Archives for 2011

Thankful Thursday (on Friday… Again!!)

August 12, 2011 By JulieK

Only one more Thursday of summer vacation… How is that possible??? I have next Thursday free… Then we go to Band Camp… then school… I have to say, today… I am VERY thankful for summer vacations!!! It’s been so fun to NOT have to get up at 5am… I’m not a late sleeper anyway, but still, I don’t have to get up, ready, and out the door at that ungodly hour… It’s been so nice!!

It’s also been nice to be a stay-at-home crafter the last few weeks!! I’ve lost count of all the quilt tops I’ve made in the last couple weeks… I made one this morning too, and am halfway done with another one this afternoon… I am Obsessively Crafty, and I’m OK with that :)

Here’s a preview of some of my latest projects… The quilt tops still need to be quilted… but at the moment I’m just having so much fun piecing them together… Quilting seems like a job for winter :)

So… First up, a super cute bag… We were at a quilt shop, and Kathryn said “I love this bag” and I looked at the instructions and it only needed 3 fat quarters to make… So, I bought the pattern, Kathryn picked out her fat quarters (she does love bright colors)… and an evening later, here’s what it came out as…

and, I picked out fat quarters of my own… I added a tab and will close it with a fun button, just need to get the covered button kits :)

Here’s the view with the handles…

next quilt top is for the Downy Quilts for Kids program… Hoping to get this backed and quilted in the next week or so…

I bought 2 charm packs of Moda fabric called “Grace” and just love how this one came out… I bought a BEAUTIFUL red flannel for the back…

Moda’s “Lil Rascal’s” fabric for this cute little baby quilt…

Moda’s “Spirit” is featured in this Stacked Coins pattern quilt…

And, this one is also Moda fabric… “American Primer” It had no purpose, I just wanted to try out a pattern, and happened to have this Layer Cake… Love how it came out, and when I laid it out on the dining room table I thought it would make a really pretty table cloth in there… Tea Green walls with the navy print area rug… Just have to check the size now that it’s all pieced… It looked so nice up against the early-American style dining table and chairs… We’ll see :)

So, that’s what we’ve been doing this week… Well, that and, this weekend is Drum Corps International Championships… Last weekend we drove to NJ and the New Meadowlands to see the “Tour of Champions” and this week saw the Prelims in the theater… All I’m gonna say is… Team Angel and Team Demon… Go Cadets!!!! The Angels and Demons show is the best I’ve seen in years… They won last night, but Blue Devils are right there… Don’t get me wrong, Blue Devils show is technically excellent… I just think it’s blah compared to Cadets… Fingers crossed for the Angels in this one…

ummm… What day is it??

August 5, 2011 By JulieK

Well… Friday or not, I’m going to go for a Thankful Thursday post today… It has been a wonderful summer vacation full of events and non-events, but seemingly crazy busy!! I have a new-ish obsession with all things fabric, and have cranked out 3 quilt tops and 3 bags in the last 2 weeks! The kitchen looks like a bomb went off with all the little snippets of fabric and thread all about… We’re interviewing for a new music teacher, so I’ve gone to those this week…

The VERY sad news from the week (that, for the record, I’m NOT thankful for) is that my laptop is officially dead… 2 days ago I got a “warning: Hard Drive Failure is Imminent” screen of death, and as of yesterday it won’t boot at all… THANKFULLY I got all my pictures backed up… I about had heart failure last night ’cause I’m not sure about my itunes… but at least my pics are safe, right?? Not sure what the hubby is going to do about the computer, but we’ll see… So, I really have no new pictures to share ’cause they’re still on the camera and I don’t want to pull them off until I know what we’re going to do…

BUT, what I am most thankful for this week… The kids have been going to Vacation Bible School this week… 9am-noon at one of the local churches (several churches get together and run it) the theme this year is “Pandamania: Where God is Wild About You” and they have had a BLAST!! Lots of fun activities, lots of singing and dancing… But (and how embarassing) I cry every time I pick them up… At the end of the day, they all go back to the main church together and sing the songs they learned and have a “rally” of sorts… It makes me cry every day… I’m not sure I can describe it… and I know I’m sappy that way anyway, but honestly… 100 kids of all ages (campers 1-6th grade plus older counselors) all singing in praise and dancing and laughing and having so much fun together… yup… I literally cry… have to put my sunglasses on to hide the actual tears… and today is the big ending… need tissues!!

Anyway… hopefully we’ll get the computer sorted out very soon… typing on the Mac (that I detest) at the moment… but I’d love to share some pics of my fabric creations… Hopefully soon!!!

Come and Vote for Creative Memories!!!

