BubbaChic

Mystery Solved!

Back in April, on a relaxing weekend away I was able to get a girly quilt top pieced which I promptly lost...yep, gone - looked everywhere in the house and at our church, where I had taken it to show my friend when it was all pieced.

That was about 2 months ago now - and up until today I still had no idea where on earth it had gone! Today, I got a phonecall from a lady who runs a 'sacred stitches' group at our church - saying she had some good news and some other news! The good news being that they have my quilt top!! hoorah! The other news that when they found it at the church they thought it was a donation to their group and it was promptly quilted by them and will be sent to Emergency Infant Services this week.

So, that solves the mystery! I am, of course, very happy for my quilt top to be going to a worthwhile cause and I will be dropping in the matching baby shoes I made to go with the quilt tomorrow!

...and because I don't need toooo much of a reason for breaking out the New Conceptions Baby Essentials pattern, I also made 2 newborn outfits to go to the Infant Emergency Services too.....

Loose Ends...

It kind of feels like this is a post of loose ends, with pictures and news to share;

The Caramelized Banana Cheesecake went down very well at the BBQ, along with the pecan caramel sauce to make it extra calorific!

I have been busy with the kiddies and busy with trying to tie up some projects over the past few days - swimming lessons are proving more difficult for Maddy than we ever anticipated - a shaky start, fueled by other little people crying has left her feeling very uncertain about the whole *swimming lesson* thing and even the promise of a new Dora swimming costume, doesn't seem to be cutting it right now.

We are aiming to stick with it and see how it all pans out tomorrow morning....

I managed to finish up this quilt tonight following the auction for Samuel's family:

It will be packaged up in the morning ready to send to the auction winner -

I hope that they like it! I didn't realise how much of an emotional project it would be to do - my heart is just breaking for his family, I wish there was something more I could do.

On the Babylock front - and their promise to call me within 48 hours - I finally had an email from them today (6 days after contacting them) letting me know that an engineer would be in contact with me on Friday...so, again, watch this space!

Our weekend

Some wonderful mail on Friday to start the weekend::

A gorgeous house tape measure made by Patchwork Pottery a seriously talented mama who's work I ADORE! I spotted these tape measures months and months ago and been hankering after one ever since...you can find them in her Etsy store, I believe there is one left, which will not last long!! 

I managed to plod along with some sewing in some down time - work in progress includes::

I pieced a large quilt on Friday night - made entirely out of charm squares from Moda's Blossom line

I am making it to go in our lounge as a snuggle blanket when we need it...

Our weekend was also filled with lots of activity - both indoors and out. The weather was glorious and in the 80's so we took advantage and did some garden beautification:

and got a bit distracted at one point with the ice cream van...

and ended the weekend with a high - with the AWANA awards ceremony - in which both kiddies got to stand on the stage, in front of lots and lots of people and do their little singing/dancing routines that they had been practicing. Josh got stage fright!

Whilst Maddy spilled over with joy of being the centre of attention in front of lots of people and was beaming and chattering the whole way through...she was completely in her element!

Its a funny coincidence that a few hours before her stage debut, we actually signed her up for ballet dancing classes for the first time - I have a feeling that this was the right move for our little star!!

Work in Progress (lots of...)

The last day of school on Tuesday marked the start of a busy period in this house. Whilst Mads and Josh are busy playing, eating, drawing and bouncing (on the new trampoline!) I seem to have a number of ongoing projects that are needing to be wrapped up in my quiet times.

Bar far, the most important is finishing this quilt:

Which is being auctioned off here for the benefit of a very brave little boys family - Samuel Backus, who's 4 year battle against leukemia ended last week. Please please take a look at all the auctions here and seriously, how can you resist not bidding on these!

The auctions end Thursday May 15th 8pm (Eastern)

Other work in progress includes:

quilting...

      

making quilted fabric coasters...

and turning this yard of fabric and charm pack into a boys quilt....

Relaxing and growing..

