Life's a Stitch

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2012-02-13T20:11:00.001-05:00

Hope your day is filled with sweet sentiments!!

Wordless Wednsday!

2012-02-01T18:35:00.000-05:00

The January update!

2012-01-30T19:15:00.000-05:00

And it's about time, wouldn't you say? LOL

January is off to a stupendous start for me, with 3 quilty finishes and 2 yarn-crafted items!

I finished the 12 of Hearts BOM from The Raspberry Rabbits and just love how it came out!

My second finish is the January Quilt Square Quilt along featured on Jo's Country Junction and made from a Lori Smith pattern. Each month I will be doing one of these little gems, that finish up to 12" square! There's still time to join in the fun, so drop by Jo's, get the patterns and play along!

And my last quilty finish for this month is a Charm Party totebag made from Fig Tree fabrics!! I am HOOKED on these totebags...great to give as gifts and fun to make for yourself!

I don't have any pics of my 2 yarn-related finished for this month, but I will post those as soon as I can get Bill to take my picture..yes...they're wearables! I hope to continue this momentum in to the coming months and wish you all lots of quilty finishes for 2012 as well!!

Happy New Years!!

2011-12-31T16:53:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a VERY Happy New Years! I did not fall of the face of the planet, honest :) One of my resolutions is to update my blog FAR more often than I did in 2011, and that begins with a new post tomorrow!! So for now, here's to a HAPPY and HEALTHY New Years for you and your families!!

What about the Process?

2011-06-05T17:21:00.000-04:00

Now really...what ABOUT the process?

That's what I asked myself after reading this gem of an idea called The Process Pledge! I took the pledge after reviewing the majority of my quilt-related posts and realized that I AM one of those bloggers that only posts about the finished project...NOT the process! And after thinking on it a bit, I realize that there may be some quilters who are interested in seeing projects "in process" as much as the finished item...so I'm going to endeavor to post more often...and more in process :) Since I haven't managed to finish much this year, this method will at least lead to me posting more! LOL

Interested in learning more? Visit the button on my sidebar ;)

Nothing like a Show Ribbon to make your quilting day!

2011-04-22T10:37:00.000-04:00

I joined a guild this year and decided to enter a few of my quilts in the show! would you believe that I ribboned for both of them? I came in 4th in the large pieced catagory, and the quilt is my own design and my small pieced quilt came in second :) What a wonderful surprise!

You would think that I would have been inspired to finish more quilts by these ribbons, but I haven't made much progress on anything so far this Spring! I think the never-ending cold weather has me still in hibernate mode! lol Maybe some warmer temps will unthaw my quilting mojo ;)

Yes it's ANOTHER giveaway!

2011-04-18T18:53:00.000-04:00

This time it's over at Jaybird Quilts, and it's some lovely FQ bundles and a pattern!! Better be quick about it though...the contest ends on Thursday night!! Go HERE to enter! Quick, Quick!

Giveaway and mug rug contest!

2011-03-28T18:48:00.000-04:00

Those fabulous ladies at This n That fabrics are at it again! They are hosting a Mug Rug contest AND a jelly roll giveaway!! Follow the Mug rug link for the contest and go HERE for the giveaway!! Be quick about it though, the jelly roll drawing ends on the 30!!

Finally a Finish!

2011-03-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

I finally have a finish off of my UFO list!!! hoooray!!! It's my queen-sized Americana Stars that I've been wanting to finish for awhile now. It's going into my guild's quilt show next weekend so I will have some more pictures of the quilt and the show to follow :)

Birthday quilt!

2011-01-30T15:07:00.000-05:00

Here's my latest finish! It's a red and white birthday quilt for my middle niece, Karen! At Christmas she was hinting strongly that she would love a quilt...so Auntie Robin made it happen! I will not be giving it to her in person, as she lives several states away in NH, so when I get a pic of her with the quilt I'll post that as well.

Boy, it's nice to finish something bigger than a breadbox for a change LOL I really need to get moving on my UFO Challenge list though! I think my recent visit with my 2 quilt-crazy BFFs, Michelle and Peg, has given me some extra momentum so I intend to put it to good use!!

First Finish of 2011!

2011-01-08T11:35:00.001-05:00

And it's an OH SO APPROPRIATE Snowman! LOL We received a little snow over the last day, but not nearly as much as was forecast! They keep telling us that there's more headed our way next week...man...I better get my snow boots ready! LOL

P.S. this little snowman has been working OVERTIME since I put him up...we're expecting ANOTHER large snowstorm this week...that will be approximately 1 sizable storm a week since Christmas!! Man..I better put up another mini and pack my snowmen away...I think I jinxed us! LOL

The Wool Crazy Pincushion Craze!

2011-01-04T14:12:00.000-05:00

Some of us have jumped on the Wool Crazy Pincushion bandwagon :) I'm participating in a wool pincushion round robin with the BPF retreat gals and here is my crazy base with my even crazier "scary-creepy" halloween theme! I think I"m going to love doing these and think there are more wool crazy projects in my future!!! Can't wait to see what develops with this pincushion!

Happy New Years!

2010-12-31T13:37:00.000-05:00

2011 is almost upon us!! Are you ready??? I would like to think I am, but I might just be kidding myself! LOL I did make my annual inventory list and have my UFO list for the Backporch Friends UFO challenge, so I should have more fodder for my blog within a few weeks.

Do you have any New Years resolutions? I do make them, and frequently break them too! LOL One of my biggest resolutions is to keep up better with the blogging and finish more projects in 2011. Diet and exercise always seems to end up on my resolutions list as well!

I'm spending the last afternoon of 2010 in my sewing room, working on the string blocks for Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt, Roll Roll Cotton Boll and watching cheesy zombie flicks on the Chiller Channel! Oh and I did put up the glitzy disco ball blog wallpaper in honor of ushering in the new year!

Wishing you and your families a very Happy and Healthy New Year for 2011! And I hope we finish all our UFOs in this coming year!!

Here I am!!

2010-12-11T11:06:00.000-05:00

Yes, here I am :) And when I looked at the date for my previous post, I was a moment of true embarrassment! LOL I think those months have been lost in time somewhere..if you see them let me know as I'm still looking for them! LOL

Ok..enough of my poor excuses for not blogging...here is a short update on some of my most recent projects. I attended a recent baby shower and finished off the Playful baby quilt for the mom-to-be! It came out super cute!

I also used a freebie pattern found here from Pat Sloan to make several of these flannel snowflake pillows! They use a standard bed pillow as the insert and are WONDERFUL for the sofa! I think I will have to make several different covers for this as I don't think Bill will give it up once the holidays are over! LOL

We are all decorated for the holidays over here and I am currently working on Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt, Roll Roll Cotton Boll! I will post more about that later this weekend..honest I will :)

Barb's blog giveaway!!

