Nov 15

new years day mq fabrics

epiphany.

that’s what i had.

when someone (who shall remain nameless, right lisa?) suggested (sort of) a new years day mystery quilt it was destined to be.

first of all, a design came to me in the early morning when i was half asleep.

(that’s how it usually happens)

then she mentioned it.

then i thought of doing the sewing machine campaign.

and this morning i attacked my jelly rolls with coordinating yardage to find that i had enough.

it was all meant to be.

so here are my fabrics.

pretty!

it’s the marisa line but is ages old.

i’m looking forward to testing it out.

all right.

to work i go!

Nov 15

it’s mustache day

she’s more impressive in terms of hair growth than her father!

lol

she makes me smile!

i haven’t posted much about actual quilting lately

but not to worry.

it’s here.

just need to take some photos when the light is good.

and it’s fall here in washington.

gray and foggy.

and wet.

hard to get good shots of quilts without making a mess of things.

have a lovely mustache-y day today!

Nov 14

sewing machines…

i’m doin’ the double whammy in the post-department tonight.

much to say.

but each item deserves it’s own post.

they are both that important.

chloe got her own spot and now it’s time for the machines.

i am raising money to buy 10 sewing machines that will go to asia to help widowed women support their families.

that is the short condensed version.

before i go into more, here’s the link:

https://www.mygfa.org/29z/

really, it’s not impossible.  we’re 65% of the way there!

and that’s in less than 24 hours.

why is this so important to me?

just over five years ago i was struggling.

i was a stay at home mom with a husband who was making poor life choices.

literally, i was afraid he wouldn’t come home at night.

not come home and i would be left to support our little family.

it was dire.

i was scared.

and so i prayed.

“Lord.  please give me something to do so if something happens i can support my family.”

two days later the phone rang.

my co-worker at the quilt shop told me a friend wanted a quilt top quilted and that i could do it.

seriously.

shortly after that someone else asked.

then someone else.

and so on.

then i decided to get a business license.

then i got a quilting machine.

and today this business really is an income contributor to our family.

it’s also given me the opportunity to reach out and help others in need.

what can one little sewing machine do?

in the hands of a great and powerful, personal and loving God?

you see, in asia, women are blamed for the deaths of their husbands.

they are stripped of everything they own.

they have to wear special clothing indicating their status as widows.

most have no skills.

their children are often sent to work.

they are often abused.

it is a breeding ground for human trafficking and worse.

one little sewing machine can change the entire destiny of a family.

how do i know?

it changed mine.

and if it changed mine it will change theirs too.

if you feel you’d like to please consider helping out.

you don’t need to contribute a lot.

any amount that you’d like.

the entire amount goes towards the machines.

none is withheld for administrative costs.

and thank you!

Nov 14

she’s 10!

my baby is 10.

in shock.

d asked me this morning, “do you remember where you were 10 years ago?”

right at that moment, when he asked, it was like 3am in australia.

i was probably passed out.

though the nurse did come into the room (when it was much too late) and told me that i needed to go to sleep.

she then, promptly, turned off the light.

watching baby chloe was mesmerizing.

i still remember looking at her in awe.

i still do.

Nov 11

family photos

our sweet and amazingly talented friend, laurine, took our family photos this year.

here’s a little sampling…

the last one will be my professional photo.

Nov 10

so close to done

that i can taste it.

but before i show you how close to done i am here’s where i ended…

that was clue 2.

and there it sat.

but then i ran out of thread for the quilt on the frame.

and what am i supposed to do?

housework?!?

(i know, banish the thought!)

well, truth be told, i did do housework…sort of.

d cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed the floors.

i cleaned the kitchen and made food, then cleaned the kitchen, then made food…

that’s the repeating cycle, isn’t it?

chloe’s friends arrived and the girls were having such a good time that i started laundry and…

sewed!!

through clue 3,

clue 4,

(wait!  there’s more!)

clue 5,

and clue 6!!

