flip-flops, toddlers, and travel . . .

Not too long ago, I saw a Pinterest pin that really caught my eye.  It was a wreath, for one thing (which if you've ever seen my wreath board on Pinterest, you know I have a thing for wreaths) and it was made up of flip-flops and daisies, for another, which simultaneously made me smile and brought to mind my dear friend Miranda, who loves both.  I just knew she needed to have this wreath ... whether she made it or I did!  I sent her a link ... and she fell in love with it ... and next thing you know, she's purchased the supplies and we're having a wreath-crafting day!

First we laid out the grapevine (which was huge -- 24") and placed the flip-flops and flowers about where we wanted them.  Then I took a picture so that when I took it all off again, I had a reminder of where we'd put things in the first place!

It took us about three hours (of course, we did visit and chat in there, too), but I definitely think the final product was worth every minute!

I think we've created a monster . . . she told me she now needs a wreath for that space for Spring, Fall and Winter!  LOL!

I spent last evening with my Sawyer.  We had a grand old time!!  We built block houses . . . 

And Sawyer pretended he was the demolition crew!

He had his stuffed dinosaur friend and his Dinos Roar quilt with him . . .

An orange popsicle after dinner made for a fun treat!  I love that grin!

He's a very good teeth-brusher, too (which he needed to be, especially after that popsicle!) . . . 

A new library shirt sent from his Great Grandma and Grandpa in Maryland!

Dream Big!  Perfect for a sleep shirt!

Night-night time ... all tucked in with his quilt.  

This sweet picture does this Neesey's heart a world of good!

And finally, this week's Foto Finish theme on Cat Patches is "travel".  I've been incredibly blessed in my opportunities to travel all over the United States and to many countries, as well.  But I think the trip that was most eye opening to me was the trip to Moscow, Russia, in November, 2004.

This shot was taken in Red Square and is of St. Basil's Cathedral.  On the left you can see the hotel where we stayed ... the Rossiya Hotel, which held the official record as the world's largest hotel for quite a number of years, but now no longer exists.  It was demolished just one year after our visit.  It was an incredible trip.  Looking back through the pictures I took, it finally dawned on me why so much of the architecture there is painted or gilded so brightly ... because the sky is always so grey!  Linking up to Cat Patches' Foto Finish with this one!

Happy Saturday!

:)

stash report #19 and a *roar* . . .

Nothing new this week:

Used/donated this week: 0.0 yards

Used/donated year-to-date: 12.25 yards

Purchased/added this week: 0.0 yards

Purchased/added year-to-date: 56.25 yards

Net used/donated for 2012: -44.0 yards

 

I've got a couple of quick projects in mind for the next week or so which will come from stash, so there should be some changes next week!   As ever, linking up with Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times for the weekly stash reporting!

 

Now, just because there's nothing to show above, doesn't meant there's nothing to show at all!  I finally got Sawyer's dinosaur quilt finished (which was included in an earlier stash report):

Dino's Roar is its name.  I love this little quilt ... I hope he does, too!  I had enough of the dinosaur print left over to make him a little bag to hold his quilt. 

And I may have made it roomy enough to throw in a pair of pj's ... and I added a little pocket just the right size for a toothbrush.  Just in case.  You know, if he wants to spend the night with his Neesey!!  I'll get it to him this afternoon.  Whoohoo!  And the greatest thing?  I did not spend a dime on fabric or batting or thread on this quilt *and* I can cross a UFO off my list!  YAY!

 

My folks travel into town this afternoon and we're all looking forward to spending time with them this week!  They will be meeting Ellie for the first time!  Should be fun.

 

That's it for me; we're off to worship this morning ... have a glorious Sunday!!

 

:)

day late and a dollar short . . .

Once again I find myself playing catch-up!  This weekend was the first time a in a long while that I missed a day posting.  Ah well, I expect that it will happen again soon . . . like this week.  Priorities!

Week 12 stash report for this week is a good one:

Used/donated this week: 5.0 yards

Used/donated year-to-date: 9.75 yards

Purchased/added this week: 0.0 yards

Purchased/added year-to-date: 31.75 yards

Net used/donated for 2012: -18.25 yards

Even though I'm a day late, I'm still going to link up to Patchwork Times for the weekly stash report.  I'm really hoping I get to add a huge amount to next week's intake!

