Making a Terrairum

Being an apartment dweller these days,

I decided I needed a little terrarium to brighten up my place.

It was quite easy to put together.

First I found a glass jar with a lid.

I layered the bottom with sand and then big rocks.

This photo should have been first, I don't know why blogger

rearranges my pictures.  I guess it thinks it knows best.  Ha!

Here are my supplies gathered from the beach

and the local greenhouse.

So back to the layering.

Sand, rocks, shells, sea glass . . .

Potting Soil . . . 

I love the look of the shells and sea glass in there.

I had a big bowl of sea glass from all my gatherings 

at different beaches around the world.

My BIL will laugh at this, but the glass is being put to good use now.

Little plants and ferns and succulents added in.

And a couple of shells in the midst.

The kid thinks is needs a tiny gnome.

I think I agree, will need to hunt one done.

So here is my little peace of heaven.

Life.

Be grateful. 

Bambi Shapiro Returns!

It has been a very sad few days here in Connecticut . . .

and for the whole world I suppose.

When innocence is lost, it seems that nothing will ever be the same again.

There must be a greater plan, but right now it is hard to see.

I guess that is why we have faith.

I was very lucky to spend Saturday with my good buddy 

Bambi Shapiro (not her real name of course!)

It was comforting to have a friend to talk to,

to contemplate with . . . .

And the distraction of sewing was a nice respite from the sorrow.

Bambi is working on a beautiful quilt-as-you go piece.

Don't you love those colors?!

Yum.

She was practicing her free motion quilting and

she is so good at it!

It's hard to use someone else's machine and

keep the grove and figure it out,

but she did an amazing job!

She got many rows sewn together . . . 

I decided to work on a quilted scarf.

I just love the ease of flying geese, and paper piecing.

I made 13 four geese rows and put them together.

Changing the direction of the geese for variety.

Then of course you need to pick all the paper off the back!

Mindless work that was gratefully accepted at the time.

I cut the batting a quarter of an inch small on all sides

so that I could sew this together with the back and turn it inside out.

A little spray bast kept is all together until I turned it and quilted it.

Bambi advised me to go light on the quilting 

or it would be too stiff to wrap around a neck.

She was right of course, and I did very simple straight line

quilting up and down and around the edges.

Here is my lamp modeling the finished product.

It is warm and cozy and bright and cheery!

Bambi & I also went to the luncheonette 

across the street and had a late lunch.

I love this place so much!

The owner hangs a million decorations from the ceiling

for each holiday.

It's hard to photograph, but it is wonderful 

to be there in person!

So, at the end of this weekend,

I will continue to think about the things I am grateful for, 

and I will pray that the families in Newtown Connecticut find some peace.

Please put them in your prayers too.

Catching up . . .

Where do the days go?

I seem to be quite distracted these days,

and haven't been doing a lot of sewing.

 I did finish my Whites-Lights quilt in time for our 

Metro Mod Guild meeting last weekend.

I love the way it turned out.

The quilting took a while, but was totally worth it!

This quilt is off at it's new home,

and was greatly appreciated by the special person who received it.

I also finally got my November Bee block off in the mail!

Sorry Dorothy!

I made you two, and they were fun!

My Jack Frost wreath got a bow and was dropped off

at the Nature Center for their auction.

I hope it did well . . . 

And now onto a new project!

I should really finish one of the 8 tops I have, but . . .

Look at all that yummy color just calling to me!

Ha!  Hope you are enjoying the weekend and the holidays.

A Lazy Sunday Sewing . . .

It has been a busy Thanksgiving weekend around here.

I got to see my niece and nephew and take them into the city . . .

I visited with lots of friends and family . . . 

And I did a little bit of sewing . . .

I wanted to do more, but I'm lazy today . . . 

I have been quilting my White's-Lights challenge quilt,

and it is coming along nicely.

Yes, I seem to need my reading glasses for everything now.

(I even had to put a larger font size on my phone.  Arrrrgh!)

I have the binding picked out and ready to go.

Hoping to finish this baby for our Metro Mod meeting next Saturday.

I also had the pleasure of visiting a baby quilt 

that I made 18 years ago!

This is a well loved quilt!

No one is allowed to touch it!  HA!

You can't believe that it is still holding together,

just by a "thread"!  Haha.

I am so thrilled that it has been so well loved.

And I'm told it is going to college next year.

I think I might need to make a little pillowcase for it to go into!

On another note . . . 

I received this beautiful wool felted hat this week!

