Paper piecing fun

A few weeks ago I made this adorable paper pieced pin cushion. I needed a good excuse to break out the heat set tool and jewels and this was as good a reason as any! I forgot how much fun paper piecing can be.



I gave it to a friend so she too can be a princess!

State of my backside

It is a never ending cycle. Yes the weight is coming off BUT I have been sooooo busy that I haven't had time for the gym. The weight loss is great but the muscle loss is awful! Toned is so much more important than a number on a scale and shows just as equally. No, I'm not complaining. I'm thrilled the pounds are coming off again, just annoyed with myself for not making the time necessary to work out.

The truth of the matter is I only have less than 30 pounds to lose to BE AT GOAL! Maybe by fall...........

Wedding prep 1

A few weeks ago we had a massive wedding prep day. Noone (read bride and groom to be) was safe from the weekend of crafting.

Chris and Aviva used large amounts of glue and made even larger mounds of hot glue strings in the process!



Aviva is making a lollipop topiary with white fabric. Up close it kinda looks like white and red roses. Not so much in this shot.



Chris was the winner this particular weekend. He created the most amazing Tootsie Roll topiary. Give a guy a job with very specific instructions and plan to receive amazing results.


He was meticulous in his application. However, boys will be boys and after a few hours of crafting fun he couldn't take it any longer and resumed his Mortal Combat game!



The picture of the finished product does not do it justice. You'll just need to hang around long enough to see actual pics from the wedding. Those tootsie rolls are packed tight! It is absolutely adorable. There are about 5 lbs of candy on this thing. He said if you get close it smells like a tootsie roll flower!

A few weeks earlier, I made this starlight candy topiary. It is holding 7 lbs of candy. I made a mistake and used permanent glue! LOL!!! The only way these puppies are coming off is if you unwrap them!

Here Chris is cutting papers to cover water bottles and Aviva is assembling candy bags.



See my sewing machine? I wasn't just the photographer, I was busy finishing the last bits of the kippot.

Just a cool shot. My phone has a panorama setting and I wanted to see how it worked. All that mess you see around is crafting stuff! It was a very busy and very productive weekend!

Minkee Monday

The view from my chair.......














Nuff said.

Presents for the bride

My design wall looks very empty...that's because everything I'm working on right now is 3 dimensional! I managed to finish everything on my list for last week...unfortunately we are now in a new week and the craziness re-starts!

I went very simple for Ms. Aviva's shower gift. First, I made her this bag. The entire wedding is candy themed. I made candy fabric kippot and used the same fabrics to make this bag.









This is the bag pattern.





I also made her pillowcases from this adorable fabric.

The best thing I included in her gift bag was a pair of booties!!! (they were $1 at joanns and I couldn't resist the joke) She wanted to kill me! I couldn't stop laughing!!! "MOM!!!!!!" (yes, I unashamedly would like grandchildren but no there are none on the way!)

Stash Report

I haven’t shared a stash report in 3 weeks. I just haven’t found the time to sit and file the report.
The “INS”
I did buy a little bit of fabric. I am making some covered bowls for Aviva’s wedding and needed the perfect cheery fabric for that. I also found this really cute “bones” fabric at Joanns. I mean who knows when you will need fabric with bones on it so you have to buy it when it’s 60% off right! Plus there was this green….it reminded me of my favorite “dimples” line from I believe Andover. All in all 5 yds. Not too bad.

The “OUTS”
The chuppah, a tote bag, and 4 pillowcases. Not too bad considering everything else I have going on….

BTW>>>>Pictures will follow in additional blog posts of the tote bag (SO CUTE) and the pillowcases (THE MOST AMAZING FABRIC FOR A BRIDE).

Used this period: 10
Used year to Date: 48
Added this Week: 5
Added Year to Date: 76.5
Ahead or behind 2011: 28.5 purchased...therefore behind

Judy is the keeper of the statistics! Hop over there and see how other quilters are busting their stash!

State of my backside

Is improving! I nearly have off the 5 7...9 lbs I gained!

I am interviewing a new trainer...read working out with him for a while. He is the owner of a Crossfit gym and I learned one thing....I haven't wasted my money thus far and I am waaaay more in shape then I thought. I think I surprised the guy!

THe downside is that I feel awful that I am not using the trainer I've been using. I feel like I'm having an affair on him!!! I go to the gym and have a hard time looking him in the eye! I think it's safe to say I'll never really do anything bad or I'd explode in a burst of guilt!!!! I may or may not go back to him but I'm giving the Crossfit guy a month first.

Ahead of the game

Well, I.DID.IT! I finished Aviva's chupppah!

(that funky line is just a reflection)

That also means that I finished a UFO for February!! It doesn't exactly seem fair but it was started last year.
That also means that the night before the wedding I won't be furiously applying the binding!!! WHOOHOO ME!

I entered the chuppah in the quilt show. No earth shattering reviews. But on the other hand, nothing said was unexpected. The judge "appreciated the custom quilting." All in all the negatives weren't too negative and the positives were just enough to make me feel ok, so I am declaring it a good review!

Here is a lousy shot of the feathers.

I don't know why I didn't take better pictures, but, don't despair! I'm certain this isn't the last time this silly thing will be shown as the wedding is coming soon! Also the color is sooooo off in this shot!