remember when...

Remember when you were in my belly?
No?
You were always so gentle.
No pokes or prods from you.
No fingers poking my rib cage.
You slept when I slept.

Remember when I woke up and thought of the most perfect name for you?

I started calling you that name right away. Right then and there at 4am when I got up to go pee because you were sleeping on my bladder.

I called you your name before I even talked it over with Daddy.

Remember when I listened to Sinatra REALLY loud when we were home, just me and you?

and you swayed inside my belly as though you were dancing.

Remember when you stayed so still that I thought something may be wrong?

I was so scared for you that I called Nana quick and then daddy and then rushed Bubby and Pumpkin still in their pj's to the hospital?

Remember when they told me you were fine and I cried happy tears?

I loved you so much already.

Remember a year ago this very minute when I was in labour?

When soon we would meet face to face.

You shot out so fast that amniotic fluid flew airborn almost hitting the nurse! :)

You came so fast and the doctor almost missed it all?

Do you remember you were perfect?

Perfectly you.

Our sweet little Bear.

Happy first birthday tomorrow, Bear.

I'm making you a train cake.

CHOO! CHOO!
We love you so very much!

WIP Wednesday #2

Happy Wednesday to you!
It is for me because I got quite a bit done this week again!

woo hoo!!!

It's warm here--who am I kidding! it's HOT here!

So sewing in my basement has been an absolute pleasure :)

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Finished: Zip. Nada. Zero.

Still Going:

Bizzy Kid - unfortunately no pic this week because my cutting progress was meager at best, but I do have a couple fabrics on my "to purchase" list and then I'll be able to go gung ho...

STATUS: fabric cutting has slowly begun--awaiting specific fabrics

Sew Cherry whirligig quilt - this fabric is beautiful! In fact I don't want to waste even a tiny bit of it so I did a practice block with some scrap fabrics instead.

STATUS: ready to cut fabric

UFO's:
-Sultry disappearing 9 patch
-my sewing space-project "scraps"
-DS Scottie Dog pillow
-Make Life... Easy Bake quilt
-A La Mode cross quilt

New:

Synchronized Squares quilt along - lead by Rachel of P.S. I quilt and I realized it was perfect for my pumpkins gone wild charm pack that I've had for way too long!
Rachel is doing it with layer cakes so I modified the pattern to make it with charms and 7 inch background blocks. Even though my blocks are bigger I realized to make it a decent size I needed another charm pack...

This week I have 1 finished block and a pile of blocks ready for construction...
SPECIFICS: Synchronized Squares quilt along by Rachel of P.S. I quilt. Using Pumpkins Gone Wild charms by Sandy Gervais for Moda (OOP)

STATUS: my second set of charms arrived today so I will be able to continue on with making blocks
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WIP Wednesday #2 Recap:

last week's total: 7
finished: 0
new: 1

This week's total: 8

Friday Favourites--Read Me

I love a good stack of books!

That's something my dad and I shared--the love of a good book.

He used to tell me

"if you can read and write, you can do anything."

I believe he may have been right :)

I noticed the other day that I have ALOT of "book" favourites...

1. Bookshelf Quilt, 2. Scrappy Linen Tote - Tutorial, 3. Common Threads book block, 4. Jack's jungle quilt, 5. Rainbow Books, 6. Quilt for Mrs Z, 7. Better shot - Finished MMM bookshelf mini-quilt, 8. Patchwork Book Collection, 9. Stacks of Books

Read any good books lately?

WIP Wednesday #1

So here we are again looking at my progress on my works in progress....
some weeks are more productive than others and this week I was more counter productive really...

Let's just say I did ALOT of seam ripping this week!

haha! gave the old seam ripper a good workout!

and honestly, you won't believe what I chose to work on this week! honestly I can't believe it either!

So let's get started!

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Finished:

Sugar Pop n' Change fall quilt top!!

I know! I did put it away after last week's little photo session but then my hubby wanted to sit out on the deck on Sunday night. I figured since we were going to be chatting I might as well do some seam ripping and this project box was still sitting out on my sewing table.

Once I got it ripped apart hubby saw instantly where my problem area was and helped me solve it. And then I guess I couldn't stop until I saw it complete!

thanks to the hubby for his encouragement and his master photo taking abilities in getting a clear photo of my now finished quilt top--YAY!

STATUS: this is going away for awhile--I mean it this time!

Still Going:

my sewing space - I was inspired this week by a podcast I listened to (while folding laundry) pointing me in the direction of really organizing my scraps. I've had leftovers from several projects spilling over everywhere in my studio so it was time to tidy.

These are the remnants of ripping apart extra blocks from this quilt.
I removed and threw out the cheap sheet fabric and saved the fabulous designer fabrics.

I'm not done yet but it's a step in the right direction

STATUS: more slicing and dicing of scraps and organizing bins need to be purchased

Sultry disappearing 9 patch - I figured out to get it the size I want I need 10 more quarter blocks. so I did cut some more fabric for the blocks but didn't get any further.

STATUS: need to sew 10 more quarter blocks

UFO's:

-DS Scottie Dog pillow

-Make Life... Easy Bake quilt

-A La Mode cross quilt

New:

Sew Cherry whirligig quilt - received my fabric super fast! I will be using my Square it Up templates to begin my blocks.