2010-09-18T11:10:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone! Did you think I"d fallen off the face of the earth? LOL No, I've just been having some issues with my slowly-dying laptop! That's been resolved though...by buying a nice NEW laptop!! woohoo! So I will be able to surf, blog hop and post at lightening-speed now!

My friend Barb is celebrating her 100th blog post with a giveaway, so go check her out! She does wonderful things with beads and fabric...she is my beading hero! LOL

Click here for her blog!

Since THIS post is my own 100th, I will be having a giveaway soon to celebrate as well! So check back within the week for my own giveaway!!

Buttermilk Basin giveaway!!

2010-07-25T15:57:00.000-04:00

Quickly, get over to Buttermilk Basin's blog and enter to win some FREE PATTERNS!! woohoo! I just love her stuff, as you can probably tell from some of my own blog entries!!

Some Mid-Week Minis!

2010-07-20T20:12:00.000-04:00

Here's a few more of my minis that I finished recently.

This one is from the Jo Morton Little Women Club 8, which took place last year. I'm also doing club 9, although at this time "doing" consists of fondling the JM fat quarters and looking at the other ladies finished projects in the email newsletter LOL. Hey, I can live vicariously through my fellow quilters, can't I?

And this little quilt is from a series offered by Farmhouse Woolens, one of my favorite shops!

2010 is turning out to be the "Summer of the Mini" for me! Wonder what this next season will bring...I predict a wooly Fall ! Well we still have many weeks to go til then, so only time will tell :)

Lil' Taste of Summer

2010-07-17T16:20:00.000-04:00

Here's a few pics of the my garden in front of our townhouse..ahhhh...I just love Summer!!

I love the macro setting on my camera..makes me look like I actually know what I'm doing! LOL

Summer is so short..enjoy it's beauty while you can!!

A Woolie Ol' Glory

2010-07-07T12:35:00.000-04:00

I just love Buttermilk Basin patterns! I purchased this little wall quilt kit from Karen Perry of Farmhouse Woolens and it worked up super quick! And came out just so cute! I cheated..I didn't even quilt it, just tied a few buttons on..so shhhh don't tell the "quilt police" :)

It's another scorcher of a day out there again today..hmmmm...I guess I won't feel so guilty if I stay in and sew some more then! LOL

A Bitty Finish

2010-07-06T20:33:00.000-04:00

Yes folks, don't fall off your seats, but I finished MORE THAN ONE PROJECT TODAY!! woohoo for summer staycations! LOL

These little framed woolies are from the pattern Itty Bitty Button Pictures from All Through the Night patterns! They worked up fast and were alot of fun! Gosh, will I be as prolific tomorrow as I was today? Is this the start of a new trend? Or more like a fluke of nature? LOL

I'd put money on the fluke...but only tomorrow will tell :)

First finish of my Summer Vacation!

2010-07-06T11:10:00.000-04:00

I finished my first vacation project and just LOVE how it came out! The whole pillow front is wool with perle cotton buttonholing and embroidery and the back is a cotton print.

It's been unbearably hot here for the last few days...temps in the high 90's and today is no exception! I was up super-early this morning and just couldn't stay in bed, so it was a good morning to finish this pillow up and move on to something else :) Luckily there is NO shortage of quilting projects in my house LOL

Just had to share!!

2010-07-02T21:56:00.000-04:00

These pics are just too precious to NOT share!!! I made my youngest great-niece Susannah a cute quilt, and her mom, my niece Stephanie, posted pics on Facebook of both her kids and their "auntie robin" quilts! She has SUCH cute kids I just had to share :)

Susannah and her girlie-girl quilt!

And her big brother, Bryan with his jungle quilt!

Seeing these two cuties with their quilts reminds me so very much of why I love to do what I do!! Every scrap of fabric and piece of thread becomes a labor of love for those who mean the very most to me!! Oh oh..I better stop now..Auntie Robin's gonna cry :)

So tell me why do YOU do what you do?? And does it bring a tear to your eye sometimes? LOL Dang, I think the older I get the mushier I get!!

A Special Finish!

2010-06-19T14:47:00.000-04:00

My great-niece Kristine graduated HS this year...so as the first of the "greats", I decided to make her a lap quilt in honor of her graduation!

Here's the beautiful Graduate!

And here's her quilt!

And a peek at her label and the quilting too :)

A 9-patch Project!

2010-06-03T20:57:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't like a New Project!! Over at Quilting Possibilities in NJ, they are hosting a 9-patch project, and Peg, Michelle and I are going for it! Here are my scrappy little 4.5" finished ditties so far!!

We're going to shoot for 1 block a day, as per the project guidelines, and we'll see what creative settings that folks post on the project Facebook page as we go along!!

Can I cook yet?

2010-05-29T19:43:00.000-04:00

Yes I can!!! After 7 long weeks, My kitchen is finished! (well pretty much, just a few small things more for me to do)

Here's some before and afters!

I'm thrilled with how the kitchen and breakfast area came out! I do think I need a quilt for that big red wall though :) And it's all finished before the start of the summer season too!! woohoo!! Now to get some quilts done!

Ready for Retreat!!

2010-05-10T17:22:00.000-04:00

Yes it's THAT time of year again!!! Quilt retreat is upon us and I'm heading out to Peg's in NJ in the wee wee WEE hours of the morning tomorrow! We'll drive to Indiana and should arrive by 6pm Tuesday night. We've got some shopping and lots of sewing and gabbing planned!!! Just can't wait to see all the girlies and get some well deserved R&R!! Be back in a week, see you then!

A Grouted Floor and a Challenge Finish!

2010-05-02T14:33:00.000-04:00

Well our floor is finally finished and grouted!!! Yahooo!!

Our contractor has promised us that our kitchen will be finished, minus the countertop, by Wednsday afternoon! After 4 weeks without a kitchen, I am SO glad it's almost finished!!

Since I haven't been much in the "cooking"
department, I have taken advantage of the free time to complete a BPF UFO Challenge quilt, Fresh Traditions! This will go to the newest addition in our family, my great-niece Susannah! I just have to put a label on it and mail it on it's way up north!

I did some digging in the dirty this afternoon, it is like a mid-summer's day out there today! I will take some pics of my flowers later this season, when they all start to bloom :)

Hope you all are enjoying a fabulous Sunday!

Robin

A little finish!

2010-04-16T19:37:00.000-04:00

And it's a VERY little finish! LOL This is my charity quilt for the BPF quilt retreat, coming up in 3.5 short weeks! I still have pincushions to finish up and a few other items as well..I'd better get crackin'!

P.S. I still have no kitchen to speak of...but I do have grouted tile in the breakfast area! I will be getting some painting done this weekend and with luck the balance of our tiles will be in! Since dinner is limited to microwavable meals, it's leaving me more time for crafting in the evenings..LOL so there IS a bright side to the tile delay after all!!

What was I thinking?

