Orca bay mystery clue #5

I got clue #5 done over the weekend, I can't believe it!  It's usually Wednesday or Thursday before I get the clues done.  I just enjoyed it so much, I even played around with some of the completed pieces:

Wouldn't something like this look really great in a border?  Hmm, maybe that's what it's for.  I think it would be great in all kinds of scrappy fabrics.  Just what I need, more ideas! :)
So, here is my completed pile of pieces:

There is such a range of fabrics in them, I love it!  I am so enjoying this mystery! Thank you Miss Bonnie!
Oh, and here is the aftermath of all that cutting and sewing this weekend:

I have been trailing these little bitty bits all over the house, time to vacuum!
Also today, I will be finishing this quilt up:

I am doing an allover meander, and I have had nothing but issues with this thing!  One of the take up pins on the frame broke, so I have temporarily fixed it, (will call Grace Company next week),then I sewed the backing fleece together wrong, Elvis was upside down on one side,  then my machine started making a funny noise.  It's like it's cursed!  So, since I have been up since midnight (issues with sleep, apparently I'm not supposed to get any, LOL), and I am loaded with at least 6 cups of very strong coffee, I am going to attempt to finish quilting this today, and then maybe try to get at least 1 good night's sleep (please) tonight.  I feel up to the challenge! (maybe) :p
Oh, and before I forget, pop on over and check out the different bloggers participating in the  orca bay mystery.  There are some very talented quilters out there, every time I click on another link, I am in awe. 
Happy quilting,
Marianne

Orca bay mystery clue #4

I love Fridays anymore, that's the day Bonnie puts out her new clue for the orca bay mystery quilt. I love going on her blog and checking out what everyone else is doing, seeing their fabric choices.
 My only problem is, I can't really start until Mondays, because I work on weekends!  Argh!  But, within minutes of getting clue 4, I started pulling my reds:

I didn't realize how many reds I had until I started going through everything!  So, then I started sewing on my old phonebook background pieces:

I then trimmed them down to the 5.5 inch size:

I love the different prints!  I even used some Christmas fabric!

Once they were cut down to size, I cut them in half from corner to corner:

The correct way to cut them

The Not correct way to cut them.  Anybody else do this?  I did this to 7 blocks before I realized what I had done!  LOL

My clue #4 pieces are now stored with the other clues, awaiting the next clue:

I have  been working on other projects in the meanwhile too:

I call this quilt Happy Faces. 

I love the little smiling faces.

I used two flannels on the back. 

I thoroughly enjoyed making this quilt.
   I also have the Elvis top almost done:

This top was interesting to make, none of the pieces were the size they were supposed to be.  I had to pull, pin, and pray to make it work.  It will be pressed and starched well before I quilt it!  Just have to put borders on it, and quilt it.  Hopefully, it'll be done by next Thursday, so I can give it to my son for his birthday.  I do like cutting it short! 
Most days, I feel like this by 4 PM

I went looking for the little pooch, and found him asleep on my bed.  He woke up when I came in.  He knows he's not supposed to be in my room, so he looks a bit guilty LOL.  I love my Mr. Hiro!

Happy quilting,
Marianne

Orca Bay Clue #3

So, here is my blocks for Bonnie Hunter's orca bay mystery quilt, clue #3.  

This is my basket where I keep all the completed blocks for the Mystery quilt. 

My trimmed blocks are on the right. 

I have been finding myself thinking about how to use these in other quilts!  I loved doing these blocks, even if they were a bit time consuming at times (or so it seemed to me).  Onto clue #4! 
In other stuff, been doing some baking, and managed to overheat my mixer this morning, and broke the door off my oven:

actually, the screw just came out, and as soon as the oven cools off, I'll fix it.  And clean off the stove.  Didn't realize how dirty it was!

Happy quilting,
Marianne

Elvis lives!

Well, he lives on this quilt I am working on anyway. 

