Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The UFO's are getting done...if it kills me!

For Christmas I bought myself several new patterns and kits on eBay. I didn't open them when they came in the mail. I was a good girl and handed them over to Kevin, to wrap and give to me on Christmas day. This was really hard, because he bought an iPhone for his Christmas present, and he got it two weeks before Christmas. He played with it and all the accessories, and as soon as a new "gadget" for it, arrived in the mail, he would hurry and unwrap it, and then pass it over to me to wrap for Christmas. Well, it made it funner to wait for Christmas day. Here are the things I got, and have added to that growing stash!I know you can't see the picture very well, but they are: The Shepherds Bush kits, "Sail Away", "Snow Hill" and "A Rosey Garden". I also got a small pattern called "True Friend". I actually finished that one already, twice. (Do you hear the hallelujah chorus singing!) I stitched it once for me, and once for a friend of mine's, birthday. It only took a few hours from start to finish. Don't you love those kind of projects?
I also got two kits from the Heart's content. The Colonial Welcome Sampler, and the Colonial Character Sampler. Both are over 20 years old, however the designs are still classics. I may change some colors on them, but I still think they are worth stitching today!
Shepherd's Bush "True Friend". Framed in a cute frame by "Hog River" that I've had for a while. I just needed the perfect thing to put in it. Finished January 2009.

Okay. I have a little bit of a stash. Well, to be honest, I have a lot of stash. Not as big as some other peoples I've seen on the Internet, but I'd say I have enough that I could stay busy for next quarter century. So, my goal this year is to complete some of my UFOs, or "UnFinished Objects" for those who are wondering if I'm contacting another planet! Here are some things I am working on in the month of January. This is not my complete list of UFO's, just a few that I have sitting on my table.


Winter and Spring Snapperland's by Bent Creek. I need to get to the framer's this week. Winter was so fun to work on, I think I finished it in about a week and a half. I love a project that I'm itching to work on every day! Finished Spring November 2008, and Winter in January 2009.

"February's Hearts" by Blackbird Designs. I started this last year, and didn't get very far on it, so I really want to finish this before Valentines day. (I know, I better get busy!) The basket is really, pure torture to work on. It requires careful attention given to the pattern, so I have been stitching on it every day while Cambry does her math. Then we can both be tortured together!Bareroots "Sewing bag and accessories". I finished this 2007. Ever since then, the little UFO project below has been stored in it. Time to get 'er done!
Several years ago, Barri Sue Gaudet, of Bareroots, came and did a trunk show for my local quilt shop, Village Dry Goods. I went a little crazy and bought about 10 of her patterns. So far I've finished one, and I'm working on another. (yikes!) I love to do embroidery. It is such a nice break from cross stitch, and I can easily take the projects with me in the car. I pulled this one out the other day, "sewing tote and Chatelaine", and have enjoyed working on it. I'm going to finish it with Fig Tree's Fabrics.

I bought this cute pattern at the Houston Quilt Market, in October. "Once Upon a Time", by Bananafana designs. I bought myself a serger two weeks ago, and I've been interested in working on some skirts and dresses. This one I started for Cambry, it will be for Easter. I was blown away when I saw how much fabric is in this little skirt. There are 10 (Yes, T.E.N.) Fat quarters in the upper skirt alone. They are cut to 16 1/2" but that still means that I have to gather 165 inches of fabric. I ordered a ruffler foot for my machine, which should be here any day now. That is the only way I can imagine gathering all of that fabric up, to fit one tiny little waist.
Progress on Cambry's Easter dress so far. Jan. 13th, 2009.
This is one of those projects that gets put on the UFO list every year. This was a redwork quilt called "Mama Said." To tell you the truth, I've never really loved this project. It was a free block of the month, and you could receive one a month if you completed your prior month and brought it to the next meeting. I loved working on this with my friends. We would meet once a month and have lunch, and work on our blocks, but I haven't had the motivation to finish it. I put the blocks together last year, and even bought fabric for the dreaded borders. I think I'll put a large cream border on it, and do some applique on it. It has to get done this year, I'm sick of looking at it!
"The Village Alphabet" by Cross My Heart, Inc." This is one of my longest going UFO projects. I started this about 16 years ago, when I was young and had time to stitch a lot more than I do now! I have 2 more rows to complete it (along with the last two houses in the row). I didn't know if I wanted to finish this project, but about a year ago when I pulled it out, Kevin really liked it, and thought I was crazy not to finish it. I was on the letter "x". The reason it is taking so long, is it isn't a project I can take with me. I also like to only work on it in my sewing room, where I have good light, so it doesn't get as much attention as it should, but I'm hoping that putting this goal to finish it down in print, will motivate me to get it done!

Monday, January 5, 2009

99 Things I've done!
I saw this on another blog, and thought it was fun.
If you want to play too, bold the things that you've done and post on your blog now.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii and danced on a lava cliff with the roar of the Pacific below
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year's Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee