Sweet dreams Duke!

Duke is enjoying his new bed! I'll share more pictures tomorrow. :-) I am so excited that I actually finished it. He is napping on it right now!

Sewing Sunday

Looks like rain so I decided to work on Duke's porch rug. I'm going to make it more of a soft "bed" so.....on to the sides! Duke is debating whether to assume position under the sewing table on his "sewing bed". ( "is she really going to sit down and sew or will she find another distraction?" ) He loves the hum of the machine. When I let up on the pedal but the machine keeps sewing, I know he's edged up too close to the pedal with his body - "thanks for the help, Duke!"

Here's a look at my sewing area today.
Starbucks and jelly beans!

What's your favorite coffee or tea? I like a nice dark, bold, black coffee with an 'add shot' of espresso. :-)

Kris

Nerf wars have begun

Duke's mat (top) is finished! It's all ready to quilt. I know he is excited. ;-)

Senior nerf wars are on. The pay to play fee - $10 and the pot is $2000! Go team Mitch is on! He is "packing" everywhere he goes. Calls home for me to check the bushes before he gets out of his car. Another "memory" in the making for Senior year.

I'm blogging in the movie theater! Yes, here to see Wrath of the Titans with my younger son. Oh boy!! Gotta get my glasses on!

Kris

Playing with blogger for iPad

Since I am rarely on my laptop I thought I would try blogging from my iPad. My last two posts were blogged from my iPhone. The pictures come up at the end with no way to comment under them. This seems like a better way to blog (blogger plus for iPad).

Can you believe we drive like this? Duke has his back legs in the back seat,

He is a funny dog!

Finally, finished a quilt top this week. Here is Duke showing it to you! I have a vintage sheet for the back, the batting is ready, its time to make a quilt sandwich.

I'm linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts for what is her last link party, for now. I'm sad to hear that as I've really enjoyed them!

verdict on blogger plus.....will use it in a pinch but still prefer the laptop for copy/paste!

Kris

Chevron backing

I found the perfect backing for my chasing chevrons quilt back! I can't wait to put it on, but my kitchen wall will look a little bare without the quilt top hanging there!

The dog rug is not done. Is anyone surprised? The weather turned sunny and it was meant to be enjoyed.

Until next time!
Kris

Wordless Wednesday family treasure

Candy Coated for Duke

I just love Amanda Jean's "Candy Coated" quilt pattern. My coastal fabric scraps seemed perfect for it so I've decided to start with a thin mat for our front porch for Duke to lie on, as we are entering porch season in the PNW! Here's a look at my design wall as of today. I'm going to add a few more scraps and get this finished up tomorrow. At least, that's the plan!

We have ROWS!

It takes me FOREVER to finish a quilt.  I watch other bloggers start and finish a quilt all in a weekend or week and it amazes me.  I must be very SLOW at sewing.  (I do get easily distracted.)  Anywho, I couldn't wait to post these pictures of my "Bust Yo Scraps" (QAL by Just a bit frayed) quilt.  As I mentioned before, the blocks with the yellow square center are time hoggers!  But I do love them next to the snowball blocks.  The turquoise fabric is flannel and since it's just pinned here and there it looks a bit bubbly in this picture. I added in that dark fabric (see point above center yellow) as I was making the last blocks and I'm glad I did - I like the depth of the contrast.

 I found a new place for my design wall!  This is a sliding glass door.  I was thinking about making curtains for it but maybe I'll just leave this here permanently and it will be like changing curtains!

 The first night I hung the design wall (Target table cloth turned flannel side out) I used electric tape (no I didn't use Jack's wallet making stash I bought my own!)  When I woke the next morning, it was all piled in the floor.  :(  I re pinned the squares on the dining room table then poked holes in the table cloth at the top and tied it to the holder on the wall with ribbon.  So far so good!

 Can you tell what he has been up to?  Seems he knew just the place where he wanted to put the treat I gave him. 

After doing 13 loads of laundry at the laundry mat yesterday (yes, 13! Bedding, blankets, rugs, you know the drill!) I found Duke curled up on this freshly washed blanket on the couch.  Seems he loves Downey lavender! 

Happy Friday

Kris



Little Finishes - but finishes none the less!

I made a key chain to go with the potholders for my April Love in a Box gift go here for more about Love in a Box.  I got the pattern here.  Thanks Leila! They are so fun and easy to make!

I have a habit of taking pictures before I sew binding to the back.  Bad, I know.  I just get so excited to photograph something I like that I hurry the process along. :) 

Here are the backs:

The fabric is "Going Coastal".  I still have more of it.  I just love it.