I have several yards of different panels, and am trying to figure out how to frame the block, I have several ideas, and will post some ideas later. I also got a really good deal on a closeout fleece with-yes- Elvis all over it for the back.  This is going to be a gift for my second oldest son who will be 18 just before Christmas.  It was supposed to be his gift last year, but we all know how that goes, LOL.
I have been busy baking for the holidays, here are some of the results:

pumpkin raisin cookies

cinnamon sugar cookies

I took the day off from baking today, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing!  My stand mixer died a couple of months ago, and using a hand mixer hurts my arm after a while.  It's a running joke in my family though that I kill hand mixers every year, my record was 3 in one holiday season!  I have a tendency to overuse them!  My stand mixer lasted a good 3-4 years though, I'll get another one before next Christmas. 
Last week, I went shopping with my mom at the local Goodwill (I love that store), I try to go about once a week, and like with the quilt top, I got lucky with thread:

About 60 spools of superior thread, all but one unopened, for 39 cents each.  Plus, I have my student discount.  I was so happy, my machine loves, loves, loves this thread!  They are more of country colors, like rust, brown, etc, but the majority of them will blend with the scrappy quilts I make.  Sometimes, I just get lucky.  I will miss that store when I move over the summer.  I'll have to haunt thrift stores in South Dakota after I get there. 
I have been busy making some gifts for the holidays, and trying to get more stuff done to sell eventually, but we have created a monster:

My son's girlfriend, who never really sewed before she met us, is now hooked!  I took a nap (I was up kind of early this morning), came out to do some sewing, and there she was, sewing away. I think we
have another lifelong sewer in the works.  Now, if I could just get my daughter interested...   
 Happy quilting,
Marianne              

Orca bay mystery clue #2

So, this is the second Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt I have participated in.  I love the way she does these mysteries, the small pieces and the scrappiness of it all!  I kind of follow her suggestions for colors, I am not very brave otherwise :).  I have been looking at what others are doing colorwise, and they are all going to be so beautiful.  I can't wait to see how everybody's quilts turn out.  So, here is my clue #2 pieces.

pile of strings

untrimmed blocks

trimmed blocks

I can't wait for Friday, seriously, it's like early Christmas for me every Friday morning. 
Oh, before I forget, here is my stack of blocks for clue 1:

Since I'm done with both clues, I guess I'll spend the rest of the week baking holiday cookies:

double chocolate chip cookies, YUM!

This week is the start of all the holiday baking, this house smells so good.  Also, working on a crocheted afghan as a gift, and a Raggedy Ann doll for a 1 year old, and the doll is bigger than she is! The hair on the doll is driving me crazy however, it just seems to take forever.  But, it'll keep me busy until Friday morning.  It would be really great if the clues came out twice a week now, wouldn't it.  Hint, hint.  :) Just kidding (maybe). 
Happy quilting,
Marianne

time to catch up

Ok, time has just been flying by!  Is anybody ready for the holidays?  I'm not.  When I went for my morning walk, my neighbor was putting his lights up outside.  I am so not ready.  It's going to be a very lean Christmas, with me in school, but the kids are pretty ok with that.  We have all talked about how commercial the holidays have become, so we are talking about giving some homemade gifts, as well as thoughtful gifts.  Where, rather than just buying willy-nilly, putting a lot of thought into what we get each other- quality vs. quantity.  So, that's what we are going to do this year. 
On the sewing front, I have been making some little girl dresses- and also working on this quilt:

I love the smiley face!

see the feather quilting in the red border?

My homemade template.

It's so cute!  I got the pattern out of an older Love of Quilting magazine.  It was a much smaller pattern, but I just went and made it bigger.  I'll put up more pictures when it's done. 
I also made some new velcro leaders for my frame:

 They work really well so far.  I got so very tired of pricking myself pinning onto the leaders.  It just took a few minutes, and voila! done.
Well, our puppy has grown so much, and has discovered he loves to sleep under his bed!

did you need me for something?

He is just too cute!  From zero to sixty in 2 seconds flat! 
Well, I had better go, I am trying to figure out fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt, coming out on Friday!   Here is the link orca bay mystery she has had some great mystery quilts in the past, I can't wait for this one! Maybe I'll find the fabric I need in these piles:

This came out of 2 of the totes I had.  Think I can find something there?  LOL
Well, better go, got one sick older teen here today.  The daughter had it over the weekend, now it's his turn.  Wonder who's next to fall?
Happy quilting,
Marianne

happy halloween and other stuff!

Happy Halloween everybody!  I hope everybody has a great day, don't eat too much candy, and try not to dwell on the fact that the holiday season is coming up fast!!!:(.
This is what people dress up as in my household:

Careful, hey what are you doing with that thing?

