Sunday, April 20, 2014

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!

 

 

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

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!

 

Sunday, April 13, 2014

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!

 

 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

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:

 

 

Monday, April 7, 2014

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!