Rainy Weekend=FUN Sewing!

Remember how full these were: Scrap Storage

This weekend I emptied them!

And I took all those strips and am playing, creating these: 

 I'm being inspired by Victoria Findlay Wolfes book: 15 Minutes of Play. 

And I think the "playing" has just begun! (smiles!)

I also took some fat quarters from my stash
(Some of the blues were from my September Happy Mail)
and made this oversized log cabin that will have a
flannel sock monkey backing and become a baby quilt:
 
Unfortunately, reality is knocking on my door and today is Monday,
which means back to work.

It's still raining and I want to keep sewing...

A Spooky Quilting finish!

Happy October!

I quilted  this top for Project Linus. 

Haunted houses, skeletons and swirling ghosts oh my!

\

I had so much fun! And for those of you that long-arm, you will understand when I say, it was just one of those "smooth" "fun" quilting days!!! YAH!!! The quilting really popped on the back don't ya think!!! 

I'm so happy with it and even more happy to think of a child receiving it through Project Linus!

Happy Quilting for sure!

Val:)

Sunday Organizing: Thread

Welcome! Well, if  you are familiar with my Organizing methods, 

you already know I organize my fabrics my color.

The same rule applies to my threads:

Long-Arm Spool Storage:

We found this shelf in a thrift store years ago. 

Applique Thread: 

I still need to get some bobbin covers as 

I always have strands of  thread handing out... 

Perle Cotton for wool projects:

I use an embroidery case for these.
As highlighted here: Perle Cotton Storage

And finally....

Thread for Piecing:

I typically use a light lavender or grey thread when piecing. 

Black with black and white with white.

These spools are kept handy in a jar in my: Counter Tool Storage Spinner

And don't forget, as shown in this previous post: Extra Thread is for the birds!

Happy Sunday!

Saturday Scrap Sewing

My recipe for a perfect Saturday morning of sewing:

• Slept in till 7:00am 
• Rainy and cold outside (LOVE IT!!)
• House chores all caught up (We mowed the lawn yesterday and the house is clean.)
• Laundry in the works (That's okay)
• Home alone (Bill is at work)

I dumped my brown, red and blue scrap buckets and I'm going to make a huge scrappy log cabin quilt top. I have a flannel sock monkey backing. It's only going to be about 55"x 55" but it will make the perfect baby quilt. I'll keep ya posted. Happy to have these two keeping me company today. 

Tomorrow is:Sunday Organizing and I'll be highlighting Thread Storage!

Stop by and link up to share how you store your thread. (long-arming spools, piecing, perle cotton, embroidery....any and all thread storage ideas are welcome!)

Happily sewing,

Val:)

September Happy Mail

My monthly Fat Quarter delivery! 

Linked up with: http://www.lovebyhand.com/

Back to school....

Darn! I'm not being as productive as I want to be!

The new school year has started and I'm back to being Mrs. Reynolds again. (Of which the first two weeks always finds me totally exhausted by the time I get home!!) 

On top of that, our youngest daughter left for her senior year of college Sunday, and now my stomach is filled with butterflies in anticipation of our first Grandson being born any day! So, let it be known, I'm not being very productive in the quilting studio right now. I'm actually moving at a snails pace.  I miss it. I miss it sooooo much!! I miss my five weeks of summer sewing bliss. 

Tonight, I sat down with the goal to post a quilting  to-do list for Fall. Instead, I find myself not wanting to take pictures and sharing that sometimes, life is just about the day to day happenings. And, you know what, by my days end, right now I admit, I'd rather have a glass of wine along with a nice dinner and an evening walk around the neighborhood, than head down to my studio.

 I'm tired. I want to be outside as the Fall season begins. I need fresh air.I want to enjoy the peace and quiet. (Because ..seven years olds are never quiet!! LOL!!) Tonight we've Skype with our expectant daughter and her husband. I've chatted with my son-in-laws mom...who is my total BFF and I've chatted with our college age daughter. And, I always miss that I don't live in the same town with my mom anymore....

So...no "To Do" list today. My W.I.P. are many, but right now....I think I'm just going to enjoy the fact that I'm soon going to be a grandma. I think I'm going to enjoy that I love teaching my second graders. I think I'm going to continue to enjoy quiet Fall evenings with my husband after a busy work day. For if ya think about it, these are all the people we quilt for! These people are our inspirations! Things will balance out soon enough.

Know I truly appreciate all of you....my blog readers and followers....but this week you'll find me regrouping, chilling and enjoying...and maybe just a little excited about becoming a grandma! I'll keep ya posted And my gratitude to you for even getting this far in this long post! LOL!!!

With smiles!

Val:)

PS: My hexagons (as seen here: Hexagon Travel Kit) are packed and ready for when we get "the" phone call. (Our expectant daughter lives three hours away)

Sunday Organizing: Counter Tool Storage

This is my cutting counter.

String scraps that I use for                      My Rotary                              Everything 

 "ribbon" on gifts and cards                       Cutters                                    Else

                                                                   

I love my counter tool storage system as it keeps everything organized, handy and better yet, it only cost me $18.00.(And it turns too!) You can make one too! 

Read on...

 First, get yourself a turn table. Mine is old, well used and leftover  from my scrapbooking days.

Next, find a container you want to use that will fit on top of  your turn table. I found mine at a JoAnn's on clearance in the picnic isle for $5.00. It fits perfectly on the turntable with about a two inch overhang around.

To create this, I visited my local $1.00 store and cruised the glass isle where 

I found an ample assortment of jars and glasses.

      I use the jars to store my colored pencils for sketching, embellishments for quilts and my go to thread for piecing. 

Jars also hold my nail file boards used for creating applique templates and scissors for cutting everything but fabric.

