My Final Hustle! :)

I'm linking up my final Hustle list over at Kelsey Sews!

Here's my list:

1. Finish  my lemon bars quilt from Fresh Lemons - All blocks are completed and squared done. I've started piecing them together.

2. Finish my Tula Pink quilt  (no pictures yet)

This is the quilt top!

3. Make a dress for a wedding we're attending in October

Sorry it's not a full picture of the dress but I love this picture from the wedding!

4. Reagan's Christmas dress

I made BOTH our Christmas dresses! Not the best picture of our dresses but a cute picture of us in them!

5. Finish up our Christmas stockings 

6. Reagan's stacking rings for birthday gift - almost done! We'll count it! 

7. Reagan's quiet book for birthday gift- almost done, too! 

8. Alphabet softies for Reagan's birthday - haha! this one didn't happen! at least not for now!

9. Finish my white cardigan (no pictures yet either...its in the wash)

10. Gray Burda dress Replaced this with the Weekender Bag  

11. quilting bee blocks: Color Bee Nov, Color Bee Dec, Simply Modern ALL,  Creative Blocks Nov, Creative Blocks Dec.

12. last pillow for the living room (I don't have a picture so I'm sharing my Christmas pillows picture instead!)

13. make 2 other garments for me: Christmas dress, black ruffle skirt, Christmas top

my Christmas top here!

14. Reagan's birthday dress and accessories - cut out and ready to sew up! 

15. one other project (it's a surprise) 

16. Megan Nielsen's Banskia Top for the sewalong (no pictures yet)

17. chalkboard frame project

Honestly, not sure if this one'll get done since I decided to add something else. Maybe I can just replace this one??? 

17.  Make Christmas stocking holders. - didn't happen! I just tacked them to the wall this year since we didn't have a good place to make them. 

18. re arrange kitchen cabinets (aka Reagan proofing)  

19. (NEW) Thanksgiving Outfit for Reagan- OOPS! made them too big so they're still sitting in my sewing room! BUT, I did make Reagan a Thanksgiving skirt, a bow, and a Christmas skirt! We'll count it as a win!

Things I made that weren't on my Hustle list: 6 kitchen aid covers, five drawstring bags, an SC Pillow and cover, two Christmas pillow covers, and a pillow for the Pillow Talk Swap. 

Not bad.  Of the 19 things on my list, I had only three that aren't done (and two that are sort of half done since I'm sewing frantically to get them all done up!). 

You can go HERE,  HERE, and HERE to read my previous posts about the Hustle.

I'm working on an end of the year post with pictures of everything I've made this year on it! You'll have to look it over and see if you can spot my Hustle list!

Variety is the Spice of Life

So my Etsy shop has been keeping me somewhat busy! I've been selling Kitchen Aid Mixer Covers left and right.

My first client selected a batik fabric called Over the Rainbow Batiks Sky Blue by Laundry Baskets for Moda Fabric, which is not really my thing, but it's came together beautifully. The fabric she choose is THIS one from Fat Quarter Shop.

 I lined it with marine blue Kona cotton. I used a turquoise color for the piping and bias trim. I quilted it a bit differently, and I love how it looks. Basically, I used a curvy stitch and made it tighter and looser by adjusting how quickly I moved the material through my machine. I did one tight line, three loose lines, one tight line, and it kind of created a striped quilted stitch. On the two side panels, I just did the tight curvy lines.

My second client selected this gorgeous black and white fabric, called Midcentury Modern Atomic Dot Ebony by Michael Miller found here.

I lined this one in a natural colored cotton duckl, and used black piping and edging, as per my customers request. This one is not quilted but has two outside pockets. It's really modern looking, and I love it! But then again, I'm kind of a modern (ish) girl. I love that the cotton duck makes it a little bit sturdier.

The third client selected this Joel Dewberry fabric for a quilted cover. It's from his Heirloom collection, called Heirloom Opal Dandelion. This one is lined in Kona Bone and I've edged it in natural piping and binding. I quilted this one in wavy lines again. I think it looks really pretty. I spaced them out a bit more than the turqouoise one.

