Mystery Complete

WOW, it has been a fast few weeks here. I have been very busy fielding questions and giving tutorials on the mystery quilt "Hot Air Balloons". It was a huge success and we all had a lot of fun. Here is a pic of my quilt top before I added the two outside borders.... border #1 was a 4" grey, #2 I am still trying to decide whether to add red or black. I love the contrast and beauty of the design. It was fun to see so many quilters make it. I broke it down into six pretty equal parts. The steps were really easy and I feel we accomplished a beautiful quilt with minimal effort. The hardest part were the flying geese. The entire quilt is made of half square triangles, solid blocks, and flying geese. I'll post the pattern on here when I have it ready to publish.

 Well, it is Thanksgiving Day here in America, so I thought I would just document a few things I am thankful for. First and foremost, I am so thankful for my husband. Having had the past two years of our married life as some of the hardest...facing death from cancer, I cannot express my deep love and admiration for my man. And, for our children (in-laws included!!) who were there to support and love through everything. It amazes me how they show love and are my strength. The grandchildren, wow, what more can I say. With ten in our brood, we are a very blessed couple. For my home, my church, and my family...I am truly thankful. Thank you God for making all this possible, for without You, where would we be. Thank you for those who protect our freedoms everyday, you are deeply appreciated.

With the food all taken care of, the children relaxing, and a bit of laundry in the machine, I think I will go sew for a while. Have a fantastic day! I am thankful for you!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Debi

Let's Get Rollin...

So I finally have the quilt for Quilt Market nearly finished. I think that is record time for piecing, quilting and binding a quilt! I finished the quilting (stitching in the ditch) on Thursday afternoon. I made and sewed the binding on the front. I am now in the process of folding around to the back for the final hand stitched finishing. It is so huge, it is really heavy. It measures 110inches square.

I also wrote the first of the clues for the mystery quilt for the Quilters Club of America, which went live this morning. I will be busy all day with questions concerning fabric choices and yardages, I am sure. That's what makes it fun. I try not to give too much away in my clues and do all the little stuff first to keep you guessing!! I am so looking forward to this. Hope you can join in the fun! quiltersclubofamerica.com

I will be working on the border for the mystery today. It will be pieced to finish off the quilt and give me a few extra inches for our big bed. I will also finish the binding on the International Quilt Market quilt. My fingers were just too sore to finish last night. I also have a teddy bear here with no face yet. Poor thing is nearly a month old and still can't see, smell, or growl! I also am testing for the December Mystery at the Quilt and Needle. You should check her mysteries out, she's brilliant... thequiltandneedle.com

Hope you have a fantastic weekend. I hope you have some time to do the things you love. I know I will be busy quilting and teddy bear making (hopefully I will have time for the teddy bears!). Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you. Hope you join the fun with the mystery on the Quilters Club of America. Its free and FUN!!

happy crafting,

Debi 

Ticking Away

Yesterday I stitched the back of the quilt together, got it all pinned, and began quilting it. Here it is laid out on the floor. I worked until my shoulders and arms were hurting so bad I had to stop for the night. I reckon I will be sore till it's finished. I only have a few more days before I have to send it back, I need to keep pluggin away. I have to finish stitching in the ditch, then I will put the binding on, then ship it to the Market.

I also finished the center of the mystery. I used the measurements I had worked out to make a test quilt. It is looking very nice. I had a friend look at a picture of it and she loves it. I am so glad others like it as well, that's exciting. We will starting this Friday. I need to write the clues, sort out the pictures, and get it all to the Quilters Club of America before then so they can post them on the appropriate Friday. I am really looking forward to starting. There is still so much to do before Friday though! 

What are you working on? I hope you are enjoying yourself and you aren't too stressed with your workload at the moment. I am a bit overwhelmed at this present second, but I know if I just work through it, everything is going to be just fine! Besides, I have a lot of help, for which I am truly grateful.

Thanks for stopping by,

Debi

 

Priortizing...

I have been so busy over the past couple of weeks that some things that I want to do, aren't getting done. I have learned to prioritize my time. With the children here for a while, we are homeschooling, I am working on the quilt for the Market, and another for the Quilters Club of America's mystery. There just isn't enough time in a given day to get everything I WANT to do done! I guess as long as I am having fun, that's all that matters, RIGHT?????????