A wonderful weekend was had all this weekend - the kiddies because they got to spend some quality time with Daddy, doing Daddy things like trips to the zoo, ice cream shop and the home depot(!) and wonderful for Mummy because I got to spend 2 nights away with some amazing women, in peaceful tranquil surroundings - a complete contrast to the rollercoaster of activity that has swept us along in the past few weeks.

Our time was spent learning and growing in our faith, with a large dose of some unadulterated *girlfriends* time, with a little eating thrown in - and of course, some hardcore sewing was undertaken!

Inspired by my time with some wonderful friends and a very cute pattern from Easy Quilts magazine - I worked on this baby quilt - whilst chatting and drinking vast quantities of diet coke (they offered it free - all day and night...how could I refuse??)

I am a big fan of any Heather Ross fabrics - but I think that the Matreshka fabric is particularly girly and adorable and I have been eager to immortalise it in a quilt. I liked the pattern very much, it was quick to sew up the main bulk of it - and a little trickier to sew other bits - but I can see it being a good pattern to use up scraps in the future.

Regardless of the fact that we have ALOT on this week with the final deep clean of the old house needing to be finished and more upacking to do here, I am eager to join Crazy Mom Quilts Quilt-along and determined that I will be able to fit it in somewhere!!

And now, back to reality!

Catch Up..

It has been busy around these parts in the past week - hence the impromptu blogging break. Our visitors (Nanny and Planky) have flown back to rainy England, leaving a void in our home once again.

We enjoyed having them here and even managed to take them to see the sights of Dallas, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all - not least Joshua, who was a *big boy* for the whole weekend and walked holding Mummy or Daddy's hand during the trip because of a forgotten stroller (or to be more precise, Mummy and Daddy took turns in madly dashing around after Joshua who was reveling in his freedom!)

There are plenty of projects on the go at the moment - many curtain related for the new house. However, one project has really captured my heart (and the majority of my spare time) this week - a quilt for a lady we know who, after months of chemo, is still battling cancer and is now facing surgery.

So, in an effort to let her know that we are thinking and praying for her, I started a quilt for her last week and finished it tonight. Its from a pattern which said it takes 5 hours - which kind of illustrates my novice abilities in quilting - as it has now taken me 8 days! I think it probably took me five hours alone to cut the pieces!!

All of the fabrics used in this are 1930's reproduction fabrics, that I adore.

And I am especially in love with the floral backing - so cute and vintage looking!

She is a biggie (for me) measuring 60" x 70" and she will be on her way to the sweet recipient tomorrow.

This weeks plans? I should start packing up the house and trying to be productive - but I have a feeling that the distraction of finishing up projects for the new house may delay that event further....

Joshy's Baby Clothes Quilt

I have been leisurely working on finishing this special project over the last couple of evenings - a project that I started months and months ago and which has been coming together slowly - a quilt of Joshua's baby clothes.

As soon as I saw this wonderful baby clothes quilt - I knew thats what I wanted to do with all of my favourite outfits from Mads and Josh. I have had to start with Joshua's, as most of Maddy's baby clothes are in storage back home in England, so that project may be a little longer in the making!

I love everything about having a quilt made up of Joshy's baby clothes - the fact that they are not tucked away in a bag in the loft, barely ever seeing the light of day and the fact that each square is a memory of how little and fragile my scamp once was.

I am no quilter - so the quilt itself is by no means precise! I loved the cleanness of Hilliary Lang's quilt (above) so stuck with that design and just quilted in the white flannel squares - much less stressful than attempting to quilt across various knit/stretchy fabrics that were bad enough to sew together.

The quilt is backed in a heavier weight striped knit, which, along with the soft batting, gives it a warmer feel than many of the quilts I have made.

And, just because I am a sentimental fool, and I love a trip down memory lane when it comes to my babes, here are certain squares in the quilt and photos from when Joshy was wearing them::

The carrot pajamas...a favourite of mine::

In the jammies, just starting the crawl..

The 'wordy' onesie - the very first onesie (vest) I put on him just 20 minutes after he was born::

I can't actually believe his legs were EVER that skinny!!

The truck Jammies and striped top, both favourites of mine!