Another client requested Kanvas Brown Kitty Paw. It's not quilted but it is lined also in Kona Bone (can you tell I LOVE Kona Bone), and has no pockets. I used black piping and edging for this one.

Lastly, I had a client who requested this Joel Dewberry fabric from his new collection, Notting Hill. I lined it with the Heirloom Opal Dandelion, which matched beautifully! I love it when fabric designers make previous collections coordinate with their new lines. This one was a simple cloth cover, with two pockets!

You can see the lining in this next picture!

Don't forget: If you'd like to purchase something from my shop (or if you've seen me make something here on the blog and you'd like one) I'd LOVE to work with you!! I can set up custom orders... :)

Simply Solids Swap!!!

Hey yall! Erin from Sew At Home Mummy and myself have decided to organize a fat quarter swap in honor of our upcoming Bee, Simply Solids: A Modern {Bee}. 

The Bee has international/regional groupings, and Erin is still looking to fill the mainland Europe and Australasia groupings.... but we are still accepting applications from all regions until December 31, 2012. 

Now, for the Swap!! :) The Swap is open to everyone, regardless of whether you are taking part in the Bee or not! 

Here are the rules:

Please read the rules carefully, and only commit to signing up if you know you'll be able to take part!

1. Only quilting quality, solid colored cottons will be accepted. No blenders, etc. allowed. If your package does not contain high-quality cotton, it will be returned to you. An example of high-quality cotton would be Bella, Kona, Connecting Threads brands, LQS homespun high quality cotton, etc. 

2. Each person will be assigned one solid color, and will be responsible for submitting 8 fat quarters, measuring at least 18" x 21", by mail to the organizer. For example, if you are assigned the color 'red', your 8 fat quarters of red cotton may be all the same shade, or multiple shades of red (you decide!). Please do not submit uncut yardage - please precut your submissions into FQs.

3. This is important when you mail your package of FQs to us... you must include a self addressed, self paid envelope for your return package. If you do not, you won't receive a package back. We are not responsible for shipping costs back to you. 

4. This swap is open to international residents (i.e. those outside of the U.S.). International residents, please note: You will have to pre-print and pre-pay your postage for your return envelope on USPS.com. You will also be required to fill out the customs declaration form. Again, if your package to us doesn't have a return envelope with postage paid, you won't be getting a package back. 

5. Important Dates:

December 31st, 2012: Deadline for sign up for swap

January 1st, 2013: Color assignments emailed out

January 31st, 2013: Deadline for mailing/submitting FQs to organizer

February 15th, 2013: (approximately, maybe sooner) FQs sent back to group

Remember, the speed at which this swap will occur depends on those submitting fabrics! The sooner the group submits their fabrics, the sooner yall get your packages back!

Updates of the swap will be posted here and on Erin's blog, Sew at Home Mummy!

Are you ready to swap??? Yippee!!!!! Erin and I are so excited yall are joining us! Click HERE to go sign up! Look for the super cute gingerbread to start signing up! 

Silence

 

To offer something more than silence, check out this site 

for a way to brighten the life for a child of Sandy Hook Elementary

If you're a needle and thread friend, check out this site
 for a way to make something for a child of Sandy Hook Elementary. 

Ten, Eleven...

I really haven't posted about the shooting in CT. I've tried to several times...don't get me wrong. And I may in a couple of days but it's still so hard to think about. I keep crying about it. I suppose it hits home even more because I'm a teacher and I'm a mom. So, today, I'll just say that I'm praying. I'm praying for teachers everywhere going to school today with new worries, for parents who are scared to leave their children at school, for the children who are scared, for the community in Connecticut.

I deliberately ... sort of... didn't post about Reagan's ten and eleven month milestones. I have notes written down in her baby book, but I kind of wanted to wait and do a BIG post on her birthday. She's growing so fast these days, and its incredible to see how we are progressing from the baby stage into the toddler stage.

She's been a real trooper the last couple weeks, as she has her first official cold. Not too bad...it's only taken 11 months. All three of us actually came down with it---and no, it didn't start with her at day care. She had it before she began. We're kept her out of day care a couple days so she can rest at home--thanks to a couple great grandmas and my hubby.

