"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jer 29:11 (NIV)

Sunday, December 14, 2025

ScrapHappy - December 2025

    Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah


One of the things that I'm working on doing this year is actually finishing up projects as I come across them as I reorganize and go through things in my stash and my mom's stash.  This month that has meant I've worked on the following projects:

First up was working with some remnants of outdoor upholstery fabric bought several years ago.  These had never made it into the box with the rest of the upholstery remnants and fabric that I bought years ago for tote bags.   Size of the bags vary and were determined by the size of the remnant.   Plans are to donate the bags to a charity that works with low income women that I frequently donate to.

1 bag made from this fun butterfly print


One bag from this lovely teal floral print.
Had two pieces of this grey floral, so two bags were made.
Next up were these two zippered bags.   The fabric was a pre-quilted fabric with a fun rainbow stripe on the reverse side.  Zippers from the stash were used and the bottoms were boxed so they'd stand up.   Haven't decided if I'll keep these or give them as gifts at some point.
Part of the fabric had a misprint so I covered that up with some white ribbon, and then used that on the inside of the second bag.


Gratitudes:
1. 2nd 5K race is in the books.

2. Weather is cooling off which is good as I up my walking so that I can continue to lose weight.


Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Blog Hop 2025 - My Day

  Today's my day on the hop.  


First up is this gnome baking some gingerbread cookies.


While I don't remember ever cooking cookies growing up, and very rarely doing so once I moved out (any cookie dough usually got eaten before being cooked...lol). I do like gingerbread cookies.   Here are links to a couple of recipes that sound good.  Nope I won't be making them this year, I'm in the midst of making lifestyle changes so that I can drop over 100 pounds in order to have hernia repair surgery w/o a 50-50% chance of failure.  =(

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/best-gingerbread-cookies/

https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/gingerbread-cookies/

And for this blog hop, I couldn't resist making a little wallhanging with another gnome to hang in my office.

This dapper fellow just decided that he needed to bake some gingerbread cookies for his Christmas party.    All fabrics used were either from my prefused fabric scraps or the scrap fabric bins.  

Batting was also a scrap that was exactly the size of the wallhanging....gotta love it when that happens.
The cookies started life as jewelry findings found at Hobby Lobby.  The band on the hat is scrunched up Christmas trim that I bought at some point in the past....I've no idea how many years ago.

This fellow will stay around through January or February because I don't have another one made to put up.


Gratitudes:
1. Vacation is coming up shortly - 11 days off in December, work 10 days........I can live with that!

2. Officially 20% of the way to losing the amount of weight the surgeon has told me I need to lose before getting the hernia repaired.


Friday, November 14, 2025

ScrapHappy - November 2025

    Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah

For years I've stored all my needles stuck in various scraps of fabric.   And since they were just tossed in a drawer would frequently jab my fingers on the points.  Time to do something about it - a needlebook was soon underway.
8 orphan HST's bought from the scrap barrel at one of my fav quilt stores in town made for a fun cover.





















And what I have to admit is a not-so-pretty string-pieced block was used for the inside of the needlebook.  I was foolish enough to buy this in a bag of scraps from the quilt store.


Inner pages were made from a piece of aida cloth that had been in my moms stash and a scrap piece of batting.  Embroidery needles will go on the aida cloth, sewing needles into the batting.

















A button and piece of ribbon to keep it closed when not needing a needle and it was finished off.





















Gratitudes:
1. I didn't break any bones when I argued with a sidewalk, just deep bruising.

2. Weather is getting wonderful to be out in for my walking these days, and that makes the need to exercise so much easier as I work to get ready for needed surgery (hopefully next year).



Thursday, October 23, 2025

Halloween Blog Hop - My Day

Welcome to my day for the Out of the Dark Blog Hop!   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has posted today as well.

Thursday Oct 23

Just Let Me Quilt

Sew Many Yarns

Kathleen McMusing

BeaQuilter

The Quilted Snail


For my project I decided to make a mini wall-hanging for my cube at work.   And since I've started collecting gnomes, I thought what better to make than a gnome with his pumpkin for the season.

