one shabby chick

One More thing

Have you seen Elizabeth Hartman's new book, The Practical Guide to Patchwork?

It is completely amazing and if you own any of her patterns, then you know it's thorough and creative too.

I'm so excited to be part of the blog tour....

The tour will include a chance to win the book at each stop and a few extra goodies too!

Tour stops:

Sew Mama Sew - October 27

Film in the Fridge - October 28

I heart linen - October 29

Tallgrass Prarie Studio - October 30

Handmade by Alissa - October 31

Connecting Threads - November 1

R0ssie - November 2

One Shabby Chick - November 3

True up - November 4

Pink Chalk Studio - November 5

Whip up - November 6

I love blog tours and hope you all will join me - this book is sooo good!

Be back soon

See you all next week!

photo credit - Felipe Barrientos

1997

Man, that sounds like a long time ago...and 13 years seems like a long time.

But when it's measured in the years of your oldest...it seems too short - like I blinked and it all sped by.

(And looking at those pillows, my taste level has improved dramatically in 13 years - but hey, we were young and got what we could get).

I look at pictures of us and see how young we were...

And how little he was.

And how big he has gotten. I put his slippers on tonight to go outside....they are enormous!

Happy Birthday buddy - we love you! Can't believe I am the parent of a teenager...actually I can - the teenage attitude is alive and well at our house!

** And thank you so much for all your kind words about my Grandmother...she passed away on Friday morning. I'm leaving on Monday to go to the funeral - I'm busy trying to get everything ready for hubby and the kids while I'm gone!

In the meantime

Thank you SO much for all your kind words and prayers...She is now at hospice and they think it's only a matter of a couple days.

I have talked to my Grandpa a couple times and he seems to be holding up ok...he's spending the night there by himself tonight. He did just call me to tell me the really nice minister that I had called just came by.

Sarah left me a comment yesterday saying her church in Nashville has a hospital ministry and so we emailed back and forth a couple times. And tonight one of the pastors from her church went and visited my Grandpa...so thoughtful and just touched my heart {and his} so much. My Grandpa told me he didn't know how I could have gotten the man's number and called him :-)

It's times like these I am truly thankful for all the people I've met through this blog (not that I'm not thankful all the time - you know what I mean!).

I've been trying to keep my mind and hands busy...

These wreaths are a little time-consuming but rather addicting once you start.

I'm trying to restrain myself from buying lots of felt.

I also finished up my Savvy Seasons swap items - a pillow cover and a table runner.

Can't get a good picture of the table runner but you get the idea...

Trying to tackle my to-do list one thing at a time.....

Grammy

Don't know how to start this...just been sitting here thinking and crying.

Yesterday my 87 year old grandmother fell down and hit her head in the driveway.

They medivac-ed her to Nashville and my poor grandfather had to drive up alone this morning. He didn't know how bad it was going to get. I guess she was talking and responsive right after she fell but got much worse on the way to Nashville. And he didn't know until he got there. She's unresponsive now and it's not looking good.

I cannot imagine what that is like - to have someone beside you for 64 years and then try to figure out how you are going to be without them. And I know he always thought he was going to go first. He has been having the health issues. She was pretty frail but health-wise she was fine.

I just talked to her on Saturday which I am so thankful for. I sent them a dvd of all the pictures we took and they had just watched it - I'm so glad I did that now!

My eldest just got his birthday card from her yesterday. She was that Grandma...the one that always remembered to send birthday cards....or on special holidays like Halloween or Valentines Day....

I spent lots of summers at their house in Tennessee...I wrote them a letter last year thanking them for all that - all the great memories that I have from their house.

My parents are flying out tonight....wish we could all go but I know it would just be too hectic. So if you think about it, say a prayer for my Grandpa and my dad and his brothers...they all need it right now.

the bag that almost broke my finger

I was sewing along the other day...and I'm not sure how it happened but I managed to get my finger jammed in my walking foot.

I tried to get it out but it just kept pressing down more instead of loosening up. Finally I was able to release the walking foot from the needle area and get my finger out but I was a little worried for a minute.

My finger is fine - just a little swollen (but my hand is a bit numb - all the way up to my elbow)...not sure if it's related or it means I'm spending too much time on the internet!).

Needless to say I was done sewing for the evening after that happened!

So yesterday afternoon I got back at it and finished the tote.

I'm trying to work a little everyday on craft fair stuff. I'm supposed to be sewing up a little dress but these little zippered pouches were so fun!

I'll work on the dress today.

I used this tutorial but made mine a bit bigger (my starting dimensions were 6.5" x 10.5").

She allows you to use the tutorial for craft fairs (just not selling online) - it's really well written and easy to follow.

OK hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

A little of this, a little of that, a whole lot of nothing...

Been dragging lately - have a few things to sew up this week and I haven't even started on them!

Just busy with life (aka soccer season - ha ha!) and then too tired to sew it seems.

My sister just got back from San Francisco and brought us home the best chocolates - so good!

I do just want to drop everything and rush out and buy a straw wreath so I can make this:

How gorgeous is that? Here's the tutorial and I saw it in my Google Reader here. I already have a list for the craft store...I'm thinking a white one with red flowers sounds perfect for Christmas!

I did sew up a purse with this pattern but I think I'm more of a tote girl.

Trying my hand at making some camera straps for the craft fair...

I had bought vinyl for the end parts but it wasn't sewing up too well so I'm just using fabric and interfacing and am loving the results...my brother-in-law has already requested one.

Ok off to feed the kiddos and fold the biggest pile of laundry you have ever seen - seriously!

Gearing up

I signed up for a craft fair in December...so I have gotten a few orders of fabric....more Innocent Crush - Quilt Home was having a 25% off sale! Sign up for their newsletter - always great coupons in there!

Yesterday (and today) I organized it all.

Stocked up on some solids too for a few projects. Got them here - she just opened a new shop and is having a sale at both shops right now!

And finally used the last of my birthday gift certificate (and a little more) at Amazon.

I absolutely love Material Obsession 2 - the quilts are gorgeous! I kept seeing quilts from the book pop up on Flikr and finally gave in - how gorgeous is this one:

And this one:

Oh wow - yep - I see a few hexagon quilts in my future.

I got the most adorable tea towel in the mail from Lynne - and it goes perfectly on top of my "recycled fabric storage container" (used to hold all the girls' craft stuff).

I have the fabric more spread out now but feel like I can see it all a bit better...and I way-downsized on my scraps.

** If anyone is interested I have 2 medium flat rate boxes stuffed to the brim with scraps - all you have to do is pay for shipping - $10 (sorry US only...unless you are international and want to pay the flat rate box fee).

They both weigh about 5 lbs. Not sure how much yardage that is but I think it's a lot.

Leave a comment if you are interested. You can send me a paypal payment for the shipping and I'll get it out to you...I just can't handle too many scraps - it's overwhelming!

* Edited to add: Scrap boxes are both gone! Thanks! I went by who left a comment first!