Here is a classic example of how my days have been going recently. I was sewing along yesterday, after tidying my table a bit for the large quilts I am working on when....BOOM....my teddy bear shelf fell EEK! My sewing machine is right under this as is a window. We are all fine and survived without a scratch. The teddy bears were all safely caught and laid aside while the engineer comes and replaces molly bolt or whatever they are called to put their resting place back where it belongs! Yesterday..shelves, the day before..my husband ran out of gas in the four-wheeler in the desert and I had to go tow him and the quad out after dark, Saturday..sick children, NEVER a dull moment!

The mystery quilt is all together now, just working on the border. The quilt for Market is in the quilting process. Since time is so short, I chose to stitch in the ditch. The designer says this is a wonderful idea as we are trying to show off the pattern of the quilt and the fabric as it will be hanging at a fabric manufacturer's booth. Stitching in the ditch is much easier and quicker. Just need to get this honkin big thing pinned and ready to go!

Well, I need to get back to it. Thanks for stopping by. Head over to Patchwork Posse and pick up the pattern for the rabbit and watch this space, more patterns coming up soon. Thinking of putting the mystery quilt on here too so all my friends can join in the fun!! Let me know if you want to make the mystery (lap size to king size) and I'll make sure you get an email with instructions.

I appreciate you,

Debi

Done at Last!

Well, amidst working on the mystery, I have been able to finish the huge quilt top for Jessica at The Quilt and Needle for the International Quilt Market. I will be sewing the backing together next and cutting binding so I can get it finished for Market. Here is a pic of it on my king bed. I just threw it over the pillows at the top and didn't smooth out the wrinkles, sorry! It is so big, the drop is long...I love it! It is called "Outside the Box". It will be hanging at the Fabri-Quilt booth at Market. If you go, have a look!! My next job will be to quilt this very large thing. I think since time is short, I will just stitch in the ditch and add other things when it returns to me after market.

The mystery is coming along nicely. I have the "prototype" on my design wall and it is looking beautiful as well. It is a king also, but I have done the math for the other bed sizes and crib or baby quilt. It looks like we may start next Friday, that gives everyone a chance to sew over the weekend before heading back to work. Looking forward to the challenge of moderating this.  We are going to have a lot of fun. Join us if you can: quiltersclubofamerica.com and it is "Mystery Quilt 11". 

Other than that, I got a bit of sleep and food along the way! Hope your week has been not so busy and you had some time to do the things you love! I may have been busy, but I loved every minute of it! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you.

enjoy your day!

Debi

Never Dull!

I think this has been one of the busiest weeks I have had in a very long time! I am making the rabbit pattern available today on Patchwork Posse's Blog. I am a guest contributor and Becky asked me to make it available. She's adorable and I'm sure you'll love making her. I am also working on a quilt for the Quilt Market. The designer is re-writing the pattern because the fabric producer wants a king size quilt. I am making it as she sends me the directions. In between the parts, I am working on the mystery quilt for the Quilters Club of America. We are nearly ready to get it out there...the site admin is a new hire and we are working out some details.  As soon as they are ready, I'll let you know. I hope you join me. We already have 20 quilters in our group! I'm excited :-D

Here is the quilt I'm working on for Market. I have it folded here, it's huge. This is only a quarter of the quilt and it is too big for a picture! I am hoping to get a better pic with a different camera. It's called "Outside the Box" by Jessica Smith of The Quilt and Needle. She's an amazing designer. I am making it with some lovely Fabri-Quilt fabrics.

Why don't you hop on over to Patchwork Posse and get the rabbit pattern, then go to Quilters Club of America and join the mystery quilt. Even a beginner can make this one, I have made the directions quite simple. And of course, watch this space for a final pic of Outside the Box before it heads off to The International Quilt Market. Thanks for visiting me today. I appreciate you. Please share your current projects. I saw Alecia is making costumes for her children (my grandchildren!!) for Halloween, how fun! What are you working on??

Don't forget to take time to breathe!!

Debi

It Works!!

I have been madly cutting and sewing on the mystery for two days. I did the calculations and had my husband (the engineer) check them, they are all correct. Everything is coming together beautifully. I love the pattern Mackenzie and I came up with. I wish I could share it with you, I have taken tons of pics, but some who follow my blog are making it and I don't want to spoil the fun! I am just waiting for the Quilters Club of America to give the official go ahead. If you love to sew and make a quilt, please join the fun. I promise I have made this pattern as easy as possible and even a beginner can accomplish it. Be looking for the first clue soon.  I'll keep you posted.

