Block of Months

I'm so behind on my Block of the Months, but I at least caught up by one month.....and yeah, and I started a new one last month....

My Mystery Christmas BOM from The Fat Quarter Shop, I have 2 more blocks to finish up and I have the finishing kit which has a A LOT of tiny square in a square corner stones - yikes!

Back To Nature by Tonga for Timeless Treasure.  I'm SOOO excited to wrap this one up, it's going to be SOo pretty.  I actually started their new BOM with a local shop and it's a different color palette - I just love batiks!  I this is the center part of the BOM, I have 2 more months to complete with this one.

My Stars Around the Garden, this is month 4 - so I have a long way to go on this one.

I need to work on my Jewels of the Crown BOM, as well.  I can't wait to move into my new sewing studio so I can be more organized and have an active sewing life again!

I've done some sewing!

Coming out of the winter blues is refreshing and humbling when you realize (so it seems) you left so many things unattended - mainly yourself.

Now with spring around the corner and our move into a new home, things are busy again with cleaning and planning a garden.  Very exciting.  I've even started a new blog just for that experience.  Our Journey into Suburbia Homesteading. 

I know over the next few weeks, my life will be dedicate to shaping up a house we are planning to rent, but I also still have classes going on and need to sew for them.  So, please be patient with my posts here :)

I've worked on several Block of the Month programs (and will join another one on March 24th).  And also my Let's Be Together block was well received from its new owner:

My Tonga Back to Nature BOM (last regular block March's should be the medallion in the center):

And my 12 Days of Christmas:

New class to teach tonight, should be fun:

Next goal is to get my Jewels in the Crown BOM done for March.

Friday Night Sew In - Lessons Learned

Well, I'm a successful failure?! :)  So, here's what I learned to correct for next month's FNSI:

1. No tv on - or at least something I've seen a billion times, probably just music would be best.
2. NO KIDS.  Even the 17 year old was a serious distraction, wanted "mom" time.
3. One project!!  Have it cut and ready just to piece away.
4. I'm a wuss and totally tuckered out by 10:30.  So, next month maybe take a longer nap after work, getting up on Fridays at 5am, working til 2, home by 3 and sewing all night really took a beating on me.

My original plan of attack was this:

• Hour 1 - Make Tonga Batik BOM block
• Hour 2 - Make 12 Days of Christmas Block
• Hour 3 - Take a break from sewing and cut out Love Bug project
• Hour 4 until I was done - Work on Ocean Tranquility Project

Well, it didn't quite go that way . . .

I spent 3 hours on one block, after ripping out several times, again I think mainly to distractions, but finally finished it:

This is basically a simple block but lots of tedious piecing techniques.  Good thing I had it all cut out before hand!

I was sooo frustrated with putting this block together, mainly because I kept ripping out the same corner section and row, that I stopped at 10:30 and went to my bedroom to read and fell asleep.

Then this morning I got up and literally whipped up this block in an hour (as I had planned originally):

So, now I have 2 remaining items to work on and I'm going to go ahead and finish them up today.  I have time to myself and think I can get them done.

Next month's FNSI will definitely go a different way!

Friday Night Sew In - IS HERE!

Ok....

• chocolate - check
• salty snack (dill potato chips-looked/sounds interesting) - check
• wine - check
• down one child - check
• sewing area cleared and cleaned - check
• eating dinner - check

Start time is 7:00 pm!!
Ok...I think I'm ready!!

I've decided to work on 3 projects.  First I'm going to make my two BOMs, I have already cut - the 12 Days of Christmas and the Tonga Back to Nature:

Next I'm going to cut out 2 tops using this GREAT Lovebug fabric.  The girls each want one:

Lastly, I'm going to FINISH my Ocean Tranquility Bargello center - don't know if I'll get the borders on tonight, but definitely plan on getting the remaining third section on:

 Ok, it's ON ---who's doing this with me??  :)

Block of Months

I was able to get a little sewing in yesterday.  I received Block 7 of the Fat Quarter Shop's Mystery Designer 12 Days of Christmas yesterday!  I got all my blocks cut out and started to sew.  I was able to finished 3 of the 7 blocks and I'm sooo loving these!  I'm very happy that I went ahead and did this BOM:

Month 1 through 3, all blocks are measuring 12 1/2"! 

