Mad For Quilting

Aloha!!

2012-02-11T09:34:00.002-05:00

Can you guess where I've been? Yep, just got back from Hawaii or as the locals say "Havaii". I have lots of pictures to share and when DVS is done processing them, I'll be giving you a little tour of our little tour. But for now, here's a little tease:

Photo by Tracey Van Slyke

Back soon!

Tracey

Sneak Peek

2012-01-21T18:46:00.000-05:00

Just a little peak at the beginning of the baby quilt. I think it's going to be really pretty. I decided to make snowball blocks because I think they show off my friend's fabric choices better. I'm also planning on a scalloped border.

I also appliqued the first letter of their last name on one of the blocks.

More later!

Tracey

Pretty Fabric

2012-01-15T13:39:00.000-05:00

A little while ago I bought some of the new Pam Kitty fabric by Holly Holderman for Lakehouse Dry Goods. I really couldn't bear to cut into it - but we have been invited to dinner with some friends at their new house and I thought it would be wonderful to use for a hostess gift. I made two pillow cases with it and oh my god, it's adorable!

The reds in this fabric are the EXACT color of strawberries! I'm not kidding. This picture doesn't do it justice. Thank you Pam for designing such beautiful fabric.

If you haven't visited Pam's blog, PamKittyMorning, please do! Oh, and Pam, this isn't even close to all the fabric I bought! LOL!

I also worked up a little baby quilt for a shower yesterday. Unfortunately, I ran out of time and it didn't get finished. I'll keep it and use it for another baby gift. It was a good project since I've been so busy at work it was nice to come home and just sew some squares together. I used part of layer cake of Dilly Dally by Me and My Sister Designs. I'm very drawn to their fabric lately. It just makes me happy to look at it.

Ok, back to sewing. Have a great weekend!

Talk to you soon,

Tracey

An Entire Weekend!

2012-01-08T22:15:00.003-05:00

Can you believe it? I actually had an entire weekend off. It's been so long since that's happened. DVS and I headed down to Daytona Beach on Saturday for the Grand-Am Roar Before the Rolex. This is 3 days of practice for the drivers and crews. However, it was even more fun than going to the Rolex 24. Since it was just practice, the drivers and crews were pretty relaxed and very happy to talk to people, take pictures, and sign autographs.

Boris Said

Graham Rahal (big fan of his dad, Bobby)

Dario Franchitti

How about this guy? For those of you that remember AC/DC, that's lead singer, Brian Johnson -
and, oh, the guy on the right in this pic? Patrick Dempsey! Very, very cool!

Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas

We also enjoy watching our local dealership, Brumos, run it's car. They won the championship last year. Yay Brumos!

Patrick Dempsey's Team Car

Target Chip Gnassi Cars

Oh! I also started my friend's baby quilt and I've actually made great progress. Pictures to come.

Talk to you soon!

Tracey

All Photos by Dan Van Slyke, Jr.

Attitude Adjustment and a Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T21:50:00.000-05:00

First, Merry Christmas everyone! My holiday has been very quiet and peaceful. I have to say I'm feeling much, much better since my last blog post. It's amazing what a couple of days off and sewing will do for your psyche. Since I finally had time for myself, what did I do? I went to the quilt store of course! While I was cruising through, I found this wonderful tool. If you ever want a quick gift, this pattern called Lil' Twister is the answer!

I literally put this together in a couple of days. You sew 24 5" charm squares together and add a 3" border. You then cut it apart using the tool in the pattern. I used the one for 5" charm squares but they make one for 10" squares as well. The small one is about the size of a small table topper or large doll quilt.

This is what I started with (I used Dilly Dally by Me and My Sister Designs):

Using the tool to cut them apart:

After the cutting and putting it back together - awesome pinwheels!

It turned out so cute, I might have to make a couple. I still need to sew them together but you get the picture. :-)

I hope everyone has a very safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

Talk to you soon,

Tracey

AWOL

2011-12-18T21:34:00.000-05:00

I know, I know, it's been almost a month. But I have a really, really good excuse - work. It's been kicking my butt since July. But two weeks ago, our owner fired our coach and then, in the next breath, announced he was selling the team. Our new owner was approved this past Wednesday and was in the office for an all staff meeting on Friday. On top of that, we haven't been winning very many games and because of the losing season, I've been working overtime and it's about worn me out. Our last game is January 1st and then it's finally off-season. This work thing sure puts a crimp in my Christmas celebrating. I'm not done shopping, I didn't send out any cards, I barely got my tree up, my blood pressure is up and now my migraines are kicking in. Life is great! My vacation can't come soon enough.

I hope to get back to some serious sewing in January. I'm starting a commissioned baby quilt for my friend who's baby is due in March. She picked out some seriously wonderful fabric and I'm itching to get started.

Ok, that about covers it. I'll be back soon when I have some time off.

Talk to you soon,

Tracey

A Christmas Table Topper

2011-11-26T08:51:00.000-05:00

I took my last Crazy Eight table topper class last Thursday and finished the top. And, again, I forgot to take pictures of my class. It was so much fun! We laughed and laughed and some great stories were told.

Anyway, here's a picture of my topper. It was fairly easy but the hardest part was putting it together. It's like a puzzle.

I still have to sew up the little opening. I'm trying to decide if I want to put some sort of batting in it in case someone wants to actually USE it on their table. My DH thinks I should. However, this pattern is the flip inside out kind. I'd have to cut a piece of batting 30 x 30 and somehow work it in and then tack it all down so it won't move. Hmmmmm.

I also finished some pillow cases for my Legal Secretaries' Christmas Dinner on the 1st. We're having a little exchange and I thought pillow cases are easy enough. I made them with the same fabric but one case got a polka dot border and one got the flower border. No rules, right?

Speaking of Christmas, I bought the book Fast & Furious by Gudrun Erla a few months back. Gudrun has a blog and she designs very easy quilts and table toppers using the quilt as you go method.

I decided I would try her Christmas ornaments out of the book. VERY easy! These are just test ornaments. I just used scraps so I could see how easy it is to put them together. I'm not done but here's what I threw together.

I'm off to shop at my local quilt shop today. It's Small Business Saturday so be sure and visit your own small businesses. Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

See ya soon,

Tracey

Indianapolis/Football

2011-11-15T17:01:00.000-05:00

I had a great time in Indianapolis over the weekend. The team traveled there to play the Colts and not only did we win, the weather was warm! Can you believe it? The Midwest in November? We stayed at the JW Marriott and it was wonderful! Since it was 60 degrees, I decided to take a walk before we headed to the stadium. This is the view from the walkway across the street. It's actually White River State Park. You can see on the bottom of the sign the before and after pictures. I was amazed.

We had GREAT seats (insert sarcasm here). :-) But it was still fun and the people around us were very good sports. I LOVE the midwest.

I was lucky enough to be able to go onfield for pre-game. What a beautiful site!

I took more pictures but they're on my camera so they will be on another post.

