So much going on, so much has happened

I can't believe it has been months since I last posted! How did the time go so fast, and what have I been up to? I moved to a smaller place, so no real sewing area ( unless you count half of my bedroom), working 40+ hours a week at a job almost an hour away, and college classes mean hardly any sewing time. My machines are so lonely. But, hoping to be back in the sewing saddle soon, and more pics! Wish me luck.
Happy quilting everybody!
Marianne

warning, long long post- and pics!

I have been so long from the blogging world (as in no posts of my own, but still reading others). Got a new full time job (for now) doing temp work here there and everywhere in a local hospital group. Hoping it leads to a full time (with benefits!) job in one place. Love it, but not used to less time for sewing. For a while, I was working also on the weekends, so some weeks it was working everyday. I think I did 3 weeks straight. Add in school, something had to give and the weekend job went away. Kind of sad, I worked there for 11 years, but it was time. Much happier, and studying more. We are also getting ready to move into a rental house in the next month or 2, and having to pack up 15 years worth of stuff is driving me crazy! But, I have been sewing and quilting:

bought this as a curtain at the local Goodwill clearance center. Works perfect for a backing!

used a panel for a soft baby book for blocks. I love this quilt. Made for a former co-workers baby boy.

Here is another one I made for another former coworkers baby girl:

I used some practice blocks in the backing. She loves it. 

My honey and I went to a quilt show in March:

My honey checking out one of the quilts in the show.

                                          We also went on a trip to Old St. Augustine Fl.

The B&B we stayed at, The Carriage Way. Beautiful and the food was so good.

I loved the bathroom, look at the shower!

The bed was so tall, I had to literally jump into it! 

                                   We walked around town for hours, and saw the sights:

Flagler college

St Augustine Lighthouse

He talked me into climbing to the top!

                                                 And another machine to add to the collection:

 A Singer 99, the big sister to the Featherweight. Yep, I have added more to the collection. I now also have a Featherweight, but no pictures. It is now complete ( I hope). Is there a 12 step program for fabricaholics and sewing machinaholics? I think I just made up a new word!
Hope everyone has a great day,
Happy quilting
Marianne

Celtic Solstice top done!

So excited! I got my Celtic Solstice quilt top done!

It went from these pieces.

To this

The whole top. 

I know there is a mistake right in the middle, but I think done is better than perfect. I will be quilting it with an allover design, and my daughter has already laid claim to it! Which is shocking, because she has never laid claim to any of them! Maybe I'm rubbing off on her, and there is a future quilter there somewhere?
Have a great day! I am off to quilt a baby quilt (after I finish cleaning my frame and machine- ick! )
Happy quilting,
Marianne

Christmas time!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and looking forward to a wonderful 2014. I feel very optimistic about the future.

Since oldest son was going to the other Florida coast to have Christmas with his fiancée's family, we opened our gifts a day early:

 

She’s my little practice granddaughter. I adore her, she’s my son’s fiancée's niece. She loves baby dolls, and I have some doll clothes I’m working on to go with the doll.

 

The hat dances and sings, and my ,dog wanted it so bad! He wouldn’t leave my mom alone.

All in all, Christmas was great.

I have also been doing some sewing, this is my progress on Celtic Solstice, Bonnie Hunter's newest mystery quilt. There are 4 steps out so far, I am almost caught up with step 2.

And a bit of buying of fabric. I blew my fabric diet today, but I got great deals, so it’s a win-win, I think. Although, having a cart full of bolts of fabric, and standing in line for an hour is something else. Glad everyone was in a great mood, and as one person was getting fabric cut, another was asking for the rest of that bolt! It was something else.

I hope everyone has a great New Year’s.

Happy quilting,

Marianne

Found quilts

Does anybody else start cleaning and find quilts that they forgot they had made? Please tell me I am not the only one. LOL. I got the cleaning bug today to clean the kitchen/dining room where we have a large cabinet that houses a lot of quilts and sheets. I also rearranged the dining room. This was fueled by lots of energy and lots of caffeine. I got rid 2 large bags of blankets and sheets we no longer use (my daughter hasn't used power puff girl sheets in years!)

I found a bunch of quilts I made when I first got the quilting bug:

This was my very first quilt. I made it after watching Kaye Woods on PBS. I was hooked from that point on.

I love looking at all the fabrics I used, mainly calicos, etc. This was in the mid 90's. Oh I have come a long way, now I know about batiks, etc.
These quilts are all going into vacuum seal bags and into storage for a few months.
But what do I do about all of these?

These are my more current quilts, in the sewing room closet. Oh well, the sewing room is another day. Right now, have to finish a bunch of Christmas presents. Anyone else doing a homemade Christmas?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everybody has a great Thanksgiving! I promise to be back with more posts after finals!

He's back!

"He" being my Bailey longarm that I affectionately call Beetle after the cartoon character.  I was having so many issues with tension, jamming up, etc, that I gave up and took him into my local sewing machine repair guy who I have taken all my machines to for several years.  He got it cleaned up, oiled, and adjusted the tension etc.  I put Beetle back on my frame (after I cleaned it well), and started practicing, and this is how it turned out:

So smooth, and quiet, I am so going to enjoy quilting now without all the issues.  I already have a quilt top picked out:

No clue what kind of design to do, but I will figure it out, that's for sure.
Besides all of that today, I also made several loaves of zucchini bread some chocolate zucchini and some apple zucchini.  It is so good.  The weather is finally cooling off (for Florida), and I get my baking groove on.
Hope everyone has a great day,
Happy quilting,
Marianne