Battle Diva war cry needed here. 

Love the flip flops, don't you?, Should've seen when they went to an Anime Convention. :)p
Anyway, they are all out trick or treating, except for the 16 year old, he didn't feel like going.  He'll just eat what we have here, we get very little trick or treaters around here anymore, so more chocolate for him! I, on the other hand, have been studying for my final exam tomorrow in my competencies tomorrow morning.  I feel confident about the whole thing, she has really gone over everything in her lectures and such, so I feel good. 
Earlier today, I was working on my sewing room, and took a few pictures of some stuff.  First up is the quilt top I found at the Goodwill Clearance Center:

I love it, it is so nice!  The border fabric will have to come off and be fixed, the seam is coming apart in places, but it was worth it.  I knew there was a reason I go to the thrift stores.

My well-used Baby Go cutter.

2 1/2 inch squares cut from scraps.

various sized squares from scraps

I emptied 2 of these, Yippee!!!

Ok, so I emptied 2 of those little bins, but I still have 1 wall of fabric on shelves to go through, and at least 12 totes!  Yes, I said 12!  I have a slight fabric addiction (quit laughing, those of you who know me), and am trying to tame it. I  aspire to be this organized one day-  http://www.sewwequilt.com/2010/10/welcome-to-my-underwear-drawer.html.  (quit snickering Mom!), I just need to move to another house.  (Yeah, right after I win the lotto, LOL).
Anyway, I have been doing some sewing -
I have been turning these:

 Into these:

It's my version of a postage stamp quilt.  Since my classes end this week, I will have 2 whole months to get some stuff done, so more posts will be coming more often than every 2-3 weeks.  I am going to have so much fun!!
Happy quilting everybody!
Marianne

sold my first quilt!

So, I sold my first quilt using E-bay!  I am very happy, even if I basically broke even.  I sold this one, one of the baby quilts with the fleece backing.

I enjoyed making this quilt, and I hope she enjoys it. 
On the other fronts (life, etc), school is going good, I have 2 more weeks in this semester, then go back again for 12 weeks in January, 6 weeks job shadowing, and I am done!  I can't believe how fast this is all going!  We (my mom and I) are going to be sewing like crazy over November and December and get an Etsy shop opened up, and sell a few things, like quilts, clothing, home dec, etc.  She is very talented at clothing and such.  I just have to get the sewing area reorganized, it's really not very efficient right now.  Actually, it's non-efficient!  LOL. 
On the work front, I have moved to an overnight position, which is where I started out, and I actually enjoy it more.  People are much more relaxed, not in such a hurry, so I think it's a really good fit for me, plus I get home at 4 or 5 AM, and can get a bit of sewing in because everyone is asleep, and no one needs anything.  Except the puppy, but he goes right back to sleep after I give him some attention!  I love my little munchkin! 
Hopefully, I will have some pics up in  few days of the newly rearranged sewing area, and the postage stamp quilt top I have been working on.  The pieces are 2 inch unfinished size (yes, I said unfinished size),  it's taking a while, but it's coming along, and I can't wait to see it finished, I think it's going to be quite the undertaking.  Hopefully, I'll use a LOT of scraps! 
Happy quilting, Marianne

wedding photos

Remember the wedding quilt from a couple of posts back?  Well, 2 weeks ago was the wedding (it was beautiful by the way- I now believe in soulmates, and my brother has found his) and I have a few pictures to show. 

this was in orlando, that's our plane. 

at JFK in NY, waiting for our commuter to Syracuse- 3  hour wait.

the bride and groom the night before the wedding.

the groom all ready and 2 hours yet to go.

our dad

Dad and me- I so am not a dress person! Only for family will I get on a plane, wear a dress, and also wear HEELS!  I love my family.

waiting patiently.

they had all the guests sign their picture frame.

The wedding was absolutely wonderful, and everyone was so nice.  I finally have a sister, Yay!  congratulations Mike and Tina, may you have a long and happy life together. 

On the quilting front, I have been playing with my Accuquilt Go baby (aka) Miss Daisy, and foresee a lot of cutting in my future.  I just have to get through the next 4 weeks of classes first!
Happy quilting,
Marianne