My final table topper quilt class is Thursday and I need to get on it and finish my strips before then! I promise to take pictures at this class.

The Fair

2011-11-12T12:00:00.002-05:00

The Fair has been in town for the last couple of weeks. Since it's pretty much in the parking lot of the stadium, my friend, Sandy, and I were able to sneak over yesterday and take a peek at the animals. LOVE the animals.

The piglets - so cute!!

The white doves - it's nap time.

And of course, the VERY curious goose. Notice he's got his foot in his food bowl.

Veterans

2011-11-11T11:07:00.003-05:00

http://wordplay.hubpages.com/hub/veterans-day-clip-art

To those who serve and who have served, thank you for your sacrifice.

I'm Still Here

2011-11-11T09:38:00.002-05:00

I'm still here and I've actually been sewing. Can you believe it? I just don't have a lot of pictures to show for it. I'm working on finishing the binding on these. Almost done with one, two more to go.

Had a GREAT time at my Crazy Eight Table Topper (by Jae's Attic) class at my local quilt shop, Cinnamon's, last night. There were about 17 of us, but wouldn't you know, I was so busy talking, sewing and eating, I didn't get any pictures. I did manage to get all but 2 of my strip sets sewn together. Next week we sew the top so I have homework to do this week.

Headed to Indianapolis with the team this weekend, so no sewing until next week. I'll update you when I get back. Fingers crossed we win!

My Friend

2011-10-23T08:13:00.000-04:00

My friend, Teresa, had a birthday on Friday. This is her birthday card. Happy Birthday T! I hope you're enjoying your weekend. Rest up, Monday Night Football tomorrow night.

Winner!

2011-10-22T18:25:00.001-04:00

Congratulations to ChasinRainbows2 who is the winner of the MyMemories software! I'll email you with your download code. Be sure and check out her blog. She's an awesome polymer clay artist!

Thank you so much for leaving a comment!

I've been trying to get some table runners done in time for Halloween. Here is one I started quilting today. I used Bonnie Hunter's Strip Twist pattern, it's free on her site. Thanks Bonnie!

I've traced little ghosts in the border. Can you see?

The one below actually has a purple border with spider webs! I love it!

One of these is going to my friend who is a 2nd grade teacher. I really, really need to get on it!

Have a great weekend and I'll update you with final photos.

Don't Forget

2011-10-22T09:14:00.002-04:00

I'll be picking a winner for the MyMemories Digital Scrapbooking Software today. Be sure and leave a comment!

My Memories and a Giveaway!

2011-10-15T09:23:00.001-04:00

I received an email from the MyMemories folks about hosting a giveaway for their digital scrapbooking software. I know, I usually just quilt but really, don't we all wear many hats when it comes to creativity?

I was pretty excited about getting started. The program was super easy to use. It lets you choose from already created templates or you can make your own. (There are also many, many more templates and paper backs to choose from on the MyMemories site that are free or for sale.)

After you choose your album template, just drag and drop your photos onto the album pages. Here are a couple I created in less than five minutes. Seriously, it took me longer to choose my pictures than to put the pages together. I think it would be great if, instead of printing out on paper, print the album pages on fabric and make a photo quilt!! How cool would that be?? I think I might have to try that.

Photos by Daniel B. Van Slyke, Jr.

The only negative I found was the download process. It took more than a half hour to download and I'm working on a fairly new iMac. After the download though, it was easy.

Ok! If you would like to win a copy of the MyMemories software, leave me a comment about which album template is your favorite from their site and I'll pick a winner on Saturday, October 22nd. Additionally, the My Memories folks are graciously offering a $10 discount if you would like to purchase the software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store. Use promo code: STMMMS41959.

Make sure if you leave me a comment that your email is visible so I can contact you. I don't want to leave anyone out.

Have a great weekend!

Welcome to the New Normal

2011-10-13T09:08:00.000-04:00

I grew up my whole life in a town called Normal. I know, I know, I've heard all the jokes. It's actually located in Central Illinois in the middle of the corn belt. My brothers and friends are still there. The Mitsubishi plant was built a couple of years before I moved to Florida. Check out the new commercial!

I'm very proud to have grown up there.

Apple

2011-10-13T08:50:00.003-04:00

I meant to post this last week but time got away from me:

It was a sad week with the passing of Steve Jobs. My husband said to me the other day, "People have no idea how much he changed our culture and way of living". So true. We are a Mac family. My husband does all his photography on a Mac and I use it on a daily basis to download pictures, keep my financials, and I even use EQ7. The quote from Steve that seems to be making the rounds on the internet is part of his 2005 Stanford Commencement Speech. It does seem fitting:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

So true, so true. Thank you for making our world a little better place. Rest in Peace.

On a lighter note, keep a look out because I'll be having a giveaway!

Have a great day!

New York - Well, Actually, New Jersey and a Quilt Show

2011-09-25T09:05:00.003-04:00

We had a great time at the Jets game last weekend! The fans were super nice, we had great seats, and the day couldn't have been nicer. Unfortunately, the game was awful (for us anyway). But we'll bounce back.

This is my friend, Teresa. All of these years working together, we've never gotten to travel to the same away game. I'm so happy we had the chance this year. We also had a celebrity siting while we were there, Kelly Bensimon of the Real Housewives of New York. I don't watch the show but Teresa was very excited!!

This weekend was Quilt Fest of Jacksonville. I ran over on my lunch hour on Friday and then went back yesterday to look at all the fabulous quilts. The quilt below won Best of Show for Hand Quilting. The lady who won is a friend of my mother-in-law.

There were so many beautiful quilts! Obviously, everyone else was as in awe as I was.

This quilt is the Tree of Life by Mark Sherman. I couldn't stop looking at it.

The Blue Butterfly. I loved how the quilter radiated the material and quilting out from the center.

Of course, you can't have a quilt show in September without a Halloween quilt. This is Spooky Hollow made by Jean Kass.

I'm not sure what the name of this one is but the blocks were all cross-stitched. Amazing amount of work!

Up close view of one of the blocks:

I'm off to finish breakfast. My friends are coming in from Georgia next Thursday for our home game on Sunday. Have a great weekend everyone!

Correction

2011-09-22T10:38:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I said last week that Quilt Fest was Thursday through Sunday but it's actually Thursday through Saturday.

QuiltFest Jacksonville

2011-09-17T11:36:00.000-04:00

Next weekend is QuiltFest here in Jacksonville. It starts Thursday and goes through Sunday. I'm very excited because we have an away game that weekend so I will be free to roam. If you're in the area, don't miss it!

I'm on my way out the door to catch a plane for East Rutherford, NJ for our game against the Jets tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to some Fall weather. It's supposed to be a high of 70 and low of 51 this weekend! Yay!

Be back in a couple of days! Have a great weekend.

P.S.

2011-09-10T18:20:00.000-04:00

The table topper underneath the goodies in the previous post is one I'm in the process of making as a present.

Christmas in September

2011-09-10T16:22:00.001-04:00

As promised, here are the wonderful things Bethany sent me in our Christmas fabric swap. I love, love, love everything!

