Monday, December 24, 2012

It's Christmas time!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

2012 Tree
Richard and I had our Christmas last night.  Today we are going to head to my parents and have Christmas with them.  Richard got me a new camera (since I've lost mine and have been using my phone since May.  Oops) and thought that I should have it to take pictures of my Dad when he opens his quilt.



I had my mom over last weekend (?) and made lots of Christmas cookies!  Since both of my Grandmas have passed away this year, we were going to miss our annual cookie plate.  I think I'm going to keep this rolling with my mom every year.  It was a lot of fun :)


Here is how I destroyed my Dad's quilt.  The blue really doesn't look so bad in the picture, but it was horrible.  Probably since I spent so much time and money on that stupid thing.  Pam suggested that I get some fabric markers and paint over the blue.  I did and the end result is OK.  The right (center) corner is one that I painted over in the right picture.  It is white, but it is also pretty stiff.  I painted 4 out of 6 and left the other two because they were pretty light.  I'm hoping he doesn't notice!




To keep the Sparty theme rolling I also made a wall hanging as a secret Santa present for one of Richard's cousins.  I hope she likes it.  She studied zoology and now works with the penguins at the Detroit Zoo.  Richard said it was going to be the best gift out of them (and I really hope so).  Basically, they all think I'm a country bumpkin, so I hope this isn't too.... crafty(?) for them.  At my wedding shower I had to explain to them what "canning" was and then they all looked at me like I was outside of my mind.  

I hope you have a very merry Christmas!

Monday, December 10, 2012

The Good, The Bad, and The Terrible.

I tell you what, I am super pooped after this weekend.  It was, basically, ridiculous.

The good? I finished my MSU quilt.  See?


I loved it, was so happy with it.  (Thanks USGS hand models.)

The bad?  My house hates me.  More to come.

The terrible?  My MSU quilt hates me.  I put it in the washing machine on Saturday morning, no big deal.  Threw in some color catchers for safe measure.  I pull it out and drape it over some chairs to dry.  Then I see it.  6 white strips are blue.  OMG.  There's someone from best buy in my house talking to Richard so I back slowly away and start cleaning before I have a mental break down, since Christmas is only two weeks away.  

It's the fat-quarter snowflake fabric I bought from a quilt shop.  I would have never guessed that fabric would be a traitor!  As soon as I find the rest of it, to the garbage can it will go.  I spent the day alternating between trying to avoid it to preserve my sanity and fixing it so I didn't feel like my heart was ripped out.  I found synthrapol at a quilt shop about 45 minutes from me.  The closest one, and they are closing!  Horrible.  Since I've started quilting I have seen 3 shops go out in my general radius and I feel terrible every time.  

I took it to a laundromat and used the synthrapol but I couldn't figure out how to work the giant washer so that it would give hot water, because of course they are not fancy and you can't pick your settings.  Great.  It still came out with 6 blue strips.  I brought it home, nearly defeated.  Richard rallied me and we tried scalding hot water in the bathtub.  That was terrifying because green water was everywhere.  I abandoned ship after about 5 minutes and threw it back in the washer to rinse with about a box of color catchers.  We pulled it out and as a last ditch effort we grabbed a tide-to-go pen.  It lightened it, but not enough.  It took a whole pen per strip and it's still blue.  Now, I'm defeated.  Pam said I could rip them out and reverse applique new strips in.  I can barely think about it, but I know I need to make a decision swiftly.  

On Sunday, Richard dragged me out to find a Christmas tree.  I used to love finding Christmas trees.  Get all pumped up with adrenaline, name them even. Now I dread it.  It's cold and they are never good enough for Richard.  And it's seems to always be raining.  I think this Christmas was a giant fail for me from the beginning, so I'm going to blame past events.  Like buying all our gifts for a sponsor child and finding out that the information was wrong and everything was actually asked for by another child that is sponsored by someone else.  My sister's gifts?  She didn't ask for anything because she already bought herself stuff.  So I cut her a check.  Richard?  He bought himself golf clubs.  My mom cut us a check.  Richard's parents?  They bought us a ping-pong table.  GREAT!  We are never, ever going to use it.  Ever.  And to fit it into our basement we have to move my treadmill to an area of the basement I loathe.  Double fail.  The worst part is that Richard wants this monstrosity and I can't tell him how mad I am because he doesn't know about it!  Hopefully this holiday season swiftly turns in a better direction.  

Has anyone had this problem?  Not necessarily a fabric bleed, but more like a fabric absorption   Any words of wisdom before I go mad?


Thursday, December 6, 2012

Tula Pink Swap!

Last night I helped Pam and Pauline bundle up fabric from the Tula Pink Swap Pam hosted and I participated in.  I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical about the fabric because some of this designer's stuff is just out there.  That said, I'm in love with quite a number of the pieces I got!  I went through my stack this morning and had to share my favorites!  




We were so busy putting the stacks together that I barely took notice of what fabrics came in.  As I was thumbing through the stack my coworker pointed out the red print, and said "look, another turtle."  What?  Oh my gosh, sea horses too!  The green turtle is my favorite so I was pretty thrilled to have more little turtles grace the pile.  The lion eating the woman was pretty great too.  I have no idea what I'll do with her, but she is fantastic.  Maybe center her and just make a wall hanging?  Who knows.  

I got my MSU quilt back last night too (YAY!) and I've conned my coworkers to help me take a picture of it today!  Hopefully the sun makes an appearance for the photo shoot!

I've also got quite an adventure ahead of me this weekend in our basement, but I will tell you of our escapade, and the reason for it, later.  Hopefully we can make something amusing out of it.

Have a lovely day!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

A new project! With a deadline..

Oh my gosh you guys.  I'm going to make a baby quilt.  My cousin is pregnant!  I can't even wait!  I love the baby already and I want it here now but he/she won't be here until July!  That's just too long!

Mama Spark made a couple of Noah's Ark quilts a while back as a gift and I love them.  Her quilts, combined with a previous interest and my desire to make my cousin a baby quilt (eventually) made me start quilting!  And I'm soooo happy that I did because now's the time!  Mama Spark generously donated me the remainder of her fabric from the project because it is no longer in production.  It is the All Creatures Great and Small by Moda and I knew I needed it for Amy.  I even got enough to make myself one :)  
(Thanks again, my friend- you've helped make me so happy to be able to do this!)

Anyways, I know it's not much, but I was so happy that I needed to share!  

I'm getting my MSU quilt back from the quilter and then I only have one more side to bind on it!  I also started a mini MSU wall hanging (which I think I told you) and I'm done sewing the blocks and I'm hoping to trim them all up tomorrow evening and sew it together this weekend!  YAY!

Off to field work!
Hope you're having a lovely day!