Behind again

I know when I am behind with blogging when my mother sends me an email telling me so. (Hi Mom)

However if you are on Instagram I am keeping up over there all the time.  Come look me up lalaslovleys.

What have I been up to:

finished this cute little rag rug

a quick embellishment of a tea towel 

pieced and pin basted these blocks together. I have also started FMQ this. 

choose fabrics from my stash for a new quilt project

On the home front:

• attended an out of town hip hop convention with daughter #2
• drove and watched many of her basketball games. They lost in semi-finals.  What a great season!
• took a day trip to the mountains
• attended a few National Lacrosse League games
• welcomed daughter #1 home for a week for her Reading week. Loved having her home
• baked, cooked, cleaned, laundry, shopped.... the usual
• working out; increasing my time on the stationary bike and weights in my arms!

So needless to say I have been busy, just not always quilting.  The weather has been so cold and we are now heading into our snowiest month.  yuck

Have you been keeping busy?

Happy Stitching

Lee

Winter White Block Exchange

 Back in January I hosted a block exchange between 11 other bloggers.   It was called 

The Winter White Block Exchange.  

The only 'rules' were, to make a 12.5" block using colours that remind them of winter. 

Aren't these beautiful?

From Mary (no blog)

From Corina @ CW Quilts

From Julianne @ Quilting with Calicos

From Peg @ Pieces on my Mind

From Sue @ CollectingTexasGal

From Linnea @ Nea Bear Sewing and Crafts

From Debra M @ Sew Rip and Sew Again

From Deb A @ Patchwork Sanity

From Suzanne @ Colorado Lady

Mine

I haven't blogged about these blocks yet, because I kept hoping that two more blocks would show up.  Apparently one set was 'lost in the mail'.  The other set was sent back to the maker.  I was assured by the makers that they would send out the individual blocks to all the participants, but another month has gone by and I haven't seen or heard anything from them.  so I am done trying to track them down and will chalk this up to experience.  The blocks that were sent for the two MIA participants will be made into charity quilts.

Needless to say I am a little disappointed, but have no control over it so I must let it go.   

We have 10 blocks to work with and they should make up into a nice winter throw for next year.  (or now since Calgary got another sprinkle of snow this morning).

 Happy Stitching

Lee
Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts finishes, since the exchange is finished. and to Richard and Tanya's Link a Finish Friday

Another finish

Last year I participated in the Curious Quilter Charm Swap four times.   What a delight it was to receive 100's of little 2.5" squares from all around the world.  Those squares together with ones that I had worked up into this wonderful Postage Stamp Quilt.  It is not a true PSQ as there are some duplicates, but not many. 

I FMQ'd it on my domestic machine. 

back side drying in the sun

My friend recently purchased a home outside of the city, in the foothills of the Rockies.  Once she saw this quilt she claimed it (before it was even finished) to go in her new country home. 

Lily on our way to deliver the quilt

 in it's countryside glory. 

oh the view

relaxing on the deck

will probably be used on this sofa much of the time

I just received my partner's names for the next swap.  I am excited to work on another PSQ.

Have you made a PSQ before?

Happy stitching. 

Lee

Linking up to Link a Finish Friday and Such a Sew and Sew and Finish it Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts
and

Quilting Gallery’s Blog Hop Give-away and more…

Not only is Michelle at Quilting Gallery celebrating her 5^th anniversary of her blog starting Dec 10th, but I am also celebrating my 300^th post (actually this is #302). Hop over to her blog to get the full list of participants. Have fun hopping around blog land and good luck.

If you are a first time visitor to my blog, welcome. I hope you will come back often to see what I am up to. (Become a follower or like me on Facebook)

I have been quilting off and on for over 20 years depending on what life throws at me.  I love working with scraps and putting  my own twist on a pattern.

