Candy Hearts

Would you want the (FREE) pattern?

Love is in the air

Just thought I'd give you a sneak peak of a little project I'm designing.  Think candy hearts and maybe a free pattern!  I gotta go find the perfect ric rac to match so it's time to hop in the shower!

P.S.  I am anticipating a phone call from the printer TODAY saying that my patterns are ready to be picked up!!!  They told me "Monday at the latest", so we'll see if they stick to their word (crossing my fingers!)  I'm got some giveaways up my sleeve so check back soon!

Keeping It Real

I just saw Kerri's latest post, titled, "Keeping it Real".  I thought I'd join in on the fun since I don't usually get too personal on my blog.  Maybe now I'll tell you a little bit more about myself...

Hi.  I'm Amber.  It's nice to meet you. 

[Sorry, but it was hard to find any pictures of me because I'm usually the one behind the camera!  The more I look at this picture I realize that it is a little disturbing.  Please, don't be scared!]

Anyways, I was born in Aneheim, CA.  I moved to Vancouver, WA. when I was six-years-old.  I grew up there and after graduating from High School in 1996, I got the boot from my parents who told me I needed to go to a church college [out of state]. I attended school in Rexburg, ID. for a short time [dare I say that I got kicked out of BYU Idaho!?!  I don't usually announce that, but I'm keeping it real!  My husband gives me a hard time because I get so embarrassed about that fact.  I was just a kid back then who didn't follow ALL the rules who lived with some not very sweet roommates who apparently didn't get pass the "tattling stage" of childhood.]   In the fall of 1997 I moved to Provo, UT.  I quickly met my soon-to-be husband (who at first I told that we should "just be friends" and then 6 months later I realized that he was everything I ever wanted and so I asked him if we could start hanging out again.)  We were married a few months later on June 19th, 1998. 

Here we are in Park City [2008] on a "Husband Appreciation Night", which was preceeded by many "Wife Appreciation Nights" prior to. We were going up the ski lift so we could go down the zip line! It was beautiful!

We've got two little ones:

o.k.  I have to clarify, I have a boy and a girl.  Someone left a comment saying I had two beautiful daughters, which made me laugh!  But this is my son.  Maybe he looks like a girl because of his hair?!?  I guess I should have put a better picture on.  I just love those curls!  There all gone now, so I guess I was just feeling sentimental when I wrote this post. :) 

o.k. is this better?

All of these pictures are a few years old.  I guess I better start snappin' some more these days.

But don't let their sweet little faces fool you, they can be as sassy and fiesty as their mom.

Here are a few little things about me:

*I've got 2 sisters & 2 brothers  All of which live out of state.  My parents moved here in June so now I FINALLY have some of my side of the family here.

*I'm sorry to admit this, but I'm not really an animal lover so no pets in this house [at least for now].  My childhood cat became an outdoor cat at one point and everytime he would come around me I would completely freeze up until someone would get it away from me.  I thought for sure it would claw me to death if I made any sudden moves.

*I've been told that I usually tell it like it is, but I like to think that I'm pretty nice about it though :) 

*I love decorating, scrapbooking and quilting.

*I am so not a fashionista.  I wish I were.  But I'm not.

*I have naturally curly hair that I get from my dad.

*I danced all through jr. high and high-school.  I got the "I don't get it award" at our end of the year banquet.  Nice huh?

*I always tell this one, but I have spent one night at a home for abandoned children when my parents left me at a Wendy's restaurant during a family vacation to Canada.  I was 8 years old.  They didn't realize I wasn't in the car when they left the restaurant.  There were probably about 9 kids and 4 adults in our van - so it was madness.  They realized I was missing the next morning when I wasn't in my bed.  Needless to say it was pretty traumatic for me [and I'm not a big fan of Wendy's].

*I have crazy, crazy dreams.  They're so vivid and I can usually remember every detail! 

*I am terrified of public speaking and with a good reason too - in Elementary school I ran for student council and when it was my turn to give my speech in front of the whole school I just stood up there and laughed.  For a long time.  I didn't go sit down.  I just stood there and laughed.  Why!!!  Oh, so embarrassing!  Needless to say, I'm not too comfortable with a microphone.

Well, that's enough about me.  Hope I didn't bore you guys too much!  If you feel so inclined to "Keep it Real" on your blog then send me a link.  We can all get to know each other a little better!

A Quilters A.D.D.