Here he is in the truck jammies (with his amber teething necklace on)

and in the striped top - out at a butterfly farm with me!

The cream coloured baby nay trains fabric from a Mummy Made outfit::

Trying to pack to move house in November 2006 in his train top...

and last but not least, the centrepiece of the quilt is this white square which says 'Dreamboat' from a romper by No Added Sugar that I had for Joshua when he was born. Its probably one of my favourite outfits of all for him, but sadly, I have no photos of him in it....

Crafting for a cause

The day after Christmas Day - I went shopping and bought myself this wonderful book: Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts

There was one project in the book, that stuck out to me - a wall hanging of 2 little birds sat on a tree branch. I imagined it immediately on Maddy's bedroom wall and so I went shopping for fabric and set about cutting it all out. Later on that evening, whilst working on the wall hanging when everyone else had gone to bed, I just kept thinking about a lady called Tawnya. I knew of her through a community of sewing mamas on a forum I visit often. She had been battling cancer and her strength, faith and courage always struck me - she passed away just before Christmas, leaving her husband and 3 young boys.

By the time I had finished cutting out the wall hanging later that night - I knew that it wasn't meant for Maddy, but was meant to benefit Tawnya's family.

So, here it is - the bird appliques have all been attached by hand (as has the binding) and the rest has been machine quilted to give it texture. It is the perfect size (34" x 28") for either a wall hanging or baby quilt and has the softest batting to make it extra cozy.

The wall hanging will be auctioned off along with the work of over 40 other mama's. Tawnya's journey can be found here and all of the auctions can be found here  including my wall hanging/quilt

The auctions start Monday 4th Feb!

Work in Progress

The weekend was played out at a slow and relaxing pace which gave me the opportunity to do some of the things that I have been putting off - like tidying my sewing room. Over the past few months (since the last blitz) the chaos had gradually crept back in - I no longer had anywhere to cut out any fabrics because it was covered in, well stuff, just lots of stuff waiting to be organised and put away.

So I tackled the mamouth task and the process is very cleansing. It has even inspired me to do a wall hanging for my area with some of my favourite Joel Dewberry fabrics that it seems fitting to immortalise in a wall hanging...The project is underway and completely inspired by this wonderful book - Last-Minute Patchwork + Quilted Gifts

I also managed to start a Dinosaur applique as part of a project. for a special little man..

And here are a few shots of my work in progress, newly cleared but not yet finished sewing room...

Vintage dress inspiration...

The circular wall...

Craft book goodness...

Beautiful (and very Maddy-looking) print by Belle and Boo - a special Christmas gift from Mum and Dad

Productivity - it doens't happen here often!

I have been a busy bunny today - finishing off Joshy's quilt. I am glad its done and suprised with how quickly it all came together. I am not a quilter - I don't have the patients! So I wanted to piece together something clean and white - and for the main fish piece to be really off centre - however, my vision didn't quite translate as I had envisioned, but my boy is happy, so I am happy!

I am also in love with the idea of something so clean and white on one side and then bright orange on the other, here is a shot of the back::

I also made Josh some cozy flannel fitted sheets today - they don't entirely match, but I opted to make them out of the flannel I have, so that he will be all cozy and warm and I will buy some *matching* stuff when I make it down to the fabric shop.

I also did another rather mammouth task today - that I have been DREADING! I have been looking at the Quilt I made for my friends baby, for almost 4 months now. It took me a while to piece it all together, do the embroideries, hand sew the binding etc... so, having completely a few more quilts since doing that one I have now found my groove with the type of batting I like best for quilts - the type of batting that makes quilts all soft, floppy and cozy immediately - a must for a newborn's quilt - no?

This is not the type of batting that I put in my friend's quilt...and I have stared unhappily at it for months, hoping that I will change my mind...I haven't. So it needed to be unpicked - binding, quilting - the works so that I could take the batting out and put floppy stuff in.

Unpicking the quilt was painful - it took ages...the whole while kicking myself as to what a muppet I am! and today I put it all back together - minus the hand sewing which I have left until tomorrow night to do with a glass of wine whilst watching Gordon Ramsay...to ease the pain!