Since I am celebrating my 300th post and 150 followers and the Blog Hop party, I will have 3 giveaways!  (I’ll ship anywhere)

This giveaway will close on Saturday December 15th

#1 a holiday dish towel

#2 Quilting ornament

#3  gift or business card holders (4)

It’s really easy to enter my giveaway for a chance to win one of the above.  Just leave me a comment letting me know where you will be spending Christmas day! (with family, friends, on a beach, in a mountain cabin, church, movie theatre, on the road??)

 

If you are interested I am hosting a Winter White Block exchange and would love some more participants.  Find out more here:Enjoy blog hopping!

Happy Stitching

 

Lee

 

 

This giveaway is now closed. thank you for entering, becoming a new follower or commenting.  

Finish #7 and a break

This is the last of my finishes for awhile. 

You see I am coming up to dance competition season with my girls.  Needless to say there won’t be any stitching time behind the machine happening. However I will be taking my hexies on the road as there is always waiting time.  

We also have family coming from Ontario to watch the girls dance, so we will have a busy hectic household for the next few weeks.

 My last finish: well I can’t show you it entirely or it will ruin the surprise.  Right now it is on it’s way to Australia to my Easter Swap partner, Julie.  I hope it arrives in time for Easter! 

I will still be around blog land but probably not too active.  Now time to get the guests beds ready!!

Happy Stitching everyone!

Totally scrappy!

 

totally scrappy

totally fun to make

used scrap thread too!

Brown Bag Quilt Contest Finished!

 

Jewell’s Easter Swap

 

I am choosing my swaps very carefully this year so I don’t get overwhelmed and stressed about deadlines.

My newest follower Cheryll alerted me to this fun Easter swap from Australia, but open to all countries.  Sign up open until Feb 28th.

Head over to Jewells blog if you want to sign up.

Still around....

All I can say is "please stop the world spinning I am having a hard time keeping up." Spring is usually a busy time of the year around our house and this year is no different. We have been busy with indoor soccer games and practices for daughter son and D#2, researching & buying a used car for the teens use, university applications for my son, dance competition practices for both girls, bottle drive fund raiser, speed stacking practices for daughter #2, driver's ed classes for daughter #1, working a few days here and there not to mention the regular activities of running a house. I am pooped and the 'fun' just starting.

In between all this I have been trying to do a little bit of sewing too: check it out

This mini wall hanging went to my swap buddy in the Yukon, Vivian. Winter hasn't left them yet so she will be able use it for a while still.

One of these rag quilts will be going to my daughter's jazz teacher some time in April. I had to make both, since she doesn't know what she is having. I just wanted to be prepared.

I have also been working on the my Spring Swap hosted by Cory and Helen in The Netherlands. Can't post about it just yet as my swap parnter might be reading!!! I only have the binding left to sew on.

I also made another rag quilt on behalf of my sister for her niece. She bought some of the flannel when she was here in November. However, she decided she would never get around to it and sent it back for me to do. I made a little doll quilt to match. Of course Lily always has to get in on the actionNow I am trying to finish up my niece's string quilt. I have been putting off quilting it as I just didn't know what to do. Finally I decided to use a wavy line horizontally across the string blocks. Now I have to decide what to do on the borders.

In the up coming weeks I have 12 scarves to make for D#2 ballet competition. On Friday I will be going to Edmonton (3 hrs north) for the U18 boys provincial soccer championships! This is the first time my son has made it on a team that went this far. I am sure it will be an exciting weekend. I am just glad he can do some of the driving too!

Checkout Lisa Marie made with the fat quarters she won on my giveaway.

I hope everyone has an exciting week. I will be work all week, which is unusual for me.

happy sewing!

My first swap

Well I received my first evey swap quilt this week from the Good Ole Summertime Quilt Swap. I was so excited to open the package when I got home from vacation. I could hardly wait to open the package, but had to get the kids in the door, suitcases emptied, laundry started etc. I wanted the opening to be special and not rushed. I am so glad I took the time. The came all the way from Norway.

It is truly beautiful and I want to thank my swapper, Anne for making this

for me. I love the little x stitches she made on the back ground fabric. Thank you too for all the lovely post cards from Norway. I have always wanted to visit that country, maybe next time we are in Europe.