June OMG: Bee Happy!

HELLLLOOO SUMMER!!!!!!!

I want to continue to be intentional about using projects in my stash this year, so I'm tackling my  Lori Holt's Bee Happy! applique blocks this month as my OMG. I want to make some obvious progress in getting more of these blocks done.

I had purchased the kit with my last year's Piggy Bank Savings so I'd like to get it done before this year's Piggy Bank Challenge comes around again NEXT month already! 

(Savers mark your calendars for our linky coming July 6th.)

 I'm using the fuse applique method and machine stitching these with a blanket stitch, so they are fun and fast to finish. I only have 12 more blocks to make and think they'll be easy to get done during an afternoon movie on a hot summer afternoon.

 I have a whole list of projects I want to play with now that I'm on Summer break, including:

1. Make a summer tablecloth for our patio table.

2. Finish a family size Eye-Spy quilt that will be gifted in August.

3. I have two quilts that need the binding sewn.

4. I'd also like to get my Anni Downs BOM finished...I'm sooo close!

June will be fun filled month as I have Grammy Camp scheduled with my little buddy. I'm teaching an eight day Photo Journalism Discovery Camp to Middle Schoolers. This is going to be so fun as I'm going to introduce them to the world of blogging!! (Stay tuned) Annnndddd hubby and I have two weekend golf get-aways planned! (Yes! I accidentally became a golfer and LOVE it!!!! Really! My husband started so he could go golf with our son-in-law. One afternoon I said I'd go along and drive the cart as he got in a practice round. Well, before he was even done with the first hole I found myself out of the cart giving it a try! And guess what! I'm pretty good at it!! LOL!! )

With all that said, it looks like I'll have many fun posts to share this month. So stay tuned!

OUR SWAP IS CLOSED! 

Hey Guys! What better way to collect 200/400 different Eye-Spy fabrics than by swapping with fellow blogger friends. Click HERE to read about our Eye Spy Swap and perhaps think about joining us.

May OMG: Eye-Spy Name Quilt Finished.

Linking up w ith everyone else at May's One Monthly Goal. (OMG)

As previously posted, I wanted to turn my last stack of Eye-Spy fabrics into a baby name quilt.

A young couple we know are having their first baby in August: Kash Joel. 

Since this is my seventh stash busting project for the year, I got to play with a lot of fabric combos for the name plate. I finally settled on a solid black for the name and a fun pirate print for the background. I think it works, especially for an Eye-Spy Quilt.

This finish  measures 50"x54" and though it's not our traditional baby quilt, we all know how babies grow way too fast and before we know it, he'll be cuddling under this quilty hug as a little toddler getting ready for an afternoon nap. Our grand guy continues to not only love his Eye Spy quilt but at four and a half, we had fun  playing the game and trying to trick each other this past weekend! 

I used a soft, velvety minky fabric for the backing and a solid black for the binding. I thought the trains, trucks, helicopters and planes in my Go-Go-Go pantograph added to the whimsy of an Eye-Spy quilt for a little boy.

I like the idea that this can be a quilt that a little baby can grow into and 

hopefully become a favorite along the way.

(Our SWAP IS CLOSED)

If you like Eye-Spy Quilts as much as me....mark you calendars as 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 as you begin to search for your eye-spy fabrics:

  You will need 1/3 yard or a fat quarter, depending on the print, of ten different fabrics with recognizable prints within a 3 1/2" square for one spot in the swap. 

Click HERE to see examples of good and bad fabric choices.

I'm off to link and share my May finish with everyone else at:

Elm Street Quilts One Monthly Goal - May Finish Link-up

PS: Help Spread The Word! Add this button below to your posts and  blogs. This will be a double swap...meaning with a maximum of  36 "swap spots" available, you'll be able to sign-up Friday 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.

Tuesday Archives #196: Guess it's time for a break...

Wow! Okay I missed my own linky party. 

Seriously....if that's not a sign I don't what is.

It's May...and May is always full of surprises for a teacher.

Personally, I've been thrown off course this past week.

Too many changes at work and at home...all at the same time.

Nothing bad. But never-the-less change and adjusting to the fact things will be different.

June first I'll also be on summer break...which means yet, another change. 

 I find myself tranquil on my days off as I enjoy mornings of movie watching, afternoon walks, and evenings sitting on the patio with a glass of wine having BBQ dinners with my hubby. No sewing. 

See...all good, but sometimes it just takes time to find your balance of things once again.  Butttt....

while establishing new routines, I did randomly finish my sixth stash busting project for the year.

Another square in a square quilt as I de-stashed a cute little bundle of fat quarters:

This finished as a 36"x 48" quilt top that I'll complete into a cute little baby stash quilt. 

And right when I thought my Mother's Day Weekend would be spent alone (due to the change in my husband's work schedule) I was completely surprised by a visit from our two very favorite little people in the world! I truly had what I would describe as a "perfect day".

Our new grand guy is a very happy six month old.

And I spent the entire morning "playing" with this special guy.

I biked as he enjoyed his new "Spiderman" scooter...endlessly. 

We talked. We shared. We laughed. We played.

Our daughter knew exactly how to spoil me this Mother's Day.