Check out the awesomely cute box that she used to pack the buttons and Christmas ribbon! It's all hand made!

Can't wait to use these buttons on a table runner or tree skirt.

Another shot of the buttons.

Check out the candy fabric. Love it!

Thanks Bethany! I had a blast on this swap and it was really great meeting you.

I'm Here!

2011-09-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

This will be a short post since I don't have many pics to show. I took this one last night on our way home from dinner. The weather has been beautiful! It was in the 60's this morning, which compared to most mornings when it's about 80 at 7:00, it feels pretty darned good.

Work has been pretty busy. Fred Taylor, our franchise's leading rusher, retired a Jaguar on September 2nd. He was not only popular with the fans, he was very popular with Staff. We wish you luck Freddy T. On another work related note, we released our starting quarterback on Tuesday. Our first regular season game is Sunday against the Tennessee Titans and Luke McCown will be starting.

I got my wonderful Christmas fabric from Bethany at Sweet Bee Buzzings the other day! I'm so excited. I'll take pictures this weekend so you can see. I can't wait to get started on some Christmas Table Toppers! Thanks Bethany!

Ok, that's all for now. Talk to you soon!

A Few Fun Blogs and Irene

2011-08-25T16:20:00.000-04:00

When I agreed to do the Christmas Fabric Swap on Paula's Crafty Boutique, I had no idea I would meet such a wonderful blogger. Let me introduce Bethany from Sweet Bee Buzzings. I'm so excited to do the swap with her and I really, really hope she likes what I give her. She's being interviewed on Suzy's Artsy-Craftsy Sitcom this week. Please stop by all three blogs and have a peek.

Oh, and on a weather related note, Irene is making her way up the Atlantic to the East of us. They are forecasting gusty winds and rain even though she's about 200 miles offshore. It's good, we need the rain.

What can I say, I'm a weather junkie!! LOL!

That Time of Year

2011-08-23T15:26:00.000-04:00

Yep, that's Hurricane Irene. We haven't had a big storm hit Florida in a couple of years and hopefully, this one will pass us by. It's pretty darn big. As my husband calls it "another one of those bigger than Florida type storms".

On another note, I can't believe there was an earthquake in Virginia today! My niece said things were shaking, falling off desks and cracks were forming on the walls. Yikes!!! Happily, everyone is ok and safe.

It's been pretty quiet on the sewing front. I hemmed some curtains for a friend at work on Sunday and worked on my Christmas Table Topper but that's about it. It was nice to get back to sewing, though. I've been so busy at work I was afraid I'd never feel like sewing again. Thank goodness things are slowing down and I could spend most of the day in my sewing room.

Ok, I'm off to see what else is going to happen today. Have a great day guys!

Christmas Swap

2011-08-14T20:23:00.000-04:00

I'm participating in a Christmas fabric swap from Paula's Crafty Boutique. I'm excited. I wasn't sure I wanted to do this because of the new work schedule and all, but it's not making any blocks, just swapping fabric. Hey, I can do that! Thanks for the invite Paula.

Irish Chain Quilt

2011-08-07T13:59:00.000-04:00

I finally finished my friend's quilt. I hope she likes it and better yet, I hope her daughter likes it. The pattern is from Eleanor Burns Quilt In A Day Irish Chain book. It was very easy and very quick to put together.

Work has calmed down a bit. I was able to be home for dinner a couple of nights last week and had the whole weekend off. We have one more big push coming in September when we cut the roster down to 53 but I'm starting to get the hang of everything and although it will be busy, it won't be anywhere near what it was a week ago. Everyone assures me that it will never be that bad again. Oky doky.

I'm off to sew something so everyone have a great weekend!

That Was Only The Beginning

2011-07-30T20:26:00.000-04:00

So, after my 4:00 am marathon on Monday, I had a 12 hour day on Tuesday and another 19 hour day on Wednesday. But there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel, thank god. I got home today at 6. Just in time to mow my yard that looks like a jungle. Pretty fitting since the Jaguars are back to football.

As you can guess, no sewing this week or weekend. Hopefully, next week I will have time to put the finishing touches on Bonita's quilt.

Off to have a glass of wine! A well deserved one at that.

Night Everyone!

Back To Football

2011-07-26T22:24:00.000-04:00

I have not been lazy or absent, just BUSY. This is what I've been up to in the last 24 hours.

Jaguars agree to terms with 24 undrafted rookies

Worked until 4:00 a.m. this morning, slept for a couple of hours and then worked until 8pm. I'm too old for this! LOL! Anyway, it's been seriously challenging. I'll be glad when things get back to a little bit of normal.

Off to bed! Have a great week!

Sneak Peek

2011-07-16T22:13:00.000-04:00

Got the quilt back from Joanie and as usual, she did an AWESOME job! She quilted it with a flower pattern that's a perfect match. I think you can see a little of it in the second picture.

I'm working on the binding now so you just get a little peek. The backing fabric and inside chain is Pretty Bird by Pillow & Maxfield for Michael Miller. Here's the back:

And, the front (just a little bit):

More pics when I'm done with the binding. Night everyone!

Scraps

2011-07-10T23:04:00.001-04:00

I was reading Bonnie Hunter's blog this weekend and as I was looking at all the fabulous free patterns she has on her site (www.quiltville.com, it's different from her blog), this one hit me! It's called Strip Twist.

Photo used with permission from Bonnie Hunter

You can get the pattern here.

It uses bunches of 2 1/2 inch strips. I immediately dug into some of my stash and started cutting.

This is just a SMALL portion of them. Messy.

In less than 2 hours I was able to fill my little buckets. One bucket is 2 1/2 in. and the other is for my next string quilt (another of Bonnie's freebies).

Neat -

Here is just one block that I finished with layout #1.

Same block - layout #2.

I kind of like the first one but I will have to make more blocks to be sure.

Make it a great week!

Off to the Quilter

2011-07-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

See this?

I finished Bonita's quilt and it's on it's way to my friend, Joanie, for quilting. Yay! No peeking, I'll share pictures when it's back and has the binding on it. I told you I got a lot done this weekend.

Well, back to work. Make it a great day!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T05:00:00.003-04:00

It's been a wonderful weekend so far. I've gotten a lot of sewing done, the lawn has been mowed, weeds have been pulled and I even finished an entire book. Woo! We have some friends stopping by tomorrow afternoon on their way down to see the very last shuttle launch. Other than that, we haven't planned a darned thing. DVS and I always stay home on this holiday. We make a fun dinner and watch A&E and the Boston Pops! Well, it used to be on A&E. This year, I have no idea where it is.

Here's wishing everyone here in the states a Happy and Safe 4th of July!

P.S. The cute vintage graphic is from www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com.

Fun Pot Holder Project from PamKittyMorning

2011-06-29T15:44:00.000-04:00

Pam Vieira - McGinnis is the author of the PamKittyMorning blog. It's one my favorites and it's wonderful. She generously posted a free pattern for the CUTEST pot holder. Head on over!

