A Quick Fun Project

V is on spring break this week and we had a sleepover Sunday night.  That boy loves video games and especially Angry Birds.  I kinda like it too.  I saw a blog post for a game made with cans.  I didn't want to make the game, but I loved the cans.  So this is what we did.

 We (I) spray painted a bunch of cans I had been saving (hording) on Sunday.  I let them dry overnight.

 Then on Monday I hand painted the faces on the cans.  V loves them and so do I.  I sent half home with him and the others are here for him and me to enjoy when he is here.

 I love 'em so much, I may make some more.  Try it, you'll like it!

On another note, I tried to post this this morning before I went to work, but our friends at Google said I had used up all my space for pics and had to buy more.  It didn't cost much, but geez, no warning, just you are out of space.  Not a way to make friends guys.  Just sayin'.

The One With Lots of Pictures

It has been very busy around here this last week.  Not too much actual sewing, but some.  Also there has been sewing prep and gardening.  Once I get to sewing this week, I should be able to make some great progress.  Here's hoping.

 First up is the 4th bucket hat that I made for my brother.  He is a chef, so I thought this print by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman was appropriate.  I have a pair of chef's pants in this print, made by Chef Wear.

 The other side is this swirly green batik.  I love this one and it's been in my stash for years.  I have used bits of it here and there.

 Went to the big box hardware store Sunday and got these...African Daisies, I think they are called.

 And these little beauties.  The picture doesn't do the color of the tiny blossoms justice.  They are a deep periwinkle blue in real life.  There was a large one there that was just gorgeous.

 Lots of pots of Mondo grass for edging.  Our yard is a bit of a disaster, but we are going to try and fix that.  Poor soil, critters etc. can only be overcome by diligence.

 One of the nicer things we do have are the Azaleas that someone planted before us.

 These are just a few of the many we have all over the property.  All are abloom right now.

 V is here today on spring break, and we are going to paint the faces of some of the Angry Birds and pigs on these cans that I spray painted yesterday.  I saw the idea on someone's blog, but I can"t remember who.  If you Google Angry Birds, I think it will show up.

 Next I spent some time prepping some sewing in an effort to get some of my many projects moving forward.  The original 19 items on my 2012 list have been joined by 11 more so...gotta get going here.  This is a diaper bag I am making for the arrival of baby B.

 The backing fabric and batting have arrived for my sister's quilt.  She chose a lovely Moda Marbles in grey, which will really compliment the front.  Just need to piece the back and off to the quilter it goes.

 I went against my own rule and cut out all the rest of the pieces for my last three Swoon blocks.  I had been cutting as I sewed, but I was losing ground fast, so I hope this helps get me back on track.

This is the pieced back for the Jack and Jenny Zigzag quilt for baby B.

 Sorry, this picture should have been with the other up above, but I couldn't make it move there.  This is the Amy Butler book with the pattern for the diaper bag I am making.  Her patterns are so detailed and they take me quite awhile to assemble.  I do love the result though.  So I had to get it all cut out.

And Saturday I bought all these stabilizers and fleece for the above diaper bag.  This better turn out good.  That is a lot of fleece and stabilizer.  Almost $30 worth for one bag!! Yikes.  So, what are you doing this week?

Last Week's Stitchy Things

Great title, huh?  Well last week, there was at least a little bit of stitching going on.  Not too much as I was busy, tired and not really feeling like it much.  But here is what I got done:

 I saw this on Diary of a Quilter and thought it would be perfect for new baby B.  I got a couple of the Children At Play prints and a few things from my stash.  It went together very quickly.  I just have to applique the airplane on it, then back it and quilt it and bind it.  I love it already.  I am going to make one for big brother V, but instead of the stacked coins strip, I think I will just applique a bunch of paper airplanes on it.  I think he would like that.

 I finally jumped on the stitching bandwagon with this sampler from Posie Gets Cozy.  Kristyne at Pretty by Hand is showing hers letter by letter.  She does some gorgeous stitching people!  And that's all the stitching from last week.

