June's Quilting Bee

I used to make quilts.  In fact, I've made nine of them, but the last one I finished was in 2004.  I didn't know anyone else my age that quilted, and I mostly made it up as I went along.   I ended up with quilts that didn't always stand the test of time and finished products that I wasn't always happy with.

Well, this year I've been really inspired by the craft blogging world and all of the opportunities to participate with other crafters around the country and around the world.  I've read and learned so much from knitting blogs, mommy crafting blogs and now I'm enamored with quilting blogs.  I put up this link about quilting bees in the sidebar awhile ago. About a week after that, I finally got up the courage to join a quilting bee, Sew Buzzy.  June was led by Kristen in Oregon and she wanted wonky stars made from 1930's reproduction fabrics.

So, every month for the next twelve months (excluding December), I'll be posting another block for the group.  July's block is for Muriël in the Netherlands.  We are making wonky houses for a neighborhood quilt.  I'm looking through my fabric stash for cute animals to peek out from the windows and the tree.  I'm really looking forward to learning a lot from these ladies and I hope to share a little with you.

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Finished sewing project line up

I could write about someone's first birthday, a slew of summer visitors, our fabulous vacation or a new virtual quilting bee that I joined.  But I have some very important, yet unfinished business to attend to today.  I'm overdue in properly introducing you all to Margene.  She and I have been busy ever since I asked for some help in naming her.  The photos below are my finished sewing projects for April and May.  June's sewing will have to wait for another day. 

First up is the Best Bib pattern from the JCasa *handmade.  I tried the pattern because I thought it would be a great way to practice quilting techniques.  Then I got completely hooked on bibs and on quilting.

These bibs were for a charity auction for Womancraft (awesome organization--really, go check the link).

These were for gifts.

(Two of these bibs were sent to two wonderful mothers that donated some breastmilk to Henry when he was about six months old.  I send yet another "thank you" out to them.) 

I loved making these rag quilt letters from a tutorial on Happy Together.  This bright set was a gift for one of Henry's internet baby friends.  ::waving::  Hi Scout!

I hope to make another set for Henry to play with soon.  This has been his favorite book for months now. ("I'm a Zizzer-Zazzer-Zuss, as you can plainly see.")

And this was a gift for Scout's mom.  The quilted photo album cover was a pattern I made up myself.

This may be my favorite bib to date.  It is a first birthday bib for Henry's friend River.  (She came to visit recently, so you'll hear more about her soon.)

And last, but not least, a gift potholder for my sister-in-law.  I absolutely love how this turned out and I want to make another just like it for me.












Check out the labels I made recently.  The bibs have them, too.

So a couple of months ago I had a grand plan to make Margene a nice sewing machine cover to keep the dust off.  But she rarely has much downtime, so I'm plugging away at the rest of my sewing list instead.

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I did it!

On Saturday I made it through my first triathlon! 

The swim was crazy tough and a lot of people passed me, but I still beat my own swim time by 2 minutes!  The bike ride was hilly but exhilarating.  Unfortunately I can't say the same about the run, but I can say that I finished the whole thing in about 2 hours and 9 minutes.   

There may even be a next time and it may be in late July.  We'll see.

For now, I can entertain you with silly photos of Ben and I.

Before:

After:

And the best pit crew and baby watching team ever:

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Seeing Red

Everywhere I go today:

Red, red, red.

I never buy strawberries at the store.  We wait for the local season, pick a few flats ourselves and then I can jam, freeze some berries whole and freeze some sliced and (barely) sweetened.  I also eat as many as I can stuff myself with while they are still fresh.  So, today, we indulged in waffles stacked high with berries and whipped cream.  (They were devoured too quickly for photos though.)  We also had berries for late lunch and after dinner and we'll have more tomorrow for breakfast. 

This is my favorite local eating quote from Barbara Kingsolver's fantastic book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.  Please note that I'm substituting strawberries for asparagus.  I think it still applies:


"...[Strawberries] seem like a good place to start.  And if the object of our delayed gratification is a suspected aphrodisiac?  That's the sublime paradox of a food culture:  restraint equals indulgence. "

So, my hands and counters are dyed pink, but the freezer is flush with berries to be enjoyed in another season.

Picking season photos are a wonderful way to show how time passes.  There is no way he'd fit in a flat today.

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Picture that smell

Ben was mowing the lawn tonight while wearing Henry in the Ergo carrier.  Both guys came back in the house during twilight and the little one was just inches away from sleep.  He needed a new dipe before bed, so Ben was changing him and I took the opportunity to smooch Henry's eyespot.  (In case you don't know, the eyespot is that lovely bit of skin between the outer eye and the temple.  I adore that spot.)  Henry had this magical scent combination of cut grass, a fresh orange peel, sunshine and fresh air.  Can you picture that smell?  Really it was heavenly and I wish I could bottle it and wear it all of the time.  Since the boy was so sleepy, I got a few more good sniffs in until I felt a little drunk and then Ben whisked him off to bed.

I guess bed is where I should be headed now but I keep breathing deeply trying to find that scent again.

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Stripping Paint

 
This is what our sun room looked like when we first moved in, four years ago.  That dreadful rust color is crackle paint.  Can you believe someone did that on purpose?  We also had dark brown crackle paint upstairs, brown and white crackle paint on the fireplace and green and gold Packer crackle paint as a decorative touch on the broom closet door.

(remembering all of that makes me shudder now)

Well, we only have two crackle paint doors left in the whole house.  Henry has recently been picking at the paint on the door to the basement, so.... I'm finally getting around to stripping it.

Working in the driveway or the garage:

And here it is without any finish.  It is still in the garage.  I have to work during naps or when Ben has Henry, so I still have to do the other side of the door.

It feels good to make progress, even four years later.

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