A Sunday Sew Day....

I awoke early with the realization that my Christmas shopping is near finished, the household chores are all caught up and I am actually feeling well after a week of being sick myself. I have all day to myself. As I wander outside, I am greeted with a cold, damp morning and realize the best place to retreat is my basement sewing studio for a final day of rest. Thus, with a hot cup of peppermint tea, holiday music playing softly and my loyal companion, Jackson, by my side, this is where I sit as I write to you today.

 Have you ever found yourself sitting down to write a post and suddenly become reflective on why you blog?  Along with a change in my job, our personal life this past Summer and Fall were once again consumed by those unexpected, out-of-our-control, changes life with adult children can sometimes add to your life.

The past five years have found me in a place were at times my heart was consumed with loss. Yet, I'm beginning to find myself  evolving mindful and personally stronger and grounded in MY own life journey than ever before. Disappointment and heartbreak have finally been replaced with acceptance and in that, I've gained a freedom, a sense of peace that I've never quite had. It's unfamiliar and exciting all at once. 

 So much so, that hubby and I are inspired to enter the new year with an authenticity we've never had. It feels good to be here blogging today but even more, it feels good to have my heart filled with the anticipation for this personal transformation that lies ahead for us as an empty nest, middle age couple who are about to downsize and simplify big time.   With that said, I have always thought of my blog as a journal (that is of course, read my anyone and everyone...LOL!) But, I value our small, quaint, virtual community. I know mine is not overly innovating or filled with unique techniques as much it's just about sharing my life as a quilter/crafter. I post about things I'd sit and chat with you about if we were to have a sew day together.  I love the simplicity of it.  So thanks for stopping by and visiting my muses. I hope you continue to find even a tad bit of inspiration and joy here especially as I myself, begin this new chapter in my life.

 And what perfect creative timing, I discovered this morning that my Summer/Fall sketchbook is full  and it's time to start another!! I love starting a new creative journal.  So as my ideas begin to formulate between the covers of my little black sketchbook, know I'll also look forward to sharing them here with you as well. 

Beginning with my upcoming posts this month celebrating the simple JOYS found in the season. Because when we get right down to it, we all have "something" going on in our lives and well:

 (Choose to make lemonade with me won't you.)

Okay, so I also found myself scrolled through my own blog archives this morning and realized it's been almost exactly three months since I have even had a sew day! How grateful am I to find myself right where I am today. I have spent many afternoons this past week just stitching my the fire, making great headway on my December list of hand sewing projects. 

But this afternoon, I'm looking forward to sewing. Baby girls are due to arrive at work in the next month. One co-worker is a first time mommy, the other a first time Grandmother....both I'm gifting a crib quilt. So I'd better get myself going don't ya think. I close wishing you a Happy Sunday and again, thanks for stopping by. I hope you'll stay tuned for my next life chapter...imagine how rejuvenating a new studio space will be!! I can't wait! 

A Sew Day!

Personal resolution #1 this new school year:

I will get out at least once a month for a sew day.

I have a tendency to become a hermit once the weekend comes around yet, I miss that inspiration that comes from sewing with other women. The chit chat chatter. The laughs. The sharing of projects and ideas. So this Labor Day finds me packed and ready to go. My friend reserved the library in a small town nearby for us all to meet up and sew in (as she has the same resolution). Stay tuned!

Hope your Labor Day is restful and perhaps filled with a little sewing as well.

PS: Jackson only thinks he gets to go.

Vintage Sewing Box

I bought this Vintage Sewing Box with the goal to have all my hand sewing together.

I wanted something that would also be portable for travel and stitching on the patio. 

I found it on Ebay in good condition, pre-owned. It's very solid and well built. 

It measures 16 1/2"x 8 1/4"wide and is 10" high. 

I love how it folds out into multiple compartments.

I plan to spend this afternoon going through and organizing my variety of hand stitching projects into this fun little sewing box. I feel like a kid in a candy store just being able to ""play with all my fabrics and threads today. I'll be sure to share it all packed and ready to go next Sunday for our Sunday Stitching highlights. I'm linking up with everyone else at Kathy's Quilts.

