Sneak Preview Revealed

I'm in love. I finished my Sneak Preview. Are you ready for the big reveal? Okay, here we go!

Once again, I will complain about the colors in my picture, because it's just so much better in person! It's like a ray of sunshine! So, I'm going to call it my Sunshine Wrap. See, I get so cold in the winter when I'm sitting at the computer and I just needed something for my shoulders. Wrapping myself up in a quilt was just too awkward, so I thought of making a wrap.

I had that paisley fabric with all of the other matching fabrics in one of my lovely FOLDED stacks. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but it was all there, together. Then I saw this great flannel that I had gotten at JoAnn's at Christmas - and it hit me! I can make me a wrap! When I first sketched out the pattern, I didn't have the center symbols on them. But, it was a rather dark time for me, so when I came across the Hamsa design I thought that was what I needed to protect me from the evil eye of this town. The paisleys on either side of the Hamsa are fabric protectors, I guess. LOL I then came across the Spiral Goddess and other designs and added them. The green has a Green Man embroidered in it. The first tme that I did the design the color was too close, so I had to do it again so it would stand out a little. Having all that worked out, I figured I would be wrapped and warm and protected.

Here's a close up of the center design. Yes, some of the embroidery caused the fabric to get a bit wonky. I have a tough time embroidering on cotton fabric. It always bunches on me. Now I need to get this baby finished.

Crafter ADD

I have to tell you, I got that term from Laurie at ArtSmith. She thought she had Crafter ADD because she had nine projects started. Nine. NINE. Yes, only nine. I unceremoniously called her a wimp. Ppffffftttt. Only nine. Can you imagine? I have a couple more than that. But I worked on my Sneak Preview today and it's almost ready to reveal. I'm very pleased with it. It looks great.

And I did do the Leader and Ender Madness while I worked on my Sneak Preview. I got a couple more Mimi squares done with the leader/ender method! I need more Mimi squares because my Mimi project is not small. Oh no. I had to get ambitious and make a big quilt. Here's what I have done so far. Can you see the Mimi squares in there? Or are they lost in there?

I don't know why I can't do a small quilt. When others do them they are so cute, and look so great. Look at Monica's, behind the celery bag. But I always think - what am I going to do with that? Other people hang them and again, they look great! I always think that mine would look stupid. I saw on WhipUp a Whiplash challenge to do a miniature quilt. Maybe I should challenge myself to do that.

In the meantime, I'm going to finish my Mimi quilt and my Sneak Preview - mostly so I can stop calling it a Sneak Preview, for goodness sakes.

Meme #2 I love popcorn. If I have it around, I won't stop eating it. I eat a whole bag of the microwave stuff (I usually buy the small 100 calorie bags). If I go the movies and buy one of those big ass buckets of popcorn - it will be gone by the end of the movie. And if I get a refill? I will. I love kettle corn the most. And Downtown Disney has CARAMEL kettle corn. OMG To die for.

My Purse

Okay, I know that I've already posted today, but I have to post again to show off the purse I made today. I went for a walk with my girlfriend yesterday and needed to take my phone, tissue (because my eyes always water), and a starbucks gift card - just in case. Usually I just carry the stuff, and cram it into my pockets. But this time I thought I'd bring a little bag I made last year. Well, it just didn't work because it was a little too big and not quite long enough to go over my whole body and rest on my hip. The solution? A new purse, of course.

I decided on black and white so that I would be color coordinated when I walk. I tend to wear black and white on my little walks - so I needed my purse to match my outfits. Yes, yes. All is vanity. The pattern is based on Autum's purse tutorial. I only used four strips, however, and made them smaller than hers. I also wanted a flap. Since the purse was black and white, I decided to use some of my skull fabric from my collection for the flap. Okay, that was not easy - I had to cut into my PRECIOUS fabric. I even fussy cut it - and you know how much fabric THAT wastes. But it wasn't too bad, because I found those two skulls next the edge of the fabric. And, I really think it looks great.

The inside. Yes, it's wonky. I decided at the last minute to put in one of those little inside pockets that's tucked into the lining. Autum has a tutorial for a pocket like this with a zipper - but I didn't have a zipper (or, more truthfully, a zipper that I could find easily), so I thought I would be a Miss Smarty Pants and make one without a zipper. Well, as you can see, it didn't turn out spectacular. But, what the hell. I overcame my perfectionism and decided to keep the wonky pocket, since I WAS making it for me.

Here's a shot for size, next to my phone.

After I sewed it all together, I saw that I had not caught the top of the lining in the top seam. Also, I hadn't lined the flap with anything and it didn't look good. The strap wasn't long enough, either. So, I ripped out the top stitching at the top of the purse, and ripped out the top stitching on the flap. I put Craft Bond on the flap and resewed it. I added an extra 10 inches to the strap, and then resewed the whole shebang together - this time catching the lining in the top stitching.

More, I'm sure, than you really care to know about my purse. I will leave you with a rather hideous action shot.

Meme #1

Cindy at The Chicken Coop tagged me to do 7 Random Things About Me. I'm going to do them in separate posts, like Kim did (although I guarantee mine won't be as wonderful as hers). Mostly because I'm lame and can't think of 7 all at once. I've been thinking about it since I've been tagged, and have only come up with three. Lame.

#1 I love fabric. I love the feel of it, I love to touch it, I love look at it. I don't like to cut it and use it. Because then if I use it, it will be gone, and I won't have it any more. Yes, I know that I'll have it in the projects that I've used it for, but still. Some of it I can use right away, if I've gotten it for a specific project. But the fabric that I buy just because I LOVED it and had to have it, that's that stuff that I have the most trouble with. I see projects that people have made with some of the fabric that I love, and I'm shocked that they could ACTUALLY have used that fabric. How could they do that?