Even with our trip up to Pennsylvania (with colds and all)--she has done really well. She handled the car ride with only a few tears and cries..mostly when she was getting tired of being in the car. Thank goodness for Chick Fil A, as we stopped and let her play on the way up. On the way back, we left so early that it didn't really matter.

She's so her daddy's girl though...despite her cold, she loves to play "car".
I LOVE this smile!

please note that in this picture, we were at a rest stop and the car was completely off. 

I'm so excited for the holidays and to see how much fun she has with the wrapping paper and lights... I know she's still a little too little to get too into anything else! :)

Take care yall!

In Color Order Drawstring Bag Pattern Review

So, last week, I did manage to do a bit of sewing. Okay, so I did most of it before I started work but since it was the only sewing I did all week, it counts!!  I made a bag for me, a bag for Reagan and a bag for my Sigma Sigma Sigma alumnae chapter Christmas auction!

I used this lovely pattern/tutorial from Jeni at In Color Order. Three words (if you sew): GO BUY IT. So worth it. I swear I will probably be making millions of these forever. I'm completely and once hundred percent obsessed. I apologize in advance to, well, everyone who will ever get something from me! :) It'll probably come in one of these.

I made Reagan's first, using two fat quarters from a Riley Blake collection that I got for my birthday. I lined it in Kona Snow, so that way we could easily see everything inside it. Instead of making the ties, I just used some fun ribbon! I like how it looks with the ribbon. Reagan's is the "Project Bag", which is just perfect to hold all of her clothing items in her weekender/day care bag. :)

I made mine next, and kind of experimented. Mine is the "Everything Bag". It's perfect for holding all my essentials in my purse, in Reagan's diaper bag, in a tote bag... wherever. I made a block using this super pretty pattern from Blossom Heart Quilts. She has it as the ornament block in her Christmas sampler, but I thought it looked so pretty in other colors. The block ended up getting cut off a little but that's okay. I used a fat quarter block that's from the Koala Aboriginal inspired print (you can find a whole bunch of them here at the Canton Village shop), the top accent part is from Me and My Sister Good Morning Honeycomb Purple, and I lined it with purple from my Riley Blake collection (the same as Reagan's and my Christmas pillow). I LOVE it. :) It makes me happy every time I see it in my purse.

The last one that I made, I used the custom page on the pattern to make a specific size. I wanted it to be able to fit the South Carolina pillow that I made. It turned out to be a great size, and I kind of played around with the fabrics. I used a couple different Christmas fat quarters, and some white holly print for the interior lining. It looked super cute. I used ribbon for the strings on this one, too. Mostly because I thought it looked a touch more festive for the Christmas party. Happily, both the drawstring bag and the pillow were a big hit! Highest item at the auction, and they went to my friend and president of our alumnae chapter! She was determined to win them!

After making three different sizes, I have to say that this pattern is amazing! Jeni's directions are so clear, with pictures of each step. The different sizes, as well as the formula to make your own custom size, well, that's just amazing. I really like that she shows lots of samples with different fabric combinations. It's so helpful. Jeni has great taste in fabric combinations, which I see on her blog all the time.

P.S. Jeni has a fabric line coming out this spring! Guess who wants to get some of it? :)

Oh, I was NOT asked to share my opinion, nor was I compensated. I just love this pattern. 

Yall have a great day!! :)

Myers Briggs

Hey yall! :) One of the things that my new workplace does it conduct Myers Briggs Type Indicator testing... and I got to do it on me as a part of the interview process. My boss gave me my results this week, and I thought it was really interesting. I had done one years ago but never felt that it perfectly pinpointed me. This time, I think it really hit the nail on the head. Funnily enough, it was only one letter off but I thought the descriptions really matched more with me.

I am...

Wait, any guesses?

I should probably explain that there are four sets of letters that determine sixteen different personality types.

E (extroversion) or I (introversion)

S (sensing) or N (intuition)

T (thinking) or F (feeling)

J (judging) or P (perceiving)

The first line is where you focus your attention, the second is the way you take in information, the third is the way you make decisions, and the last line is how you deal with the outer world (meaning everyone else around you). 

