March 11 Update

We have been away for the past week enjoying time with family and friends at Disney World.  The down side to the vacation was the pollen and its adverse effect on my ability to breath. I've been home for about 20 hours and am feeling sooooo much better locked in with the air conditioner running.

I've been keeping a hand written log of what I have worked on in my world of crafting since the beginning of the year.  One side of the book notes what I want to do or have committed to do and the other side shows what I have done each day. Each night I make a note of what I worked on even if I only worked on it for as little as 15 minutes.  I must admit it has been eye opening  and it is keeping me on track for my commitments.

Since my last posting I have been making Mickey and Minnie hats for Angel Snugs. (yes they do get permission from Disney) I turned in the Mickey's before the trip and the Minnie's got dropped off on the way home.  I managed to make 6 of each.  Totally forgot to take pictures of the Minnie's before I turned them in. Blaming the pollen for that oversight. This is a picture of  the Mickey's before the ears were attached.

I made a couple of the Pixie Baskets, the tutorial has been all over the internet.  They were a fun project that I did in an evening.

I've also been keeping up on my Quilty 365 blocks.  Before the trip I was one ahead. Last night I prepped 8 and stitched 4. I think that I am now 3 behind.  I hope to get them done today.  I'm so afraid of getting behind on this project and then dropping it. I've started to put the blocks together in groups of 8 just so I can keep track of them.  They outgrew their space on my wall way to quickly.

I made 2 additional sets of rope coasters and baskets. One set was requested by my cousin and the other was a gift for the friends we met up with at Disney. My friend can't wait to try making them on her own. Always a good response when making things for crafty friends.

I finished quilting and binding the Honor Flight quilt I was working on with my guild. Turned that in before I left for Disney.

My girls like to hang with me when I am sewing so I made them a rather large bed for the sewing room floor from an old Mattress pad and a fleece blanket kit I got on sale and with a coupon from JOANN's.  This photo shows Nets testing the in progress bed. Shes seems pleased.

And then because I have nothing else to do I started a new hand quilting project just for me

These are my dotty clam shells.  I love them.  I had 3 fat quarter bundles of these dots just hanging out in my sewing room.  I saw a clam shell quilt posted somewhere and my brain started to click away at the possibilities.  I had always wanted to "quilt" a quilt with that pattern but had never given any thought to making a quilt with them.  Not having a clue where to begin I started to google. This is where I am on the project.  It is truely a learning experience and I am enjoying it completely.  The info available out there is amazing.

January Updates

Where is time going? We've already passed mid January. Yikees!

I have been productive, I am happy to announce that I have finished my Christmas gifts for 2015. 

 They are now in the hands of my very patient friend.  This was the first item to be crossed off my 

Q1 - FAL list.

BA is the recipient of just about every Christmas thing I have ever attempted to make.  Going to her house at Christmas is like going to  a  "crafts my Selina show". Room after room.  We have been crafting friends for upwards of 40 years. Sharing gifts, ideas and challenges the entire time.

So for this Christmas I decided I needed to do something for spring instead of winter.  When we were together in the fall she mentioned that she liked to use placemats.  I have made her Christmas ones in the past.  Spring sounded like a great idea.

As I was finishing them up I came across this tutorial by Julie Hirt  for making rope baskets. Great tutorial and so easy to do. The fabric scraps in the basket and coasters are from the placemats. A great addition to the package. ( she called to thank me and to have me send her the tutorial info )

For Christmas I participated in another postcard swap.  This lovely tree was made for me by       Eglea Senna . It came to me in Florida from Brazil.  I love it.

The  winter bunnies were done by me based on a pattern by Michelle over at The Raspberry Rabbits. They made their way to Brazil and I believe they had a very Merry Christmas there.

My sister saw the basket and coasters that I made for BA and she wanted a set.  Of course she wanted them to match her placemats.  The ones I made last year.  Good thing I am a scrap hoarder.

The basket is about 14 inches across and 4  inches high.

The coasters are about 4 inches across.

It's a good thing that they are addictive to make because we had company for dinner on Sunday who saw them and wanted a set. She went to my stash to pick out her colors.

And I have been able to keep up with the 365 project in spite of the temptation of the baskets and coasters.