A week of Valentines

I meant to get this posted much earlier today, but it's been one of those days. You know the kind, tons of errands, laundry, grocery shopping, piano lessons.  Plus it's early out schedule this week for the kids in school. So just to add to this already hectic week I've decided to have a week of Valentine ideas.  I have a lot of half finished projects so I figured this would force me to get them done.

Here is the plan - I will have some valentine projects of my own this Monday, Wednesday,  and Friday.  Then on Friday (If I can figure it out),  I will have a post where you can link us up to your valentine posts.  Weither it's something you sewed up or cooked - whatever, just something to celebrate Valentines.

Here is my first project.  I sorta cheated on this one because it's not my idea.  There is a tutorial for this pillow over at Diary of a Quilter.   If you haven't already checked out Amy's blog you should.  Not only is she amazingly talented but super sweet. I changed mine up a little bit by adding the binding.   This valentine fabric is by Cosmo Cricket for Moda.

Downton Abbey is killing me. I'm ready to just go and buy the 2nd season.  Watching it every Sunday for an hour is just not enough.  The suspense is killing me, I NEED to know what is going to happen.   Have I told you how much I love the clothes on this show.  Sometimes I really think I was born in the wrong era.  Although the thought of wearing a corset isn't all the appealing.    I just love the dresses and hats though.

I hope your are all having a great week.  Be thinking of some  Valentine ideas.  I would love to have you link us up to them on Friday!

My valentine hexagon pillow is coming along. Hopefully I will have it finished with some pictures by Monday.   I sold some fabric on etsy and ebay and it seemed only right to use that money to buy some more fabric.  Please tell me you understand. 

I found this sweet fabric over at Fresh Squeezed Fabrics on Etsy.  Wow, I could get in trouble spending too much time over there.  She has such a fun selection of selection of Fabrics

I do have a plan for this fabric, I had to justify buying it somehow.  I have a lot of neighbors and friends expecting babies.  When I saw these bibs I thought they would be perfect.

Of course they are from over at Nana Company.  I fall in love with everything she makes.

I have a couple of other Valentine Projects I'm working on so come back on Monday, hopefully I'll have them finished.  I'm so excited, tomorrow I get to hang out with my friend Cami.  Me and Cami met when our husbands were in college up at Utah State.  We lived in the same apartments.   She's one of those kindred spirits.  Were going to try and hit every fabric store in Northern Utah :)!  

Hexagon Love!

 If someone would have told me in High School Geometry that I would have loved Hexagons this much I wouldn't have believed it.  I know...... most people take it in Junior High, but Math was never a strong subject for me.  I find myself wanting all my sewing projects to somehow involve hexagons.

It's probably pure laziness that I love them this much.  I mean there just isn't anything better then putting on a good movie and hand sewing some hexagons.  Right now I'm working on a Valentine project.  I loved making my Christmas Pillow so this this will be something similar to that, sorta.

Last night we had the prettiest snow storm that I just had to take pictures.    This is a picture of the outside of our house.   

I love it when it looks almost blue outside when it's snowing.  We live in a neighborhood with a lot of pretty, big, old trees and I love how they look in the snow.  I wish I could say I took these while a warm pot of soup was on the stove, but I took them from our car on the way to get Taco Time, it was one of those days.

baby it's cold outside!

It's been pretty cold here in Utah.  But honestly, I can't complain.  My twin sister lives in Calgary Canada and she would put me in my place if I did.  It has been a little colder than usual though.  I saw a tutorial for these cute little hand warmers over at Bee in my Bonnet (such a cute and fun blog).  I made one for my my oldest daughter and son and the neighbor boy they walk to school with.   They were a hit!  My son comes home from school wanting them warmed up too.    I love how the tutorial has you line them with flannel, it makes them a lot softer.  I'm thinking this would be the perfect Christmas gift for friends next year.

I have been busy sewing other stuff too, but I can show you yet.  It's my newest Moda project out of this fabric by Fig Tree that I just love.  It's called California Girl - I love it!  These are only a few of the cute prints and this picture does not do them justice.

Now for my critique of Downton Abbey.  Never mind - I still don't like Thomas.  Why does Matthews fiance have to be so nice and likable?  She's messing everything up  And there is my in depth critique,  Sunday evening seems like a month ago, I guess I don't remember much.

Not a normal post!

Have you ever visited a blog or followed it for so long that you felt like you almost knew that person?  Well, that is how I have been with the blog EBing a Mommy.  I think I found this blog soon after she started it and have been following it ever since.  It's about a two year old with a horrible skin disease called  Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa. 

I have fallen in love with this sweet little boy and his mom.  After such a horrible struggle with this disease, he is finally at peace.  Saturday he returned home to Heaven.   I cannot stop thinking about his sweet mom.  I can't even imagine what she must be going through right now.   I'm sure she is so happy he is finally free from pain, but the loss must be unbearable.