Mark you calendars:

This upcoming Tuesday Archives highlights a give-away to celebrate our 200th linky party!

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"Eye-Spy" Swap is Coming!

Spending most of my day off right here:

 Yes! Buried in eye-spy squares as I sew to finish my May OMG and get it on the quilting frame.

Speaking of Eye-Spy Blocks!

Sign-ups for our Second Eye-Spy Swap here at Val's Quilting Studio open this Friday, June 1st!! In the meantime, here's a few things to keep in mind while you search for your eye-spy fabrics:
  You will need ten different fabrics with recognizable prints within a 3 1/2" square.  
Below are examples of blocks I threw away.  Once these are sewn together the objects are almost unrecognizable for a small person to tell you what they are looking at.

Here's a couple of good examples of the "object" centered and recognizable:

Here's a good example of all-over prints that work too:

Annnd, here's a close-up of my WIP:

I hope today's post helps as you begin to select fun eye-spy fabrics for the swap. 

Mark you calendar to stop by this Friday, June 1st, for swap details and sign-up information.

It's going to be a fun swap with great Happy Mail for us all to look forward to!

PS:  Help me spread the word! Add this button below to your blogs and posts. This will be a double swap...meaning with a maximum of  36 "swap spots" available, you'll be able to sign-up for a maximum of two regular swap spots if you want...but the fabrics for each swap will need to be different. Okay...Happy collecting!! I hope you'll think about joining us.

Rainy Day Sewing

It's been that kind of weekend where the lamps remain lit all day long. Pouring rain throughout the day and night. As I wake this morning, the sky continues to be a sheet of grey with dark, rain clouds billowing on the horizons. The birds chirp and flutter about as they enjoy moment of reprieve.

April showers, right? 

My favorite kind of sew day.

Especially when one has bright happy fabrics to play with! 

Wishing you a wonderful day.

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

A Perfect Sew Day Ahead!

We kinda thought old man Winter forgot about us this year as we've only had one snow before today.

And quite honestly, we have been absolutely okay with that after our "Snowmagddon" last year.

Yet, as I sat and face-timed with my grand guys and daughter this morning and watched it begin to snow...that exhilaration that snow brings started to rev up its little motor.

All's I  could think of was: "Lucky me", I get to relax and spent the better part of my day right here, busily sewing to complete my February OMG...knowing I, of course,  have some snow shoveling ahead me later today. (Which I don't mind) But without the distractions of wanting to be outside.

Grateful am I to have the company of my faithful pup and a hobby I enjoy so very much on a such a Wintery day. How about you? What do you find yourself grateful for today?

I specialize in edge to edge pantographs with over 100 designs to choose from.

Check out my Long-Arm Quilting page for details.

I offer FREE Return Shipping on all quilts in the U.S.A.

Game Day=Sew Day!

Their assignments are completed. Their textbooks are cleaned and put away.

They now get to spend the afternoon playing old fashion board games they brought for home.

They remind me of Jackson as they spread out underneath my make-shift sew area.

After the kids leave Friday, I still have three work /snow make-up days ahead. So, when my  cooperating teacher suggested we use our "collaboration day" to sew our class quilts together, I jumped at the opportunity! As I set up, found myself watching  others play across the classroom from me. I was humored to see that though some were busy with their board games, I couldn't help but smile as I watched the others who got together and are yes, playing school! LOL!!!

This is "the principal" below at his "pretend" computer. I tried hard to not laugh out-loud , as they were quite serious  as they are playing! I mean his little fingers are just "typing" away  and I finally chuckled out-loud as I heard him announce: "Oh my, I have announcement to tell the school: Mrs Reynold's class just won this week's contest."

In this modern day of technology, I can not tell you how refreshing it is to watch them all play so cooperatively and imaginatively together!! Note to self: Some of the board games these seven year olds like included: The Game of Life, Rainbow Jumbling Tower, Fibber, Candy Land, Don't Wake Daddy, and Rock Em', Sock Em' Boxing.  So fun! 

Rain in the Forecast=a Sew Day!