4th Times A Charm

2011-06-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

Wow, this one little block totally kicked my butt this weekend! It took me FOUR times to get it right, which is silly since I've already done one quilt with similar embroidery. You'd think I would have written down the stabilizer I used, the size, etc. But noooooo, that would have been way too easy. Anyway, I finally got it right and it's now sewn snugly into its own row.

You can see the stabilizer behind the design at this point but trust me, you will not see it once it's quilted. Onward!!

Have a great week!

Irish Chain

2011-06-21T08:42:00.000-04:00

As promised to my friend, Bonita, here are some pictures of the blocks for the Irish Chain Quilt for her daughter's anniversary.

Block 1

Block 2

The green matches the color of her bridesmaids' dresses. Wait unil you see the border, it's so pretty. This is going to be another of my favorites.

The fires continue to burn all around us here in North Florida. The smoke is so thick it makes it hard to breath when you go outside. I read in the paper this morning that 157 wildfires are burning within a 50 mile radius of Jacksonville, over 280,000 acres. We need rain. I'm sure that's what the people in Arizona are praying for as well.

Have a great day!

A Very Productive Weekend

2011-06-20T09:17:00.000-04:00

I spent most of Saturday sewing blocks for Bonita's new quilt. I have all of them done except one and I will be doing the embroidery on it this week. I did take pictures but have not had a chance to download them yet. Hopefully tonight. [I promise I have pics B.] :-)

Sunday was another sewing day except it was spent at my friend, Sandy's, house. I helped her make a very cute table cloth for her tennis team party. Again, I'm sorry for the picture quality. I took it on my phone. It is cute, though!! The material is from Timeless Treasure.

Happy Monday Everyone! Make it a great day!

Vacation

2011-06-16T17:09:00.000-04:00

Back from vacation and happy to be home. Although, we had a FABULOUS time in the mountains. Our friends have a pontoon boat and we spent most of Saturday and a couple of hours on Sunday on Lake Chatuge in Georgia.

Thanks guys for such great hospitality!

Mountains - I'm Almost There

2011-06-08T16:21:00.002-04:00

Photo from http://blairsville.com/

Can't wait until I'm there. Good friends, good food and clean air. It makes my heart sing.

I grew up in the Midwest, but the mountains always call my name. It won't be long.

Hi!

2011-06-06T14:21:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm alive and well. It's been a whirlwind couple of weeks. Between traveling to South Florida for my mom's retirement, stopping at my MIL's house and fixing the roof, and starting my new job, it's been a little busy. Not to worry, I managed to get a little purse made for my friend's 9 year old grandaughter. I'm so proud of her. She went to the quilt shop with me and picked out the fabric all by herself.

Sorry about the bad pic, I took it with my phone. Anyway, you get the idea.

I'm also making another Irish Chain quilt for my friend at work. I managed to get all the fabric bought and cut out on Sunday. I have 2 sections done. I'll share pictures and fabric choice later.

Have a great day everyone!

Retirement

2011-05-29T20:00:00.000-04:00

My wonderful mother retired on Thursday. She has worked continuously for over 50 of her 74 years. She was with the Martin County Property Appraiser for the last 22. I'm very proud of her. I know she has had her ups and definitely her downs but has perservered through it all.

Congratulations Mom, enjoy your retirement, you so deserve it. I love you.

IT'S HOT!

2011-05-22T18:07:00.000-04:00

92 degrees at 6:00 p.m. Even these poor guys are hot!

Notice they parked themselves right near the sprinkler. I don't care what anyone says, animals are not stupid! LOL!

Walking

2011-05-16T17:00:00.001-04:00

Photo By Tracey Van Slyke/St. Johns River View

I'm lucky to have this view on my walk every day at lunch. At this point, I'm at the top of the stadium looking South out towards the St. Johns River. It was a beautiful day today. I love this time of year but I know the heat is coming so I enjoy it while I can.

Here is another picture facing West towards our Arena and Minor League Baseball Diamond.

Photo By Tracey Van Slyke/Arena and Suns' Baseball Stadium

Have a great week!

Treadle

2011-05-15T16:03:00.000-04:00

My MIL moved into a condo in a retirement community recently and because she didn't have a lot of room, she gave me her treadle sewing machine. It's beautiful and in beautiful condition. However, I'm having a very hard time finding ANY information on it. It's got the name Cumberland on the sewing machine but no other names or name plates.

Photos by Tracey Van Slyke

The only thing my husband was able to find was a needle model list that lists the Cumberland under the Davis company. It's also very, very, very similar to the Missouri Model "C" which was sold by Sears in the early 1900's. However, after searching and searching the internet, we've had zero luck finding anything. Oh well, we'll keep trying.

Have a great week!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T15:53:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to All you Mother's out there! Especially mine!! Love you Mom!

MORE New Things

2011-05-05T09:37:00.001-04:00

Photo by Dan Van Slyke, Jr.

It's been a week of new things. New baby chickadees and baby finches have made their appearance. It will also be a new beginning for me. I received a wonderful promotion last week and I will be starting my new job on June 1st. I'm very excited, but like these new babies, a little hesitant. With the new job comes a lot more responsibility and more than likely, more hours at work. It's ok, I'm up for the challenge. After all, it's still football.

My projects have fallen by the wayside the last couple of weeks. Too much nervous energy to settle down and sew. Things are finally shifting back to normal so hopefully, I will be able to work on them some this weekend.

Hope your week is great!

P.S. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there!

New Things

2011-04-25T10:02:00.000-04:00

I've been kind of busy lately. Spent Saturday before last buying this for DVS:

Just in time for him to leave for his fishing trip on Sunday. It's a 2011 Toyota Sienna. Perfect for hauling camera equipment, lights, tripods, etc. LOTS of room! However, I'm most unhappy with the fact that our insurance went UP! What the heck??? We went from a '99 Ford Expedition with 100,000 miles, to one of the safest vehicles there is. I'm really starting to dislike my insurance agent. It's time to start shopping around.

I've managed to sew five blocks for the Hopscotch quilt. Woo! (pictures to come).

On a football note, the NFL schedule came out last week and we have TWO, that's right, TWO Monday night games this year (both at home). Awesome!!!

More later!

Awesome News!

2011-04-13T12:46:00.000-04:00

Our friends' son is out of woods. He came off the ventilator yesterday and he is able to recognize everyone and is even able to talk a little. He had surgery on his arm as well and is due to be moved to rehab on Friday. Thank God!

Asking For Prayers

2011-04-10T19:41:00.002-04:00

We found out yesterday that the son of one of our very dear friends was in a car accident. He has had some brain trauma and is in ICU. They have induced a coma and are waiting to see if there will be any swelling. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Diane, Ivan and Laura Ann for their son and brother, Benton.

