FNSI is tomorrow night---3/16/12

"Friday Night Sew In" is tomorrow night.  i know im a bit late posting this, but if you all follow HEIDIs blog you've already seen the sign ups.  if not, click HERE to get signed up.

Here is an update on some of my previous posts:

--im patiently waiting for my dad and hubby to cut my peg board and put it in the frame.  that project is on hold.  (booo)
--im loving the ideas for my aqua kitchen accents.  THANKS to all of you!!! 

this week has been rough.  i hate the time change.  i mean seriously hate it.  i get up really early for work, so this hour thing is making it worse.  i recently changed my hours and LOVE them cuz i get off early and have lots of time to do things, but when that alarm chimes at 415 i usually shed a tear or two. 

im spending my night cutting some fabrics out.  i have a few bags to make so im getting a jump start on FNSI.  do you all make bags?  i LOVE LOVE LOVE them but the process can be a bit lengthy.  there are times it takes 3+ hours to make a bag.  thats without getting interrupted a kabillion times.
cutting, ironing on interfacing, sewing, ironing, sewing, ironing.  you get the picture. 

hope you all have your projects in mind for tomorrow night.  dont forget to click HERE for the sign ups.  "see" you all then! 

AQUA

my kitchen needed color, but i couldn't decide on a color to paint my walls.  then i saw this.....

yep, just a cheap ol' dish towel from walmart.  it got my wheels turning.  my counters have a green to them.  its NOT a color i would choose and its hard to decorate around.  this towel had the green and AQUA together.  so it gave me an idea.

i went on a search for just the right items.  i like the country look.....but Ive done the reds, greens, yellows.  i needed AQUA but with a semi country flair.

here are the items i picked up to work with.  the chicken is country right?  LOL

i know your thinking WHAT THE........!!!!   well once they got up on my cupboards i think they blend together nicely.  i said the same thing....trust me.  but the items were reasonably priced, so i knew i could ditch something if it was hideous! 

sorry for the bad lighting.  its hard with my kitchen because its a bit gloomy.  this was my dilemma on painting it or not.  for now i guess my walls will stay builder beige.  BUT, i do have a pantry door and i have seriously pondered painting it like tatertotsnjello did.  (aqua)  i just don't think im that brave.  ;)

i LOVE my cake stand on the island.  most of my items were bought at HOMEGOODS.  that store has the best bargains.  i didn't spend a bunch of money so i wont feel guilty when im sick of the aqua colors.

what do you think?  I'm being serious here.  i live in a house with nothing but boys, so i don't have a honest girls opinion yet. 

isn't my gnome the best part of the kitchen?  my thoughts are when its a mess, I'm blaming him!

Railroad Tunnels

last weekend instead of working on my peg board project, me and my fellas went on a 7mile hike.  thats one of the perks living here.  there are hiking trails all around us.  crazy how ive lived here for a LONG time and never heard of this trail. 

these are old Railroad tunnels built in the 30s for the Hoover Dam project.  it is now an easy flat trail that leads you through 5 tunnels.

it was a sunny beautiful day of around 75 degrees....let me take you on a walk.

the hubby and son getting ready to go into tunnel #1.  my son is always a goof ball....he is so 13!

the entire trail lead us along the lake.  it was a beautiful view! 

the temp dropped about 10+ degrees inside.  i know there are bats around here at night.....so im staying behind them in case any fly out.  safety in the rear!  :)

hard to believe they built these 80 years ago!!!  

along the entire trail were these boards with fun filled facts about them building the tunnels and using them for the Hoover Dam.  our sad lake.....its REALLY low.

one fact was how the builders worked in the HOT desert heat and their families lived down below where the lake is now----- in tents.  IN.THE.HEAT.    it can get 120 degrees out here!  HOW did they survive?  

 



tunnel

my handsome fella posing for his momma. 

ok, this is a hole in the mountain and the guys are shining a spotlight from their iphone.  i snapped this picture and ran as they said "i see a tail".  snakes....scorpions....lizards OH MY.

next time i want to bike this trail. 

but i guess i need a bike first eh?



Peg board project

looky what im doing this weekend!!

hopefully i can get it all done to show you in a few days.  its a pegboard for my craft room! 

these peg boards are a decent price at lowes and they have kits for the hooks and whatnot's.

i took my dad out garage sailing this morning and found this old frame.  his comment was

"ummm isn't that a little fancy for a peg board?"

LOL

i said "oh dad.....you have SOOO much to learn about refurbishing old goods."

2 words......

SPRAY PAINT !



Family

Other things may change us, but we start and end with FAMILY. -- Anthony Brandt

AUNT CAROL---we LOVE and MISS YOU!

2 weeks ago, i got the dreaded call from my dad---the one you never want to answer.  Aunt Carol had suddenly passed away.  She was my dads only sister.  1 girl and 5 boys.  So without hesitation, i jumped on a plane bound for North Dakota, my home state.  I was lucky enough to get a flight fast and cheap. 

my family is big and after all of these years we have all remained close.  I cherish that.  My cousins and i talk about how lucky we have been to have such a large family and not have deaths, tragedies, illness, and sadness.  This was such a hard time for us, but we all came together.  We laughed and cried at the same time. 

