happy - busy - happy . . .

It was a busy work week (and just busy in general, work notwithstanding), but there were definitely some sweet highlights!  First, I had a mid-week office visit with *all* the grands and their mommies!

It was a wild, wonderful hour, to be sure!  I love it when they come visit me!

We also celebrated Todd's birthday on Friday . . .

Whoohoo!  He's older than me again!  Haha -- it only lasts for six months.  ;)

And I won a sweet stack of wool fat quarters at guild . . . 

Isn't it yummy?

I'm so glad I don't report my wool stash. That's a horse of a completely different color!

And I finished my center for the Chevron with a Twist piece . . .

I love that method for faux ruched flowers -- it was so much FUN!! The blue bird is ready to be appliqued down, but I think he'll actually go on the half square triangles.

And, tah dah!

I finished piecing Lil' Charmer and got the black borders put on! The lighting this morning does not do it any justice at all.  I so love this!  My Slow Sunday Stitching will be sandwiching it together and getting started on the quilting!  I can't wait to see the effect of the rainbow variegated thread on the black border!

Which brings me to my Stash Report . . .

I'm counting in the yard I purchased for Lil' Charmer, but counting out the 2.5 yards (front and back) I put into it!  Yay!

Linking up to Patchwork Times and Kathy's Quilts this morning.  Y'all have a marvelous Sunday!!

:)

today's wow . . .

Let me just say that I'm totally and completely in love with these faux ruched flowers.  Head-over-heels in love -- I see SO much potential for future projects. And I'm one step closer to finishing up this mini Chevron with a Twist piece!

Linking up to Ester Aliu's blog for WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays!

catching up -- again . . .

Working forty hours in four days (not to mention the getting ready and commute times of a combined twelve hours) is pretty much kicking my tail!  Don't get me wrong . . . I do love my job.  I love the people that I'm working with and *especially* the association of churches I'm working for!  But it's a very . . . social . . . job and that means for this introvert (not extreme, but definitely more intro- than extro-, it's pretty much exhausting!!

It also makes the balance of my week . . . forty-five hours, give or take, pretty precious. Know what I mean?  With a husband I adore, children and grandchildren who I adore, and chores and church and quilting (those last three are not necessarily in order), I've got a LOT to pack in those three days I'm off!

You may or may not have noticed that blogging doesn't make it high on the list. Wink, wink.

BUT . . . I have had some good grandkid time . . .

And some good quilting time . . .

Finished putting the insides of Lil' Charmer together.  Went to put the 6" black borders on and realized I had no more black. I used it all of my yardage for the pineapple quilt!  Ugh.  I hate the thought of purchasing fabric (really?  has it come to that??!), but I hate *more* the thought of leaving it unfinished.  So . . . on my list for the coming week, purchase a half yard of black! I do know how I'm going to back it . . . 

At first I thought I was being silly, using this flannel pastel piece for the back of the brights.  But I really like that the colors are so similar.  It's a good pairing!

I got a pattern for a Valentine card . . . it was a fabric appliqued tea cup on card stock. I modified it for a mug rug . . .

Isn't that fun?  I wish I could tell you where to go to get the pattern for yourself. It's from © Quilter's Connection Magazine 2015, but I couldn't find it on their webpage or facebook page anywhere. The template is straightforward enough, though.  Or holler at me.

And finally, quilting-wise, I saw this darling little quilt from Karen's Quilts, Cardinals and Crows (with a full tutorial over on the Moda site) that I just absolutely love.  There are several 'twists' on the patterns, but this is the one of Karen's that just catches my eye every time:

And you know me . . . I had to put my own 'twist' on it.  So I made it smaller.  I had to mock it up in EQ to get my proportions correct, but then that's half the fun, for me!

Her HST's are 6.5" . . . mine are 1.875".  Teehee!  And I used solids . . . Fairy Frosts!

Now I'm working on the applique. Which will make for some Slow Sunday Stitching!

All in all, my stash report hasn't changed all that much, just enough for the little tea mug rug . . .

And know that there *will* be black yardage added next week!

Linking up to Patchwork Times and Kathy's Quilts.  Y'all have a grand Sunday!

:)