The fabric didn't come for the quilt I am making for the International Quilt Market. I also need to finish the quilt on the quilting frame so it is ready for the Market quilt when I get it completed. This has given me time to work on the mystery. I am loving the quiet time to just plow forward. Today I hope to finish the mystery or at least get the center finished so I can work on the border. I have to take measurements and work out angles as it is a pieced border. Maybe I will even post the clues on the blog to save some followers time joining another "club" although it is free. The site (quiltersclubofamerica.com) has lots of good tips and a large quilting community. You wouldn't regret joining if you love to make quilts...or even sew.

My family will be home tomorrow, part at the crack of dawn and the rest at the crack of dusk. I will be heading to the airport twice! It will be nice to have them home. They have had an awesome time at Grandma Montgomery's 100th birthday. It has been so quiet around here.

Have a fantastic day. Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate you. Please share on one of our Facebook pages...The Crafter's Thread or Pieces Squared. I love to see what you're doing and hear what going on in your life.

happy day,

Debi

Too Quiet

It is just crazy weird being able to get things done so quickly. I worked all day Friday on my mystery. I made a ton of progress putting it together. I had Shane re-check my math and we agree on the numbers. YAY!!! The mystery takes four fabrics, or you can use scraps as long as you stay with four very specific colors. You won't need much of each unless you are making the king. My biggest piece is 4-1/2 yards. This includes the border as well! I am pleased with the use of every scrap.

I expect the fabric to arrive today or Monday for the quilt for the International Quilt Festival. I will be busily working on that for the next week or so. That's why I'm working so hard to get the mystery finished and written. I need to pour my time into that KING SIZE quilt!

It is really quiet around here. The dogs are just sleeping and hanging around my feet. I am so not used to this! There is no one needing Nana time, mom time, or wife time. I am not sure I am going to cope too well! 

I hope you have a great weekend and have time to do the things you love. Please join us for the mystery on Quilters Club of America. The website is free and to participate is also free. Just join the fun. Or, you could email or pm me and I will send you the clues as they go live. I would love you to join us, the group is growing daily. Please post your projects on our "Crafter's Thread" or "Pieces Squared" page on Facebook. I can't wait to see your progress. 

enjoy your day,

Debi

Off and Running...

Now that the group is live on Quilters Club of America, you can join in and make the mystery quilt with us. Go to quiltersclubofamerica.com, hit the "Groups" tab and you will find "Mystery Quilt 11 - Coming Soon".  That's me!! We will be starting as soon as admin works out all the kinks and I can easily post everything, basically they have to grant permission for me to be the group admin. 

Above are my fabric choices for this mystery! The pic is kinda dark, the fabrics are black, grey, white, and red. Gonna be gorgeous!

Also the children, Leah, and Dylan are headed to the east coast to visit family, so I have a little over a week with no school and no children around the house. I will be off and running with these two quilts I need to do VERY QUICKLY! My husband is gone for the weekend. It is his grandmother's 100th birthday. They are all going for the party. With dogs and money, it wasn't viable for me to go. I wanted to clean while they were gone, but alas, I can't....I need to sew, poor me :-D

For the quilt for Jess and the Fabri-Quilt booth at the Quilt Market, the fabric is in the hands of the USPS right now. It has been priority mailed to me, hopefully I will receive it Saturday or Monday. I only have a two week turnaround time! AND, the rabbit pattern goes live October 6th on Patchwork Posse. Woo Hoo!

Off to the airport to drop everyone, then the fun can begin! I can sew in my pjs and NO make-up! Have a fantastic weekend. Hope you have some time to do the things you love and get a lot accomplished. Please post your pics on the Facebook group. Can't wait to see what you're up to.

happy crafting,

Debi

AMAZING!

I am amazed by the happenings of the past couple of days. Not only am I doing the next mystery for the Quilters Club of America, but I have been asked to make a quilt for the Fabri-Quilt Booth at the International Quilt Market. I need to have the king size quilt top completed, quilted, and back to them within three weeks. They are priority mailing the fabric to me today! How lucky is this girl?? I am in quilt heaven right now:-)

The pattern is one of Jess' (the amazing quilt design guru I test for) called Outside the Box. The good thing is I have made this pattern before. She asked me to make a king size this time and I get to have the quilt after the quilt market. It is an amazing pattern. Here is my first one, sandwiched and ready to quilt (it has since been finished and gifted!!). I love it! Can't wait to dig in and get 'er done!

I have also been busy on the fabric requirements and color hints for the mystery quilt to get posted on the Quilters Club of America site as soon as admin has my group up and running. I am having WAY too much fun. It is quite busy with deadlines and "hurry up and wait" aspects, but I work very well under pressure.

