Facelift

Of all the weird things!

I woke up this morning and decided my blog needs a facelift. Where did that idea come from? Crept in there from some far corner of my brain.

And today, of all days, to add this task to my To Do List! I need to pack because I'm making the trek to Phoenix for a few days of Quilt Show Loveliness at the AQS Quilt Week Phoenix.  I'm taking longarm quilting classes from Lisa Sipes and Judi Madsen, and will get to spend some fun time with my husband's aunt - golf, cocktails, maybe take in the Dale Chihuly glass exhibit at the Botanical Gardens. Who knows what - just relax and enjoy the moments.

Relax, Barb. Just relax. This blog facelift will definitely wait. I'd better pack. My plane leaves in a few hours. YES!!!

Oh - I finished binding my first quilt for Scrap-A-Palooza! Even snuggled in it last night. Fun, fun, fun! And this is one of my February goals for A Lovely Year of Finishes. Right on target.

I apologize here - cannot figure out how to get the photos turned correctly. But you'll get the idea!

Remember to quilt with a smile!
Barb
Linking up with Freemotion By The River's Linky Tuesday and Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday

Scrappy Quilt Ready For Quilting!

I'm feeling quite accomplished this month.  I have this lap quilt all put together, and I really like the way it has turned out!

I am making this as part of Scrap-A-Palooza hosted by Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework.

I just pulled a bunch of colorful fabrics from my stash, made five-inch blocks of varying widths, and stitched them all together.  The sashing is a batik, though, and I am nearly afraid it will bleed because I was in such a hurry to get it done, I didn't prewash it.  Didn't even think to pre-wash it.  I know better than that. 

I think I will just get it quilted, bound, and then wash it with that Synthropol and hope for the best.  I'd really like this one for a cozy quilt to watch tv, read a book, or check up on my bloggy friends!

It was a really fast, quick, easy project.  January is my month to get caught up on my own personal projects. February I'll be out of town for a couple of weeks, and by April, I get swamped with my Day Job activities.  So January is my time!

What are you working on this fine January weekend?

Always quilting with a smile,
Barb

January Goal Setting

With a new year it seems only appropriate to take time to clear the dust and cobwebs away and begin fresh and new!  I'll do that when I put away my Christmas decorations, but for now, I'm doing that in my sewing room.

I have so many ideas and so much fabric to put into those ideas. Having access to so many blogs and seeing all you wonderful people making gorgeous quilts in every color and design leaves my mind, well, simply put - boggled!  Which quilt to do? Where to start? "Oh, oh, oh! I like that one. Wait! No - I love that one."  My tendency is to have the My-Eyes-Are-Bigger-Than-My-Stomach Syndrome.  You know the one - I bite off more than I can chew.

So, once again I am thankful for my bloggy friends to have challenges in place to keep me on task and moving forward! This year I am going to participate in A Lovely Year of Finishes by Fiber of All Sorts and Sew BitterSweet Designs.  Also, Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework Scrap-A-Palooza (don't ya just love that name!) will be hosting a Scrappy Quilt Along this year and I'm jumping in on that one, too.





Just these two things. That's all I can put on my plate this year.  I'd love to do a BOM, QAL or some swaps, but realistically, I don't have time. I would start out fine and then fail by not following through and then feel bad. So I'm not going there.  If I can get 12 projects of my own finished this year, I will give myself a hardy Pat On The Back!

So to start off, my January Finish will be getting this quilt top pieced together, quilted and bound. I've got most of the pieces cut out already. I'm using a pattern that I won in December from Michelle who blogs as Mrs. Sew And Sew.  It's called Round & Round by Camille Roskelley.  So far, I'm liking the overall design.  I'm not sure about the gray background fabric that I chose. Gray is just not my color, but when it comes all together, it will probably work just fine.

Since I began my longarm quilting business, the time I have to make things 'just because' is very limited. So I'm excited to have these goals in place for this year.  It will be fun to hear what your quilty goals are for 2014!

Quilt with a smile,
Barb

Linking up with Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River!
and Needle and Thread Thursday