2010-04-08T19:32:00.000-04:00

Day 3 of our kitchen renovation experience...What WAS I thinking when I said I wanted to upgrade our kitchen??? LOL

Ok..it's not all bad..you saw some of the "bad" in the previous post.

Here is what's been done so far: The mud flooring has been laid as a foundation for the tile...hmm...cement on my kitchen floor? What was I thinking? LOL

And here's the beautiful tile that was laid today! now wait..what's wrong with this picture? There are gaps without tile by the right corner you say?

Lemme take a closer look at that....

My GOSH, YOU'RE RIGHT! And here's an whole gaping room!

Well our tile guy is AWESOME, but he can only lay what we've got for tile...that's the problem..we didn't buy enough of these little decorative fossils! Not enough by a LONGSHOT! But all is not lost...we went to the tile place and bought what they had in stock..which was enough to finish the breakfast area, but not enough for the kitchen...but they have some on order...but they're not coming in for 10 days to 2 weeks...is that enough "buts" for you? LOL it sure is for me!

So everything is extended by at least 2 more weeks...no cabinets reinstalled..no appliances...no trim...BUT..we can paint the room AND we can grill out since I will have no stove or dishwasher for about the next 3 weeks or more! So there IS always a bright side :) Hey, and I don't have to clean the kitchen, 'cause there IS NONE! LOL

I'm gonna go quilt on my frame...and admire my freshly-laid tile again :)

It really IS time to quilt!

2010-04-06T13:33:00.001-04:00

'Cause I sure don't want to be anywhere else in the house today other than my quilting room! LOL There are lots of MEN down in my kitchen and I have NO kitchen at the moment! We are having renovations done, and this is my first official "Reno" experience! After a last minute call from our contractor late yesterday, I removed everything from the kitchen base cabinets and pantry.

Here's where it all ended up...do I look like a candidate for Hoarders? No? how about now?

He was at my door around 9 this morning and they wasted no time in stripping the kitchen to the walls and start laying our new floor!

where's my fridge and stove, you ask? Why HERE they are! Geez...I really AM a Hoarder LOL

We are hoping to have the floor finished by Friday of this week and we will call the appliance folks and the countertop folks and with some luck my kitchen will be completed before the end of the month!

So what's a girl to do while she's got no kitchen? Why QUILT of course :) I'm going to finish up my pincushions for retreat, and my charity quilt, as well as a few other goodies! I wonder...will my sewing machine be loud enough to drown out the hammering? LOL

Blog giveaway!

2010-03-23T20:59:00.000-04:00

Once again, the lovely ladies at This-n-That fabrics are having a blog giveaway! Hop on over and enter to win! I won from them just a few months ago, so maybe it'll be YOUR turn this time!! Gotta be IN it to WIN it!

Last Minute Charlie...

2010-03-15T21:30:00.000-04:00

I really am one, you know...I'll admit it freely ;) I tell myself "I work better under pressure" which translates to "I procrastinate" LOL

So here's my latest last minute finish...with 2 days to spare!! Thanks to Peggy for the coin topper idea!

Any more Last Minute Charlies out there? LOL

Another quickie!

2010-03-14T16:24:00.002-04:00

Ok, here's another quickie 'cause that's about all I've had time for lately! LOL I finished block #4 of my Berry Pickin' BOM..so now I am ONLY 4 months behind on this one instead of 5!! I joined the blocks together and just love how they are coming out!

I've also finished a little prim bunny head pillow that I got as part of a Spring Kit collection from
Farmhouse Woolens. I think this guy is just toooooo cute! I still have a little time left before Easter, so I'm going to try and cram in a few more Easter projects ;)

A dog-tired finish!

2010-03-03T18:45:00.001-05:00

Here's my most recent finish..and I did it during a DOG-TIRED week! They put me on a "special assignment" at work...aka "make Robin work like a dog" LOL So I worked the entire weekend including Sunday, but still managed to finish my little TB Poinsettia table topper! It's from the book "Pint-Sized Traditions II" and I love all the small quilts in that book! I am currently trying to get some of my smaller projects finished before cutting into any thing new ;) So stay tuned...I am NOT working this coming weekend so maybe I can complete another small project!!

Potato chips

2010-02-23T19:45:00.001-05:00

I swear that these mini quilts are like eating POTATO CHIPS!! You CAN'T make just ONE!! Here's another one I just finished...It's called "Puzzling the Old Maid" and it's a Lori Smith pattern. One of the 2 BFFs made the same quilt in a different colorway...now if Michelle would just blog about HER quilt, we could see hers too! LOL

Last minute giveaway link!

2010-02-21T22:03:00.000-05:00

Oh QUICKLY go and enter this giveway at Pickles and Bacon! It ends at midnight tonight CST! She's giving away a beautiful Jelly Roll and Charm pack to some lucky quilter!! So go quickly..you have about 5 hrs from when I posted this!

Something for the BFFs!

2010-02-20T20:02:00.002-05:00

Here are a couple of book covers that I made for my 2 BFFs, Peg and Michelle! The pattern is from Moda Bake shop and was alot of fun to do! It let me use some fancy stitches on my machine...now to make one for myself!

A Valentine Finish!

2010-02-14T14:57:00.000-05:00

Here is my little Valentine finish! It's a mini quilt from a Lori Smith pattern titled "Reproduction Fabrics 2". These little quilts are part of a series offered by Temecula Quilt Company and they do a great job with the kits! I'm a little behind with these kits and currently have 5 to put together, so I'd better get busy with the sewing and quilting! LOL

Tell me...Do you like minis? Or prefer larger projects?

Happy Valentines Day!!

2010-02-14T09:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!

Enjoy your day with your loved ones and family!!

I'll give you the Sun, Moon and Stars!

2010-02-10T20:12:00.000-05:00

Bill is a big space and planet buff, so what better of a giftie than a little space and planet pillow! I had completed the cross-stitch many moons ago (no pun intended LOL) and finally finished it into a pillow complete with piping and a ruffle! I'm happy with how it came out and I'll give it to him for Valentines day. So now I can actually say I've given him the Sun, the Moon and stars LOL.

A Challenge Finish!

2010-02-07T10:51:00.000-05:00

I'm participating in the Backporch Friends 2010 UFO Challenge and here is my first finished challenge project! 1 down, 14 more to go by the end of June! LOL It's a runner from the 2007 Thimbleberries club and I really like how it came out! There's alot of quilted motifs in it, but they're kind of lost in the busy green fabric! I just LOVE Thimbleberries ;)

Kits Ahoy!

2010-02-06T17:44:00.001-05:00

I think I have a kit fetish! LOL I just love kits! I love to pull my own fabs and design my own ideas too, but there's just something about having a whole "something" at your fingertips that I find irresistible! There were a few new kits in my mailbox this week so I figured I would let you see my goodies ;)

These are 2 of 3 Spring-themed kits that Farmhouse Woolens is offering as a Seasonal-themed project of the month! Karen Perry puts together such great kits, she is such a pleasure to do business with! The 3rd Spring kit is a stitchery and I'll recieve it something next month.