 And don't forget glasses! They are perfect for holding sharpies, pencils, highlighters, marking pencils, rulers, and other misc. tools as seen here:

 So there ya have it! A cutting counter storage assembly that keeps everything at hands reach and doesn't break the bank! 

I hope I've inspired ya to be creative and thrifty in your organizing!

Stop by Sundays for more ideas.

Grab my button!

Garage Sale Find!

While out for my Saturday Morning walk, 

I came across a few yard sales and found this:

It measures about 18"Dx13"Hx13"W and totally matches the card catalog I store my ribbon in as highlighted in this post: Ribbon Storage. I have no idea what I'm going to do with it...I just knew I had to have it for my studio! (LOL!!) And I got it for $10.00! I'll be sure to highlight it's storage outcome on a future Sunday Organizing post. 

With Smiles!

Val:)

Click here to read more!

Linked up with:

Sunday Organizing: Clipboards

I use clipboards to keep patterns I'm using, orders, 

and lists in site but up off the counter:

I simply hot-glued the clipboards to the brick wall but you could also use

two-sided foam tape to put them up on any wall.

These are handy right under my window, above my work area: 

Hope I inspired a new way for ya to keep patterns in use and needed papers handy.

Sorry for the short post...our grand baby is on his way...
so we are on the road to our daughter and son-in-laws. 

Luckily I have this quilted with a cute sock monkey pattern:

and the binding ready to been sewn down.
(I'll post it finished with our new little guy wrapped up in it next week.)
 I'm thinking this along with my Hexi's, I have more than
enough to keep me busy during the drive and hospital waiting.

I can't wait!!!

With smiles,

Val;)

Pin Cushion Blog Hop!

It’s Pin cushion time!!

Thanks to Mdm Samm and Kristen for organizing this….

When I saw the sign ups for this I jumped right on it
because this has been a problem at our kitchen table:

Yep! I've been leaving my pins and needles laying around.(No worries, we have no children in the house)But, never the less, I do test my dear husband's patience. So I knew it was time to make a pin cushion for our kitchen table. This is where I do a lot of my hand sewing. We catch up at the days end over a glass of wine, me sewing, he making dinner. (Yes, my husband is the cook of the family...lucky me I know...I haven't boiled a pot of water for over 25 years! Heaven help anyone if I had to now! ) So here is my pin cushion.  I love hexagons and I made it to match our kitchen curtains!!! .

 Cheers to a great blog hop! 

Stop by and check out the creations of so many others 

participating in this blog hop.

With Smiles,

Val:)

September 17

Life in the Scrapatch

Why-Knot-Kwilt

Amy Made That...by eamylove

Michelle's Romantic Tangle

Quiltscapes

Kwilty Pleasures

Words and Stitches

Val's Quilting Studio (YOUR ARE HERE!)

Les Quilts

Sew Peace to Peace

Bumbleberry Stitches

Susie's Sunroom

Quilts From My Crayon Box

Quarter Incher

I Like to QuiltBlog

Just Quilt It

Sew We Quilt

Sunday Organizing: Rulers

Welcome! Well,I don't have many rulers.
But, this Sunday Organizing post finds me wondering about how everyone else stores theirs.The ones I do have, I store in the top drawer of this dresser I found for $5.00 at a thrift store a few years ago. My cutting table is custom built to be 39" high and when it fit perfectly underneath I purchased it right away! There was even enough room for my trash can and the best part is, everything is tucked handily underneath. My two "go to" rulers (3 1/2" square and 6"x12") are always out, but the rest I have to dig through the drawer to find what I'm looking for. Once I even bought a ruler I already had. (Luckily, I was able to return it)

So today finds me wondering how everyone else stores their rulers? Do you hang them? Do you have one of those cool wooden ruler holders? Or do you just have a few "go to" rulers? 

Linked up with Marianne at:

September Project Linus Newlestter

Check the Project Linus Tab at the top of the page for the September Newsletter. 

I'm loading this quilt top onto the frame tonight and have two more in my pile to be quilted for Project Linus. This one screams HALLOWEEN so I'm planning to quilt ghosts, haunted houses and skeletons along the strips. (I can't wait!) I'm sure it will make some little guy smile upon receiving it next month. Besides, I'm so ready for FALL I'm  hoping it will help me ignore these lingering hot afternoons!

That's one of my WIP.

With smiles!

Val:)

Rebuilt Rocking Chair

One summer day last month, I happened upon an old rocking chair at a garage sale down the street from my house. I fell in love with it's character and found myself actually carrying it home! I couldn't help but imagine rocking my future grandson and maybe later find him cuddled up in it reading books. I bought it for $5.00! 

I was so pleased with my find...that was until I asked my dad during his stay last week (He's an awesome woodworker btw), if he would set me up to sand the chair down. His look was one I saw many times during my childhood when I'd stump him with, what he calls my "crazy ideas". It's a look that said:  Valerie are you kiddding me....this thing needs to go in the dumpster!  (ha!ha!) After probably ten minutes of serious contemplation the challenge was on! He set forth to rebuild the darn thing!!!

As he took pieces apart, I set forth sanding....and sanding....and sanding! I think he used an entire bottle of wood glue!

  

This is me getting OUT OF PRIMING the chair:  (HAHAHAH!!!)

Ta Da!

I love the colonial red color I found! My mom laughed, literally out loud, at the fact my new cushion cost more than the chair.(I did too!) But I LOVE IT!!! I can't wait for it to be moved into the house (Today I had a few paint touch-ups to complete after school) But can't ya see a quilt finding it's home draped on it's back and a toddler all cozy looking at picture books in it? And maybe even a quilted cushion cover in the future!?? Aughhh the creative thinking never ends does it.

It was a fun weekend! Thanks dad.

With smiles!

Val:)