one shabby chick

A new tote

I'm off to the homeschool conference in a little while. We somehow managed to wake up and get a lot accomplished this morning.

The kids finished up their ATC cards and then did Math (since I was going to be gone I only had them do math).

I whipped up this tote bag to take with me today (start to finish it took about 45 minutes).

I made the handles a little too long but it's nothing too bad.

I'm loving this fabric line.

Hubby had an ok birthday - thanks for the birthday wishes.

We had a party the night before for him and my brother (their birthdays are just a day apart).

I kept telling him sorry for not doing something on his actual birthday but he had soccer practice for our eldest (he's one of the coaches) so we couldn't really do anything anyways. I think we'll try and have a date this weekend to celebrate.

It's been a tough week (not for me, but friends of ours). One of my really good friend's husband's best friend died suddenly on Friday and then yesterday I saw the news cameras across the street and found out our neighbor's brother (who also lives across the street) died in a horrible car accident yesterday. They are our friends and we all go to the same church...it's just so sad. Really makes you realize how fragile life is and how much each moment you spend with your loved ones should be cherished.

Hope everyone has a safe weekend.

35

It's how old Hubby is today....he's just one of those people/things (he's not a thing but you know what I mean) that gets better with age.

I love him. He truly is my best friend and my soul mate.

I have this quote on my "About" page and it really sums up how I feel about him....

"A blessed thing it is for any man or woman to have a friend, one human soul whom we can trust utterly, who knows the best and worst of us, and who loves us in spite of all our faults".
Charles Kingsley

(I know you have seen all these pictures before - sorry! I had to steal them from my blog since I don't have any recent ones due to the crashed computer)

I love you Honey - Happy Birthday (and no, we aren't that old!!)

Tomorrow and Saturday I'm headed to a homeschool conference in town.....still working on "secret" projects but I have a couple ideas for quilts I want to start soon.

Binding and fun Etsy goodies

I finished quilting the brown the "21" quilt (wow, I have finally given a quilt a name). I decided against the horizontal lines because I just didn't want to spend the time - how lazy is that?!

I just have to do the binding - think I'll use the brown.

I also sewed up my Common Threads block for February. I hope Jacquie (and her son) like it.

Today was a fun mail day. I had done a little shopping on Etsy a couple weeks ago...

Oilcloth now gracing my kitchen table....

Some new little friends from Wunderkind....

and a little trinket box that is holding all the teeth we've been losing around here (the kids, not us).......

and the cutest little pattern - I can't wait to make one!

Hope your week is starting out great! We have two birthdays this week...my brother's is tomorrow and hubby's is on Thursday.

Quilting

I had tried to post this on Friday but couldn't ever get it to work or upload any photos...we'll see if it will work today (YEAH - IT DID!!)

(do you think I used enough pins?)

I got the front finished up and sewed up the back on Saturday morning. Then I set to work pinning it all up.

I am just going to do straight lines on this one. I think I may do them vertically and horizontally.

I had fun meeting up with a friend today that I hadn't seen in 16 years! We were in YWAM together and re-connected through - you guessed it - Facebook. She was here visiting another friend so we got in a long coffee visit today - so fun!

This week is back to school and a couple of birthdays and hopefully, a new computer (and a finished quilt).

Testing 1, 2, 3

this is a test to see if I can blog on this computer or not.....

My iMac crashed this morning. Ughh - I'm using the eMac right now. At least we have another computer! So not sure how much I'll be posting in the next week or so...this one is pretty slow.

Hubby's birthday is on Thursday and so we may be getting a computer as his present - we've told everyone (my family) to give him Apple gift cards.

I just hope I can salvage some of the pictures from the iMac - I hadn't backed up all the Costa Rica pictures to the external hard drive- not smart!

I called and begged for Apple to fix it for free (it's about a year out of warranty) and they were nice but told me they wouldn't...oh well, I had to try.

And somehow I can only get this posting to work really sporadically - not sure what is going on!

Ok hope everyone has a good weekend!

Almost Forgot

Have you seen the loveliness that is Anna Maria's oilcloth?