Just One Star

2011-04-10T08:51:00.000-04:00

As usual, I'm a little late with things. I took a couple of vacation days last week and we went down to my MIL's house. She's moving into a very nice condo at a retirement community. It's a pretty cool place. She has her own condo but they have a housekeeping service once a week, they wash your linens, she gets 2 meals a day and has her choice of two wonderful restaurants. The best thing of all, they are allowing her to bring Cleo, her 12 year old standard poodle. Cleo is a very good dog. She will get along well!

I made my star block for the Just One Star project. You can read about the project here. The tutorial for the block is here. United Notions and Moda are accepting blocks so they can quilt and bind 100 quilts in 100 days. The donation of the quilts will be handled by the Semper Fi Fund. It's super easy and super fast to make. The deadline is May 1, 2011, so you still have time! Please ignore the wonkieness. I took the picture before squaring.

I started a new quilt. After making my mom's purse, I was ready to go back to quilting. I got this pattern and kit at my quilt shop, Cinnamon's.

It's fairly easy and I like the mindless sewing I can do after work. There are a lot of 1 1/2" x 4" strips to sew together. I know there is a much easier and quicker way to do this, but this way suits me fine right now.

Oh, oh, oh! I also finally bought Dilly Dally by Me & My Sister Designs. I have NO idea what I'll do with this but it makes me happy to just look at it. (Smile). While I was at it, I also picked up a charm pack of Happy as well. For some reason, I'm into bright and cheery lately. Go figure!

The weather has suddenly turned hot. It was over 90 yesterday and it's supposed to be about the same today. Good, more sewing time for me!

Have a great weekend!

Suzie Purse

2011-03-26T09:14:00.000-04:00

I finished the little Suzie purse I was working on. Not sure who this will go to, but I have it for a little gift just in case.

Not much going on. I'm back to working on the block of the month that I've had forever.

The weather has been gorgeous all week. Just in time for my friend, Angela's Spring Break with her family. They are leaving to go back to Illinois today and from what I hear, it snowed again. I told her she could move down here. :-) We had a wonderful dinner at Buca di Beppo and then did a little Spring shopping at the mall nearby. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends. Safe trip Trask family!

Ok, back to cooking breakfast and getting some chores done. Have a great weekend!

The Birthday Present

2011-03-19T14:58:00.000-04:00

My mom's one request for her birthday was for me to make her a purse that was "bright" (she lives in South Florida and it's always warm and bright there). Thanks to some help picking out the fabric from Lynn at my local quilt shop, Cinnamon's, this is the final product. The pattern is from Lazy Girl Designs and it's the Summer Tote. This is my second purse from this pattern and I love making it.

The base is Felicity by Emily Taylor for Riley Blake and the pockets are Breakfast at Tiffany's by Joanna Figueroa for Moda and Mingle by Monaluna for Robert Kaufman.

My mom kept saying "it's very bright". :-) Happy Birthday again, Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-03-19T08:07:00.000-04:00

Today is my mom's 74th birthday, Happy Birthday Mom! I Love You!

Picture taken in 2007 at a party we had for her and my brother. They were 50 and 70 that year.

After she opens her present later today, she is a stickler for not opening her gifts until her birthday, I will post pics of it.

Japan

2011-03-14T14:25:00.000-04:00

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those in Japan dealing with the devastating earthquake(s), tsunami, and now the power plants. It breaks my heart to see such devastation. I hope the supplies and food they need reach them quickly.

Spring Flowers

2011-03-13T09:59:00.000-04:00

Our azaleas are in bloom this week. We have to enjoy them while we can since they only bloom for a week or so.

I love Spring!

T-Shirt Quilt - Done!

2011-03-09T15:58:00.004-05:00

I finished the binding last night and my wonderful, wonderful husband took the pictures this morning.

I know it looks a tad wonky on the bottom, but it's really not. Thank you Joanie Clinton for the quilting!

Checking In

2011-03-03T09:48:00.000-05:00

Just a quick check in. These last couple of weeks have been busy, busy. I got the t-shirt quilt back from Joanie and am in the process of preparing the binding. As I said before, I'm using the Moda jelly roll in red so I don't have to cut. I thought I better wash them first since most the quilt is white and I didn't want any bleeding. Do you know those things raveled like there was no tomorrow. I should have put them in a lingerie bag. Anyway, I've ironed them and cut most of the loose threads so I should be good to go.

No sewing this weekend since my friend from Illinois is coming for a visit. Yay!!! We've been friends since about the 6th grade and I'm really, really looking forward to catching up. She still lives in Illinois and I really don't get back there much. Looking forward to a lot of shopping, laughing, eating, etc.

Anyway, I'll be back later with pictures of the quilt, hopefully with the binding on it.

Have a great week/weekend!

Because We All Need A Hug!

2011-02-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

I saw this posted on a blog I ready regularly, Bluff County Back Yard Chickens. It made me smile, so I thought I would pass it on.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

2011-02-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

Photo by Dan Van Slyke, Jr.

If you have time this weekend, why not take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count? It's free and only takes a few minutes. Here is a blurb from their website.

"The 2011 GBBC will take place Friday, February 18, through Monday, February 21. Please join us! The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds."

If you go to the website above, you can download a checklist of birds in your area. What a great way to get outside or stay inside if it's still cold where you are. You can still count them if they come into your yard.

Have a great weekend!

It's Almost Done

2011-02-15T19:42:00.000-05:00

Ok, here it is before I sent it off to Joanie for quilting. It's about 72 x 72. I'm backing it with Atlanta Falcons fabric I bought on fabric.com. I had a hard time getting a full picture. My step stool wasn't high enough, but I think you get the picture (pardon the pun).

I can't wait to see what Joanie does with it. I'm trying to decide whether to bind it in red or black. The border is black but the backing fabric is mostly white. I'm thinking red. Have a great night!

I'll Be Here Soon

2011-02-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the absence, I was getting the t-shirt quilt ready to ship for quilting. I also somehow got the flu on Sunday so I didn't get much done. HOWEVER, I did take some pictures before shipping off the quilt and I'll download them tonight so you can take a peek. Yay!

Now to work on my mom's birthday present. Can't tell you what it is because she reads this, but hopefully she'll like it. :-)

More T-Shirt Quilt

2011-02-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, I've been a little behind in getting my pics up of the t-shirt quilt. But, in my defense, I've been a little hobbled lately. I've had tennis elbow since before Thanksgiving (no, I don't play tennis, but I rake and do a lot of yard work). My elbow kept getting worse and I got to the point where I couldn't even pick up a glass, let alone use a rotary cutter. I went to the orthopaedic doctor who specializes in hands and elbows and he recommended a new procedure called an ACP injection. It's a much better alternative to surgery!

I had it done last Wednesday and while, it was very painful, my elbow is feeling much, much better and I'm even able to grip things now. Needless to say, my sewing was cut short a little but I'm finally getting back to it. I was even able to sew the sashing on this past weekend.

I'm using the Moda Bella Solid in Black for the outer borders. They've been cut and are ready to sew.

Have a great weekend everyone!