Sorry I've been M.I.A. for a little while.  Feeling a little blah, I guess.  I've been doing a little of this and that, but not feeling like I have anything great to show for my efforts.  I finally took some pictures today of some projects that have been laying around my house.

First up, some Christmas ornaments.  That's right, Christmas ornaments.  I like to give my children an ornament in their stocking every year [usually one that contains a frame of some sort so that I can have pictures of them through the years on my Christmas tree].  Well, I guess I just didn't quite have it together this time around so the whole concept went out the door. Hey, I figure these kind of work for Valentine's Day too and what better time to get projects done for Christmas than 11 months beforehand!?!  Then there's not all the madness going on!  I'm sad to say that I looked and looked but for the life of me I could not find the tutorial again so unfortunately I don't know who to credit for this idea. 

[To whoever came up with this idea ~ Thank you! 

I'm not trying to take credit!  Just can't remember who you are!]

I just found some coasters at the dollar store and used an eyelet setter-hole-puncher-thing [I think that's the correct term] to pound holes through them [which was way EASY!!!]  Then I punched holes in the pictures, glued the pictures on, added some rub-ons, a wire handle and some ribbon.  Easy peasy!

Then, on the back, I glued a piece of paper that had their name, the year and some little tid-bits about their happenings that year.

I have a feeling these will be some of my favorite ornaments next year, along with their little hand and foot ornaments.

Another project I've had laying around for quite a few days now is this little number.  I'm getting ready to quilt it on my machine.  I took some of your advice from my last quilting experience and asked the hubby to pick me up some basting pins the last time he was out.  He only came home with one pack so I'll have to get some more another time.  A little thing about me, I guess I kind of try to make do with what I've got.  I go far too long with a nick in my rotary blade, my ironing pad is totally stained and I use straight pins instead of basting pins when I machine quilt.  I guess I'd rather buy fabric then have the best of all that, but I'm realizing that I need to splurge on that kind of stuff once in a while too.

I don't know if I've publicly said this before, but I've had this Schnibbles pattern [& the fabric for it] for a while now and I sort of gave up on it when I realized how small the pieces were.  Because I planned to double or triple the original size of it, all of those small pieces didn't sound too appealing.  But I'm happy to report that I got a second wind and started working on it again.  Here's what I've got so far.  I was thinking I may use it as a shower curtain, but now I'm thinking that it still might not be big enough.  As you can see, I've still got a long way to go.

Oh, I did finish this top, but it might be a while before I'm able to have it quilted.

For now I'm just enjoying it's colors.  And it's ric rac. 

I did end up hiring someone to make my pattern cover sheets for me and they look SO much better!  I can't believe I was even considering using the ones that I made.  I'm really excited [and a little tired of this whole saga] but the printer said that everything looks fantastic now, so they're compiling proofs that are exactly like what the finished product will be and I should be able to look at them this afternoon. 

*Actually they just called and they're ready for me to look at!!!

Well, that's all for now.  Have a wonderful day!

Beware - I'm going to be all over the place with this one.

This is way past due, but look what the owners of Just Sew gave me for Christmas!  A travel iron & pad!  I finally broke it open a few days ago and have been so thrilled with both of them!  They had these beautiful pads quilted and then bound each of them by hand for all of the employees.  I know that must have taken a lot of time, and so - a big thanks Linda & Alice! :)

Some of you that have been following me, know that I don't really have a "craft room" per say.  I fixed up my tiny laundry room so that it would be bearable to sew in there.  But, it's really tight.  And it's really cold, because the floor is tile.  And basically I just need a little entertainment when I'm sewing away, so sometimes I move down to my kitchen table so that I can be in the "mix" of things.  Well, are any of you like me that have a really ugly ironing board that had brown stains all over it (I'm guessing from starch?)  Well.  They're big and mine's ugly.  So I was really loving to iron (in style) with my new gear.  Now I just need to actually "travel" to get the full effect (do I sense a quilting retreat coming on?  I wish!)

Anyways, I love the fabric line they used to make the ironing pads. Rouenneries by French General is so gorgeous, I think!  Speaking of Rouenneries, check out this little number that my sweet Sister-in-law made recently.  Isn't it beautiful?  It's the Madeline pattern by Fig Tree. 

