It's been quiet on the blog but not behind the scenes

 Although I haven't posted on my blog since the end of September, I have been busy crafting and quilting. I find that if I spend time writing a blog post for every finish, I can't get to all the things I need/want to get done. Lately, I've been posting on Instagram and Facebook more frequently, then coming for a bigger blog post (WARNING). It definitely is a game of prioritizing the time I have. 

Since the last post of the baby quilt I finished, we have done many things relating to the season. My hubby and I also tested positive for COVID and needed to isolate for 1-2 weeks. Mostly fatigue which didn't help with the time to get things accomplished. We needed to cancel our annual trip to Door County, WI due to COVID but we did take a quick trip to check on our camper and stopped at a pumpkin farm and an apple farm and took in the beautiful fall colors. 

I made this Color Scavenger Hunt board and my grandson and I enjoyed a couple of walks looking for colors in nature! We also made a skeleton for Halloween!

I finally made time to make fabric postcards for Halloween

 for my grandchildren! I followed the tutorial

 by @annies_musings which was so fun and easy to follow!

 I have been an admirer of Annie's postcards for many years

 and I finally made these! 

I wrote special notes on the back so no pictures. 

(I'll have to take pictures before I write on them next time!) 

(Flowers from my daughter's cutting garden)

Didn't they turn out so cute?

I've also been crafting these rustic sunflowers for my daughters and a few knitted pumpkins to add to the collection.

In case you think I haven't been quilting...

I finished up the Stash Buster Quilt. It is large at 81" x 98". The layout I choose was on point which required 50 blocks but the challenge was for 52 blocks, so I framed the extra 2 blocks. I will be donating the flimsy and blocks to charity. 

This was a fun challenge and a fun block to make!

I'm currently working on finishing up my RSC blocks for 2022. Angela @Soscrappy allows November and December to finish your quilts and get ready for another year!
Here is my Hang Ten blocks finished and waiting to be sandwiched and quilted!

So, I may have been quiet over on the blog, you can see that I have been keeping busy! Hope you have had a chance to enjoy the beautiful fall colors this year!

I'm linking to Finished or Not Fridays @AlyciaQuilts, Off the Wall Friday @Creations - Quilts, Arts, Whatever, Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop @Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Friday Foto Fun @Powered by Quilting, Scrap Happy Saturday @SoScrappy 

A finish and some catching up!

 Once again I am finding myself playing catch up with my monthly obligations...like QALs and sewalongs and charity blocks. I think that maybe I over committed this year but I have a hard time NOT joining in. It leaves little time for my own designing and for sewing for my family, friends, and me.

So when I found out that a close friend's daughter was going to have a baby, I needed to get busy and make and complete a baby quilt. 

Forest animals is the theme for the baby's room and shower. So I found some paper pieced animals and trees designed by MadebyMarney on Etsy. Mary's style is unique and cute. I added the squirrel designed by Protoquilt. I did change the patterns a bit and I embroidered the eyes, noses, and other markings (instead of buttons). I added the words and designed the layout. 

The blocks are all paper pieced except for the Forest Friends which is appliqued.  The sashing and border print is a woodland animal print I found at Joann's. The backing is one piece of another woodland printed fabric. 

The animal blocks are 8" squares and the tree block is 12" square.

I quilted with a stipple across the quilt being careful not to sew over the embroidered features. The quilt finishes at 37" x 40". 

                                     I hope mama and baby like it!                                            Linking to Favorite Monthly Finish @Meadow Mist Designs.

In August, I participated in the #30daysofimprovqal on Instagram. This was the 2nd year. Each week there is a shape that was the focus: stripes, polygons, triangles, and curves. On 5 days of the week a new prompt was announced to help you make your block. All the fabric that I used was from my stash. The last week focused on composition. At first I thought I would do a more traditional layout giving each block its own space. But the more I looked at it hanging on my design wall, I wasn't satisfied. I ripped it all out and began rearranging, adding and stitching it back together. This is how it turned out. 

