My First Valentine

This year I'm starting early so I can have this Valentine finished before February.
I wasn't counting this as a UFO because I forgot it existed. But with the help of my fuzzy (he decided to rearrange my book shelf and knocked a pile of fabric, books and a bunch of stuff down) I found something I thought I could accomplish in a week.
The way I'm moving, that's one sashing a day! But I did manage to complete the top of this body pillow quilt in about three days.

I will layer this and get it quilted up, hopefully!

My goal was to make it look like an antique Valentine. Not sure if I succeeded but I do like how it looks.

If you weren't with me last year, this is needle turned applique from the book "Beautiful Alphabet Applique" by Zena Thorpe.

I made these 9" blocks last year and then put them away because I missed my deadline.
But I'm on track for this year! If I can keep it up, I'll even start an Easter body pillow cover before the day arrives.
My goal was to have a different cover for each Holiday so that I don't have to shove that body pillow into a closet and quickly close it in (old house, tiny closets).
And really, that pillow looks great in the window seat, much better than mushed in a closet. So now I just need to keep it up to date. Those sparkly trees aren't going to look good too much longer.

I also added some color to the green quilt. I have 4 more squares to add.

At night I sit myself down and applique those squares down. It's peaceful and calming. Just what I need before bed.
My goal is to sandwich this together this weekend. But the Valentine is first up on the machine, it has a deadline.

Have a happy Friday and a productive weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Fresh Start

Long time, no hear! I've been away from, well everything. Right after we last talked, I caught the flu. I thought is was a cold but learned that high fevers and body aches means flu. I was down for 13 days and I still have a residual cough that I'm trying to beat.
Not a good time to be sick. Of course Is there ever really a good time?
The only things I accomplish was shortening my kindle book list. Thank goodness I could still read, otherwise I may have gone stark raving mad! Nothing else got done during this time, i.e., dishes, laundry, dusting...

BUT, this is a new year. That means we have a chance to start fresh and do things better than last year.

My 1st resolution. not to get sick! No more wasted days!
2nd, continue with that UFO basket. It would be nice to finish at least half of my UFO's this year. Maybe if I make a realistic goal it will be easier to achieve. This year I start with 8 in my basket.

So I pulled one out of the basket. This quilt came from cousin Nikki, but she doesn't know where it came from. Which is too bad, it would be interesting to know who made it.

Did your Grandmother use this color in her kitchen? Mine did, so did BFF's Grandmother, Hubby's Grandmother and even the neighbor across the street. This must have been THE color!

It's not the best made quilt. Several points don't match up and it's sewn with every color of thread imaginable! Even red thread. I'm cutting off strings from the front and back.
I'm  adding more color to the blank areas and I plan to add even more color in the quilting. Just a touch. Hopefully it'll turn out alright. If not, It'll still keep someone warm. Someone female that is!

My first sewing project after being sick and also the first of the year, were these bags for my little nieces.

Dallas is a New Year's baby and that means every new years day is a birthday party!

Even the twins received bags.

Of course it wasn't easy to get pictures of the twins with their bags, but if you look top and left, you can see Dallas holding her bag.
I've said it before, but I really wishes those girls lived closer so I could see more of them.
It was a fun couple of hours filled with giggles and smiles.

And 3rd, I'd like to improve myself. Mind and body. To become a better me.

Hopefully I'll be back soon with more.
Take care, Brandie

Sneak Peeks

 I've been busy sewing away, trying to finish up some crafty gifts. I sure hope my friends like them! I'll let you see a few peeks.
This year I thought I make a few festive bras as gifts for my lucky friends.

Or...
Dog beanies?

Or...
Cat Yamakas?

You'll just have to wait and see!

Then I made a small quilt for a friend and that inspired me to make one for my yourself.

One for a gift, one for me.
Mine covers the pillow on the bench outside the front door.
Very festive, No?

And I finally finished last weeks small project. I get distracted easily!

So there you have it. A few gifts.
I'm really excited about those bras so I know I'll be showing them off after Christmas.

Good lucky with all your Christmas preparations.
Take care, Brandie

Cranberry Season

One of my favorite things during the winter season is the cranberry. A fruit that bites and is the most festive of colors. What more could you want?
Every year I try to come up with another use for them. This year I decided to make a jam or actually a marmalade.
I threw them in a pot of orange marmalade. Don't the colors looks beautiful together!

They went from that to this in about an hour. A beautiful festive marmalade.

Hopefully It isn't too pucker-y! I hope I don't turn my recipients into cartoon characters, with pursed lips. But if it does, I'll have them send me pictures of it. That ought to be exciting! The gift that keeps on giving!

Yesterday was another cookie party. This time I bought Cranberry, white chocolate blondies. Maybe because I know my BFF loves anything cranberry (I really want to know her opinion on that marmalade) that made up my mind. But for what ever reason, they were good!

With the few minutes I had, I did indeed start a new project. Bonnie Hunter's new quilt-along. And of course I changed my colors!

I'm planning on making just a quarter of the quilt. I finished all of part 1. I only completed a few of the geese from part 2, but I will just work on them when I have time.
It's also time to start making a few Christmas gifts. Only a few more days left!

