Prepping for Love Shack!

We hiked this morning and I could not find any mojo to sew.  I finally took a nap...unusual for me but just have not been quite myself!  After that back to the sewing room.  We watched Grease Live and loved it.  Finally decided to prep up Bonnie Hunter's Love Shack!  

picture is from Quiltville.com

There is no pattern for this unless you take her class for it, but you can get the individual block patterns from Bonnie's blog.  I have wanted to make this for a few years now but as a pattern follower I just never went to the effort to print all the patterns, etc.  

I have now printed all the patterns and even did the prep for many of the blocks.  I put it all in a bin and labeled it with my dry erase marker so now  it feels like a work in progress instead of a vague plan.  Pretty sure this will come to quilt camp with me along with some other little stuff and talkin turkey...really need to cut those borders out!

 So really there was not alot of sewing going on this weekend though I spent quite a bit of time in there anyway.  What project have you been dreaming of doing that you just gotta get kitted up?

Playing with the Rainbow!

Amy sent me her Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks and I could not resist playing with them, with my Betty's Choice blocks, to see what they would look like.  

I think this last one is the winner so far.  Amy says she is going to play with sashing when she gets time and I may just wait to see what fantabulous layout she comes up with!  Linking up with SoScrappy!

 She also sent me some surprises!  I got some fabric...LOVE those buttons!  AND she sent me some of her homemade soap!  Three different smells, one better than the next!  I don't know if it was just coincidence or if she just knows me and what I like but if I were out picking my own smells I would have come up with these!

 Today I was supposed to go hike but have had a three day migraine so was not up to it.  By this afternoon I was feeling better though so Kathy, Barb and I went to the Rusty Barn Quilt Sale at the fairgrounds.  We ran into lots of quilty friends which was super fun!  BJ, Andrea, Jennifer, Laura, Margarite, Crystal, Debbie, and Berta!  I bought all these goodies and Kathy got some soap and dog shampoo.

 Came home and sewed up the Circa 2016 nine patch blocks for the Temecula Quilt Company mystery.  Love working with civil war fabrics again!

Mug Rugs for the Z Crew and Staring Circa 2016!

Yesterday  I went hiking with the Chubby Chicks Meet Up group again.  After about 15 minutes our leader got sick and so she and her adult daughter headed back down along with another gal who was feeling dizzy.  That left only me, Michelle and and Donna to continue on the hike.  We were at South Mountain and we did Beverly Canyon on to Ridgeline and then Javelina Trail back.  I had done the first two trails (though not together) and had no idea about Javelina.  We managed to find our way along with only one small detour.  It was alot of fun and close to four miles and 83 floors...new hiking record on the floors for me.  Was killer sore after and we stopped at Ikea and wished we hadn't!  Kathy went hiking on her own so she could take it easy but she had her longest hike post surgery yet.

 

One of my jobs is in video relay....phone interpreting.  I work with a fabulous group of people and it makes the job (which is the hardest I have ever had) so much more enjoyable.  I have a mug rug at work that I use in whichever station I wind up working in.  Jenn asked me if she could have one, so I made her this one.

That led to a few other folks wondering at how they get a mug rug.  I then decided I would make a few a month and eventually make one for everyone who wants one.  The cherries were for Lori.

 The heart was for Becca.

 This one was for Kelly.

And one of these is for Christine and one is for Nicole--our cat lovers. 

I have cut out three more cats (this is Lori Holt's Barn Cats Mini Quilt pattern from FatQuarterShop) for Christmas gifts next year.  They are all kitted up to take to camp or get to when I am in the mood.

Here is my first bit of Circa 2016 which has just started over at the Temecula Quilt Company blog.  I love her little sewalongs and am happy to be playing in my civil war fabrics again.

Book Look Bloggers Review: The Berenstain Bears Easter Sunday

"The Berenstain Bears Easter Sunday" is the latest in the Living Lights Faith Stories.   Written by Mike Berenstain (his parents were Stan and Jan) it is another great tale with Brother and Sister Bear and their Easter activities at the helm.  The artwork is great as always and it is fun for kids to see a family of bears living as if they were people.  My favorite picture in the book show three bear women heading to Jesus' tomb where the rock is rolled away and includes the verse "Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb." --Mark 16:2

This story has the Bear family dressing up for church and enjoying the sermon about Jesus going to Jerusalem, the last supper, his betrayal, death and how he rose from the dead on Easter.  After a religious themed Easter hunt (not eggs but animals to match up for Noah's ark) Sister Bear asks what Easter eggs and Easter bunnies have to do with Jesus.  The preacher explains that Spring time is a time of rebirth (just as Jesus' ascension is our rebirth) when many animals are born.  He tells the cubs that this has been celebrated for many years before Jesus' time.  The two traditions just got mixed up together and that it is okay to enjoy candy and other festivities on Easter just so long as we remember that that has nothing to do with Jesus.  

