friendship bag---my anxiety

im staring at my fabric kingdom and have anxiety over my friendship bag swap project. what if they dont like it....what if its the color they hate...what if they laugh at my sewing abilities? why would something like this be so important to me?? its my first swap.....it could be to a blogger who is very important to the fabric/quilting/blogging community! do i go with "safe" fabs? what FUN item can i put inside?

what will MY person send me? i know i will LOVE it....no matter what. so now what? i know i know...just have fun and do it! jeez....the excitement....the pressure....ok im picking a fab and going to get it over with. cuz i know once i get rolling, ill probably make a few of them for fun.

i love sewing and quilting! i actually feel a part of something now. i feel like i am a part of a fun world. fabrics, projects, fun people.

bag in the making...

108 sultry squares cut...all ready for me to get off work for a long labor day weekend. how exciting is that? all i have to say is THANK GOD for MODA!!! how can you not love their fabs AND their charm packs, layer cakes, jelly rolls, honey buns, turnovers. man oh man do they make the life of a working crafty mom easy! its also pretty reasonable when you buy those packs and use them in quilts, bags, and projects.

im busy....i work, have a family, lots to do in life. i cant imagine buying yardage and cutting all of those squares. yep, im a cheater. i used a charm pack and some yardage. but how sweet it is!

stay tuned....bag should be coming soon.

weekend projects

I am lining up my projects for this weekend and already have 3 in the works. they are all bags, but ive also got a quilt idea in mind. my sister came to town last week with the CUTEST bag...i just HAVE to make it this weekend! I will also have to add to my fabric kingdom to get the quilt in my mind going. Have you all seen the FUN FUN FUN new fabrics moda is releasing this month. they are just evil to do this so close to xmas. its making me rethink xmas presents....not use what fabric i already have.....be greedy and want more more more. I cant wait to get a few of them!!! ive even called my local stores and done the digging of who bought what and what they will have for sale. WHY do they all seem to be so picky on the fun new fabs?

this is the first labor day ive taken off in years, so im planning on making it MY day. Bobbi's sew-in i guess i will call it. There is 1 project that is a MUST. My friendship swap bag. I will feel really guilty if i get mine in the mail and dont even have mine planned for my sewing friend. I also need a fun idea of a goodie to put inside. hmmm.......too bad i have to work all week. I could use an extra day for shop hopping. guess ill just have to sneak out early saturday morning and hit a few stores. the downfall---the FUN ones are across town. THIS is the reason i hate living in the big city....nothing is close. I am originally from North Dakota and miss being able to get across town in minutes--even with bad weather. LOL

hmm...what else is on my mind tonight? i have had a pretty stressful week and day. You know those days where NOTHING goes right? yep, thats me today. I thought that maybe sitting down staring at fabric and moving piles around would be some mental therapy. It did help and actually got me excited to end this week with a bang...maybe a friday night sew-in with myself. My friday night sew-in partner Heidi will have a houseful of tween boys, so i wish her well while i burn up some thread and fabric without her.

friendship bag and book

Looky what i got this week. Its a friendship bag from my sister! they are adorable too. i cant wait to make mine for the swap and send it with some goodies. I love Debbie Macomber books too and the new one came out this week so she had that tucked in the bag.

Ive had a bit of a family emergency this week....so my quilt is on hold. My dad became ill and we have had a scary week, but he is home and well right now. THANK GOODNESS! My sister flew in to help care for him and see us for a few days. Its been nice because i havent seen her in almost a year. But its even nicer when she brings me presents :)

I promise i will work on my woodland bloom quilt soon, but i have to get my dad well and my family put back together first. keep looking, i might surprise you with another quilt!

quilt top is D O N E---WOOHOO

I cant believe it....i actually finished the quilt top! i have a horrible cellphone camera, so bear with me. the pic leaves a LOT to be desired, but its woodland bloom fabs and they are bright, exciting and all mixed up in this quilt.

again this is the pattern from the moda bake shop called scruffily by rachel griffin of ps i quilt. it was an extremely friendly and easy pattern to do. once i realized that when it was done, it wouldnt matter how many times i moved pink to blue to red to green.....it was all going to blend nicely no matter how i put them together.

the exciting part is yet to come. the quilting together then binding. YIKES. but ive read a lot and watched some good tutorials---i should be ok. if not, this is my first quilt so im allowed a few glitches right? ive already planned the next 3 quilts....so i better figure it all out fast.

