I had to post this!

 

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Tripoly

If you haven't heard of the game "Tripoly"-run to your nearest game store or buy it on Amazon NOW! This is without a doubt the BEST family game since "Hand and Foot" and easiest enough for a new player to understand after the first round!

We celebrated my brother Jeff's bday and played all evening----and my mom eve n played again!

 

 

Good time, good times!

I made this for my mom's bedroon door for Easter. she was a painter and painting instructor when she was younger and her eye site was better. She tells me all the time how much she misses painting! I can't imagine not being able to quilt, so I empathize!

 

Oh, and I needed to make a new plastic bag holder for my kitchen.....St. Patrick's Day one came down and this one went up!

 

 

Then made a reversible tablerunner for my bff: the table runner like my friend is both classy and funny!

 

And I also made a KINGS cosmetic bag for my sister:

Now I only have a piece left that's 13x18-but I have plans!

Also working on 2 pj "sewing" pants-in progress, will show later!

Nice day, just the usual suspects and I:

Happy Easter!

 

 

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Amanda turned 23 on April 4th

 

I can't believe my baby is 23! She's so sweet! She's my sunshine and I love her deerly:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Melyssa turns 25 on April 15th

 

 

 

 

 

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New Personal Best

I am competitive, this I know! BUT the best/worst person I'm competitive with is myself! I constantly try to beat my times when sewing pieced blocks together! Well, tonight I have my personal best!

 

 

 

The block that won was the bottom left block!

 

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Bragging rights

Melyssa, my oldest daughter was in her 2nd fitness competition last night and won 1st place! She gets to go to Nationals in July this year---in VEGAS!!

Melyssa with her husband, Darkel (her biggest cheerleader).

 

Melyssa and her proud father!

And speaking of fathers-I so rarely get a picture of mine, that I had to share a picture of my father and stepmom!

They live in Vegas, so I am sure they will go to Melyssa's competition in July!

 

 

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Applique Experimentation

I am trying very hard to LOVE the applique process! I have read SO MANY applique books, blogs on applique, I own 7 different applique DVDs (which I have watched a million times) and I have taken 2 different applique classes. My applique looks horrible!

I tried the glue basting around freezer paper, and the pieces looked wonderful----until I tried to remove the paper, then-disaster----the paper was so hard to get out, that it ruined my perfect applique lines!

 

I tried the approach of using the marked line and the overlay/lightbox/pinned fabric on, and have not had great success with that method either!

I had good success with the turned edge/thread basted on top method, but it is very time consuming and I feel like I have sewn the piece on twice!

The most common applique I have done is fused and machine appliqued---great success, but I am determined to learn a hand applique method, so I can have a portable project.

So, my experiment tonight was to try freezer paper/starch method! I copied leaves on freezer paper, and then ironed on double freezer paper (D), triple freezer paper (T) and plain poster board (P). The website I am totally enamored of is www.simplebirdapplique.com. Kerry is my newest mentor, and through her site I am looking forward to learning to applique half as good as she does!

 

 

They look great WITH the paper still attached, but the proof will be when I remove them!

 

 

 

So far the all look great, with crisp edges-let's see how it looks when appliqued to fabric....stayed tuned!

My newest gadget is this iron that I have seen Kerry her use on her blog:

 

 

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M & L Fabrics

Theresa and I got to go to M&L today after work! Looks like a good time was had by all!!

 

 

 

Oh yeah.....that's what I'm talking about!

 

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