These 2 wonderful kits are from Sue Spargo! The one on the left is for a tote/purse and the one on the right is a large zip bag.

All of these kits have some wool components to them as well..I just love wool!! So I'll have to add these to my "to do" list!

Are YOU working on anything for Spring yet? It's right around the corner you know!!

Is it too early for Halloween?

2010-01-31T11:46:00.000-05:00

Is it too early to work on Halloween projects yet? LOL As some of you may know, I just
LOVE Halloween! This is a recent BOM I started with Homestead Hearth, called Halloween 1904 and published by Blackbird Designs! I am 3 blocks into the series, 13 more months to go! The blocks are BIG too, finishing at a whopping 20" each! woohoo! I just love how they're coming out so far though!

I really do need to finish up some of my sandwiched projects though ;) so stay tuned for some pics of finishes in the near future!

First finish for 2010!

2010-01-23T21:09:00.001-05:00

Here's my first finish for 2010! It's a Valentine runner and I just love how it came out ;) I have not been terribly motivated so far this year, but that is slowly starting to change. I'm hoping to build momentum as the year goes on! LOL So check back frequently and maybe I'll have more momentum to share!

blog giveaway at This-n-That Fabrics!

2010-01-22T17:29:00.000-05:00

The lovely ladies at This n That Fabrics, Linda and Sandy, are having a blog giveaway! You can check it out here. It's a beautiful little needlepunch kit! So hop on over and enter! Their shop is also listed on my sidebar...great prices, quick shipping and a very nice assortment of goods!

Remember...you can't win it if you're not IN IT!

My first finished top for 2010!

2010-01-07T21:19:00.000-05:00

Yayyy! I finished my first quilt top for 2010! But of COURSE, my over-acheiving quilting sister Peg had to beat me with HER finish...LOL some people, ya know? LOL But I'm happy that it's a top now and I plan on quilting it within a few weeks.

I will cut the rest of the fabric scraps up into usable sizes and then decide what's next ;)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T13:57:00.000-05:00

Wishing you all the Happiest and Healthiest of New Years!!

Is it Christmas yet?

2009-12-21T19:13:00.001-05:00

'Cause it sure feels like it in my mailbox! One of my BFFs, Michelle, sent me a box full of Christmas cheer! Thanks so much Michelle!

She also made me a great little snowman candle mat, so I'll keep that out on our table into February of next year!

Here's what my coffee table looks like this time of year! Can you tell I love candles? LOL

And of course what would a post be without a mystery update!! Here is what 52 Fox and Geese blocks look like along side 48 Poinsetta blocks! I will be setting these in the next week, definitely AFTER Christmas!!

Blowin' and Driftin'!

2009-12-20T19:10:00.007-05:00

Well it looks like we're going to have a white christmas after all! We got socked pretty good with this snowstorm that blanketed alot of the northeast...

Can't get out the front door...

Can't get out the backdoor...

Looks like there's not much left to do but sew on that mystery quilt!!! Here's some completed Poinsetta stars, and some in progress!

The management company still hadn't come to dig our block out yet as of this evening, so I might just have to stay in and sew tomorrow if I can't get the door open ;) What a shame, eh? LOL

Mystery quilt steps 3 & 4!

2009-12-19T19:55:00.002-05:00

I haven't given up on the Quiltville mystery quilt, Carolina Christmas, I just got a bit distracted with the Christmas decorating and whatnot ;) I'm continuing on with the mystery and here are the results! Steps 3 and 4 are now complete...so on to step 5!

Some Decorating for Christmas!

2009-12-13T19:24:00.009-05:00

It's that time of year again! This is our first year decorating for the holiday in our new home! We put our tree in the front room and realized that next year, we really need a taller tree! LOL

I also got these wonderful glitzy pieces at Sam's club and Kohls...they really compliment the room! I just love a little Christmas bling!

Here is our formal diningroom, and again a bit more glitz with the wonderful BIG centerpiece..Bill has a "thing" for big centerpieces! LOL

This is the quilt rack that my wonderful dad made me several years ago! It looks tremendous in our stairwell and really showcases my quilts and our nutcracker collection!

And in our bedroom, we have a little spindley christmas tree with all my handmade ornies on it! I think this is my favorite decoration of all since everything on it is made by my quilting friends! DH Bill is always asking to sleep with this tree lit up through the night! LOL He really is a little boy at heart ;) Maybe we'll try that during vacation when we don't have to get up early the next day! LOL

Hope you are all ready and decorated for the Holiday season, and hope you enjoyed the little tour of my favorite holiday decorations!

The Mystery Quilt continues!

2009-12-01T19:32:00.003-05:00

I'm SO happy that I am keeping up with this mystery, that I HAD to post about it! LOL here are my step 2 units and the bin with step 1 and 2 units in it. Funny how all that hard work and literally about 2 yds of fabric compact down into less than a shoebox! LOL

I am SO curious to see what this all becomes too ;) I think that's half the fun!

Better late than never!!

2009-11-28T21:40:00.006-05:00

That about sums up how I've been feeling about alot of things lately! LOL Well at least as far as quilt projects are concerned! I finally finished my Halloween Wool BOM and put the blocks together into a top!!! I'm a little overwhelmed with how nice it came out..can't wait to get it quilted and ready for next year!

I also finished up my 3rd block of the Berry Picking BOM! I am currently still 1 block behind on this one, but I hope to remedy that soon! I just love how this came out too ;)

AND...as if I don't have enough other things started, I've decided to join in on Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt from Quiltville.com, Carolina Christmas! I have selected my fabrics mostly from my stash..the only new addition is the 2 yds of gold, and finished all the units for step 1! I'm pretty excited to do this mystery quilt and even MORE excited that I've completed the first step before the next one's been published! LOL If you've never checked out Bonnie's website, DO IT!! She's got a tremendous amount of valuable quilting info and a wonderful scrap-management system for those of us who are overwhelmed with scraps but want to make something from them!

Here's my fabs choices, and my step 1 units! Can't wait for step 2 to get published!

In Loving Memory

2009-10-25T11:10:00.003-04:00

On October 10, My MIL Angela passed away at her home, in the care of her family, after a 6 week battle with pancreatic cancer. She was a loving mom to her two sons and DILs, and her extended family. Angela's greatest passion was for her family and home, and she always made you feel like family, even if she had just met you! She was a lively and spirited lady and will be greatly missed...

If you would like to learn more about pancreatic cancer, or make a donation to research, visit here!

I can't believe it!

2009-09-25T20:44:00.005-04:00

Would you believe that I forgot to post about my finished mini? It's been finished AND hung up on my sewing room wall for about 2 weeks now! What was I thinking? LOL

So anyway..here is it all done! I think it came out great, and it really adds to my sewing space! Now to get moving on mini #2 ;)

A Giveaway and a NEW Free BOM!