What's your best work environment? I do work well under pressure, but love the peace and quiet to just get the job done. If I need to work fast, I put the fast music on loud and lock myself away. If I need to do creative work, I usually sit on my bed with my headphones in listening to classical music, eating crackers and fruit!! In my bare feet, nonetheless! Always in bare feet, no other way to work! 

Please let us know what you're up to and your best work (play) environment. I love to hear how others do things, maybe I can change my way of doing something to make it tons easier.  Can't wait to hear from you.

Thanks again,

Debi

 

Busy Day...

Tuesday started really early with appointments for Shane and me for biometrics for the new healthcare insurance he has through his work. I now have a huge bruise and lump on my arm from where they drew my blood...all after waiting for an hour because they were running an hour behind, I could have slept another hour!!!!!

With that out of the way, I came home (from Tucson ~ 1.5 hour drive) to teach the children, then I could play for a while. I tested the pattern I designed for the mystery. It will be on Quilters Club of America. It is free and the pattern is free. You will get clues every week for around six weeks. Their web address is quiltersclubofamerica.com. For now, I have started a discussion called Mystery Quilt. I have asked admin to start a new group on the site, then the fun can begin. The parts I did today are looking awesome. It is a bed size quilt but can be made in many sizes. It could even be made in miniature for a wall or postcard. I am making a king for my bed because I love the pattern so much! I CANNOT WAIT!! I would love for you to join us. If you are unable to get on the site and want to participate, please let me know. I will be happy to send you the pattern via email or even facebook message so you can join the fun.

Today, I plan to teach in the morning, then in the afternoon, more testing for this quilt. I have to design the border. I know what I want, just have to work out measurements and yardages. I am using a quilt calculator to help with yardages, but doing my math the long way as well... asking my engineer husband if I calculated it all correctly! What are your plans? Please share your projects on our facebook page "The Crafter's Thread" or "Pieces Squared".

So I have two busy days in a row. I guess that should be nothing new, I think everyday is busy. I just feel if I don't work on a teddy bear in a given day, I haven't lived!! This poor big guy still has no face! I will get there, just not as quickly as I would like. I am looking forward to sharing him with you. He has a different body style and leg placements than my other bears and I like this new method. He looks more symmetrical now. The bunny goes live on the Patchwork Posse blog on October 6th. You can get the pattern free there with a tutorial from me on how to accomplish a beautiful bear (or bunny).

Can't wait to hear what you're working on!

Debi

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you. 

 

Phew!

I finally finished testing on Monday morning. I worked all Sunday afternoon and finished about 90 percent of the quilt. It only took me about an hour on Monday to finish and get the border on. It is lovely! I hope those who did it with me, love it as much as I do. If you didn't try this one, you should definitely have a go at her next one in December. She is a genius with making the hard tasks so simple. thequiltandneedle.com and go to the mystery quilt tab. You won't regret it.

Now, I have been asked to come up with a mystery of my own. I will be taking one of my designs and breaking it up into a mystery. Can't wait to get started. I am looking forward to the challenge.  If you have never done one before, this is a good time to join in. I always make a usable size quilt, but include instructions to make it smaller or bigger. I am in the middle of my fabric stash looking for some fabrics I like to plug into the design. The hardest part will be separating the clues into parts so you can't tell what the pattern is until the last clue. SEW MUCH FUN!!!

Needless to say, the big guy I was working on is still sitting there waiting patiently for a nose! I think I may take a  break and finish him, I really dislike unfinished bears laying around the house!! I am still looking for wings for the wee fairy bear, at least she can see, hear, and smell!!

I hope your weekend was as productive as mine. I also thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you. I appreciate your comments and questions as it makes me feel needed for some crazy reason! If you would like to participate in the mystery quilt I am designing, please let me know and I will make sure you get the instructions. I will also need a tester or two to make it ahead of time....preferably sooner rather than later. If you have a stash or some fabric you want to use up, please let me know and I will be glad to help you with that, you can test the pattern before I make it live on the website. Just let me know if you are interested.

Have a great week. I know how important it is to take some time for yourself, please don't forget to do it!! Share your projects please, I would love to see what you're working on.

it's a busy life,

Debi

Testing, 1, 2...

I spent most of Friday evening and all Saturday testing for Jess. This is going to be a gorgeous quilt, for those of you who are doing it. I have it all done except to put it together. It was so easy and fun!! BUT, no pictures as it isn't all live yet. Can't wait to show you the finished product.