I straight line quilted every 1/2" from the top to the bottom. 

I added corners for hanging. 

This quilt finishes at 27" x 31.5" This quilt is gifted to a friend.

It is now nearing the end of September and I just got started on light blue for my RSC blocks. They came together pretty quickly.

Hang Ten in blue and all nine colors.

Squiggle in blue and all 9 colors

And my 3rd RSC block in blue and all nine colors

I'll keep working and hopefully will be ready to go before October comes. I got a few more things to catch up on!

A Friday Finish!

 It is always fun to have a finish especially on Friday and when the quilt has been lingering around for some time!

I'm calling this quilt Small-Town Charm! The pattern, Mod Diamond Quilt is from Lindsey @Penandpaperpatterns. The fabric is Playground from @ArtGalleryFabrics and Kona white for the background.

I bought this pattern and fabrics quite a while back, started cutting, but it got pushed aside for various reasons. At the start of the summer, I was determined to finish this quilt. 

The backing is a upcycled sheet I had in my stash with a strip of scraps from the fabric collection. 

The construction of the quilt is made in columns, then sewn together alternating the direction of the white background triangles and the prints. It is all machine stitched. The quilt is quilted using 'stitch in the ditch' along the diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines. 

The binding is Kona navy. 

The finished size is 63" x 70 1/2"

I am very happy with this finish! I'm linking to Finished or Not Friday @AlyciaQuilts, TGIFF @AnjaQuilts, Put Your Foot Down @TrueBlueQuilts, Off the Wall Friday @Creations, Quilts, Art...Whatever, Peacock Party @Wendy's Quilts, and Beauties Pageant @From Bolts to Beauty

On another note, here is my August calendar journal. This year is flying by!

National Dog Day!

 Today is National Dog Day! 

I have some special dogs in my life that I would like to recognize. We rescued our dog, Nellie in 2013! She is a very smart and obedient girl! We love her so!

Nothing better than lying on the picnic quilt!

Miss Sadie is my grandpup and lives with my daughter and family. She is a sweet, cuddly girl that loves to chase squirrels!

Milou is my grandpup that belongs to our oldest daughter and her husband. He is timid until he gets to know you. He loves to be dressed up!

I would be remiss to not mention my grandpup, Ole. He was a sweet Frenchie that survive many trials in his life. We loved him so much! 

RIP Ole

And finally, the quilt I made titled Dog n' Quilt. I made this quilt in honor 

of all the dogs that 'bomb' a photoshoot! 

This quilt was made as part of the 2018 RSC challenged and was donated to charity. 

Linking up to National Dog Day @quiltfabrication.

August: Vacation, Quilting and the End of Summer

 My husband and I were able to get away for a fabulous and much needed vacation to Colorado. We spent time relaxing, hiking and sightseeing! There is no end to the beauty of the mountains! To see pictures from my vacation you can visit me on Instagram or Facebook. Here a taste of the beauty!

Since I knew that I would be away for the start of the #30daysofimprovqal, I worked ahead so I could post on IG. The first week of the challenge was stripes. The goal is 5 blocks each week made using the daily prompts and improv cutting and sewing. 

Week 2 was playing with polygons

Now that I'm home, Week 3 has been completed but I will save those for another post. 

I also worked ahead on my RSC blocks! August color is ORANGE!

I'm linking to Scrap Happy Saturday @So Scrappy

I brought my 4 New York Beauty blocks that I finished with me to Colorado to do a photoshoot 'in the wild'. These blocks were designed by Elizabeth Eastman of OP Quilt and were free on her blog. I always wanted to try some New York Beauty blocks and this was a great opportunity to get started! I love them!

On our way home, we made a stop in Hamilton, MO....Quilt Town USA! I would guess that every quilter has heard of the Missouri Star Quilt Co. and Jenny Doan. I had never had the chance to actual go and visit. Here are a few glimpses from the town.

My husband is a good sport and supporter of my quilting! ✂️

Since this post is getting so long, I'll be back with what I have done since coming home to catch up! 😉