I am really a bad blogger... So much has happened since I last posted!
I now live in Pittsburgh again! Yay for moving home after 6 years in Ohio! I have a new AmeriCorps position here. The non-profit takes donated (and still useful) medical supplies from local hospitals to send to Latin America and the Caribbean. I get to work with volunteers to pack the supplies to get shipped out. This AC year I thought would be better than the last, but I'm still frustrated with how things are going. I swear I can't catch a break :(
Dave is in the middle of a big application process for a new job. And it's a real job - no more of this part time BS with Walmart. It's an awesome opportunity and has great benefits. I would get into more details but with the nature of the job I'm not sure how much I can say about it. I just don't want him to get in any trouble. The only thing that sucks is he will probably get moved out of Pittsburgh :( So we'll be back to a long distance relationship again. :(
As for my crafty aspirations - I haven't really accomplished anything since I last posted. My sewing machine has been broken since August and I just got it back Friday from getting fixed. Apparently they don't make a part anymore that it needs so it's questionable if I can wind bobbins on it. But it does sew things. I made Dave a Penn State pillow case as a much-belated going back to school present. Thankfully he didn't think it was too cheesy because he wants a matching one made now :) I still need to finish quilting and binding my Africa quilt. My machine is not made for quilting so it's a pain to do and I'm just avoiding it anymore... But I got my Flurry pieces all laid out for my disappearing 9 patch Christmas lap quilt. I just have to start sewing them this week since I have my machine again!
Monday, October 10, 2011
Sunday, July 31, 2011
I blame my mom
No, this is not one of those "Arg my mom is evil and ruining my life!" posts. No, it's more my mom is an awesome crafty person and has got me completely hooked on another one of her passions....quilting.
I always thought quilting was kind of cool because you got to make something that you could use everyday (like a quilt) or hang something pretty in your house (like the Bargello quilt she made for my Grandma that I have LOVED since the mid-90s.) I always thought it was cool that other people could do it. And then I started quilting too. I am by no means a good quilter. I'm a beginner. But I am still TOTALLY hooked on it.
That quilt show in June that we went to, I think that was my tipping point. I tried to be good and only buy fabric for what I was currently working on (the Africa quilt) or my next project (the penguin applique quilt.) I was careful with what I bought but I kept getting these awesome ideas for things I wanted to work on (most importantly a Christmas quilt!)
And then I went to camp the other week and the theme was Rethink Christmas. Basically, getting to the true meaning of Christmas when you don't have all the materialism going on. I had taken a sewing class as one of my craft classes and I kept thinking how awesome it would be if I just had a Christmas quilt that I could work on.
I looked through some of mom's old quilt books and I've been looking online for a Christmas pattern that I liked and I haven't found a lot that really struck me. I wanted either a quilt I could make or a cool tree skirt design that I could make. Then Friday I found this at Half Price Books:
It has quilt patterns, table runners, stockings, wall hangings and a tree skirt! Runs the gamut from secular to religious too :)
And then last night... It first started off with me becoming slightly obsessed with Kate Spain and Moda. I LOVE this fabric!
And then I noticed that Fab Shop Hop bunny.... I visited more freaking fabric/quilting/sewing websites last night than I ever have. I have so many ideas for things I want to do now and fabric I want to buy!
I called my mom today and told her about this. She laughed for a good solid minute at me. She is thrilled that her daughters are following in her footsteps. But finds it hilarious how much time I spent online looking at fabric last night. (No more 2am nights for me....) She happened to be on her way to the quilt store in Finleyville and promised to buy me 2 of the Flurry charm packs so I could make this disappearing 9 patch quilt!
The instructions are here from the Moda Bake Shop. And you can thank Rachel at p.s. I quilt for it's awesomeness. I can't wait to get home to get the fabric from mom and make it :)
I always thought quilting was kind of cool because you got to make something that you could use everyday (like a quilt) or hang something pretty in your house (like the Bargello quilt she made for my Grandma that I have LOVED since the mid-90s.) I always thought it was cool that other people could do it. And then I started quilting too. I am by no means a good quilter. I'm a beginner. But I am still TOTALLY hooked on it.