2009-09-06T14:50:00.002-04:00

NO, I'M not giving anything away..and NO I'M not publishing a new free BOM, but Dorothy Baker is!! So please follow THIS to her giveaway or use the button on my sidebar to see her new BOM! I am SO into embroidery lately and I will definitely be doing this BOM!

More finished BOMs...

2009-09-03T21:44:00.007-04:00

Here's a few more finished Block of the Months! This is block #2 in the Berry Picking BOM and it's just as pretty as the first one, but alot quicker to stitch! LOL

Here's the first 2 blocks joined together! I am just thrilled with how this one is coming out ;)

Here is block #3 of my wonderful wool Vintage Halloween BOM! All that buttonholing was a tremendous amount of work, but definitely worth it!

And here is block #4 of that same BOM! Love how it looks, but that cat gives me the willies! LOL Two more blocks to go still on this BOM and I intend to have it finished before THIS Halloween!!

A beach weekend and a birthday!

2009-08-28T20:22:00.005-04:00

Last weekend we went to visit my dad in MA for a little beach getaway to celebrate his 75th b'day! My sister owns a condo at Hampton Beach, NH and we borrowed her digs while she's away on a Mediterranean cruise! We had a great time even though Hurricane Bill did cause some high waves and rough surf ;)

here's my 2 favorite men!

And my dad's neighbors, the Pimentals, set up a little surprise for his 75th b'day while the rest of us were up at the beach..they gifted him with a 50" LCD TV and snuck into the house and set it up for him! Brian Pimental owns The Home Theater Company and did a great job of planning this wonderful suprise for my dad! I think he got the biggest b'day surprise when he walked into his own livingroom after our trip back from the beach, to find his neighbors in his house and watching his new TV! LOL They had a great cake for him too! I think having neighbors like the Pimentals is the best gift my dad could ever have IMHO ;)

So here's the youngster and his new TV!

Many thanks to Brian and Kirstin for being such great neighbors and really helping to make my dad's b'day super special!

The Girlies are having GIVE-AWAYS!!

2009-08-18T18:57:00.002-04:00

Quickly...get thee to Peg's blog and Michelle's blog and enter their give-aways ;)

A couple more "almost" finishes!

2009-08-17T21:21:00.007-04:00

They're "almost" finishes 'cause one is a mini top that's not quilted yet and the other is a single block of a new BOM! I am just so proud of myself for finishing this embroidery block BEFORE the next one arrives! woohooo! Liz, Peg and Michelle are all doing this BOM with me too..the more the merrier! I am just thrilled with the embroidery and the beautiful fabrics!

And the other finish is a little montly mini which Michelle and I are doing through Temecula Quilt Company. Each month features a mini in Civil War repros..this month was a Lori Smith pattern! Again I am THRILLED that I got this one done before the next one arrives! Well almost done..I still have to quilt it ;)

Webshop Grand Reopening!

2009-08-16T11:44:00.003-04:00

Angela of The Country Cellar is having a grand reopening party! Who doesn't love a party??? She's a very talented prim artist..so go check out her website!

Another Saltbox Village block!

2009-08-16T11:28:00.004-04:00

Here's my latest Saltbox Village block from a BOM offered by Farmhouse Woolens! It came out really cute and worked up fairly quick! It has bits of wool on it, so that fed my wool addiction very nicely ;) LOL

I have a few other projects I've been working on this week so as soon as I have 'em finished I'll be posting about 'em!

Hey Good-Lookin'....Whatcha Got Cookin'?

2009-08-08T14:17:00.011-04:00

Well we got cornbread and meatballs cookin' here today, let me tell YOU! LOL Our block party is this afternoon and that's what we're bringing ;) Take a gander at that cornbread..and lemme tell you, it is about the best darn cornbread I have EVA tasted! I got the recipe from a friend at work, so thank you Ada Mcleod for a tremendous recipe!!

Are you hungry yet? Glad I made 2 pans, one for the party, one for us!! LOL

here's the recipe too!

1 14 oz can creamed corn

1 14 oz can whole kernel corn, drained

1 16oz container of sour cream

1 stick of butter, melted

3 eggs

3 packages of Jiffy Corn Muffin mix

mix all ingredients thoroughly and pour into a greased 12x9 pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hr and enjoy!

And of course I can't forget the meatballs! Bill does the mixing from his own "special" recipe and I just prep the cookiesheets and help him roll 'em. Oh and I eat 'em too..that's an assistant's job, isnt' it? LOL

Here's the results of all Bill's hard work! Yummmm!!

It's almost party-time, so you all have a great day..there's still a whole lot of summer left to go!!

The Queen and Her Castle...

2009-08-06T21:32:00.004-04:00

Ok..so the Queen is the one taking the picture, so all you're gonna see is her Castle..her SANDcastle that is ;) This was a groovie little suprise summer kit that my BFF Peg, hooked me up with! It came with that great hanger AND those terrific buttons too! It was super-fast to put together, since it's fusible applique AND the buttonholing doubles as the quilting! You gotta love a quicky kit like that! I think it took me 2 nights and a little hand time for the binding, embroidered grass and attaching the 3 buttons ;)

So now the Castle is on the door of the OTHER Castle! And it's finished before the summer is, so how great is that! Thanks Peg for providing me with this fun project!!

Halloween in August!

2009-08-02T12:17:00.006-04:00

Ok..I know you all know about Christmas in July...I hearby declare this month to be HALLOWEEN IN AUGUST!! So start stitchin' up those halloweenie projects so we'll all be done well before Halloween this year! I have my little list of projects to work off of for the next 2 months ;)

I recently started a new wool Halloween BOM through Farmhouse Woolens and have completed the first 2 blocks out of 6..the next 2 should be in my mailbox sometime this week! After doing these blocks, I find I am TOTALLY ENTHRALLED with wool...Like I need to be totally enthralled with ANOTHER thing LOL. The blocks are working up beautifully and I cannot wait to have this complete for this Halloween!

So grab a Halloween project or two and come and join me for Halloween in August!!

Flora and Fauna

2009-07-24T18:07:00.004-04:00

Here's a little front-yard flora for you! Just a pretty pic of my purple coneflower and my portulacas ;) I love portulacas and find them to be a very underrated flower! They're part of the succulent family, grow great in the ground or containers and are very drought tolerant. And they come in a rainbow of colors! The main draw-back is that the flowers only last a day or so..but it blooms all summer long ;)

And of course what better fauna than another shot of those baby birds! LOL They're alot bigger now and will be leaving the nest by early next week!

Dino Chicks!

2009-07-22T19:17:00.005-04:00

I think someone stuck some Velociraptor babies in where the cute hairless chicks were! This is a pic from this past Monday...ooooo scary babies! LOL rather Jurassic park-ish! They are sure keeping Mama and Papa robin busy with the worms and bugs and all! They should be fledging by early next week so I'll keep you all posted!!

