I "leaf" it up to you. Opus Gluei Challenge # 142

At least I think we are up to 142 challenges over at OPUS GLUEI. Anyway...

The lovely Rosemary is "leafing" it up to us to choose which challenge to accept this fortnight. We can make a FALL inspired project AND/OR a HALLOWEEN inspired project.

I couldn't really make up my mind, so I did both.

I grabbed some scraps out of my scrap bin and went to town. See:

I really enjoyed making the Halloween set. The sugar skulls are leftover from a tote I made for a swap partner. The other Halloween fabrics are from projects I made years ago. I love how they all work so nicely together. And they're fun too.

I didn't quite get this set finished. I will finish binding the last three and hand quilt leaves or acorns onto the center yellow squares. These are a little less whimsical, but still, I love them. Fall is my most favorite season. And so are these colors.

 

 

My morning brew is so much better now. Ahhhh.

 

 

Your turn. Show us your Autumn or Halloween projects at OPUS GLUEI.

We can't wait to see what you've conjured up for us.

 

 I am also linking up to the ANYTHING BUT A CARD challenge, which is also a FALL or HALLOWEEN theme. I just found this challenge and think I squeeee'd loud enough to wake my teenage daughter. Not an easy thing to do on a weekend morning.
 



Finish Along 4th Quarter Goals

I am FANTASTIC at setting goals. Attaining them, not so much. BUT I will keep trying.

This last quarter of 2012, I will FINISH:

The wedding quilt. This one is a repeat.

 

 

 

(picture to come soon. I can't find it right now.)

My leaf quilt.

 

 

 



The embroidery on the Birdie quilt. I still have November and December to finish.

 

 

 

The embroidered ornaments. Yes, these are a carry over.

 

 

 

The Christmas dissapearing 9 patch quilt.

 

 

 

 

3 more placemats for the eclectic table.
(have blocks that need to be finished into placemats)

That's all I am going to try. Usually I have a dozen or so items listed. Let's see if a shorter list is more attainable. (That and December is REALLY busy for me.)


Rhonda is hosting the FINISH ALONG. Join in the fun. Let's see what you can get done.

Opus Gluei Challenge # 141

OPUS GLUEI is up to Challenge # 141 - Red, Turquoise, Black, White and Kraft. Super crafter Gini has thrown the palette at us. You should see the wonderful cards she made. And the rest of the Poobah's too.

I grabbed fabric, my medium of choice these days, in these colors and set out making a mug rug. I started with the coffee cup. It was perfect for this. It also provides the only Kraft color in my mug rug.

I used this as an opportunity to try out some different quilting ideas. Not really spectacular, but not bad either. I DO need more practice though.

Now show us your RED, TURQUOISE, WHITE, BLACK and KRAFT creations.

Finish Along 3rd Quarter Report

Time for the report. Time to come clean with my progress in Rhonda's Finish Along.

You remember this post. The one that I promised to get lots done over the past 3 months. Well, here's how I did:

1. Going Coastal Table Runner - A+ - We have been using the table runner all summer long.

2. Leaf Quilt Top Quilted - Failed - Haven't even pulled the UFO pile out.

3. Citrus Quilt Top Pieced and Quilted - Failed - Still have a stack of beautiful quilt blocks.

4. Hexie Quilt Pieced - C - I have all of the hexies cut and papered. And 11 flowers made. I am not doing the flower garden pattern, but I think it'll be easier to handle this way.

5. Nephew's Wedding Quilt Pieced and Quilted - Failed - These newlyweds will get this quilt for Christmas. Maybe.

6. Christmas Placemats - A+ - We are just waiting for Thanksgiving. (That's when I pull out the Christmas china and the Official Christmas Rush starts here.)

7. Embroidered Ornaments - C - I have the embroidery done. Just need to add felt on the back and some ribbon for a hanger.

8. Happy Go Lucky Stitch Along Sampler - D - I have just over half done. I think I am being a little generous with my grade on this one.

9. Train Case Relining and Tutorial - Failed - Train case is still not lined. No tutorial written on it either.

10. Brownie Cookies - Failed - I didn't make or eat those cookies.

Wow. This report sure makes me sound like a big slacker. I didn't get a lot done on my list, but I did get a lot done over the last few months. You can see some of the things I did (not list items) on my FLICKR photostream.

I'm not giving up on my list. I'll get to them. I just have to quit my job and kick my kids out. And the hubby too. They keep wanting me to feed them. And I keep feeding them.

Stay tuned for the last quarter Dream Finish Along list. Should be pretty amusing...

Mini Compostition Notebook Cover Tutorial

Today I am hosting a tutorial over at Rhonda's place. Quilter in the Gap is the host of the FINISH A LONG. It's a quarterly competition with yourself to FINISH those unFINISHED projects. You list what you think you can get done in the quarter and then compare your actual FINISHes at the end of the quarter. So far, I stink at getting my projects done. BUT I marvel at the projects that others have gotten done.

Anyhow, head over to QUILTER IN THE GAP and check out my tutorial.

 

I'll show you how to take this:

 

 

 

And turn it into this:

 

 

Oh, yeah, I'm giving the top one away over there too.

To win that one you have to comment on Quilter In The Gap.

 

I'll send another one to a lucky reader from here. Just leave me a comment and I'll use a random winner picker on the 13th to pick a winner.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

 

Mini Eye Candy Quilt Swap

I haven't fallen off the face of the internet. I have been busy doing things. I'm a full time worker bee in the finance department for a government agency and it's the end of the fiscal year. 'Nuff said there.

I'm also soccer momming. Two of the three girls are playing soccer. There's practice Mon-Thursday nights. There's also tutoring on Wednesday. And soccer games on Saturdays. Usually at different times, unless they are at different fields. Then they are at the same times.

I have been sucked into the swapping vortex. I was in a Fabulous Mini Quilt Swap. The quilts have been mailed and received. It was one of those mystery swaps. I didn't know who had my name until I got a package in the mail. (You'll see that in a minute.)

I'm a little late posting, but here's the mini I sent to my partner.

It was a pleasure to make for her. I knew she liked bright colors. And this design just popped into my head.

 

The circles are padded with an extra layer of batting and then hand appliqued onto the top. Then I hand quilted circles onto the background.

 

 

Here's my pathetic label. (You'll see what I mean in a minute.)

 I need more practice with freehand stitch writing. It's not horrible, but it could be better.

 

 

 

Here's the beauty I received. It came all the way from England.

 

 

It has an OWL. It's bright and cheery. There's embroidery. It has an OWL. Those pinwheels are 3-D. It's an amazing work of Art. I am so honored to have this in my Studio. I LOVE this mini quilt. Oh, and the fabric is so soft. And the embroidery is PERFECT. I marvel at the stitching.

And just check out the label. And that wonderful pieced back. (Now you see what I mean about my needing a bit more practice?!?!?!)

The label is an OWL. And there's embroidery. And it's GORGEOUS.

But that's not where this ends. Look at the extra loot I received. (I am really very lucky to have had such a wonderful partner.)

The pouch has a clear vinyl front. The pincushion and the needle book both have those amazingly clever pinwheels. AND just check out that adorable mushroom pin.

I loved every stage of this swap. Even the part where I was really nervous about what to make for my incredibly talented partner.

Oh, yeah. I also sent her some saltwater taffy, a postcard from the Outer Banks and this little mug rug.

This is one of those little projects that just came together with the scraps and leftovers on my sewing table. I LOVE it. And it sort of matched the mini, so it HAD to go to my partner.