Finally a finish!!

I have come to the conclusion that despite my best intentions I have a hard time actually getting my posts out in the . I tend to start each post shortly after I publish the last but it turns into a running dialog of weeks worth of thoughts, musing, rambling stuff. One thing is I really like to have pictures and it's not always convenient to steal my laptop from my kids to download from my camera.

I was on vacation from Wed 9th and returning to work Tuesday 15th was an awesome break!! I could easily be a very happy and satisfied full time homemaker. I shopped, I cooked, I sewed, (I really should have done some fall cleaning but I didn't) I had time for everyone (including myself) and was completely relaxed. It was wonderful! Back to reality though and the usual hectic routine.

I love these pumpkins! I finished them on the Thursday night of my vacation and filled them that Friday.

Here is a picture of the treats we brought over to our neighbor. We decided to give ahead of time, Baby is teething horribly right now not to mention he's growing like a weed. I was a bit worried the size 18-24 month slippers would be a too small. Hoping they can get a bit of use out of them and all the rest of his treats will be great for his gums. Turns out that my neighbors best friend works at the LQS and had made him a Halloween quilt with the same fabrics. I couldn't stop looking at the perfect stitches and binding.  To say I was impressed is an understatement.

My table runners had to be adjusted from the original plan, I thought I had it all figured out but when I did a check midway through the first I discovered that if I stuck to the plan they would be twice the width of the top they were going on. As I continued to work it just didn't look right (one of the fabrics had a stretch to it no matter what I did). So all of my progress went in the scrap bin and started fresh with a new pattern. Tops were sewn before Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, and have slowly been picking away at the hard part (quilting and binding). Maybe I'll have them done by next fall (sigh)

I was itching to work on Hexagons ... so I did. Back to my Christmas fabric. Apparently, I'm done with Hallowe'en already and ready for Christmas. Usually Hallowe'en is my favorite day of the year but this year I haven't the interest. Normally I've had loot bags prepped for weeks and am starting to decorate the front of the house. I caught myself about to tell Chris we should pull out the Christmas tree over the weekend. I think I'm losing it!

I've always had a hard rule no tree until Dec 10th and it comes down Dec 26th. Last year we broke the rule and put the tree up just before. We gave up on the real trees 2 years ago when we had to scramble on Christmas Eve to replace our Charlie Brown husk of a tree (again).  I think our house is too dry despite watering it (the tree not the house) constantly. We never bought from pre-cut lots but a tree farm where we'd go out into the bush, find, cut and drag back to the main house to pay for. So it wasn't a matter of it not being fresh bringing it home.

I did receive my orders for my fabric of the month subscriptions - I really love everything that came in this month!

Bargain Hunter - Fabric of the month

Batik - Fabric of the month

Kona Solids - Fabric of the month

Lastly, I think I gave Walmart a bad rap last spring. When I went to pick up the stuffing for my pumpkins, the fabric section seems to have tripled (I do take a quick trip to that aisle every-time I go but this was the first time it was actually full) I wonder if they stock up in fall and let the stock dwindle after Christmas until the next fall again ... I picked up a bundle of Christmas fabric that reminds me of my childhood Christmas's. I'm hoping I have less fraying with this fabric. I'm probably going to buy a Singer sewing machine from there for my oldest daughter for Christmas (no cats out of the bag - my kids don't read my blog). I'm going to price compare at the singer dealer (taking my old machine to be serviced). The one at Walmart was really well priced especially when buying for someone who isn't sure if she will enjoy sewing or not.

Sidetracked

Was another handful of busy weeks/weekends. Work has kept me hopping during the week and lots of running around (including a few trips to the fabric store and LQS) on the weekends

I did get my table runner figured out and have started working on the first. I really wanted to get one done by this weekend (HA HA like that was going to happen). Honestly, I was doing really well until I got sidetracked by... Pumpkin Candy Case tutorial

I minute I saw this I knew I had to make one for my mom & fill it with my dads favorite candy (I get my sweet tooth from him) win - win right!?! But that meant a trip to the LQS (I really didn't like the choices at the fabric store) to get some fun Halloween fabric. Chris helped me pick out the fabric this past Saturday morning. I had all the fabric (including some fussy cuts) ready to go by Sunday. He's been doing the stuffing for me. So far I have 3 almost completed (just the tops to sew and fill) and already bought a ton of candy to fill them (as tempting as it is I haven't opened any of the bags yet). The first one is I made is for me, the second for my parents and the third for our next door neighbours. Their son is 8 months old so I bought some little non candy treats for him as well.


Last week I checked out the Small blog hop. I didn't join in but I do love cruising the hops as a way to see what others are making that I may not see otherwise. The number of people I follow grows daily. Every morning I start my day with a coffee while reading those blogs. Does life get better than that?


I have to admit some times I feel intimidated by how much all of you can do and make it look effortless. Huge finishes in some cases weekly, incredible applique, fabric/thread work, designing your own patterns, or taking a simple (or complex) pattern and turning it into a work of art just by the colour/fabric choices and the love you put into it. Seriously it leaves me awestruck and inspired to keep going. I may never get to your levels but I will never get better unless I keep trying and I really find the process peaceful.

Have any of you followed Pile O' Fabric's skill builder block of the month? What did you think? Were the instructions and blocks basic enough for a newbie?

No pictures this time - my daughter has come to borrow my laptop again. My extra long weekend started today at 5 pm. Tomorrow morning I have a dr's appointment but the rest of the time is mine and I will be sewing. Hoping to get the pumpkin cases and my table runners done before Saturday. I'll try to get some pictures up by this weekend of my finishes.