That quilt show in June that we went to, I think that was my tipping point. I tried to be good and only buy fabric for what I was currently working on (the Africa quilt) or my next project (the penguin applique quilt.) I was careful with what I bought but I kept getting these awesome ideas for things I wanted to work on (most importantly a Christmas quilt!)
And then I went to camp the other week and the theme was Rethink Christmas. Basically, getting to the true meaning of Christmas when you don't have all the materialism going on. I had taken a sewing class as one of my craft classes and I kept thinking how awesome it would be if I just had a Christmas quilt that I could work on.
I looked through some of mom's old quilt books and I've been looking online for a Christmas pattern that I liked and I haven't found a lot that really struck me. I wanted either a quilt I could make or a cool tree skirt design that I could make. Then Friday I found this at Half Price Books:
It has quilt patterns, table runners, stockings, wall hangings and a tree skirt! Runs the gamut from secular to religious too :)And then last night... It first started off with me becoming slightly obsessed with Kate Spain and Moda. I LOVE this fabric!
And then I noticed that Fab Shop Hop bunny.... I visited more freaking fabric/quilting/sewing websites last night than I ever have. I have so many ideas for things I want to do now and fabric I want to buy!
I called my mom today and told her about this. She laughed for a good solid minute at me. She is thrilled that her daughters are following in her footsteps. But finds it hilarious how much time I spent online looking at fabric last night. (No more 2am nights for me....) She happened to be on her way to the quilt store in Finleyville and promised to buy me 2 of the Flurry charm packs so I could make this disappearing 9 patch quilt!
The instructions are here from the Moda Bake Shop. And you can thank Rachel at p.s. I quilt for it's awesomeness. I can't wait to get home to get the fabric from mom and make it :)
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Oh blog...
...sorry I forgot about you for a while. July is just turning into one crazy month!
I ended up working most of the first weekend and only getting home to celebrate the holiday at about midnight Saturday night. So of course no holiday celebrations until people woke up Sunday morning... We had a picnic at my aunt and uncle's in Indiana, PA, which was super awesome because I finally got to meet miss Adderley Blue! Adderley was born to my cousin and his wife in January and I've never gotten to meet her until that Sunday. She is such a cute pumpkin :) Monday for the 4th mom and dad drove me around Pgh looking for an apartment when I get to move home in September. This trip, and many since, have been fruitless. (Hopefully the last apartment I looked at this past weekend works out though!) Dave and I also got to head downtown with his parents to see the fireworks over the Point. I love fireworks almost as much as I love Dave :)
The next week was CAT Camp at Jumonville in which I got to be a counselor for some senior high girls. I will never do senior high again if I can help it. I don't care how much they say they loved me as a counselor, I felt so disrespected for most of the week that I will never be their counselor again. Not to mention I can't handle their drama. Granted some of it was above and beyond normal teenage drama - but I'm not dealing with that again. Although it was FANTASTIC to be back with some old friends again. I love these people :)
And it was fun being an adopted counselor to Jenn's girls. I'm glad someone there liked me as a counselor...
July also brought the wedding of the always beautiful Megan. I have known this girl for 19 years! And I am so excited for her :) The wedding was beautiful and so cute and I'm so happy for them :) I hope they're having fun in Jamaica right now! I'm glad Dave was able to get a day off from work (finally!) to be able to come with me.
