Halloween Swap

It has been a rainy week again around here. Perfect for sewing and greening the grass, if nothing else! I knew I wanted to get started on these blocks this week and from looking at other blogs, it looks like other swappers have the same idea---get 'em done early! I am using fabric in my stash for the 9 patch. It's called Ride at Your Own Whisk by Pat Yuille. For the custom block I need to make, I might look this week while I am out shop hopping for something fun to use. Will give me a reason to shop with a purpose. :)

 

Utah Valley Parade of Homes

I didn't think I would make it over there this year to the Parade of Homes but all worked out in the end. Saw the most expensive homes but wasn't as impressed as I have been in years past. That's pretty funny when you think about how alot of the homes were over a million and several at two million....and I'm not impressed????? It may have been that I have seen alot of the ideas already. Here are a few pics of things I did like. Looks like green is the color this year since most of the houses had it on their walls. Several homes had wallpaper so that must be coming back in style too. I loved how the old screen door was used as the master closet door! And of course I loved the craft room in the one house. It was large and roomy with plenty of storage cabinets. Hope you can see the pic with the side cabinet made into a skinny broom closet. How clever is that? Click on pic to enlarge:

 

Next week starts the Cache Valley Parade of Homes. I hope to make it to that one. I went a couple of years ago to it and loved the decorating in each of the homes. I hope it will be the same this year! I'm also hoping to get to the Utah Shop Hop next week. I already visited 3 of the shops on Saturday (Broadbent's, American-Quilting and Corn Wagon) but shop hops are fun and you always get a free quilt block pattern at them.

Weekend quilting

This was a weekend where I didn't get much sewing done but middle child did alot. I was proud of her. Her first quilt she ever made was a buggy barn pattern, called Crazy Stars. I had made her go with me to a local retreat a couple of years ago and for someone who really hadn't sewn before, she did great and finished the thing that same weekend! This weekend she wanted to make another one from one of the new Buggy Barn books to put in her room at the cabin. It is called Crazy Sails. If you have never sewn a Buggy Barn quilt, it can be a bit crazy (hence the name, I assume). Alot of times you don't have to match up seams so it is hard to just be free as you sew. Your mind keeps telling you that you have to match when you really don't. They are fun quilts to make after you get out of your traditional mind set of how to make a quilt.
Here's some pics....it was a rainy weekend (again) but we still had a fun time playing.

 

 

 

Yes I made her go outside with all her blocks to take a pic...you can't tell it is windy and cold, can you? :)

What a house!

I have always loved bright colors. In our old house, I had a "red room" that opened up to the bright yellow kitchen. I would have loved to have had this floor in that area! What do you think? Too much? It's kind of fun to see a quirky mansion, I think! To check out other rooms in the place, go here.

Mad Hatter Tea Cup Swap

I finally started my blocks for the Pat Sloan Alice in Wonderland Tea Cup swap. Only due this week. Here is a preview of my blocks...I still have to applique and have to decide if I want to add the tea bag. It's cute, but I don't drink tea so not sure I want it. I'll probably add it though since the other blocks I have seen have some cute sayings on the tea bag. My daughter is making another set to swap so hopefully we will have some cute blocks sent back to us. We were told to use bright and funky fabric....hope these work!!!

Saturday

Since I talked about my trying to have a garden this year, I thought I would show you what it looks like so far. Today we have been setting up the soaker hoses in each box. It's all going to be trial and error...we really have no idea what we are doing...but it is kind of fun. My goals are small....just to get a few veggies out of it and I will be happy.

 

Look what we got today! 2 puppies! Just as cute as can be.......until they wanted to sit in the garden boxes.....

 

Just kidding kids...they really aren't ours...it's deja vue from when we found the Great Pyrenees on our property in BP.

Not much going on here......

I haven't taken many pictures lately. Seems that since the warmer weather has begun, I have been outside. This year I am going to try my hand at having a vegetable garden. I have tried to grow a few things over the years but never really had a real garden. Seems we have always lived in places where the soil is horrible or the growing season is terrible or something is so wrong that other people suggest we don't even try. Well, now I live somewhere that you can grow stuff! Not sure how it will all end up but I am excited!

I do have this picture though. Remember how I said not to look at my red rug in my old dining/new reading room? Well, we found this one at Home Depot and I took pics to see if I liked it. Too bad I don't know how to photoshop it into my room in place of the red rug so I could really see how it would look. I haven't ordered it yet....have been slow in making a decision. What do you think...too much? (I am thinking of the black one, not the red or beige that are off to the side)


No word yet on when my black/white/30's quilt will be done. I went into the shop yesterday and they still haven't started it. Haven't been sewing except for BOM's but I signed up to play in Pat Sloan's tea cup swap. I don't drink tea but I have been in several of her swaps before and they have been good quality so I am excited about this one. I actually found vintage type Alice in Wonderland blocks that I hope to incorporate into the quilt, if the blocks aren't too crazy. So excited!