Her blog taught me so much.  It made me hug my kids tighter and try and be kinder.  Sometimes parenting can be so hard, it's easy to become frustrated and loose our patience.   This sweet mom just longed for the little things that parents like me take for granted.  She would have done anything to see Tripp run or talk or be able to eat or see.  My heart just hurts so much for her right now.

I feel like I'm just babbling on, not sure what I'm trying to say.  If you get the chance go and visit her blog.  Say a little prayer that she will be comforted and at peace.  I'm posting a poem she wrote to her sweet son, it's a tear jerker, but so beautiful.

I'll need a Pinky-swear

As he lies in my lap

And together we sway

I rock him to sleep 

And meanwhile I pray:

"Dear God, I know you can see us

And you're watching from above

Filled with sadness for him, as we are,

And equally in love.

I've never once asked You "why?"

Nor questioned if You were near. 

But I do have one request tonight, 

I pray that you will hear. 

When it's time for You to call him home, 

And my hope turns into despair,

I will need more than a promise from You,

I'll need a pinky-swear...

That you will hold him close to Your chest,

And say "I love you" all day long.

That you will rock him 'til your knees get sore,

And sing his favorite songs.

Tell me that You'll keep him safe,

So I will not be distressed.

Tell me that he'll will get his wings

And tell me he'll be blessed.

Let me know he made it safely,

Without a single blister or bleed,

Let me know that you will do MY job,

To fulfill his every need.

I have to know that you will love him,

Just as much, or more, than I do.

And when he finally speaks a word,

That You'll record it so I can hear, too.

My buddy is going to need Your help,

With so much yet to learn.

Like using a spoon, writing his name,

And having to wait his turn. 

God, please be patient when he tries,

For he's such a sweet and loving boy.

Please give him every thing he wants,

But make sure he shares his toys.

These are things I'll miss out on,

Like no Mommy should have to do. 

So don't let one milestone go unnoticed,

Please, I'm begging You.

He likes Elmo's ducks, The Three little Pigs,

Shoo Fly and Counting to Four.

Big Green Tractor, Rise and Shine. 

And when they stop, he'll tell you "more."

He holds certain toys in certain hands, 

And says yes with a big smile.

Please spend some extra special time,

And talk with him awhile.  

It breaks my heart to have to think

That he won't graduate from school. 

Or go to prom, or have kids of his own,

Or even break a single rule.

Tell him for me- please don't forget,

That I wanted him to stay. 

That I tried and tried to ease his pain,

But it was only YOU who knew the way.

I know you have a choir of angels,

Who play music while they fly.

And if they need a drummer boy-

Well, my Tripp, he's their guy!

You've probably seen it for yourself,

That he's one brave kid, indeed.

But he'll be scared if You have to leave,

So stay with him, I plead. 

If he has to go to Heaven first,

I'll make one promise back to You- 

I'll miss him every second he's gone, 

And spend the rest of my life trying to get there, too.

I hope that's not too much to ask,

And I trust You'll do your best. 

To fill my spot, just temporary, 

And answer my requests.

Thank in advance, Dear God.

Because I know You're a busy man. 

I trust in You and in Your Will

And know You have a plan."

Words just simply can't express

To my only son who just turned two-

How very much my heart will ache

If that rocking chair is without you.

So dear sweet angel baby of mine, 

If we ever have to say goodbye...

I'll rock you in my heart forever, 

Until we meet again in the sky. 

Journal Cover for a sweet friend!

It seems like I've been seeing these covered notebooks or journals everywhere on blogs lately.  So how could I pass up the opportunity to get a few new fat quarters and give it a try.  Plus it was my friends Birthday so I thought it would make the perfect gift.

I'm trying pay a little more attention to detail lately in my sewing.  I think that's one of the things I love about the blog Nana Company (I know, I'm obsessed), she does a lot of cute little extra things in her sewing that adds so much.  Anyways.............that's what I was going for in this little strip on the back, detail.   I found this lace at Walmart of all places and thought it would work great.

 

I don't know why it took me forever to figure out how to add these pockets for the book to slide into.  I don't know why I'm admitting it either.  Once I figure it out it was, I felt pretty stupid.

I'm not wild about the braided jute I used for the garland, but it worked.  I think small white ric rack would have looked better. 

I definitely will be making more of these.  I'm thinking they would make the perfect gift for Teacher Appreciation!

A Valentine re-post

I hope nobody will mind me re-posting this. I've had a couple of e-mails about it so I thought maybe it would be worth re posting. If you end up making one of these garlands, I'd love to see pics.