The back cover includes Activities and Questions for your family to extend the fun of the book.     I love that part for parents who want to make the story more real for their little ones.  

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. They did not require me to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”*

Saturday and Some of Sunday Sewing!

 Here is the first block of the Patriotic BOM from 35th Ave.  All done for January!

 I was also super excited to get my Allietare shirt and magnet!  Later on I will order the pin and maybe a travel coffee mug.  They were not ready when I placed this order and I didn't want to wait.  They sent me a coupon so it is all good.  If you want any of the products that ForestJane puts together for Quiltville (profits go to purchasing sewing things for charity sews) go to Zazzle.com and search "Forestjane" and all should come up!  Of course on the back of my shirt is my usual proclamation!

 I worked quite awhile on the Nimble Thimbles mystery last night.  I had to do some unsewing and to take my time a bit to get the points to line up decently.  I used the 20 dollar chevron ruler I bought from Quiltz last shop hop to make the chevrons. I gotta say I LOVE it.  The units were great and it did not take me too long to figure out how to use it to get the best results!

I am still in Weight Watchers and am still exercising daily.  I have been staying about the same weight for the past 5 months.  It is not for lack of trying, but between the stress of my life, the medication changes (for the chronic migraines) and the migraines themselves I am happy I have not just gained or given up!  I would really like to get to 105 down this week so am working extra hard.  This morning (54 degrees when we started and 49 when we finished) Kathy and I headed out to hike.  It is only her second hike since her knee replacement surgery eight weeks ago so after a few minutes we split up. I headed all the way down into the mountain and then up and out on the Ridgeline.  This is a challenging hike for me but I am getting faster at it and am happy to listen to some tunes and get my steps in!

 I was happy to have this jacket Becky passed on to me, I think it is the first time I have hiked and kept my jacket on the entire time!  It was chilly.

 After a hot shower I got to finishing up the clue for the Nimble Thimbles mystery.  I am about out of the dimples in the shade I started with, but had another shade which was super close.  So I added it in and unless I look super closely you really cannot tell.

 And all the parts waiting on the next clue.

 Amy (of Amy's Passions) has completed her last block for our swap!  She is sending me the blocks above and I am sending her half the blocks from below. Gonna be a fun quilt when it is done!

Since this was our RSC this past year I am linking up with Angela over at SoSrcappy and next up I hope to work on the blue blocks from the sampler chain I am still working on!

A Word for 2016

 Last Sunday I made my first Christmas gift for 2016!  Two Christmas tree napkins for Coleman and Chelsea.  I am going to try and make at least one gift for someone for Christmas each month.  I did that years ago with a challenge and it worked great!

 I missed the recent Quiltcam (but hope to catch it this weekend) but saw Bonnie was working on basket blocks. I decided to try one of her patterns for a basket.  I am not good with the applique part so this basket shall remain on its own for now.  I was thinking it was paper pieced when I started it and I am ready for more paper piecing.  I have a HUGE basket of scraps that I have whittled down to HUGE I might say and I need to start using them!

A few years ago I decided I needed a word.  I chose "believe" as in believe in yourself.  I bought myself a necklace with the word on it and I really did repeat the word to myself all year.  Last year I informally had the word "strong"  as I would be hiking I would be telling myself I am getting strong.  I like the power the word has and so this year I gave a lot of thought to what my word should be.  Someone suggested the word "fierce"  I am thinking I hope to fit that word next year but this year I am becoming fierce...becoming healthy, becoming who I am want to be.  So this year's word is "become"

see how this little kitty is becoming fierce?  That is the goal!

Two Allietares Coming Right Up!