And I finally took my Halloween quilt down. But I just couldn't bear to put it away. So I threw (literally) it in another chair.

I really don't want to remove, I love it! I have to say this is my all time favorite quilt, and I don't want to pack it away in the armoire or closet. I want to see it everyday. I think Dorian agrees.  He has made himself right at home on it. Of course it's as much his quilt as mine. That cat is modeled after him.

Time to get back to the work shop.
I may post even less as I work on secret gifts. Till next time...

Take care, Brandie

Tea Party

 About the only thing I did yesterday was make cookies. These weren't just everyday cookies, these were the perfect cookies for a bunch of quilters. They may be only ones to truly enjoy them.

 After 6 dozen, I got quite good at the details. If you are interested, here's the link to Bakerella where I got the idea. Except that I made a batch of peanut butter cookies. Apparently there are cookie mixes. Did you know that? I didn't. But really, how hard is it to make peanut butter cookies?
Anyway she gave me the idea and I thought they would be perfect for our tea party.
 Every year our guild celebrates with a cookie party and this year was no exception. No speaker, just cookies. It was a good time to catch up with friends and get a sugar high.
Last night I was not up to speed. I came home and instantly went to bed. I was running at half speed. I'm still tired, I'm hoping I'm not coming down down with something. But I do think my body is trying to tell me to take it easy, so I will.
At our December meeting, we display our community service quilts for the year. This year we had 205. These will go to different organizations near by.

 We had almost two walls covered with quilts, it's quite a sight!

Of course we have kid quilts, lots of kid quilts. It's a wonderful feeling to see this display and know that I had a tiny part in it. No matter where I am financially, I can always make quilts.
It was also a great place to pick up a pattern or two. Or a color way. A mini quilt show. It was a wonderful party, even if I did almost go into a sugar coma!

Oh and the best news. I won a box of chocolates for having the most UFO points that night! But isn't that terrible? Chocolate, from See's. It's a double edged gift. I love chocolate, but I also love seeing the scale going down. I just may have to re-gift them. that's what I'm thinking.

Have a wonderful weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Willoughby

 I finished Willoughby late yesterday afternoon. Five years in the making. It's a good feeling to be finished!
It's a cross between Twilight Zone and Grandma Moses.
Where did it come from? My addled brain.
I was looking for the perfect schoolhouse block in every book, every library and so on. Then I made a bunch of different blocks from the patterns. And not to be wasteful, I decided to turn most of those blocks into a village. Some of it works and some of it doesn't, but it'll keep me warm and that's good with me.
This little village has a post office, a library, A town hall, a depot station. church, school and most important, a Christmas tree farm.

Town hall and depot station

 I quilted a train into the last border. Of course I missed an important feature, the coal car after the engine. That was the first thing Hubby said when he saw it. Opps!

Christmas tree farm and a few cabins in the woods

Library, post office and community garden

 Years ago I found the perfect backing. I liked it so much I even bought it in a cream background.
I'm glad to have this done, it's time to move onto something else. Have any of you seen Bonnie Hunters new quilt-along? I'm thinking about doing it. Thinking...
I'm also glad to be done because my middle back is acting up. It isn't as painful as my lower back. Thank goodness it's not that, so I can at least walk! But the middle is tight and uncomfortable and seems to be affect by sitting in my sewing chair, even with breaks between.
So I may be getting back to an old hand quilting project.

This has be sitting on my UFO basket so long, it has a layer of dust. That's not a fuzzy picture, that's dust. Even the blue lines have faded to a light beige, so hopefully if they don't come out, they'll just be a faint line. More on this quilt later.
Speaking of hand quilting, you should check out Heather's new-old project. It's Fantastic!

And I'll leave you with a picture of the fuzzy paper weight.

I have a meeting tonight and I need to make cookies. It's time to get busy!
Have a wonderful day!

Take care, Brandie

Plaid Corners

 I finally finished with the fiddly corners. I haven't been so happy about anything in awhile! They were a pain! But in the end I believe all the pain paid out.

 Remember that I ran out of the dark green fabric? Can you tell that I substituted a different green in the corners? I sure hope not.
After I finish Willoughby Station (I'm so close! Maybe this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed for me!), I'll get this quilted up and finished. Hopefully. And that will be a great feeling!

 This pill here was so very helpful!
This basket use to carry a few UFOs. Since I've finished a few, I consolidated 3 baskets into 2 baskets. and truthful, that second basket has more plans and ideas than UFOs.
Well this basket looks as if has a new purpose, as a cat bed!

 The fuzzy man is so busy. If he isn't in that basket, or on my quilts, on the counters, he's in his window. Can you see what he sees?

How about now? It's one of his relatives. What? You don't think they are related? They have the same fur with the white tips. Dorian was found outside on squirrel hill, right under their trees.
Well, I think they are related. I think his mom was a squirrel (whom he got his fur from) and his dad was a raccoon (who gave him his stripy tail). And to prove that this is true, I've got a couple of children who believe it too!

Happy quilting!
Take care, Brandie