I can't wait til we get to have our special day too :)
Ugh now I just need to get through the next 4.5 weeks so I can move HOME! Columbus is cool and all and I've meet some pretty awesome people here. But srsly, Columbus has nothing on Pittsburgh. Not to mention I cannot wait until I can see Dave every day of the week if I want to. Just about our entire relationship has been long distance and I'm ready for a break from that. Of course, if he gets a job that he's applying for we will have a long distance relationship again for a while. But I will take the 4 months of close distance relationship and cherish it :)
I ended up working most of the first weekend and only getting home to celebrate the holiday at about midnight Saturday night. So of course no holiday celebrations until people woke up Sunday morning... We had a picnic at my aunt and uncle's in Indiana, PA, which was super awesome because I finally got to meet miss Adderley Blue! Adderley was born to my cousin and his wife in January and I've never gotten to meet her until that Sunday. She is such a cute pumpkin :) Monday for the 4th mom and dad drove me around Pgh looking for an apartment when I get to move home in September. This trip, and many since, have been fruitless. (Hopefully the last apartment I looked at this past weekend works out though!) Dave and I also got to head downtown with his parents to see the fireworks over the Point. I love fireworks almost as much as I love Dave :)
The next week was CAT Camp at Jumonville in which I got to be a counselor for some senior high girls. I will never do senior high again if I can help it. I don't care how much they say they loved me as a counselor, I felt so disrespected for most of the week that I will never be their counselor again. Not to mention I can't handle their drama. Granted some of it was above and beyond normal teenage drama - but I'm not dealing with that again. Although it was FANTASTIC to be back with some old friends again. I love these people :)
And it was fun being an adopted counselor to Jenn's girls. I'm glad someone there liked me as a counselor... July also brought the wedding of the always beautiful Megan. I have known this girl for 19 years! And I am so excited for her :) The wedding was beautiful and so cute and I'm so happy for them :) I hope they're having fun in Jamaica right now! I'm glad Dave was able to get a day off from work (finally!) to be able to come with me.
I can't wait til we get to have our special day too :)Ugh now I just need to get through the next 4.5 weeks so I can move HOME! Columbus is cool and all and I've meet some pretty awesome people here. But srsly, Columbus has nothing on Pittsburgh. Not to mention I cannot wait until I can see Dave every day of the week if I want to. Just about our entire relationship has been long distance and I'm ready for a break from that. Of course, if he gets a job that he's applying for we will have a long distance relationship again for a while. But I will take the 4 months of close distance relationship and cherish it :)
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Red Rooster Quilts
Do you ever have one of those moments when you walk into a place and you're awestruck but what you see? Usually this happens to me on vacations when we go to cool museums. Today this happened when I walked into Red Rooster Quilts in Dublin, Ohio. I was not expecting to see that much freaking fabric!
I was in heaven. Pure bliss. Pure awesomeness. I went trying to find fabric for my penguin quilt. Most of the quilt you can basically use scraps for but I wanted to make sure all my penguin bodies matched. I think I spent an hour and a half in there... That's a long time for me. I kept wanting to buy Christmas fabric because I want to make a Christmas quilt and a tree skirt for my tree. But I've vowed not to buy any fabric ever again unless I have a pattern in mind. Plus I can't work on several projects at once...
I probably had 20 fabrics that I picked out that I wanted to buy though. Being a good girl I put most of them back since I plan on raiding mom's scrap fabric when I'm home next weekend. I did buy the black and white fabric for the penguins and a blue/white fabric that I can use in the one ice skating scene. It's days like today that make me wish I was rich so that I could buy everything!
I was in heaven. Pure bliss. Pure awesomeness. I went trying to find fabric for my penguin quilt. Most of the quilt you can basically use scraps for but I wanted to make sure all my penguin bodies matched. I think I spent an hour and a half in there... That's a long time for me. I kept wanting to buy Christmas fabric because I want to make a Christmas quilt and a tree skirt for my tree. But I've vowed not to buy any fabric ever again unless I have a pattern in mind. Plus I can't work on several projects at once...
I probably had 20 fabrics that I picked out that I wanted to buy though. Being a good girl I put most of them back since I plan on raiding mom's scrap fabric when I'm home next weekend. I did buy the black and white fabric for the penguins and a blue/white fabric that I can use in the one ice skating scene. It's days like today that make me wish I was rich so that I could buy everything!
Sunday, June 19, 2011
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