Every day is a gift

This wall hanging is what I made for a dear friend that I met in Lake Placid. She is a real jem.

This saying "every day is a gift" is what she says every day, time, card etc she says to you.

What a positive outlook on life. I try to incorporate it all the time....

This is Mia looking out in the snow. Our bushes look like popcorn balls! How magical.

Love ya.

Next you will see a baby quilt Im making for a young man in the process now, 30th of Jan, to be delivered, but hoping for a 31st date for it is my birthday to be delivered.... ya just 2 1/2 more hours to go.

~Shellie

Madi's duvet cover

Here it is!!!  Wow... this was an adventure; a duvet/quilt cover. Remember from the bright idea?

I just need to add the buttons and button holes at the bottom and we are finished.  The reason I say a duvet/quilt is that I layered it with batting and a white backing then quilted it. Then, sewed on a casing or another backing separately to make it the duvet cover. On top of that, I added a binding to make it more like a quilt top. The reason she wanted a duvet cover is she wants it puffy and quilts are not puffy. This has two layers; the quilted top and the extra puff once the feather comforter is put inside.

Still two pillow shams to go. It may need another color bed skirt. Maybe blue or green...
Her birthday is Wednesday.  It will not be done by then but I think all is good. Can you believe 18? Nope, I can not.

Bright Idea

Madison is getting prepared for college. She has her books, Vera Bradley black luggage small carry on for the bookbag, found her classes, has the parking pass and new clothes she bought herself.  Well something must be missing becasue there is all the dorm room stuff out for incoming freshmen to buy but not for Madi. So she comes up the the plan to redo her room....  now! It must be finished this week.

So she picks out all the items she wants and lays it on me.

Mom, Make me this....

So we go to Joann's to pick out fabric and we come up with this....

I have the middle piece sewn.

Then we went to Lowes and bought paint. Yay. I can't wait to paint a room. We found lamps and we are looking for a mirror.

I so think I really wanted something to do. Watch out for what you wish for.

This is Japanese fabric Toni gave me for making her the knot bag.

I think I will make her a purse out of it! =)

Working on....

I have been working on a quilt for a friend's graduation. It needs to be finished by next weekend. Shouldnt be too difficult. It is from the blog Moda Bake Shop.
I love the fabric line Oz. This young lady can never find anything with her name on it so I thought she would love this. I thought of her as soon as I saw it. I have finished cutting out the flowers and adding her name then on to the applique part. Deciding whether to add borders since this quilt was designed for little ones or babies.

Oh and I love this:

so easy....

Then I have finished the blocks to the star mystery quilt and forming the rows for it. I decided on a black small border and a green/orange flower border.... haven't layed it together yet.

Then Im working on our 30's pinwheels for the Reenie/Kathy quilt. I wonder where they are on theirs.

Then Im thinking of my own design for a quilt and I am still trying to get together with Regina for our quilt....  see lots of quilting.

Oh I have also been thinking of a way to add drawers to my sewing area. What style, size, quantity...? not sure.

The Ugly Fabric Challenge..... my entry

Reenie came up with the wonderful challenge of use all of this ugly fabric and send in your entry picture.

so my entry was this....

My ideas was the top of my desk when I write postcards and letters to friends and family. The stamps and envelope seals are from the ugly fabric along with the borders.
    I did not place.  The other entries were fabulous though.  Congratulations to Cathy McG, Beth and Lillian !!!

I hope we do this again soon. It was really fun.

Japanese Knot Bag

As I mentioned, I bought fabric for a gift for mom's friend. I do hope this cheers her up a little. I know her heart is breaking with the loss of her son.
I finished the Japanese knot bag.  I really like it. I picked out the fabric at Ivy Thimble while I was out with the gals. I needed to be on the hunt for something.....
It is reversible and you just slip it on your wrist and you are off.

                                            The colors just pop.  Toni, mom's friend, is from Japan; the reason behind my selecting this pattern. 

Now on to read a chapter or two and sleep. I have to get up a 5am; working overtime again.

A Saturday with friends!

I am not just a working machine.....  Saturday was spent with my quilt retreat friends from Cobbled Court.

Reenie, Kathy and me

This was the second shop we hit, Ivy Thimble. I bought some oriental fabric to make my mom's friend a gift to ease her pain from a recent loss in the family and two small prints for me.

The first shop was Craft Bits & Pieces. I love love love this store. You can either find great treasures there or not. This was a time were you would say "Score!".....  

I bought a lot of fabric and then found a Swatch watch and a gold ring both together for $8.  (no... not the total bill.)   Wowzers!!

After our shops we went to Chili's for lunch and back to do a little sewing. I mean we brought our machines and all....

We had planned on a pattern by Moda Bake Shop.   We brought 30's fabric and a background and had them cut up and ready to go.

I really like how they turned out.

About 5pm we finished up and headed home. I so hope we can do this again soon. I definitely needed this with all the work I've been doing with the new job. I like it but it is cutting into my sewing and upkeep of the house and home.  It will all work out soon I'm sure.

Oh, this is what I bought Friday; 16 fatquarters, from Betty's. It is closing. I honestly won't miss it because it was not a very overly friendly shop.  

Now, Onto more cleaning and maybe some sewing.