Changes

Maybe because its Tuesday ... or because I'm sleepy ... or because I just need a change. I don't know why, but I've done it. I've got a new blog that I will hopefully keep up with more than I did this one! Join me at www.ChristySews.blogspot.com.

Be blessed!

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It's been a while since I posted...

I guess life, and quilting, got in the way. Some online friends have started blogs and that has inspired me to continue working with mine.

I will begin with updating my blog with some pictures of what i've been keeping myself busy with these past months.

Happy Father's Day to all the Fathers out there. To my Father who is with the Lord now - I miss you Dad .. and I think of you every day. I love you very much and am proud to be your daugther.

Blessings!
Christy

Crazy Eight Table Runner

It took me hours to complete the pre-work .. and about 6 hours to complete it in class, but i'm SO excited with the results! My first table runner...

Disappearing Nine Patch

Late last year I participated in my first disappearing nine patch swap at Jane's Fabrics. The theme was red and aqua and the entire process was a blast! I have just pulled the fabrics out in an attempt to put together this very scrappy quilt (scrappy is difficult for the OCD in me) and I am thinking one thing as i'm putting it together - I want to do another one! My preference of colors this time is red/white/black .. I wonder if anyone would want to do this with me?

This is a long shot because I know not alot of folks follow my blog (yet!) .. but does anyone out there in blogger land want to particpate in this? If so, comment to the blog or shoot me an email at ChristyR829 at gmail dot com. The swap I did before had 100 swappers and required that each participant swap 100 'pieces' (25-12 1/2 9-patches before they are cut into 4). It would be great to do something like that again, but I understand that's probably a long shot...

Hope everyone is having a GREAT weekend. Be blessed!!

Puppies

Well the 6 week countdown is over and its time for the puppies to find new homes. I'm sad .. but happy at the same time. Puppies are cute, but man are they overwhelming. I look forward to all the happy memories these puppies will help create with other families ... like I have had with my puppies.

We sold the first one last night. The family was so happy and I know that the puppy will be so loved upon he won't know what to do.

I thank the Lord for allowing the puppies to be healthy and happy. I also thank him for sending my mother in law to help me with them. She is truly a godsend.

(Yep, you read that correctly .. I got a good mother in law!)

Fabric Sale

Everyone who knows me knows that I love a sale. Well here is a GREAT sale:

Suzanne’s Great Big Giveaway (and sale)

Suzanne is having a giveaway celebrating her 1000th post and is having a fabulous sale on fabrics in her store. Can we say $3.50/yard? Run, don't walk, over and get what you can .. if I leave you any, that is!

Blessings!!

Girlfriends

Everyone who knows me understands that this last weekend was something I couldn’t wait for. I went away on a retreat to quilt and be with my friends. I look forward to these retreats so much .. I get to just be Chris – not Mom, not Wife; I get to just be myself. Sometimes we all need to reconnect with ourselves so that we can do a proper job with the other titles that we have.

This group of fabulous women have welcomed me in with open hearts, open arms and warm smiles. They are an amazing group – they are cancer survivors, fearless mothers, humble daughters and encouraging sisters. They don’t take themselves seriously and they accept me just as I am. I am the baby of the group and some call me the new blood, but it is they who fit that bill. They are the epitome of the adage “Age is nothing but a number”.

To this group of timeless, beautiful, wise women … I am so proud to be able to call you my GIRLFRIENDS. Thank you for being who you are. I dedicate this poem to you:

There are days when bubbling from us comes the innocent child within,
who giggles at the little things and wears a silly grin.

There are days when melancholy comes to visit for a while;
the mind feels tired, the body weak;
we have no strength to smile.

There are days when joy abundant grabs a hold of you and me;
wraps us up in all it's splendor, lifts us up and sets us free.

There are days when sorrow wraps us in its cloak of grief and fear,
'till our hearts ache to the breaking,'till our eyes can't shed a tear.

There are days when love bestows us with its wonderment and light;
with its beauty and its mystery, its power and its might.

And there are days when life rewards us and seems to make amends
by granting us a marvelous gift, the precious gift of Friends.

- Karin Schaefer

So glad its Friday. Now the weekend begins and I get to SEW. 7 days from now and I will be among friends....Can't wait!

Fabric STEAL

Today I stole some fabric...well, it felt like it anyway. The picture shows my steal - 60 yards of fabric that I purchased for under $40!!! That makes my average price around .75/yard. I wanted to buy everything in sight, but I was good and limited myself to 5 yards of each fabric, but went ahead and bought up to the next 3 yards if it was the end of the bolt. With all of this Christmas fabric in front of me, I really want to start on Christmas projects!! Well, I just will have no excuses when the holiday season comes around....

Just thought I would brag. Tomorrow is the first day of work since the middle of December. What a GREAT way to start off a week.

Be blessed,

Christy

(Excuse the picture .. i'm stuck taking pictures with my cell phone until I buy a new camera!)

First Quilt Finish of 2010!

My new 'thing' is mystery quilts .. but i'm a bad mystery quilt participant. For those of you who don't know, a mystery quilt is where you gather fabric (instructions typically provide information about how many colorways, etc.) and cut and sew according to steps that someone else gives to you at intervals they decide. This means that you do not get to see the finished product until the last clue is revealed.

Well, this works for me and doesn't. I like the idea of not having to figure out the pattern, but then I get a little paranoid - what if I don't like it? Did I just waste 8-10 yards of fabric?! So, my practice has been to 'collect' the fabric for the mystery and follow along and print out the instructions, but not actually complete the mystery until I see the finished product and can decide if I like the design. I do have one exception to that - Bonnie Hunter's Carolina Christmas mystery. I collected fabric and pre-cut and followed along as long as I could, before Christmas duties got in the way. I am a devoted fan of hers, so I wasn't concerned if I would like the pattern .. and I had fun cutting 592 2 1/2" squares in preparation....

Anyway, I digress. I followed a mystery on New Years Eve and on New Years Day found out about another that was happening that day at Planet Patchwork (http://www.planetpatchwork.com/). So I ran to the instructions, read along and saw the finished product and I was sold! I pulled all the fabrics from my stash and at 10pm on New Years Day got started. I am proud to say that at 2am on January 3 I have finished my first top of the year!! The easy thing about it is that its a lap quilt, and i'm used to much larger quilts, but hey .. a finish is a finish!! I'm going to attempt to attach a picture, but this is new to me so i'll see how I do. I took the picture with my cell phone hanging in a very dark hallway, so its not the greatest. I'm very proud of it because its 100% from stash .. and it must not look to bad because 14 yo DD wants it! This one is mine though ....

So far, my New Years is off to a great start! Hope you are enjoying yours also...

Christy