~ My organized mess ~

I say "organized" loosely.

VERY loosely...

 I thought if I kept my scraps bagged by color it would be easy to find a particular color for a quick applique project. 

It did work for awhile, but my bags were getting WAY to full.

While nosing around the internet I discovered Lori Holt's way of organizing her scraps for quilting.

Most of my scraps are just that - scraps.
 All shapes and sizes.

I started at the ironing board and ironed each one to see what shapes and sizes I did have.

I'm actually going one bag at a time.

This has turned out to be a very time consuming project, but I am hoping in the end it will all be worth the effort.

After about four hours, I am only through two bags.

I cut my strips into the sizes Lori Holt suggested.

I cut 1 1/2", 2 1/2", 3 1/2", and 5 inch strips.

Lori also suggested 7 and 10 inches, but I chose not to cut my larger pieces.

 I keep my larger pieces folded in baskets.

I am still keeping smaller bags of the awkward pieces for applique projects.

I'm hoping my new organized scraps will inspire me to start working on more little quilted projects.

How do you organize your scraps?

Cricut Maker fun!

Back in October Mr. Fisherman bought me new toy. 

A CRICUT MAKER!!!!!

When it arrived in the mail all I had was a bit of colored card stock to play with.
So I played...

I really liked this owl design and stuck it to my lampshade.

Looks a little dark and spooky, don't you think?
After all, it was October - the scariest month of the year.

I also made up a few tags for treat bags to hand out at Halloween.

This darn thing is so much fun to play with.
I can't wait to share future projects.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and now on to a great New Year.

I'm starting my new year by cashing in one of my Christmas gifts from Mr. Fisherman.

 A $100 Amazon gift card!

I have never been much of an online shopper. 

I like to touch and feel things before I buy.

I like to know the quality of things before I spend my hard-earned dollars on something.

You can't always tell the quality of something from an online photo.

It may be beautiful in a picture, but when it arrives it's cheap, cheap, cheap.

Well.....

I have since changed my way of thinking.

 I have not been able to drive since my first eye surgery in December 2017.

I can handle the surgeries, but not being able to drive???

Drives me nuts!

Soon, I will be back to normal, but in the meantime, I have learned how fun it is to shop online.

I have ordered several things online over the past 6 months or so and had only one return.

I can see how online shopping could become very dangerous.

My first purchases using my gift card came in two days.

Oh, how I love Amazon Prime!

I saw this binding tool used on a U-Tube video and thought I would give it a try.

I also ordered an open toe, free motion quilting foot since one of my goals in 2019 is to learn the art of machine quilting.

I also ordered a couple charm packs which were not part of Amazon Prime's two day shipping.

Darn.

 I see how that 2 day shipping can really spoil a person, can't it?

Merry Christmas everyone!

As I'm typing this post, I am thinking "How do I explain my long absence from blogging without sounding like a Debbie Downer or that I am looking for sympathy?"

I am not.

Sometimes life just throws you a curve and you learn to work with it.

Since December 2017 I have been working my way through several eye surgeries (5 to be exact and 2 more to go) due to a detached retina in one eye and a torn retina in the other.
For those reasons, I have been MIA for some time now.
Sooooo.....

I have decided to set myself a few goals for 2019.

Oh my, did I just say that out loud? 
YIKES, I did, didn't I?

They will be very small goals, but goals just the same.
Here goes....

1. Make and complete at least one small quilted project a month.
(Table runner/topper, wall hanging, mug rug, placemat, etc)

2. Learn to machine quilt - the correct way.

3. Blog at least 2 times a week.

I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's a start and I am being realistic.

Until then, here's a quick gift idea from Christmas 2017.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas...

See ya in 2019!

Don't be afraid!

 

I'll be back soon.

~ Halloween outfits for the girls ~

I finished these up yesterday just in time to mail out to my grandbabies in North Carolina.



I purchased the sweet little tulle skirt and the blank long sleeved tee for about $12 an outfit..

All I did was add a little embroidery I purchased from Planet Applique.

 

 

 

All ready for Halloween!



Today's plan....

What's on your sewing table today?

 

Simple gift basket

Earlier this year one of my daughter's teachers got married.

I could not find her wedding registry anywhere and had no idea what she needed or the color scheme in her home.
I knew she liked to bake, so I went with that.

I found this nice little book of country baking and started there.

 

 

I used the same mixer design I used for Brantley's dishtowel.

I added measuring cups, oven mitt, and a sweet little heart cookie cutter.

 

 

To personalize it a bit more I embroidered the newlyweds names and wedding date on the basket.

 

 

Simple personalized gift basket for under $30.



Trick or treat bags

 

I picked these bags up last year at The Dollar Tree to embroider for my neighbors children.

They already had the cute little designs on them - all I did was embroider the names.

 

 

 

 

Until next time...

 



Pincushions are essential

For anyone who sews, a pincushion is a must.

 

 

I love making pincushions.

Pincushions take very little fabric and you can make them any size, any shape, any color, etc.

 

Why not make them fun!



Halloween bugs and kisses

First, let me apologize....

This was not my original idea - I stole it.

I made these cute little trick or treat bags for my neighbors children a few years ago, but can't for the life of me, remember where I downloaded it from.

I would love to give credit where credit is due, but I have no clue where it came from.

 

 

Aren't they cute?

 

 

They were so easy to make.

Just a bit of cardstock, baggies, spider rings and kisses!

 

 

Do you hand out candy or are you one of those who turn the lights out, lock the door and hide?

I am the latter, but I do always try to make my friends children a little something.

Am I bad?