i'm a winner!

One of my favorite things about reading blogs, besides the inspiration and friendships, is the chance at a random giveaway. You leave a comment and then cross your fingers all week in hopes that you've been chosen by the random generator. Do you comment first, last or somewhere in-between....what are my chances? I have left many comments and never won a quilt-blog giveaway until about 2 weeks ago!!! Not only did i win this giveaway, but I won something awesome!

I joined the Improv(e) Your Butt Challenge on Tallgrass Prairie Studio's Blog and by completing my weekly goal was able to enter to win part of her scrappy stash. After finding out I was the winner I will admit I stalked the mailbox / carrier for about 10 days and was so excited to find it in the post.

An overall view of my goody bag

A little bit better pic of each fabric. I can't decide what to do with these....the challenge is to exercise more regularly and the reward part was a piece of fabric for every mile completed - forming an improv project / quilt. I thought it would be perfect to use this stash to start my improv project.

My absolute favorite scrap!

The collection of my most favorite scraps out of the pile!

Join the Challenge...

I decided to join the challenge presented by Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio - the Improv(e) your Butt Challenge! I already cycle and run and try to do 2 long rides a week and have been slacking in the running department. I thought this might be a good way to get myself motivated. For every mile you log you get to add 1 piece of fabric to your Improv quilt. I have a few ideas I've been wanting to try - so maybe this will help me along.

You can particpate to by going to Jacquie's site and joining the Quilter's Butt team or join on your own on this site. You start in VA, and each mile you log takes your further across the United States, it is very fun! I have already logged my first 30 miles.

Welcome 2010

It seems like the last month has been a big frenzy sending us into the new year. We were so grateful to have family in town for 2 weeks after Christmas. We had so much fun even though the weather was exceptionally cold for southwest Florida. This week was our 2nd week back to school and of course the germs returned and our little guy is sick with virus and ear infection. He was so worn out yesterday he fell asleep on the bathroom floor waiting for me to get out of the shower and lay down with him!

My parents and grandparents drove down after Christmas and then my grandparents stayed an extra week afterwards. We did so many fun things....

Christmas pj's in person!

A little Rockband on Christmas Eve...


We spent a lot of time cruising around Coconut Point Mall...an outdoor mall less than a mile from our house with lots to do! Dad and the boys outside the Trek Bicycle Store...

The boys outside of Moe's - I'm so very lucky that they get along so well and love each other so much!

Dad taught Tyler how to hold up #2 for how old he is - try it - not an easy thing for chubby little fingers! More coordination involved than what we know!

Tyler and I at Lakes Park (the train park!)

I did get some sewing done over the Holidays, sadly I only had 1 WIP finish for the Joy in the New Year Challenge, but that is okay! My grandma brought her double wedding rings quilt that she had started hand-quilting about 15 years ago and hadn't done anything with for over 10 years. She had 8 blocks finished and we cut out the pieces for 4 more blocks and I machine pieced the little pieces for her. I was able to send her home with 4 more blocks to piece together - this definately brought Joy in the new year by starting an old project and adding another generation of sewing and handiwork to the project. When she originally starting cutting this quilt there were no rotary cutters. She was tracing the pieces by hand and cutting them out with quilting scissors. I introduced her to a mini-rotary cutter and mat and we cut the blocks in probably 1/4 of the time it would have taken years ago.

I also stumbled upon this challenge while at the bookstore browsing the magazine section...I've learned to use the memo function on my phone for things like this - I type in the title of a book, website, etc. when I find something interesting that I want to check out later, but not necessarily purchase the book or magazine. So, I came home and went on the All People Quilt 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge website and downloaded 4 FREE pillowcase tutorials. If you have a coordinating 1 1/4 yards of fabric you can donate to this wonderful cause and be part of the challenge. I tested out the basic pattern on a train fabric Tyler had picked out with Grandma over vacation. It is SO easy!!! Take the challenge today - I dare you!

I have also started another one of these pillows, because they are so easy and I love doing them - no measuring at all!! Other than that I managed to clean (literally wipe off) the top of my cutting / crafting table yesterday - which really means i sorted, put away, threw away all the contents crowding the top of it - this really needs to be done at least twice a year, right? I really wanted a fresh start to 2010~ and now feel like i have it. I have sorted my immediate sewing projects into 3 stacks for most current and hope to add to that often. I am starting a list on the left hand side of 2010 WIP's (works in progress) and hopefully they will filter into 2010 projects finished.

Last but not least I finished sewing these custom beauties yesterday for my friend / founder at OBB Diapers....aren't they amazing?

I'm so excited!

Yeah!!! I finally got the courage to join my first virtual quilting bee! I haven't done it before because of the monthly committment and then the thought of having to plan my own blocks the month i host and get the material to the group on time, etc. I can barely get anywhere on time so how could I manage this, right?

But, i found the perfect virtual group today and took the plunge! It is called Cancer is Sew Done and they send you the fabric every month give you a specific block to make and a self-addressed envelope to send it back in! How easy, right? The blocks come together to form a quilt that is then auctioned off to benefit a cancer charity. How cool. There is time for you to join to, even if you are a beginner this is the perfect way to get your feet wet and help a great cause at the same time.

This is a picture of the block we are doing for the first month, i'm just waiting on my fabrics to arrive to get going. This is also the block for the first quarter of the Block Party Quilt Along I have some other fabrics at home that i've been waiting for the perfect quilt idea and i think i might try them on this! Should have something to show you soon!

Quilt Along

I've been terribly addicted to quilting blogs lately, the more modern the better. i'm loving all the ideas and inspiration i get from them.

I stumbled across this blog the other day http://www.blockpartyquilting.com/ and found that they are doing a year-long quarterly quilt along to prepare for their new book! How exciting....they will be offering tutorials on a block a quarter and then quilters are asked to post pics on their flickr account and some will be used for the book - the book is a look at the modern quilting community online and how the virtual quilting bee has come back with a vengeance and the community that modern quilters are finding online through online quilting bees and quilt alongs. Fantastic, I say!

In case you aren't aware of how a virtual quilting bee works - there are a ton to choose from online - each member hosts a month - sends fabric to the other members and boundaries for what size blocks she/he wants, style, etc. You have a few weeks to make the block(s) and send it back, so essentially once a year you get the blocks to make a quilt made by others and so forth!

Block Party is doing a giveaway here for all that want to check it out! I'm in!

Joy in the New Year Challenge

If you notice to the left I added a new picture / link. Tallgrass Prairie Studio is a blog that I read daily and gain a ton of inspiration from. If I had to sum up the type of quilter I think of myself as - I could send you to Jacquie's blog and say "just like her!" She has a very modern quilting style and most of her stuff is simple and easy, but really makes you look once then again and again and think....wow, I really like that!

She posted a challenge yesterday to count your UFO's or WIP's in quilt's or quilt tops that you would like to finish before the new year....like a before the new year resolution! I thought about it and then said, why not and joined in on the fun...I decided 4 was a completely unreasonable amount for me to finish, but I'd be ecstatic if I came close. I'm in the midst of finishing the top of the sailboat quilt for Austin's bed. The blocks are probably about 1/2 done then they need to be sewn together. The other 3 quilts in my head are much, much simpler, although I'm hoping for a huge statement. So, I'm thinking that 1 quilt is extremely realistic!

If you want to join in the fun, click on the picture and leave a comment and post about your thoughts! Come on, it'll be fun!