one shabby chick

A trip to the ER and a finished quilt

Poor Baby Girl fell in the living room last night and got a gash in her chin. We had to take her to the ER since the after-hours clinic doesn't do stitches so 4+ hours later, we were driving home with a stitched up little chin and a very tired girl (it was almost 1 am by the time we got home).

She was such a little trooper - didn't cry at all at the hospital....and even gave the doctor a little hug after she had finished her stitches.

I finished up the baby quilt on Saturday but didn't make it to the shower so I'll have to get it to her this week some time.

I also worked on a few more stars and two more spiderweb blocks - Hubby took the kids to the movies on Saturday night so I had an evening to myself and I spent it sewing :-)

I need to order some more linen/cotton blend in white before I can work on either quilt...I've run out.

I also finished up the binding on both of the doll quilts - I need to take pictures of the other one still.

Yes, we are on spring break

Mostly it's been a mommy break.

Tomorrow we are headed to a play about Sleeping Beauty at the local community college.

But since we were fighting colds we have mostly hung around the house and the kids have entertained themselves building forts and playing tag and various games outside.

Right now I hear the water being turned on occasionally outside - I'm a little nervous to go see what state I'll find them in - muddy I'm sure :-)

So that's my excuse for all the sewing going on.

And for 3 posts in one day. Mostly I just want someone to share all this fun sewing with.

Here's the quilt I decided to do for the baby boy - I'm loving it. I almost want to make an enormous one and keep it for myself. Maybe I will....

Oh and I made myself a new ironing board cover.

I had thought it would be an easy process...but I guess my original cover was a little different than most so I spent a few frustrating hours the other night but managed to get it looking ok.

As long as you don't look underneath :-)

I know - another post!

OK so I think I misled all of you - Hubby did make the bed but not the little butterfly. He was trying to make some sort of design for that space so they wouldn't fall through that hole.

I had the butterfly and a flower card holder from Pottery Barn and told him to try them instead. They worked - and are now screwed in to the bed to prevent our little sweeties from a long fall.

Just to clarify :-)

I am on a doll quilt roll - they are so fun and fast!

I have plans for a cheater one with this fabric that came in the mail today....

along with this stack...

and some fun (sponsorship) goodies - Thanks Cynthia!!

I just got an evite for a baby shower on Sunday - guess I'd better get cracking on something...it's for a sweet little boy....hmm - what can I do in the same sort of free-motion applique style but boyish - maybe surfboards?

Doll Quilts and secret sewing

More secret sewing.....

And some doll quilts for the girls' bedroom wall.

(I still need to put a backing and bind it)

I based it on this painting - I had torn it out of one of the Pottery Barn catalogs.

I have a couple more ideas in my head to work on - these are just so fun!

We've been doing lots of fort-building this week - on the new bed that Daddy built (welded) for the girls.

Brussels Sprouts

Yep - never thought I'd talk about brussels sprouts...never really thought I'd eat one actually. But that changed a while ago after I spotted this recipe.

And now Molly has this recipe in her wonderful book (I seriously cannot get enough of this book - it's fantastic!). So I had to try it out - yummy!

Today I finished sewing up the rest of my quilt-a-long rows and then finished up the front.

And the back (I didn't have enough solids so had to go with a print too).

I'm waiting on this batting since there's so much white in the front and I only have off-white batting.

I also (surprise) broke down and ordered some more fabric...from here and here. So I should have some fun mail days soon!

S'More

I have the spent the day sewing and have some things to show....

More star blocks and the first partial row sewn up...

I finished up the rest of my quilt-a-long blocks this morning and am about halfway done with the front.

These 4 are my favorite blocks.

I'm not too sure about the blue ones - ughh! But there's no going back now.

I listened too some great soundtracks today - this and this....love them both and I think after I take a shower (I know, gross...it's 5:45 pm and I still haven't taken one), I'm going to watch this movie.

But only because I haven't gone to the store to buy this one yet.

Hubby is at a wedding (without me, weird I know). We were invited but we don't know them that well so I rsvp'd "no" since that would require getting a babysitter....and it's a couple from our church and everyone we know is going so I didn't know who to ask to babysit.

But my brother and his wife had said they'd go, but now my sister-in-law is here, opening for these bands...so my brother took my hubby as his date. Wonder if they'll do any dancing (ha ha - neither of them are dancers)?

Bit of this, bit of that

Thanks for all the well wishes on Baby Girl. The fever is finally gone and I guess it was the start of a cold since she and her brother both have a nasty cough now. Guess we are staying home this weekend...whatever will I do (ha ha)?

I had to go to the doctor yesterday for my side (guess I re-injured something at soccer this week - where the last injury was). He said to give it time but of course I'm still going to play this Sunday....as long as I can actually run.

Anyway (after the doctor) I had some free "mom" time (and a rebate card from new cell phones), so I hit Borders.

And after tons of searching (in the same little section) and two trips by a salesperson to the storeroom, I found this book hiding behind another book.

I started reading it last night - such a fun book. It is so wonderfully written and each chapter is its own little story that ends (wonderfully) with a recipe (I've already cried!).

I also picked up this book. It has lots of cute patterns!

The mail brought this book to our door today too. It was one of my pre-orders.

I don't know why I keep buying books - I really need to tackle my UFO's first! This whole basket is full of them.

And I started another project.....stars out of scraps from my quilt-a-long. These seem way more do-able than the spiderweb blocks.

And I am progressing on my quilt-a-long blocks. Here's my first completed set...only 5 more sets to go.

Feels like we have a newborn again..

Poor Baby Girl has been sick since Friday. High fever..along with a sore throat. I finally took her to the doctor yesterday and they did a throat culture.

But as I didn't get a call today I guess the good news is it's not strep. And she seems to be a little better today. Guess it's just a bad cold.

We are exhausted though since she's been waking up in the night and wants to sleep with us (and she's not one of those easy-to-sleep-with kids).

I'm hoping for a full night's sleep tonight...and hopefully, some sewing soon. My free time has been spent holding a pitiful, feverish 3 year old...well spent, I know :-)

Blogland Finds

I was home with a feverish Baby Girl yesterday morning so I was cruising Flikr looking at all the amazing creations out there and found some fun things.

How cute is this oilcloth coin purse?

And there is a wonderful tutorial to make your own!

This potholder is beautiful - it looks like a little quilt.

And check this out - I have now found the perfect thing to make with my big pile of selvedges...

They are such a talented mother/daughter team, aren't they?!

Quilting Bees

It was raining this morning so after my Scrabble dominance our Scrabble fun, I went to work on Lynn's blocks.

She pretty much gave us free reign but did mention how she likes blocks that are almost mini quilts themselves.

I was going to do a zigzag block..in fact, I was looking through my quilt books for a zigzag pattern when I came across a star pattern (in this book).

And I already had the hang of it from doing these stars (although these were much smaller) so I just followed the layout.

I had fun trying something different which I think is what these quilting bees are all about.

I followed Jacquie's and Carissa's lead and made up a stacked coins block too.

Hope you like them Lynn!

I finished up Sarah's block the other night but hadn't gotten around to photographing it.

She gave us a couple of inspiration photos so I tried to incorporate some machine embroidery and texture into the block.

I love the colors she picked out - so bright and cheery!

I did a folded pleat in one part and then a gathered section in another but they kinda look the same after I sewed it up - oh well!