Supplies Needed

• Free printables (page 1, page 2)  Click to download
• You may have to join this site to use it, but it's easy and free
• let me know if you have problems, I can always e-mail it to you
• sheet each of 12x12 red and brown cardstock
• Old book you don't care about ruining
• Stapler
• Hot Glue Gun
• 3-4 Yards of red or brown ribbon (at least 1" wide)
• Brown ink pad (optional)
• Adhesive
  

STEP 1

• Cut out all your hearts
  Use the ugly gray heart as your template for the cardstock hearts
• You will need 4 red and three brown
• Ink the edges of red hearts
  Glue printed hearts onto cardstock with adhesive
  

STEP 2

Get ready or a lot of folding

• Cut your book pages so they are 3 inches wide
• Start folding, I made my folds about 1/4"
• Each round medallion will take 4 pages
• Staple them together at the ends
  
  

STEP 3

• Staple them together in a circle

STEP 4

• Hold center together and glue with hot glue gun
• Ink the edges and top of folds
  

STEP 5

• Using a dvd as a template cut out 7 white circles
• Cut to slits at the top and thread ribbon through
• Using your glue gun, glue medallion onto white circle
  
  

LAST STEP

• Do this for all 7 medallions
• Glue hearts on medallions
• Once this is done, tack eacy medallion togethor with glue

Now you should have a beautiful valentine garland.
The hardest part of this is definitely the folding.
Let me know if you end up making one, I'd love to see it.
If you have a chance, I'd love it if you shared the link
to this on your blog.

HAPPY VALENTINES!

My Finished Pillow!

It is finished!!!  Just in time for.......................well, to be packed away with the Christmas Decorations.  Oh well, it will make me more excited to get out the Christmas Decorations next Christmas.  I love how it turned out though.

 I'm actually sorta sad it's all done.  I REALLY enjoyed making this.  So much, that I think I will need to make a pillow for Valentines that is similar.  I gotta be honest. I've been going through my stash for Easter Fabrics too.

I decided to bind it in the brown polka dot fabric that I bought on a whim and so glad I did.  This is one I may buy more of just to keep in my stash.

For the back I just used some fabric I already had.  Most of this fabric is from a collection of Moda's, but it was a few years back.  Someday I will get out of my comfort zone of these dark fabrics for Christmas - maybe.

So did any of you watch Downton Abbey last night?  I was surprised - I think I'm softening a little towards Thomas.  I wanted to reach through the television and strangle Mr. Bates "wife".  Ok, and maybe I'm slow but the man Edith kissed was married right - seriously Edith, have you no conscience?  There is something fishy about with Mathew's fiance, if he doesn't Marry Mary I'm just going to - I don't know, boycott the BBC or something.

Have you been watching?

I'm so excited for this to start up again tomorrow night I can hardly stand it.  It's called Downton Abbey and I think I may be a little obsessed with it.  It took way too long for season 2 to start.

Crafty post coming on Monday - I just had to tell someone how excited I am for this mini series on PBS to start up again.  I seriously might make a poster out of this picture and hand in my living room.

I know, Christmas is over!

But seriously, when you see something this cute,  how could I not make it.  I discovered the blog Nana Company a few weeks ago.  It's DANGEROUS - she is so talented, I find myself wanting to make every darn thing I see on her blog.  I saw this pillow she made for one of her children and fell in love.

I LOVE the colors that she used, but I wanted to make something that would fit in with all my other holiday decorations, so I decided to stick with some fabric that I already had.  I have a table runner and table topper out of this fabric so it worked great, but still I love the vintage Christmas fabrics that she used.

I'm REALLY loving these projects with a little more hand work.  Maybe it's because I'd rather sit in front of the TV then the sewing machine.  My stitching isn't great.  I was too lazy to go and buy one of those disappearing markers so I just eyed it, except for the lettering - I'm not that brave.

Now for the fun part.  I'm working on sewing on the binding and getting her all plump and pretty!  It's a good thing too because today she posted another project I'm pretty sure I'm gonna need to make.

A new project for a new year!

And it just might take a year to finish this one but I hope not.  I have always wanted to make a Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt and when I saw this fabric from Fig Tree I knew it would be perfect.

Ok, so I'm not actually making an entire quilt.  I thought I'd start out with a table topper.  Honestly though, I have loved every minute of working on this.  I love that I can take it with me anywhere to work on.  At first I thought it would take forever, but once I got the hang of it, it started going along pretty  fast.

It was perfect to take on me and my husband's little trip to Las Vegas.  I do have to admit, I did get a few strange looks while working on it at the Las Vegas airport.  Geez, don't people sew or quilt in Vegas?  At least I came hope with all my money, AND some pretty flowers.

I have to admit, I'm not completely sure I'm doing in right.  I've seen some blogs where the thread is on the other side of the hexagons so I'm starting to wonder.  This method seems to be working good for me though so I think I'll stick with it.

I hope you all had a fantastic New Year.  Can't wait to see some of your projects for 2012!