Glad Joc is not doing a weekly stash report.  Remember these sweet photos?

Each week she uses a new yard of fabric, which means there's a LOT of fabric purchases by Jocelyn.  When I was watching Ellie last Friday, Joc purchased some new photo 'props':

 

Aren't they pretty and fun?!  Glad I'm not having to make a quilt out of ALL of that fabric!  We're thinking some cute outfits will come out of this stash, too!

The outage is Sawyer's dino quilt . . . which is also what is not on my design wall.

It's sandwiched and ready for the machine.  I remembered last week why I'd sworn off any quilting projects unless they were "quilt-as-you-go" projects as long as we're living in the RV.  Gracious!!  That wasn't even a full twin-sized quilt and it was a booger to put the layers together.  But don't you love the fabric I'm using for the back?  A perfect match for this darling little quilt.  Again, stash ... I've not had to buy a single thing for this quilt -- it's really practically made itself!  Be sure to head over to Patchwork Times to check out other design walls!

Saturday we celebrated Sawyer's birthday.  Kim did a great job setting out a wonderful spread!

And little man had a blast.  He was so much fun to watch!  Especially when it came to birthday cupcake and blowing out the candles . . .

 

 

Oh yeah, that cupcake was goooooood . . . or at least the frosting was!

Ellie joined the party ... but just barely!  She had her party outfit on and everything ... such a cutie!  She's already whispering ideas to her mama for her first birthday party.

I saw this photo and had to include it here . . . do these kids have a chance?  Between Jason and his super-huge camera, James with all his high-tech video gadgetry, and me with my point-and-shoot ... yeah, like Todd says, the most highly photographed kids in the world!!

They're betting today's temps set a record high for our area.  Upper 80's.  Tomorrow is the first day of spring.  Wow!

Hey, ya' know what?!  Have a GREAT Monday!!

:)

all boy, all two . . .

What a fun visit we had with the birthday boy, yesterday!  Of course, he had no sooner gotten in the door and he was ready to head back out to go for his 'ride' with Paw-paw on the golf cart!  When they got back, Sawyer was quite happy to stay outdoors -- he so loves being outside.

He is also at that age where stairs hold particular fascination.  He spent the next thirty minutes going up . . .

Then back down . . . 

Only to head right back up . . . 

To then again make the trip down.

It tickled us, too, how determined he was to take those steps on his own.  We're very blessed to have that little iron porch and landing.  When I first had my accident, my boss had the setup made so I could easily get in and out of the RV.  If you've ever seen the steps that go into an RV, you'd know they're hardly manageable with crutches!  Anyway, he built the steps a little shorter to make them easier for me -- and easier for a two year old, too!

All too soon it was time to head home for nap time!

 Happy birthday, my sweet little fellow!  Thanks for coming by to see your Neesey and Paw-paw!  His birthday party is this coming Saturday.  He's having a "mustache" party!  Kim told me that when she held up the mustache to his face, while they were looking in the mirror, he just laughed and laughed!  Saturday should be great fun!

Hopefully, I'll have the Dino quilt finished up.  I've got the top finished . . .

I'm so pleased with how this turned out!  Now to get it sandwiched and back in the machine!!  I'm doing simple stitch-in-the ditch quilting and outlining the dinosaur shapes.  Hopefully it will go pretty smoothly and quickly.  I've got until 3:00 pm on Saturday!  Whoop, whoop!!!

Now I'm off to spend some quality time with my Ellie -- and to vote!!

:)

happy birthday little man!

 Seems only appropriate that this is up on my design wall this happy Monday . . .

It will definitely need the dark blue sashing to make each block pop, I think!  Fast and furious today -- check out other design walls by visiting Judy Laquidara's Patchwork Times! 

I've got birthday wishes to sing . . .

I can hardly believe it's been two years since my Sawyer-boo was born!  And, he's headed my way so I can give him some happy birthday sugars!  Yay for me!

Happy birthday, my darling little man!!!

:)

dinosaurs -- dyn-o-mite . . .

