Broken Camera

I dropped our camera on the kitchen floor with the lens extended yesterday.  I had to order a new camera, so I am short on photos of my quilting endeavors.  We are getting our third Canon PowerShot in seven years.  Granted, we use the camera basically everyday, but still that seems like a lot of cameras.  And our last one stopped working while I was in labor with Veronica.  Seriously, about 3 hours after we arrived at the hospital, my husband had to run to Walmart to get a new camera!!!  All three of our cameras have suffered from the nebulous “lens error” which really just means “broken for good.”  I’m not sure if I’d ever recommend buying a Canon, but we are getting two new ones as part of the Canon loyal customer program.  I traded in two defunct cameras and am getting my husband a nice replacement point-and-shoot and myself a cheap Elph so I won’t feel so bad next time I drop it!

I started a new quilting project yesterday using “Maya” by Leah Duncan, three quilter’s linens (I added one after taking this photo), and Kona aqua.  Is anyone tired of Kona aqua yet?  I’m not!  I’m not tired of Kona ash, either!

And right before I dropped the camera, I snapped a few photos of our yard.  I have painted the front door (color to be revealed once I have a camera to take a photo with). 

We went to a wedding over the weekend and the kids got little goodie bags that included these disposable cameras.  They took all 27 photos in about 2 minutes, but the fun lasted much much longer than that!

We also have this funny looking Pinocchio tomato growing in our garden.  It is one of the few that haven’t been gotten by the squirrels or Veronica.

And here are the first cherry tomatoes which should be ripe and ready to eat by the weekend.

Come What May Update

Got 3 more blocks in the mail, so I added those to the first I sewed together.  It’s looking good!  This photo is a little better than the last.  You can really tell the true Kona charcoal color in the photos.

I am thinking I will quilt right inside each triangle with purple thread and then in the solid charcoal do some pebble quilting, which I’ve never attempted before. 

Front Door Makeover and Bee Quilt Update

Last year we got a new roof courtesy of Hurricane Irene.  It really made our house look great!  We ripped out all the boxwood across the front of our house and planted hydrangeas and azaleas.  They have grown in beautifully.  We also had a new screen door installed and replaced the white shutters with black ones.

I have decided our front door needs a makeover.  I am debating between painting the front door a dark gray or a shade of red.  We have some Adirondack furniture on the front porch that I am going to paint, too.  My husband just informed me that he is not working Memorial Day, so it’s a project that might get done in a weekend!

In case you’re wondering what it says in my window, here’s a close up.

The signs have greatly reduced the number of salespeople stopping by my house.  I can’t tell you how many pest control and meat salesmen (they are all men) used to stop by my house during the day before I put up these signs.  I was ill at ease in my own home!  But the last straw was a man who tried to sell me magazine subscriptions.  He told me he was a 2-time felon trying to get on the straight and narrow.  And he told me this while I was standing on my front walkway with my three year old and holding my baby. 

I do think our house is rather pretty.  This is what it really looks like.  What, you don’t have a teepee in your yard?

And now for the quilty--albeit brief--part of my post.  My “Come What May” quilt is coming along nicely.  You can really tell the background color is Kona charcoal in this photo.  I have seven blocks right now, counting the original I made for the tutorial.  I think I will pebble quilt the solid portions and maybe quilt right inside all the triangles with a pretty shade of purple.

Keeping my fingers crossed I won some Sew Mama Sew giveaways!!!

Come What May

May is my month for the Stash Bee.  I am calling my quilt “Come What May” for that reason and because it is kind of an “improv” type of quilt, I am just sewing together the blocks willy-nilly as they come in the mail and will see how it turns out.

Here’s what it looks like so far.  I’ve received blocks from Tanya, Miki, and Jenelle.

I also finished up my Aneela Hoey quilt.  The binding/borders are a little wavy, but it’s in the dryer right now and I’m hoping to get some better (less wavy) photos of it tomorrow.

