Word Up

Kelly & Kris where so nice to host a

Word Up Sewing Party.

The goal was to sew something with our word for the year.

My word is "Nest"

as in "Nesting"

Making my house more of a home.

I have wanted a cover for my Kitchenaid Mixer

I found this Tutorial

and made my cover for my day of "Nest" quilting.

Stop by Kelly's Blog to find Mr Linky to see what everybody else worked on today.

Thanks Kelly & Kris!

Word Up

This month's Charming Girls theme is

Word Up

Kelly has challenged us to come up with our word for the year.

Really everybody's choice for their word has been both insightful

and a bit overwhelming since they are all such wonderful words

with such thought and meaning behind them.

After much contemplating I have chosen my word

"Nest"

I know it might seem like a strange word.

When I was a young pregnant soon to be mom I kept being told that I was

"Nesting"

As I prepared my home for the arrive of the most blessed gift I would ever receive.

Through the years I have enjoyed watching Bee growing up.

With each milestone I aways thought of it as her

standing on the edge of the

"Nest"

flapping her wings and getting ready to leave the

"Nest"

This past Friday my Baby Girl moved into her first Own very full
"Nest,"

2 couples, 1 baby girl (the other couple's little girl), 1 large dog & 1 cat.

I am so proud of her and wish them all a warm and happy "Nest"

This has left me with an

"Empty Nest"

I am going to

"Nest"

once again and get my home ready for the next phase of my life.

Clean, Organize and prepare my home for its new family dynamic.

Happy Thanksgiving & Charming Secret Santa

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you are enjoying your time with friends and family. 

Look what came in the mail yesterday.  Isn't it gorgeous?  It is from my Charming Secret Santa Cathi from Shakerwood Quilts.  She did an amazing job.  I am so lucky to be matched up with her.  Thank you so much Cathi.  It is well loved in its new home. 

Here is the gift I sent to her, she received it this week also.  I hope she likes it (I have to admit I haven't made a pillow before but struggle so bad with binding corners and after looking at Cathi's amazing work on her blog I was scared to send her anything that had a binding).  I hope she likes it.

I am in another Secret Santa Swap at The Quilt and Needle. We aren't paired just randomly matched so I am getting a gift from somebody different that I made for.   I have mailed out my gift but haven't received one yet.  I hope my swapee likes her gift and I can't wait to see who picked me.

Charming Girls Club - November/December

I can't believe that it is time again for my Charming Girls Goals.  I have so much to do for the holidays so that will dominate my list this time.  Stop by Kelly's blog and see what all the gals are up to this month.

1) Shelley's baby is due any day so getting her quilt completed has to be my top priority.  I didn't have enough backing fabric.  It has been ordered and should be here any day.

2) Grammie's quilt is ready for quilting. 

3) This weekend is the Encore of The Quilt and Needle Fall Mystery.  I will be working on this one today, I am sure it will not be finished today will be the first thing after all my must dos.  Here is my fabric choice for this Mystery.

4) I have a Secret Santa gift that is nearly done that I need to complete. (No pictures on this one until it is delivered)

5) I just found out at bunco that there is a new grandson due to one of the couples in our bunco group.  I have a few Make Life charms that I think will make a nice baby boy quilt.

That seems like more then enough.  Wish me luck.

It is also time to start thinking about our Holiday traditions.

Our holiday season starts with Black Friday Shopping.  Thanksgiving we all gather around the morning ads and devise our shopping plan.  We get up early and hit the stores.  There is something so holiday about black Friday shopping.  This is usually my shopping finally since it is my goal to be done shopping by them so I am not stressed during the holidays.  We all go out to breakfast at the end of our shopping.  I like to drop my Christmas Cards in the mail on Black Friday also.

We are lucky enough to live close to a neighborhood that does an over the top light display.  We always pick a night to treat ourselves to Starbucks drinks and walk through the light display.  Some people drive but we find that walking really gives us the chance to really take in the sights. 

Christmas morning we always go out to breakfast.  It is so enjoyable since the whole family get to sit together and none of us have to cook or clean.  I make sure to take a moment to thanks our server for being there for us and leave an extra tip to show how much I appreciate them being there.  I know when I was younger I worked at Blockbuster on Christmas and was always amazed at the people that didn't seem to get that I was working on this holiday, I don't what to be one of them.

Charming Girls Club - September/November list

Although sharing a picture of TJ seems to me like a good enough reason to post on my blog..This post is actually to see how I did last month on my Charming Girl Goals and share my goals for the next 2 months. Over all I think I did a good job on my goals for last month. Here is last goal recap.

