Creatively compulsive

The reality of being me is that even when I have things on my creative to do list... 1) this month's bee block for myself 2) some beanbag orders 3) finishing up the big orange quilt and mom and dad's quilt top ... There are some nights where therapeutic sewing has to work it's way onto the to-do list. Tonight I needed it.
So I pulled out an old project... 3 wonky squares without mates and made 3 friends for them... Now I have 6 ... Coordinating in a great and odd color range, using all sorts of weird vintage and castoff fabrics. Now I just need to figure out what to do with them. Hmmmm. Thoughts?

Free scraps- 2 left!

I got sick of using the same scraps to make every scrappy project I make, especially with so many other fun fabrics waiting around to be used...
So a few minutes ago, I tweeted that the first 3 people to get back to me get an envelope of my (most random!) scraps... They're already claimed, but I made up a few more. Email me if you want one of the last 2 I made.

Breakfast with friends

One of our favorite things about weekends is having friends over for breakfast and now our kids had caught the bug. Today's table was "kid" set long before Daddy and I woke up. Then when the food got put out, everything needed their touch, complete with labels. My favorite being the ones for "QUICHE-with a period" and "skons".
Our guests are in for a treat.

English paper piecing

Ever heard of English Paper piecing? I've seen lots of people doing hexagons online, but it wasn't too intriguing to me until I saw that a bee partner if mine did the same with squares. She also mentioned it was a great "keep it in the car" project... As a taxi mom, I'm always driving somewhere to wait for someone... And my fingers love something to do... So... I've got loads ahead of me, but I'm in no rush... Got about 50-60 made so far. And you know me and new uses for scraps!

Wirework Giveaway

Creating things is how I cope with stress. J has been gone on a trip for work the past 2 days, and you all know that I've mentioned foster care can be a teensy bit stressful. (wink)
I am in constant search of things for my hands to do whilst running my day to day circus.
Yesterday I was back to wire nests, crosses, and trying out a few other shapes in wire for pendants.

And then in the spirit of one of New Year's Resolutions I made - to appreciate my old friends more - I decided it's been too long since we had a giveaway here on the blog for my bloggy friends. (you)
So I'm giving you the choice... Nest, cross? Gold/silver?

In exchange... Sign up to follow the blog... Tell someone about the giveaway... And write a comment that is either 1) a way you show love to friends or 2) is a meaningful New Years Resolution that you've made.
Giveaway closes next Tuesday (Jan 18)

Pouches

Once upon a time, we were a bunch of scraps and a few discarded quilt squares. (okay yesterday we were)... But today - today we are pretty, useful, and we have a purpose. And we are also on our way all over the country to beloved recipients.

Seams Perfect scrap bee

I've shared all year about my quilting bee called "bee happy" - I've felt so blessed to be included into such a talented group of artists... And keep posted, because this is my month to receive, so I can't wait to share what they come up with...
In the meantime, here are my first two squares for "Seams Perfect" - which is a new bee that is based on using up our own scraps instead of the bee member's mailed fabrics...
This month is Jenn's month and she wanted a string quilt she called "String Me Along" based on Ashley's tutorial at Film in The Fridge.. (links later when I get home!)
So fun. I had a great time doing these and decided this bee will get a red and white sampler to go along with it.... I'll post as that develops.

I had so much fun with Jenn's palette that I made her a little zippie pouch to go with.

Blogging from the car

Back to life. Holidays over. I think I write here every year about January being my favorite month. December is so full that I neglect to plan anything in January - and I learned from my years in Chicago that January was the perfect month to settle down with a project or some form of art... I look forward to it and savor the unplanned days and nights.
This year, I have 3 kids and 3 extremely busy little calendars to juggle - so getting back to regular life isn't so peaceful and quiet, but even my normal taxi mom schedule is a welcome change this week.. It involves moments here and there by myself in the car...
Last night I attended the January meeting of the LAMQG, and once again was inspired by the amazingly creative women and men there. (the men we have in our group are insanely talented artists!)
And I got to come home with fabric! The entire guild was given a charm pack (courtesy of the extremely generous folks at Robert Kaufman) and offered a "Solids Challenge" - to bring back a finished quilt in March made with these fabrics and 1 other solid...

In addition, I won another giveaway... I never win anything and I've now won twice at our meetings... (what?) ...and took home this sweet pack of vintage fabrics donated by Jenny Ryan... You know I love me some vintage fabrics!

I also got to talking with some new pals from my new bee (Seams Perfect)... And Jenn was mentioning quilting in the car, carpool mommy style ... I was inspired and brought my long term yoyo project along for the ride today. But first, blogging...

Christmas gifts given

Christmas is over... 10 quilts were given, only one unfinished, given and then brought back home to work on...
Here are the three graces and their quilts... I couldn't have bribed them to give me better reactions... The youngest patted it on her lap and squealed, "Mine!"

Christmas Eve joys

Merry Christmas!
Our 31-person extravaganza has begun and will continue over the next 4 days.
After j and I finished putting all the bows on our boxes last night, I looked at the 3 mountains of presents, and I realized why I'd been feeling stressed over the past few weeks... Knowing just how many of those boxes were filled with handmade gifts... Wow. And the stress lifted. (it also helped that at the last possible moment I found a gift for the kids that I'd lost for over 2 months!)

Today we are at my parents home for the Christmas Eve extravaganza... This year, Mimi insisted on a nativity play that we all must star in, complete with costumes, skripps, and stage dreshins. Daddy is Jhosif and I am Marry, according to our skripps. Z is the innkeeper.

Z has been very very sick all week and yesterday he made a miraculous comeback in time for our plans to continue. Quite a scary week, but this morning he was back to his wild abstract humor that had us in stitches...
Ready?

- he started the morning by praying over our food, exclaiming "happy birthday Jesus!"

- we were discussing what kind of fish might be good for a family pet... A goldfish? a Betta fish? Z pipes in: "I WANT A MINI LOBSTER!"

- then he found an old Bible he'd never seen before... "mom, there's a Bible here and it doesn't belong to anyone here! (who then?) well, it says it belongs to BONDED LEATH-HER!"

And with that I wish you our very merry Christmas... Much love to you all!