I really like this pattern.  It’s by Sew Bittersweet Designs and uses 2.5” squares, so it would be a perfect scrap-buster.  I am so into scrap quilts right now, how about you?  I’ve spent every spare dime I have buying scrap packs on Etsy the past few weeks.  It was a great way to get some designer fabric I’ve never seen in real life.

I stippled all over this quilt with gray thread from Connecting Threads.  The back is Kona Ash, the borders are Alexander Henry Heath in a dark pink, and the binding is gray with white polka dots. 

If you look close, the fabric isn’t white, it’s the pale pink square dots from Sherbet Pips.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Orange Peel Blocks

I can cross one of my Just Three Things off my list.  I finished my May Beejeebers Bee block yesterday.  The bee mama requested an “Orange Windows” block made with seaside-inspired colors such as aqua, gray and blue.  I had so much fun picking out fabrics, I made TWO blocks!  I’ve never made an orange peel, but it’s easy and on my list for something I’d like to try myself one day.

I stitched in gray on one block, and green on the other.

I had a hard time getting started on this block.  Walmart was sold out of compasses (which the tutorial required) and in the midst of canning over the weekend, I lost the one I borrowed from my neighbor’s son.  Luckily I found it!

Warning:  Lots of photos ahead!

a cute Japanese turtle print

yep, that’s Full Moon Forest

not just umbrellas, beach umbrellas

seastars and…frog eggs???  I don’t want to say what I think this print really looks like.

pearls

bubbles and a print that kind of looks like a sand dollar

one of the newest from DS quilts and Salt Air waves

Salt Air whale tails and another DS quilts fabric

And then, DRAT, I noticed I didn’t stitch around the whale tail peel.  As soon as I finish that up, these blocks will be in the mail to you, Karen.

Linking up to TNT Thursday.

Winner!

Esther picked the winning name this morning.

Congrats, Joyce Carter, I have emailed you.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day.  My husband and kids got me the prettiest flowers and a gift card to Joann’s.  I spent the weekend doing fun things like canning strawberry jam with my bff and finishing the quilting on my Aneela Hooey quilt.

And the kids helped make the most delicious peanut butter cookies (if you count spilling flour all over the counter and floor and licking EVERYTHING as helping).

The recipe is here, and I followed it exactly except I used a 1/4 cup to measure out the dough instead of a 1/3 cup.  I highly recommend this recipe!!!  The cookies tasted great and every batch came out bakery perfect.

Fugly fabric, anyone? Giveaway!

If anyone is interested in this fabric, leave a comment and my daughter will draw a name on Saturday night.  No need to swap—it’s yours!

The fabric is FLANNEL and it measures a few inches bigger than a yard. 

I am happy to mail it anywhere in the USA. 

The truth is, I’ve got a lot of “fugly” fabric.  But since I just got back from vacation and my husband is on a business trip, I don’t have time to get organized enough to take photos and write a long post, so I will definitely be linking up to the next party, too!

Here’s the link, since I’m not sure how to insert a button.

{Just Three} Goals for May

Last month I missed the linky for {Just Three} due to a husband on travel and very limited computer time and was really bummed.  I just returned from vacation last night and—yay!—the linky party is still open!  Here are my goals for May:

1.  Finish my twirling around quilt.  This one is basted and ready to quilt, I just need to get some time and get it done.  The picture is an old one, but it gives you an idea of what it looks like.

2.  Finish my granny squares quilt.  I started hand-quilting it and I’m not sure if I like it or not.  I think I need to get more done to decide, but I’m pretty sure I’m committed now and won’t be ripping out the stitches.   Again this is an old pic.  I have twenty squares already joined in a quilt top, backed with a DS Quilts pink floral print.

3.  Make my bee block for Beejeebers.  This one looks relatively easy, so I should be able to cross this off my list quickly.  The photo above is courtesy of Linzsews.

Here’s to a great month of sewing…and finishing!!!

Another Pouch

I joined another swap last month and here is the pouch I made for my partner.

I was inspired by this tutorial at Sew Happy Geek.

The outer fabric and wristlet are Millie’s Closet and the lining is Kona aqua. 

I’m really happy with how it turned out and want one for myself!