I am a ... ISFJ. 

Which means: 

I for Introversion: People who prefer introversion tend to relate easily to the inner world of ideas and impressions.

S for Sensing: People who prefer sensing tend to be interested in what the five senses show them-what exists in the present.

F for Feeling: People who prefer feeling tend to base decisions on values and people-centered concerns.

J for Judging: People who prefer judging tend to like to have things decided: life is likely to be planned and orderly.

For those of you who know me,that's pretty much me to a tee. I love that in the report it says that those are you greater preferences but that we all use all 8 categories to different extents. Mine was really bumped out (like to the max on the questions) for Judging and Feeling.

Some of the key words used to describe ISFJ's are: 

quiet, friendly, responsible, conscientious

committed and steady in meeting their obligations

thorough, painstaking, and accurate

loyal, considerate, notice and remember specifics about people who are important to them, concerned with how others feel

strive to create an orderly, harmonious environment at work and at home

Sound like me, yet? 

The whole report was that way. I love when you take personality tests and they actually describe you. 

I got even more excited when I googled famous ISFJs...guess who else made the list?!

St. Teresa of Avila (Teresa de Jesus)

Louisa May Alcott

Lord Tennyson Alfred

Queen Elizabeth II of England

Robert E. Lee

Queen Mary I ("Bloody Mary") of England

President William Howard Taft

Johnny Carson (comedian)

Robin Roberts (Good Morning America)

Kristi Yamaguchi

President Jimmy Carter

President George Bush

Rosa Parks

Laura Bush

Keirsten Dunst

(found this here and here)

Looks like I'm in good company! :)

I know that I kind of took the week off from blogging last week. I promise that I'll get into more of a rhythm here over the next few weeks! I have several great posts scheduled and almost done, so don't go anywhere!!!  We're still all adjusting to me working.... :)

Take care yall and have a great day!

Through My Eyes

How do you make someone else see the wonderful things about your child? When I was teaching, I often utilized surveys and parent questionnaires to learn more about my students and their families. I thought that they were are great tool... but I definitely didn't understand how hard it must've been for parents to write about their child.

I get that now. I understand.

Since I am returning to the work world, Reagan will be attending day care. While I think we're going to be very happy with the day care we've selected, it's not the same things as caring for her at home. Not to say that one is better than the other... they are just different. Getting ready for day care is proving to be a big undertaking: supplies, labeling, and paperwork.

But, one of the papers that we had to fill out (because there is a TON, can I get an amen on that one?) was an infant room survey about Reagan. Many of the questions were fairly obvious: bottles, diapers, naptimes, food, crawling, comfort items, etc. But the last part of it was hard for me. "Please tell us about your child and anything that may assist us in caring for your child."

Please tell you about my child.

Where do I begin?


I could start by telling you how determined she is. How stubborn and persistent. How she amazed even the NICU staff by her short stay.

I could tell you that she has no fear, she's adventurous in ways that I never imagined.

I could tell you that she's curious, and has a thirst for knowledge. I could tell you that she will not rest until she's figured it out.

I could tell you that she is a fast crawler. That once she started crawling, that was it. She's unstoppable.

I could tell you that she likes mechanical toys, things that move or make music. She's not so much into dolls or more girly toys.

I could tell you that she is so smart. She figures things out, remembers them, and uses that knowledge over and over again. I'm amazed at how intelligent she really is.

I could tell you that she looks just like her daddy, has her grandpa's blue eyes, and her mommy's personality. And that our dog runs away from her now.



I know that her quick smile and big blue eyes will capture your attention. I hope that she will quickly worm her way into your heart. I know that you will never replace me. No one can. But I hope, I pray, that you will love my daughter. She is the most precious thing to me. How can I tell you all the ways I love and care for my little girl? How I make you fall in love with her? With discovering who she is?

So, I hope, dear day care workers, that this tells you more about my daughter. Yes, I'll explain the peculiarities of Reagan, her quirks and needs. And blog friends, after writing two pages about her, I figured I should stop. The staff at the day care probably didn't want a novel, right? But hey, a  mom can try... :)