other bloggers I follow, I received an email a few days ago asking if I would review the latest free ebook from Fons & Porter called Build Your Best Log Cabin.  You can get your copy here: http://www.fonsandporter.com/landing/free-log-cabin-quilt-patterns   

I knew I would love it (and not just because it’s free).  I’m a HUGE fan of Fons & Porter, and their log cabin ebook is layed out like their magazine: clear instructions with many pictures, size charts, suggested layouts, quilter tips and all the extras.

My favorite part is always the extras.  I love that they included history in the booklet.

They also included tips on quilting, piping, and lumpless binding.

Truth be told, though, I think it’s missing one thing.  In one of their issues several years ago was this FABULOUS pattern for a Texas Log Cabin. GORGEOUS!  I’ve been working on it off and on for the last two years. 

Click the link and get your free copy now!

Happy Stitching!Elisa

Oh Deer!

Yesterday was my nephew, Jon's, 13th birthday! He's an absolute delight, and he loves nature. At the last minute, I decided to attend his hockey game, take him for coneys, and then off to a nearby nature center. Although just a few miles away, I'd never heard of the 100-acre Lloyd A. Stage Nature Center in Troy, but many people said you can see deer there.

Can you see deer? We lost count after 22! Here's a few highlights from his day!

At this point, still no deer.... And then... Bam!

It was really cool! Some of the deer grazed within 5 feet of us and several literally followed us, after dusk, along the trail back to the nature center!

What a great place, and Jon said I'm the best aunt ever!

12-12-12 Flashing!

Right now I'm sitting with my feet up, working on my Some Kind of Wonderful project. It's the first time in months I've had a chance to work on my own stuff. I'm wearing my flannel jammies. Ginger is purring next to me. My house is decorated with my favorite Christmas quilts. I'm really feeling in the holiday spirit.

So, how did you celebrate 12-12-12? If you were a geocacher, you were probably attending a flash mob! Me and my caching buddies (CB's Da Finns & TaGeez) attended 3 events, went on 2 cache runs, and had 1 First-To-Find!

Here are some of our moments:

12:12:12 am flash mob

12:12:12 am flash mob

TaGeez - scrapcat - Da Finns

WikidKriket - scrapcat - SnakeyLicks - TaGeez

12:12:12 pm flash mob

Souvenir issues by Groundspeak to any cacher that cached or attended a caching event.

 

No pics from the last event - too tired!

Happy caching!

Elisa

 

The Big Reveal

My friend, Dave, saw one of my other Memory quilts, and he asked me to make one for his wife for Christmas. Today was the big delivery day!

When he saw it, he cried. His mother-in-law passed away 9 years ago, and the clothes had been in a bag ever since. He immediately recognized her favorite blouses (she made many of her own clothes & all of the cat fabric came from her blouses). He also recognized two jackets (handmade) that she had worn to weddings).

This was a difficult quilt to make as all the fabrics were from the late 90's (large stripes, thin stripes, polka dots, florals, paisleys, novelty, etc), and I struggled to put them together into a cohesive quilt. The only purchased fabric was the border fabric.

Now I can spend the rest of the holiday working on my own stuff!

Happy stitching!

 

Another Finish

My friend, Lauri, wanted to know in my last post what I was binding.....

She only has one more day to wait.....

 

Tool Time: That's Using My Head!

I love tools. I love using everyday items to improve my life, and I'm always giddy when I wander the aisles of a hardware store. The other day I was working on the binding of a quilt (sewing black on black) but was having a hard time seeing where to stitch.

I have plenty of light, but it hurts my eyes having to turn everything on to see my work. I have a table and a floor Ott lamp - but I do have to contort a little to avoid shadows and get direct light. Then, I had an epiphany! Some of you may recall that I'm a geocacher...

The other day I bought new headlamps! It was an impulse buy at Home Depot. I bought a set of 2 headlamps (each with an adjustable tilt, 4 settings, and batteries) for $10 total!

And, also on impulse, while working on that same binding, I put it on, and it worked like a dream!

I wish I had a better picture, but I took it late last night. One word of advice, though.. Don't wear it in front of the front picture window... Passerbys might give you a weird look!

Happy caching! .... Er.... Stitching!

Tis the Season

I have a fabulous friend in Utah that's in love with her personal printing presses. I received this great card in the mail!

I love being surrounded by such talented people!

Great job, Lauri!

 

November Showers Bring... December Flowers?

Wonder if this is true in life as well as in embroidery? Because November was not phenomenal this year.

A little wonky, but it will make a wonderful addition to my journal quilt.

Happy December!

 

I Have Not Been Nabbed By Zombies...

Life has taken many turns in the last six weeks.... Sorry for the absence... It had nothing to do with zombies. To make it up to you, here's a cute picture of Ginger:

Thought I'd share my latest Facebook post, too:

Alot of pressure starting New Years resolutions on New Years Day. So I decided to start a month early and start small. Resolution #1: I vow to be supportive of my sisters-in-law's baking habits. I will do my best to sample everything this season :)

What do you think? A realistic goal?

Happy December 1st!