With all that said,  I'm going to take a little blog break as I allow myself time to wrap up my 29th year of teaching, adjust to my husband's new work hours, and look forward to my upcoming summer break. I can't wait! I am going to put together an eye-spy swap in June and we'll also be celebrating our 200th Tuesday Archives Linky Party with a $25.00 Gift Certificate from Fat Quarter Shop! How fun! I'm still set on meeting my May OMG and will busy myself making this fun baby eye quilt as I set out to establish new routines.  Sometime this kind of easy, fun sewing is exactly what we need. Anyhoooo....
Thanks for visiting and for your continuous support as bloggers and quilters.
I'm looking forward to catching up with all your blogs and going on's as June arrives, and hope you'll think about joining in on our Second Eye-Spy Swap this June here at Val's Quilting Studio.

Click over to here to read the details about this unique, weekly linky party. (You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

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.

May OMG: Eye Spy Baby Name Quilt

This Fall we have a few friends expecting babies thus, I'm going to dig into my stash of Eye Spy squares and turn them into a Eye Spy Baby Name Quilt as my May OMG.

I'm setting out to have it sewn, quilted and binding complete by this month's end.

Uh Oh!...but with that said, that's also going to deplete my stash of Eye Spy squares:

Anyone interested in an Eye Spy Swap this June (Next month!)???? Peek HERE to see one I've made in the past and another I made for our grand guy: click HERE. Then, click HERE to read about our past swap here at Val's Quilting Studio. It was fun to collect blocks from all over the country:

Comment to let me know if you are interested and if I get enough interest, I'll get the swap organized.

Linking and joining everyone at: 

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.

H2H: Spring Finish for Happy Chemo

   I used this square in a square pattern once again called Summer Song by Villa Rosa Design. It used ten fat quarters and 20 5" squares. Again, it was quick and easy.

I love this picture as while I was taking my "quilt" pictures, Jackson suddenly 
pokes his head out from behind the quilt....as if to say...."oh there you are!"

It measures 46"x 58" and with this soft flannel backing I think it will make a
comfy lap quilt for a Happy Chemo recipient.

Then he returns with a look that begs:  "Are you still doing this? Mom, Come play with me!"

I used this fun pantograph called: Funkadelic for the first time and really like it's swirls, paisley-like flowers and the fact that the pattern wasn't  too dense and quilted up quick.

This is my fifth stash-busting finish this year, second of two charity quilts that I'm creating as part of Sara's H2H Charity Drive andddd this completes my April OMG!! Wow! I'm pretty happy.
I think I'll take Jackson for an afternoon walk and treat myself to a glass of wine of the patio.

Click each picture below as I join everyone else at:

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.

H2H: Spring Flower Finish for Little Lambs

  I finished this little backpack quilt measuring 36"x42" using the left-overs from my 2014-15 Sat. Sampler quilt. I had the panel that goes with this line of Deb Strain's Bloomin' Fresh fabrics so I just squared them up and alternated them with polka-dotted blocks. I'm hoping this quilty hug finds its way to a preteen/teen in need through the Little Lambs Foundation for Kids.

I think my flowered backing and Daisy on a String Pantograph finished this one off nicely.

 Jackson loves it. 

 Spring is sure slow coming this year, but it's nice to see the Plum trees finally blooming and the grass getting green with all the rainy days we have been having.

So this is my fourth stash-busting finish this year and te first of two charity quilts that I'm creating as part of Sara's H2H Charity Drive. Oh! and come to think of it, I'm half way to my April OMG goal. Sweet! I have to admit it feels good to have such productive time in my sewing studio this year. 

As always, thanks for stopping by. 

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.

April OMG: Two for H2H

I always look forward to Sara's H2H Annual Quilt Challenge.

And this year I'm setting out to contribute two quilty hugs.

First up: Left-overs from a 2014-15 Sat. Sampler quilt. I have the panel that goes with this line of Deb Strain's Bloomin' Fresh fabrics and plan to create a little backpack quilt for Little Lambs.

Second in line: I'm gong to use last month's Summer Song pattern and sew these lovely Bonnie and Camille fat quarters that have been in my stash wayyyy too long into a lap quilt for Happy Chemo.

These are both my April OMG. I plan to have them both created and quilted by month's end.

I'm really looking forward to this colorful bunch of sewing this month.

Linking up with everyone else at:

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.

March OMG: Finished!

I always love seeing how the quilting seems to "finish" a quilt top.

Since this fabric reminded of the the city with it's taxi and apartment building prints...

 ...I used a Car, Go, Go pantograph and really like how the cars added a new dimension the quilt.

Here's a close-up:

I found a wonderful "sketch" backing to compliment all the grey and blacks tones in this quilt and used a mustard colored thread for the quilting. I love it!

I found this pattern card on an end hook at Craft's Warehouse a few years ago for $2.99. It's called Summer Song by Villa Rosa Design. It used ten fat quarters and 20 5" squares. It was quick and easy

This one measures 46"x 58" and it's a keeper guys.

I'm happy to report this is my third Stash Buster for the year and I'm joining everyone else at this month's OMG goal party hosted by Elm Street Quilts. Click HERE to check out everyone's finishes.

Thanks for stopping by!

I specialize in edge to edge  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.