A Sunburn in January

2011-01-30T08:48:00.002-05:00

Yes, you read that right. I have an actual sunburn. We went to Daytona yesterday for the Rolex 24 race and it was a beautiful, beautiful day. We had pit credentials and spent most of our time inside the infield and pit area. My husband and I love racing. Mostly, Indy Car, World Rally, Formula 1 and Grand Am. So it was pretty exciting to see our favorite drivers up close and personal. Here is one of my personal favorites just driving around in a golf cart, Dario Franchitti.

He even pulled over and signed autographs. Classy.

His boss was out as well. Chip Gnassi, owner of the Target and Telmex teams.

We were then able to watch the player introductions and see the newly paved track at Daytona. This is the start/finish line and it's VERY steep.

Everyone was having a great day and a stranger decided to get in on the fun of our picture. I have NO idea who this guy was but we were all laughing.

And another favorite, Scott Pruett, being introduced.

I'm always amazed that these drivers can sign autographs, talk to people, and be gracious to anyone and everyone who speaks to them ONE HOUR BEFORE THEY GET IN A CAR. In a sport, where they put their lives in danger, they really know how to treat their fans.

I'll post pictures later today on the t-shirt quilt. I'm sewing the sashing, so I'll be showing you that.

(All photos taken by Dan Van Slyke, Jr.)

Sewing Room Organization

2011-01-23T15:47:00.000-05:00

Ok, most of it is done. Here are the shelves. I've got a few more buckets to fill but I think it turned out ok and, it gets everything up off the floor. Thank goodness!

I was even able to move some of my dolls over from our master bedroom. Aren't they beautiful? My mom made all of them! Thanks Mom!

T-Shirt Quilt

2011-01-22T08:37:00.002-05:00

Ok, where did I leave off? I think in my last post for this quilt I had ironed the fusible to the backs of the fronts of the shirts.

Next, with my 16-1/2 inch ruler (remember I had measured the designs to find the largest size), I center it on the design and using wash away marker, I draw around the ruler.

This gives me a guide for cutting. I'm sure there are other ways but this works for me. Cut on the drawn lines. The shirts will look like this:

At this point, I lay them out in the order I'm going to sew them. This was easy because the client had laid them out before he sent them to me and took a picture of the order he wanted. Here is another angle.

I'm now ready to sew the sashing. For that I'm using the Moda Jelly Roll in Bella Solid in basic red. Because they're already precut in 2-1/2 inch strips, it saves me time and it's the perfect red for an Atlanta Falcons quilt. I will have pictures of that tomorrow.

On a totally different subject, I'm in the process of rearranging my sewing room. DVS and I bought 2 shelving units and all new clear tubs. It's quite the mess right now, but I had to take "before" pictures.

I'll have more later. Have a Happy Saturday!

Are You a Morning Person Or An Evening Person?

2011-01-14T08:43:00.000-05:00

I always envy those quilt bloggers that have the energy to work all day and then sew at night. I have no idea how they do it. By the time I get home, I'm pooped. I have enough energy to get dinner made, dishes done and maybe check some emails. I figured out a long time ago that I'm definitely a morning person. I'm usually up by 6:00 a.m. and out the door for work at 7:10 a.m. The problem with this is that if I have a project I need to get done, i.e. the t-shirt quilt, I'm stuck with Saturday and Sunday. That makes it very tough to get a lot of projects done. I do walk every day, which helps tremendously with my energy level in the afernoon, but evenings are another story. What about you? Morning or Night? Just curious.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Back to Work

2011-01-09T10:35:00.000-05:00

Sewing that is. . . Started working on the t-shirt quilt again. I'm going to show you some of the process I go through to make one of these quilts. This certainly isn't meant to be a tutorial, but to give you an idea of my process.

I start by cutting the shirts in half (front from back). Next, measure the design. For these shirts, the largest design fits my 16 1/2 inch ruler. I will make all shirts this measurement.

After the measuring, I iron Fusi-Knit onto the back of front of the t-shirts, clear as mud? This stabilizes the shirts for cutting and sewing without making them stiff.

The shirt will look like this after fusing.

Ok, this is as far as I've gotten. I will be cutting the squares later today and I'll take pics.

Have a great Sunday everyone!

Well. . .

2011-01-04T10:07:00.000-05:00

Well, the Jaguars were elimiated from the playoffs but I'm very happy for my friend who works for the Atlanta Falcons. They won their division on Sunday and will be continuing on. Yay B.J.!!

New Year

2010-12-31T08:26:00.000-05:00

I had a very wonderful birthday yesterday (yes, I'm one of those Christmas/Birthday people). DVS took me out to lunch and then we went shopping for a new tv. Not a big expensive one, just one we can put in our bedroom. Best Buy had some great sales and that's where we ended up. When we got home and I checked Facebook, I was overwhelmed by all the birthday wishes from my friends and family. Awesome!

I haven't done any sewing the last couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to start working on that t-shirt quilt tomorrow or Sunday.

My friend from Illinois and her husband are here and they're coming over tonight to play pool and celebrate New Year's. We've been friends since the 8th grade and I'm so happy we still get to see each other on a regular basis. If I have any resolution this year, it would be to try and keep in touch more with friends and family. It always seems life gets in the way, but then you realize, this is life. I'm very blessed to have such great people in my life.

Here's a toast to all of you and I wish you a very Happy New Year and a great start to 2011!

P.S. The great clip art came from HubPages. Be sure to check them out!

Merry Christmas! and Our Christmas Duck

2010-12-25T08:36:00.001-05:00

When I went out this morning to put corn out for the ducks that roam the neighborhood, this little female was standing at the end of our driveway. I guess she decided our yard wasn't a bad place to rest. . .

Photos by Tracey Van Slyke

We've been trying to feed them because it's been pretty cold here (at least for North Florida). We've had freeze warnings all week long and it looks like we might not be done yet. I love it!! But I'm not so sure they do.

May you all have a very Merry Christmas!

We All Sew

2010-12-22T11:57:00.000-05:00

I'm just thrilled that the wonderful people at We All Sew picked my blog as one of the favorties this week. Be sure you head over to their site and check them out! Thanks guys!

Another Project - Finished!

2010-12-21T19:51:00.000-05:00

I finished the Suzi purse insert by Lazy Girl Designs on Saturday. Seriously, if you haven't tried one of these patterns run, run, run and buy one. The directions are very well written, easy to understand and have lots of great pictures to help you. I'm already planning on a couple more of these.

And because I don't have enough to do this month, I signed up for a stash busting class at our local quilt store, Cinnamon's. Our great teachers/friends, Carolyn and Faye went over string piecing and boy, am I hooked. Haven't decided what to do with these blocks yet, but I couldn't stop making them!

That's all for tonight. Have a great rest of the day!

