Makes Of 2017

Before January comes to a close in just 3 more days, it still seems not too late to post my sewing projects from last year.  My thoughts were that I had not done much sewing in 2017 and wouldn't have enough to put in my little collage squares. 
It made me happy to put together my little annual collage and visually see what I had sewn in 2017.    

Starting at left top corner: 

• January - Happy Flower Quilt Blocks 
• February - close-up of my In The Window, at the Sue Daley workshop
• March - Bird Pillow
• May -  Clamshells 
• June - Low Volume Hexagons
• July - Embroidery & Applique Bonnet Bird
• August - Tenderness Quilt Blocks
• November - Fun Hexies  

     Always in the middle of things is my pal Marley, announcing 2017.                         

January - The year started out with me joining the Happy Flower Quilt Sew-Along but when it came out that you could purchase the entire quilt already printed on fabric, I felt disenchanted.   It's all good though because the blocks I made, are turning into a chair cover and bringing me joy whenever I sit down. :)

Happy Flower Quilt Blocks

February - Then, much to the astonishment of our little farming community, the acclaimed Sue Daley (from Australia, no less) of Busy Fingers Patchwork  held a workshop at our local quilt shop.   What fun we had as every quilter's project started to materialize, all so varied and different than the next!   Sue also persuaded us to use a size 11 Milliner's needle and finer thread for our projects.   This has helped my stitches "sink into the seam".

March - When we were turning the corner into warmer weather and all the excitement of Spring, I spied the cutest pillow on  Nana Company's Blog.

Who could resist when it was this cute?   My piecing is finished so you can see how my fabric fit in with the coming season.  

May - My friends at Sunny Day Supply showed me how adorable clamshells could be.  I had to buy some of their adorable fabric to make my project just as cute.

 June - Alas, then I got sidetracked in seeing some low-volume hexagons on Instagram.  My needle magically sidetracked!  My new laptop needed a cover and this seemed "just the ticket". 

July - I needed a bird for the pocket of my purse.

August - I discovered the Tenderness quilt pattern and had to try a curved seam on my English Paper Piecing

November  - The Bunnies and Cream fabric by Laura Nash had been a purchase of mine in the summer.  Even in November I was still enchanted with how fun they were to fussy cut. 

In looking back now in January of 2018,  I realize that starting some really cute projects, was so much fun last year.  My weakness was actually finishing them!   That leads me to my New Year's Goal - 

'Don't start anything else until unfinished projects are completely done'.

Wish me luck!

100 Random Things

100 Random Things

1. I love popcorn.
2. Ballet dancing was my passion as a child.
3. I like to analyze things.
4. Packing a suitcase is NOT fun...I procrastinate and then forget stuff.
5. Not a night owl at all - Early Bird
6. I was a humanist, before I ever knew a name for it existed.
7. My husband and I play Rummicub almost every night while eating dinner. 
8. I secretly think my 4 children are the best ever to be born.
9. What stresses me?  Being late
10. My favorite meal is my husband's spaghetti.
11. I weigh myself every morning.
12. What do I like to talk about?  English Literature, goats and religion
13. As a child, I was a very late talker. 
14. It bothers me when I see a word misspelled.
15. Reading great poetry is a spiritual experience for me.
16. When my hair is cut short, I look like a turtle-head.
17. My children often say very cool things.
18. I love, love, love family and good friends.
19. When I was in college, I was in a very bad car wreck.
20. Thomas Hardy is my fav
21. orite author.
22. Cleaning up the kitchen is more enjoyable than cooking the meal.
23. I rather text than talk.
24. Driving and flying scare me.
25. I met my wonderful biological father when I was in my 20's.  
26. TV Remote Controls drive me bananas!
27. Gardening always seems worth the time and effort.
28. There is a certain quilt I have been working on for 20 years now.
29. The vegetables are better than the meat.
30. My grandma's homemade cookies and pickles were amazing.
31. TV often bores me.
32. Dumb at math - it bores me, too.
33. Tess of the D'Urbervilles is the saddest book ever written. 
34. If a picture is hanging crooked, it bothers me.
35. My Grandpa use to smear horseradish under my meat when I wasn't looking. 
36. Grasmere, England is the prettiest place in the world. 
37. When I was little, I use to play Sunday School for hours with my dolls.
38. My planner is my brain.
39. I like knowing the names of flowers and plants.
40. Favorite Book?  David Copperfield
41. Like everyone else, I think Shakespeare was a flat out genius.
42. I get car sick, boat sick and air sick - any motion sick. Blah.
43. My secret: I am the shyest of the shy.
44. Sometimes I like to suck on green olives.
45. Historical Fiction books bother me - tell me the facts. 
46. Least favorite house chore? Ironing
47. I find random acts of kindness very touching.
48. Don't buy me expensive jewelry!
49. I chaperoned 33 students to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales for 2 weeks.
50. Black Widow Spiders scare me more than the average person.
51. No to being buried - cremate me, please.
52. Flip flops are comfy.
53. Saddest movie? CHARLY
54. Watermelon with salt is the only way to go.
55. My mom says I have been to every state in the U.S. - I don't remember.
56. After 35 years of marriage, I still think my husband is amazing.
57. I have been told I am too sensitive.
58. Even growing up, having faith seemed foreign to me - show me the facts, please!
59. Decorating and celebrity gossip magazines are fun to read.
60. Licking the cake batter off the beaters is still a pleasure.
61. It is hard for me to throw papers away. 
62. The Portuguese Language spoken by Brasilians is very beautiful.
63. I lived in Brasil for almost 9 months.
64. When I was hospitalized and on morphine for about a month, I saw my Dad playing the trombone and pigs running around my bed.
65. My mom, sis and I saw the movie The Sound of Music 7 times.
66. First record album ever bought?   Jimi Hendrix 
67. I was raised with Big Band Music. 
68. Every few years, I get addicted to genealogy. 
69. Favorite movie? My Left Foot
70. I have an artificial hip.
71. Favorite color? Green
72. Eggplant is ga-ross.
73. I once saw a girl get her finger cut off.
74. Pecans taste better than walnuts. 
75. The first computer I ever saw was in college - it took up a whole room.
76. My husband and I fell in love over Joni Mitchell.
77. Taking pictures is lots of fun!
78. Cotton sheets only!
79. When I was a teenager, my step Dad had to go to Viet Nam for 2 years.
80. I loved dancing and touring with the International Folk Dancers at Ricks and BYU.
81. Compliments come when I cook my Grandma's meatloaf.
82. I play the piano, but not well.
83. Don't make me sleep in total darkness!
84. Wherever I live, I have to plant Lavender.
85. Pots of Geraniums by the front door are welcoming.
86. I was on the TV show  Romper Room. 
87. What I can spend a lot of money on? Perfume
88. I get paid to try to get junior high students to enjoy reading. 
89. Time flies when I am out with the goats.
90. Chickens are more entertaining than a movie.
91. I can’t get enough of key lime pie.  
92. I love to stitch whimsical embroidery.
93. Waiting, without a good book to read, is boring. 
94. I was on the water ballet swim team in high school. 
95. Peppermint tea and toast with marmalade bring me joy!
96. Old English roses are my favorite flowers.
97. We have given our government too much power.
98. I dislike being soft spoken.
99. Religion kills more people on the planet than anything.
100. Feeling the sun on my back is therapeutic.
101. A tomato and mayonnaise sandwich is the best!