Oh baby, baby!

The baby quilts and bag have finally arrived across the pond, so I can post pics! Yay!

First up is the batik quilt I made from the fabrics I posted a couple of months ago.

It's a modification of a traditional  54-40 Or Fight! block and is about 45 inches square. All batik. I really like using black as a background with batiks, even for baby quilts, because it really makes the other colors pop.

The other quilt is part of a set with a matching diaper bag. Here's Laura modeling the quilt!

It's a variation of Moda's Baby Life quilt designed by Vanessa Christenson. I made some modifications - mostly using a charm pack and coordinating fat quarters instead of a larger layer cake (sorry if the quilting terms mystify some folks) - but I think it turned out super cute! It's about 40x42 inches.

And the diaper bag - 

It, like the quilt above, is made from Moda's Love U fabric line by Deb Strain and the lining of the bag (the yellow/green/red print inside and behind the side pocket) is also on the back of the quilt. The bag is a modification of AllPeopleQuilt.com's Large Patchwork Bag. I changed quite a lot in the pattern - made gobs of expandable exterior pockets with elastic, changed the straps, the inside pockets, the piecing on the outside - but the bones are the same. 

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby are all apparently pleased with the quilts and bag, which is awesome. I hope they get used, abused, and utilized through several children. 

Congrats again, Catie and Ted (and Henry)!  {{huggs}}

Words. And such.

Been writing this week on the semi-secret project, and it seems to be going well. Stain of Corruption is super-stalled - again - and I'm pretty sure I know why. Now I just need to figure out how to fix it. Maybe a whole new POV scope or something. Not sure yet. I still believe that the premise is sound, there's just a major problem in execution and layering. So, back to the drawing board on that. But the other project is going well, approaching the 1/3 point and my main character is literally caught in a storm with nowhere to go. So that's fun.

How are your projects coming along? 

Is everyone enjoying this lovely weather? Bill's been doing some landscaping, specifically putting in limestone blocks/rocks/whatever they're called as a retaining wall where our back yard dips. Isn't it pretty? We're hoping that next year - but more likely the year after - we can build a gazebo in the lower part and maybe a pond, kinda within the 'curve' of the limestone wall. Still waiting for the painters to start, and the electrician. I really want to get this done so we can move on to other projects.

I'm also including a pic of 'the boys' Gozer and Stewie, on top of their doghouse. Bill built a deck on it so they can see over their fence and they spend a lot of time up there watching the neighborhood. Sorry they're out of focus, but when I step closer they jump down and it's just about impossible to get a good pic of either one close up.

Here's hoping you all have a great day! Don't forget to spend some time outside enjoying it! {{huggs}}

Writing Group

There's a new writing group starting up in a town near us and I am considering checking them out. Maybe. I don't have a good track record with such things - I'm just too self-conscious and would rather just be a silent fly-on-the-wall - but I need to do something, find something, to help me out of this awful slump. So, I don't know.

Does anyone have any experience with writing groups? How can someone like me slip in and be just 'the gal who brings cookies' instead of, well... the whole TSJ mess?

And they're out the door!

Four finished sewing projects have been delivered with one package making its way across the ocean. Glad that stuff's all done. Now I can maybe focus on other things. Maybe. ;)

The house is always changing

I'm really glad spring is here, and we're at this moment awaiting an electrician who's coming to see about moving and upgrading our breaker box. Bill's been working on the fence today, and there are so many projects to get done around here. Not sure when the painters will start - we're thinking sometime next month - then, once the breakers are moved, it'll be time to start the basement remodel.

We love remodeling and upgrading and making changes to the house. I'm still trying to find a place to put a bathroom on the main floor - we have a huge full bath upstairs and a half bath in the basement but nothing on the main level. Someday, we will be older and have trouble with stairs - and there's always the possibility that one of our parents might need to stay with us, so it'd really be nice to have something accessible.

I'm done sewing for a while, I think, at least at the manic, project-a-week level I've been at for months. Tried to write last night and I got one whole sentence. Which, obviously, isn't going to get a book written any time soon. Something will percolate up, it always does. If not sewing, or writing, then it'll be something else. Maybe I'll get into gardening and have tons of plants outside to play with.

Not likely, since I really dislike gardening - or being outside - but you never know. ;)

Fell while walking the dogs

I accidentally mis-stepped off the edge of a sidewalk and went down. Boogered up my knee. Opposite ankle hurts too, but mostly my knee. So much for aerobics tonight.

Almost done sewing

I completed the outer portion of the bag yesterday, so today it's making the lining and handles, and finishing binding on the remaining quilt. I think Bill *might* want to get some landscaping stuff at Menards and there's no telling what Laura will have planned, so it looks like a pretty good Saturday in the making!

Beagles have no concept of time

Today's Bill's day off and, since he was awake, he took Laura to work this morning so I could sleep. Apparently, Stewie decided that this Would Not Do and he ran through the house bah-wooing frantically. I informed Stewie that it was early, too early, and I was trying to sleep, but he didn't care. (bahwhooo!) So I had to get up and put him out with Gozer (who was already in his pen outside).

The cats, being their opportunistic selves, are all excited that I'm available to pet them and to show them that the food dish is indeed full and to open the door so they can consider going outside and, oh, have you cuddled me yet?

And now I'm awake. I think.

I feel a rant coming on

CNN.com has an article today about how some fast food chains are making super-high-calorie menu items.  While the article itself didn't bother me all that much - it was a bit condescending and sprinkled with hyperbolic words like 'waddle' and 'food coma' - the comments made me grind my teeth.

Apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to despise fat people, particularly poor, uneducated fat people. Oink oink fatties, I hope y'all die!

This article about fast food isn't the only place to spew venom toward fat folks. Anything about airlines gets a lot of responses about having to sit beside stinky, sprawling slugs. Health care. Heart disease. Beauty. Fashion. Urban blight. Gabourey Sidibe, the gal who played Precious in the movie by the same name (and was nominated for an Oscar). Midwesterners. Americans. Video games. Technology. Parenting. It seems like almost any news item delivers an excuse to rail against fatties. The hatred is immense and vicious.

Happy Easter, everyone!

May you and yours enjoy this lovely holiday!  {{huggs}}

Crazy busy day

It seems like I've been running since I got up this morning. None of it was exciting - unless you consider putting double-borders on a quilt 'exciting' since that was one of the major highlights of my day ;) - but just been BUSY. And I'm very tired, yet awake. Which sucks. Body wants to go to bed, brainz spinning a million miles an hour. Tomorrow I'm working at the quilt shop cutting a mountain of fat quarters. Yay! Tanya got some gorgeous stuff in this week and I'm very excited to get to play with it. Plus, sometime tomorrow, I need to stretch and baste at least one of these baby quilts I've pieced. They're starting to pile up. lol