A Closet Purging

Yesterday I went with the Hubs to the doctor's and in the building is this quilt by Sandi Cummings. I always loved this quilt & her style. I took a class from her -years ago. I gave my version of this quilt away... but I will look for a photo of it to share.

I have 4 of my Jelly Roll Sampler blocks done.

My photos are not behaving... for some reason I could only get a few of them to show up.

I decided that I was going to be brave and show you my nearly empty closet. Remember I did a major cleaning of it and went down to "bare bones". I just have the projects that have been started here in this closet. And a bit of fabric. I have another picture of my linen closet that has a respectable amount of stacks of fabrics... but I can't get that one to show.

Previously this closet was not to be opened without wearing a yellow hard hat. You can use your imagination! I don't get embarrassed easily but I couldn't even take a picture of the "before" shot, seriously!

I guess I will have to do this in a part one and two to see if I can get the other pictures to post. Be right back...

Purging Part II

My one linen closet designated to sewing fabric. This is my group of fabrics that I didn't dare part with after the purging. Now this doesn't show you my baskets of my favorites, charm packs or jelly rolls but for the most part this is what I have scaled down to.

While I was cleaning I found these sweet indigo fabrics. The 5 fabrics stacked show the front and the back side of each of those fabrics... they have an opposite design on the back... can you see?
I think these will be fun to do something with... and if I wasn't already started on a Gone to Market pattern... that might have been it.

And I have been prepping my handles for Gone to Market!

I am getting close to having them all ready to go.

Another project from the weekend was a little something out of the new Schnibbles Times Two book. It called for a layer cake but was easily converted to a charm pack and jelly roll that I had on hand of an older Fig Tree group, Fig & Plum.

It is getting close to the end of the month... and that means that there is a Schnibbles Parade ahead! See you then.

The Dress... Maybe & This and That

I have been on a search for a dress to wear to my sons' wedding.

Since it's a "retro" theme that narrows the choices of place to shop! I am not going to find something like that at J Jill. Which is my first shopping pick.

But today, I ran across Kay's new post at Sew Serendipity. It's from her new Spring pattern line that will be showing at Spring Market in a few weeks. I'm thinking that this could work for me! Now, I am not any kind of a garment sewer. I would be classified as remedial. But I do have a collection of Serendipity patterns... she has such a fun style! I really love the waist and the cut of the dress. I think it would be so cute, don't you?

Of course I would like mine to come with a "slimmer silhouette" and a tan please!

I think I have a date with this book this weekend! It's in my hands... I have a project cut out... now all I need is some sewing time!

Another little thing I ran across was this soon to be released publication, Fat Quarterly. You can see more about it at the blog of Julie: Jaybird Quilts . She has been interviewed in it and it's published by her entourage of blogging buddies!

And how is this for fun! Just as I was packaging up Denise's prize from my giveaway, I got an email from Heather at Quilting' Like Crazy. It seems that I won this wonderful purse from her giveaway drawing! I love the colors... and I know Camille would be so jealous! I can't wait to get it! It will be great for Summer.

There is another giveaway in bloggland this weekend... this really cute creation by Dawn at Linen Closet Quilts.

This is her new pattern. French Wrens. This applique looks like it would be doable for me.
So that's two week spots... clothing and applique. Well, two of several!LOL!

Have a great weekend!

A Winner & Trivia in Honor of Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day. E B White

I picked a winner today for my anniversary giveaway!

But before I tell you who it is I want to thank you all for entering my little giveaway. And thank you for being with me during this past year too!

I thought I would be clever and put the name in a vial

along with specimens of an endangered species

that are at my office.

The name is kind of blurred...

well, a lot blurred, so I will the you the winner is...

Denise Panter!
From the blog Count it all Joy.

Congratulations Denise!

Oh, and the name of the little guys in the vials are fairy shrimp.

I thought I would share with you the reason why I live where I do.

I came to visit Yosemite one day when I was 24. I was born in Oregon but grew up in Southern California, Huntington Beach. Never really camped in my life. Came to see this place one day...

and never left. I believe in love at first sight.

I got a job here. Bought a flash light, a travel clock and a sleeping bag.

They provided the tent!

It still gives me goose bumps!

For the past 9 years I have worked for Environmental Consultants.