(shocking.  i know.  that i would actually get personal sewing time in. *gasp*)

as i’m typing this the borders are cut and sewn end to end just waiting to be attached.

however, little girls are all sleeping now and i really want to watch my movie.

brideshead revisited.

d doesn’t want to watch it.

good thing he’s at work!

i’ll be up late but it’s been such a satisfying day that i want to stretch it out just a little more.

just. a. little. bit.more.

oh!

the mystery quilts that are finished?

stunning!

amazing!

gorgeous!

i’ll post pics of them as soon as i get more than one.

:D

you’ll love them.

Nov 10

my morning

winter is coming!

this is what we woke to.

very pretty but very cold.

the building across from us with thick frost.

but before i woke to that i woke to this…

it’s movembeard!!

the idea is to grow a mustache/beard to increase awareness of prostate cancer.

this, my friends is 10 days of growth.

impressive stuff, i tell you!

there are all ready a few finished mystery quilt tops.

when they’ve sent the photos to me i’ll post them here for you to see.

it’s such a great quilt!

have a lovely day…

~ h

Nov 09

clue day!

last day of mystery quilt!

:(

really.

it’s so sad!

but the good news is that i get to (finally!) show you the mystery quilt i made for a friend.

:D

it’s fun!

i promise.

here it is…

what do you think?!?

:D

ha!  isn’t it great?

okay.

i love this quilt.

and i can’t wait to make another…several.

just a note here:

i did the advanced version but i used the beginner borders minus one of them.

plus i switched the dark and medium.

the back is a black minkee and really didn’t want the black to be overwhelming on the front.

*deep sigh*

just a little close up with the quilting.

on another note:

my foot is not broken!

yeah!!

there’s what the doc called ‘soft tissue damage’.

could be weeks.

going to be taking it as easy as possible with work and girls to look after.

and on another note:

did you see the shopping cart is all set up??

it’s so fun!

i can barely contain myself.

i am having problems with the member login page.

so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

as well, when you purchase the next mystery quilt please know that the fabric requirements aren’t finished yet…

oh, okay.

they aren’t even started.

i figured it would take me ages to set up the shopping cart.

(in my defense)

but it took me about 5 hours.

let me tell you that saved me about $800!

yep.

that was good.

obviously the wine is starting to kick in.

ha!

telling you a lot more than you really need to know.

if only we had heather-safe chocolate chip cookies.

have a lovely evening, my friends…

Nov 09

the scene of the crime

there are times when i amuse myself.

do you see this lovely baker’s rack?

my mom gave it to us.

it’s one of those pieces of family furniture that gets handed down and down.

pretty, huh?

i was listening to faster and louder by peter furler yesterday (doesn’t that just sound dangerous?) and was inspired to dance.

so there i was dancing and jumping like a crazy woman who feels 25 in a dance club.

i’m sure the fly on the wall was stunned by the sight.

i hope that no one was watching through the window.

so there i was dancing and jumping when i danced right into the baker’s rack.

i knocked over several items and hurt my foot on the bottom shelf…

right there next to the basket that is close to the edge.

it hurt.

i laughed.

and then my foot felt weird but i kept working because it didn’t hurt-hurt.

then i made dinner, and the girls came home, and we went off to swim lessons.

i sat for half an hour.

that was my undoing.

when i got up my foot was sore.

by the time we got home i had a limp.

by the end of dinner it was extremely painful, so much so that even touching it caused great pain.

compared to child-birth it was a ’9′.

it really hurt that bad.

i had to crawl as walking was far too painful.

so chloe got me set up with pillows a quilt, ice and arnica.

when d got home he gave me tylenol (he also laughed at me…it’s okay, i chuckled too).

by the time we went to bed the pain had subsided and i could very gingerly walk.

this morning it didn’t hurt to the touch.

however when i got up it still hurt to walk on.

who knew?!?

i must remember that if i must dance like a crazy woman then i need to do it in an open space nowhere near furniture that will cause me to injure myself.

i go to the doc this afternoon.

i’ll let you know what he (she?) says!