 Lots of power sewing this weekend led to my Allietare (Rocky Point) becoming a flimsy!  If you read my blog regularly, you know that last fourth of July I got to go to Rocky Point.  We stayed on a private beach with almost no people.  I have never experienced such a thing and it was seriously the best vacation ever!  It was so relaxing and on my tough migraine days I try to recall what it was like sitting watching the waves roll in  and the sun set while drinking a Moscow Mule.  Kathy and I bought our own copper mugs and plan to relive that moment as much as life will allow!

So my color scheme was born of that memory. I wanted copper for the mugs, turquoise for the ocean and a certain kind of yellow for the sun.  I am super happy with how it all came out!

 I know my outer border is a bit wavy but I tend to get too excited and since I do not have the space to lay the quilt out and follow Bonnie's spectacular directions, it is what it is.  The copper looks almost red here, but is really a copper.  If I had not screwed up in step one, the copper would have been the star points and the outer border but since I did I switched the brown (Bonnie's black) with the copper (her grey constant) but I elected to keep the copper for the border anyways.

 I did put a total of four string blocks in this quilt too.  I really wish that had been a step or even a if you want to do some extra work you may string these blocks earlier in the clues.  It is time consuming but worth the look.  I just did not want to be working on this for several more weeks  and I did not have hardly any strings in the correct yellow color.  I did pick up three more yellows yesterday to brighten things up and overall I am thrilled with this new quilt!  If for some reason you have not made this and want the free pattern (for January only) head on over to Quiltville and download it til Feb. 1st, then you have to buy it.  I am super excited to go through each of the posts on Bonnie's linky tomorrow and will be linking up with her on that page as soon as it goes live and I have a minute.  (I work 7 AM to 7 PM tomorrow, ugh!).

 

*edit* whipped up my binding too!

Now here is how far Kathy has made it on her Allitare which is in Bonnie's colors--except she used a light bluish color for the grey because we had plenty of it.  This is one of her stars, not yet sewn.  

 And here are all her parts.  She just made it to clue 6 and it SO happy to be so caught up.  Last year her finish was a week before the start of this mystery.  She has Wanderlust in progress and cannot wait to get back to it, so she has to get through this one!

My quilt made it on the Quiltville blog and was regrammed from her instagram, made my week!  If you want to see it there and check out the other colorways in the linky head on over to QUILTVILLE!

Relinking up to the last Quiltville Linky for Allietare!

New 35 th Ave. Block of the Month for 2016!

You may remember that Kathy and I were participating in a $10 quilt from 35th Ave. Sew and Vac. three years ago and then two years ago again.  Last year we were not impressed with the quilt choice and we took the year off. This year we are excited to see the above quilt is what we will make.  Funny the outer stars are the same every month just as they were in SoScrapp's BOM last year.  So I will be doing more of those!  I am kind of hoping to make an extra block each month from my own stash so that I will have at least one donation for QOV at the end.  We may wind up donating them all for all I know.  

 This is the first block sample--I have a whole month to get mine sewn!

 Yesterday Kathy went for her first hike post knee surgery (almost 8 weeks ago) and she did great.  We went slow and mostly flat though a little incline in the middle.  We took Lombardi with us and he was happy to get out again.  I then went home and put in 30 on the elliptical because it was not enough of a workout for me, but I enjoyed it anyway!

 So today after BOM, Kathy dropped me off to hike at my own pace and she ran to the grocery store.  I did a great hike (72 floors) and explored a new trail. We parked on the other side of the mountain and eventually my hiking led me back to the Ridgeline trail that I am familiar with.  I have decided I LOVE South Mountain and all the trails I get to check out!  I am also enjoying being migraine free the last few days--I had a shot of Toradol and 5 days of steroids to get me out of the cycle of migraines I had Christmas week.  I wish my head could feel like this all the time.  It is fantastic to not have a migraine constantly.  Hoping it keeps on when I am done with the steroids tomorrow.

 Home from hiking and I made homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner.  I make a HUGE pot and we freeze several different containers so we have it once a week or so for the next month!  In that way I can help with cooking dinner even though I am working til 7 PM most of the time.  We have fallen in love with edamame spaghetti noodles (we get them from Costco) and this makes a super tasty dinner.

And in the mail today is a diffuser and some lavender and peppermint oil to help with relaxation and migraines.  A gal at work swears by the diffuser and often brings hers into work.  Worth a try!   Now to get back to Allietare!  I picked up a few more goldish yellows to add variety to my center blocks and I am ready to get to it!  I also ordered and recieved this twister pattern. Looking forward to making several of those eventually!