Make-A-List Monday - It's Christmas in July Week!

Hi, all!

Busy busy busy!  That's what it's been like around here - it seems, once again, that there just aren't enough hours in the day!  I've been working on my project for the Christmas in July blog hop, and of course, I'm running it right down to the wire.  I still have some more pictures to take tomorrow to fill in the post, but it's almost done, hallelujah!

So tonight's post will be very short, since it's almost bedtime and I've been working on the other post all night.  Be sure to come back on Wednesday and see what I worked on all last week!  

This week I'll be finishing up that post and one other small project, and working on a new flower bed/bird feeder sanctuary just outside my patio.  Once that's done, I'll probably start working on one of the grandkids' annual quilts!  I've also got a new t-shirt quilt commission that I need to write an estimate for - can't forget that!  And we just got a new ladder, tall enough so we can reach and replace the foyer light - finally!  So that will be on my list sometime too.

And just because a post isn't a post without a pretty picture, take a look at the fun masks I made for my real estate agent!

So now the question is - - - what are you working on this week?

Hugs!

Sarah

Can I Get A Whoop Whoop? A Squirrel or Two....

Hi, all!

It's been a quiet week in my home town.......... but it's Friday and that means it's time for us to get our whoop whoop on again!  Are you ready?  Let's get started!

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A couple of weeks ago I got a pair of bird feeders and set them up in the back yard where we can see them from our patio.  It has been quite a treat seeing all the birds, but lately we've been visited by a pair of squirrels who have provided some serious acrobatic entertainment!  I'm sorry I don't have any pictures yet - they are still a little skittish - but they have been hanging by their toenails from the top of the bird feeders so they can eat the seed.  They don't seem to frighten off the birds, so we've just enjoyed their antics.

All that to say I chased a couple of squirrels myself this week, but in the quilt studio!  I needed some undirected sewing, as my mind was in a turmoil, so I decided to try to make a block based on this inspiration shot....

I had a lot of pieced strips of varying widths, from 1" to 2 1/4", left over from my Moongate quilt, and realized they would be perfect for a piece like this.  So I cut up some Kona Snow strips for the other sides, found a square piece to start each block, and away we went!  

After finishing the piecing, I decided that it would make a good pillow cover, as it finished up at around 19" square.  A little quilting ensued, and then an envelope-style backing and some binding and voila!  A squirrel pillow cover!

I love the way it looks with the Moongate quilt....

Simple quilting, but I think it enhances the design.  

And now, I'm happy with this guest room!

And remember, I said a squirrel or two?  Well, when working on my project for the Christmas in July Pattern Parade blog hop (coming this Wednesday, July 15th!) I had a massive fail on my first attempt.  So I had two big pieces of pieced fabric that I hated to throw out.  What to do?  Whack it up, of course!  

And this is what I ended up with - a future table runner!  I think I'm going to fuse some white snowflakes to the center panel to finish it off, then quilt and bind it.  I really think I'm going to like it on my table!

So - - - can I get a whoop whoop?

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And now it's your turn!

What's got you whooping it up this week?

What's making you do a little happy dance?

Share!  We want to dance right along with you,

And it's always more fun to dance with friends!

The party will stay open until Sunday midnight.

Hope to see you there!

Hugs!

Sarah

I May Have A Scrap Problem... Some Mental Health Sewing!

Hi, all!

It's been a busy week here, punctuated this morning with some pretty serious weeding in the front planters...

I wish I had taken a "before" picture, but basically everything that's brown was green!  And to prove it....

...here's a picture of the 42 gallon contractor trash bag I mostly filled up with the efforts of my labors!  Tomorrow I'll spread out mulch on the dirt and start on the next one.

But in the afternoon, I decided to take a little time to do some "mental health" sewing!  You know what that is - sewing that you do that isn't something you "should" be working on, but something that stirs your imagination or satisfies a creative itch.

And here's what I made - a large block that will be made into a pillow cover to match my Moongate quilt!  I used the leftover pieced strips  from cutting the Moongate strip sets to make four log cabin blocks, then joined them together to create this piece.  I am really loving the way it turned out!  Next step will be quilting and then turning it into a pillow cover.  

And that pile of Moongate scraps that has been sitting on my sewing table is now a part of history!  And soon it will be gracing the bed in the guest room...

So what have you been sewing from your scraps this week?

Hugs!

Sarah