I also whipped up the Tonga BOM block for December, being I had cut it out last month.

Still have other BOMs to do for this month, but time seems scarce this month.

I wasn't able to bake yesterday - mental note, be sure to clean oven before turning on!  Maybe that will happen today?

Turkey Week, Day 2

Have you done your shopping for the big day?  I dread the shopping part, though I do try to accomplish all that the weekend before.  What are you plans?  Are you cooking or visiting family/friends?

This is our first year living in Tennessee and we are visiting family for the feast, though I am bringing 3 of our family's favorite traditions.  Here is the second recipe that we do yearly at this time and for Christmas as well.

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Passed from Kevin's grandma, mom, to me.  I have made slight adjusts and this is always a hit. 

• 2 - 10 oz. packages of chopped broccoli
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 small can of drained mushrooms (I love mushrooms)
• 1 cup of mayonnaise
• 1  1/2 cup of grated sharp cheese (I use extra sharp)
• 2 tablespoons of dehydrated dry onions or one small chopped onion
• 2 two beaten eggs
• 2 - 3 cups Cheez-its.
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook broccoli 10 minutes and drain well.  While the broccoli is cooking take 1  1/2 cups of Cheez-its and put into a ziploc bag and crush.   Mix 1/2 cup of the crushed Cheez-it's and 1/4 cup of cheese and put to the side (this I use for the topping).  Mix remaining in ingredients, except the un-crushed Cheez-its.  If it seems a little be dry or stiff I'll add a little bit more mayonnaise.  Pour into casserole dish, I use a 9 x 13 pan.  Sprinkle crushed Cheez-its/Cheese mixture on top, then using non-crushed Cheez-its, decorate top and sides of casserole.  Cover casserole with aluminum foil.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.  Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes. 


Again, I can't find an image with the Cheez-its looking pretty on top - and I get more comments on how it looks this way :)  I'll take a picture of mine this year to share.

Grateful Thought:  Spending the holidays with family has new meaning now.  Again with this year of changes and growth finding a place among family is very important and I'm grateful my kids and I can enjoy these new and improved relationships.
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Block of the Months, nothing like waiting til the end of the month to complete.  I have done 2 of the 4 I have been religiously keeping up with.  Need to readjust my BOM list again, realize there just isn't enough time yet for that kind of dedication.

This is for my Back To Nature Block 5, November.

And here's Section 11 of my Christmas Sampler Quilt:

I love how this is turning out, wish it would be ready by next week, but there's always next year!

What busy weekend....

So busy, it will take me the next several days to share all the images and activities....being Monday though, we'll start off slow.

Finished half of my BOMs for this month, now to serious sewing.

Christmas Sampler:

Stars Around the Garden:

Back to Nature, Tonga Batiks:

Winner of my Fall Blog Giveaway is this Friday.  Did you get all 3 of your comments in for your chance to win?  I have added a few more things into the package - lots of surprises!!

Blocks of the Month

Well, I've done a few - I'm behind, but it's all good.

So, here is a few of my September committments:

Back to Nature Tonga for September - I will have October's Block this weekend

 Christmas Sampler, Section 9.

Dresden Fall Playground - I plan to make 3 a month (for about 9 months), but these turned out a LOT bigger than I expected, so I think I'm going to have to redesign my layout.  I LOVE these.  I have never done this technique before and it turned out beautifully.  The center to the large one isn't finished because I need to find a bigger circle shape to make it.

Working on some of October's BOMs as well this week....

Tonga's Back To Nature Block 2

I did a little sewing for myself yesterday, not as much as I hoped.  I just crashed.  I think next Sunday will be the same.

I got the second installment of the Back To Nature by Tonga Timeless Treasures this weekend (thanks to my wonderful husband hand delivering it to me) and I finished it.  This is going to be such a gorgeous quilt when it's done.

Here's what the first block and finish quilt will look like: