January NewFO Challenge

January should have been a productive month for me. This is our slowest month at work Life has a way of altering plans I did get two project started; although I am planning on re-starting one of those, and I worked my hands to "the bones!" ordering online fabrics for future NewFOs.

My friend's table topper has become a flimsy. The plan is to finish this one over the weekend. My friend so the piece up on the design wall, She loves all the yellow (not my favorite color) and has plans for the piece on a table in her Florida room  I will do a simple muslin backing, straight line quilting and use the same green for the binding as the borders. The pattern is designed by Sherri of A Quilting Life. I got the pattern while it was free on her Craftsy site.

This is my first attempt at cross-stitch in quite a while. I had forgotten how much I loved the craft. This is also the re-start project! I bought even-weave from JoAnn's and went with the most inexpensive - Big Mistake! The fabric has no give for the half-stitches. In fact it takes a bit of "jabbing" to get the needle through the actual holes. I have ordered a nice, much more expensive bit of fabric and plan to redo this Swoon block. I will find a use for this. The block is rather cute!

The project is a sampler of 16 cross-stitched quilt blocks being offered one at a time by Little Miss Shabby.

My intent is to complete a quilt for each of my five grand -nieces and nephews for Christmas 2014. This is the fabric I have selected for my oldest niece ...

This niece loves Yellow! Did I mention yellow is not my favorite color? I may come to love it by the time I get her quilt done. lol I will be using Sue Aubrey of Quilt Times's Stepping-Stones pattern from her Pick Four book. I've done this pattern in cream and purple and love the crisp Irish chain as well as her fabulous instructions. I'm hoping to cut over the weekend making this a NewFO for February.

Thankfully Panama City, FL (my home) missed the really bad effects of the winter wonderland which hit the Southern states over the past week. All of you from up North will laugh BUT the South is NOT prepared for any amount of snow or ice. The results are totally negative. It has been bone chilling cold here. We got enough ice to effectively shut down this city for two whole days. And, it slowed down my shipment from The Fat Quarter Shop! Very bad! Things are back running again. Hopefully my fabric will arrive over the weekend.

On a personal family note -  my nephew, Scott, is once again out of the hospital and recovering at home. The traumatic head injury, along with other injuries, he suffered from the hit-and-run are going to make recovery long term. Your prayers are much appreciated.

Ms Cha Cha Cat is keeping the sewing table warm!

I am linking with Barbara of Cat Patches for the January 2014 NewFO Challenge. Please drop by her blog to check out all the new projects her many creative friends have started (and finished!) during the month.

Stay warn where ever you are! Until next time - Happy Quilting!

Two Days With a Cat!

Day two - just me and the cat! Should you ever need to know what a cat does while you work, stay home - really stay home, no running to the store, no going to see a friend! Here is what I learned ....

Brown Toilet Water is NOT Good!

And, I honestly thought Ms Cha Cha Cat paid close attention to my do not drink from the toilet rule. Wrong! (just so you know, the brown water is compliments of a busted city line due to the cold weather). 

I also discovered my instructions to STAY OFF THE KITCHEN COUNTER! are totally ignored during my work hours. Ms Cat wants me to go back to work! She says I can take the brown toilet water with me.

Swoon

Did I tell you Ms Cha Cha Cat does NOT like cold? Well she doesn't. Her was very upset to wake up to this ...

So her is doing this ,..

The "evil" eyed look can be translated to -

TURN OFF THE ELECTRIC BLANKET
AND YOU WILL BE SORRY!!!!

I left the electric blanket on. I have one spoiled cat!






The weather shut down my office for the day. What, oh what shall I do?

Finish my Swoon cross-stitch, of course.

Have a nice day!

Outsmarting a Cat!

Corey of LMS (Little Miss Shabby) is hosting Quilty Stitches Sampler Along - adorable quilt blocks to cross-stitch into the cutest sampler. The first block is Swoon. I made a trip to JoAnn's yesterday for floss and this morning I sneaked out of bed, leaving the electric blanket on so I could get this ....

ready to go while this was going on....

My bed remains unmade. Oh well, there are certain pitfalls to outsmarting a cat!

Barbara Brackman is hosting a quilt along - Threads of Memory - on her Civil War Quilts blog. The blocks are stars .... oh, I so love star blocks .... and I do love Civil War reproduction fabric. I've decided this will be the blue/brown quilt I had been "planning" since I started quilting. These are the fabrics I have selected. I do have another focus fabric and a nice Williamsburg cream heading my way from the Fat Quarter Shop to add to the mix. Most of the fabrics are from various collections of Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics.

The lovely Ms Cha Cha Cat is awake! I sat down to stitch the borders on a table topper and magically she appeared ....

Her is not sure how or why but her suspects her has been tricked!

Her is NOT happy!

Gotta love her mad face!

Your continued prayers for my nephew, Scott, are so very appreciated.  He has been back in the hospital since last Thursday with an infection. Today was Scott's 34th birthday! The nursing staff arranged a celebration for Scott, his wife and his mother. And, we got the good news he will likely be released tomorrow. 

I haven't cross-stitched in quite a while. This is my effort so far on the Swoon block. It has a lot of half stitches - not the best stitch for my re-entry into cross-stitch. I can do this! Seriously I have greatly enjoyed this project so far.

Defective Monitor?

Defective Monitor?

No. Just a Naughty Cat!

I haven't stitched one single thing this week. I did select the border fabric -- and got it cut! --- for my friend's table runner.

Surprise Gift

A dear friend is having a mile-stone event this month and once I read Sherri of A Quilting Life's blog I knew her bright, cheerful table topper would fit the occasion. The pattern is free on Sherri's Craftsy site thru today (Monday 01/13/14). Sherri is also having a link up party on February 9 for all who complete her project.

I cut a few Charm squares down to Mini size. And this is what I have so far .....

A quick outer border and this fun project will be ready for quilting in plenty of time.

Notice the little blue spot behind Ms Cha Cha Cat's front leg? That would be MY favorite seam ripper or should I say the naughty cat's new favorite toy! She has spent the day planning creative ways to STEAL borrow my sewing tool.

Fabric Selection

Look what I found in my fabric cabinet ....

Fabric selection would be impossible at my house without my adorable and rather naughty assistant.

Explore 2014

Digital ecard personalized with Smilebox

Ms Cha  Cha Cat says 2014 is the year of Exploring! And, should this annoy the human she is ahead of the game! Happy New Year!