Hello, old friend...

spring has begun :)

"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end."

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

I thought I'd be...

Calmer. Cooler. More in control.
not ridiculous, but poised, witty even.

so. not. the case.


I stuttered and probably spoke in sentences that made no sense.
I spoke fast. Like lightning speed.

My voice wavered and I don't think I let her get a word in.
Oh. stupid. me.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I just got off the phone with the celebrated Do It Yourself-er Kim of the DIY dish girls.
and let me just say that I think they are awesome, both she and Kris.

Why did I have this super chummy chat with Kim you ask??

well let's back track...
I just bought their DVD.
Yes this one...


On SALE for $10 bucks till friday! (May 27, 2011)

This DVD is chalk full of ideas for your kids to make and do this summer!

Not convinced? check out this excerpt from the video:



My kids and I used this video clip to make a gardening apron for my daughter and a tool belt for my son--they loved it and really connected with the video!

so anywho.... I ordered it and had a question but my email wasn't working and at the bottom of your invoice is a phone number.


so I dialed it.


and KIM picked up!

and I went on and on like a gas-fed duck and she was super friendly and didn't even seem to notice what an absolute dork I am!

moral of the story?


buy this DVD for your kids, your grandkids, for birthday gifts, and just because--it's a wealth of crafting fun!

p.s. by the way, I am in no way being compensated for this review-- I just knew when I saw it on sale that I HAD to have it!

Blogger's Quilt Festival

Hello to all visiting from the Blogger's Quilt Festival!

Welcome!

I am Kelly and I am John's Daughter.
And this is my story.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My father, John, died of Lou Gehrig's disease 3 years ago this past February.

We were very close.

In amidst this turmoil I felt idle as my parents lived 9 hours away from me.

So I began to create.

As my father's illness progressed he lost weight and was cold all the time.

That Christmas I gave him a blanket.

A quilt actually.

Made from thrifted wool sweaters.

It was an idea born of idle fingers and a need. (and a little inspiration from Betz White)

Once completed, I realized that making that blanket had been theraputic for me.

As well as for my dad.

He loved it and it was well used for 2 years.

Upon his passing, I spiralled into a world of self pity and doubt.

I tried to get away from things by spending much time on the computer.

I blog surfed. I read. I devoured.

Quilting.

I taught myself.

or should I say the blogosphere did.

Either way, when the most wonderful Dana of the Old Red Barn Co. began a quilt along, I dived in.

And my creation was for my son.

I had sewn for my daughter. Girls are so cute and frilly and fun to sew for, but my boy deserved some handmade.

I began with some $4 sheets on sale at our grocery store.Unfortunately for me I hadn't realized that real quilter's used 100% cotton, as my sheets were a poly blend.
I added in other fabrics like Katie Jump rope and Monaluna (which at them time I didn't realize that these fabrics were of demand--I just liked them)

The quilt top sat for about a year. W a i t i n g .
I realized one day that I was afraid of it and after a chat with my very supportive cousin, I backed it in one of the sheets, quilted it with my walking foot (my first time) and bound it.

Within 4 days.

So here it is, my Therapy Quilt.

It's not perfect in theory, but it is now offering my son comfort on his bed.

That is what makes a quilt perfect. Not the quality of stitches that go into it but the love in every stitch. You can almost feel it when you wrap a quilt around you.

Since beginning this quilt 2 years ago, I've accomplished many handmade projects and 2 other quilts.

After completing a few more quilts, my goal is to begin making lap quilts for the ALS Association in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Do you do any charity quilting?

what's your favourite cause?

Thanks for visiting and feel free to pop by anytime :)
I'll be here :)

Let me sew!

(PICTURE HEAVY POST AHEAD)

here is an update in pictures as to what I've been up to in the sewing room lately...

all the blocks for my 3 x6 mini bee grey and yellow quilt that I have received so far

3x6 mini bee 1st quarter, 2011--block made for myself

March blocks for H2B2

3x6 mini bee 4th quarter, 2010--block I made for myself

3x6 mini bee 1st quarter, 2011--blocks made for others

Barn block made for a "town" quilt--H2B2 March block

SUPER long overdue blocks (I forgot about them!) for Ana--Tethered Threads 2 block swap

I've been pretty lazy in the sewing department lately :(

but am getting back on the wagon today so I have something new to show you by the end of the week--that's my plan, anyways :)

Scrappy Mug Rug Madness!

Remember when I told you about my Mug Rug Swap?

Well I just finished another one and I realized I never actually did show you what I did for the first one back in 2010...

so let's start there... this is the one I made for my partner...

using Make life fabric :)

the back--My fave!

and this is what I received! soooooo spoiled I am!

So fast forward to the beginning of March 2011... This is what I sent to my partner...

She likes vintage and pleats and bright colours. I used a vintage pillow case and added in some brown pleating.

Topped it off with some free motion quilting--first time EVER!!! (thanks to my handsome hubby and my SWEET Janome Horizon sewing machine-score!)

Well, I hit a home run on this one--she loved it!

and then I received the most fabulous mug rug Sweetteamom .

She put so much thought and detail into it! I love the rainbow and she snuck in some of my fave Make Life fabric (the red word fabric) and then the grey cross is to symbolize my dad in that he's always with me in my heart! AWWWWWW!

She totally cared! And I love it!

I kinda don't want to spill coffee on this one :)

Do you ever....

Do you ever go through the day forgetting you're a Christian? (I mean, assuming you are a person of faith--if you're not, why not?) I do. I mean, I did. Today. Until now. I sometimes go through my day without consulting God. Without acknowledging His presence. Ignoring the fact that everything I have is because of Him. That the very breath I breathe comes only by His permission. How I can forget and just move through my day making other things priority over God, considering all He does for me daily? It is truly sad. and selfish. I must fix this in my life. Because reading that blog post, or sewing that quilt block isn't near as important as I think it is most of the time. All God asks of me is to check in with Him daily. Get to know Him a bit better with every year that passes. Appreciation. Really He's looking for no more than we strive for ourselves. And He deserves it way more than anyone else. Thank you Lord for blessing me and my family today. Giving you the credit, God.

Connecting Threads

What do this quilt...

and this quilt....
have in common?

Well they're not quilts at all!

well, not yet anyway!!

Have you ever visited Connecting Threads??
you should!

Both of these quilts are designs that I made using their on site Kit Builder and both quilts made honourable mentions in their most recent Kit Builder Quilt Contest!!

Their fabrics are affordable, beautiful and quality cottons!

They offer sampler packs in fat quarters, stacks (10" squares), and charms (5"squares) as well as yardage in solids and prints, funky and traditional.

They also have thread, quilting tools and this amazing option of the Kit Builder on their site.

You just download a pattern, and it lets you pick and choose how to make that design with any of their fabrics and then calculates fabric amounts and puts it right into your shopping cart if you choose!

Both of these quilts were free downloads but they are now adding quilt designs by designers!!!

so cool!

Connecting Threads is sending me a fabric stack (10"squares) of their entire solid collection.

OOOOOOOOOH I cannot wait!!

Thank you Connecting Threads!