RSC Last Green Saturday....

I got some much needed sewing time in last Saturday and managed to get my 18 geese cut and sewn for the row along.

I also added 17 BITA blocks to the pile in forest greens. I still have 16 to make in light and bright greens... that may happen this weekend or maybe we'll have another month with some green in it =)

Linking up with the RSC Challenge on Saturday and Oh Scrap on Sunday.

The kids are officially out of school and will be 2nd and 3rd graders on August 10 when they go back to school.  Yes..... I am already counting the days =) My working from home life (computer programming) got extended through the end of August.... that will be interesting to see how the kids do this summer. Right now I work 20 hours over four mornings while they are in school. I have them scheduled for a couple of camps in June and will bring them to Vermont for a week or two in July.  I guess we'll figure that one out as we go!

I had 1 cup of buttermilk leftover from waffles last weekend. Since I have lots of veggies in the house for the weekend and thanks to the guinea pigs eating them I keep a good stock. I figured I'd make a homemade ranch dressing. I found this one here and added the parsley, chives, scallions and garlic from my garden. So yummy!

2 posts in one day!

Progress! This is what I am thinking for the borders.... the corners are in thought process. I think I will just do a straight line to connect them to the corner.... that way I don't have to extend into another border. I think it will work.... now to find any purple and pinks of the hand dyed fabrics. I sure hope I have some more...... I have all the parts for the light blue, yellow, brown and red already sewn. Just need to cut more background but that will have to all wait for tomorrow. Must do a few things before picking up the kids.

Design wall Monday....

Lots of progress on my RSC Sampler - alternate blocks on Saturday. I only have 5 to go... and 3 to fix before I can start sewing them together =).

Emily was a trooper and did a great job ringing the bell for her Community Service with Girl Scouts on Saturday - 2 hours of ringing by my 6 year old with no complaints. She had fun and did a great job... and people were extremely generous =)

Someone in the house is very happy the tree is up and the Christmas tree skirt is down. This will be her spot (Maxie)  until the tree comes down. Sophie will watch the tree from her spot on the couch!

Linking up with Design Wall Monday over at Patchwork times.

RSC in brown.....

I started off my Monday with a Kick! A kick sampler block that is.

I also cut out a bunch of 2.5 inch squares for my twinkle star block and made up another 16 patch while I was sewing. That gives me three in brown.

That leaves the Dresden... which I managed to put together on Wednesday afternoon while the kids were playing school in the play room! I have 13 of these now... so I pulled out paper and pencil and drew up a setting. I think it will be on point and I just need 13 so this one is 'done'. Just need to calculate the yardage needed for the background (2.5 yards includes wiggle room) and see how big I want this one. Do I go with cream or white? Hmmmm We'll have to see what is on sale in the next few weeks. Thank goodness a birthday is coming up and there should be some birthday $...

This was the sunrise as I was going home from dropping the kids to school on Thursday.

Head on over and check out the RSC Challenge blocks on Saturday morning.

RSC in brown....

I got a little sewing time in on Friday morning and was able to make the shadow stars sampler block. I also have my star points made in brown for the next sampler block..... I'm ahead of the game this month!

Then I pulled from the scrap mess on the floor (ok, the boxes are overflowing and I just dig until I find the color I want) and found some brown fabrics. They got cut into some 2.5 inch squares and I was able to make two 16 patch blocks. Here is the slew of them I have made so far this year.

These are so versatile - I have made the last few years into star versions (last year, 2013) but I think I will make this one a colorful 'Goodnight Irene' variation with each color block 'floating' on a solid off-white background color.  I can picture it in my head I just need to get out the colored pencils and plan my color design so I can start in on the alternate blocks. 

Aidan wanted to sew last night - so we quickly made a couple of coasters for Grandma. He picked the fabrics and we used this link for the instructions. Tonight - I need to figure out the knitting loom Emily got as her reward for being good up in VT at the wedding rehearsal, wedding and on the plane ride back.

The orange trip around the world just needs 40 more squares added to finish off the edges of the square. I found fabrics to work last week and added a whole round of yellow/orange to the mix.

This was last Saturday night - my margarita out by the bonfire. Greg and Emily tented out that night - Aidan gave it a shot but that boy can only sleep in his bed at night. I wonder if there will be another bonfire this Saturday night?

Head on over to the Rainbow Scrap Challenge on Saturday morning to see what the dark browns are looking like in projects.

Catch up Monday.

I decided to sew a bit this morning before I did the necessary paperwork (girl scouts and the business). I finished cutting some orange squares and made the twinkle star block. I cut the flying geese and sewed them up to finish off the two sampler blocks and made the third sampler block as well. I also had dresden twosies on the ironing board (for about 3 weeks!) in blue and black so those got sewn together in between sewing other things this morning. Not too shabby for a couple of hours in the sewing room.

This morning I also cleaned out the fridge a bit and used up the last of the ham, some onion and pepper along with some eggs. I found some flour tortilla in the pantry that needed using and made my version of McDonalds breakfast burrito - 5 of them are in the freezer. They will just need a little microwave warm up and breakfast is ready in under 2 minutes!