July 18, 2011 By JulieK

I know that this isn’t my “typical” Made for Monday post… But, Creative Memories has been involved in the Minnesota Journal’s “Brand Madness” contest, and they made it to the Championship Round!!! (It’s not super surprising!!! They are a WONDERFUL company!!) Now, we need your help!!! Please follow THIS LINK and vote for Creative Memories for the Championship!!! The voting starts Today (Monday) and closes on Wednesday at 9pm Central Time… Please follow the link and vote (often!!)!! Thanks!!!

I’ll be back later today with pictures of some projects I’ve made recently… I’ve been feeling super crafty, but the pics are still on the camera!! Please vote for CM :)

Thankful Thursday July 14

July 14, 2011 By JulieK

Wow! Is it already Thursday?? Summer vacation weeks FLY by!!! Today we ate lunch at The Pushcart (LOVE it!!) and then took a little trip through the Dollar Store to get a few summery things to take to the beach :) ummm… Did I say a “few” yeah, it’s actually embarrassing to check out for $53 at the Dollar Store… That’s OK :) some of it was class idea stuff for the space, and some was trinkets for the kiddos… It’s all good :)

This morning I finished up my August Zutter Class project for Ink About It in Westford… OMGosh, do I LOVE how it came out!! It just kept getting better as I went along!! I know that doesn’t sound right, but you know when you’re working on a project and it just flows?? This was one of THOSE projects :) I’m hoping to drop it at the store tonight after Mike gets home… I’ll share pictures once I get them off the camera…

We just posted our Summer Crop Specials at Late Night Croppers… Check them out if you want to escape the heat and craft a bit!

Here’s another pic from the trip… I uploaded the last of the pics to be printed last night!! No, I didn’t print all 1370 of them… “only” about 800 or so :) I still have to go pick them up, but this is one… Hard to see in the background, but this one is in Yosemite, and in the dip between the mountains is your first glimpse of Half Dome when you drive through the park… Lots of shadows ’cause it was getting late when we arrived… Special thanks to the family who offered to take a pic of all of us together!!

And then there is this set of 2 pictures that crack me up!! This is Mike, being “funny” taking my picture with the kids at Monument Valley… (He did actually take one of me with the kids, but I’m looking very cranky in it… These came out better :) This was right after we were stuck in the car for about 15 minutes while a wild dog circled our car… The kids thought it was a wolf, he actually looked like a dingo… Anyway, when we finally were able to get out, Mike and I both opened our doors at the same time, and a CRAZY wind came through the car and blew the park map away, out the door and out the valley… never to be seen again… I’m SURE it was like totally my fault :) someone was cranky :) Hence the “cut her out of the picture” picture :) Makes me LOL when I look at it ’cause it was so silly!!

Ok… Off to pack the kids for their adventure at the lake!! Enjoy the rest of your week!

Made for Monday (July 11)

July 11, 2011 By JulieK

Even though we were away… I managed to make several things lately!! The one I made on the trip I can’t share yet, because it’s a gift :) but once it’s at its new home, I’ll be sure to post pictures!!

Next… Card Club cards… 3 made before we left for vacation, and one last one made today… But, I also can’t share those until Card Club, tomorrow evening… Don’t want to spoil anyone’s surprise :)

BUT the “thing” I made today, I can share!!! I only have phone pics at the moment, but I think for a first try, it came out pretty darn cute!! My good friend Katy mentioned these to me ’cause she knows how I am :) I didn’t have time to do anything before we left on the trip, but I made this one this afternoon!! It’s called a “Pillow Case Dress” and several different organizations ask people to make them, and then bring them to various places to be distributed to children… I’m going to be making them for “Little Dresses for Africa” And, can be made from actual pillow cases (cool way to recycle!)… But, I stopped at a thrift store today, and they didn’t have any pillow cases… So, while I was looking for instructions yesterday, I found THIS PATTERN to make them out of fat quarters, so that’s what I did!! Now, I can sew… BUT I’m not super exacting, I kinda like to just make things up as I go along… So, although I read through that pattern yesterday, I didn’t consult it today… Yup, I’m a rebel that way :) It’s partly from the pattern, and partly made up as I went along… And I think it came out super cute!! It might get a little pocket on the front ’cause I have a small piece of the stripe fabric left… And, I might have to fight Kathryn for it ’cause she’s gonna think it’s for her… And she scares me :) Just kidding… It’s not perfect, but I think it came out OK, and now I know what to do so I can make more!! Kathryn will model it for me tomorrow and I can show pics of it on her… I think it will fit her… And, that will help me with the pocket placement… If you have any pillow cases you’d like me to turn into a cute little dress, let me know :)