My Hex quilt - I got a few of the blocks put together and have all the rows pinned but that is as far as I got -- This one is a Miss

Buying fabric for Sam's quilt - I got the a bolt of the black fabric but didn't get any of the blue -- This is another Miss

My Quilt for Kids Quilts are all three boxed and ready for shipment this weekend - Hit

Bee and My Objects of Desire Bags - Are done (her does need me to fix a problem with the handle) --Hit

Nice Day Makin Friends top - Finished this one last weekend with all August Christmas Sewing Day -- Hit

Lizz's Grandson's (Mateo) quilt - He was born about 4 months early and is doing well in the NicICU - Hit

Now for my Personal Goals:

Family movie night - Hit we all had fun - we have even started to play cards just about any time all 4 of us are in the house together it is such a treat!

Jeff & I enjoyed out afternoon at the Museum -- Hit

Bee & Me outing -- we actually had a few -- Hit

Training for the 1/2 marathon - started strong and fell apart at the end - this goal will be renewed and we will keep working on it - I think I am still standing on home plate with a full count.

My goals for September & October List:
1 - Fresh Squeezed Folded Star Quilt from this Moda Bake Shop Tutorial
2 - Complete my Charm A Long Quilt with KarrieLynn at Freckled Whimsy
3 - Bee's Rag Quilt
4 - Shelley's Baby Quilt

Wish me luck and Stop by Kelly's blog for links to everybody else's goals.

How lucky can I get?

I feel like being a part of the Charming Girl's club is such an honor. I was so exicted to join all the wonderful Charming Girls for their Christmas in August Sewing party. These ladies are all so talented and made such wonderful Christmas projects. Stop by Kelly's blog and see the links to all the wonderful projects.

I had no idea that there was a gift involved with this get together. Well there was and I won it!

Remember the episode of Seinfield with Jerry always comes out even? I used my precious 2 Makin' Friends charm packs during the sewing party and Kelly picked me to win the prize of 2 Makin' Friends Charm packs! Jerry isn't the only one that gets to come out even.

I am not normaly lucky when it comes to any kind of prize. Kelly & Carol thanks so much for letting me join this wonderful group and thanks for picking my name.

Soccer Quilt for Kids Finish

Here is my completed Quilt for Kids Quilt. It just needs a label & to be mailed. I sure hope that this quilt brings comfort to a child who could really use it.
Jeff thinks it is very funny that my last completed "Gooooooal" for my July/August Charming Girls list is a Soccer quilt!

Christmas in August Sewing Party Done

I pieced the border and it was just so busy I didn't want to put it on. I looked around and found this Christmasy red and am really happy with it. Now I just need to get it quilted before Christmas so it can be hung up this season.

This was a win/win. I really enjoyed the Charming Girl's sewing party, it kept me motivated yesterday. Today it was harder to get the motivation to finish it up, but I powered through and it was so worth it. Can't wait for the next sewing party. Plus this is now another empty tote!

Christmas in August Sewing Party update

I should have known when I started to match up my charm squares and got one that looked like this that today may just be a bit more challenging than normal.
I sure would hate to be the person that got the other charm square with the missing part.

Since Bee has been working on her Harry Potter blocks her machine was set up in the place where I normally sew. Being a bit lazy I used her machine rather them mine. As Julia Roberts in Pretty woman says "Big mistake, huge mistake." Needless to say the 1/4 seam that I thought I was sewing wasn't really a 1/4 seam. These are 4 1/4 inch blocks and it made all my claws for my blocks have bad points. Sitting her and looking at those points for a few minutes I knew I had rip and sew these block an extra time. Now that it is done I am so happy I did it. I will try and finish this top tomorrow.

I can't wait to stop in on everybody's blogs tomorrow and see what you have all been up to today

Christmas in August Sewing Party

Today is the Charming Girls Christmas in August Sewing Party.

I have my fabric all cut and plan on working on my "Nice Day for Making New Friends" That is a Schnibbles pattern called Nice Day using Making New Friends Charm packs.

Bee has some school items she needs to shop for so I will be taking a little break to join her on a little shoppping trip. Shopping for school supplies with a Culinary student sounds like a fun. Shopping of school supplies with a culinar student that is Bee sounds even better!

I can't wait to see what everybody is working on!