I thought I would share a little conversation Rachel and I had the other day....I am old fashioned and she is not, even to the way we clean our faces! She sells Younique skin care and make-up, which I love, by the way, and this is our conversation! I was telling her how much I loved the order I had recently received and how much I appreciated her. We were also talking about the new mascara formula. That gives you the background for the conversation on the right. AND, it was past my bedtime!

Which it is again now, so I need to get off here and get this published so it can go live in the morning. Have a fantastic Sunday. Hope to see you in church somewhere. I will be finishing this quilt in the afternoon, what about you?? Do you do your crafts the old fashioned way or "new" fashioned way??

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you.

happy Sunday,

Debi

 

Growing Menagerie

With the other animals I have been doing recently, the menagerie is growing! The dog is quite cute with his face finally finished. Just need to do the big guy's face and these will be finished, that is until I formulate another plan for the wings of the wee fairy bear. The ones I was planning to use are not going to work as well as I had thought. I need to search online or devise another method of making them.

What's on your project list? What are you working on today? I know it is Friday and the weekend is upon us. I get to have the weekend off from school, so I have a bit more free time to play. I am still working on the test quilt for Jess, the big guy's face, and drawing a new one. I need to clean up the pattern so it can be posted onto Patchwork Posse's blog and website. My weekend looks to be filling up as I type! So much fun...

I hope your weekend is fantastic. Whether you spend it with family and loved ones, get some time to play in your craft area, make cards, travel and take pictures, do scrapbook pages, knit, crochet, or just hang out, I hope you enjoy yourself. Remember to take some time to just stop and smell the roses as tomorrow, they are gone!

happy weekend everyone,

Debi 

 

Well Stink!

I did not get to finish the bears (and dog) yesterday. I did mention that we had school and errands to run, which we did. But Jess asked me to quickly test a quilt for her, so I am busy sewing on that for her. It's going to be fantastic! If you haven't tried a mystery yet, you should try this one. It is easy as it takes pre-cut strips. Saves a lot of time and headache choosing colors!! 

She has kits on her website, although I am not sure you will get it in time for the mystery. I am using some I had on hand. If you have a stash of pre-cuts you should be fine. You can get ideas from the colors of the kits even if you can't get it in time. The mystery is next weekend (Sept. 26-27). For more details, go to thequiltandneedle.com. You will find all the details there.

Today is another day to try to make some progress on the dog and bears. I really want to get the wings on the fairy bear and the nose on the dog. Then I will take my time and work on the nose of the big guy. This is of course, after the mystery is tested. 

It is hump day and I hope you are spending your day doing things you enjoy. Please share your projects on our The Crafter's Thread. If you are going to be working on this mystery, let's do this together! Pictures on our page...can't wait to see!!!

have a great and happy day,

Debi

 

Moving Along!

YAY! Sunday I was able to make some progress in the afternoon. I worked on the big guy and was able to get all the pieces filled and the joints in. After three broken joints, finally got it all together on Monday. I was also able to finish the fairy bear's face on Monday. I think I may still add some eyebrows to the fairy. She's just begging for something else on her face. The next picture you see of her, she will be finished. I am excited about all the progress I made. Today I need to finish the dog's face which is nearly there, put the wings on the fairy, and finish the big guy's face as well. He is so cuddly and cute, I just love his pudgy belly and chubby legs and cheeks! He's so handsome and soft!

 

I forgot how easy the bigger bears are to complete. They go together quite quickly. I admit the smaller ones have considerably less sewing, but the smaller joints and body space makes it very challenging to put them together. The eyes are fiddly, the face harder to keep straight, the seams like to fray, and it's hard to get that perfect weight for the little guys. The bigger ones are longer in the sewing process, but the bigger pieces make it easier to keep even stitches and seam allowance. The nose is easier to embroider as you can follow the weaving line on the backing to keep a straight and even nose (assuming your fur has a woven back).

I will be getting these kids through their day at school and we have some errands to run. I may not have a lot of time to get more done with these sweet peas. Hoping you have a fantastic day and that you get a lot accomplished no matter what you do. Don't forget to post your progress on our Facebook page, "The Crafter's Thread". We love to see your projects. I love the inspiration. Thanks so much for stopping by, I appreciate you.

have a happy happy happy day,

Debi

Down for the Count

Friday was a bit of a miserable day, I spent the day in between the bed and the bathroom. I woke with a horrible headache and then came the rest of it, quite literally!! YUCK! I truly thought I would be down for the count. I rested when I wasn't running. Happy to see Saturday feeling a bit better, just weak from all the yucks the day before. I sat in bed most of the day resting (children everywhere!!) with my "go bag" right beside me. The silver lining is I had time to get the teddy bear bits all sewn together, turned and brushed. WOO HOO!! He looks all flat and weird now, but wait till he has his stuffing, he will be huge and cuddly! Maybe today, I can make some more progress. The dog and fairy bear are both sitting here staring at me with no smelling ability!