 Spring, however has been very busy around here.  Everything's blooming!

Have a great week.

Grandaddy's Race

Sew a little bit of sewing this week, but the big event around here was my husband's first ever 5K race.  There was a half marathon and a 5K race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway today and my husband, who started running for better health about a year and a half ago, decided to enter.

 We took V with us from Chapel Hill and spent the night with middle daughter and J Saturday night.  We had a great dinner at a pizza place and hit the hay.

 We got to the speedway about 7:20 and went inside.  Neither of the boys nor I had ever been there.  It is big!  Here they are before the race.

 It was pretty cloudy, but cool is okay for running.  A few sprinkles, but that's it.

 Here comes grandaddy after the first lap around the 1.5 mile track.  Looking good honey!

 Coming in for high five in pit row on the way to the finish line.  So much fun to cheer for all the runners.

 V and J checking out the medal that all the runners got.  Pretty cool.

All in all a great way to spend a Sunday morning.  I'll be back tomorrow with stitching stuff.

Bucket Brigade Number 2

Sew last year, I bought the Oliver + S book Little Things to Sew.  If you have little ones, either yours or grandchildren or nieces and nephews, this is a great book.  There are lots of things to make and the patterns are very detailed, great instructions and they look very professional when done.  I made 4 of the bucket hats last year for grandchildren and my great niece and a friend's little boy.  I was getting good at this pattern! You can see my first hats here.

My brother had requested a grown up sized bucket hat for the spring.  He is undergoing chemo, and his daughter and I had made him some warm hats for the winter months in Vermont where he lives.  It was not difficult to enlarge this pattern slightly to make one for his head.  Once his hair grows back, it may not fit, but for now I think it will do.  I am not going to show it to you today, as I want the fabric choice to be a surprise, but I have 3 more to share.

 Left to right: extra small, medium and large sizes.  Each takes 2-3 hours to complete.

 Extra small is for baby B who is due in June.  He is my newest grandson and I can't wait!  I made quilts for V and J out of this fabric a couple of years ago.

 Large is for Miss A, my great niece.  She is, I'm told a very girly girl and loves pink.  I added a hatband of pleated hearts to hers.  The band fabric is a jelly roll strip from Always and Forever by Deb Strain.

 The Medium hat is for my great nephew A.  Every boy needs a beach hat, right?  And lest you think these are simple little hats...they are REVERSIBLE!!!  Two hats in one!!

 That's right, here is the other side of each of those hats.  So when you make them, you get two for one.

Brims up!

Had fun putting them on my solar garden lights.

So cute.

So silly of me.

These are going in the mail this week.  Love you brother.  I'll share your hat after you get it.
Happy Sewing, Y'all.

Finally...another Sunday Swoon

It has taken me, I think 3 weeks to get it done, but I have completed Swoon block number 6!

I think I may be losing momentum.  When I began, I was going to do one block each week.  And I did until the fifth block.  The weekend of the sixth block, something came up and so I didn't even cut it out.  The next week I cut it out.  Then, half way through the week, I began piecing it.  Yesterday after work and today, I was determined to get it done.  I use lots of pins when I piece these blocks, but I usually don't when I piece.  It slows me down.  I want these to be nice.  We shall see if there can be another one next week.  Only 3 more to go.

A Tuesday Quilt

I actually finished this last week, but I don't blog on weekends much.  This quilt is for my middle daughter.  Since her birthday is in a couple of weeks, it's also for her birthday.  This is the quilt I made from scraps I won from Moda Lissa a few months ago.

 Notice also the Carolina blue sky...we love our Tarheels!

 I love the scrapiness of this quilt.  It feels very old fashioned to me.

 And the red borders...mmmmmmmmmmmm.  It's all so soft.

 Love the way the sun and shadows were playing on it.  Hope daughter does too.

 It's not a surprise, so that's why I'm showing it off to you.

 Have a great week.  See you soon.