That was short lived...

...so much for posting every month!  LOL

I just can't seem to find time to do the things I would love to be doing.

Well, today is a snowy, sleety, rainy, windy day here and so...no work!  YAY!

Not yay for the snow but yay for the extra day!

I have been trying to pull out and work on some older UFOs in my stash.

I finished piecing this top over the past 6 weeks as time permitted.

It's from an old Thimbleberries Pattern Party 2012.

I have the kits for 4 of the projects in this book.

One down (at least pieced) and 3 to go!

I also pulled out this quilt top I started in 2011 using Thimbleberries again.

This time I had a fat quarter pack o the Northern Lights, Southern Skies fabric collection.

I really like this pattern that I used too.

It's called Four Square Farmhouse by Terry Atkinson.

Fun to do, quick and easy.  

The blocks are a large15" finished.  I need a layout of 6 by 7 blocks.

I have 22 blocks complete leaving 20 to go.

That's about it for now.

Happy Sewing...if you have time!
Colleen

It's Been a Year...

One year ago today I was off on my journey of a new job!

It's been a year of ups, downs, struggles and wins...

it's been a busy, good year!

I haven't blogged in all that time...to busy and usually way to tired.

I missed blogging because whether anyone reads it or not it is like a 

journal of my life and my quilting (and crafting).

So, I'm going to try and blog at least once per week month.  LOL!

Today was a day off for me.  After a couple of appointments, running some errands and doing about 4 loads of laundry I decided to sort through some of my Halloween stash.

There's a lot of it.

I cut some 2.5" strips, some 6.5" tumblers and some 5" squares

out of this lot.  This is what's left after the cutting...

Yup, I haven't even tipped the scales on this go 'round.

I bet I could spend an entire week just on the Halloween fabric stash.

(Don't even ask me about the Christmas fabric stash!)

I also pulled out a couple of Halloween UFO's.

There are about 6 of them.

I really want to finish this top but won't have time before Halloween.

I did cut some binding strips for a small table runner which I think I will have time for.

I will post a pic of that when  if I finish it on time.

Well, off to cook dinner (that doesn't happen too often these days).

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Colleen

A new adventure...

A new JOB!

Tomorrow I will head out for training for a new job!

The past month has been crazy with many interviews and quite a few job offers.

I made a decision two weeks ago and this past week it all came together and

I can now reveal the NEW JOB!

Store Manager, Joann Fabric and Crafts, Holbrook, NY

FIND ME HERE!!!

Training will take me out of town for 2 weeks and then more local for 2 additional weeks.

Personally, I cannot wait to actually get to the store and dig in!

Being a creative person (very crafty) that has participated in many crafts this job is right up my alley.

I have to admit that I have put my all into every job I have had over the years:

Sears Roebuck and Company

Smithtown Library System

Independent Nail Technician

Craft Show Vendor

Calico n Lace - shop owner

Amy's Beauty Salon

Ben Franklin Crafts

Harry and David

Pieceful Quilting

LOVED EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!

And now, I  move on to another job adventure!

Hope to see you at the store if you live in the area.

Keep on sewing...I know that I will!
Colleen

Vacation is over!

Today it's time to head back to work.
Hubby and I had a wonderful 10 days together doing a lot of visiting with relatives.

First we took off to Maryland to visit with the gang down there.
Our granddaughter is now 17 months old and so much fun to be around.
She has a great little personality and lots of love to give.

Most of our time there was spent just hanging around the house watching kiddie shows, movies and
baseball games.  We did watch the US win the World Cup and that was fun.
Since it was US vs. Japan we celebrated by having Japanese for dinner and then a
delicious dessert of Angel Food Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream with Strawberries and Blueberries.
We were all cheering for the US and it paid off!

Then we came home for a quick turn around to Connecticut to visit family there!  Good times!
Lots of sitting around the kitchen table reminiscing about days gone by and planning a future trip
to Okinawa.  Again, a lot of baseball and movies on the TV.

My husband did ALL of the driving and I did my job of keeping him awake at the wheel, controlling the music and stitching!
I worked on the start of a Grandmother's Flower Garden English Paper Pieced project.

At this point I am not certain of what layout I will be using but I am enjoying the hand stitching process very much.  I have quickly become addicted to this.  One of the great things about a project like this is how compact and easy it is to travel with.  I stitched in the car, on the boat, watching TV, at the kitchen table...fun, fun, fun!

I also had a fantastic day of sewing with friends and completed 10 more Log Cabin blocks for my grandson's quilt.  Only 12 more of these large blocks to go and then I need to make 16 of the small 7" blocks.  I didn't think it was possible but I am running out of the original blues I had cut.  Time to hit up the stash again and cut up some more.  This isn't the layout that I have planned (you can see that in a previous post).  

Since I mentioned movies and that we watched a lot of them this week, here's a list of which ones we enjoyed (I must admit that I didn't really enjoy ALL of them because blood and guts is not my favorite, but I persevered):

Fury, 47 Ronin, Kingsman, Mad Max Fury Road, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2, Million Dollar Arm, Jersey Boys, and The Age of Adaline.

Like I said, we watched a lot of movies, from super gory to super funny and everything in between.  

All in all, it was a relaxing and fun-filled vacation!

Now, back to reality and some sewing,

Colleen

 

Welcome Summer!

Happy Summer!

As for my sewing...it's been Karate Gi sewing constantly!
That's okay, they are all coming out fantastic and once the

first big order for these is complete I can do the rest as

orders come in.

I am really enjoying stitching on the Baby Lock Sashiko machine.

And, surprisingly enough, I am not getting bored doing the same thing

twelve times!!!

In between the custom work on the Gi tops and sitting, watching the

embroidery being done (it is mesmerizing) I have been deciding on a layout

for my grandson's log cabin quilt.

The blocks are 14" and 7" finished and the color choice is to only use blues and whites.

So there are many different blue prints from my in the blocks and the whites are 

all different white on white prints.  Most of the fabrics are from stash and scraps.

The photo below represents the virtual EQ6 version that I think is the layout of choice.

Of course, I still have more blocks to make and cannot

wait to get back to working on these.

For me, log cabin blocks are very relaxing!

Happy Summer Sewing!
Colleen