And my sewing room, WOW! one does NOT want to go in there! It is a mess. The children have changed our lives. I don't get the time to get in there and sew anymore. Oh well, life will change at some point and I will be able to sew again. I need to get a mystery quilt ready for a group that I am a part of. They do one every year and this year, something happened at it fell through the cracks. I am swooping in to save the day! It will be fun, I'm sure. I can't wait to get started with it.

I hope your weekend turned out with less bugs in the house than mine did. I also pray you had time to do something you love. Please share your projects with us. We love to be inspired by you. If you're not sure how to post your pic or blog or ideas, please just ask, I'm here to help. I will even share or post for you. Can't wait to hear from you.

here to help,

Debi

Life...

Seems life is never dull around here. I have been pretty busy with school and appointments this week. I haven't had a lot of spare time to "play", however, I did get the arms and body finished. I just took a pic of the arms so you could see. I took them with the wee bear again to help judge size. The color of the paw pads was a good choice. I love it.  This is going to be a gorgeous bear.

Our life has changed since the beginning of June when our grandchildren came to live with us for a while. We enjoy having them here, but it isn't just Shane and me anymore. We have to think about them as well. We are always busy. Fortunately, they sleep well and we can get the rest we need. They help around the house, I don't have to dust or take out trash now, that's nice! The biggest part for me is that I don't have the time anymore to just sit in my craft room and play like I could before. I now have a renewed understanding of what young moms go through each day. (How quickly we grandmas forget!!)

With that said, I hope your day went according to plan and you had a bit of time to do the things you like to do, even if you don't craft...I pray you took some time for yourself. I love to see what you're working on. I have seen some really amazing cards and floors (yes! paper bag floors!!) on Facebook. I would love for you to share on our group page. We can all benefit from your pics. Maybe even post a tutorial or two on there for us. I know I enjoy learning new things.

Have a fantastic day! The weekend is here, enjoy!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Debi

Peek-a-Boo

While I sat in the hairdresser's chair yesterday morning, I had some time to sew. I am very happy for that!! This little fairy bear is happy to, she can see and hear now! On the bigger bear, I got the body parts sewn together and the arms pinned after sewing the paw pads on the other day. I would love to get the fairy bear finished for Mackenzie (it was her idea). Look how tiny Lil Miss Fairy looks with the arms laid on her head. I was clearing room on my night table to plug my phone in and the arms landed there! I just had to take a picture and show you. You can see a little of the white wing behind her shoulder. When she's finished, they will be gorgeous, I am going to try glitter glue and some paint :-D

For my hand projects, I sometimes work on them sitting on the bed while my husband reads or works. The project ends up on my night table or dresser until morning. How about you, when you're in the middle of a project, where do you put it for the time you can't work on it? When I am binding a quilt, I usually try to set aside enough time to complete it, but if I don't I usually lie it on the table on the other side of the room. This is probably how UFOs come about (Un-finished Objects), one of my friends calls them WISPs: Works in Slow Progress!!! Some call them WIPs, I don't have a specific acrostic! What do you call your projects that don't get finished in a day or week or dare I say, year??

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you. Please let us know your "space" for those projects you don't finish in a day and what you call your works in progress on our facebook page (The Crafter's Thread) or on this blog. Can't wait to hear!!

It's the middle of the week!!!

Debi

Beauty Everywhere

 

As I suspected, I didn't get much done on the teddy bear front, but we did make a lot of progress on school. It was hard for all of us to get motivated in the morning, but once we hit it, we flew through the work. The afternoon was spent catching up on everything else, setting appointments for the rest of the week, feeding children, and sitting on a heating pad. These achy bones aren't as young as they used to be!!

 

Since there was nothing to show on the crafty side, I decided to show you a bit of color from the desert right now. These pics came from our school trip last week. Both of these plants were just growing right out of the rock or clay-sand. The were everywhere, the desert was beautiful! The purple ones have their compliment color in the middle...yellow. I think God was having fun when He created the flowers of the world. Also, that he made them just for me to take pictures of!

I have a hair appointment this morning, I have my "go bag" ready to head out. I hope to make a lot of progress. I am taking the little fairy bear to embroider her face and this big boy to hopefully make some progress on his arms. WOW, this is a big one. Hand stitching is taking a long time.

