Halfway there

I've joined in on a quilt-along at Ellison Lane http://ellisonlane.blogspot.com/2012/10/improv-log-cabin-tutorial-scrappy-stash.html

I'm making 42 blocks and I'm halfway there!! It's forcing me to organize my scraps and I feel good about that. On an unrelated note I went to Joann's the other day because batting was on sale. I don't buy too much fabric there, but sometimes they have cute kids print just perfect for donation quilts. But I was amazed or rather dismayed to see many fabrics at 12.99 and 10.99 a yard! Even with a coupon, I won't be buying too much fabric from them in the future.

It was dangerous getting this picture, we've had a bumper crop of acorns this year. I swept this morning and the deck is covered with them again. The acorns were raining down on us. Molly scooted off the porch, maybe Molly and I need hardhats -matching yellow ones?!

My Aunt Lee taught me how to sew. She mainly sewed clothes. Lots of very nice clothes starting with my mother who was 12 years her junior. My mother was in her 70's and would still talk about the beautiful clothes she had as a girl thanks to her sister. She sewed dresses for me, her grandchildren, and one Christmas even gave me a doll with a whole tiny beautifully made wardrobe. I remember that she taught sewing lessons and craft lessons at the local Y and through the extension service. She became interested in patchwork as she called it .One summer when I was a girl I was visiting her and she got out her purple scraps for me and made me some pillows. Years later I took them from my old bedroom. They had seen better days, so I took them apart and kept the blocks. I've had them for several years now and last week, while I had my staple gun out I attached them to some canvases and they are hanging in my sewing room. It's like having a bit of her in there with me inspiring me along (asking me if I think my stitches look a little sloppy - oops they almost always did).

I've been trying to reduce my pile of scraps. When I finish a quilt, especially a kid's quilt, I take the scraps from it and put it all in one zip-lock bag. That way when it's time for next year's 100 Quilts For Kids I'll be ready. All of the fabric for this came from one quilt I made last year.

I have enough scraps for a third quilt with these scraps, but it will be a lot more background on the next.

Both of these quilts are going to Margaret's Hope Chest http://margaretshopechest.blogspot.com/. And speaking of Margaret's Hope Chest there was recently a post on how to help, one of the ways was sending some orphan blocks or unquilted tops. I have some lonely blocks that have been making me feel guilty for some time. I just might send them off too and get them off my conscience.

A thrift shop find!!

Truth be told sometimes I get a little envious when I see other bloggers show their thrift shop finds. But that's all in the past now. My son was looking for something at the thrift shop and I went with him and lo and behold I spotted this across the store. As soon as I picked it up a woman came up behind me and asked if I knew what I had there. Jadeite Jadite Fire King Oven Ware. I got both pieces for $3.00. They only problem was they Sharpied the price on the bottom. Any one know how to remove Sharpie?

**Cupcake pattern courtesy of Stephanie at Loft Creations http://www.designsbyloftcreations.com/2011/01/from-me-to-you.html (thanks Stephanie).

Adventures in spray painting (part 2)

My husband gave me a sewing basket a few months ago I forgot to take a before picture of it, it was a dull brown in pretty bad shape. But I did get a picture off of Google images that was similar

Here's a picture of it with it's primer coat

Here it is finished. Sometimes a girl just needs something pink!