I think this really shows that I'm rather strange. And I'm also sure that if I keep buying fabric, I'll get over this problem one day. Yeah, I just know it.

Got a couple more SBS's finished.

Don't you love that chubby little girl in the yellow hat? I do. She is so cute. The other one has a skull on her shoe - that's because we had a whole discussion on our skull shoes. Okay, okay, I know you want to see them, so here they are.

And last, an update on my garden. It's looking good! Although I don't have any basil sprouts yet. I'm very disappointed about that.

More Mailbox Love

Mailbox Love. I just love that term! I heard it from Monica (who is her own little circle of love all by herself) and it is definitely something that should be spread.

Anyway, here's my latest Mailbox Love (wow, two in one week). This is from Brenda, who I'm making the SBS's for.

I had mentioned that I love Atkinson quilt designs, and specifically thought this one (a new one) was great. And the next thing I know, totally unexpected, it showed up in the mail! How great is that? I don't think it could get any better. Of course, now she thinks that I'll actually make AND finish something. It's so nice to know that people still have faith in me. If not, I know that I'm in good company, because I found someone else who has seems to have a wee bit of a problem finishing things, and who can stop shopping for fabric at any time, just like me.

Here's my latest Sunbonnet Sue. I'm getting the patterns from here.

She's pretty cute. The next one I'm working on has black shoes. I hope it doesn't over power her. I had to stop working on the new SBS last night because Bones (an episode from three weeks ago that I TiVo'd) was requiring my full attention.

Now everybody takes these wonderful pictures of their flowers and plants - and I want to, as well. Alas, my pictures never turn out as wonderful as everyone elses. However, this rose is just so pretty, I had to take a picture.

I bought some basil seeds yesterday at Target. I'm going to try to plant them in intervals - a few seeds every couple of weeks. I'm hoping that will keep in basil for the summer. Well, if I can get them to grow. If I can remember to keep them watered. If I can't do any of that, I'm going to go visit the wonderful Angelina and beg her for some - because, have you seen the buttload of basil that she intends to grow? And I'm sure her thumb is a lot greener than mine.

As Promised

Here's my winnings! Is it cute, or what?

Now I'm going to have to decide what to do with it. An apron sure would be cute!

I've got another Sunbonnet Sue almost finished. I'm not sure how many I'm going to do. I would love to 12 - but I'm not sure that my Crafter ADD will allow that. Hopefully I can get 6 done before I'm on to something else.

Mother's Day

Tessa made me a cake for Mother's Day. I loved it - I thought it was so cute.


Each of my girls made me two sweet cards. Neither of my boys (DH and DS) got me a card. I don't think it evens out, somehow. Tessa went to the local Farmers Market on Thursday and got me some candied almonds, some kettle corn, some dark chocolate, and a candle. That girl knows me well, and it was so sweet of her to that. I also got a larger memory card for my camera, and everyone made me a very nice breakfast. I never got out of my pajamas - which at this point I don't think was a good thing.

Dan and I watched the Survivor Season Finale. I must admit that I was disappointed. Even though I thought that Dreamz was not a very good person, it was still sad to see him prove that. And also sad for Yau - who trusted in him.

While watching Survivor I finished some mailbox love. I'm going to send this to one of my Bad Girl friends. She's a quilter and loves Sunbonnet Sue. But she doesn't like handwork, and I don't think she has any SBS blocks. She's deaf and we've been IM'ing. She also lost her mother unexpectedly a few years back and still misses her. I'm hoping to make some more SBS's for her - this one went together really quick. I had started to do it on muslin, but muslin just isn't thick enough. So, I went to JoAnns and got some Kona cotton - I think this color is Ivory. Thanks Monica, for turning my onto Kona cotton. It is really wonderful. Carra has gymnastics tonight, so I should be able to get another block mostly done.

I WON, I WON

Can you believe it? I WON SOMETHING.

Over at the Happy Zombie, Monica had a blogiversary drawing, and I put my name in at the last minute, convinced I wouldn't win. But Bob, wonderful Bob, DREW MY NAME. How dang lucky is THAT. And, yes, I am SCREAMING. I'm just so thrilled.

I'll post pictures when it comes.

Blogger MIA

Okay, I haven't posted anything in awhile. But I've been busy crafting away! I'm not going to post about that yet, though. What I'm going to post is my little garden. Well, some of it was already planted by the previous owner, and I guess I just didn't realize it.

There are a couple of types of lavender. Some rosemary, and I think thyme. That's what my girlfriend said. It has this pretty little flower, so if anyone knows more about thyme than me and can let me know if this is really thyme, that would be great.

You'll also notice that I planted a couple of tomato plants and a couple of lemon cucumber plants. I couldn't find the regular cucumber plants, and I've planted lemon cucumber before. We'll see if I can get them to grow. I intend on planting a few more things. Unfortunately, I don't really plan, I just go and buy what looks good at the time. My girlfriend really thinks that I should plant some peppers. Maybe I will.

Mostly what I need to do is make sure that it gets watered. I tend to forget to water my plants, which means that they don't do very well. I do much better when we have a drip system in place.

I'll keep you updated.

Girlfriend

My girlfriend, that I've known since we were 3 or 4, came to visit me this weekend. She is having marital issues. Her birthday is today, their 25th wedding is tomorrow.

But, she came to see me this weekend. We had a great time. We didn't end up doing much. We went to the beach - she flew a kite with my DD, while Dan and I sat on the beach.

We spent a lot of time talking - which is always nice.

I've found some before and after pictures of us.

That's her in the middle, and me on the right (in the white shirt). In the grown up version, that's her on the left, and me on the right (in the glasses). I kept getting taller, she didn't. I always remind my youngest DD when she's complaining of her smallness that I was once smaller than Nancy!