My grandparents passed away a long time ago, but they lived long happy fulfilled lives. 

Although my Aunt Carol was in her early 70s, she was still full of lots of life and didnt act a day over 50.  It was a shock, and still is today. 

my cousin,  HEIDI,  who most of you know from our blogs and FNSI, drove in early saturday morning, so we got to spend some much needed time together that weekend.  Heidi's dad and my dad are the 2 youngest, and really close in age.  Carol was smack dab in the middle of those boys.  But she could handle every single one of them.  i LOVED that about her. 

This was the last time i saw her.  That day I was able to spend a few hours sitting with her and getting family stories from her.  She always had the GOOD ones too! 

Carol....we will miss you each and every day of our lives.  We love you!

  



FNSI winner

sorry i made you all wait.....but my great nephew turned 4 today so ive been cruzing the country side (arizona) to celebrate his big day!!!  isnt he the CUTEST !!!

alright...lets do this.  via random.org my winner is-----
#182  CHERYL---http://www.windsomwinds.blogspot.com/
she sewed together 168 triangle blocks !!  NICE JOB!

you are the lucky winner of this

an apron made by me (see below) and a charm pack of whimsey. 

check out HEIDIS blog for her winner.   CONGRATS to everyone on another fabulous FNSI!

see you next month!

FNSI results

not much sewing got done at my house last night.  i fondled lots of fabric though.  i bought some new Reunion yardage by Sweetwater.  I spent lots of time dreaming of things to make with it.  LOVING that navy color!!!

i made a zipper pouch with the fabrics Heidi and I bought in our hometown.

the outside is oil cloth by Riley Blake.  Ironically, when im at a quilt shop, i tend to always grab for Riley Blakes fabrics.  Have you all seen these colorful zippers at your LQS?  they are reasonably priced and have a TON of color choices.  I went to my LQS yesterday and bought some more.  :)

Be sure and check our blogs tomorrow for the FNSI winners. 

FNSI signups

HOLY MOLY...... im about 6 days late for this message.  sorry about that to all of our crafters!
My cohost Heidi posted the sign ups last friday.  Friday Night Sew In is tomorrow. 

Last weekend i was actually in my hometown in North Dakota.  My family had to say goodbye to my dads only sister---My Aunt.  it was a tough weekend and unexpected, but my family knows how to LAUGH even at the roughest of times.  BUT....i did get to spend it with HEIDI.  See we are cousins for those of you that dont know this history of how FNSI started.  we even snuck off to a quilt store!!! 

i am gearing up for tomorrow night.  Trust me, i need to relax in my sewing room with my new machine and extension table.  these tables are the coolest!!!  I have a project in store too that i bought in ND.   Heidi gave me some pointers on the zipper issues ive been having.  THANKS HEIDI!!!

last month i burnt out my old sewing machine.  the one ive been using for like 4 years.  my mom had bought me a small singer..... a little one just in case i enjoyed sewing.  If you read my blog, you know how that turned out!    I.HEART.SEWING

well, my little "work horse" as i called her has been through a lot!  ive taken her out of town, ive moved her location, ive made lots and lots of projects with her, i even gave her a nice sewing room to play in.  i guess she just got old and worn out.....poor girl.  the night i knew our run was over was when she almost started smoking......she had this horrible chemical odor that made me scared for my life.  i put her outside for the night and knew it was time to replace her.  YAY for me!!!  Now i have a larger machine so i can learn to stipple.  I even bought a darning/quilting needle. 

see you all tomorrow night!!!

Sewing Machine Cover

I'm really bad at putting my sewing machine away, so she needed a cover to keep the dust off of her.

all i did was measure the machine and make a simple cover.  just strips of this fun vintage looking sewing fabric i found.  i think my strips were 4x18.  I added some ties and a backing fabric. 

now shes all nice and snug like a bug in a rug.  

Margo Hometown Bag

i LOVE this bag pattern!!!  Margo by Lazy Girl Designs.  i made THIS bag for last months FNSI and gave it away as my gift. 

I also made THIS bag a few months ago, and loved the fabrics but its big.  its not really a daily use bag.  you know, that going-to-work-and-need-all-my-junk-with-me Bag.

the Margo pattern was perfect for these fabrics.  its the Sweetwater line HOMETOWN and the outside is canvas and corduroy.  it makes it really heavy duty.  im considering using it as a purse for awhile. 

the inside is lined with just a simple linen from joanns.  a fav of mine to use as a lining.

corduroy back and handles.  ( I <3 CORD!!)

LOVE those front pockets in this pattern.  its a great place to slip in keys.  if you ever get to meet me.....and go anywhere with me....im that girl who can never find her keys in her purse!  i hate that about myself.  my son will also tell you im the same girl who can never find her sunglasses either!!! 

happy sewing!!!