I just ordered 2 yards of the yellow one from Fabricworm to use as a kitchen tablecloth (my kids are too little/messy for fabric tablecloths - it has to be washed after every meal). I'm thinking I'll just cut the edges with my pinking shears.

I can't wait!

21

That's how many sewing books I own - far too many for not using them to their potential.

21 is also how old my brother will be turning. So I'm embarking on my first "using a pattern out of one of my books" (can't think of a good name for this endeavor - any ideas?) and making him "What a Bunch of Squares" quilt.

It's technically not exactly like the pattern but close enough in my book.

Good thing I had lots of that brown - I needed every last bit.

This block didn't make the cut for the front but I think I'll incorporate it in the back.

Along with all these scraps.

I have two rows sewn together and two more to go.

I got to spend today sewing as the rest of the kiddos (besides my little guy below) went to the beach with my aunt, sister and brother-in-law (and sister-in-law). My mom was supposed to go too but got called to work at the last minute.

Last night this little guy started coming down with some asthma symptoms and was still wheezing this morning so we decided it was not a good plan to spend the day at the beach (and it's kinda chilly here anyways).

(those are some gnarly bags but he does get enough sleep!)

So we stayed home and just hung out.

I am dying to sit down and crack open these books (came in the mail today) - I see serious giddiness in the near future. I had a peek at "Material Obsession" and there are the cutest quilt patterns ever in that book!

Too many things to do

So of course instead of working on in-progress things, I have to start a new one.

It is (sorta) out of one of my sewing books - I didn't print out the pattern or anything. Kinda improving it while still looking to the pattern for ideas.

(yes, the backdrop is our lovely van seat - still in my bedroom)

I really do need to start using my craft books more (especially since there is quite a few heading my way in the next few months).

I think I'll try and put together a little Flikr group if anyone wants to join me (maybe the beginning of March - we have company here right now).

I started a new project since it is my brother's 21st birthday the first week of March (I hope I can get it done in time).

I teased him and told him I'd send him a box full of beer but he told me he really didn't want anything - so I thought he might appreciate a quilt.

I'm using brown for the sashing (because I have a ton of it on hand from these things) and I'm liking the way it goes with the blues and mustards.

We'll see if I can get it done in time. My aunt is visiting for a week, a friend I haven't seen for 17 years is here and I want to squeeze in a visit this weekend, and my hubby and other brother both have birthdays next week.

Oh and I am sending these two quilts here instead of putting up an Ebay auction. I know the money would be put to good use but something about a handmade quilt seems to send a loving message.

Laundry

I didn't know my family owned this many clothes...

I have been doing laundry (and actually folding them which is a big deal for me) since we got home yesterday. I'm still not done - ugh! It's one of the things I don't like about camping - the laundry and packing up to go home.

(these are recycled pics from last year but it looks identical to this year!)

We had so much fun...and sadly have no pictures to show for it. Sorry! It was super windy and cold and I didn't want to get sand in the camera - but it got everywhere else (the main reason you have to wash everything - whether you wore it or not)!

We managed a trip to the island (just like in LOST - ha ha!). You can walk across on the reef to it - at low tide it only comes to your knees in the deepest parts (unless you trip and fall and get all wet like me). On the island, there is a beautiful cove that is protected from the wind and perfect for swimming.

We even saw a monk seal sunning itself on the beach - I had never seen one outside of an aquarium before.

We met a father with his two sons that were visiting from Calgary and seeing Hawaii from a different view (other than Waikiki). They were at the campsite next to us and we invited them to dinner and for smores after (and then breakfast the next day). They were so fun - the dad was from Scotland originally - had a strong accent - and just has led the most interesting life. It was one of the highlights of camping for sure.

We had a great time.

Anyway, back to sewing related topics.

I was cruising Amazon after I had washed all the sand off :-) looking for this book (which is on the way) and found a bunch of "coming soon" books that look so cute and fun.

This one is on it's way as well...

And these are all pre-ordered (I'm a bit like Ashley when it comes to sewing books)

Fun right?! OK, I have lots of fun projects I want to do - first I have to get rid of (well, put them back in the car) the two van seats (from our mini-van) that are taking up room in my bedroom. We took them out to fit all the camping gear.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!