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.

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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.  

Supernova Finish

More pictures of this quilt...sorry for the overload this week!  I just love this one so much!  I still need to run it through the wash but here she is, all quilted up :o)

I had a great time quilting this baby.  I tried to branch out a little bit and try some more creative things.  I have found so much inspiration on Pinterest, of course!

No progress has been made on any other project this week, but hoping that changes this week!

I'm linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced and Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts!!

Quilting the Supernova

Two posts in one week, watch out!!  This quilt has been so fun to work on.  Besides the fact that I  ♥ every single fabric, it was just a breeze to finish.  I have been having issues with basting lately.  Normally, I am a pinner, but the last 2 quilts have converted me to a sprayer!  It was so much faster to baste and quilt because I wasn't stopping to take out pins.  I know it's yet another expense, but it's worth it for larger quilts, that's for sure!  I used the 505 brand and it did gum my needle a little bit....but the gummy bits rubbed right off the needle and I usually change needles after machine quilting anyway.

I also got a new pair of gloves recently...I lost my well-loved/used quilting gloves recently and got a cheap pair of gardening gloves for $2 at WalMart.  They are awesome!!  They are so grippy :o)

Each section got its own quilting design.  It isn't perfect, but I love it!!

I wanted to do something different with the neutral space, but was a little stumped.  This was my inspiration, but with fewer bubbles. My husband saw it and was pretty impressed, so that was pretty cool.

I hope to get some good pictures of the whole thing tonight to show tomorrow....if I get home before the light is gone.  I need to retire so I can quilt!!

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!