It is a thank you gift from Carolyn for my writing of the cap tutorial!

How sweet is that!!  She made this!

It went on it's first of many chilly walks today and it was perfect.

Thanks Carolyn!

Hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving weekend . . . 

Now back to reality! Whatever that is . . . 

Sweat Shop Monday

Today was a holiday for the three of us, 

Gidget, The Kid and myself,

so we decided another

sweat shop day was in order.

We keep saying we need to do this more often,

but it only happens about twice a year.

I needed to work on a charity wreath for an auction 

later this month.  I searched Pinterest for something festive.

This is a painted floral template that I attached strips of tulle too.

Then I glued on glittery stars from Target.

Very easy and a nice outcome I think.

But, there is glitter everywhere.

So if you see me in the next few days with glitter 

on my face, just smile and nod.

The other wreath I was going to try was popcorn strung 

and wrapped around a paper plate with the center cut out.

HORRIBLE!  I gave up pretty quickly.

(You can see it is already in the trash.)

The kid was laughing at me because 

I was spewing a few choice words!

The kid decided to work on an UFO that 

has been hanging around for about ten years, (at least)!

She had cut up all her old button down shirts

and kept the polo horses for little accents.

She decided on a sixteen patch layout.

Here is her finish.

She gave up on this pretty quickly.  Hehe.

"A baby quilt is fine."

Gidget brought a bag to finish.

It is a gift that she gave and then took back to finish.

I think we've all done that at one time or another!

Gidget is the Queen of bag making!

Here is her finish.

 Gidget was on a roll today,

She whipped out this quilt, 

(that she was working on at the last sweat shop day!)

and layered it and got it mostly finished

before we had say goodbye for the day.

All in all, another great day

spent with two wonderful women!

Thanks for the giggles girls!

And there was light . . . .

I meant to do this post last weekend when I finally got power back . . 

But, when you haven't had power for five days, 

you don't think about blogging, you think about doing

everything else you couldn't do for five days!

Sewing, having a hot shower, cooking a nice meal,

watching a movie, listening to music.

I hate to admit how dependent I am on electricity!

This week I did do a lot of sewing on my whites and lights

challenge quilt.

My blocks are 12.5" square and I ended up making 30 of them.

The top is finished at 60" x 72."

I love they way this top turned out!

Thanks to Victoria for throwing down the challenge.

Now to layer it and start quilting!

And here's to all our veterans and active duty soldiers

defending our country.

My brother is in Afghanistan, and his wife, 

my SIL, a veteran herself,

is home taking care of two small children by herself.

These are two of the heroes in my life,

and I salute them!

Happy Veterans Day Doug and Jess!!

Still in the dark!

I know so many people have lost everything and my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone hit by Sandy. We have been lucky in that everyone seems to be safe here in our town.

I have been working on my hexies by candle light for the past few nights. How did our pioneer women see to do this? I can barely thread the needle! I think I'll load up a bunch of needles while the sun is shining.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall 2012

Welcome Everyone to Amy's Blogger's Quilt Festival!

If you are new, thanks for stopping by,

and if you've been here before, 

I'm showing you a quilt you have already seen,

so thanks for being patient! 

This is my Triangles Galore Metro Mod Bee Block Quilt.

I just finished this quilt a few weeks ago, and I love it!

(70" x 50") 

My fellow Metro Mod Members helped me with the blocks.

Didn't they do a lovely job?!

I was July's Queen Bee.

I sent everyone very bright fabrics and asked them to make

Victoria's Triangles Galore Block.   The only thing that needed to remain

constant was the purple fabric in the corners.

On the back I used a Brandon Mably fish print.

It is so fun and whimsical.

I did a lot of free motion quilting on this one.

I wanted to practice that skill because it's been a while.

(I tend to do a lot of straight line quilting.)

This quilt was the perfect one to practice on because 

it is so bright and busy.

I tried pebble quilting, (for the first time!),  in the little border and I LOVED it!

So forgiving, but the result is tremendous.

I did do some straight line quilting on the outside border, 

you know "old dog, new tricks!"

 I am very pleased with the way it turned out.

This quilt now lives with the kid. (my daughter)

I know she will love it and use it and snuggle under it for a long while.

Thanks to Amy for putting this festival together.

I so look forward to each festival when it comes along. 

I know it's a lot of work and Amy, WE APPRECIATE IT!

And thanks to all of you for stopping by.

I hope you are enjoying everything you see!