Divide and Conquer

That's my new mantra...I did it with the Temecula Quilt Sampler quilt and it worked terrifically...so as I told you I'm looking at projects differently now.  I found this wonderful project languishing in a basket...

yes it's wonderful, yes I loved it, but unfortunately it was another daunting one.  It has a zillion pieces, lots of sections, lots of directions.  I started cutting way back when I got the kit...

yes that's when I got it...2008...but came to a halt...I was trying to cut the whole thing...I was getting confused, I was trying to keep everything organized in ziploc bags, I was overwhelmed and I QUIT...all the pieces and parts went into a basket for another day...or another year as it turned out.  When I found it the other day looked at it totally differently...parts, sections...ding, ding, ding!!!  As I have it planned out it should take me    months to get the top done...sure beats 5 years...LOL!
So here's the first section...

the center star...done...next month the checkerboard border around the star.

I'm really enjoying looking at projects with new eyes...things are looking much more doable!

I'm Levitating....

And I have been for a couple of days...now I really thought that was hocus pocus...if you watch America's Got Talent you've seen the guy that does...I didn't believe it...until I finished this...

...now I know it's possible.  I've been floating about 3 feet off the floor ever since I put in the last stitch the other day.  Thanks to a good friend that showed me hers and lit the fire in me to pull it out and do it (it's been hidden since 2009)...and to another friend that taught me to break up a daunting project into small steps and then work at it.  Now it's ready for my quilter...WhooHoo!  You know I've said many times...We get by with a little help from our friends...oh so true!!!!!

P.S,  Sorry for the camera strap in the lower left corner...Mr. Brown Quilts wasn't available to hold for me so I had to do it...took 12 pictures and this was the best...LOL!

I'm Back...

Yes, I'm even surprising myself...I guess that's what I have to do...announce on my blog when I'll be back then I have to be here...kind of like putting it on my "List"...if I write it down, it's a commitment and I get it done...I think I may be on to something here...

Here are the two baby quilts I told you about yesterday...we had a hard time getting a good picture...it's been so overcast in the morning and then we can't wait until the afternoon because by then it's pouring.  This one I showed before it was quilted...I started this one back in April when Sinta and Sherri introduced it as a Vintage Schnibble...Hat Trick by Carrie Nelson/Miss Rosie's Quilt Company..I decided to use Paris Flea Market...loved it when it came out the first time, I had so hoarded away and added a charm pack and some yardage for border, backing and binding...I had a very special baby girl in mind for this...

Katie and Josh's best friends are having their first little person, they are the sweetest couple and I knew immediately when we found out very early that they were having a girl that this was the quilt for her.  I picked out a sweet rosebud fabric for the back and found out a month afterwards that they were using a tiny rosebud print for the bedding in the nursery...Serendipity...

Back in January, Terry over at Terry's Treasures started a sew along using this Wiggly Whimsy pattern from the MODA ...I loved this cute little design and had seen the Posh line of fabric by Aneela Hooey and knew I needed to put these two together.

When I started working on it and was posting sections of it each month I got several e-mails wanting to know who I was making this for...my response was "I don't have anyone in mind"...I just liked the pattern, liked the fabric and thought it would just be fun.  Can't think of a better reason to make a quilt...well then we found out about this new little person and I decided that this would go to her as a fun floor quilt.  Katie is having a shower for Jennifer in August so I have my gifts ready to take...a pretty quilt for the nursery and a fun quilt for the floor and some tummy time.  This is why I quilt!

P.S.  Yes those are Mr. Brown Quilts fingers and legs...can't do this without him and if you're wondering what those little dark spots are on the Whimsy quilt...that's the hair on the little brown haired girls in the fabric...I looked at the picture and couldn't figure out what in the world that was...first I thought it was dirt on my lens, no...then I got scared that there was something on the quilt...never noticed it until I saw the picture...WHEW!

Brown Quilts...Does Anyone Remember Who She Is?

As my little Peyton says..."OH MY!"
Where, oh where have I been?  How can it possibly be almost a month since I blogged?  I haven't gone anywhere...I guess I've been in, as Darlene says, a "hermitting" phase again...it's been crazy hot and we have had storms every day this month except one...so I've been staying in the house, with the A/C going full blast sewing like the wind.  I've been working on my "LIST", marking things off daily...it's a very good thing...but before I show you what I've been up to I need to take a little side trip and and share an event in our lives the past week and a half.  Andy got word from a friend from high school that another friend of theirs (they had all been together several months ago at a reunion) had been killed in a motorcycle accident.  He was riding his Harley from his farm in Ohio into town to help someone...a car turned in front of him.  So, so sad...Andy went up to Ohio last weekend for a celebration of his life...I'm not sharing this with you for any other reason than to say, live each day to it's fullest, don't take anything for granted, life is short...do what you love and love what you do...sure made us stop and think...