Todd did me the favor of pulling out my tub of  "projects" from the basement.  I was looking for the blocks I'd made in the Patches & Stitches BOM in . . . 2008?  Yes.  Because we did these six blocks the first half of the year, and the blocks that went into the feathered stars (of which I have to complete one for this month's UFO project) through the second half.  That was nice -- two projects in one year.  Both of which are as yes, unfinished.  Haha!  Anyway, he pulled the tub out for me and I pulled out the *perfect* blocks for the dinosaurs.

Aren't these perfect with the dinosaur fabric?  The colors couldn't be better between the two!

Need a closer look? Even the little print in the blocks is animals -- elephants, lizards, lions, and snakes . . . 

With dinosaurs.  Just perfect.

I'd even purchased and set aside with the blocks the fabrics for the offsetting blocks and the fabric for the border.

*And* the instructions!  Go me!

I've cut out the seven dinosaurs I want to use . . . 

I'm going to fuse them to the background blocks and then machine applique them on.

There's only six blocks, but I couldn't choose only six dinosaurs, so I'm pairing the pterodactyl and the triceratops.  They look good together, don't you think?  

Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to use to sash the blocks together--something navy, I'm thinking.  I'm going to use scraps from the original blocks as cornerstones at the sashing intersections.  What a fun piece this will be for my little man!!

And, for my down time, I've got the current issues of Tea Time, Celebration, and Southern Lady to enjoy!  There are some *fun* tea party ideas in all three!  I'll be in tea-party heaven!!

Whoohoo!!!  Oh, and I *did* spend yesterday afternoon with Jocey and Ellie -- but can you believe I left my camera at home?!?  UGH!!

:)

settling back in . . .

What a fun day yesterday was ... and I didn't even spend any time sewing!  LOL!  I spent the day with Sawyer, while Kim put in time working to set up for the big Kid's Consignment shop for the spring sale.  The weather was so glorious, we spent most of the morning outside.

Little man really enjoys being outside and could find things "to do" for hours!!  He's *so* busy!

And everything outside is interesting to him.  A blade of grass, an acorn, a dandelion, a leaf -- they're all worthy of his inspection, wonder and awe.  Ah, to view creation through the eyes of a child again.

And then there's balls . . .

Kicking, throwing, catching and fetching . . . balls make for endless hours of outdoor entertainment!  We had a lovely day together and I enjoyed spending so much time with him.  His vocabulary has gotten bigger since the last time I saw him and it's such fun to listen to him try out new words.  And he parrots *everything* he hears, which is such fun!

One of his new words is "dinosaurs".  I was *so* glad to learn this!!  I recently won some dinosaur fabric from Frances, over at One More Quilt -- she had leftovers from a project she'd made.

I had originally thought to use it in an I Spy quilt, but I guess I hadn't paid close enough attention to the picture of the fabric . . .

Because the dinosaurs are WAY bigger than the blocks I'm using for my I Spy quilt!  But the minute I saw it, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them.  I've got six blocks from a 6-month BOM I did in 2008.  The fabrics were bright, primary colors with worms and wigglies.  The demo quilt in the shop matched these blocks with applique animal blocks -- cats, dogs, ducks, etc.  

 

But those blocks didn't appeal to me, and I never did find something that I wanted to put it together with.  Until the dinosaur fabric arrived!!  I'm going to put six different dinosaurs in the center of blocks and put together a "big boy" quilt for Sawyer!  My only concern was that Sawyer might be intimidated by the dinosaurs, so I took the fabric with me to show him.  I was so tickled to see him point to the stegosaurus and hear him say "dinosaurs!"   And then he 'roared', because that's what dinosaurs do.  I think this is a quilt that was destined to be!!  Thank you, Frances!!

After my day with Sawyer, I went and spent the latter part of the afternoon with Joc and Ellie.  It was a quiet afternoon of snuggling and cooing and rocking ... and since I was contentedly holding Ellie, I didn't capture any snapshots!  I did want to share this one that Joc had from Everett's birthday . . . 

Do you see that sweet little smile on my girl's face?!  Joc did a lovely post about their day over on her blog. 

Today I need to get back into the swing of things ... laundry, cleaning, cooking ... I need to work!!

:)