As my blog friend over at flying blind on a rocket cycle warned me, these key chains are addicting!

Surfboard key chain!

Skateboard key chain!

(Yep, the buttons weren't sewn on yet)

I decided I liked the pattern for the potholder so much (Thanks Jeni at In Color Order), I needed to make another set for me.  I came across Jeni's pattern as it is part of the

Festival of Half Square Triangles - you can find more details and a linky party!

(Not washed yet...that's a water soluble pen)

By the way, I made these while watching the first 6 episodes of "Awake" on Hulu.  Have you seen this new show?  It's really good!  The next episode is tonight.

I am very happy with the colors of this set - I have lots of yellow in my kitchen. (Remember?)

Recently I've had the urge to plot out a quilt of my own design so I bought some graph paper.  Jack spotted the paper and right away said, "Can I draw a quilt that you could make?"  My little artist is always ready to participate in creative tasks!  So here is what he came up with:

He asked if I could just duplicate the one block so he didn't have to draw it again.  Then he mentioned that I should follow the right side of that block and not the left because he messed up a little on the left side.  No problem!  I can do that!  I was so excited to see what he came up with and like his Momma, he likes lots of color!

It's Spring Break this week.  We started with a day of long boarding.  Here are Zane and Jack demonstrating the "sliding gloves" used to turn around corners and steady yourself. 

We hit the trails with Duke - who was happy to have the time to sniff around and pee on things for over an hour (how does he do that?).

Worn out from a morning on the trails.

I'm off to work on my "Bust Yo Scraps" quilt.  I am FINALLY done with the blocks and ready to sew rows!  This quilt has taken the most time - by far - of any quilt I have made so far.  I timed myself last night and it takes me an average of 40 minutes to finish one block due to all of the sewing, ironing and squaring up.  That block is used in half of the quilt!  More pictures of that next time.

Happy Sewing!

Kris

Linking up to Amanda Jean at

Crazy Mom Quilts

Finish it up Friday!

Love in a Box - April

I can't believe it's been over a week since I've been on here.  This time of year gets very busy for the kids and with a Senior in High School, it seems there are all kinds of deadlines happening. 

I was looking for something to create for April's Love in a Box gift and came across this tutorial on Jeni's blog for half-square-triangle pot holders.  If you haven't read Jeni's blog, you really should.  She is SO TALENTED!  I also love the quilt she just remade and posted yesterday. 

These pot holders are going to Lisa in Carlsbad, CA.  I used some "Going Coastal" fabrics, amongst others.  I loved the pattern and it was so easy to follow along with Jeni's tutorial! 

(You can read more about Love in a Box here.)

                    I've been planning new projects, but determined to get some old ones finished  first...Get'er done, right Deb?!

 Four new blocks for my Bust Yo Scraps quilt.  I'm getting close to having all of the blocks finished!

 Cookies I made for the team snack for Jack's first baseball game of the season! 

 Elementary School Talent Show - We have been busy shooting footage of Jack skateboarding and making a video set to music.  He was so excited about this.

 My bass player Mitch is touring in Canada with the GHHS Meistersingers!

 Jack and I had lots of fun with egg markers this year.  Everyone in the family gets their name on an egg as per our yearly tradition!  The only issue was, the marker rubbed off on our fingers when we made them and every time we handled them

afterwards (during hunting).

It's Friday and I've finished something up - yay!

Gonna join my friends over at Amanda Jean's

finish-it-up-friday-week-23.

 Kris

What's your passion?

My oldest son, Mitch, is a senior this year.  His interests are many - his passion is music. 

He started playing bass guitar in the 4th grade.  We signed him up for lessons, which he took for a couple of years.  But mostly, he is self taught.  He has an ear for music.  He hears a song, then plays it.  It's a gift.  He's played in many bands and his tastes have changed over the years.  This year he is all about jazz music.  After saving his money, he bought himself a stand up bass guitar.  It arrived in January.  He's already played it in two school concerts. 

Last night was the second concert.  He smiled and spun his bass around, wearing his "jazz hat" while he accompanied the Gig Harbor High School jazz choir.  He changed into his tuxedo and played a fun version of Humpty Dumpty with the elementary school honor choir.  Finally, he sang with the GHHS Meistersingers.  During one song there is various clapping by the singers at different parts in the song.  At the end of the song, there is one final clapping rhythm, a solo - and it was Mitch.

For me, there is nothing that gives me greater joy than watching my child do what he is passionate about.

Kris