Oh and for some quilt-worthy news, I have finished my first Christmas-In-July project for the month! Peg, Michelle and I are doing a little challenge for this month with Christmas-related projects and Peg is in the lead! LOL So here's my teeny Thimbleberries tree quilt, jingle bells and all!

The Chick Cam

2009-07-15T18:27:00.005-04:00

Still pretty featherless, but getting cuter!!! ok...maybe not that much cuter LOL but still entertaining! LOL

THE BABIES ARE HERE, THE BABIES ARE HERE!!!

2009-07-13T21:00:00.002-04:00

OH GOSH!! Sorry for the yelling, but I am just too excited ;) I'm a mama! I mean the OTHER robin's a mama! LOL Today on the way out the door, I made Bill stick his head in the nest and check the babies...2 little hairless chickies greeted him and one more was there when we came home! Mama did a good job of cleaning out the eggshells from the nest too..no sign of 'em in the nest or on the ground! She's back sitting on the babies as the sun was setting tonight! Nothing like being 2 days old and featherless! LOL

Saltbox stitchin'!

2009-07-11T13:12:00.002-04:00

I recently started a new BOM (yes, ANOTHER new BOM! LOL) called Saltboxes through the Year, and it's being offered by Karen Perry of Farmhouse Woolens. I finished my first block and it was a surprising amount of work! LOL It was alot of fun though, and I'm very happy with how it came out!

Nature's Treasures

2009-07-06T21:19:00.005-04:00

We were out in the front yard this afternoon, poking around and watering, when a robin flew out from our maple! Now since we live in a townhouse, we don't have a very big front yard, or even a very big maple (about 4 yrs old), but this robin was making herself right at home in our little tree! Would you believe that she built a pretty cup nest right at eye level on one of the lowest branches!!

Now being the curious nature-lover that I am, I had to stand on tip-toes to peek inside the nest! I put my camera above my head and snapped this nifty shot of Mama robin's treasures! She was waiting impatiently for me to finish with the shutterbugging so she could keep get back to the hatchin' business! LOL

I'm going to mind my own business til I know the babies have hatched..and then I'll see if I can get some additional pics! WikiAnswers.com tells me that they should be hatching in about 2 weeks...so check back around then!

Just in Time!!

2009-07-04T19:32:00.002-04:00

I know I'm not the only "last minute Charlie" out there...anyone else wait til the last minute to finish a project for a specific holiday or event? Well this year I finished my 4th of July project around 4pm ON the 4th LOL I'll leave it out for the rest of the month and pack it away til next year ;)

Happy 4th of July!!

2009-07-04T12:35:00.002-04:00

Happy 4th of July everyone! We are just BBQing at home today, a nice quiet low-key celebration! I wish you and your families a safe and happy holiday!

Rain, Rain GO AWAY!!

2009-06-27T08:49:00.006-04:00

We are having an incredible amount of rainy days here on Long Island! I have not heard the monthly totals, but we are well up over 7" for the month I am sure! We had another tremendous thunderstorm roll through around dusk last night, with more of the same forecast for the next few evenings!

But after the storm past, there was a rainbow at sunset...makes the storm all worth it!

And of course I had to get a picture of Bill in here somewhere LOL I know you all miss seeing him ;)

All Hands on Deck!!

2009-06-16T17:03:00.010-04:00

OK, OK! Sorry for the bad pun ;) BUT..there is a purpose for the pun! Our deck is finally finished! Here are some pics of the work in progress! I knew almost nothing about deck or any other kind of home construction before this project and found the whole process to be very interesting!

Here is our "before" picture..just a bare yard with steps!

And here is the deck after the framing is complete!

now add some steps!

And there you go, the finished product!

and of course, every deck needs a fern, with a lobster in the corner... YES..that's a lobster..whatsamatta, you got a problem with lobsters? LOL

oh and I can't forget the sheep ;) He's obviously here for the clambake as he brought the corn! I wonder if that's what the lobster showed up for too ;)

Stitchin' up a Storm!

2009-06-12T20:37:00.010-04:00

Would you believe that I haven't turned my sewing machine on in about a week? I've been embroidering instead! The embroidery bug bit me bad, thanks to Peg and Michelle!

Here's the Christmas Wish BOM that has a link on the sidebar of this blog...

And here's the new crow BOM that I'm doing through Stitch-N-Tyme in Unionville, MO, owned by Deb Smith and Janet Rowland!

I haven't given up sewing but it sure is hard to put those stitchin' projects down! LOL

Purse appeal!

2009-06-06T12:10:00.002-04:00

Here's a quicky update on what I've been working on! I've finished a new tote/purse and zippy bag and thought I'd share a pic with you all ;) It came out really cute if I may say so myself!

Hope you are all enjoying the month of June so far! It's a bright sunny day today, but we've had a tremendous amount of rain here this past week and it's delayed the finishing of our deck. We hope the contractor can get it finished by the middle of next week! I'll post pics of that when it's complete too!

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T10:26:00.002-04:00

Happy Memorial Day everyone! Please keep all of those who have given their lives for our country in your thoughts today! They, as well as all who have served our country, are directly responsible for our freedom!

Click here to find out more about the history of Memorial day!

Update that blog!

2009-03-15T14:44:00.006-04:00

Well, it's about time, isn't it? Sheesh...talk about taking forever to update my blog..no wonder no one visits me anymore, it's always the same OLD THING! LOL I don't blame 'em ;)

My quilt frame is finally put back together and waiting patiently in the basement! I hope to get a practice piece up on it this afternoon and actually put a REAL QUILT up on it within the week. I've been busy getting ready for our BPF retreat, which is the middle of May! I have 2 sets of 4" shoofly swap blocks ready, and my charity quilt top and backing are all ready to be quilted!

I hope to undate this thing more often, and have ALOT of finished quilts before Summertime! Can ya believe Spring is THIS FRIDAY??? WOOHOO for SPRING! I am SO ready as this has been a very long, cold Winter!

I've been tagged!

2009-01-30T20:38:00.006-05:00

Leave it to Peg to tag me with the "Honest Scrap Award"! Is that her way of telling me that I need to organize my scraps? LOL Here's Peg's original post. I am suppose to reveal 10 honest things about myself that I have never blogged about, as well as list 5 addictions! I'm then suppose to tag 5 of my blogging friends to do that same...Considering how busy I've been I'll be lucky if I tag 2 of 'em LOL

So here are 10 honest things I've never blogged about:

1) I've worked in the same industry, military and commercial electronics, for 25 yrs.

2) I've lost almost 50 lbs over the last year! (woohoo for ME! LOL)

3) My favorite food is pizza...contrary to popular belief that my favorite food is anything from PANERA'S! LOL

4) I LOVE WINE!! did you notice the caps on that one?