I truly thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you. Please let us know what you're working on, I would love to see your progress. If you post a pic on your own wall, share it on our page, it only takes a second and we all get to benefit from your creativity. I saw some lovely cards and needle work out there yesterday and would love to share them on our page. I may be asking you permission to share on our group page.

have a happy day,

Debi

Big Toys

Well between church services, a potluck, and the first football game of the season I did get a bit of fun in. I got the head finished and the "hands" pinned and sewn into the inside arms. This is a pretty big one, so it has a lot more to sew! I love football as much as my husband so we watched the game together and the Arizona Cardinals WON!!!! YAY! Way to start the season!

We had a lovely week off from school last week for the school trip we took. We will be back at it today. The children aren't too happy about it. They are a bit behind and I am pushing them to catch up. They have done well with the extra work, let's just hope we can keep the momentum going! They will have another week off in a few weeks for their great great grandmother's 100th birthday. They will travel to West Virginia for that, then on to Ohio to see their other great grandparents. Fortunate children to have such a heritage to follow.

I hope to have time after school to play with this big boy again. This fur is so soft and is working up really well. The curly tipped mohair is giving it quite a different look. Hope you have a wonderful day. Also hoping you have some time to do something you love. Please share on our Facebook page, "The Crafter's Thread". We all love the inspiration and gratification of a job well done.  I cannot believe it is the middle of September already! Where has the year gone? Christmas is fast approaching, are you working on your gifts yet??

I appreciate you,

Debi 

Fluff and Stuff

YAY! I did get the bear drawn and the pattern cut out. I just couldn't wait to get it onto the fabric and get started, so off I went. I tried to use every spare minute of Saturday as there were a lot of errands to run and shoes to buy! Children grow SO fast and their shoes don't grow with them! I forgot how many pairs of shoes they can go through in a year! :-D

 
Before the end of the day, I got the pattern traced on the fur and the fur cut out. I designed a four piece body, so there were 23 pieces to cut out and took a full fat quarter. I haven't used that much fabric in a very long time! I got it all "painted" with fray stopping glue. I am all ready to start today! I will have the entire afternoon to sew on this massive thing.


Hope your day was a great one and that you got some fun things in over the weekend. I know I did. School starts back up tomorrow and we will be back into it for a few more weeks before the holidays. Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you. Please share your projects on our facebook page. I love seeing what you're working on and accomplishing!

Have a happy happy day,

Debi 
 

Always Something!

Well here I sit annoyed! I got pretty far on my fairy bear, but couldn't complete it. This silly wrist is giving me fits. I worked until it started swelling out of the brace, then decided to give it a rest. I tore some tendons and ligaments about six years ago and had to have surgery for a pin in my wrist. It healed nicely and after physical therapy, I re-gained pretty much all mobility back. I re-injured it almost three weeks ago and have had this splint on since then, it's getting really annoying! The silver lining is...NOW I can draw a new bear or work on some machine sewing that I've wanted to do. I can do the drawing, but not sure about the cutting of the fabric. We will soon see!!

 

Here is as far as I made it. Just need to embroider the face and stitch on the ears. I even was able to sort out some wings. I'm not sure they are big enough, I'll post pics after I attach them (temporarily) and let you have a look at them for your opinion. She stands at just a wee bit over six inches tall and is pudgy around the middle. Her bent arms will help her hold her wand. She will have one of those cheeky faces, with all the details of a wee fairy.

Hope your day was a success and you had fun. It's the weekend and I know what I am working on! Hope you do too! Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you. Please share your project on our Facebook page, I would love to see what you're working on. As the weather gets colder, we move to our winter projects...do you have summer and winter projects? Seems here in Arizona, it is always warm enough to work on whatever you want, winter isn't just for quilting any more!

Enjoy your day,

Debi

 

Ready to Finish!

PHEW! Finally finished with this wee thing and ready to put it all together. I am looking forward to the finished product. It is going to be so cute! These are the arms and legs. I have stated to fill them and they are jointed. The job now will be easy. Today my job will be to finish the bear. I only need to finish filling, finish jointing, ladder stitch the openings, and embroider the face. I would love to get the wings designed and put together. I need to sort out how to (or where to) make a wand for the sweet little pink fairy bear. Oh yes, I wanted to make a tutu, however, with wand and wings, I am feeling it is a bit too much to dress the wee thing. You probably wouldn't be able to see the bear!

 

Then, WOOHOO I get to design a new one for the new beautiful tipped fur I got a wee while ago. I've been just itchin' to use it. Here it is with the paw pad fabric I have chosen to go along with it. I bought a half a yard so I can make a HUGE bear, but I won't I will probably make three or four smaller ones. Even a tiny one will be fluffy and cute with this 1" pile lovely-ness!

