Wherein I learned a valuable lesson in value.

We are all trying to save a buck these days right? When have you gone too far in being frugal?  I learned a thing -- or two -- about this lately.

Here's my story:

I started sewing some quilt squares using some old white fabric that came from my grandmother's stash after she passed.  I don't know how old it is, where is came from or what it was meant for.  I decided to use it because I had it and it didn't cost me a dime so... why not.  Well, after I sewed about half the strips together, I thought I'd iron them.  (I don't know why I stopped sewing and started ironing in the middle but it turned out to be a good idea.)

After ironing, I noticed something weird... The white strip had shrunk!!  I had lost 1/4 inch in length on that side!!  Holy Crap!

Good thing I only had to rip apart half of those darn buggers.  I'll get back to that project later...  Have to let the frustration settle some.

Next lesson:

I thought I use some cheap thread to baste hexagons because... why not.  I had it and the basting is on the back and doesn't matter how it's done right, so why not save some pennies on thread.

Well... When I pressed those little hexies... my iron melted that cheap thread and now I have a perfect black hexagon shape tattooed on my iron.  I did some scrubbing to get most of it off.  (I need a new iron anyway.) The good thing, I guess, is that the melted thread sort of glued the hexagon down so I didn't have to re-baste it.  It survived ok.

I guess we all get to learn our lessons ourselves, huh.

Do you have an experience like this too?

Hexagons Again! Yay!

These are the hexagons I've been working on lately.

My Sweetie enjoys a good movie or tv show in the evenings and I enjoy cuddling up next to him on the couch. This is my hexagon stitching time. I've been able to make some good progress - don't you think!This is actually two weeks worth since I missed One Flower Wed. last week.

This little beauty came to me all the way from Sandy in Australia via the Inchy Hexagon Flower Swap. Do you sense a bit of a theme??  I've decided to collect yellow and black hexi-flowers and put them together as a black eyed susan quilt.  So be warned, you'll see lots like this in the future.

Happy Gardening!

Give Aways!

Vignette in Stitches is have a great give-away where you could win 15 fat quarters!  So go check it out!

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Angela from Cut to Pieces is having a new sponsor give-away where you could win a $40 gift certificate.  Go check that out too!!

Taa Daa...!

I suppose you could say I've been busy lately.  It's the end of the month and most of my swaps for February are swapped.  I did a little organizing.  And I started a new project - another ongoing one.  I'm a slow and steady kind of quilter.  You know - between all the other demands of family life, I get a little done any chance I get until someday in the future I can count it completed.

So, first, here is my new project:

I've decided that each week or so I'm going to make a set of animal blocks and someday make an animal quilt with them.  My first set are black bears.

These are paper foundation pieced and come from this book:

I bought this book almost ten years ago and have wanted to do this kind of quilt since then but just never jumped into it.  I've decided that it is now time, before my kiddos out grow a fun quilt like that.

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I've been organizing a bit lately too...

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Here are the results of my recent swaps:

From IFQ - the Mosaic Color Play block

I made this one using her center square and sent it to Nellie in Canada.
Cute little frogs.

This is the one Nellie made for me with my center square.
I love the colored dots that go so well with it.

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Block Swap Adventure

I made this one for Natasha in Canada.  She wanted deep blues, green, or jewel tones in geometric shapes.  She gave me some choices of block patterns and I thought this one looked fun so this is what I came up with. I really loved working on it and she told me she loved it too when she got it.  I'm so glad!

This is the one Natasha made for me.  I want a sailboat theme but I left the pattern and colors up to her.  This is what she created and she nailed it!  It's perfect!  Complete with cloudy sky and water fabric!!

She also included a nice postcard (with a sailboat on it), the scraps from the block, and the cutest ever hexi-flower.  That little darlin' is made with 1/2" hexagons!!  Isn't it cute.

I love it all!!

I can hardly wait for next month's swaps!!

What's your excuse for not blogging?

This is what I woke up to this morning:

How am I supposed to keep up with all of my bloggy friends???

Aaaarrrrrgggg!

So, I did what my Dad taught me -- Be resourceful and make it work!

I got out some tools and scraps of wood... 

...And Whaa Laa!

A new brace for the keyboard drawer.

 It's more sturdy now than it was before.

 And in a matter of minutes... I'm back on line.

(ummm, no comments about my mess. ok)

One Flower Wednesday

I just joined up with One Flower Wednesday to share my hexie flowers.

I'm excited because I love these little things and they are so addicting.

Here are the ones that I have finished recently:

My garden is growing!

What's Wrong With Olfa?

Have you ever had that feeling that things just aren't going well.

You feel kinda sluggish...

Rough around the edges...

In a jagged fog?

My poor rotary cutter has been feeling rough for sometime.

I finally gave it a little TLC and got a new blade for it.

I didn't think my old blade was all that bad until I used the new one...

OH!  It was like the windows had opened and let in a beautiful breeze...

Like taking a huge, deep breath after being in a smoky room...

It cut so smooth and easily.

I'm like a new woman...

or the same woman with a new blade.

Outta my way!  I've got fabric to cut!!

More Hexagons

Here are some more Framed Hexagons that I've swapped through IFQ.

 I received the above hexagon from Rosemary in Portugal and I sent her the one below.  She added some tiny white beads to it and I think it is the perfect touch.  I love it!

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 The above green and pink hexie came from Sharon in Virginia and I love the colors she put together. I sent her the one below.  I took it on a road trip so I spent some car time stitching some gold and silver thread into the swirls.

Kid Builders

For Christmas, we gave each of our kiddos kits of wood pieces.  And with our help, they would assemble a book shelf.

We let them paint it however they wanted.

 Cute, huh!

 And then we mounted them on the wall beside each bed...

 ...to hold all of their books for bedtime reading.

 They did a fantastic job.  Aren't they great!!

The plans and inspiration came from Ana White.com.

Border Block

It's time again for our Parma Quilter's Anonymous meeting and I can hardly wait.  We'll get to reveal the first border we've added to our Mercy Border Block Quilt.  I received Gaylene's center and this is what it looked like when I received it.  She wanted a Breast Cancer Awareness theme and even provided some scraps of fabric to go with it. (Good thing!)

I decided to finish those little yellow stars in each corner.  It wasn't as easy as I thought but we got it worked out.

Here is the finished block:

Ready to pass on to the next lucky quilter!

That was fun!