Roughly 8" by 10" made from an enlargement of a free coloring page that I found online.  All fabrics are from my scraps.   Mr Gnome fabrics were in my prefused scraps.  =)  Pumpkin is an embroidered applique.


















Hanging in my cube at work.
Backing shown at work because I forgot to take a pic of it at home...oops.   The striped backing and binding, also from scraps.

Gratitudes:
1. For improving test results from the arthritis doc on my gout.

2. For friends who sign up with me for crazy things like 2 - 5K races a month apart and a challenge to walk 2026 miles as a team next year. (part of my working to lose weight and get in better shape!)

Monday, October 20, 2025

Out of the Dark Blog Hop is this week

 This week the Out of the Dark Blog Hop is happening.   Be sure to check out what everyone posts about!


Monday Oct 20

MooseStashQuilting

Karrins Crazy World

Scrapdash

Just Sew Quilter

Quilt Schmilt

Tuesday Oct 21

A Quiltery

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Lynn’s Blog

Ms P Designs USA

Melva Loves Scraps

Wednesday Oct 22

Just Because Quilts

Quilted Delights

Songbird Designs

Crazy.bout Quilts

                           Quilting Between the Rails (on Facebook)

SelinaQuilts 

Thursday Oct 23

Just Let Me Quilt

Sew Many Yarns

Kathleen McMusing

BeaQuilter

The Quilted Snail


 Gratitudes:

1. For pictures that delivery men post to show where they delivered a pkg


2. For  the cooler weather and rain here in AZ.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

ScrapHappy - October 2025

   Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah

In trying to find a couple of commissioned projects this month that need to be finished up, I found a bag of precut squares of cat and dog print fabrics containing 3.5", 4.5" and a few 6.5" squares.  Rather than squirrel them away, I decided to use them to use them up instead.

First up was this quilt top made with most of the 3.5" squares.   I based this off of a picture I'd seen on Pinterest.   Background squares were also precut years ago.  Still have some of the 3.5" squares left that I haven't decided what to do with.....thinking maybe a tote.  But that's another days project.....



Here's a close up pic showing most of the prints in the heart.

Next up was using the 4.5" squares.  I once again dug into the stash of precut squares for the background fabric.  Both of these will be finished as is and then donated.
Third and final top made from the precut cat and dog print squares.  Sashing fabrics were remnants that I'd picked up in a remnant barrel somewhere along the way.  More precut background squares were used to make the 9-patches in the top.
Close up of the border fabric and sashing fabrics, and yes these were also scraps.



Gratitudes:
1. For surgeons that care enough about outcomes to give honest feedback about needed surgery and a plan to get there.

2. For friends who are willing to be there with me as I work to lose the weight and get in better shape.









Monday, September 15, 2025

ScrapHappy- September 2025

   Welcome to Scrap Happy Day where we post about the scrappy projects we've worked on over the past month.   

Be sure to check out what everyone else has done with their scraps this month - KateEvaSue, Lynda, Birthe, Turid, Tracy, JanMoira, SandraChrisAlysClaireJeanDawnGwen, Sunny, Kjerstin, SueL,  Vera, Ann, Dawn2, Carol,  Preeti, VivKarrin, Amo, AlissaTierney, and Hannah

This month has mainly been focused on putting together the top of the wedding quilt for my niece, so not a lot of scrappy work has gotten done.

What scrappy work did get done all started with finding a stack of strips leftover from FQ's or yardage as I dealt with the contents of a tote.   These had originally cut 6-inch from for Alphabet quilts.   Most of the strips evened up to 4.5 inches width, with assorted lengths.    I also did the same for the 3.5 inch strips that were in the same bag of scraps.

Because I didn't want to waste any more fabric than necessary I used the novelty fabrics as they were after squaring up the ends.   I put black squares in between each novelty piece.  Once everything was in one long strip, then they went together in a quilt top that currently is about 42" by 64".
The top will be finished off with a double border.  A narrow inner border of black from a couple of remnants.  Debating on the outer border - the left polka dotted fab is several small remnants, the right is yardage from stash.  Not sure which i like better.....what say you?


Gratitudes:
1. I've been released by the ophthalmologist - Yeah!   So thankful my eyes are ok now.  

2.  For the blessing of longtime friends and the love and who have passed on.