What Could be Better . . .

. . . than to spend your day with one of your kids?

Yesterday Elyse and I spent the day at the Farmer's Market.

So fun to look at all of the beautiful fruits and veggies for sale.

Not to mention the yummy lunch!!

On our way to the Market, we happened to drive right by the Quilt shop.

Imagine that??!!

 

So of course we had to pop in there

 to see what was new and what was on sale.

 

I think what I liked the most was to see fabric through my daughter's eyes.

Well, needless to say we came home with some awesome fabric.

 

She's a very creative one herself who takes beautiful photos and loves to write

so it was fitting that this one was made for her.

I think she even has a typewriter in her belongings 

like one of the ones pictured above.

 

She needed pillowcases to go with her quilt that I had made her last year.

In fact you can check out her latest posting of 

gorgeous photography and musings of an Afternoon in the UK.

Hope you have had a good weekend and that your week is spectacular!!

Shauna

 

A Year in Review

I was quite surprised by what I actually accomplished last year.

Sometimes it doesn't seem like much is happening,

so was very happy when I started looking and pulling this post together.

It also highlights how many projects 

need to get finished too! 

Here is my pictorial year in review.

How fun were these cute bags.

Pillow cases - I think 16 in all.  Phew!!

All so different, interesting and also fun.

Different pillows completed in all shapes and sizes.

I tried my hand at some firsts like

printing on fabric and paper piecing.

Cute little projects.

Great tutorials out there to help me achieve my finishes.

I have lots of unfinished projects . . . .
For 2014 I will try to complete them.

Some of these I haven't even blogged about like the Coffee hanging.
This is appliqued and not my favourite method of quilting.
The stars started by me but completed by someone else
- they were a project we did at the retreat last year for the hospital.

But here are my bigger finishes . . .

A couple of baby quilts.

A queen size, double and single quit.

All bring back memories -

some happy, like a wedding gift or a quilt for a friend
and some not so happy,
like a quilt made for an Aunt who is dying of cancer

With every stitch that is made, I reflect, pray and have gratitude
for the ones I make my creations for and for myself.
I am learning to not worry where I am in life or my circumstances.
Things change in a heartbeat, for good or bad
but that which is in your heart is what will
carry you through all the ups and downs of life.

Wishing you all the best for 2014!!
 

From Sophistication to Boyhood Fun

Is this not the most gorgeous material?

I found this in a little shop in Invermere, B.C. while I was on holidays this summer.

The store is call Essentials and it is a clothing / fabric shop.

What could be more 'essential' then some beautiful fabric?

They had many wonderful items, both in clothing and fabric to tempt one.

I had a vision of a pair of pillow shams.

They were more challenging to make than I thought 

but in the end turned out beautifully.

I have only one sham made at this point but still love the look.

The colour is a little off due to indoor lighting.

Not quite the same as natural outdoor lighting.

I just did a simple grid pattern over it and I am happy with my choice.

Now the question is: what colour do I paint my bedroom walls?

Switch gears from sophistication to boyhood fun.

COWABUNGA!!

My good friend and I were out shopping one day for material.

In our journey we saw this material.  Her grandsons are crazy about

the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles so she purchased the material

and asked if I would do three pillow cases up for her.

I only have two completed and have yet to do the third.  

It shouldn't take me long and I think they turned out quite cool!

Well, it has been a long week and I'm getting ready to hit the sack.

So glad to have that extra hour of sleep this weekend ... 

... or maybe an extra hour to quilt!!

Hope you enjoy your weekend!

Linking up with AmandaJean at Crazy Mom Quilts. 
Thanks again for hosting 'Finish Up Fridays'.

Shauna

Pillow Cases

It's not a very imaginative title, is it?

Perhaps I should be thinking of something more witty but the brain isn't cooperating this morning.

These again are small finishes.

Please forgive the photography as these are taken with my iphone and are not the best quality.

Really like the colours of this one.

This one still needs a mate but it's coming . . .

I like the Art Nouveau look of this one.

 These ones are just plain sweet.

Look at the beautiful flowers that my daughter sent me for my birthday.

I got a lovely phone call from my son . . . that meant so much to me!

I am still working on my Triple Irish Chain which you can see blogged here.  

I have two block done up now and loving it.

I have also been working on more HST's for this quilt that is going to be for my son.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend 

doing what you enjoy doing 

and being with who you enjoy being with (especially our dads).

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.  Thanks again AmandaJean for hosting us.

Shauna

Sweet and Cute Finish

I have been sewing all week - well, when I haven't been at work . . .

but only have a couple of finishes to show for it.  

 

Love these 3 pillow cases.

Oh and I also redesigned the header for my blog . . . takes time to do things like that.

I have also been working all week on my hidden stars and have gotten quite a bit accomplished.

Seven rows done and five more to go.

It's coming along nicely, wouldn't you say?

I'm linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish Up Friday.

Shauna

Happy Quilt and More Pillow Cases

I think I may have gone pillow case crazy.  I have been having too much fun creating!  I guess I like the instant gratification that I get from quilting a project in a short amount of time.  It is a nice break from the norm.

These two pillowcases have a crisp feel to me.  Like when your sheets are freshly washed and have been hanging outside to dry and they come in and have that nice smell to them.  That's what I'm reminded of when I look at these cases.

These were made for someone special and I hope she likes them as much as I do.

Quite a while ago I put this top together.  At the time that I was working on it I was going through a fairly rough patch in my life.  So, this one was an escape for me.  

I have dubbed this quilt, "The Happy Quilt" and deliberately chose bright, cheery colours.

These pictures are not that great and I realized that the top is all wrinkled, however, today I am too lazy to pull it all out and retake the pictures.

So . . . back to the pillow cases.  

I had just enough material from the two borders that I could create two pillow cases to match.

I think I have more or less done all of the pillow cases that I am going to do for now.

Time to move on to other projects.

Enjoy your long weekend!

Shauna

Pillow Case

Blogging twice in a weekend, the stars must be aligned right.

After spending most of the day getting the house ready to sell, I decided I needed to get down to my sewing room to do something.  I wanted some instant gratification so thought I would whip up a pillow case for the spare bed . . . and voila

. . . a pillowcase in under an hour.

I was pleased with the way it turned out for a first try.

 I followed this tutorial:   Missouri Star Quilt Co. Pillow Case

Fast and easy and fun!


Have a terrific day!

Shauna