My boss's father was the man who was responsible for most of the research and the information we know about Giant Sequoias trees.

(some of the photos above are from terragallaries.com and also from YNP website)

I joined 3 of my sons today for lunch and they told me about a little Earth Day thing going on in our community, so we went over there afterwards.

I took a picture of this guy.

This is actually a Eastern Fisher. But there is a special study going on in our area to find and collar these guys so they can be studied.

Unlike the Eastern Fisher, the Pacific Fisher is a species of special concern. Which means they are trying, but haven't yet been able

to get them on the endangered species list.

Progress All Around

On Saturday Jill , otherwise known as Miss Organization, was here with me and we decided to tackle my sewing room... closet. A very scary place. But after only 5 hours, we had a lot of progress made.

Here is a photo of Jill's trunk. This is the good stuff that is off to a new home. Well, homes. She will distribute it to her students and take some to the ranch to play with there also.

The back of my car looked the same... plus another 5 bags of decorator weight fabric swatches.

It all just needed to go.

I will have to take a picture of my closet now to show but since I wouldn't dare take a before picture I'm not sure that it would give you the whole effect. Anyway, it was a good thing because I was afraid that I was becoming a hoarder and you would be seeing me

on that TV program one day!
On Sunday I met with a friend who just graduated culinary school and she gave me a tutoring on Wedding Cake 101. My cake did not look like these pictured here (courtesy of Wilton magazine).

But mine did taste fantastic... and with a little practice... I think ...
okay, a lot of practice I think I can do this. I have a whole 2 months till the wedding!
Piece of cake! LOL

Now for my other progresses:
(is that a word?)


This one got sewn together... still need borders.
In the cleaning I was hoping to find these Dresden blades...
and I did, eventually. I had enough to make 12, 18 inch blocks!

I have my rows together now for Yoyoville
and the rows together for Due South.
I seem to be working in assembly line fashion.


But it's still progress!
I just got a call from the LQS that Carrie's new book has arrived...
so guess where I'm off to?

It's My Blogiversary!

In honor of my blog anniversary... which is tomorrow, I thought I would have a little giveaway.

Although I had wanted to have the magazine, Where Women Create, my "personal shopper" was unable to locate the newest edition... so for the giveaway

there will be the latest edition of Artful Blogger, two hand towels made from French General toweling with yo yo's (inspired by Jill) out of the Rural Jardin group. I also wanted to add those 3 sweet little thread spools tied with measuring tape twill.

I also had a little logo button designed by Lauren from Designer Blogs. She is the same person who designed the Year of Schnibbles button for Sherri & me.

I have really enjoyed my first year of blogging. I love this community and am really happy to be a part of it and all the sharing of ideas and inspiration. I had been on the sidelines of blogland for a year or more before I decided to jump in. I am so glad I did.

I am really happy to have my blogging friends in my life. Seriously!

I have only met one blogger, the wonderful Miss Julie/Jaybird in person... but I really hope there will be a chance to meet more of you someday!

If you are one of those on the sidelines still - please think about joining in. You will love it! One more thing, Jodie at Everything Vintage just celebrated her blogiversary this week also and she wrote a wonderful post about starting a blog... Starting a New Blog 101.

Great inspiration over there!

So here's the scoop:

if you want to enter the giveaway...

for one entry

* leave a comment telling me your favorite experience blogging on this post
*become a follower for another chance to win (if you already are a follower just let me know), leave me a second comment to let me know.

*if you want to add my new little button to your sidebar, do that and come back and tell me and I will put your name into the giveaway 3 more times!
that's 5 chances to win total!

But that's not all!

Edited: It would be nice if you posted about the giveaway...

for one more bonus point!

oh yeah, oh yeah, I will keep the giveaway drawing open until next Thursday the 22nd, which is Earth Day, which is appropriate for me. I will announce the winner next Friday!

Does that sound okay?

Now, just so I can be on the good side of Julie and the Hexagon-a-long I wanted to show you my strips are done and my triangles are cut!

I am using Hello Betty jelly roll for this... it took some doing, but I cut into it.



Here is one possible option for the triangles.