I need to sign off and get busy with this. We didn't do school yesterday or today. Since we were gone on our school trip Monday through Wednesday, I decided to give them the entire week off. They loved it Thursday, spending the day on Nana's bed or wherever we wanted to, eating when we wanted to, and just hanging out. Today we may go to the library, maybe not, we will just see how we feel. I want to get the bear finished first. The girls love to help, so the boys can hang out with their iPads or Legos while we finish the wee bear.

Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you. What are you working on? Hope you can see a finished product today. I would love to see it, please post here or on our Facebook page. I saw a new thing for scrapbooking the other day, and plenty of new stamps for the card makers. The jewelers always amaze me. Those of you who can crochet, I envy you. The knitters...I can knit, but not the best! The seamstresses out there, I feel your pain! Can't wait to see your projects!

happy crafting,

Debi 

Sand EVERYWHERE...

The children had such a good time in the sand. But before we got there, we went to the White Sands Missile Range Army Fort and went to the Missile Museum. They got to touch and feel every thing...not a big museum, but free and very informative. We went on to eat lunch and buy some sunblock as the sun was very hot and we are all pretty fare and didn't want sunburns.

They slid down the dunes for hours once we got to the national park. I wish I would have taken pics of their clothes and the shower floor when we were done! There was enough sand to build another dune! There is sand all over my Expedition, the hotel floor, outside the door where they kicked off their shoes, and there is still sand in Mackenzie's hair as she couldn't get it all out! They had so much fun!

Needless to say, my goal to finish little fairy bear did not get met today. Oh well, we had fun anyway! I will have several hours tomorrow in the car to finish the hand work. I may even have time to joint and do a bit of filling, since I have so little to finish up. 

Thanks for stopping by, sorry not so crafty today, but everyone needs to just slide down dunes every now and then! Enjoy your day, hope you have some time to do something you love. I appreciate you.

happy crafting,

Debi

Note to Self...

Just in case you didn't know, when you change altitude DO NOT OPEN YOUR GLUE IN THE CAR! It makes an extreme mess that takes an entire packet of baby wipes to clean up! Trust me on this, I did it and it fountained everywhere! Fortunately, we had stopped to climb on the rocks at City of Rocks State Park, New Mexico. I was able to clean the truck seat, my clothes, the bear, and all the pins and needles in the plastic container, phew!

All I have are these wee ears and finishing the feet for the bear to be complete. I made a lot of progress on the road today. I hope to get all the sewing done tomorrow. Maybe at tomorrow's hotel I will be able to joint and fill it. It has been nice to have something to keep me busy, aside from answering "Are we there yet?" a thousand times! They have resorted to watching the GPS and giving us a minute by minute report! We have already seen so much. They have played on rocks, taken wee hikes, eaten breakfast at a hotel, found there are Wendy's in a lot of states, and discovered critters and plants that don't live in the low desert. Today is the day they have been waiting for, White Sands National Monument!!!!!

Hope you got a lot accomplished today. Thank you so much for stopping by, I truly appreciate you. Have a fantastic day. Please share your projects on our Facebook page "The Crafter's Thread". We all love seeing what you're working on. 

many blessings to you,

Debi

Let the Fun Begin!

After church Sunday evening, we headed southeast to Benson, Arizona for the night on our way to White Sands Missile Range near Alamogordo, New Mexico. We are taking advantage of Labor Day and taking a couple of days to show the children a little more of the Southwest. Hopefully Wednesday, this is what they still look like! EXCEPT, everyone has a certified car seat that needs one. (This photo was taken the day we got the new vehicle.) I am not sure who is more excited, us or the children. They are happy that I didn't make them bring book work with us, I am happy I don't have to teach in the vehicle! I have next week's lesson plans finished, so this week and weekend will be a breeze, hopefully with lots of play time!

 

I made NO progress today on the fairy, except to pack up the pieces, stuffing, joints, eyes, and tools to bring them along. I got the wings so I can shape them. I am using floral accessories to make the wings out of. Two "leaves" each side and VIOLA!! I have wings! Can't wait to start playing with them.  :-)

Hope you are having a great day and have some spare time to do something you love. I now remember what it is like to have small children (any children, for that matter!!) at home and how precious time can be. I sincerely hope you get some "me" time. Thanks for stopping by, don't forget to post your projects to the Facebook page. I appreciate you.

happy crafting,

Debi