(Doesn't my nephew look thrilled to be holding up the quilt? My husband would be the same way! :) 

Anyways, I had to post the picture of this wall hanging she made for her craft room.  Isn't it beautiful?  Seriously, I think that was her first time appliqueing.  She's awesome.  You should check out her blog for some crafty goodness.  Right now she's got the cutest little dresden plate posted that you ever did see! 

Well, I just had to take a picture of the progress of this quilt, because I am really loving the softness of these fabrics! 

All of these rows are pieced together now, but finishing the rest of it will be on hold for a little while because I need to get some ric rac to match and probably some fabric for the outer border.  It was a good feeling to get the inside of this top done though, just using stuff I had in my stash.  Slowly, but surely I am going to get these projects done.  PLUS, I have a few more I want to start.  I've been so excited about them that I haven't been sleeping well this week.  A few of my own ideas...mmm.  So excited.  Maybe these will be the next three patterns...

O.K.  I'll shut up.  I'm off to sew.  Bye.

Charming

I've had 2 Dandelion Girl charm packs [from Fig Tree] for a while now.  I finally got a chance to play with them the other night. 

For some reason, I am a little short on the amount of charms the Wild Thing pattern called for so I had to pull a few more fabrics from my stash.  Hopefully the florals and polka dots will make a nice addition to the plaids, checks and stripes that came in the charm packs.  What do you think?

Camille just did a fun post on her blog showing lots of different versions of her Wild Thing Quilt.  I love her blog.  It's one of my favorites!   

I've actually made a lot of progress with these blocks.  Chain piecing makes it pretty speedy.  I should be done with all the blocks tonight. 

This is a really fun pattern.  I can't decide if I will give this quilt to a special family when it's done or be selfish and keep it for myself.  We'll see.  Maybe I'll just enjoy it for a little while and then pass it on. 

Aren't the colors in it so soft and sweet?  They are so calming to me.  I think I know just the right family that might like this.  They might have to pry it out of my hands, but I think they'll like it:)

Wagon Wheel Quilt. Done.

I finished it last night and this morning I threw it in the wash for a quick rinse/spin cycle and then into the dryer it went.  You can't help but want to curl up with these things when they're all warm and fluffy and wrinkly, right out of the dryer!  Mmm...there's nothin' better.  I can't though.  It's kind of a secret quilt.  I'm trying not to draw too much attention to it.

The inspiration for this quilt came from here.

This is my first quilt that I made completely by myself.  No longarmer.  Just me and my little machine.  I've quilted some smaller runners before, but this was a pretty big project for me [65x44].  It went really well.  I think I only got one tiny little tuck as I quilted it.  Like one little stitch accidently caught a little extra fabric that it shouldn't have.  I'm feeling pretty good right now though.  Dare I say even a little proud of myself?  Just because I didn't spend any money on the quilting part of it and it turned out fairly well.  That makes me feel good inside.

Q. Katie said, "You should be so proud! This turned out beautifully. Did you draw your lines for the quilting? How did you get them so straight?"

A. Well, I used blue "painters tape" to mark my lines. Each piece of tape would stay sticky for 2 or 3 rows and then I would get a new piece of tape. I started in the middle of my quilt and then put a piece of tape on either side of that first line so I could do two lines without having to get up and reposition the tape again.  Plus, it didn't sound too fun to me to spend a half an hour [at least] marking my lines, so I just did it as I went.  Like I said, this was my first time, so this is what appealed to me.  I often just make do with what I have.  Plenty of painters tape.  No water soluble marker.  Go figure.

I used Amy Butler's Sun Spots in Mint for the binding.  I chose to do it on the bias so that the dots were a little more staggered.  I love the colors of it!

Here's the back: 

It's Nicey Jane's Hop Dot in Cream.  I was just barely shy on my width, so I decided to use up some more scraps for a pieced strip going down the middle of it.  I wanted a light back so that my white thread would blend a little more, just in case my quilting job wasn't pretty:)

At the last minute, I decided I better put a label on this baby so I did a quick stitch of some important info about this quilt right onto the back.  Blake's baptism isn't until October, so for once, I'm ahead of schedule.  I wanted to put our city and state, but ran out of room so this will have to do. 

This one brought a big sense of accomplishment.  Thanks for all of your support and tips.  Maybe next time, I'll get myself some basting pins.  Then it won't be physically scary.  Maybe just a little emotionally scary.  It actually wasn't too bad though:)

***P.S. Today I'm going to the printer for the final proof of my patterns.  I'm so excited!!!***