And for my Jelly Roll Sampler group I have completed Block #3! Ok, I haven't posted these on flikr yet. I have a new computer and have had to start all over with loading programs and all of that.
Not a whole lot of progress this week with my projects and I haven't even started my Schnibbles... so, you know what my plans are going to be for the weekend!

Blog Surfing and Lunch With the MG's

Just a quickie post here...

did you know about the giveaway over at Julie's aka Jaybird Quilts blog?

It's this sweet little kit courtesy of Fat Quarter Shop!

Why not try to win...

and she has another little thing going on...

I think that they started without me...
It's a Hexagon Quilt-a-long!
I love these quilts... and they are perfect for jelly rolls!
So you might want to check it out while you are over at Jaybird Quilts
entering to win that kit. I'm just sayin'.

Have you been over to Stash Manicure yet? Something new... and great ideas!

Posts are written by guest bloggettes. There is about a dozen bloggers that you probably already know. You should go check it out!

So that was my morning...
and then I had lunch with my Material Girls!

That's my quilt guild circle. There is about 12 of us... and only a few of us that have to work. (Because we are so young)LOL. So every now and then the group meets in town, at the LQS and there is a little show and tell going on and a lot of catching up... an hour is not nearly
enough time!

But I thought I would share a couple photos.

This is one of the little projects the group did. I missed out on it...
but I was thinking that maybe I could share the project with you and make one at the same time!

April Showers!

I attended a bridal shower for Jill, my soon to be DIL this weekend.

It was put on by her Aunt and Cousin. Pot holders were made by Jill's cousin, Marie for each place setting. They were made from their grandmother's fabric stash. (Grandma passed away a few years ago). I thought it was a nice touch.

It was very fun for me and it looks like Jillian was having fun too!

It was a nice getaway over to Livermore but we weren't able to escape and run over to In Between Stitches this trip!

On another subject:

I have a little secret... I am trying to think of something clever for another celebration coming up... there is going to be a blogiversary
very soon. Stay tuned!
I wouldn't want you to miss out!

POM: Projects of the Month

Projects for the Month

I got up early to so that I could post about my projects for the Charming Guys and Girls Club.

Today is the last day to show what our "plans" are for the month.

Here is my "hopeful" list of finishes:

I am starting of with this purse made out of Bar Harbor fabrics. The body of the purse is made out of their vinyl covered fabric. I have used Moda's vinyl before and liked it... so we'll see how this turns out. It is being made for a shop sample, so it really needs to get finished... fast.

I had started my flying geese project last month and I have the rows layed out ready to start sewing... so since they are covering my floor, this forces me to work on Due South first.

I also have my Schnibbles for the month to work on. Definitely a must finish for April.

I started working on this over the weekend. It started with leftovers from another project that I made into 4 patches. Now I made the rows for in between those rows... we'll see how this one develops. There's no real plan.

Here is one that I started and left behind at some point. This one gets put back into the loop. I love the blocks... I'm not sure why I lost interest in it.
I hope to get a couple other things finished also... but this is all I am really committing to!

Enjoy your day!

Winners & Prizes

The Year of Schnibbles Parade was so much fun yesterday!

I actually think that that was my favorite pattern so far.

It was fun, easy and looked great in all the different fabric groups.

I also loved the table runner size, the extra large size, the sashing variation, the ric rac...

it was so fun to see all the creativity!

So, let's have some more fun and pick some winners!!!

(names are picked randomly)

From Bear Paw Quilts & more

2 charm packs and coordinating panel of Cherish Nature by Deb Strain:

(photo above) and the winner is:

Andee

From Quilt Taffy

Schnibbles Pattern and Moda charm pack:

the winner is:

Sashi

From Quilters' Paradise $25 gift certificate:

the winner is:

Ariane

From Missouri Star Quilt Co. 1 charm pack of Make Life

for 2 winners:

the winners are:

Mel and Marianne

From the Fat Quarter Shop

$50 gift certificate
the winner is:

Darlene

From Lake Havasu Quilt Shop

$25 gift certificate
the winner is:

Sandy (Sandy's Show & Tell)

From Cottage Quilts

$25 gift certificate

the winner is:

Trish

Carrie has also randomly picked two winners.

She will be giving a Primerose Inn Jelly Roll (photo near top) to each of these Schnibblers:

From Sherrie's Parade:

Edith

From My Parade:

Angela