A Little Football

2010-12-17T08:46:00.000-05:00

I know this is a blog about quilting, etc. but I need to talk a little football and my team, the Jaguars. They have managed to scratch and claw their way into 1st place in our division and on the way, we have had some heart stopping games at home. This Sunday we travel to Indianapolis and the Colts to play for the division title (commence nail biting). If we win, we're in the playoffs, if not, well, you know the story and this team certainly does as well. We've been in these positions before when it's win or you're out. HOWEVER, we have not been in 1st place in the division since I think, 1999 and this year feels a little different. The boys are walking with their heads held a little higher and more smiles on their faces than I've seen in a long time. They are gaining confidence they can win and I've seen true heart from all of them. So, even if we don't manage to bring it home on Sunday, we can still be very proud of this young football team.

GO JAGUARS!

Happy

2010-12-10T18:46:00.002-05:00

Finally!

On to finishing my mom's Christmas table topper. It's in the washer as I write this. LOVE having days off. I get so much done. Got my hair cut at 9:30 a.m. and was picking out Christmas presents by 10. Great day!

'Tis the Season

2010-12-09T09:08:00.001-05:00

You can definitely tell Christmas is coming! Lately, all I've been doing is making last minute gifts (embroidered Christmas towels), putting up and decorating the tree, and this weekend, baking. We have the second to last home game this coming Sunday against Oakland and every year DVS likes to give out cookies to all our wonderful security and field people that he comes in contact with during the season. Soo, Saturday will be our official "baking day". I'm off tomorrow to get some much needed shopping done and maybe some more much needed sewing.

I finished my "Happy Quilt". Pictures to come. I have to wait until the weekend so I can take them during the day in the sunlight. It's quite dark now when I get home at night after work. Go figure. This quilt will be going to the mother of one of our close friends. She is having a bone marrow transplant starting this week and will be in isolation for almost 3 months. She is such a trooper, though. She is one of the most positive people I've ever met. If anyone can beat this thing, I know she can. Sending love and prayers her way. Oh, and Ducky, when you're better, I WILL kick your butt in Wii Ping Pong.

Have a great rest of the week everyone. I'll check in this weekend.

One Project Down, About a Million to Go

2010-12-01T20:09:00.000-05:00

I finished the Lazy Girl purse I was working on. Not bad. Except for breaking 3 needles before figuring out which one to use to sew over the zipper, it was very easy to make and the instructions are fantastic! The zipper was so easy. You actually make the bag in 2 separate sections and then sew them together.

I guess I really, really need to start working on some Christmas gifts. Better late than never. :-)

The weather here is crazy. Yesterday, it was 83, we had the air conditioning on and I wore shorts and a tshirt on my walk. Today, it's barely 50, I wore a coat to work and we have freeze warnings tonight. Like I said, Crazy!

Have a great day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T13:00:00.000-05:00

I'm so thankful for my wonderful family and friends. Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Lazy Girl Summer Tote

2010-11-23T08:50:00.002-05:00

I took quick pictures this morning. Here is the tote using Brooklyn Heights by Benartex. These are the front and back covers.

And here is what the inside looks like. I should point out the inside lining is not Brooklyn Heights. I'm afraid I've totally forgotten what it is. I'll find out and let you know.

That's all for now. More later!

It's Almost Thanksgiving

2010-11-22T14:40:00.001-05:00

I know, I know, it's been a while. However, football season really takes it's toll. We've not had a free weekend in almost 3 weeks. Good news, the Jaguars have won their last three games and are now #1 in the AFC South! Woo Hoo!

We have family coming on Friday for the weekend. Looking forward to it, but have lots to do to get ready.

On the sewing side of things, I've been working diligently on this Lazy Girls Design Purse for my friend T. It's called the Summer Tote and it's SUPER EASY! We're using Brooklyn Heights by Benartex. It's going to be very cute!

After that's done, I have to start working on the tshirt quilt. I'll show pictures when I begin.

Anyway, I'm off Wednesday so I'll update more this week and show you pictures of the purse in progress.

Have a great week!

I'm Still Here and Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

It's been a very busy couple of weeks for me so I really haven't gotten much sewing done. My husband is a professional photographer and to keep expenses down, I tag along and help when I can. The past few weekends were busy with a halloween party and a wedding (this past Friday and Saturday) and then a baby shower. Had to whip up a quick burp cloth for that one.

On a sewing note, I'm making another t-shirt quilt. Yay! These are so much fun to make and it's nice to know people really appreciate them. I'm also going to start working on a purse for a friend of mine. Has anyone made any of the Lazy Girl purses? She picked one of those patterns and it seems pretty easy and straight forward.

Thank you to all our Veteran's and their families who served and fought so that we can enjoy the freedom have.

Halloween!!!

2010-10-31T17:34:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween Everyone! Be safe!

It's Your Birthday

2010-10-21T15:56:00.000-04:00

Today was my friend, Teresa's, birthday! Happy Birthday Girlfriend! That's quite a haul ya got there.

Look Who's Here!

2010-10-21T15:51:00.000-04:00

Yay! The Blue Angels are here. The Jacksonville Air Show 2010 is Saturday and you can bet we'll be there! Love these shows. DVS took this photo sitting on the roof of our house as they were practicing. Very cool.

Sigh . . .

2010-10-19T13:46:00.000-04:00

Bad, bad, bad, stinky loss last night. . . and on Monday Night Football no less. Oh well, on to Kansas City. Is the season over yet?

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2010-10-18T10:23:00.000-04:00

Yessirree, we're playing on Monday Night Football tonight against the Tennessee Titans. Soooo exciting!

Anyway, I got a little sewing done this weekend. I'm finishing up a couple of little table toppers for Christmas presents this year. Have not decided where they are going yet. One is ready to quilt and the other needs a backing.

I've been tryng to come up with an idea on how to incorporate DVS' photos in my quilts. I'm thinking I'll start easy with one of his flowers and applique it. I was watching The Quilt Show this weekend and saw Melinda Bula's Fabulous Fusible Flowers episode. This sounds like it would be doable. Any other suggestions out there?

Ok, back to work and fingers crossed for tonight!

See ya!

Things I Need To Do on My Weekend Off

2010-10-08T11:01:00.004-04:00

Remember this quilt?

It's all quilted and ready for the binding. Definitely getting this done!

Also, need to work on the Pat Sloan's Lucky Charm Sew Along. It will make a nice Christmas gift. If you haven't tried this sew along, you need to! It's so much fun and so far, I really like the way it looks. Of course, this is Pat's picture, not mine. LOL!

I'm also going to the monthly Bernina Club at Paula's on Saturday.

The team is in Buffalo this weekend. We just had a big win against the Colts and the Bills are 0-4. Believe me when I tell you, this will be a tough game for us. Fingers Crossed!

Have a great weekend everyone and I'll try and do an update photo of the patchwork quilt this weekend.

Today I Sew

2010-10-02T08:38:00.000-04:00

What a busy couple of weeks it's been. I'm so ready for some downtime. My friends were here from Blairsville, GA last week. We walked, we shopped, we ate, we drank, we went to a very bad football game. Awesome time, but I'm pooped!

