Half way

I just realized I am halfway to having all the blocks I'll need for the Row Robin this month. Somehow I had it in my head that I needed 7 blocks, but that's not until next month. Here is my most recent addition. It's called Prickly Pear and is a 14" block. Of course if you're looking for this pattern look no further than Quilter's Cache.

I had a couple of photos printed from when we were at Disney in September, and added them to Jessica's autograph book. If I'd been thinking I would have made sure to print a photo so every autograph would have one, but I was printing them out for something else. After all this time of having only baby Jessica with the characters she's so excited for the changes. She keeps looking at it over and over again. The blissful joys of being 3.

I have two confirmed RSVP's for Mum's the Word and one "I'll be there", with those three it will be a party even if no one shows up. One guest even complimented me on the invitations.

The Nitty Gritty

Yesterday was sweltering. It was so nasty sticky hot. That being said, allow me to continue. That means it's not a good day to try and glitter something. But I'm one of those people that when I put my mind to doing something... Not to mention it's Florida and when it it ever going to "not be hot"? I think I would like to add a second layer of the white to make the snow on the rooftops pop a bit more. This stuff is amazingly flexible. You look at it and think wow that must be crusted on, right? Nope I keep poking it because it blows my mind too. When I'm certain I'm done there is a heat set process in the oven and I will type up my final review then.

That glittered Winter Wonderland land theme is for Lori's quilt top, which I have for the Row Robin this month. I also made the scarf you see below. When I looked all that beautiful quilt I thought, everything is here, the snow cap, the mittens, the ice skates, but no scarf. I googled Applique Quilt Block Scarf and all other combinations, but didn't find what I was looking for, so I did a sketch which turned out fine, so I free form-drew right onto the fabric. Two layers of flannel later... The dark purple creases are hand stitched - when I couldn't make the sewing machine behave I just did what Serena would do. The tassels are a technique called couching, which Shelly told me she thought I'd like doing the last time I did detail work. Couching is where you take a thick (thicker than your thread) thread, embroidery floss, yarn, or cording, and you zigzag stitch with the machine right over the cord. In my case I used embroidery floss at full hank thickness. Honestly I think it looks nearly as cool on the underside of the piece as the top and will be keeping it in mind for future projects. I have sent out all but one of the invitations for the Mum's the Word Party and the end of the month. I'm holding back on the last one just so my co-hostess can see what they looked like before I mailed them all away.

It should be a great time, we're planning on having Tacos and Sangria's complete with Corn Chips and a variation on my friend Heather's Cheese Dip Sauce. Mom and I can't eat peppers (I know how awful is that?!?!) so I do things a little differently. For those of you who started reading in the middle of this party planning we're also going to be painting Ceramics, the proprietor is wonderful to work with, and I'll be giving her a huge shout out after the party.

Today is the day a huge 24" X 24" X 24", yes 8 cubic feet of baby stuff is supposed to arrive to Mary, a friend I had send two boxes of Jessica's baby things prior. I didn't mail it sooner because there has been so much sadness around my house over the past couple of months I didn't feel up to hauling what turned out to be 55 pounds of baby things off to mail. I told her it was on the way a couple of days ago and so far haven't heard anything, I hope no news is fine news.

Sometimes computer loves to share photos with you, and sometimes it's selfish, after all it had friends who knew dinosaurs, and how many pc's can say that? The past couple of days that was the rut mine was in. So I hope you enjoyed all the photos today. I'll leave you with a photo of second side of the purple quilt (yes I'm quilting them together in one quilt). The lighting did stupid things, and the fabric calculator lied so I ended up changing things which lost the ribbon look a bit, okay completely. As always anything you'd like to see closer up go ahead and click on it to see the nitty gritty details.
Jessica woke up shortly before I was finished with the wonderland village, so she did a bit of glittering on her own.

motivated?

Today was one of those days when everything feels, just bleck. It's hard to stay motivated. It's interesting to me that I feel this way, because I did an hour worth work of embroidery, and followed that up by wrapping up the ribbon border on the purple butterfly top. It currently matches the Purple Carpenter's Wheel in size, so if I can get my hands on a bit of batting I'll go ahead and quilt them together.

The camera keeps telling me the quilt top is blue, so I'll try for a photo again tomorrow when the light is better.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and I being the crazy person I am have requested coffee and chocolate covered doughnuts. Hey once a year never hurt anyone, right?

Whatever your "dream day" (even if it means you cleaned like mad - as both my mother and I did, today, so the house can be clean tomorrow.) I hope butterfly kisses, and smears of who knows what, find you covered in happiness tomorrow. Love to all of those whom have lost maternal figures, may your heart once again be filled with love on this special day.

Lights Camera GLITTER!

The day did a funny sort of flip flop on me. I started out at the big red Bulls eye store (since their return policy sucks I only buy personal and paper goods there, aka stuff I know I wont need to return). Ahhh but later my sister and I would cruise off to Dunedin, a cute little town complete with perfect green grass, friendly people, and most important small town charm.

What else do they have? Well they have Raspberries, a Platinum Vera Bradley Store, which is how I convinced my sister to take me... As well as Rainbow's End, a huge quilt store that touts itself as being the biggest fabric store in all of Florida, and I believe them.

I was destined for the, yep you guessed it, Glitter! Come on now, you had to know that I really wanted to find the $30 so I can glitter up Lori's Row Robin this month. You can see from the photo what I bought. Pee Wee Glitter LB Colors I, Sea Shell 100, a pristine white which will be my snow, the special fabric glue. The woman who presides over the cash register there is so knowledgeable, just like I remember, and was more than happy to show me how to paint with the glue, and which techniques I should use to get the look I want. For now I'm waiting to get my hands on the three paint brushes she suggested, but as soon as I do not only will you see what I've been planning, but I will also right a review. Oh and this pile is so small not only am I glad I went to the store to buy it because of the wisdom I gained that way, but also because it can be disappointing to receive a much awaited box, that doesn't weight more than 5 oz or so.

Special Girl

I noticed this little Cardinal three days ago. You see she sits a little funny, and I was concerned for her. DH looked and her and pronounced her "fine", but then upon looking closer he told me. She has only one leg, that's why she flutters more and sits funny, but she can fly just fine. Of course we don't know what happened to her, she wasn't bleeding and there are no signs on her feathers of trauma, so it either happened a while ago, or it's a birth defect. Yesterday she brought me a surprise. Her boy. Yes this sweet little bird has a helper male bird, we watched while he courted her a bit. She is the one on the left in this photo. Today the pair were back again, and I couldn't resist sharing them with you.
The center of the second side of the Carpenter's wheel Quilt is coming along fine. Though now I've begun to wonder - if perhaps I should make them two (It's so obvious I know exactly where these quilts are going, hu?). I'd like to try and sell some things on etsy, so single sided would keep the cost down. This as you know is Sunny, he loves to be outside, regardless of what it looks like in this photo he has a good time out there. Yesterday he snuck out, and none of us knew it. Rob found him and returned him to me, panting and clearly overheated, from stress, heat, or having to run from something we don't know. Luckily we were able to get him cooled off and he's no worse for wear.