Be still my heart

I spent my birthday money today at Honey Run.
So so so much fun.

A little background:

Other than the deal I made with myself a while back that I wouldn't buy fabric unless I had money designated for it, I also decided I wanted to diversify my stash.  Mostly, I buy from one collection, but I wanted to branch out a bit.  

I knew that kind of shopping was best done in person.  

Here is what I got (minus 1 that didn't blend very well)

The pinks to reds to oranges

The greens

The aqua to blues

The blue to grays

♥ ♥ ♥

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Steiger also got his first hair-cut today while we were out.  (He was AWESOME in the quilt shop).

It gave me a tight clenchy feeling in the chest even more than the fabric.  I still can't believe such a sweet boy came from Jay and me.

(I will add a picture of him later)

Practicing

Working on my pillow talk skills...

I bought myself a Dresden ruler this weekend, and decided to try it out. 

I lined up the lines wrong, so it's quite large... larger than I intended actually, but I like it. 

The backing is linen from the Rouenneries line.

This is part 2 of my Paint-box adaptation.  And this was fun to make.  And further proof that Plans B or C can be far more wonderful than Plan A.

Adapting

Remember this?

It was originally for this.

And I made these.

And I just could. not. do. it. any. more.

I love the look of those cutie paint-box blocks, but for some reason, hated the process.  I kept having to trim.  And I just hated making them.

So I added this.

And with my sewing time that the darling hubs gave me yesterday, I made this.  

I ♥ it so much more.

Sometimes you just have to adapt your original plan.  This is me telling you to go ahead and do that if there is something you love the idea of, but hate the process.

(If you would like a tutorial for these blocks, leave me a comment, and I'll throw one together... it's an adaptation of the string quilt.  I love string quilts, but hated the thought of the process with all that paper piecing... this is all strip pieced)

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V&Co. is having a sponsored giveaway!

Via Burgundy Buttons. 

Go see.

a little little folks love

Here's some of what I got today with my birthday money.

I had the charm squares, and added a few more half-yards.

♥

I *might* have ordered some more.

The (bloggy) universe somehow knew

I was born at the wrong time of year.
Today's my birthday.  But the hubs has to go to work (and by work I mean about 12 hours... and his last day off was Steiger's birthday party day...which I'm glad he took...April is a little easier than May).

Growing up, Dad always had to work on this day too.
Just one of the joys of the farming life.

But I think that the bloggy universe knew of my husbandless birthday plight, and decided to chip in.

First, I won a stashbuster quilt from Emily at Celebrate Today!

Then I won *the* hexagon ruler for the hexagon quilt-along from Leah at Burgundy Buttons! 

THEN I won 4 yards of Rural Jardin fabric from Bev at 44thstreetfabric!  (I've got a tutorial for that line coming up later in the month). :)

If that wasn't enough, I went to spend my Victoria's Secret reward (this girl's undergarment needs have been changing lately), and found out I had won $50 of store credit!

Here's my loot.

Here was Steiger with his little quilt.

And this is the closest anyone will get to seeing my underwear online.

Carmen, the shop owner from HoneyRun quilters  is also having a giveaway (jelly roll and charm pack)!  I'll be going to her shop today... (she's having a sale... almost as good as a giveaway).  

Maybe I'll be lucky once again though.

Can't show you much!

I've spent today's nap-time quilting and working on a couple tutorials you'll see later this month... so I apologize for no new WIP Wednesday.

But I can show you some new fabric.

And  I can show you what Steiger's working on.
Vegetables are a challenge at our house.
Now perhaps you'll know why.



It's my birthday in 2 days.  Last year I wanted sleep (which I didn't get).  This year, I want sewing time.  Priorities change ya know. :)

I'd also like the new version of this when it comes out in June.  Maybe I'll save my birthday money. :)

Spring to Finish

Spring to Finish

via Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio

1- back, baste, quilt and bind Rouenneries couch quilt

2- Start to finish Plume mini

3- Finish piecing Crazy Hunky Dory 9-patch; back, baste, quilt, bind

4- Make 10 blocks for Aster Manor appliqué

5- Start to finish Garden stars

6- Make all pinwheel sampler blocks

7- Stay caught up on Hexagon quilt-along blocks (waiting for my ruler from Leah!) 

8- Finish Verna paint-box blocks

This is my list.  
I have until the end of the month.  
We'll see. :)