Last night we attended a very nice art event at the Mandarin Museum here in Jacksonville. It was called "River Visions 2. 1 River, 5 Artists' Visions. The exhibit invited 5 local artists to explore the St. Johns River, then bring their visions back to share what the river has shown them". DVS was asked to share some of the photographs he had taken in and around the museum (which is located on the St. Johns River). It was a wonderful event and they had a huge turn out of people.

Today is down time. I have a few errands to run, but mostly I'm just going to spend time in my sewing niche catching up on some things. The weather here has turned. . .finally. It's 60 degrees this morning and I'm going to enjoy every minute. Maybe even open my windows today. Tomorrow is our game against the Colts. Fingers crossed!

What a Weekend!

2010-09-21T13:51:00.000-04:00

Had a great weekend in San Diego! Flew out Saturday, had dinner with my cousin on Saturday night and then to the game and home to Jacksonville on Sunday. Whew! Whirlwind.

The cousins.

The Chargers were wonderful hosts even though we lost . . . badly.

This picture is out of the airplane window. According to the map, it's called Chocolate Mountain. Cool!!

Home safe and sound Sunday night. Now, to get ready for Quilt Fest Jacksonville. It starts Thursday and runs through Sunday. My friends from Blairsville are arriving tonight and we will be attending on Friday. Can't wait!

Have a great week!

San Diego

2010-09-18T11:09:00.000-04:00

Heading to San Diego for the game against the Chargers on Sunday. I'll check back next week with pictures!

Have a great weekend!

Game Day

2010-09-14T15:10:00.001-04:00

Just a quick picture from game day on Sunday. My friends, Teresa and Amy (actually mother and daughter). Aren't they cute? I'm the one on the far right.

We were on the field for the pre-game festivities. Very fun and VERY HOT.

Back at it!

2010-09-13T10:38:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a busy couple of weeks. We had our first home regular season game yesterday against the Denver Broncos and thank goodness we won! However, it was the hottest game on record and the field was 100 degrees at pre-game. Yikes.

Not a lot of quilting lately but I did start this project by Pat Sloan. It's called the Lucky Charms Sew Along. It's been fun. I ordered the kit since I had so little time to look for fabric. It's a little bit of everything, piecing, applique, etc. It will be a nice Christmas gift. Ok, ok, maybe for NEXT Christmas. I'm also still quilting my patchwork quilt. Almost finished and then I'll share pictures.

I attended a Bernina event at my local quilt shop on Saturday. It was kind of a test drive for the new 830. Wow, this machine is incredible and they are having some incredible financing. However, I think I have to pass. If I were doing this for a living I might be able to justify the price, but I think right now I would rather buy a new couch.

Have a great day!

Patchwork

2010-08-29T16:42:00.000-04:00

I got the patchwork layered yesterday and started quilting it today. Just doing a very simple straight stitch 1/4 in. from edge. This quilt makes me happy. :-)

Great day to sew. It's been overcast and raining all day which means I didn't have to mow the grass. Yay! Although, I'll have to use a bush hog when I do get around to mowing.

Have a great Sunday!

Busy!

2010-08-28T09:58:00.002-04:00

I can tell football season has begun. Yikes, I've been busy! We had our first home game last Saturday night. Besides the fact that we lost, the game was delayed because of lightning for almost 2 hours. Needless to say, we didn't get home until well have 1:00 a.m. and didn't get to bed until 2:00 a.m. I am not a night person. I am in bed most nights by 10 and up by 6:00 during the week days. I didn't get anything done on Sunday.

My patchwork quilt is all pieced and ready to layer. I just need DVS to clean off the table so I can use it.

I've gone back to working on a block of the month that I started last year. Here are a few of the blocks I've completed.

The fabric is Portabello Market by Moda. I LOVE this fabric line. This was a 2009 block of the month named "On Point" designed by Bits 'n Pieces. I'm a confident beginning quilter so these blocks have taken me a lot longer to complete than normal. However, I've really enjoyed the challenge.

Have a great day!

Slowing Down - It's the Journey

2010-08-18T10:07:00.000-04:00

This was a great article! It's all about the Slow Cloth Project. The article was written by Elaine Lipson of Valley Fiber Life.

Do you rush through your projects or take your time and enjoy the process? I'm usually rushing through trying to get a baby gift, Christmas gift, Birthday gift, done. However, on my latest patchwork project, I've made it a point to slooowww down. It took me a couple of weeks to cut and now a couple of weeks to sew.

Not a bad theme for everything in life.

Have a great day!

August

2010-08-12T08:48:00.001-04:00

Not much sewing going on this month. DVS was away for a few days with the team in Atlanta so I was able to work a little bit on my patch quilt. I'm hoping to work on it more this weekend. I need to buy some batting on Saturday.

In other news, my mom had surgery a couple of weeks ago on her shoulder. She's doing much better and going to physical therapy a few times a week. Hi Mom! Love you!

Our first pre-season game is tomorrow in Philadelphia so it (football season) has begun! From here on out, time will fly. I guess I need to start thinking about getting some Christmas presents made. Yikes.

It's still pretty hot and humid but I'm walking every day. Lost 4 pounds so far, so I'm very excited. I would like to lose at least 10 pounds by Thanksgiving or Christmas.

That's about it for now. I'll update more this weekend.

We Love Our Military

2010-08-06T11:55:00.002-04:00

We love our Military here at the Jaguars. Jacksonville is a very big Navy town - home to both NAS Jacksonville and NS Mayport. We had Military Appreciation Night during training camp last night.

The Marine Corps Band from Albany, Georgia joined us and performed.

And then, of course, our mascot, Jaxson de Ville had to get in on the act.

Ok, and here's a football picture as well.

Have a great day!

Thanks to my husband for the great pics!

Patchwork

2010-08-01T09:53:00.000-04:00

I started this little project just for me. All you do is sew 4" patches together. It's very easy but there is a pattern called the Ollaieberry Ice Cream Quilt from the Posie Gets Cozy blog. It's worth the $7 to buy the pattern. Alicia Paulson does a great job of giving you yardage and guidance for a crib, twin, full, queen and king size quilts. It's soo easy and a great project for summer.

Alicia suggests just sewing the patches together. Don't worry about matching colors, solids, etc. Just put them together and be free!! This would also be a great project for charm squares (so you don't have to cut).

It's Hot People!!!!

2010-07-30T16:28:00.000-04:00

100.6 °F

Heat Index: 129 °F

Thank goodness it's starting to rain!

Training Camp Begins

2010-07-29T14:04:00.000-04:00

The Season Begins.

Players are reporting today and camp starts tomorrow. Thanks to our great grounds manager, Nick Fedewa, for the photo of our beautiful practice fields!

Have a great day!

EverBank Field

2010-07-27T16:42:00.000-04:00

Our stadium has been without a naming rights partner since 2006. Today the Jaguars announced a partnership with EverBank, a locally owned bank here in Jacksonville. Our stadium finally has a new name - EverBank Field. Has kind of a nice ring to it I think!

If you're ever in Jacksonville during football season, stop by for a game. We'd love to have you.