Hmmmm 11AM. I suppose I should grab a shower and do some paperwork and then pop out and get some milk. Maybe if I hurry I can get a little more sewing time in today before a rainy day pickup of the kids. (Extra hand work time as I'll need to get there early for a one line pick up instead of two lines.)

This was my view yesterday afternoon while doing some slow stitching....I do love candles burning in the fall. I just have about 8 more white squares to add to the trip block so I guess I need to prep more orange squares for that as well. The daisy also got finished off yesterday all set for a post tomorrow. The house smelled heavenly with the pumpkin spice candles and the pumpkin pudding we decided to make yesterday afternoon after our movie. If only we had cooler temps and changing leaves down here in florida... it might feel like fall.

Saturday in Indigo....

I was all set to type up this post with my two indigo sampler blocks and then I checked and Angela had posted a third block! Off to the sewing machine I go....

Back now - with three indigo blocks made for the RSC 2015 sampler quilt.

Mr Roosevelts Necktie 

Bulls Eye

Road to California

I am planning to do some dark blue and black/grey this month with my scraps (16 patches, twinkle stars and dresden plates) ..... guess I better go pull and sort as we are already one week in! Thank goodness I will have a little more time soon. The kids go back to school on August 17... not that I am counting down the last week before they head back to school. It has been a long summer and they will be happy to get back to a routine (and I will enjoy drinking my coffee and reading my paper in the morning with absolute peace and quiet after getting a morning walk in!). I'm starting them on the routine this Monday for getting up at 6:30 (Aidan has been up before that most of the summer!) and being dressed and had breakfast by 7:20. Wish me luck!

Linking up with the RSC Challenge on Saturday morning. Head on over and get inspired.

I also got a package in the mail from our RSC Host Angela - a row and license plate and a piece of penguin fabric.... to make the thermometer row! Thanks Angela.

Think I'll go cut some parts for the sailboat row I am working on next..... light and dark blue in that one so it counts in the RSC I think - especially since I am using my scraps for that one.

RSC Mid year wrap up - and some recipes.

It is July already and time to evaluate how the RSC Challenge is coming along. I am doing pretty good this year - I have dropped some of my planned monthly projects (Hexie surround by black and the scrappy strips) and added others. Oh well, there will always be scraps to use up in something!

The RSC Sampler is coming along. I need to finish cutting my alternate blocks for light blue and sew up the red blocks. It looks like two rows can be sewn together at this point...not sure if I will do that this month or wait until the kids are back in school next month and I have more time =).

I have the dresden plates and the added 16 patch blocks. I have done the 16 patch the last two years and made them into stars 1 and stars 2 but this year I think I'll make a colorful 'Goodnight Irene' quilt with X blocks adding some interest to look like a cube in a cube. I think I need at least 18 of the patch blocks and then the alternate so I'll make a bunch more this year for that project or maybe it will go into next year's challenge! I need to grab some paper and colored pencils to plan that one out before making the alternate blocks.

The hand pieced Trip around the world blocks are finishing at 30 inches each. That should make a great twin size with 6..... or queen size with 9. Still debating if I attempt one with red or not.... I frogged (unstitched Mom) a bunch of the green and replaced the outer edge and I am much happier with it. That leaves those previous corners... which could be done up in forest deep greens at some point if I attempt red, orange and then another color - maybe an aqua? Thinking on that one. These will be hand quilted as blocks eventually and set together once I decide on 6 or 9!

After watching the twinkle stars over the last few years I decided to take the plunge and have been making them this year. They will finish at 10 inches.

I did head to the doctors this week and my summer cold is so lovely that the cough will last for another month! At least my energy level is coming back to normal this week as you can tell by all the cooking I did yesterday! I made homemade hamburger buns, pulled pork in the crock pot which was loved by all and then I put the bread maker to work last night making up some cinnamon rolls! They were oh so yummy for breakfast this morning. I just used the recipe from the break maker instructions. 

Head on over to the link party and see a recap of the other RSC Projects!

Ok - one more picture - I need to vacuum the sewing area so I can start laying these birds in the air blocks out to make a wedding quilt for September. I made these blocks with the RSC Challenge a couple of years ago. Very fun to make in a 6 inch size.

RSC Saturday in light blue.

It has been a busy week. I did get the second blue sampler block made this week. I also made a blue scrappy backing for the Snail Trail quilt and got it pinned. Hopefully it will get quilted tomorrow or Monday so I get a June finish.

We got a little beach and pool time in on Thursday around the storms and a night of finding some crabs on the beach. We are catch and release on those!

Emily making a castle

Aidan walking along the beach

Pool time fun!

Then the space center on Friday was a blast! (Pun intended!)

In a space capsule

Riding on the moon

Photo with an astronaut

Linking up with the RSC Challenge. Head on over and check it out.

RSC Saturday in light blue....

The RSC Sampler block posted this week was all sewn up. I also got ahead and made the star points in light blue for the next block!