5) Bill and I are not married and have been living together for 10 years.

6) I have enough projects stockpiled to last me the rest of my life!

7) I also knit and use to work part-time for a yarn manufacturer in my 20's.

8) I was an avid roller-skater in my teens and 20's and still occationally dream about roller-skating!

9)I love horror novels and horror movies, even the gory, campy ones!

10) Halloween is one of my favorite holidays!

ok..now for the addictions:

1) I love a cup of coffee and a buttered roll from 711!

2) toast with peanut butter

3) coffee..did I mention coffee? did I mention HOW MUCH coffee? LOTS AND LOTS..that's how much ;)

4)fabric, quilting, textiles, yarn, embroidery..just about any handwork

5) I LOVE computer and video games..they're about the only thing that can distract me from quilting ;)

I've tagged Barbara from Pineland Patches!

oh and my sewing room is almost up and running! so you may be seeing some sewing updates soon on my blog! woohooo!

And the WINNER IS....

2009-01-15T22:21:00.002-05:00

entrant # 157, which is "Cedar Chest Quilts", from Texas!!! I used a random # generator to get the lucky number and I will email her tonight! Little Peanut will be on his way to Texas within the next week or so! woohooo!!

Congrats to the winner and thanks so much to everyone who entered for their kind words and good advice for my back ;) After 2 weeks I'm feeling much better and will be back to my ol' self within another week or so!

This giveaway was alot of fun and I hope to participate in another one in the future!!

2008-12-31T21:21:00.006-05:00

Here is the results of my blog giveaway!

http://robin-lifesastitch.blogspot.com/2009/01/and-winner-is.html

Whirl into Winter Giveaway!!

Happy New Year everyone! We are celebrating our New Year in a New Home!!! Now I just wish I could have a New Back for the New Year as my old back is KILLIN' me from this move! LOL

Ok..enough of my moving aches and pains ;) I am participating in the Whirl into Winter Giveaway and here are my rules:

1) Only comments left between Jan 1, 2009 and Jan 15, 2009 will be eligible to win. I will be picking the winner's name on the night of Jan 15, 2009 and posting it to my blog.

2) Anyone who leaves a comment must either post their blog URL OR their email with their comment so that I have a way to contact you if you win! Only 1 entry per person please ;)

3) International contestants are welcome!

4) And here's a little twist to the contest..in your comment, please tell me your favorite remedy for an aching back!

These are the goodies I am giving away to a single winner:

My little friend, Peanut! He may not be exactly this same color , but he will come equipped with a stitch ripper and stork scissors!

I am also giving away a fashion scarf in Winter White, which is knit by me, and a nice assortment of Thimbleberries Fat Quarters!

So good luck to you all, and remember to go visit the main Whirl into Winter website to enter all the blog contests!!

Since I can't sew...

2008-12-21T14:06:00.005-05:00

I'll knit right now! LOL My sewing room is packed up and I still need something to keep my hands busy..so I'll just knit for awhile til I can sew again!

Years ago I was an avid knitter, but lost interest as I got older. Recently, knitting has regained it's popularity and my interest has been piqued! With so many free resources available online, how could I resist? 2 of my favorite sites for free patterns and info are Lion Brand yarns, and Patons.

My current project is this hat for Bill...it's a simple ribbed hat with a turned up band. This is what I've done so far and I'm ready to start shaping the top within the next row or so ;) I'll post a pic of Bill wearing his hat when I'm done! I think I'll start a hat for myself when this project is done..I think we're in for a cold, snowy winter!!

Quilt Room in a Box!

2008-12-08T21:47:00.004-05:00

This past summer, one of my 2 best pals, Michelle, moved from Washington to Idaho and had to pack up her whole sewing room! Here's her post regarding her "quilt room in a box"!

Well now it's MY turn to have my OWN Quilt Room in a Box! LOL My fabric stash is NOT packed yet...I will probably do that within the week as the movers will be here on the 26th ;)

Because of the timing of this move, we are not decorating for the holidays this year =( But we DO have Bill's blinky tree, and LOTS of holiday spirit, so I guess that's all we really need anyway!

O Christmas Tree!

2008-12-01T20:20:00.005-05:00

Has anyone put their tree up yet? I know some folks (us included) like to decorate right after Thanksgiving...but this year will be a bit different since we are moving the DAY after Christmas! LOL Who planned that??? LOL

So rather than put up a big tree, Bill, who is an Electrical Engineer by trade and an avid DIY electronic hobbist, decided to buy a kit to BUILD us a little electronic Christmas tree, complete with blinky lights ;) It has 30 different light patterns controlled by a microprocessor..so if you have a home hobbist who likes to solder and does electronics, this might be a great gift for them! You can order a kit through Nuts And Volts magazine's website.

So check out Bill's little video clip and if you like his tree, drop him a line at thex@optonline.net.

How about a quickie?

2008-11-15T22:49:00.002-05:00

Ok..here's a quickie for ya...I am SO embarassed that I haven't done a blog entry in 3 weeks! My New Year's resolution will have to include something about blogging more frequently!

so anyway....here's my lastest quickie, the month 6 project for the Pint-Sized Traditions club from Main Street Cotton shop! It's called "Northern Lights" and was fun and fast to put together! Still needs to be quilted though ;)

Ok! That's all I have to blog about at the moment...told ya it was a quickie!

Oh yes we NEED a little Christmas....

2008-09-28T19:24:00.003-04:00

..Right this very minute!! So here is a little dose of Christmas for ya! This little project is part of the Pint-Sized Traditions club from Main St Cotton Shop! This is project #5 out of 14 total and I've been keeping up every month! Woohooo!!! That alone is an awesome thing! LOL

So Ho Ho Ho and enjoy your week!

Something Old and Something New...

2008-09-22T20:00:00.006-04:00

As for the "something old"...I finally finished the Thimbleberries 2004 April club project! It's a pretty tablerunner that I've been meaning to quilt for forever!

I especially like the added trim by the binding...came out really nice and adds quite a bit to the runner! I'll have to remember that trick for another project!

And as for the "something new", I got my newest kit in the mail today! It's "Midnight Silhouette" and I got it from Homespun Hearth in today's mail! I'm a big fan of Halloween and even though I won't have it finished for this season, it's a pretty bundle to look at 'til I get around to putting it together!

Summer's Harvest

2008-09-05T15:57:00.006-04:00

Labor Day's come and gone and now our container garden is nearing the end of it's season..just a few tomatoes and peppers left! For the small number of plants we have, we sure do get a great amount of produce! Bill was inspired by the great colors and shapes, so here's some of Summer's end for you all to enjoy!

Hungry now? LOL

A lil' bit of sewing...

2008-08-15T19:42:00.006-04:00

I've been doing a little bit of sewing, and here's the results! I find I'm more in the mood lately to "git 'er done", which is a GOOD thing!

