Day 25 - Working Wednesday...

Let's Celebrate! Today is the last day of The First 25 Days of 2012...so today is also my Birthday! It's my 32nd and it's been an interesting year... last year on my birthday I made my first comment on a blog (to the talented ladies at Sweetwater) to enter a giveaway. Less than two months later, March 17, 2011, I started blogging!

Before we get into more celebratory activities, I'm going to show you my WIP. Lee at freshly pieced is graciously hosting the weekly WIP Wednesday, so here's my new project...

Skirts for the girls (and me)...

I have the girls' cut out, just need to put them together...mine needs cut out still (it will take a little more work than the girls'. They're from flannel I got on sale on Black Friday...and were to be for Christmas. Oh well, better late than never :)

** UPDATE: I was able to get Amber's skirt sewn together today...very cute! Working on Liz's and mine tomorrow.

I also did a little...very little...work on Liz's quilt. Ok, so I didn't actually touch the quilt, but I was trying to make my template for the flower...

It's to go on each of the pieced postage stamp blocks. My first attempt to start cutting it out wasn't working, so I think I'm going to thicken the lines and reprint...try again. I really would like to have her Christmas quilt done by her birthday...in March :)

So, this weeks work progress...

New Projects: 1 [skirts]
Completed Projects: a bunch of little ones covered in other posts

Continuing Projects: 4 [Skirts, Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

I also hope to get back to the Quiet book for Liz, but we'll see, because the Curves Class starts a week from today...I can't wait!

Ok...so lets CELEBRATE some more! My first blog comment was to enter a giveaway...and I've entered quite a few more over the past year, and have yet to win one! However, I have not yet had my own giveaway...so without further ado, I'm hosting my FIRST giveaway!

Here is what you could win...



A New Wave mug rug/potholder, a matching Mini Clutch, and a collection of fabrics that range in size from fat 16th's to fat 8th's.

Now to the logistics of a giveaway...

Anyone may enter!

First chance to enter is to just leave a comment on this post or on my Facebook page (under the status regarding this giveaway).

You can have a second entry if you comment and let me know that you are a follower here on the blog or comment on the Facebook page that you 'liked' the page [new followers are welcomed :)]

The commenting will be open till sometime Monday morning.

Can't wait to hear from you!

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luke 1:37

Amanda

Day 11 - Working Wednesday...

Ah, another Wednesday to show what we are craftily working on...aka WIP Wednesday with Lee at Freshly Pieced! It's also alot like a week-in-review kind of a thing. Today on the 11th day of The First 25 Days of 2012 I'm going to see what I accomplished the past week.

First off, not a whole lot was done last week because the little one was fussy and just wanted to be held (she was recovering from her first fever...pretty good when she's already a year old)...but she is all better, playing again, and squabbling with Liz! In all truth, they really do play together pretty well, most of the time. So, I've been able to do some sewing...

First, I made a Sewing Machine Pin Cushion. I went from the material...

 To this...

In one nap time! One project getting done during nap time doesn't usually happen....and I've been wanting one of these for a while!

Also, finished is a new mouse pad. Although, I may still add ModPodge to the top, the construction is done!

 Chad thought it was kind of big for a mouse pad...but it is also sort of a desk placemat/mug rug :) It measures 15 x 12 inches.

Love the way the embroidery turned out...Just drew it onto the canvas, then added color with floss...so nice!

Once this was done yesterday, I started working on some bookkeepers using, well, more like being guided by, the pattern from Moda Bake Shop. Here is the material I choose for the first one...

I really like this combination...I may make a couple just from this collection.

So why bookkeepers? Well, I started reading a good book...The Christmas Quilt...on Friday. This is the first novel that I've read in years! The last ones I read were the Little House on the Prairie series while I was pregnant with Liz (she's 3 1/2 now). I think I know why I don't read as much as I used to...I get to sucked into just reading [but wait, I do that with sewing too ;)] to see what happens and can't easily tear myself away (unless it's a book I've already read)...I finished the book last night!

But, since starting to read, I decide it would be nice to make a pouch to keep the book in to keep it from curling to much...but since I finish it last night and the pouch is still in the beginning stages, I may need to read this other one, Together Is All We Need ... or, I might just use it as a guide to make the pouch big enough and read later! I do enjoy Christian, Historical and Amish setting, fiction.

But if I want to get my WIP's done, I can't read to much! This weeks breakdown...

New Projects: 3

Completed Projects: 2 [Sewing Machine pin cushion, Mouse pad]
Continuing Projects: 4 [Bookkeeper, Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

Thanks for stopping by!

Commit thy works unto the LORD,

and thy thoughts shall be established.

Proverbs 16:3

God cares about us in that He will even strengthen us as we complete our work if we are committing ourselves to Him.

Amanda

Day 4 - Working Wednesday...

The First 25 Days of 2012 is onto the 4th day and it's Wednesday...so we are going to find out what's getting worked on during this Working Wednesday. That means we can hop over to Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and find out what everyone else is working on this new year.

Yesterday, I actually finished up the two projects I started since Christmas. One was a mug rug/pot holder (8" x 8") I made using my new template I received for Christmas...

New Wave is what I'm calling this pattern of placement of the pieces, but it is the Drunkard's Path template...which I HATE that name, couldn't they have called it something like the wobbly path or winding path template instead?
At first I wasn't sure I really liked this arrangement, but I think it is growing on me. Chad liked it. It wasn't as hard as I expected, but I think I still want to take the Curves Class with Rachel at Stitched in Color...which is now open for registration.

Also, I finished a throw blanket for Chad yesterday. On Christmas Eve, I went to JoAnn's and while there I picked up a 1 yard fleece remnant for $3...it was woodsy and masculine with bears on it.

I went home thinking I could make a pillow cover for a floor pillow for Chad. [I only had one present for him at the time...and he had a bunch for me :)] However, my machine was really giving me fits by then and so I just didn't do anymore sewing.

So, I wrapped up the yardage and gave it to him undone. He was a good sport about it...even laid it out over him as a blanket...which it was just a little to small to cover him well. Together we decided to make it into a throw blanket instead of the pillow cover.

I added some fluffy soft material that I had in my stash. Now it fits the top of our queen sized bed. 

Where the two materials meet is just done like a rag quilt. It is very soft and cuddly.

So, the breakdown of my WIP...

New Projects: 2
Completed Projects: 2
Continuing Projects: 3 [Liz's Sashed Postage Stamp Quilt, the Table Topper, and 'the lost' Quiet book]

However, I do have a bunch of projects I plan on starting [and some finishing] soon...even today :)

Non-sewing related WIP...taking down the Christmas decorations. The big tree in the living room will hopefully come down today!

{Update: Also adding this to the Finish it up Friday #9 over at crazy mom quilts hosted by amandajean.}

Come, and let us return unto the LORD;

for He hath torn, and He will heal us;

He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.

Hosea 6:1

This passage is talking about when Israel repents and turns back to God...but if we take and apply this to us now, we can glean from it.

If we just follow and lean on God, either in continuing to, or returning to Him (like the prodigal son), we can trust that though God allows hard time and trials to come into our lives, He will take care of us. His touch is a healing and soothing comfort that we can find even during the trials. It's just hard to remember this as the trial rages, but He is there to hold you.

Take comfort in Him...

Amanda