I have an in-service day at work today which more often than not, finds me doodling and daydreaming about the moment it's over. LOL!! With that said, I'm already looking forward to my weekend! For the past three years, my husband has had Friday and Saturdays off. This meant he worked Sundays, and this easily became my sew day. But, Sew Days on a Saturday have been a harder routine to establish for reasons unknown. Soooo with rain in the forecast, I'm going to be intentional and THIS is what I'm setting out to do this weekend:

1. Dust off the ol' longarm and get a few quilts done. (DONE)

2. Repair damaged design wall (With hubby's help.) (DONE)

(I swear Jackson always thinks I'm taking a picture of HIM!)

3. Yippee Yeah!! Dig into that adorable charm pack of baby flannel that 

just arrived in the mail and sew a quick little quilt. (STARTED)

4.Make a trip to JoAnnes and get a few more supplies as I prepare to teach my students to hand sew next week. (I love post-it notes!) NOTE: Noooo, Joanne's doesn't carry wine...

but THAT store is right down the street from it! 

Do you have plans to sew this weekend?

Some Quilting and Sewing...

 So I've spent a large portion of my long weekend off from teaching right here: 

 I've been quilting.

I used this "Square Dance" pantograph to...

 ...quilt this top for Nancy who commissioned me to do this for her. She blogs at PugMom Quilts. 

This one is for her nephew and I absolutely love how it's turning out!

 I've been sewing. 

 I finally started my Feb. One Monthly Goal. About now I'm thinking it was a little over optimistic of to think I could sew a queen size quilt top together in one month...as, seriously,  I should know better! I mean I ALWAYS have more than one project going on at the same time...what was I thinking! I do love all these prints though and find the fat quarter friendly pattern I'm using quick and fun! I'm  spending the rest of the afternoon sewing a few of these rows together and will look forward to sharing a little bit more of this project with you later this week. (Who knows...maybe I'll even make my goal!)

And speaking of multiple projects...I also have my second step of Carole's Scrap Dance Two Step QAL all ready to sew together tomorrow after school. (LOL! Can you say squirrel!)

Anyhoo, we're hoping for a break in the weather, as an afternoon walk outside sure would be nice.  

Until then, that hum you may hear in the distance, is me just sewing along here as I use my sewing to beat the Wintertime Blues with a cozy sew day at home with my buddy Jackson.

Thanks for stopping by.

I'd love to quilt for you too.

Click HERE to read the details.

Seriously!! More Snow/Sew Days!!!

Well, the snow just won't let up in our little part of  the world!

We've received ANOTHER two feet of snow since yesterday afternoon.

We are literally snowed in. Most everything is town is closed with advisory given: Driving Conditions are very hazardous. The County Sheriff is advising everyone to stay home if they can. Travel only for emergencies. If you have to travel, be prepared for road closures. Drive with extreme caution.

At this point we are only working to keep three major areas cleared.

First, the driveway:

Jackson appreciated having somewhere to run!

Secondly, the mailbox:

Finally, access to the backyard...our back porch...though I don't know why as...

...below is a picture of our backyard. 

We even have the dogs "go outside" on the front driveway now.

Yes, they are very confused!! LOL!! (That's okay, I am too!)

 Sidewalk? None of us are shoveling them anymore...as there's just no where else to put the snow.

The street berm just gets wider and wider and now taller and taller as tractors move the snow around. 

So what's a girl to do? 

Well I made a list as I just need to feel productive:

1. Luckily I stopped by JoAnne's Tuesday on my way home from work/school (Yes, we returned for one day.) and bought enough fabric to make three receiving blankets I need for upcoming gifts.

2. I need some mindless sewing, so will play with my I-spy squares or pull some fat quarters in effort to complete a quilt top this next couple of shut-in days. ( I did order some fat quarters! LOL!)

3. Finish my purple RSC.

4. Quilt my Winter Wallhanging

5. Cut pieces for my Mystery Quilt. 

Again, I close so very grateful that this quilty hobby of ours keeps me motivated.

Thanks for stopping by and keeping me company.

Stay tuned...

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