I will report on how far I get tomorrow!

I also managed to get one other item finished today - this scarf, made from Joel Dewberry's Aviary fabrics::

Made for Maddy's pre-school teacher who is leaving today for a new job. It has (soft and floppy) batting in the middle to make it cozy and a buttery soft ivory jersey on the back....I can see me making a few more of these for Christmas gifts and perhaps even one for me!

A heavy heart but a spritely family

That just about sums up today...Me feeling a little glum - My Dad is going into hospital tomorrow for an operation and even though I know he is in good hands, I can't help but wish that I was there (back in England) or even that I could help in some way.

My little ones have seemed to try and cheer me up this afternoon - I am not sure whether Maddy has picked up on the talk about my Dad's operation, but she put on her doctors costume this afternoon and gave me a good looking over - finishing by telling me 'You're going to be ok Mummy' and then whipping out her pocket book and morphing into a waitress and ordering 'Candy and a balloon' for me...

I have plodded along with my sewing whilst the kiddies were in bed...this item was going to be a small blankie for a friends baby boy who is going into hospital on Thursday - but it just kept growing and growing and has now become the quilt that I so needed to get done for Joshua. So tomorrow I will make the blankie! I am not entirely sure why so many of my projects take on a life of their own and become something completely different, but I am happy that this one has...I really need to get a bigger quilt made for Joshy, especially since we have hit such a chill here.

Anyways, here is a photo of the quilt being tortured with safety pins prior to quilting it...

and after what felt like an eternity of straight lines (some straighter than others) it is now ready for the finishing touches of the binding...a job for tomorrow methinks, when I have more than one eye open.

Here are a few more photos from today, including Maddy who later morphed from doctor to waitress and then into Don Juan after her chocolate ice cream (note moustache)

and todays sweet treat from my favourite cook book...Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Pumpkin and Squash...they were yummy.

Festively Plump...

Monday seems to have (unintentionally) become baking day in this house - and I have spent yet another monday stepping out of my cooking comfort-zone to prapare some new dishes to try and tempt the family with.

Today - I can firmly blame it on the wintry weather which descended upon us - I can honestly say, this feels like the first cold day in these parts since...April?? So what better winter warmer to create than a home-made soup.

When back home in England, Jay loved Carrot and Coriander (cilantro) soup - but I have been unable to find any here - so today I made some.

It is an easy peasy recipe, which was lapped up by the men of the household, but shunned by little Mads - who is a major motivating factor for me to to trying new things and find her tastes.

On the crafting front - I have been searching for inspiration as I need to make Joshy a new quilt. The one I made him back in February does not seem to be big enough and with the lowering temperatures happening now - I want to make it a priority to get one done for him.

Joshua in his current cowboy-inspired crib.

I am loving this quilt really funky and fresh. This one looks devine - with all the hand embroidery details and this one is so cool.

Decisions, decisions....

A Tale of Two Quilts

I have mentioned before that the quilt I recently finished for Maddy - was the second one in short space of time that I had made for her - because of her dislike of the first quilt I made...

The long story goes like this: I ordered a quilt book to get some inspiration to make my first *real* quilt for Maddy's bedroom. When the book arrives, Maddy picked out the pattern she liked best and late one night - when the kiddies are in bed, I go shopping for fabric.

I know exactly what Mads likes - ballerinas, butterflies, flowers, fairys and basically anything remotely pink or girly...however, once in the fabric shop I am seduced by some rather cute retro fabric - which then takes me into a completely different reality - which doesn't involve any of Maddy's favourite things.

The quilt is time consuming and about half way into the project I start having the feeling that I have just got it wrong - not least because Mads is not the slightest bit interested in *her* quilt.

Anyways, I finish it and show Mads 'Maddy - your quilt is finished...what do you think?'
Maddy: *looking confused* 'oh...........can I tread on it?'

So that is just what we do! It has now become a rug in their little play area of my sewing room:

...and I have learned my lesson!

Oh and waaaaayyyy off topic, I saw this on Flickr today and had to share!

Strawberry-headed Cat

Long Weekend..

Its Labor Day over here in the States (well it is tomorrow) so we get an extra long weekend - yippee! We have celebrated this time by eating followed by a bit of eating...eating some more...and then finishing it off with eating (or is that just how it feels?)

We managed to put a stop to the eating for a couple of hours to get out with the kiddies and go for a leisurely walk...

Jay with the kiddies...

Joshua found a new friend on the bridge.

and just for comparisons - a photo from a walk on the same bridge in October 2006 (10 months ago!) Mads looks so young to me here!

I thought it was about time that I got around to photographing the baby quilt I finished (whilst dosed up on heavy-duty painkillers!) for a friend of mine who is expecting her first.

I can see errors when I look at these photos - but no matter how many errors there are, it has been made with a whole lot of love and I pray thats what he/she feels when they are wrapped in it.

A shot of the backing fabric (which I backed Maddy's quilt in too) because I ADORE it and have practically bought the whole fabric shop out of it now - its so cute, like little yellow apple-blossoms...love it!

Anyhow - we still have one whole day of labor day left and I am sure we will fill it with even more eating!

Blimey - how can I possible forget to show this - my new obsession (like I needed another one) little purses...this one is to save me the continual embarrassment of tampons flying out of my bag when I grab my purse...now I have a discreet little purse to put them in.

Maddy's Quilt

This is the finished version of Maddy's quilt in all its glory! Overall I am happy with it - and it has actually given me the motivation to make another quilt, even though I know there were points along the way - I was ready to give up with it and stick in a cupboard and forget about it!

Its made up of a mixture of new fabrics - including my favourite squares from the Amy Butler, Heather Ross and Free Spirit lines and some vintage floral fabrics. Maddy is liking the little Heather Ross squares depicting people swimming in the sea along with turtles and fish.

 

Its not perfect by any means - but my little girl likes it so I am going to forget all the errors I see!

And here is a photo from tonight - when Jay asked Mads, Maddy do you want a bath? Mads replied (not taking her eyes of the screen) 'I can't Daddy, I'm working'

It made me chuckle!

All ready to go!

So - I am all set for tomorrow...hand sewing at the ready and on standby on the bedside table...dinner  is cooked and in the fridge and my bubbas are in bed early ready to wake their Dad up nice and early!!!

Historically, Joshy has a bit of a hard time with me being in the house and him not being able to see me - I usually get a little visitor knocking (whacking) the door sobbing mamamamamamamamama getting progressively louder and more desperate until a) I open the door or b) Jay carries him into the living room and distracts him with tickles, play or food.

So, we shall see how he gets on. I am sure they will just enjoy spending some one-on-one time with Daddy all to themselves!

Quilting

Today I finally managed to jump back on my sewing machine for the first time in over a month. It was a good feeling and for a very worthy cause - a newborn baby quilt for a sweet sweet friend.

Its gender-neutral and contains the sublime stitching embroideries and the cute japanese fabrics. I still have a stack left to do on the quilt, but seeing the top done has got my fired up and excited to finish.

The Quilt Saga

I am not a patient seamstress....I like to start projects that I can see results and hence motivate me to continue - so when a couple of months ago, I started sewing my first quilt - a quilt for Maddy's room, I swore I would never do another...fast forward 2 months and here I am again making another quilt...for Maddy?!

There is a long story behind the first quilt and its unpopularity with a certain little Madam!! which I will share soon.

So this is quilt No.2 for Maddy and I am loving the colors and the fabrics - but not loving the unpicking which is just what I was doing here in a moment of calm in the house whilst the kiddies were playing.

So not alot of sewing happened here today, just unpicking...oh and shopping...check out the Sublime Stitching embroideries I actually managed to get hold of...in a shop...here in Tulsa??!! The shop - Dwelling Spaces is in a particularly funky part of Tulsa that I have not been to before…however, having stumbled across this wonderful shop today – I am sure to be heading back there very often! The lady who owns the shop is wonderful, very friendly...it also contains hand crafted goodies from local artists, I would love to go visit there, minus children sometime soon to have a good look!