Quilt Top Done & Charming Girls Completions

We have been training for the Half Marathon. As you can tell it really takes alot out of TJ to train with us.
I got The Quilt Top back from the quilter. She did such a wonderful job! I have a few more to sent out to her. This is the Fall 2009 Patchwork party quilt. It is going on my bed.

Look at the cute little hearts that she quilted along the border. She did a "light" quilting that is so perfect for this quilt. I like "light" quilting since it makes the quilt more cuddly.

One of my personal goals for the Charming Girls Club was to go out to the movies with the kids. Today we all went to the movies and watched Despicable Me. We all enjoyed it alot. The Mininos were so adorable!

Museum of Man

Today Jeff and I went down to Balboa Park, had a picnic lunch and went through the Museum of Man. They had alot of interesting exibits. The coolest one was all was games through the ages. They had alot that I had never heard of but there was a very old deck of Canasta Cards. There also was a bunch of different Monopoly games. I still think the one Bee got while we where in Estonia is the coolest Monopoly game I have seen. It was all written in Estonian. We played it on the Cruise but didn't understand that Chance & Community Chest cards so we just kind of made them up....hhmm I think I just went off on a Tangent. Anyways it was a super fun day & 1 of my personal goals for the Charming Girl's Club.
Look - I got my Quilt for Kids kit today. It is ubber cute with the little soccer players. Too bad the World Cup just ended, this would have been alot of fun to work on during the World Cup. I bet there is a kid that will just love this finished quilt. I will get to working on it soon.

Charming Girls Club - July/August list

I am so excited that I was able to join the Charming Girls Club. It isn't too late to join. Part the the club is making a list of Goals for July & August. I am not sure if the 2 months is a good thing or not. I seem to be really ambitious when I have 2 months. I guess it seems like a lot of time when it is stretched out in front of me.

Personal Goals:

1) We have been talking to the kids & thinking it would be fun to have a Family night at the movies. With Sam & Bee both being 20, working and going to college we don't have very much time all together. I figure rangling the kids, Jeff and I together for a movie night will be really fun. Although I am sure that everybody will have a good time this is mostly for me since I just love spending time with the Fam.

2) Mommy & Bee outing. (even when she is 20 she is still my little girl) Maybe we can go to dinner, or shopping, or getting our nails done. I don't care what it is spending time with Bee is one of the joys in my life so have at least 1 outing will be great (she already agreed that we can ge it done)

3) Jeff & I found out the Museums in Balboa Park have a Tuesday Free admission day. Every Tuesday a few of them are free to San Diego residents. So you could go any Tuesday and get into 2 of them. We are going to make it to at least 1 of them in the next 2 months. Maybe more if we are lucky.

4) When we parked and un-loaded the bikes yesterday I noticed that we were at the starting point for the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon. Somehow that information got us to agree that we would train together and complete the Rock & Roll 1/2 Marathon. I completed the 1/2 marathon last year and he completed the full marathon 2007. Neither of us is fast - our goal is just to finish. So the conditioning will have to start. This will be an ongoing goal until the big day June 5, 2011. This is a big commitment and is really going to cut into my sewing time as it gets closer.

Quilting Goals:

1-3) I have 2 quilt tops that need to be basted & quilted for Quilt for Kids. I have also ordered a kit from them and want to get that one completed so I can send all 3 in together.

4) Lizz's new Grandson's quilt. I had made a quilt top for a possible granddaughter but it turns out the baby is a boy. I found the cutest pattern on the Moda Bake Shop. I want to make it with an Animal Alphabet Charm Pack that I have. I just need the "white" fabric and I am ready to start.

5) I am going to make Bee & Me bags from this Moda Bake Shop pattern and a Objects of Desire Honey Bun. They each will have different yardage but will have the same tie. She is my shoe girl so her yardage has the shoes on it.

6) Schnibble Times Two - Nice Day for Maken New Friends. Is that the cutest name? It is the Nice Day pattern with the Maken New Friends Charm pack. I need the yardage & 1 more charm pack that should be arriving any day.

7) Finish My Hexalong Top. I have decided that I am going to see if I can find somebody that is willing to Quilt this one and donate it to a good charity. If you have any ideas let me know!

8) Can there really be an 8th item?! Well this one is just a shopping task. I have promised to make Sam a "long" quilt for the tall boy. He would like the Star Spin Quilt with Black, Blue and Red. So shopping for the fabric is on my list for this month. I don't know if anything else will get done on this one in the next 2 months.

I am tired just reading this list - who signed me up for all this?! Wish me luck and check to back to see how I do.