I've spent some time this month working on those tiny baskets that Temecula Quilt Company has been blogging...I'm all caught up...21 teeny tiny 2" finished baskets

...they are so much fun...I'm lovin' them!

Got my 4 Star General

blocks done....Crossroads

...Civil War Diaries from Temecula Quilt Shop

 and the Country Threads monthly blocks

celebrating their 30 years in business...

As I said earlier we've had lots and lots of rain and thunder storms...we went out one evening after one of the storms had moved on to find lots of magnolia leaves in the yard...picked this one up and there was this big old frog, who had turned himself brown so I wouldn't see him

...don't know who jumped further but when he landed in the greenery he immediately started to turn green

...he was lots of fun to watch...I love his toes...I know you're saying "Oh here she goes again with her nature pictures"...LOL! That's all I have for now...but I always am on the lookout and you know I just need to share them with you all...I'll be back tomorrow with 2 baby quilts that I've finished up this month...Happy Evening!

I Made a Mountain INTO a Mole Hill

Yes you read that right...I feel that's exactly what I did.  I took a quilt that I had wanted to do since the Fall/Winter of 2009...that was the year that Temecula Quilt Company was in the Quilt Sampler and their quilt was on the front.  I think I mentioned before that I ordered the kit the minute it became available, it arrived and I was immediately intimidated.  Wonderful kit, lots of fabrics, amazing quilt design, lots of pieces to cut...I read the directions and then read them again...there was absolutely not a thing wrong with the pattern, it was very well written, and very well organized...I just couldn't seem to get my head around where to begin...so the kit aged.  Then I decided earlier this year that I wanted that quilt this year...I looked at it differently...I broke it up into sections and did a section a month...that was the answer...yesterday I finished the second to the last section of this quilt and added it...

I am so, so excited.  I'm thrilled that this quilt is almost finished but I'm more thrilled that I've discovered a new way to approach projects. I'm taking the "Mountain" project and breaking it into "Mole Hill" sections... Can you tell?  I'm a happy girl!!!!!!!!

True Confessions

I'm here to confess...I haven't been blogging...oh you knew that already...but I have a good reason...now my mom would say that you aren't supposed to confess something and then say "But..." but I really do have a good reason...want to know??????????

I was in Birmingham the first week in June with these fun kids...

Katie had a huge part in running Vacation Bible School and the big kids went with her everyday and enjoy their classes and all the fun activities and Peyton and I stayed home and played.  We went for long walks...they forgot to tell me that there are lots of hills in Mountain Brook where they live...I think I was pushing that stroller uphill all the way...no there wasn't any snow, I won't add that embellishment...LOL!  But I am a Florida girl and it's FLAT here...so I did get my cardio workout while I was there.  We had tons of fun every morning...then the afternoons were full of fun stuff, trips to the library, the park, bike riding...life really just doesn't get much better.

When I got home my list was waiting for me...had to get cracking on those "every month" projects and I'm happy to say that list is complete...
I have all my little squares filled with a purple dot...my other list of extra projects is almost complete...I plan on finishing the Temecula sampler section in the next day or so and then getting the back finished for my Topsy Turvy quilt and then I can pat myself on the back for 3 seconds and move on to the July list.   I know lists don't work for lots of you, but this sure has gotten me on track...I feel way less stress, and I just move from one thing to the next without giving it second thought.

Here are a few of my projects for this month...Deckade blocks from the Fat Quarter Shop...

I am so loving this project...a new section out on their blog every other Monday...the directions are perfect and I got the kit to complete the quilt...I'm a happy girl.

And then here are a few of my "every month" projects...

Crossroads

Country Threads Anniversary BOM Blocks

Fat Quarter Shop 2013 Designer BOM

4 rows added- I'm 1 row short of half

Four Generals

So, Long Story Short...I haven't been blogging but I have been having tons of fun and I have been sewing!  Bring on July!

Claiming my Blog

I'm not at all sure what I'm doing...but Bloglovin says I need to do this...so here we go...we'll see if I still have a blog when this is all done...LOL!  We all know I am techno challenged...Follow my blog with Bloglovin