BACK TO SCHOOL

I cant believe my boys are starting school already...wow. AJ is a junior and matt's in 5th grade. just doesnt seem possible.

getting them ready for school has always been about traditions for me. as a kid there is nothing better than going to school on your first day looking "sharp". new shoes, a new backpack, new clothes and maybe even a new haircut. then throw in all of those new binders, pens and notebooks....WOW it almost makes me want to sign up for college classes just to have the high again. come on...agree with me people, it makes you walk a little taller to be in new clothes for a day. everyone loves new shoes!!!

another tradition i like to do is the weekend before that big first day we power clean/organize the house. everyone cleans their rooms and gets their desks ready for new books and homework. I am extremely blessed...both of my boys have always been very independent kids. they can do their homework in their rooms without me hovering. it usually gets done in a good time frame too.

soo....here we go. we are all ready...even a little earlier than usual today. i am going to jump in and finish sewing the top of my quilt. im truthfully on the last square, then have to sew the rows.....then figure out my backing. i want to do a minor design on the back. hopefully at some point this week ill be able to have a pic of the top done. so stay tuned.....

sidetracked-----

I am back from the beach but I have been a little under the weather. Ive been reading the new quilts and more magazine and now i am sidetracked. I want to make this CUTE halloween wall hanging!!! I am SOOO ready for fall, but living in the desert it doesnt come soon enough. Maybe by novemeber we can turn our A/C off....and no....im not kidding.

I am still slowly working on the quilt I started, but getting my kids ready for school has also put a dent in my projects. hopefully after this weekend we will all be back into our routine and i will make some more time for sewing. School, work, sports and maybe a sunday afternoon watching FAVRE #4 play for my vikings......it almost sounds heavenly doesnt it?

quilters block

Ive cut all my fabs. Ive lined them up 3 times. Nothing looks right. Now what? just do it, just sew them and hope they look presentable? I need a quilting guru....i need a quilting shrink. yeah yeah I know the answer im just a big ol chicken.

hopefully by the next time i post ive got a quilt top finished. Im doing the beach first :)...for mental therapy.

Im finally quilting!!!

yep, im finally jumping head first into the quilting world! im soooo excited too! Surfing blogs this week I fell in love with the new quilt created by p.s. i quilt. I have been collecting woodland bloom fabs and got a fun package in the mail today from my girl HEIDI! A BIG THANK YOU !!! She sent me the much needed charm pack. So tonight I finally dove in....started cutting the fabric needed for this adorable quilt!

I put the above picture on here for another reason also. That ironing board pictured is my new fav thing. I have it on a table so I can sit and iron things.....its perfect!!! It measures 12x18 which is a great size and will be used for most of my projects. I hate standing over the old fashioned ironing board. What can I say....im getting old and it makes my back hurt. LOL

All you quilters/bag makers make a note this week to get your joanns coupon and go get yourself one of these handy dandy ironing boards. It made Bobbi's world a happier place. Cuz as my boys say, when momma aint happy aint NOOOObody happy! Wish me luck on this quilt expedition. I hope to pump them out as fast as some of you, but dont get your hopes up yet. I still need a walking foot and possibly a new machine.

life as a mom of a teenager

this post has nothing to do with crafting.....but just about my life these days with a teenage boy.

1. mom, can you drive me here.....
2. mom, my friends need a ride cuz their parents wont drive.....
3. mom, got cash?
4. mom, are my football clothes clean that i just took off 10mn ago.....
5. mom, when will i get my license and a car.....
6. mom, im going to a concert but you need to drive across town and get the tickets for me and a friend cuz yet again.....parents dont seem to drive anymore.....
7. mom, take me to the mall so i can call you 15mn later and tell you its boring so you need to come get me......
8. mom, i know its 930 at nite but i have a project due tomorrow morning and i need a poster board......
9. mom, i really do love you.....your the best mom i know....all my friends love you.
10. mom, got a couple bucks?

being a mom----priceless.
would i trade any of it? NEVER! i love being a mom....it is the best job in the world.