Scrapblog

In addition to blogging about my quilting, I have started a ScrapBlog Journal.  If you have never been on Scrapblog, make sure you have a few hours to spend...it is amazing!  It is a digital scrapbooking software.  You can create your own digital books or you can pay to have the books bound and shipped to you.  My sister made a Scrapblog about her vacation and it turned out GORGEOUS!  There are tons of free layouts, stickers, and other digital scrapbooking supplies so if you dont' want to spend anything, you can make one for no cost!  If you want something special, there are stickers and backgrounds you have to pay for.  I have made several Scrapblogs and haven't paid for anything yet..that is how many free items are available.  Just wanted to share what I have so far...many pages are not 100% complete.  I love ScrapBlogs because they allow you to be crafty without the mess!!!

Click Here to look at my Scrapblog!

Big Jets Finished!

The Big Jets Quilt is finally finished! This quilt was a fun one to make because I learned how to machine applique. I learned by viewing some online tutorials. I also absolutely LOVE the border fabric! I can't wait to get this one quilted - I think it will look even better!

Before the border...it is on a couch so that is why it looks weird.

Here is a close up of a block and the border...

A picture of the full quilt...

New Project and Lots to Finish!

Ok so I have a few things started that I need to finish:
My dad's "gear head" quilt
Big Jet's quilt
My dragonfly quilt needs a border
I can't find a dreamcatcher border that matches my S.W. quilt

ANYWAY, I am thinking about making a quilt with the students at my school about a book we are all reading. I teach 4th grade but the entire school (1 - 6) is reading a form of "Three Cups of Tea" - an amazing story about an American who gets lost and injured mountain climbing and ends up in a village of Afghanistan. He stays in the village for a few months. The first time you are invited into somebody's home you are given a cup of tea and you are considered a stranger. The second time you are offered a cup of tea in someone's home you are considered a friend. The third time you are offered tea in someone's home you are considered family. The man was inspired by hearing children's voices as they practiced their school lessons outside in the dirt with sticks and he knew he wanted to help. He raised money and has been building schools for these children ever since. The older kids are reading the paperback and the younger kids are reading the picture book. I was thinking about having some kids design tea cups and maybe try to have the older kids recreate the "dolls" that are used in the illustrations. There is a great link here to see and understand what I mean by "dolls". If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Busy week and being lazy...

It feels so nice to lay around and do nothing!!!  I know, I just had 2 weeks off for winter break but I was back to work this week.  I've been trying to catch a stray kitten that was roaming around outside my building so I borrowed a trap on Wednesday from a shelter and spent all night Wednesday getting up every hour to check the trap.  The kitten (now named Vader) finally was caught at about 6:30 a.m., as I was getting ready to leave for work.  She spent the day in my bathroom in the trap, not the perfect situation but at least she was warm, out of the snow, and had food and water.  It just breaks my heart to see cats, especially kittens, outside in the freezing cold and snow with no one to love them!  We found the cat we have now, Jango Fett,  outside in the freezing cold about 3 years ago.  He was a mess when we got him - parasites, ear mites, bite wounds, etc.  He is now the king of the castle and the most spoiled cat ever!!!  We dropped Vader off at the shelter on Thursday night, where she will be checked out by the vet, spayed, and if she is friendly, hopefully Jango Fett will agree to adopt her! 

I am NOT happy to be in this cage...but it is warm in here!!!

To add to the crazy week, on Thursday we had about 7 inches of snow and Thursday night we had about 8 more inches!  I was up at 3:30 a.m. on Friday digging my car out and brushing it off.  The snow is melted and the roads are clear today but it is COLD!!!!  I can't work anymore on the "Big Jets" quilt until I go out and buy some dark brown thread but I am too lazy to go anywhere today.  So I decided to do something on my computer - I hope you enjoy the slideshow of my family opening up their quilts for Christmas!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

BIG JET'S quilt

So basically everyone got a quilt for Christmas: my husband, mom, mother-in-law, sister, dad, cousin, and best friend.  I didn't think my cousin's long time boyfriend would want a quilt - let's just say the first time I met him when I was 16 he pulled a deer leg out of his trunk - and my husband also talked me out of making him one and opted for some specialty brews instead.  After Christmas he joked about why he didn't get a quilt - so I decided to make one for his birthday in February.  He is into airplanes so I found a picture of an airplane quilt and designed a pieced/appliqued block of an airplane (my first time every doing applique!).  I found some great airplane fabric for the background of the block and a cool map-looking fabric for the outside border.  I am going to try and finish this one in the next week or two so I can get it quilted before his birthday.

Today was back to work...it's great having a teacher's schedule but it's always hard going back.  It was nice to see the kiddies though - by tomorrow I'll be back on my own schedule.

BIG SNOW headed our way so maybe that will be an excuse to stay in this weekend and sew.  I have been trying to trap a stray kitten outside our patio.  I have a cat trap (one that won't hurt the cat of course) set up sos I will be keeping an eye on it all night before the snow...

my fabric

close up of the fabric (i luv the map fabric!)

the plane block

Wonderful Holiday Season

The last few weeks of December were spent putting finishing touches (binding, labels, etc.) on the quilts I made for my family for Christmas.  Everybody loved their quilts and I was so excited to see the reaction from each person about their individual quilt.

Currrently I am in the middle of making a wall hanging for my dad that has car and tool fabric.  I will post pics of this one soon.  Here is what I will be working on in the near future:

1.  Finish dragonfly quilt (put borders on) and have it quilted
2.  Finish backing of gingerbread quilt and have it quilted
3.  Finish the wall hanging for my dad
4. Work on an airplane quilt for Scott (need this one by the end of Feb!)
5.  Misc. projects for family members with the scraps of their quilts
6.  Pinwheel quilt
7.  Learn how to make a rag quilt

So I will be very busy in the weeks / months to come...

Happy New Year!