SPECIFICS: Sew Cherry layer cake by Lori Holt to make a whirligig quilt using these templates made by my friend Jodi

STATUS: cutting fabric this week

Bizzy Kid - after purchasing my pattern I immediately pulled this pile of fabrics I have been saving. The focus print for this pull is the great Starling fabric (bird print) from Alexander Henry.

SPECIFICS: Bizzy Kid pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew available HERE

STATUS: fabric cutting will commence shortly

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WIP Wednesday #1 Recap:

last week's total: 6

finished: 1

new: 2

This week's total: 7

Friday Favourites--Over the Rainbow

Lately I have been a little obsessed with rainbows :)

I think it's been ever since Pumpkin had her rainbow birthday party

A rainbow just makes me feel happy!
Hope your weekend is filled with big puffy white clouds and rainbows!

1. april 2011 do. good stitches, 2. rainbow stairs, 3. Baby quilt - for baby William, 4. Rainbow (surprise) Cake, 5. Starry Path, 6. Mug Rug Practice, 7. Pencil roll, 8. Color Wheel Quilt :: hand quilted, 9. Not Square Mini ! ;)

She made me do it!

Bizzy Kid quilt pattern

photo stolen...ahem... borrowed from Alison of Cluck, Cluck Sew

oh yeah. I bought it.
I HAD TO!
SHE left me no choice.
It's fabulousness just overcame me and before I knew it I hit the paypal button.
you can do it too... here

I'm pulling fabrics now.... :)

a work in progress

That describes my sewing space perfectly.

A work in progress.

A couple of weeks ago I got the best deal on some plastic tubs at Canadian Tire.

Like almost free kind of cheap!

so of course I bought lots!

and then I went back and bought more for my scraps-larger ones...

the smaller ones are shoebox size and they fit my other WIP's perfectly!

which made me and the hubby happy.

less than $15 = happy hubby

organized sewing space = happy ME

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so what are these other WIP's?

Well there are more than I'd like to admit....

AND this does confirm to my hubby that I'm good at starting but not so great at finishing...

but it's all relative--

and now that I'm organized--it'll be so much better!

I've told myself that once there are no more boxes for a project then I can't begin anything until I finish one--so on with the show

this one is a scottie dog for my dear middle child who has asked for a "dark blue" polka dotted dog stuffy.

SPECIFICS: Scottie Dog (free) pattern from Denyse Schmidt HERE

STATUS: so far the front patchwork is done and the back will be made from the royal blue felted sweater in the picture

Next up, a quilt made with a layer cake of my fave Sweetwater fabric called MAKE LIFE...

this quilt is a modified Disappearing 9 Patch using a special cutting method

SPECIFICS: Easy Bake pattern by Cluck Cluck Sew available HERE

STATUS: blocks completed...now I have to sew my quilt top together

now this quilt has been put away for a good reason.

I'm mad at it.

Mainly, it's just not going together right and is just not playing fair.
So I put it away and was going to leave it there for a LOOOOOONG time but then taking it out to take these photos did spark a tiny desire to see it finished....

and then as I folded it up and put it back in it's tub--and saw all the stray threads--

I remembered all the seams I've ripped out on this baby and it may stay out of my sight for a bit longer :)

SPECIFICS: fall quilt adapted from the Sugar Pop n' Change (free) pattern

STATUS: retired until further notice

These lovely blocks were gifted to me from Heather Bostic of (House) of A La Mode fame.

She was making a quilt in aqua, grey and orange 'til her hubby nixed the orange and then lucky me!

So far there aren't enough to make a quilt the size I'd like so I need to add to it...

SPECIFICS: inspiration quilt HERE

STATUS: blocks in progress

Lastly, probably my most favourite project at the moment.

A quilt for my pumpkin's bed (double) made with the love Sultry fabric by Basic Grey for Moda.

Using a couple of layer cakes to make an oversized version of the Disappearing 9 Patch.

Take a good look at this fabric--isn't it so pretty?

I just love it in all it's pinks and limes and browns.

thanks to my mom who understood my need for this fabric and came to my aid with her credit card until I could pay her back--now that's love! Thanks mom!

SPECIFICS: Disappearing 9 patch (oversized) --my first bed quilt

STATUS: initial blocks sewn--slicing and dicing, trimming and quilt top sewing in progress
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So I guess that's most of them that I'm working on however I have tons more swimming around in my head.

And I may have just purchased a layer cake of Lori Holt's new line "Sew Cherry" to make a quilt for someone super special but it won't do to name names at the moment

*wink wink*

Dear John...

I had terrific potato salad this weekend and it reminded me of you.

Your potato salad will forever be my favorite!

Although your cryptic recipe forever leaves me trying to duplicate it but never quite mastering it!!

We had a campout in the neighbour's backyard.

12 adults, 13 children--tons of excellent food!

and running toilets--totally your kind of event.

What also made me think of you was that it was your wedding anniversary.

I called mom.

I think she had a hard time of it this year.

Not that I can blame her. We all miss you.

I sometimes sit and wonder what if you hadn't "ditched us for heaven".

If you were still here, happy and healthy, how life would have ended up.

What would you be doing?

Would you have visited us for Canada Day?

Would we have had a huge celebration to commemorate your wedding day?

I know that there will forever be a little part of every celebration that is missing something.

that something is you.

oh--

and it will always be missing your potato salad because that recipe you left me is waaay too vague!

LOL!

love,

your daughter.