This is the dresden plate in light blue. It is time to cut the fabric to put them on now that I have finished off with the white fabric in the Hunter Star quilt. I believe I have enough for 12 of these blocks.

I also added a light blue round to my 2 inch trip around the world quilt this week. What color should I add for the next round? I am thinking a pink or bright green?

Head on over to the RSC Challenge on Saturday morning and see what other light blue scraps are being used.

Finishing up....

I finished up green this week. I made the final sampler block and cut my squares for the alternate blocks.

Then I finished up the hand stitching on the green trip around the world block last night as well. I am not sure I like it and it may get the last three or four rounds picked out and replaced....but I'm not sure I have something I like to replace it with. I'll let it stay for a week or so and then make a decision.

I also have an official first and second grader as the kids are out of school for the summer. They both got all E's for their main classes and since I wrote about Aidan getting the Golden Bear last week - Ms. Emily got the science and math award for her kindergarten class! She takes after her Mommy!

To keep their minds active this summer we are going to learn about some other countries and make a meal one night of that country's food. I think we'll start with England next week. Any ideas for meals? I'm thinking fish and chips but we'll do some research and see what appeals to the kids from their research. Wish us luck.

Busy, busy, busy....

Mom called me today to check on me..... something about not posting on Tuesday or today. I have the Tiny Tuesday appliqué prepped but have not started it so no post.
 It has been a busy week. Normal girl/boy scouts on Monday with the last soccer practice last night and their last game Thursday. I'm swapping with their Dad at work on Thursday so he can see them play again this week. I hope to work on the appliqué in the down time on Thursday at the store... if there is downtime. They had their scholastic book fair at school and after helping Aidan's class pick their books Monday morning it seemed like they needed a little help with volunteers. I went back in for a few hours Monday around lunchtime, a couple of hours Tuesday and all morning today and helped pack it up. As I was leaving.... Aidan was headed to lunch so I got to have lunch with him. Ok - I asked him if he wanted to eat lunch with me or his friends... he was thinking and his teacher just looked at him and said 'I can't believe you have to think about that!'. Yes, he decided to eat lunch with me. =)

I ran a couple of errands  and then I picked the kiddo's up at school. I did manage to pin the Hunter Star quilt yesterday morning and made this RSC Sampler block. I selected and cut the next three rows for the Trip Around the World block as well.

I love the double pinwheel - it would make a great scrappy quilt..... but I have to really finish off some of my tops into quilts before I start anything new. Here is all the RSC Sampler 2015 blocks so far this year.

Hopefully I can get a start on quilting the Hunter Star on Friday despite the kids being off school that day. I am thinking of outlining the stars.... we'll see how much trouble that becomes on my little machine! I hope to finish off the quilting Monday and get it bound and shipped off by the end of next week.
I'll link this post up on Saturday morning with The RSC Challenge. The next two tops that need to get quilted are from the 2014 RSC Challenge - churn dash and the 16 patch stars. After those are quilted..... maybe I can play with some pinwheels =)

Pretty in Purple...

I picked up my sewing machine on Tuesday morning and she said it really needed a cleaning as there was lint everywhere.... even on the computer board. Yikes - must use the pipe cleaner to get things out from now on instead of a q-tip! A great tip from her.

I put my Viking Quilt Designer to work today and finally got to cut into the Vicki Welch purple fabrics to make up my blocks.

Carrie Nation and Broken Sugar Bowl were the two sampler blocks from Angela this month. I am happy to say they are completed and I'll cut up the 24 purple 2.5 inch blocks this afternoon and be all caught up on the sampler. I still have a pile of purple that might get pressed and cut into usable parts as well.

I cut a slew (48 I think) of 2 inch purple butterfly fabrics from the floor of purple scraps for my next round of the small trip around the world block. I had a yellow as the next round but think I want a purple in between the dark green and the light yellow. I'll mark my stitch lines Thursday morning at bowling on those. Nice to have something all prepped to work on while I wait to bowl and am chatting with the ladies.

Edited: I got the purple round completed! Time to start on the yellow round 12 next.

We had taco's Thursday night and I pulled out the veggie platter container to hold the different parts. It made a great container to store all the parts so everyone could make their own taco's or salads. The lettuce and cilantro were from my front garden buckets! So nice to have fresh salad fixings.

I'll link this post up Saturday morning with the RSC Challenge. Hopefully I'll have tamed the pile of scraps into usable strips and parts by then.

Saturday in yellow

I got the second RSC Sampler block made on Friday morning. I also cut out my alternate blocks and added them to the pile. I use that little basket to hold my alternate block parts and my extra background parts.

The TATW got a little attention this week and got a couple rounds bigger. One more round of a yellow flower print and then my white round before I go down to the edges. I think the leftover sampler hand dyed fabrics will be used for the descending edge rounds this month.

This is a couple of my buckets out front of my herbs. Chives, thyme and mint in the left and basil, parsley and then some seeded cilantro in the right bucket.

We also had to go see the Queen of the Tyrannosaurus Rex in her Kindergarten play on Tuesday evening.

Head on over to SoScrappy on Saturday morning to see a glorious array of yellow scraps.