Here is my latest Thimbleberries Club project, Forest Bloom.

And here is my latest Pint-Sized Traditions II project, also a Thimbleberries pattern!

Fall is fast approaching and I want to get some more "Fall-ish" projects done!

Anyone else working on a Halloween or Fall-related item?

Shamed into bloggin'!

2008-07-19T18:28:00.009-04:00

Yes folks, I was shamed into bloggin'! I won't be so crass as to tell you who (PEG) shamed me so badly (PEG) but I'm sure some of you can figure it out! LOL

So my dear as-yet-unnamed friend (PEG), this blog's for you!!

I'll give you all an update in a nutshell...we spent a week up in Caraquet, New Brunswick at the Chalets de la Plage de Bas Caraquet (fancy frenchy for beach houses LOL) Now why, you may ask, would we drive 12+ hours to vacation in a rather obscure part of Canada? Well both my grandparents on my father's side were originally from this town, alot of my distant relatives still live locally and I spent many a summer as a child playing in the COLD Canandian surf ;) (ok so not the WHOLE summer, just 2 weeks, but when you're 8 yrs old and all the TV broadcasts are in french , including cartoons, it FEELS like the whole summer! LOL) It was a very laidback vacation which included some visiting with relatives, quality family time, the July 1st Fete du Canada (Canada day), lazy beach days and LOTS of seafood!

Some dining al fresco...

and some great sunny days....

make for a

memorable

Canandian vacation!

Hope you are all enjoying your summer! There's only 6 weeks 'til Labor day, so let's enjoy the time we have!

A Memorial to a Great Little Friend

2008-06-22T20:52:00.002-04:00

I have some very sad news to share with you all...we came home today from looking at furniture to find that our little companion, Powder the parakeet, aka Birdy Bird, had passed away =( He lived a good life for the 8 years we owned him and he will be sadly missed. The place doesn't feel the same without hearing him playing with his toys or just squeeking and chirping.

As far as parakeets go, this little guy was just full of personality and loved Bill to death! We got him as a baby, and he became an important member of our household. He went through 2 moves with us and this upcoming move in August would have been his 3rd. We noticed over the last few weeks that he seemed to be sleeping more, didn't want to play as much and was eating a bit less....just like an old man. We had mentally prepared ourselves for the inevitable, but it was still a bit of a shock and very sad.

So, our little blue friend, we will miss you very much and you'll always have a little birdy-shaped place in our hearts...

Panera and house-hunting and quilting, OH MY!

2008-06-14T20:27:00.005-04:00

I think I listed those title items in order of priority lately! Contrary to popular belief, I did NOT fall off the face of the earth! I returned from our BPF quilt retreat in May, and it's been a whirlwind since then! So now it's time to catch up ;)

Tonight we went to dinner at Panera's..one of our favorite places to go for some eats and laptop time! As you can see, Bill gives it a big thumbs up!

We usually get the same thing...smokehouse turkey sandwiches and coffee...are you hungry yet? LOL

The other big development as of late is that we are actively house-hunting! This is happening almost a full year ahead of our "schedule", but we feel that the time is right to buy, so we're going for it! It's very stressful for both of us, but we're keeping our sanity..for now anyway ;)

Lately between work and house-hunting, I haven't had much time for quilting! I am going on a family vacation to Canada in a few weeks and will take some hand-work with me, so at least I'll have some quality time for that ;) And for my family of course!

Gosh, Summer is right around the corner! And where are YOU going for your summer vacation?

Hello, my name is Robin and I'm a Bag Addict!

2008-04-20T12:58:00.006-04:00

I just love tote bags and carryalls and purses! I think I have just about every published pattern available for 'em all as well! LOL Well this past week I decided to put some of my favorite patterns to use and make some pet screen items! I think I'm addicted to pet screen bags now! LOL They are alot of fun to make, look great, and make great gifts ;)

I made 2 of these to hold embroidery BOMs.

And a few more in various sizes.

And this bag is HUGE! I made it for our upcoming quilt retreat to hold all my projects, but it would double as a great overnight bag too!

Now to get busy finishing up my other retreat items!

Times Remembered

2008-04-13T13:20:00.002-04:00

I've completed all of the blocks for Pat's Sloan's Times Remembered Quilt and sewn them together to make the quilt center! Yayyyy!! This project has been going on since late last summer and was done as a block of the month project with the sloanies yahoo group. It was great fun, but ALOT of fusing and buttonholing! I just love how it's come out so far though! I have several borders and a few more things to fuse and buttonhole before the top is complete. I hope to have this one finished by the BPF retreat for show n tell!

Nikki in da house!!

2008-04-07T19:41:00.003-04:00

And the fabs are fabuloso! This is Pat Sloan's new line "Nikki" and it is just SUPER yummy! This assortment of fabs is for Pat's new wallhanging pattern "Sunday Drive". I think I might have to take this project to the BPF retreat ;) That is if I can wait that long to cut into it!!! yum yum yum..don'tcha just love getting goodies in the mail?

Butterflies in the city!

2008-04-06T11:50:00.009-04:00

Yesterday we took a bus trip into NYC to visit the Butterfly exhibit at the Museum of Natural History! It was a great trip and we got to see alot of really interesting stuff! I have lived out on Long Island for 10 years, but this was my first time to the museum, and we're definitely going back later this summer! The butterfly exhibit was very nice, although not as large as The Butterfly Place in Westford, MA, which is a permanent facility. If you're ever in Northeastern MA, check out the butterflies! It's a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the trip! And if you're in NYC before the end of May, go visit the Museum and the butterflies there!

The museum is also known for it's extensive dinosaur collection, which was a real treat to see!

The T-Rex has always been one of my favorite dinosaurs, but he wouldn't have been very good at quilting....his forearms are too small to handle rotary cutters and a ruler LOL

Happiness is.....

2008-03-24T15:35:00.004-04:00

A new iron!! I paid a pretty penny for this purdy little gadget, but so far it's living up to it's reputation! I've got a project ready to fuse with it and I am a happy, happy camper!

I had to put my old iron out of it's misery after it did THIS! Yikes! It even had the nerve to scorch the corner of the charity quilt I was working on at the time! That reminds me..I need a new mini ironing board cover too! LOL

Tag! I'm it!

2008-03-24T10:22:00.002-04:00

I was tagged by my most favorite Quilt Retreat Guru and Creative Maven Angela! I passed this award on to Pat Sloan, who is another of my favorite Creative Mavens ;)

Pinwheels on Parade!

2008-03-22T22:10:00.002-04:00

Ok...so it's a very SMALL parade of pinwheels! LOL These little gems are swap blocks for one of my yahoo quilting groups, Sew Many Swaps. They are made with Kaffee Fassett fabrics and tone on tone contrasting fabs, and boy are they snazzy! I can't wait to get my return swap blocks!