Swap Progress - AMH Swap

I joined a couple of swaps a few months ago...before realizing that I am terrible at swaps.  The timelines are a mind game.  I always underestimate the time needed to actually follow through.  So, I'm finishing up these last 2 and taking a break from signing up for a while!

The one I have progress pics for is the Anna Maria Horner swap.  OF COURSE, I had to sign up for that one!!

Swap rules are that at least 3 progress pics are posted so that the swap mamas know you're working on it and aren't flaking out.  I pulled a random selection from my AMH cabinet (yes, I said cabinet, don't judge ;) and some Kona Glacier.  It's a lovely dark teal that does not photograph well at all.  This is pretty true to color, but the other pics I got make it look dark blue and it is not anywhere close to that.

Here is my mini in progress.  I need to do the quilting and of course the binding.  And I am terrible at making labels, so that always gets put off until the last minute.  But mailing date isn't for another month!  This whole mini measures about 21 inches which made me think of what it would look like as a whole quilt.

I used the app PicFrame to see what the block would look like as an entire quilt.  I am toying around with this idea!!

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced.  Happy WIP Wednesday!

WIP Wednesday - Anna Maria Horner Log Cabin Quilt

Hi all!  Another WIP Wednesday is here....I am loving getting back into blogging but it seems time passes faster than my blog posts!  I have a few updates on my works in progress.

I am still binding my clamshell quilt.  It's about 90 ish inches all around so it's taking a while!  So far, I'm halfway done.  The best time to work on handwork is when I am just veg on the couch and watch TV.  Somehow this is very relaxing to me and I'm still being productive.

My next WIP is the Anna Maria Horner log cabin quilt I started a couple weeks ago.  I couldn't get it out of my head and needed to keep going!  The top is all together now.  It's another queen sized quilt, seems that is all I am working on lately.  I love having new pretties for my bed.  Makes my room feel cozy and personal.

Here is the quilt top before the blocks were sewn together. It was all I could do to keep the kitties off the blocks!

Here she is all put together.  The solid color is Kona Glacier which matches perfectly with the teals in Anna Maria Horner's collections.  I used all the collections I have for this quilt, cutting a few strips of each fabric.  I used the pink cathedrals print from her Good Folks collection.  Now to quilt...I have no idea how I will do it.  I thought about maybe sending it out to a longarm quilter, but it depends on cost.

If I do quilt it myself, I need to figure out the best Aurifil thread color to use since the teal is a bit outside the normal teals.  I used a medium gray Aurifil 50wt to piece the logs but don't really want to use that to quilt...want the color to blend in more to not take away from the overall quilt.  I love me some Aurifil thread!

 And because I am a total fangirl, I had to share a picture of Anna Maria Horner liking my pictures on Instagram.  I would love to meet her one day.

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog!  I love looking at everyone's projects and hearing about their processes.  Linking up with Lee from Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

WIP Wednesday

I'm trying to get back into the swing of blogging again.  Most days it's all I can do to just get out of bed and do the things I have to do.  I am still battling with depression and the way life changes.  But I am still embracing the positive, letting go of the way life "should" be.  Hoping for newness and change.  The purpose of this post is Works in Progress.  I feel like I'm starting over again, I'm my own work in progress right now.  I'm not sure if I will ever feel "finished" again, but I sure hope I can at least rejoice in each step or progress.

This week I am trying my best to finish my Glam Clam quilt for my bed.  I want more handmade bed quilts in my home.  This will be my 3rd finished one for my bed.  I've made tons for my kids, but their beds never stay made the way I would like them!

Here is the quilt top....I just finished quilting it last night!  This one has taken a while longer than normal because every time I went ot work on it, my new kitty Granger decided it was time for a nap...on my quilt!  She is so sweet I didn't have the heart to move her.  

She's just too presh to move!!  I finally had to move her and get 'er done.  Planning to trim and put the binding on tonight.

Needless to say, I am not one to just let ideas rumble in my head to long.  I have an idea for an all Anna Maria Horner quilt (I actually already have several, but I can't resist).  Anna Maria Horner is my favorite designer.  She is so family-centered, humble, gracious.  I haven't met her, but I read her blog often and it just inspires me to be a better person.  Her fabrics speak to my heart in so many ways.  It's more than just fabric to her.  Anyway, this one will be a log cabin of sorts.  In my head it is going to be awesome.  I hope it turns out that way over the next weeks.  

 That's all for now!  I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday.

Glam Clam WIP

This quilt...swoon!!  I love it!  The way it comes together is quick and painless.  The cutting is the most pain-staking process.

Here is the quilt top...my girlies had to stand on our tall dining room chairs so I could get a full picture. Emma is my photo bomber!  I love the colors, the pattern, just everything about it.  I finally got it basted and am working on the quilting.  That will take a while.....

Two Weeks Away!

I've tried to reign in my excitement, but one of my lifelong dreams is coming true in two weeks!!  I am heading to Europe with my sweet husband for our second honeymoon, celebrating 15 years of marriage this summer.  This trip is over a year in the making--planning and waiting, and I cannot reign in the excitement any longer!!    We are spending 11 days in 3 cities - London, Paris, and Rome.  Since we are going to London on day 1, sometime that day I am planning to get my tail over to Liberty of London.

source

Poor Branson is not going to be able to get out of fabric shopping while we're there!!  Good thing I am packing an entire empty suitcase to carry it all back home :o)

I have been making travel bags lately to get ready for the trip (because I apparently don't have enough pouches!!)  I thought about making the Amy Butler Weekender Bag, but that pattern scares the crap out of me...so I've been putting it off and now I really want to make one!!  I don't have the time before we leave to make one, but maybe I can make something close.  Today I finished my over-the-shoulder bag, complete with inside zipper pocket (not shown).  The flower was made using English Paper piecing, placed on Paris map fabric, and sewn together with my favorite Aurifil thread from Italy.....how appropriate!

This purse measures approximately 10" x 11" ish....I didn't get a final measurement.  There is just one strap so it can fit comfortably over my shoulder, across my chest.  I don't want to carry a heavy bag when we're sight-seeing!

I'm linking up this week with Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It up Friday!  Amanda Jean's blog was the very first quilt blog I started reading and what got me so hooked on quilting in the first place.  

Good Folks Supernova

Hey all!  It has been pretty quiet on the ole blog lately and I miss it!!  I have been up to a lot of different things but not much crafty.  I am running a 5K in 3 weeks (signed up AND paid so no backing out!!), super excited/nervous/anxious/hopeful!  A friend of mine and I are running together, so that's going to be awesome.  We're flirting with maybe running a half marathon in June....but I am not so sure.  I started training for it, but we'll see!  Running 13 miles is nuts, right??  Anyway, that's what I've been up to mostly.  I started blogging about my exercise and weight loss here, if you wanna read about my insanity :o)

Today's post is really about my newest quilt top...the Good Folks Supernova.  I got the pattern from this book.  Been in love with it for a while now, just didn't have an idea of what fabrics to use.  So, I broke out my hoarded stash of Good Folks.  I ♥ this fabric collection!!  I wish they would reprint it like they did with Flea market fancy.  Anyway, I also wasn't sure about the background fabric either, whether to go with a solid (my usual) or outside the box with a low volume arrangement.  I apologize in advance for all the pictures but I couldn't help it!!

Used a ton of "low volume" favorites

One of my fave fabrics!!

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!!  It was 80 degrees here yesterday but back to 50 today...hoping for great weather for the 5K!

Linking up my finished quilt top to Amanda Jean's Finish It Friday!